Nick The Foodie Boston

www.facebook.com/SpokeWineBar

Location: Somerville, MA (See on Map)

The Foodie:  Recommends

Neat Bar Trick

After a few weeks in which Boston has seen badness spawned by badness, I’m thinking that it’s about time for an uplifting story for a change.

Am I talking about that puppy rescued from a dumpster, free snow cones on a summer day, or motherhood and apple pie?

Close, but no cigar. I’m talking about Spoke Wine Bar.

Spoke is what you get when a solid S’ville mainstay (Dave’s Fresh Pasta) branches out into new territory with a team led by the grape pro behind their excellent booze operation.

Whereas youngsters flock to the sandwiches and raviolis at Dave’s like tweens to Bieber, the cool kids will be taking a seat at Spoke for my fave gourmet pop stars Barbera and Burrata instead.

Spoke is small and intimate as any wine bar worth their sauvignon should be, whilst eschewing the ‘tude held dear by so many of it’s cabernet-pouring compatriots.

There are two main reasons to come here:

1.     FOOD

• Nice selection of cured meats and cheeses presented on wooden planks
• Spreads, flatbreads, and snacks ranging from marinated olives to the more glamorous peekytoe crab crostinis.
• A small but respectable selection of small plates and more substantial dishes categorized into vegetables, seafood, and meat (oh my).
• Though we only sampled the charcuterie, I am drawn to the handmade cavatelli, stinging nettle vellutata (just sounds cool but no idea what it will be like other than that it contains burrata) and handmade garganelli with lamb ragu, fava, and ricotta salata.
• So yeah, the menu leans Italiano. As well it should at any fine wine bar. As well it should.

 2.     DRINK

• The night we arrived, Spoke was pouring six whites and five reds by the glass, as well as three wines mysteriously set aside in the “other” category. We sipped on an excellent frappato from Sicily (close to a nero d’avola)  and dolcetto (also fantastic). Whites included a muscadet, a riesling, and gruner veltliner.
• For those who like to palm their alcohol vessels rather than daintily cling to a glass stem, Spoke offers a respectable selection of bottled beers that will probably have something good on it that you’ve never heard of before like Baxter Phantom Punch Winter Stout (Maine), Nectar Ales Nectar IPA (California), and De ‘Proef’ Brouwerij Reinaert Wild Ale (Belgium).
• I must also say that the bar staff here is genuine, knowledgeable, fun, and a pleasure to sit across from.

I am pleased that I can now eat the Cubano sandwich at Dave’s, buy a dozen wild mushroom raviolis, then sip a few glasses a couple doors down before stumbling home.

So remember, even in the midst of badness – goodness upon goodness is still possible in and around this great city. We’ve seen all the 021.XX zip codes and beyond produce such an impressive swell of giving, solidarity, and strength following the Marathon – we should wash it all down with some good vino to boot.

Cheers, Boston – and here’s to goodness upon goodness in times ahead.

http://www.falafelshop.com

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie Says: Cosi-Cosi

Anyone who has been to Amsterdam and ventured outside the famed red light district will tell you that there is much more to this beautiful city than x-rated window shopping…great food, a beautiful riverboat tour, one of the skinniest buildings in the world, and lots of Van Gogh (best enjoyed after a few space cakes).

Similarly, there is much more to the world of falafel than Amsterdam Falafel Shop – but for an area starved for good fried chickpeas it’s a start.

AFS is a falafel shop with roots in Washington, DC that has decided to branch out and open a shop in the area where most future presidents get their Harvard degree and where most future diplomats pick up a few classes at the Fletcher School. Might as well feed your future leaders well as they feed their brains, right?

Here’s how the assembly-line format at AFS works:

1. Order your falafel sandwich or falafel plate
2. Load up on a wide assortment of toppings that include: pickled everything, cucumber + tomato, tahini, cabbage, hummus, yogurt sauce, spicy red stuff, etc.
3. Devour

The falafel sandwich is pretty good, but I’ve had much better elsewhere. I take issue with the hard, crunchy, and slightly dry variety they are serving here. The toppings really save the day along with the pillow-soft pitas that they serve the falafel with. But the main event is a bit lackluster.

Amsterdam also boasts fries with a variety of interesting dipping sauces. Again, the fries are seriously lacking but are saved by an especially good curried ketchup dipping sauce.

