alanr's Profile
Bazzini in Ridgewood, Valentines Day dinner
Happily, there were no failure dishes the night we were there. To be clear, *most* of the bruschetta was even okay, just a few pieces were overdone... I'd be interested to see if the place is as consistent another time, it was that good overall.
I was in NJ for a busman's holiday (I'm a piano tech, and have some work in the NY area) and visiting family.
My cousin's kids *love* Wild Ginger, but I'd be happy to try out other Ridgewood suggestions...
Bazzini in Ridgewood, Valentines Day dinner
Stopped in this evening at Bazzini on Oak Street in Ridgewood for dinner. There were five of us, dressed casually, including two kids aged 8 and 12. We were able to be seated quickly, and they were not bothered by patrons in jeans. They told us that they are not usually open on Sundays, but were serving for Valentine's Day.
The decor is relaxing, with dark beige fabric coverings on the walls and plenty of space between tables despite the diminutive size of the place. The restaurant is categorically not accessible to wheelchairs, with one step to get to most of the dining room and a bizarre and extremely steep staircase with high risers leading to the restrooms.
The staff was friendly, efficient (with one overlooked drink order), and knowledgeable. There were two servers working the small room, which was about half full when we arrived (somewhat late). Waits for food were long, but not so long that we were tempted to complain (sorry, I should have noticed the time it took...).
The menu has sixteen items on it, including seven appetizers. Apps range from $8-$11, pastas from $17-$22, and Secondi courses are $19-$27. There were six deserts offered (not included in the above sixteen items), all $7. There was nothing on the menu for the 12 year old, who is picky, so they offered any of their pastas cooked simply with marinara or butter.
Two items were first brought to the table: focaccia with an eggplant tapanade, and bruschetta. The focaccia and tapanade were excellent, with the acidity of the marinade for the eggplant offsetting the salty seasonings of the bread nicely. The bruschetta were fine for the most part, but the bread was over-toasted (read: burned).
For antipasti, people at our table ordered the Beets Carpaccio Salata ($11), which also included greens, goat cheese, fuji apples, toasted hazelnuts, and walnut oil. It was, to use the word of the DC who ordered it, wonderful. I got the sauteed polenta ($11), served with grilled asparagus, white truffle vinaigrette, and topped with shaved grana padano cheese. Excellent, well-balanced.
For main course, we had the following:
Orichiette with butter for the picky eater. She was over the moon.
Orichiette Scaperiello, with Tuscan sausage, broccoli rabe, olive oil, basil, and marsala ($18), which was flavorful, lightly sauced, excellent.
Sauteed Chilean Sea Bass ($25) with roasted tomato, grilled asparagus, potatoes, and hazelnut-citron brown butter. Perfectly cooked, nicely presented. The filet had a few bones, but that didn't bother my DC, who was very happy.
Risotto Limone ($22) with jumbo shrimp sauteed in scampi sauce and olive oil. The eight year old who ordered this doesn't like tomatoes, which usually come on the dish, and ordered it without. The rice was perfectly cooked, as were the shrimp. 8 year old: happy.
I got the Tagliatelle with Sicilian style veal meatballs ($17) braised in a tomato basil marinara and served with shaved Asiago cheese. This one surprised me. It was excellent, but where the chef chose to sauce the Orichiette lightly, this was *very* heavily sauced. I happen to like this, and it provides the opportunity for scarpetta (the scraping up of sauce with bread... Mmmmmm...) if you have room, which I did not. There were three baseball sized meatballs, which were moist and delicious (braising is a wonderful thing...), and the marinara was very good indeed, with big chunks of tomato (San Marzano, according to the menu).
People seemed to like the deserts very much - but I was lukewarm on them. On the table: dark chocolate mousse torta (which was not as dark chocolate as I would have liked), vanilla-orange semi freddo (which others raved about but the 12 year old thought was too sweet - I did not try this), and warm coconut and mascaropne budino with zabaglione (delicious).
Overall, this was a very good dining experience.
Finally, this was indeed the restaurant visited by Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares last May. Our waiter told us the biggest changes in the restaurant were to the decor. Whether the food is changed or not, we experience the work of a very good chef who has good skills and imagination. My only niggle would be that it was a bit slow.
Anyone Been to House of Chang in Cambridge?
