August 4, 2016 Applegate Hot Dogs
Summer is in full swing and what better way to enjoy it than a bbq with friends and family! We fired up our new gas grill and cooked up some Applegate hot dogs. This was perfect timing as I had been craving hot dogs!! Applegate sent me a party in a bag – complete with a frisbee to play with while the dogs were cooking on the grill. Did you know that Applegate’s hot dogs are made from 100% grass fed beef? They only have 4 ingredients in them: 100% grass fed beef, water, salt and spices.
Applegate sent us Sir Kensington’s mustard and ketchup and we brought our favorite pickles and corn salsa to the table! Trader Joe’s makes the best corn salsa, I put it on almost everything – hamburgers, tacos, burritos, and even in my guacamole! And pickles, I only eat Fox Point Pickling Company’s garlic dills these days – and try the carrots, they’re delicious!
Since Applegate’s cows are on grass, they are encouraging their fans to get out on the grass too – take the frisbee for a toss it in the park or like us, have a backyard bbq!
The hot dogs were a huge success. They tasted delicious and everyone was asking for seconds!
How do you like to top your hot dogs?
Disclaimer: I was sent a complimentary “Get Out On Grass” kit from Applegate. All opinions are my own.
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August 1, 2016 The Foodery
We were fresh home from the hospital and the last thing I wanted to do was cook. I couldn’t stomach another Lean Cuisine meal, as I had eaten those for the last 2 months straight. That’s where The Foodery came into our dinner plans. The Foodery isn’t a meal prep kit like Blue Apron, all the food comes fully cooked – all you need to do is heat and serve. They give you two options, microwave or conventional oven – so anyone can heat these up – even my parents (who still don’t have a microwave!).
So how does The Foodery work? Each week there is a different menu, with 6 choices. You pick your meal and then pick if you want 2 or 4 servings. Place your order by 10am on Thursday and have it delivered on Sunday between 5pm and 8pm in the Greater Boston area. There’s no commitment, just a $50 minimum. When I think about it, I spent more than that on takeout weekly – and the food wasn’t nearly as healthy. The Foodery sources certain produce from organic and local sources to avoid exposure to pesticides and genetically modified foods. All proteins are raised without antibiotics or hormones and sourced locally when possible.
So what did I choose? Things that I would never cook myself – first up, apple glazed pork ribs with apple sauce and a three bean salad. Heated this up at 400 degrees for 10 or so minutes in the toasted oven and bam – this is what our dinner looked like. If my husband didn’t know me better, I would have tried to pass this off like I made it myself! So how did it taste? Delicious! First, the ribs (antibiotic and hormone free) – the meat was so tender, it literally fell off the bone. The apple glaze on the ribs was subtle – which I really liked because you could really taste the flavor of the meat. The apple sauce was SO good – very adult, not sugary sweet like I remember having as a kid, it had a warm spice to it. My husband loved the three bean salad, made with garbanzo beans, green beans and kidney beans.
For our second meal we tried the chicken tikka masala (4 portion). This wasn’t the traditional tikka masala that I was used to – it had brown rice, yogurt, garlic, ginger, pepper, paprika, fenugreek, peas, carrots, cilantro and cauliflower among other ingredients.
Pop this in the oven for 3 minutes or so and dinner is ready. Now it had brown rice in it, but I love my chicken tikka masala with white rice, so I added some of my own. I am loving the Jasmine rice from Trader Joes, just microwave for 3 minutes and it tastes like you cooked it in a rice maker! There were a lot of things going on in this dish. I loved the addition of the cauliflower, but the spice mix in this tikka masala didn’t feel like the one I am familiar with.
I encourage you to try out The Foodery – they offer quick, tasty dinners that you can feel good about eating.
Disclaimer: The Foodery provided me with complimentary meals for this review. All opinions are my own.