So it appears a trend is surfacing here – AFS dresses-up their fare pretty well but misses the mark on the main events.

Like a tourist making a beeline for the red light district, AFS needs a better map of falafelville. But until better eats in this genre hit the area, I’m sticking with my Chickpea Fritter from Clover Food Lab.

www.mfdulock.com/

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

There once was a dark period when small butcher shops didn’t really exist. Observe the bottom of my patented meat pyramid below.

The only red meat you could buy was the “manager special” with a clump of pinkish sirloin tips wrapped up in a ball of plastic…or something shelf stable drenched in sodium and scientific wizardry soaked in a briny liquid and reconstituted vegetables.

Then came Whole Foods. The first mass chain that had their meat behind glass, that sold quality shit – cuts like ribeyes, filet mignon, and NY Strip. The world was changed.

Well, dear friends, the local, sustainable food movement has ushered in a new era.

Pioneered by shops like Savenors, there is a new breed of butcher that will sell exotic meats you’ve only seen in upscale restaurants and gladly slice up a dainty cut of beef from a whole cow shank right before your eyes.

This is where M.F. Dulock comes in.  I will illustrate my point with a story.

I walk in the door, and the first thing I notice is an impressive array of industrial-looking meat machines behind the counter and a small but well-endowed array of beef and pork behind the glass case.

I take a look at a large slab of excellent-looking beef marked “New York Strip Steak.” I order one. The helpful butcher behind the counter grabs the slab and asks “How thick do you want it? I’ve been cutting them about an inch and a quarter.” He then proceeds to slice up a NY Strip Steak right before my eyes using a power tool that looked like it was featured by Mike Holmes on HGTV.

As I await my hand-cut strip steak, a couple behind me orders some ground sirloin. The guy I’d suspect is M.F. himself starts cutting up sirloin chunks and feeding them into a large grinding machine – sweet! As he does his chopping and grinding, M.F. tells me about their operation and how they basically receive a cow at the beginning of the week and slice it up according to their whim and the requests of customers.

I requested ribeyes – and I will be back. Oh, and here is my strip steak ready for the skillet – we’ve come a long way in the butchery game.

NY Strip

http://imwithmeat.com/home.html

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie Say: Cosi-Cosi

All signs pointed to glee – comfort Southern fare, tested restaurant owner, Davis locale, an aeronautical name suggesting meat missiles are on the horizon…but in reality “Meat ‘n Three Sides” was a mixed bag y’all.

The Foodie hates dishing out criticism, but in the spirit of providing a clean and honest review, I owe it to my following to keep you eating well.

Do you want the good news first or the bad news first? I’ll break it down so you can skip ahead to what you want to hear:

THE GOOD NEWS:

• Nice Concept. On a certain level, what’s not to like about a laid-back atmosphere, friendly servers, a large menu of rare and obscure beers served primarily in can format, and loads of gut-growing savory Southern grub being slung out ‘da kitchen? These guys have everything except the twang. They also cleverly constructed all table surfaces and bathroom walls to be chalk-friendly.
• A Few Decent to Tasty Dishes. As you’ll find out, you gotta order skillfully here to enjoy your eating experience. Some plates that will make ‘yer belly say “gurgle gurgle yum yum” include: Fried Maine cheese curds, shrimp ‘n grits, anything pickled (they have a thing for pickling), and mac ‘n cheese. That’s about all I would seriously order.

Shrimp 'n Grits

THE BAD NEWS:

• Many Mediocre to Pretty Bad Dishes. The real bad news about M3 is that their menu is weighted more heavily towards cement-heavy cooking; ill-conceived concoctions, and “just Ok” food that is done better at places like Tupelo, Highland Kitchen, and Blue Ribbon BBQ.  Such dishes include the rainbow trout (flavorless), fried chicken (sooooo dry), watermelon salad (lips puckering with vinegar overdose), fried catfish (overly breaded), oyster po’boy (a po’ attempt at a classic sammich) and duck fat burger (sounded good but had my buddy looking pretty ill with fullness all night – like he swallowed a cinder-block).
• Trying Too Hard and Going Over-the-Top. Sure, consumers are a fickle bunch. You really have to try hard to catch people’s attention. But fried fluffernutter? A burger cooked in duckfat and topped with bacon? A mini-hen served with a beer can shoved up its butt? Cornmeal fried frog legs? Such heavy-handedness had even I, an unabashed meat eater who feasted on applewood-smoked-bacon-wrapped-rabbit-loin-skewers” in celebration of a movie involving kids brutally murdering each other while roasting squirrel in the woods, saying “Arrêt.