The ambience gets a big thumbs up from me, and the food, for what it is, as well. Is it authentic regional Chinese? No way. The ingredients are top notch, though, and the kitchen treats them with respect. As for the interior, it was designed by the same architect who created Changsho in its current location (but before Lotus Blossom bought it and made changes). Thankfully, there's no sign of the atrocious interior that came before it at Lucky Garden...
The owner, who goes by Kathy, among other ventures co-owned Changsho in Porter Square back when it was good (late 80s, early 90s, before Lotus Blossom, Inc. cut corners and quality). The chef at House of Chang was the chef at Changsho, and the food is similar, identical in some cases.
So far, I've tried Pork with Black Bean sauce, which was nicely flavored with fermented black beans and balanced veggies and meat nicely. Kung Pao Chicken (ordered as a lunch special, which comes with a spring roll and did come with soup, even though that's not stated on the menu) was pretty much the perfect American version. Slightly spicy, garlicky, nice mix of textures, and the knifework was impeccable. It did not have the sweet/sour/salt balance a real Sichuan Kung Pao would have, but that's okay... The accompanying hot and sour soup was good, but nothing to write home about. The spring roll was made with good veggies and was remarkably grease free, considering the cooking method.
Service was efficient and friendly, with no major snafus, though water could have been refilled more quickly.
Considering what was in the location before and the other eateries in the area, I'm happy they are there.
Blue Ribbon Rules
Howdy, I *almost* agree with you (and most folks here) wholeheartedly, but have to clarify my feelings about Blue Ribbon vs. Redbones. I like the food, but I love the consistency and the people. My problem with Redbones is that they are very inconsistent on the food front. When they are on, I think their BBQ is the best around, but all too often it's just... meh.
On balance, I'll take Blue Ribbon because I know they are going to serve a consistently good product.
New in town...and hungry
Welcome! If you're in Beacon Hill (and if you don't have a situation that precludes it) I would save the cab fare and take the T to Central Square (it's also a half hour walk), where you could try Craigie on Main (which I still haven't tried, shamefully, but is supposed to be wonderful). Also in Central Square, I enjoy going to Central Kitchen on Mass Ave, where they have wonderful Moules Frites - an appetizer that is fulfilling enough to eat as a main.
Further up on Mass Ave is The Garden, wonderful upscale-ish dining upstairs, and amazing pub fare (that most normal restaurants would blush in the presence of) in the bar downstairs. Upstairs or down, make sure you try the rosemary truffle fries. Oh my, yes.
Hammersley's was very good last time I was there (it has been a number of years). The food was good, but the real forte was their pairing of wine to food. Don't know if that's still the case.
Close to your new home is Panificio on Charles Street. Excellent breakfasts and dinners (I haven't had lunch there, but would expect it would be a nice choice). Not much ambiance, but friendly service and good eating.
Beyond that, not sure what to advise. Do you have a particular cuisine you gravitate towards? For a typical meal out, how budget-conscious are you?
Hope you enjoy Boston!
Ultra-clean but Chowish places ?
I tend to notice dirty places - and little misses in otherwise clean places, but I don't really care that much. (Unless it's a dirty plate/glass/whatever, in which case I ask for a clean one.) Truthfully, I notice some dirtiness in most front of houses, unless the restaurant is pretty upscale. I fear your friend would be put off by a perfectly reasonable (if not exciting) place like Christophers, which is acceptably clean - but spills and traffic have made their hardwood floors look dingy.
One place that has impressed me in terms of food and cleanliness is Punjab in Arlington. Excellent food, squeaky clean, reasonably priced.
Back with more if I think of them!
Disappointed by Rue De L'Espoir
Our group of seven had dinner this evening at Rue De L'Espoir in Providence, and were disappointed by the outcome.
Hopes were high when we ordered. The ambience is nice, it's quiet enough to hear across the table, and menu items sound promising. With large entrees priced between $24 and $38 (and smaller plates under $20) our expectation was that the quality would be at a certain level.
We were there for dinner before an event, and despite the fact that they knew this, entrees were slow to arrive and came out over a ten minute period. Diners at other tables were seated, ordered, and eating before our entrees arrived, and our deserts came out after the check.
