Thai ice cream has been all the rage these days. For a while, the only place you could find it was in New York. That is, until Hi B3ar opened in Allston. The shop is tiny with only a stools in the front by the window. So what is Thai ice cream? There is an ice cream base that they add fresh fruit and toppings to. They chop it all up Coldstone style and then smooth it out into a very thin layer on this round dish. The ice cream freezes quickly and then they use a flat spatula of sorts to roll the ice cream. The ice cream only comes in one size and is $6.95 plus tax. It’s a total novelty but fun to go and watch them make it behind the glass once. Pictured above is the monkey lover made with bananas.

Pictured above is the “first kiss” made with strawberries and graham crackers. After they put the rolls in the cup, you can choose from a variety of additional toppings (fruit, candy, sauces etc). The ice cream has a strong flavor that I wasn’t expecting at all and it was creamy. Check out my Facebook page to see a video of the whole process!

Hi B3ar

147 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA

http://www.hib3ar.com

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Peter had the afternoon off of work so we headed over to try out Seoul Soulongtang in Allston. Half of their menu is variations of beef soup with the other items making up the combination plates. What is Soulongtang? It’s white ox bone broth with brisket, marrow and thin flour noodles with salt and scallions.

The restaurant leaves a little something to be desired decor wise. The tables in the front are all two tops pushed together to make tables of 6/8, so you may be sitting with strangers.

We love all of the complimentary items they bring out, we love us some kimchi.

We decide to do the kalbi tang, beef broth with premium short ribs. Just note that the sort ribs are bone in, so they are a little tricky to eat – you basically have to stick the whole thing in your mouth and spit out the bone. This soup would be amazing on a cold, snowy night!

We both had the kalbi tang combination plate ($19.95) with bulgogi, grilled beef with onions and soy sauce. The combo plate came with a side of white rice. $20 for lunch is a bit on the pricey side, but you can definitely get two meals out of this.

Seoul Soulongtang

1245 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, MA

http://www.seoulbeefsoup.com

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I’m a sucker for noodles and dumplings, so when Live Noodles came in right down the street, I was dying to try them out. They serve traditional hand pulled noodles with authentic soup. From their website:

Lanzhou beef lamian, or Lanzhou beef hand-pulled noodle, is a type of Chinese noodle dish originated in Lanzhou, China, and generally popular in China. It is referred to as “beef noodle”  or “beef big bowl”  in Lanzhou. It is sometimes simply called lamian , which means hand-pulled noodle in Chinese, or “beef lamian”  elsewhere in China.

Like most places on this block, the decor leaves something to be desired. While you can get some recognizable things here, they also serve authentic dishes like squid tentacles, chicken hearts and pig ears.

We were glad that we decided to get take out, as the place was packed! The place is small, with mainly two tops, so if you are going with a group, make sure to call for a reservation.

The home made dumplings ($9) came a dozen to an order. They were steamed and the filling was super tasty.

I love soup dumplings. These pork dumplings ($8), that came 6 to an order, were so good.

Here’s a close up of the hand pulled thin noodles.

The beef hand pulled thin noodles were a hit in our house, they came with corn, cucumbers, carrots and other vegetables to balance out the dish. Dishes are generally prices around $8-$15, but there are a few “big pot” dishes that can cost you up to $28.

Live Noodles

1026 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA

http://www.livenoodles.com

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I love Bee’s Knees, so when I found out they were coming to my ‘hood, I was pumped! Bee’s Knees took over the space that was formerly Joshua Tree, or for those of you who remember way back, Tonic.

The space is awesome. I feel like it’s more open than the Fort Point location. The large oval bar is the focal point here, but that is the only thing reminiscent of the space’s previous life.

Bee’s Knees is part grocery store, part restaurant, part liquor store and part coffee house. They have all of my favorite products here – and look what we found: Fox Point Pickles!! Try them, they’re amazing. The garlic dill ones are my jam, and the spicy ones have a kick that sneaks up on you – they would be perfect in a bloody mary!

Yup, that’s a bike hanging from the ceiling. While there are tables in the front by the full length windows, I think the best seats are at the bar. They have sandwiches, baked goods, smoothies and the newest thing, nitro coffee.

(Top Row L-R) Strawberry banana smoothie with luxardo cherry, nitro coffee, berry smoothie. I had the chance to try Sam Lives, they are complete meals in a bottle. Some of you may remember Fresh Samantha – well this is the one and only Sam- and she’s all grown up with her own juice company! (They’re gluten free and vegan) I dig her packaging, the characters are adorable – and they have cute names like Jangled Mango, The Duke of Kale and Strawberry Basil the III. I highly recommend checking them out!