Use my special code to get 20% off your first order: Dgrubswell2016
For more information, check out The Foodery’s website: http://fooderyboston.com
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July 28, 2016 Del Frisco’s
Friday afternoons were meant for long lunches in the Seaport, taking in the beautiful weather and the views of the water. Del Frisco’s has a great outdoor patio and I was invited to stop in and sample some of Chef Jason Carron’s new signature appetizers and entrees.
While the Double Eagle Steak House specializes in steak, some of my favorite bites of the day were the non steak items – take for example the tuna tartare.
If I were anywhere else, I might have been embarrassed ordering bacon as an appetizer, but here, it’s totally acceptable! The thick cut bacon au poivre is lightly dressed with a bourbon molasses glaze and will make you wish you ordered two servings!
The crab cake has tons of meat and is served on a cajun lobster sauce – a perfect option if you’re looking for something a little lighter at lunch time.
The prime steak salad ($21) comes with mixed greens, bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese, avocado, parmesan cheese, deviled eggs and is topped off with a horseradish dressing.
The restaurant doesn’t do anything to their meat, they just use the freshest meat available and season with salt and pepper, letting the flavor of the meat stand out on its own. They offer a variety of cuts of steak: filet, bone in filet, prime ribeye, prime strip, bone in prime ribeye, and prime porterhouse. For those of you looking for other options, they do have choices like lamb chops, chicken and and prime braised short ribs.
The wagyu tomahawk chop tops their menu off at a whopping $89, but hey, you only live once right?
Generally I steer clear of desserts at steakhouses, especially those that are large in size, because they are generally not worth it. After eating your weight in meat, do you really have room for dessert? At Del Frisco’s, the answer is yes. I’d make room for these desserts…
My favorite, and the restaurant’s most popular, was the butter cake. The cake has a nice crunch to the outside and is served a la mode – I may just skip the steak and come in for the dessert!
I’m generally not a bread pudding fan, but this banana bread pudding was pretty tasty. It was more bread than pudding, which I like , and it just melted in your mouth.
Stop in to Del Frisco’s and enjoy a light lunch or a gut busting dinner, but like I said, make sure to save room for dessert! Right now they are offering a business lunch special for $25, that includes a choice of starter (cup of soup, Del’s salad or Caesar salad) and a choice of an entree (filet medallions, salmon or chicken picatta). Oh, and if you’re drinking, make sure to try their signature drink the VIP, clementine vodka infused with Hawaiian pineapple!
Valet parking is available – they do not validate for the garage.
Disclaimer: I was invited to Del Frisco’s for a tasting event. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
250 Northern Ave., Boston, MA
Tags: fort point, hosted, patio, restaurant, steak
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July 25, 2016 Food and Beer Dinner at Harvest
I was lucky enough to be invited to Harvest for the Harvest x Food & Beer dinner in June. The event featured guest chef Daniel Burns and brewer Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, co-founders of the Michelin-starred restaurant Luksus and Tørst in Brooklyn. They were at Harvest to celebrate the release of their first cookbook, Food & Beer. These guest chef dinners, used to showcase their new cookbooks, are ongoing, so follow Harvest on social media to learn more about future events.
Guests enjoyed a unique beer pairing menu curated exclusively by both Jeppe, featuring selections from his own brewery, Evil Twin Brewing, as well as local beers chosen by Himmel Hospitality Group’s Beverage Manager Jason Percival.
First course was a snack of radish, sorrel and pain de mie that was paired with Evil Twin NOMADer Weisse. Not something that I would have necessarily ordered on my own, but a delicious way to start of the meal, I loved the crisp bite of the radishes.
Second course was a licorice cured trout with pickled beet root, rye crumble and dandelion that was paired with Blackberry Farm Abbey Blonde. Again, out of my usual wheelhouse, but I devoured this dish – there was a really nice combination of flavors and textures going on here.
Beef tartare was up next with pickled green almonds, arugula flowers, broccoli rabe flowers, garlic scares and pickled ramps. It was paired with Enlightenment Ales Titania Nordic Saison.
The black sea bass was served with shiso and fennel and was paired with Evil Twin Citra Sunshine Slacker.