As for the quality of the food, it left much to be desired. Many of us started with the house salad, which was quite good and had a tasty dressing. One at our table got the baked onion soup; he said it was okay, but had a strange flavor to the broth. I don't know too many details about some of the entrees that came to the table. The winners appear to have been fish and chips, which were described as "okay, but nothing to write home about" and quiche, which was described as "fine, but uninspired." Pan roasted salmon with pistachio & citrus wet rub, italian couscous & asparagus was described as "not very good" and was visibly cooked *very* well done.
I got the Grilled Chicken Pistou over homemade ravioli filled w/spinach, mushrooms, smoked gouda & ricotta cheese, fresh herb pistou. Several strips of chicken cut from a breast were draped over four raviolis, scattered with roughly diced sauteed veggies and drizzled with pistou (that's pesto with airs, by the way). The raviolis that sound so delicious tasted of ricotta, and that is all. There was no *hint* of other flavors there. They were perfectly cooked, though, which is more than I can say for the dry, stringy chicken bits with charred ends that topped them. There was no harmony between the elements of the dish, so I'd say that overcooked chicken, tasteless ravioli, and pesto do not an exciting dish make - and for $28 I feel I can expect better flavors and execution.
The deserts that came after the bill were both part of the prix fixe entrees, and included Pot du creme that I did not try, and Creme Brulee that was unevenly torched, mostly burnt on top, and yet the sugar wasn't crispy - it was oddly bendy. The custard was fine, but nothing to write home about.
Red Pepper in Framingham - a mixed bag?
Working in Framingham today, I saw a banner on Red Pepper that it is now open under new management, with a new chef. I had a lunch special, so my results may not be typical. I'm wondering if any other hounds have tried the place out, and what their experience might have been.
First thing I noticed is that they have remodeled a bit. The walls are now a pale yellow (I think), and they have put a divider up in the dining room, making it feel a bit less cavernous. It's actually a bit nicer, but that's somewhat ruined by ugly white (stained) plastic covering the tables. The woman who greeted me was a bit brusque, not at all welcoming (those who knew the owner/manager in the restaurant's last incarnation will know why that is striking). I did get out of her that the new chef is from Sichuan province (Jianyang?) and came to Red Pepper form New York.
The menu still has a number of the usual Sichuanese suspects on it, but there's less variety than the old one, as I recall. Since it was just me, I chose a lunch special of Ma Po Tofu, which came with white rice and a spring roll and soup. The cost was $6.95.
The black tea they served was luke warm.
The Hot and Sour Soup was warm, but not really hot. I sometimes joke that there's a big central vat of the stuff that most Chinese restaurants dip into, and this was from that vat. It was fine, but nothing special.
The spring roll was very crisp, very oily, and very, very cold. Not freezer cold, mind you, just "we pre-made this a long, long time ago" cold. It tasted... okay, I guess. Mostly, there was cabbage in it, as you might expect. If there was anything else, I didn't detect it.
Then, there was the tofu. It came out piping hot, redolent with red oil, garlic, ginger, broad beans, and hua jiao. Oh, and it was very, very good, if a bit salty. My only complaint would probably be the excessive size of the cubes of tofu. This, I'd get again.
So, I ingested three items, one lousy, one okay, and one very good. I'm missing the old management.
Has anyone else tried the new Red Pepper? I'm curious what others' experiences might have been...
A Tale of Three Sichuan Restaurants
#1:
Last night, my DC and I went to Sichuan Garden in Brookline Village. For the first time there, we had a meal that ranks dead last among the usual Sichuan suspects.
We started with the red oil dumplings, which were absolutely delicious. Thin dumpling shells, beautiful pork filling, and sauce to die for, topped with their signature garlicky goodness. Two of the dumplings were completely stuck together, which shows a carelessness not characteristic of the place.
For mains, we got the Braised Beef with Napa Cabbage, the Chengdu City Spice Dry Cooked Chicken (or whatever they call it), and Napa Cabbage with Portobello Mushrooms. Of the three, the cabbage and mushroom dish was closest to what I expected. It was very plain, and tasty.
The beef tasted good, but was a very different preparation that what I have seen there before. Normally, it comes in a large bowl with *lots* of killer spicy broth, great for soaking into rice. Last night, it was a nearly dry dish with all the right flavors, not very spicy, and served in a smallish bowl. Tasty in its own right, but not the dish one expects when ordering.
