ChickenBrocandZiti's Profile
Anyone know where to get salt cod in the Boston area?
Whole Foods in JP has it as well.
March 2012 Openings and Closings
Ughh Guy Fieri? A bit of guilty pleasure as he showcases some interesting places but is a total DB.
March 2012 Openings and Closings
Does anyone know why the windows of Mikes City Diner are papered over?
Sweet Cheeks
In allowing us to modify the order they also dropped the price. It was either $360 or $390 total, I don't remember exactly. I didn't feel cheated that's for sure.
South End restaurants
I hear the Bissonnette/Oringer plan @ Columbus Cafe has fallen through.
Sweet Cheeks
Went last night with a group of eleven and we ordered what I think is called "The Big Rig," only we modified to remove some items including; pulled chicken, the short ribs and a few sides. Given all the chatter about conservative portions size and my fairly healthy appetite I was nervous about downsizing a meal that was designed to feed "No more than 10." So let me say this, if you felt cheated put together a group and order this family meal, you will not finish it.
Overall food was excellent.
Started with biscuits which are huge and moist and when paired with the honey butter they bring out they are fantastic. Fried Okra was also a big high point for me. I tried the black eyed peas which I liked well enough but not the much derided beans. Also pretty fantastic were the mac and cheese and the broccoli, though the broc may have been over salted.
Meats:
Brisket: This was the low point and I though i was predisposed to believe this going in many of the other dinners, including one big time brisket lover, were disappointed. I tried to take the thinnest cut on the plate as the cuts did look to be thicker than any brisket I'd seen.
Smoked Chicken: Wow! best chicken I've ever had in out to dinner. Smokey and succulent, well after I'd decided I was full this was the plate I kept picking from. This was a shocking nice surprise. I love chicken and don't understand people who refuse to order chicken when they go out. I would order this in a hearbeat.
Pulled Pork: I thought this was incredible as well. Smokey, moist with some nice chunks of barky pieces. I love a good bark on BBQ and the PP had some really nice pieces like this. The Carolina sauce on the table, in my mind the only sauce you put on PP, was a little think and gloopy for my tastes but the flavor was decent.
Ribs: While I like a little more bark on my ribs the flavor of these was spot on. They were excellent. Not fall of the bone, as they shouldn't be, but tender none the less. They were very good. As a side note, Red Bones takes a lot of flack on this board and much of it is deserved but their baby back and St. Louis ribs still hold up and the ribs at Sweet Cheeks hold up nicely to those.
Pork Belly: Fatty, as it should be, but really amazing. I only ate on piece as it seemed really decadent and rich. The piece I had was fantastic, if you love BBQ'd pork belly than I'm guessing this is pretty close to as good as it gets.
Other stuff: I'm fired up that they have a very good beer list and good cocktails. $6 seems fair for a craft draft just realize that it's coming in a 12 oz. jelly jar.
The service was attentive and friendly though it did often take a while to get drinks to the table.
Didn't get the nutter butter as we had a Bday cake from flower, which was very good. I'll be back for the Nutter Butter cookie someday.
Overall I give the experience an A/A- and will be returning for sure. I no longer have to cross the river for BBQ, so Blue Ribbon, Redbones and even East Coast Grill take this as a shot across the bow. Step up your game as there is a new kid in town and she is getting after it.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
I got nothing but my brother pulled a 42 inch striper out of a large whole on the north facing (?) shore of the pennnisula on a fly rod.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
Fried Oyster Slider from ICOB
Caramelo Taco from El Centro
Alsatian Pizza from PICCO
Lobster Roll from Belle Isle after an afternoon of fishing from Deer Island.
I'm sure I'll want to edit this in about thirty seconds but those are the top three (er 4) right now
November 2011 Openings and Closings
Sweet Cheeks BBQ hinted on twitter last night that they may open their doors on the sly to see how things go. Not sure if they did so last night or not. If so, did anyone go? Report back please, I'm hopeful that they nail this and I will have a good Q option on this side of the river.
Meat CSA - Houde Family Farm
Seems they only deliver to area's outside of the city. Is this true?
New Jamie Bissonnette restaurant?
I believe everyone is dead on with the Colombus Cafe guesses but I thought it was going to be a while as I had heard that the place was going to be completely torn up, with the kitchen moving downstairs and a larger bar/dining area. Maybe it'll be sooner though
Chef Michael Burgess - where is he now?
He is out of the resto business and now is a catering director, can't remember where though.
South End/Back Bay Top 10?
Isn't it odd that with all the great restaurants in the South End that there aren't more places with good beer lists? Picco is an exception but I wouldn't say it's the best, that designation would go to The Parish Cafe IMO.
Anchovies in SE
Anchoives is small divey resto and bar serving cheap Italian food and some surprisingly good buffalo wings. I enjoy going here a couple times a year for wings, chicken parm or linguine with clams. It isn't fine dining by any stretch but it's really affordable, a rarity in the SE, and a place that I always seem to enjoy. Drinks are strong and reasonably priced. This, along with the Delux, is one of e last dives in the SE and both have surprisingly good food.
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Delux Cafe
100 Chandler St, Boston, MA 02116
Your nominees for a Boston Baked Goods Hall of Fame
Iggy's ham and cheese croissant. I'm actually glad the had to stop delivering them to South End coffee shops, I used to eat one every morning.
I would also nominate the cream filled dougnuts at Flour on the weekend.
