This time, we ate before the music started for the evening.

The restaurant is much lighter and it has a very different feel to it.

We have the smoky chipotle ribs ($14) which were delicious as ever – the meat is so tender and the frozen grapes are a nice contrast.

We have the crispy tuna spring roll ($12) which was pretty tasty, the tuna was super fresh.

We ordered the Inca bowl with skirt steak: Quinoa, Kale, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Avocado, Soy Beans, Hominy, Tomato Posole, Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette ($27). A large portion of food – every bite is delicious – some really nice bold flavors here.

The prime hamburger with bacon and cheddar cheese ($16) was delicious – well season meat and the fries were just the way we love them, thin and crispy.

We also had the chicken picatta ($23) served over gnocchi. I didn’t love this dish as much as my last meal. The gnocchi was tasty, but I wasn’t wowed by the flavoring of the chicken. Again, the portion was generous, I ended up taking half of this home! The service was good tonight. We have been telling all of our friends about Beat Hotel and how it is a “must try”.

Beat Hotel

13 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA

http://www.beathotel.com/

Make a reservation with Open Table.

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All the online reviews say to try the Valley Thunder, and that’s exactly what I try ($8.75). Their own sharp cheddar cheese, brisket and mac and cheese (and they asked if I wanted to add bacon to it (which I did – how can you not?)).

Check them out making the Brielle ($7.75) brie, cranberry chutney, caramelized onions and pine nuts.

Holy hell was this sandwich a home run – everything melded together really well in this sandwich – the mac and cheese was a nice touch. Wishing (and yet, at the same time not) that there was one of these in Boston!

Where’s your favorite spot to grab a grilled cheese?

Meltkraft

Reading Terminal Market -12th and Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA

http://valleyshepherd.com/meltkraft

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The space is small, but a large mural and bright colors help open up the space. It’s fairly quiet on a weekday night, with about 3 other tables sat, but they were doing quite a bit of take out.

I’m a glutton for punishment, coming here fresh from a trip to the Bacon Truck for lunch…

We start with the guacamole ($8) topped with cheese – very fresh and super delicious.

Check out the salty goodness on these chips!

We also had the chicken empanada ($5) that was stuffed with cheese. The crust was flaky and light while the chicken inside was really nicely seasoned.

We ordered the chimichanga ($15) that was way too much for us to eat in one sitting. It is a Mexican style flour wrap stuffed with shredded beef, pan fried and then covered in salsa. Yum! Really bright colors and flavors in this dish.

We also ordered the camarones papantla which was shrimp, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese. ($22) It came with a side of rice and a bright avocado and corn salad. A really delicious meal and a well balanced plate. I was delighted by the flavor of the rice, it helped balance the bold flavor of the shrimp. I love the corn and avocado salad, I think that I will try to replicate it at home! Overall a really good meal, we left feeling satisfied. What restaurant do you think has the best guacamole?

El Centro Dos

236 Washington Street, Brookline, MA

http://www.elcentroboston.com/

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Tru and Zac manage the Orange truck that hangs out in Dewey Square (South Station) every day 11:30am-2:30pm. Stop by and say hello!

Their premise is simple, pick a dish (sandwich, rice bowl or noodle salad), choose your filling (check out the extras) and grab a drink!

A lot of people, me included, write about the food. I wanted to write this series to help you get to know the people who serve you your lunch a little better. It’s always nice to put a name to face! I met up with the orange truck last Thursday, and asked them to share 3 fun things about themselves.

Meet Megan!

• Megan is a fellow terrier (go BU)!) that studied journalism – we both agreed that we are more comfortable behind the camera instead of in front of it.
• She is currently in culinary school
• She’s a Yankees fan (don’t hold it against her!)

Meet Juan!

• Juan went to Berkelee
• He’s a Dodger fan (hey where are all the Red Sox fans on this truck?!!)
• He actually works on 3 food trucks (but Bon Me is his favorite)

If Juan wasn’t working on the Bon Me truck, he’d either be a server or a full time musician.

Meet Brian!