The chicken was a major disappointment. Nicely deep fried, breaded chicken bits. Not spicy at all, and with very few fresh or dried chilis. This was very much like the dish Dr. Jimbob and I got at our first (and disappointing) trip to Chilli Garden. It was not dry fried and loaded with spices and chilis as it normally is (was?).
In short, everything was fine but no better. Compared to my expectations, it was very disappointing.
#2:
Today, still disappointed with last night's meal, I stopped by Red Pepper in Framingham, where I can always count on a nice conversation with the owner and an excellent Ma Po Tofu. I only got the conversation today. The restaurant is closed temporarily while they try to figure out how to make a go of it in a lousy economy. There is a mailing list on their web site that I will subscribe to, in order to find out when they are re-opening. (Link below)
#3:
Saddened by my recent lack of success, I headed to Sichuan Gourmet. I will say ahead of time that based on repeated attempts to get the great food several trusted Chowhounds seem to get, my expectations were very low. The food I had was mostly exceptional! I got a lunch special, which actually tends to lower my expectations for some reason. I got the Smoky Hot Chicken with Cayenne, preceded by Hot & Sour Soup and a spring roll.
The soup was Hot, and Sour, and tasty. It did not have the richness of some, so I think it may be a true vegetarian version made without meat broth. It also was thinner than most, since it wasn't thickened with way too much starch. It was nicely balanced, probably the best I have had in the area.
The spring roll was too oily, and not very hot. It tasted mostly of fresh cabbage, though, and was probably excellent right after they prepared it.
The chicken dish was killer! I finally saw a dish from SG that showcased careful preparation, successfully balanced spice and flavor, and that I would order again! Chicken with lots of hot green pepper, there were signs of egg in the preparation and a lovely, subtle undercurrent of ginger. It was very spicy indeed, but full of interesting flavors. Excellent.
That's it - my quest for an excellent meal that started unsuccessfully at one of my "go to" places and ended successfully at a place I had pretty much written off.
-----
Redpepper Chinese Restaurant
17 Edgell Rd, Framingham, MA
Questions about Sichuan Gourmet
Yep, but unfortunately I must report that they have (hopefully temporarily) closed their doors. They are still running a Brazilian place on the second floor (which I didn't know about before today), which has dance/performance space.
I spoke at length with the owner, Jennifer, and she is trying to put together a new business plan that includes planning for both a poor economy and great Sichuan food.
*That* being said, I then went to my personal last place contender for Sichuan food, Sichuan Gourmet, and had the best meal I have ever had there at lunch today. The service, though, made Red Pepper on a bad day look like a love fest.
Recs for Lunch in Brookline Village
Thanks for the links! I'll third Sichuan Garden, and second Family Restaurant. Oishii is phenomenal sushi, if you can get a seat.
I'm afraid I must disagree with Lauren about the Village Smokehouse. Every few years I go back to try again, and it only seems to devolve. It is cheap, though in price and quality both. (Sorry, Lauren!)
Questions about Sichuan Gourmet
Glad you had a good meal there. I like the place, but have had generally better prepared, more adequately flavored food at Red Pepper, also in Framingham. I have found that Sichuan Gourmet appears to "dumb down" the food for me on occasion.
That said, I have had dicey service at Red Pepper on occasion, and tonight I had a mediocre meal at my second favorite Sichuan restaurant, Sichuan Garden Brookline. In fact, all the Sichuan places I go to seem to have on and off nights with one exception. Fuloon in Malden has yet to disappoint.
Mediterranee New Years prix fixe celebration
Had a wonderful dinner this evening in Great Falls, VA at Mediterranee, one of the two nice (and according to our French DC the only "real") French restaurants in Great Falls, so I thought I would traipse over here from my normal hangout on the Boston board to report...
The restaurant had a prix fixe menu for the evening, three courses for $62, not including taxes, tip, or wine.
The ambience at Mediterranee is pleasant. It is less formal than Auberge Chez Francois, with tables close together and a more rustic feel to the room. Despite the fact that every table was filled, it was possible to converse across the table without too much problem.
The food was wonderful at every course, and every place. Unfortunately, similar tastes in menu items means that among three diners, we only had two each of the choices for first and second course.