We went back for lunch and picked up some tasty things: (Starting top left and moving clockwise) House made strawberry filled donut, fried cheese curds, tomato and mozzarella grilled cheese, the cute signs you put on your table so they know where to bring your food, and the chicken salad sandwich.

Bees Knees Supply Company

1316 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, MA

http://www.beeskneessupply.com

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Ahold, Stop and Shop’s parent company, recently opened up a market, bfresh, in Allston. The space, that was formerly Staples, has been completely transformed. The smaller market is definitely city oriented – they have a lot of great take out options that frame the perimeter of the store. Tons of fresh produce greet you as you walk in the door (along with a selection of freshly made juices). The market is open 7am -9pm Sunday – Thursday and 7am -10pm Friday and Saturday. They have free parking in the back (total score!!). The prices are fair and they have these cool digital “labels” on the shelves instead of the traditional paper ones.

We were pleasantly surprised to see our friends OMG! Bagels sold here. Check out my previous post about OMG Bagels.

bfresh

214 Harvard Ave., Allston, MA

http://bfresh.com

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Bulgogi ($15) is my go to Korean dish. Sliced beef sirloin with a sweet soy glaze shrooms, onion, and scallion. This dish did not disappoint.

When we dined in the restaurant, the decor is not what you would expect for a Korean restaurant. The space is open and airy, with wicker furniture and painted brick. It almost feels like you would expect to see this restaurant in California. The kitchen is in the back, behind what looks like a sliding closet door.

Service was excellent, our server was friendly and attentive.

The presentation of the dumplings, when eating at the restaurant is lovely.

The fried sweet potatoes ($6) were tasty and so much lighter than a traditional tempura.

Bibim chicken, large ($18)  was too much food for one person, we ordered it half and half, chili garlic and sweet soy sauce.

Bibim

166 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA

https://www.facebook.com/bibim.allston

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Come in, they’re open….and as an added bonus, The Breakfast Club has a parking lot!!

Earlier this week I attended an event that was rescheduled from earlier in the month (who’s tired of all this snow!!). The theme for this event was Valentine’s Day! I was in good company, Bianca from Confessions of a Chocoholic, Leah from Leah’s Life: Pearls and Oysters, Melanie from A Beautiful Bite, Molly from Pop.Bop. Shop, Erik from Thrillist, Devin from Only in Boston, Rachel from Foodista on Pointe, Dan from The Food in My Beard. The Breakfast Club is now serving breakfast for dinner (by reservation only) on the first Monday of every month.

The first course was “Chocolate Dipped Strawberries”, strawberries with vanilla yogurt and chocolate shavings. There was fruit in there…makes it healthy right? I loved every bite of it!

For the second course we moved onto “The Color of Love”, red velvet pancakes with cream cheese icing. Now how cute are these pancakes? I could have eaten a dozen of these – they were  THAT good, really light and fluffy. I loved the icing, it was just the right amount of sweetness – not overly so and it didn’t fight with the pancakes.

For the third course we moved to something savory – “Opposites Attract” 2 poached eggs on a grilled Stone and Skillet English muffin, 1 topped with smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce and the other topped with shaved sirloin and their spicy home made Hollandaise sauce. At this point I was feeling pretty full and while I wanted to finish the whole dish, I couldn’t. The steak was probably my favorite, I love that spicy Hollandaise sauce…it would be delicious on a variety of dishes, not just this one.

For the final course, we had the “Mini ‘Box of Chocolates’ Milkshake”, chocolate, cherry, caramel, peanuts, and marshmallow swirl all in one shake. Holy food coma! This was a home run! The shake tasted heavy on the peanuts but that wasn’t a problem for this girl. A really nice way to end the meal.

The Breakfast Club’s regular hours are Monday-Friday 6am-2pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am-3pm. I have  heard that the lines on the weekend can be out the door! It’s hard to find a good diner. Owner George Athanasopoulos is the ultimate host. He started his career working at The Diner in Watertown Square, one of my other favorite go to spots. It was his uncle’s diner and it  is now owned by his cousin. George bought The Breakfast Club in 2002 and has filled this 70 seat diner with some great 80’s memorabilia. I’m already ready to go back: on my list to try – the milkshakes in flavors like Banana Nutella or Reese’s or one of the specials like the S’mores French Toast, Gingerbread Waffles, or the Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes. Are you drooling yet?