For dessert, rhubarb with pine, bay leaf, and reship vinegar that was paired with Evil Twin Wet Dream Brown Ale.
Thanks to Executive Chef Tyler Kennett of Harvest for opening up his kitchen and to (former) Executive Pastry Chef Brian Mercury. Mercury can be found at the new restaurant Oak and Rowan later this summer in Fort Point.
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to the dinner at Harvest. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.
Harvest
44 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Tags: casual dining, cookbooks, events, harvard square, hosted, restaurant
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May 31, 2016 Ciao Pizza and Pasta
Ciao Pizza and Pasta is a little shop located just across the street from the Chelsea courthouse. The newly renovated eat in area features about 10 seats at the bar – but most people come in for takeout. The restaurant features coal fired pizza made in 90 seconds and pasta made from scratch.
We had a chance to sample a not yet on the menu appetizer, the shrimp bruschetta. The bread is the pizza dough and it is light as a feather – I love the flavors of this dish- bold flavor but not heavy at all.
Of course I tried the bolognese made with housemade campanelle pasta ($14). The chorizo bolognese is not a traditional one, but it puts this bolognese near the top of the list for all time favorite bolognese dishes. It’s lighter than its creamier counterparts and topped with Parmigianno reggiano and bacon.
The porcini fettucini was an unexpected favorite – served with mushrooms, black truffle butter and Parmigiano reggiano. This is the kind of dish that you would expect at a high end restaurant, and at $12, it’s a steal!
The herbed gnocchetti ($18) was light as air, served with red wine braised short ribs, root vegetables and Parmesan cheese. A great choice on a cold rainy day – comfort food at its best.
And as if I couldn’t fit another bite in, we decided we just had to try a pizza, so we picked the sopressata ($12) that was topped with garlic confit (!!), cherry peppers and pecorino cheese. The crust is amazing and the toppings are generous. The pizzas are personal sized, so don’t feel bad eating one all by yourself (I will not confirm or deny that this may or may not have happened when we went back for takeout).
Another item not to miss on their menu, the housemade potato chips! Light and salty, with a little bit of a kick from paprika.
Thanks Richard from the Passionate Foodie for the awesome suggestion!
Ciao Pizza and Pasta
59 Williams Street, Chelsea, MA
http://www.ciaopizzaandpasta.com
Tags: bolognese, casual dining, chelsea, pasta, pizza, takeout
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May 26, 2016 La Motta
I love Italian food. I was excited when Leah and I had the opportunity to check out La Motta in the South End. The restaurant comes to you from the same folks that run Aquitaine, Cinquecento, Gaslight and Metropolis.
I love the decor here: the warm lighting, the tin ceilings, the high back banquets, the tall windows, the exposed brick all contribute to the ambiance. They are working on an outdoor patio in the back, can’t wait for it to open!
My favorite thing about this menu is that there are a ton of small plates – they may have even been (*just a tad*) bit better than my main meal. I love to try a little of everything when I go out to eat, so small plates are right up my alley. We started with the Brussels sprouts ($12) that are skillet roasted and are tossed with truffle pecorino and toasted sesame. Yes please! This dish is really speaking my language – just enough pecorino on it to make it feel decadent (and less healthy 😉 ).
A complimentary pickled vegetable plate came over to the table which was delicious! I think the cauliflower was my favorite.
Try the meatballs! You can order 1 for $3 or 4 for $11. We had the spicy pork, veal and oregano and the classic beef, veal, pork and Parmesan. All meatballs are served with polenta and rage Siciliano. The meatballs were delicious, flavorful and just the right consistency.
The burrata ($13) is served over an eggplant caponata, and topped with smoked sea salt. While it comes with olive oil crostini, I preferred it with the softer bread that came to the table with the pickled vegetables. The burrata was so smooth and creamy – dreamy! And frankly, I could have eaten the caponata straight for my next 10 meals, it was that good.