For appetizer, one of us had "Lobster bisque with fava bean, corn and aumoniere, a crepe stuffed with a ragout of porcini mushroom and crayfish." (I am lifting descriptions right from the menu, thus the quotes.) The soup was of the smooth bisque variety, no lumps of lobster but excellent flavor. I did not try the crepe - it was offered but I was paying too much attention to my app... suffice it to say that the DC who ordered the dish is a member of the clean plate club.
Two of us got "Foie gras terrine with Belgium endive, watercress, asparagus salad in a white truffle and lime sauce," which was absolutely incredible. The fois gras was by far the best I have had in the US, and very nearly as good as the best I had in France. Rich, buttery consistency, and flavorful. It matched with the salad well, allaying my fear that the strong flavor of endive would compete with the terrine. The dressing was redolent of truffle and finished the dish nicely.
For mains, one of us got "Wild Boar simmered with cranberry and orange sauce, sweet potato and chestnut puree in brick dough." I tasted the boar, which had been braised beautifully - the toughness that often accompanies wild boar was absent, and the sauce was only slightly sweet, not overpoweringly so. I did not taste the puree, but I understand that it was good.
Two of us got "Fresh duck roasted in a cherry sauce served with brick dough filled with duck confit, cabbage confit and quail egg; mesclun salad tossed in a dressing with 20 year old Xeres vinegar," which was phenomenal. The duck was perfectly medium rare, once again with a sauce that could have been cloying in the wrong hands, but was perfectly executed and not too sweet, even with large cherry bits in the sauce. The brick dough filling was wonderful, even though there was no palpable sign of cabbage. What was there was tender, tasty, and surprisingly harmonious. The salad was probably the weakest thing on the plate, mostly because it was comparatively pedestrian, but was pleasant.
The two deserts on the menu were "Chocolate Marquise; white chocolate ice cream with coffee hazelnut sauce and raspberries" and "Fresh berries in champagne aspic with passion mousse, soft meringue with almond and caramel, champagne strawberry sauce." Both were quite tasty; neither was particularly delicate or dainty, which means we left the restaurant feeling very full. In fact, my only complaint about the menu is that a third, lighter desert would have been nice. That being said, I finished every bit of my Marquise.
Dinner was accompanied by an excellent wine. I apologize for not knowing what it was - I forgot to jot it down for this review. The wine list appeared to be fairly broad in terms of varietals and price, but I did not get a good look at it.
All in all, this was a wonderful dining experience. I especially enjoyed having an excellent French meal served in a casual setting, and I would definitely return to Mediterranee.
A place for drink with a fireplace
That's terribly disappointing! The food used to be wonderful there.
Don't know if they still have it, but Dali used to have a wood stove in one of the dining rooms that put out a wonderful warmth. Not a fireplace but lovely.
Umi in Fenway
Had lunch today at Umi in Fenway, after reading very mixed things and having a friend recommend it highly. Last time I was at the location, it was (excellent) Naha. It is now clearly under new ownership - Korean, judging by the menu and the fact that the staff was talking amongst themselves in Korean.
The menu is a mix of Korean and Japanese entrees and sushi. I decided to see what the sushi chef would provide in the Sushi Deluxe ($18.95, and no, I don't usually spend like a sailor for lunch!).
First came miso soup, which was tasty, and had two kinds of seaweed in addition to tofu. My only complaint would be that there was extremely little of anything but liquid. Mind you, I don't want chunky miso soup, but this was unusual (a few pieces of seaweed and two small cubes of very soft tofu).
The sushi and maki were by and large very disappointing. There was a preponderance of tuna, which is good because that was the only *really* good fish on the plate. Other fish included salmon (tasted ok but a bit loose in texture), some white fish with the texture of hamachi and the fishiness of not-so-good mackeral, sea bass (lacked both flavor and the firmness of really fresh), and cooked shrimp.
Service and ambience were, um, interesting. The staff had really a really good time with each other; there was much talking and laughing throughout. Unfortunately, there was little of the same for the customers; I literally heard the waitress say three things to all the tables: "Are you ready," "Are you done," and "sorry." That last one came when the server poured green tea (which was lukewarm) onto the table and into my soy dish. She did clean up, sort of, and did not replace the dish.