Cinder-Block

So there it is, Billy Bob. The true story. The real deal. In the end The Foodie recommends hitting M3 for some late night fried cheese curds and beers or a day-drinking snack. Also give the brunch a shot (haven’t ventured into that territory yet).

But – buyer beware when it comes to dinner.

http://unionsquaremain.org/food/farmers-market/

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

New England farm-fresh wares can now be found in the ‘Ville year-round. Party on Wayne.

All dorky dated 90′s movie references aside, the Union Square Farmers Market is a serious affair for those who have an heirloom-tomato-shaped heart, like myself.

From June 2^nd through November 17^th, the intersection of Washington Street, Somerville Ave, and Mother Earth is bumping with bounty from 9AM to 1PM. Curious what you might be filling your recycled-plastic-bottle-bag with? Read on:

• Cranberry beans
• Lettuces of all kinds
• Radishes
• Chioggia beets
• Carrots
• Blueberries
• Ground cherries
• Corn on the cob
• Ribeye steaks
• Breakfast sausages
• Scallops
• Flowers
• Fresh Basil
• Chicken of the wood mushrooms
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Artisan bread
• Fresh locally-crafted cheeses
• Chocolate
• Jams and spreads
• The meaning of life

The list could go on and on. A leisurely stroll through the food tents on a Saturday morning with a Bloc 11 latte in hand is one piece of summer’villain illin’ fun that I always look forward to.

The size, selection, and vibe at the Union Market makes this my favorite slice of farm charm in town. The only thing they’re missing is a little Grey Poupon.

http://www.pescatoreseafood.com/

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Recommends

File Pescatore in with the other great Italian restaurants that are not in the North End.

I’m slowly building a case to save millions of innocent diners from wasting their money on overpriced grub from Italia, one amazing eatery at a time.

Tucked away on a side street in Ball Square, this intimate little spot has been on my short list of affordable places to get my pasta on for a few years now.

These guys are all about uber-fresh pappardelle, ravioli, and fusilli with (as the name suggests) lots of food from the deep blue sea. Hop in your dinghy, grab some flour, eggs, and a fishing rod and I’ll row you through some of my favorite Pescatore-ian dishes:

• Fusilli Amalfi – homemade pasta with a veritable fruits de mer of scallops, lobster, and shrimp cooked up with some broccoli rabe.
• Gnocchi Sorrentino – This dish is painfully good. The gnocchi are as soft as a supple bosom. The lightly creamy tomato-basil sauce is so delightful I would bathe in it. Finally, melty buffalo mozz just puts me over the top with glee. Got to be one of the best gnocchi dishes around for the paltry price of $14.
• Pappardelle Capri – with noodles as wide and thick as a big booty, arugula, cherry tomatoes, evoo, white wine, garlic and shaved parm, the Capri is another crustacean-inspired beauty of a dish served by the good people at Pescatore.

Gnocchi-riffic

Love those Capris girl

Recently I pontificated (excuse me) on the three common qualities of good Italian restaurants: Simple, Fresh, and Quirky. Here’s how this locale meets the trifecta of all things tutto bene.

• Simple – No ‘tude here in the cooking at all. Just very well-made dishes with fewer than 10 ingredients.
• Fresh – Gotta give anybody props for cranking out their own pasta and gnocchi. The fish and shellfish are all fairly good quality as well, not to mention the uniquely tasty homemade sauces up in here.
• Quirky – the quirk here must be the location. Though the inside is warm and inviting, Pescatore is located in a concrete-exterior building that was probably a former Elks Lodge at the corner of a quiet neighborhood.

I suggest you add Pescatore to your little black book of quality neighborhood Italian joints too. I look forward to rowing by you on your way out here in the future.

http://www.thepaintedburro.com/

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Recommends

Its tough to displace a neighborhood mainstay – but the Gargoyle has morphed into a little painted donkey quite well.

The owners of nearby upscale Italian pizzeria and wine bar Posto have proven themselves skilled restaurateurs by branching out into a completely different culinary genre and doing it well.

I’ll walk you through why their new, stylish, “Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar” is going to become one of the more popular eateries in Davis (maybe at the risk of cannibalizing foodies from their other spot).