For our first main dish we shared the Anatra gnocchi ($26), served with crispy duck, tallegio crema and marsala. I found this to be an interesting combination – the cheesy sauce, almost heavy, with the rich crispy duck – good thing that the portion wasn’t huge. While the combination was interesting, I did like the flavors of both parts – the crispy duck was excellent.
And if you know me at all, you know that I can’t go anywhere new without trying the bolognese ($25). This came with a wild boar sugo and was topped with Parmesan cheese. The sauce was light and a little creamy and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente.
For dessert we tried the panna cotta ($8) vanilla custard with Amarena cherries and landed pistachios. I liked the individual flavors of this dish and the presentation was beautiful.
And of course we had to try the hazelnut skillet cookie ($8) that came out bubbling hot served topped with fluff and caramel sauce.
Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of La Motta. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.
La Motta
1357 Washington Street, Boston, MA
Tags: bolognese, casual dining, hosted, italian, outdoor patio, south end
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May 24, 2016 Waxy’s
There are a lot of new restaurants moving into Fenway. If you’re looking for some place to go before the game that might ot as crowded as those right next to the park, try the newly opened Waxy’s in Brookline, right at St. Mary’s T stop. This modern Irish bar has a great outdoor patio, perfect for when the weather heats up!
What makes this bar different than others? The food. Waxy’s tries to use local ingredients and vendors as much as they can! Their craft cocktails change with the seasons, keeping in mind what is fresh.
They have tons of inside seating, complete with semi private rooms.
While we were served charcuterie at the opening party, they have plenty of other things on the menu: from drunken mussels to scotch eggs to pulled pork to flatbreads to fish and chips.
The wings were a big hit – house specialty wings tossed with a sea salt and caramel glaze. Personally, I am looking forward to going back an trying some of the flatbreads. The “avoca” with cremini, shitake, portabello and yellow oyster mushrooms, goat cheese, kale and honey drizzle sounds amazing as well as the “emyvale” which is pulled pork, fennel seeds, braised fennel and mascarpone cheese. At $9 a flatbread, these are a great deal!
We had a chance to hang out with Bar Director James O’Brien, who talked to us about the bar and the cocktail menu.
Did you know that Waxy’s is smartphone friendly, the bar is equipped with 18 electrical outlets and USB ports!
There were 3 signature cocktails for the evening, above is the “shake, rattle and rum” wich is Three Olives Elvis vodka, Real McCoy 5 year rum, pineapple, ginger and Angostura bitters.
The “note to self” is Hennessy Black, Carpano Antica, Pussers 15, Averna, and Peychaud’s bitters.
Looking for a more fruity cocktail, try the fruitations cranberry, made with Absolut Elyx, fruitations pure cranberry, lime and organic soda. Not a cocktail kind of person, don’t worry, theyhave 40 beers on tap that will rotate throughout the year.
Disclaimer: I was invited to the opening party of Waxy’s. My food and beverages were provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.
Waxy’s Modern Irish Bar and Kitchen
1032 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA
www.waxys.com/locations/brookline/
Tags: bar, brookline, casual dining, outdoor seating
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May 19, 2016 The Kinsale
I have to admit, I haven’t been to the Kinsale since my college days. I was invited to check out their menu one afternoon for lunch. The restaurant is located in Government Center, steps from the T stop.
If you’re driving in, the Kinsale offers free validated parking after 5pm on weekdays and anytime on weekends at the Center Plaza Garage. They have a lot of great specials, like 25 cent wings on Mondays, stump trivia on Wednesdays and karaoke on Thursdays. They also offer bar bites from 3pm – 7pm and 10pm – 12am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdays.
We start off with the reuben egg rolls ($9.50) at our server’s suggestion, he mentions it is one of the most popular items on the menu. They are filled with corned beef, cabbage, swiss cheese and served with a side of thousand island dressing. While certainly not the traditional Irish fare, we were pleased with the flavors of this dish.