That little exchange happened among over a dozen blasts of cold air from the door opening for foot traffic. I would think that was terrific if the traffic were customers, but it was all staff; not one customer came in after me during my visit. Two times large pieces of equipment (one sushi display fridge, one something else bigger) were carried through the dining room out to an SUV that was double parked when I entered and still there when I left. They left the door wide open after the sushi fridge was carried out and I got up and closed the door (and was thanked for it by other diners). Other blasts of indoor winter occurred when staff went out to make phone calls, when staff went out to and came back from Dunkin' Donuts, and when they went out several times to stand around the car. Overall, I'd say they showed little to no regard for the comfort of their diners.
If aforementioned friend wants me to try Umi again, I will be delighted to go. Otherwise, I'm not inclined to return. For similar prices, I would prefer to go to Sushi 21 in Watertown or even Zen 320 in Brookline, both of which reliably have better fish than what I had today.
A place for drink with a fireplace
Sorry it's too late for your date, but West on Center in West Roxbury has a dine-in bar with comfortable seating, big fireplace, and excellent food (when last I tried it).
Le Comptoir des Favouilles, Marseille
Just had a wonderful meal at Le Comptoir des Favouilles, 44, Rue Saint in Marseille. It's our last night in France and we were looking for a nice, not-too-expensive meal with great food and wine. Following a clue in the Rough Guide to Provence we headed here.
The restaurant is around a five minute walk from the Old Port, on a side street. The interior is bright, not at all ostentatious. The two people serving were helpful and friendly. Menus are hand written on chalk boards either on easels (pas fumee) or mounted on pivots on the wall (fumee), and there is plenty of choice.
After we ordered and wine arrived (more on the wine later), there was soup that we did not order but appears to have been sent out with an eye to what we had ordered. My companion got a beautiful mushroom soup, and I got a very tasty pumpkin soup.
For Plat my companion got fois gras, which was served with toast points, jam, caramelized onions, and a small bunch of greens with tomato. The fois gras was buttery, smooth, spectacular.
My Plat was a salad of grilled vegetables with Mozzarella. Greens and grilled eggplant, roasted red pepper, tomato, and black olives were lightly dressed with a vinaigrette, sprinkled with a bit of cilantro. The salad was very good, the only complaint I would have is that the tomato was not particularly ripe. After eleven days of less then enough veggies here in France, though (my own fault, of course), this salad was a godsend!
For entree, my companion had lamb, served as chops with a magnificent (but strong!) garlic sauce on the side, a potato gratinee, and an vegetable dish held together by an egg base. The lamb was tasty and tender, mostly rare as requested, and the potatoes were very nice. The egg/veggie concoction, I thought was interesting and not bad, though my companion might not have been so generous.
My entree was duck with black mushrooms. I was not asked how the duck should be cooked, and it was done slightly more than I might have liked. However, it was not at all dried out and the flavor was excellent - the ingredients were largely speaking for themselves, and those ingredients were very good indeed. The duck was sided with an unexceptional but good rice pilaf and the same egg and veggie thing that came with the lamb.
Neither of us wanted desert after this excellent meal, but I had a nice decaf espresso.
For wine we shared a 50 cl bottle of Chateau La Coste Coteaux D Aix En Provence from 2003, which was smooth and drinkable even before breathing, and only improved through the meal.
The cost for the meal was just under 100 Euros for both of us, including 19E for the wine. Overall, for the quality of the meal, the ambience, and the wine, we were very pleased!
Need special occaison sushi recommendation
I am afraid I must respectfully disagree with the Fugakyu portion of the recommendation. I've been three times (the third under duress), and been underwhelmed by the knifework, the quality of the fish, and the construction of the sushi. The third time I tried ton katsu, which was tasteless and cooked to shoe leather consistency. The only saving grace to the place is its wonderful interior!
Interestingly, the same folks own one of my favorites, New Ginza in Watertown. It has consistently been excellent for sushi and for kitchen-prepared dishes, and might be worth adding to your list of places to consider!
Grangusto at the Brickyard, 9/25/07
Last evening, a companion and I tried Grangusto at 90 Sherman Street in Cambridge (in the old Tartufo location). I am pleased to report that it was quite pleasant, and I look forward to trying it again soon...