Check out the next couple of events below. Here’s how to get tickets: http://bit.ly/1AUtV1Y

Monday, March 2, 2015

St. Patrick’s Day

The Breakfast Club borrows from traditional Irish and St. Patrick’s Day fare, but with a quirky spin, offering up breakfast bites like a colorful Lucky Charms Parfait, decadent Bailey’s French Toast, and a riff on the classic Corned Beef & Cabbage incorporating it into the diner’s scratch-made Corned Beef Hash. Wash it all down with an “Irish Coffee” Milkshake – sláinte!

Monday, April 6, 2015

Easter

Skip the Easter Egg Hunt this year because The Breakfast Club is hoarding them all! Start your meal off with some throwback Deviled Eggs and then ponder the age-old question: Chicken or the Egg? while chowing down on an egg-white omelette filled with grilled chicken. For your Easter sweet tooth, Carrot Cake Pancakes and a Marshmallow Peep Milkshake should do the trick.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Spring

The trees and flowers are in finally in bloom and it’s time to rejoice because winter is over. Join The Breakfast Club for homage to springtime featuring a colorful Spring Hash, tropical banana/coconut/pineapple Hummingbird Pancakes, a Fresh Herb Omelette and a garden-inspired Vanilla-Lavender Milkshake. Better pack it all in now before swimsuit season arrives!

Disclaimer: I was invited to this event as a guest of The Breakfast Club. My meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own.

The Breakfast Club

270 Western Ave, Allston, MA

www.thebreakfastclubboston.com

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We are able to get in on a Friday night, in under 15 minutes. The restaurant is crowded – with every seat at the counter taken and three people squeezed onto tables meant for two.

I’m liking the Totto Extra Spicy ramen, check out how many chili peppers there are next to it. Not for the faint of heart!

If you grab a seat at the counter, you can catch a glimpse of guys hand pulling noodles.

We order on extra spicy ramen ($11) with a side of extra noodles (no brainer) and added in some corn. Super filling, we almost didn’t finish it all. We also had the Paitan Ramen ($9.75) with chicken in chicken broth. The service was good and we would definitely go back again!

Totto Ramen

169 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA

http://tottoramen.com/

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYisI-dzk-s&w=560&h=315]

Don’t have a clue what k-pop is? Check out this video, it was playing while we ate.

We go with some standby favorites for apps, the scallion pancakes are substantial with a great scallion flavor.

I could eat mandoo for days – these are pretty tasty, they are fried beef dumplings.

And the ramen just hits the spot. The broth is spicy and makes your lips tingle. I get the dduk ramen with rice cakes, and man does this hit the spot. This place is usually pretty empty on the week days but on the weekends it is mobbed. There are only 2 other tables seated when we arrive.

Myung Dong 1st Ave

90 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA

http://myungdong1stave.com

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What is Deep Ellum anyway? The name Deep Ellum refers to an area of Dallas known for its  music,  food and  nightlife. 

The bars are connected, but in the dark, it is hard to see the other sign. Meanwhile we sit down anyway, ready to enjoy a meal. The bar is small but jam packed with locals and hispters – we’re talking newsboy caps, skinny jeans and wallet chains. Just like the patrons, the bar is unique. There are old black and white movies playing on the TV and the bar feels a little old school (in a good way).  There are over 20 beers on tap and they have a great cocktail list.  It’s loud inside and the tables are tiny, there are three of us and they squeeze us into a 2 top. We start off with the cheese plate which is tasty but a bit bare.

I loved the menu – I wanted to get all apps, but our table was so tiny. Who wouldn’t want hot pretzels, truffle fries, or root beer braised pork belly? I had the mac and cheese with duck confit, roasted winter squash, smoked VT cheddar, arugula ($14). For some reason, I love mac and cheese even more when it comes in a cast iron pan – it just tastes better. It was creamy and delicious, a little heavy on the cheese for me. Duck confit is so rich, so I was hoping that the mac and cheese would be a little bit on the lighter side. The pasta was al dente, the confit was so tender and the flavors were just delicious.

We also had the meatloaf sandwich:  pork and beef meatloaf, aged VT cheddar, cranberry compote, chipotle aioil, and fries ($10). Let’s start out with the most important part first, the fries. Crispy and delicious. The sandwich was good, really tasty but a little messy to eat…

The service was good, considering that the place was so packed. The food was better than we had expected, and all entrees were under $20. People tended to sit at tables for a long time, so go early if you want a seat.

Deel Ellum

477 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA

617.787.BEER

http://www.deepellum-boston.com

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