For my entree I had the fried chicken sandwich, which I hope makes it to the regular menu. The chicken was lightly breaded and super crispy. It came topped with crispy onions, lettuce and tomato and was served with a side of fries. The sandwich size was generous, certainly enough left over for the next day’s lunch.
We also had the roast chicken club ($10.50) made with pulled roasted chicken, applewood bacon, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli served on parmesan sage bread. Instead of fries we opted for the colcannon mashed potatoes (mashed potatoes and cabbage) which were super creamy and delicious. Looking for more traditional Irish food, they certainly have it here: shepherd’s pie, beef and Guinness stew, and beer battered fish and chips to name a few. Service was excellent, our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable.
Disclaimer: I was invited to have lunch at the Kinsale, my meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.
The Kinsale
2 Center Plaza, Boston, MA
http://www.classicirish.com/kinsale-home.php
Tags: bar, casual dining, dinner, financial district, gluten free, hosted, lunch, restaurant
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May 16, 2016 AKA Bistro
AKA Bistro closed its doors on May 8th, but we were lucky enough to visit before they did. AKA was run by Chef/Owner Chris Chung, who you may know from his days at UNI in the Elliot Hotel. AKA served French and Asian cuisine with classic favorites like quiche lorraine, croque monsieur, and ramen.
A few friends met up for lunch – we skipped breakfast that day because we knew we would want to order one of everything. To my surprise, I really loved the peas (I’m not a veggie girl).
The French mac and cheese was so decadent and creamy.
I love mushrooms, so I was excited to try the portabella mushroom frites that were served wth a side of miso, wasabi and Thai curry aioli. The frites were light and flavorful on their own, a really nice change of pace.
Leah had the poke, with onions, ginger and pickled mung beans.
We all shared the Aka pizza, a scallion pancake topped with mushrooms and caramelized onions with baby arugula. Put anything on a scallion pancake and I’m all for it – the pancake itself was really light and not greasy at all (like you know they can be – I’m talking to you 2am Chinese take out).
For my main meal I had the bulgogi served over white rice and topped with a soft egg. I loved the marinated meat in this dish – very flavorful. I wish that the egg had been a little runnier, as I love breaking it open and having it run over the top of the dish…that being said, I could eat this for lunch every day!
I love a classic croque monsieur – a grilled cheese with mornay sauce and ham, and this one was served with a side salad which I think you need to balance the richness of the sandwich. Wait, did I just say that?
Miss Chef Chung already? Don’t worry, he is popping up at Liquid Art House tonight to help celebrate their 2 year anniversary. Chung and LAH Chef Doug Rodrigues will join together in the kitchen to put out a special anniversary menu starting at 5pm. Dishes will include Japanese small plates like Hawaiian tuna poke and Scallop ‘motoyaki’. While there, you can check out the newly opened exhibit featuring work by Dante Latessa. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes because music starts at 10pm with beats by DJ Jeff Gill (10:00pm-12:00am) and DJ Epileptech (12:00-1:00am).
Rumor has it that Chef Chung will also be making a guest appearance at Journeyman in Somerville and he will be doing some private catering!
AKA Bistro
145 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA
http://www.akabistrolincoln.com
Tags: asian, casual dining, closed, french
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May 11, 2016 Ehrmann Grand Dessert
Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy recently launched a new European style dessert you can find in your local grocery store! The 2 layer dessert comes in 4 flavors: Chocolate Crème, Double Chocolate, Café Au Lait, and Vanilla Crème.
The desserts are made with premium ingredients including cocoa and arabica coffee. Great news, they are Kosher and gluten free so you have no excuses!
The pudding like dessert is smooth and creamy with a whipped cream topping. It’s sure to satisfy your need for something sweet at the end of a meal or a mid afternoon snack! My favorite of the four flavors was the vanilla creme, but don’t take my word for it – pick some up in the dairy case and try it for yourself!
Disclaimer: I was provided complimentary samples of Grand Dessert. All opinions are my own.
Tags: dessert
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- Posted under Products