The restaurant is in the Brickyard, a small warehouse-style office complex it shares with Comcast and empty space for lease. We walked there, but noticed a sign for parking, which is a plus in that neighborhood. There are several tables outside, but since it was a sticky evening we opted to sit inside. The decor is pleasant, with soft Italian pop music in the background. Despite high cielings, it was not too noisy. During our meal, there were several parties eating outside, and seven tables occupied inside. It's a pretty big place, so it was not nearly full. (We did wonder if it gets too loud when it is full.)
Service was primarily provided by the manager, Antonio, who owns the restaurant with his brother, who is the chef. He was ably assisted by a waiter, who did not introduce himself but was nonetheless friendly. All pastas and deserts are house-made at Grangusto, and anything baked is made in a brick oven.
The menu has a full complement of starters, three salads, lots of pastas, and a fine assortment of fish and meat/poultry dishes. The back page of the menu is pizzas, which Antonio highly recommended.
My companion started with a Ceasar Salad, which she said was excellent. I started with the mixed greens salad with cherry tomatoes, which was very good. Both came pre-dressed, but not overly-so.
For her main course, my companion ordered a spaghetti dish with scallops and zucchini in a white wine sauce. It was delicious, and the sauce of wine and garlic was gentle enough that all the flavors could come through. There was a very nice additional ingredient that added crunch to the dish, but neither of us could figure out what it was (and we forgot to ask!).
My dish was a pappardella with mushrooms and sausage. The pasta was cooked perfectly, and was heaped with fresh mushrooms and a nice mild sausage. The noodles were not dry, but there was really only enough sauce to hold things together. Once again, the ingredients were really allowed to speak for themselves.
With my dinner, I had a wonderful glass of Aglianico (I didn't know this wine, it's a red from the south of Italy) that started nicely and only mellowed and improved during the evening. Their wine by the glass is served in a small carafe, which seems to be pretty generous.
For desert, my companion and I each had a cappuccino, and we shared a chocolate almond cake that came served with vanilla ice cream. From Antonio's description, we had both somehow imagined a dense, low-or-no flour cake, but what we got was happily nice and light. Since we shared, they cut the piece down the middle for us. The cake was not spectacularly chocolatey, but was certainly pleasant enough. Next time I'll probably try the ricotta pie, which Antonio seemed to think was the best of a good lot of deserts.
This dinner for two with one desert and one glass of wine came to $69.20 plus tip. More wine and meat or fish dishes would have raised this considerably, but I think we were both very pleased with the meal we had and were satisfied with the cost.
Next time, pizza!
Fuloon Redux
I share Dr. Jimbob's enthusiasm for these gems, but agree with Taralli re: the soup/medium/what-have-you.
The bean paste filled rice balls will often come in a medium that is strong enough to sip. Our rendition on Saturday (and I'd assume last night's as well) was very mild and not interesting enough to care about drinking.
I am gratified to see that Fuloon appears to be very consistent. It's getting easier and easier to recommend!
Incensed with Whole Foods: Enough Incompetence!
Hey Dr. Jimbob, I still stop at Roche Brothers when I'm in Natick/West Roxbury/etc. and it is still pretty spectacular. Unfortunately, I think the problem is that it's just not everywhere the way Whole Foods is. If the two were next door to each other, I'd go to Roche Brothers for much of what I currently go to Whole Foods in Cambridge for.
As for the problems of the OP and follow-ups, I will say that I have had some interesting issues with customer service at the Cambridge Whole Foods, but they have mostly been with new employees (I hope) learning the ropes, and certainly have not been bothered by bad attitudes.
For customer service, I am a fan of Whole Foods, Russo's, and Roche Brothers. (Roche Brothers is a full service, "normal" priced grocery that actually has butchers, which Star/Shaws do not - the latter have meat packagers who will not trim or grind.)
Sichuan Gourmet disappointment
After reading so many terrific things about Sichuan Gourmet in Framingham, I finally was able to give it a try on Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, the restaurant I ate from and the things I have read about here on Chowhound are very different! I am aware that I might have hit an "off" night, but it left a mixed impression (and a hankering for the consistency and skill Sichuan Garden have shown recently). As you know, that first impression is important; I was with Dr.Jimbob at his venture to Wang's, and haven't been remotely tempted to return!
Not that Sichuan Gourmet was bad, it just didn't fill me with awe and wonder like I was hoping it would. After a Chowhound I trust recently talked about their knifework and their skill with flavors and spice, I was very disappointed.