South End/Back Bay Top 10?
Viga is the sub shop.
My one experience at Tico was underwhelming. When you say something has Habenero in it and I order it I expect it to be spicy. I felt like Tico was dumbed down on all fronts. The menu descriptions made the food sound daring and exciting but the flavors promised were either not present or simply shadows of the flavors I expected.
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Tico
222 Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02116
South End/Back Bay Top 10?
I've been going to Foley's for far longer than I've lived in the South End and it holds a special place in my heart. That said it seems as though the quality of the food changes with the seasons. I was excited about the food when they first started serving a few years back bur I've since kinda given up. Had some buffalo fingers there during the bruins game seven and that's the first food I've had there in ages. Perhaps I'll go back for the burger.
South End/Back Bay Top 10?
There isn't much in the Back Bay that can pry me out of the South End, except for the occasional need for a steak house dinner.
1. Myers+Chang- I think its the coolest place in the SE, the foods great and the owner is genuinely a nice person. Win, Win, Win.
2. Oishii- Superb Sushi and a swanky atmosphere but also a nice little bar
3. Toro-Probably most peoples coolest spot, and it is really cool. Again, the bartenders and service staff are generally really nice people who tend to remember neighborhood folks.
4. Giacamos- much maligned as overrated on this board but I really like it. My wife and I always sit at the food bar and have a great time.
5. Anchovies & The Delux-Great little divey places with surprisingly good food. There aren't enough diver places anymore so these two are really appreciated. Also the food, especially at the Delux, can really surprise you with it's quality.
6. Coppa-Toro sister restaurant doing really good snout to nose food in a great atmosphere.
7. Teranga- Senegalese food? In the South End? Yup and it's good and you always feel at home.
8. Orinocco- Awesome place that has great arepa and sandwiches for lunch and then turns out quality Peruvian food for dinner.
9. Picco- arguably the best pizza in the city. And if you don't think so be prepared for an argument from me because I think it is. ***Kid Friendly***
10. The Gallows- Cool room, great drinks, awesome food and maybe the best burger in the South End, in this case I'm ready to be proven wrong. I like the burger but it's different than many swanky burgers.
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Delux Cafe
100 Chandler St, Boston, MA 02116
Teranga
1746 Washington Street, Boston, MA
Where to Find Cold Brewed Coffee in Boston
I'm pretty sure the newly opened Jaho on Washington St. in the south end has cold brewed coffee.
April 2011 Openings and Closings
I believe it's going to be a night club called The Red Lantern. Not positive though.
April 2011 Openings and Closings
I know Siraj closed in March, but I'm hoping it opens in April. If the pics of Frida Kahlo are any indication, than perhaps some Mexican food is headed this way. Anyone have any updates or knowledge of what'd going on behind the papered windows?
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Siraj Cafe
472 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118
Doubles at Singh's Roti Shop - Report
Singh is a guy I'm really pulling for, though he has been around long enough now that perhaps he doesn't need my cosmic well wishes. He is a really nice guy who remembers my first visit there over four years ago when I begged him to bottle his scotch bonnet sauce, he now does, and always gives me a little taste of something new.
On my most recent visit he told me my Roti was going to be worlds better than those I'd had before and he was right. Singh has starting using a new dhal pouri that has really made a difference in my mind. The new dahl pouri tastes much fresher and has much more pleasing texture. I now rank them ahead of Ali's, which is right down the street from me.
Boston Public Market
Devra First has a blog post inviting ideas for the proposed public market in Haymarket. Since I couldn't access the comments in the blog I thought a thread here about what Chowhounders wanted in a public market would be fun.
I for one simply hope they don't screw it up and allow small and independent vendors to feature. I'll be very dissapointed if it's more Fanuiel Hall than Reading Terminal Market.
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/dishing/2011/02/boston_public_m.html
February Openings and Closings
MC, do you know what's going on with Bombay Club? Done?
February Openings and Closings
1. There is a sign hanging over a small storefront on Shawmut Ave. across from the Franklin that reads "The Wholly Grain: a little taste of heaven." Terrible name aside, it would be nice to have a bread bakery in the South End.
2. Bombay Cafe seems to be on its last legs. It never appears open. It may in fact be closed but I can't confirm. A shame considering the need for good/great Indian in the S.E. that isn't overpriced and the it deepens the pain of the closing of Pho, which was at the very least a good watering hole.
3. The coffee shop replacing Aroa on Washington looks nearly ready, in the limited glimpses I've gotten through the opening of the front door and over the papered windows.
1/4/11 La Verdad's Menu and Chef Changes
But I hate corn and mushrooms and as such I don't understand why you keep harping on the lack of corn and mushrooms when clearly this new version is better. Why don't you just ask for it with corn and mushrooms. I couldn't be happier about the lack of corn and mushroom as all my mexican friends say they would never put corn and mushroom n a quesadilla, then again they usually ask me just what quesadilla is as the part of mexico they are from doesn't have quesadilla's and yet you keep tellling me they should have corn and mushrooms.
Burgers, Beer and Atmosphere
I would consider Coda. It sits in the old Tims Tavern spot and has the "Tim Burger" available off menu. It's a tribute to Tims burger, not the burger I remember. I like the space and they have an interesting beer menu.
what is the most useless gadget in your kitchen
Can't stand that OXO safety opener. It's impossible to squeeze the water out of a can of tuna after you use that thing.