• Brian is a Red Sox fan (thank goodness, there has to be at least one on the truck to represent!)
• He’s originally from Oklahoma
• At a whopping 5’4″, he is the tallest person in his immediate family

If he wasn’t working on the Bon Me truck, he’d probably be doing medical research. Bonus: Brian’s wife was Ali’s roommate in college!

Of course I had to get some lunch while I was at the truck, all that photo taking and interviewing made me hungry!!

I brought back a rice bowl (seasonal greens, bean sprouts, shredded carrot and daikon, and cilantro) with the miso braised pulled pork.

There is something really great (and delicious) going on here, well seasoned meat, great textures and flavors, and an amazing smell that made my whole office jealous. Stay tune for more featured makers!

Find the Bon Me truck here: http://www.bonmetruck.com, follow them on Twitter: @bonme

They also have a noodle stop at One Kendall, Friday nights, 5pm-10pm and Saturday all day 11am-10pm

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Not surprising, there are only about 12 other people here. Most are sitting at the bar, so we get a nice big booth to ourselves. While this place will be great in the summer time when they open up the windows, it is freezing inside tonight.

I like the decor here – leather chairs and banquettes mixed with distressed wood, Moroccan style lamps and (fake) candles.

We start off with the guacamole $10, smashed hass avocado, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro that come with a bowl of chips. I read their reviews on Yelp, and they are getting killed on ratings, most people giving them 1 or 2 stars. With almost no one there, you would think that the service would have been excellent, unfortunately, our waitress seemed disinterested with us. When the guacamole arrived, we asked for salsa (twice) and it arrived after our entrees were delivered. I have the short rib enchilada baked with salsa rojo and Monterey Jack ($18). The food was ok for me, nothing to write home about, but it was certainly edible (and the portion was generous). I’m thinking that you should stick to coming here for drinks after work with friends – they have over 100 different kinds of tequila and $1 beef or chicken tacos during happy hour.

Speaking of tequila, are/were you an #Entourage fan? Remember when Turtle goes into business with a tequila company, #Avion? Avion is a real brand of tequila, and you can try it at Mija. See that Maggie Hoffman, of Serious Eats,  thought of Avion here.

Mija Cantina

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

http://mijaboston.com/

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They use Boar’s Head sandwich meat and every sandwich is made to order. The vegetables are always fresh For $7.49 you get a 12 inch sub, which I can never finish! Another favorite of mine is the cheese panini, Swiss cheese, Cheddar cheese & Provolone cheese, and tomato. The store is bright and clean, well organized with a great selection of drinks, chips and other snacks. The line moves very quickly at lunch time, which is just another reason to love going there.

Beantown Hoagie

102 Water Street, Boston, MA

http://www.beantownhoagie.com

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We decided to go to Anthem before the Faneuil Hall tree lighting. We arrived at 4:45pm, early bird dinner, I know! When we arrive the place was pretty packed and I overheard them saying that the wait was anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Good thing we made a reservation. We were brought upstairs to the upper dining area – the room was filling up quickly. I had to go back downstairs for a kids menu and it seemed like things were getting crazy at the hostess stand. They were mixing up parties that were being sat, they couldn’t find menus…it just seemed a bit disorganized. We waited quite some time for our waiter to arrive at the table. We finally ordered our meal. I picked the Scallops + Bacon seared sea scallops, crispy pork belly, quinoa fried rice, house made hoisin, crushed cashews ($23). The meal was a little underwhelming, and with 3 scallops on the plate it felt a bit light. The crispy pork belly was a nice addition and I am still on the fence about whether or not I liked the quinoa fried rice. We also ordered the kid’s mac and cheese with bacon which was a hit, and the Prosciutto flat bread, with  poached figs, tomato, arugula + grated parmesan ($14).

They sat a very large party behind us as we were eating dinner and they mixed their table up with another large party there that night. The service was a little spotty, as our waiter seemed to disappear for long periods of time. We are having our holiday party there this year, with 60 people, so I hope that it goes a lot smoother next time!

Anthem Kitchen and Bar

South Market Building, Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA

http://www.anthem-boston.com/

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Boston Chowda Company
Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA
www.bostonchowda.com

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