I tried five items:
Sichuan Wonton with Spicy Chili Sauce: Terrific! The wonton skins were thin and delicate, and the fillings were lovely. They were in red oil, and there was grated garlic over them.
Dried Chicken with Chili Sauce: I asked them to hurt me with this dish, basically, and got this. Dry fried chicken with "dragon's tooth" pepper bits and green pepper. I was told it had ground pepper and hua jiao, and that it was killer. It had neither, and it was not. Wasn't very tasty, either, just sorta there. The leftovers lost consistency points when reheated, but a night in the fridge did somehow bring out more flavor.
Sliced Lamb with Scallion: This was more like lamb with lamb and lamb and a few pieces of onion and scallion. The lamb was showcased beautifully, but the lamb was very gamey and was more like mutton. There really wasn't much to this dish, other than... lamb.
Ma Po Tofu: Mostly this was spicy. There was a nice undercurrent of garlic, but no sign (aroma, flavor, or tingle) of Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, or meat. To be fair, the menu says "(with meat as required)" and I did not. Nicely spicy, but there really wasn't much more than that to this dish.
Beef & Napa Cabbage with Spicy Chili Sauce: This was second place winner this evening, after the appetizer. Lots of nice, tender beef, lots of nice veggies, lots of red oil. Lots of visible garlic on top, and this was the only dish with any visible hua jiao. The dish was tasty and spicy, redolent of garlic and beefy goodness. There was no hint of flavor or aroma from the Sichuan peppercorn, but there was regardless a nice tingle on the lips.
Clearly, this wasn't a horrible set of dishes, but I was expecting more. Should I assume that this was an atypical visit and give the place another try? If so, are there other dishes y'all would recommend?
Thanks!
Japanese grocery store in Cambridge?
There are two I am aware of in Cambridge Proper. Kotobukiya in the Porter Exchange is a bit expensive, but what they carry is good. There is also a Japanese store (the name escapes me) on Prospect Street just outside of Central Square next door to the Field pub. It's larger, with more selection and slightly lower prices. In Somerville, there is a Korean grocery in Union Square (once again the name escapes me) that carries a lot of Japanese packaged products and had a nice (for around here) sake selection.
Szechuan Bay, Somerville
My dinner last night was actually better than any I've yet had at Chilli Garden (I've had one mediocre and one very good there). We started with Dan Dan Noodles, which were in a lighter sauce than any other I have had, and resplendent with Sichuan Peppercorn. Nice. We continued with Beef in Spicy Chili Sauce (called Boiled Beef or Braised Beef at other spots). I have only had it hotter at Sichuan Garden. It was most flavorful, redolent of garlic, ginger, and Sichuan Peppercorns. The beef was wonderful and plentiful,and there were plenty of veggies too. Dish number two was the Le Mountain Chicken, described aptly by Aromatherapy above. Ma Po Tofu was flavorful, with plenty of Ma (that numbing Sichuan Peppercorn effect) and chili spice. The soft tofu was nice, and there was a healthy amount of ginger and garlic there asa well. Kung Pao Chicken was nice, but not much morre than that. It was well prepared, but not very exciting. It lacked the sweet/salty/spicy/sour balance I hope for, mostly the sour of vinegar.
Like MaineRed, we talked to the owner for quite a while. The chef they imported from New York because the owner couldn't find the "talent" he wanted locally. Like the chef from the late and much-lamented New Taste of Asia, this one is trained in banquet preparation and uses ingredients that would be used in a celebration meal. The owner (whose name I didn't manage to learn, or the chef's for that matter) described it as preparation that uses twice the number of vegetables (his example) than might be used in home cooking of the Sichuan region.
Based on one visit, I am sold - I want to go back and sample more!
Belmont breakfast and/or coffee shop?
I'd have to advise against getting anything *but* the donuts at Linda's.
I heart Petsi Pie
Petsi's scones are not dry, and there's a wonderful assortment of flavors.
They also carry them at Zing in the Porter Square Bookstore, where the coffee's a good complement to the scones.
Cafe Fiorella in Belmont
No, the Belmont place is it's own. However, they do have a brick oven in common (and that's about it). In my experience the pizza has been a step above the average pizza shop but not spectacular.
