Some use the accent, others don't. I don't believe either way is technically wrong.

Yes, saké has umami. Saké contains the most amino acids (about 20) of any other alcoholic beverage. There are 7 times more amino acids in saké than in red wine. During fermentation, about 55% of the protein in rice is broken down and converted into nitrogen compounds, of which around 45% are amino acids. Saké contains significant amounts of the following amino acids: Glutamic acid, Alanine, Leucine and Arginine.

I too loved the souffles at Le Patissier but sadly, pastry chef Sarah is no longer at Troquet (as of this past weekend). She moved out of state, so there is a new pastry chef there.

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Troquet
140 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116

Le Patissier
140 Boylston St, Boston, MA

I would add Lower Falls Wine Co. (in Newton Lower Falls), for having an interesting collection of reasonably priced wines, very knowledgeable staff, and some of the best free wine tastings of any store. They also have a room of higher end wines, which are often at better prices than many other stores.

Yes, it was supposed to be today but they decided earlier this week they needed a few more days of prep. Last night, at the Grand Opening event, they stated they would open on Monday.

Mumbai Chopstix is now set to open on Monday, April 19

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Chopstix
855 Western Ave, Lynn, MA 01905

I think Las Ventas in the South End may sell porrons.

I have the menu for AKA Bistro and it is posted on my blog.

http://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/...

AKA Bistro is scheduled to open March 30, and they are taking reservations on Open Table. Plus, they will be open for Easter Sunday brunch, though they won't be open regularly for brunch for a few months after that.

Mumbai Chopstix is supposed to open this month at 254 Newbury Street. It will ofer Indian-Chinese cuisine. Dishes flavored with hot chiles, ginger, garlic, yogurt, cumin and tumeric will be served in woks, with chopsticks. Mongolian Hot Pots will be a specialty. Prices are $5-8 for soups, salads and starters. Entrees average $16.

Yes, they told me they will try to purchase what they can from local farms. And will even carry wine fron Turtle Creek winery in Lincoln.

I did not expect that an Italian sandwich shop would have such amazing cupcakes. LaRosa's, a relatively new restaurant in Andover, sells sandwiches, salads, soups, and prepared meals. Plus, they sell a variety of baked goods, pastries and cupcakes. Their regular food is good, but their cupcakes really impressed me. They are jumbo cupcakes ($4 each), made on premises, that come in a variety of flavors. The cupcake is very moist and the frostings are creamy, and not overly sweet. They are better than what is found in many specialty cupcake shops.

LaRosa's
7 Barnard Street
Andover, MA 01810
Phone: (978) 475-1777
http://larosasofandover.com/

I went by La Stanza Diva in Woburn today, and there are large "For Lease" signs in the window. Their voice mail still claims they are temporarily closed due to a dispute with the landlord. But the For Lease sign seems to indicate its closure may be more permanent.

AKA Bistro, a new restaurant in Lincoln is tentatively scheduled to open arond March 22. This is a collaboration of Christian Touche, the former manager of Clio, and Chef Chris Chung from Uni. The new restaurant will feature Japanese sashimi and traditional Provençal fare, presented separately, with respect for each cuisine

My blog post has lots of additional details and some photos.
http://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/...

I just had lunch there the other day and was not impressed. The food was good, but nothing wowed me. Tuna tartare, fine but not special. Salad with shrimp, needed more dressing as greens were very dry. Chicken with panko on one side, ok but a usual dish. I expected much more from this place.

I am glad that Flour is expanding to Central Square as I am very much a fan of their products. For example, I think their banana bread is exceptional, so moist and flavorful. Today, I had an excellent blueberry muffin from there.

I have been to several of the Chef's Table dinners and second your raves. Chef Ungar is extremely talented, and it is one of the best dining experiences in the Boston area.

There is now a sign up for Sam's Bistro in Reading. This will be a new restaurant ( by the owners of Stearns and Hill's Bistro in Melrose). It is located on Main St, at the site of the old Wayside Bazaar. The building construction though still has a ways to go, and I don't think it will be open until at least the spring.

La Stanza Diva in Woburn is currently closed per order of the Court. Not sure why.

I had brunch there once and was very happy with my meal. They had their Fried Grits as a special, which is always a great choice. I had the Chicken & Waffles which was very good, except for the powdered sugar atop it. You get 2 pieces of chicken, with a nice cripsy skin and each piece was moist and meaty. The waffles comes with an intriguing spiced butter, which was not overly sweet. I also tried the special Fritata, which had peppers, tomatoes, goat cheese and cheddar. It too was very tasty, with lots of creamy goat cheese.

I stopped by here tonight for their Thursday evening Wine Bar. Carl Sutton, a California wine maker, was also there, pouring some of his wines and his new white vermouth. I have long been a fan of Sutton's wines, which are low production, artisanal, but at very reasonable prices, basically $20 and under. Try his Syrah or Rattlesnake Rose. His vermouth ($20/750 bottle) was delicious, light and herbal. It was very popular with many of the other people there too.

As an aside, they now carry about 30 cheese which they sell by the pound, and 1/3 of them cost under $20/lb.

No, there is always a mix of people. I have seen plenty of singles there, as well as just small groups of friends.

Thanks very much.

Yes, it is a private dining service but the Chef also hosts a special Chef's Table once a month. The event is held at the chef's home in Somerville and only 12 people can attend. You get a 5 course meal, plus amuse bouche, intermezzo and mignardise. And it is paired with about 5 wines. You sit in a large open living room/kitchen so you can watch the team prepare your meal. Each Chef's Table has a different menu and the food is phenomenal. Plus it is a fun experience.

Here is a link to one of my reviews. The post also has links to more info and another review.

http://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/...

The monthly Chef's Table dinner at The Dining Alternative in Somerville. Five courses of creative cuisine with wine pairings. Chef Peter Ungar is extremely talented.

My info was also that the guests vote, and the judges just tally the results.

From what I know, you do get to sample all ten burgers, though I don't know the size of the samples. I suspect they are no larger than sliders.

Do they have a website?

Is anyone going to Ken Oringer's Burger Bash at KO Prime on Feb.1? It is a contest, pitting ten different chefs, each preparing a different burger. Some of the other chefs include Jamie Bissonette, Ming Tsai, and Michael Schlow. It is only $25 and the event also benefits Autism Speaks (www.autismspeaks.org), a very worthy cause.

I think this event is relatively inexpensive and sounds like lots of fun. I am curious to see how many of the chefs choose to use beef, and how many choose other meats, seafood or even non-meats. I suspect Ming will opt for a non-beef option, maybe a duck burger or veggie. Will anyone attempt a traditional burger or will they all go for very funky alternatives?

I have had their fried chicken at brunch, as part of their chicken & waffles entree. I very much enjoyed the chicken. It had a crisp and crunchy skin with moist meat inside. Plus, I do love the fried grits they serve. That is a must order, even if you don't normally like grits.