• Drink menu is twice the size as the food menu. There are countless tequilas, a nice selection of south-of-the-border beers, and a sexy bar area.

• The house margaritas are a simple yet effective affair made with good tequila and lime juice (skipping the Cointreau). At just 8 bucks these babies are smooth and will please even the most discriminating spirits snob.

• The tortilla chips. Ohhhh…the tortilla chips. Usually that part of a Mexican meal relegated to being mindlessly devoured by hungry gringos waiting for their mains – the Burro kicks these babies up a notch. These chips come out warm, are well-salted, and are thick while still managing to be light and airy. So delightful we must have gone through nine buckets of the things. I was still clinging to a handful on our way out the door after a huge meal.

• The Guac. Though not the best I’ve had in town (that award still goes to Ole), the version here is slightly creamy and smooth and still thoroughly enjoyable.

•  The platos principales. The entrees feature whole fish, rabbit leg, carne asada, a snobby-looking yuppified enchilada stuffed with maitake mushrooms and goat cheese, and a drool-inducing short rib barbecoa with poblano and Oaxaca grits.

• Dos tacos. In addition to the aforementioned platos, the Burro is passionate about tacos judging by a selection of soft tortillas filled with things like chorizo, gulf shrimp, pork ‘cochinita,’ skirt steak, and my favorite – crispy Maine redfish. Though I loved my redfish with cabbage/jalapeno slaw and baja sauce – I was less impressed by the other tacos ordered by my fellow table chums.

The Burro is a welcome addition to the square as Davis continues to maintain a fine veneer of loveable piss-soaked college bars while becoming a breeding-ground for yuppie-friendly fun and games. I wonder what’s next for the Posto-Burro team…are they going Asian? South African? French?  Time will tell.

Mi nombre es Ryan. I bebe como el diablo.

http://www.saloondavis.com/

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Does Not Recommend

8:00PM. Saturday Night.

We’re at Foundry on Elm. “Uh, is Saloon in here somewhere?”

“We get that a lot – try two doors down, by the lamp post”

Descending a flight of stairs, I expected to see a tumbleweed and a few ole timers sipping on sarsaparilla (mixed with high-end whiskey of course).

On the contrary – this place was packed wall-to-wall like a Faneuil Hall joint. Also like your favorite amateur hang-out, they also had one of those annoying tall douchebags rudely telling people where to stand to clear the way for servers.

From here on – nothing about the food was particularly bad, but then again nothing was better than the 20 other gastropubs in town. I mean, the formula is well-known at this point:

• Put together a big whiskey list
• Make sure you have a Pretty Things beer on tap
• Throw some pork belly on the menu
• Dim the lights

Sounds easy right? Whereas other g-pubs in town do it well (and Citizen is the gold standard in my opinion), I’ve never thought Foundry or their new baby Saloon completely nail it.

For example:

• Beer menu could be spruced up a bit
• Did you see how small the pork belly dish was?
• Quotes from others at my table: “The steak was a mess,” “It was just OK,” “Who grabbed my ass?”

The one dish that received praise from our group of outlaws was the meat pie…but I still don’t think it was good enough to save the day, sheriff.

So, like Foundry on Elm, Saloon is really better for a couple drinks – skip the food spread. Looks like plenty of peeps are cool with that though given the reg’lar crowds at both spots.

In the words of Clint Eastwood after this scene – I’ve had better.

http://www.journeymanrestaurant.com/

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

Life is a journey. The path isn’t always clear but sometimes we’re provided clues along the way. Just when we think we’ve experienced it all – something new comes along to surprise and bring us back to the present.

Enter Journeyman.

As if to say “We’ve seen the Way, and are putting it on a menu,” Journeyman presents just two simple options of a five or seven course tasting, with just cursory descriptions of each dish like:

But in reality, you end up floored with all kinds of gastronomical gotchas in each of those haiku-esque menu items, like:

• When we said XO Sauce, we meant house-made XO Sauce painstakingly cared for over the course of 6 months with house-cured bresaola and shrimp oil.
• Notice: your first dish is called “Alliums.” Curious? That’s the name for the onion genus. You’re going to get onions deconstructed countless ways on your plate, and yes, there will be caramelized onion ice cream.
• So, if we put “Lamb” on your plate it will typically be accompanied by a lamb foie gras mousse
• Oh, yeah, and by “goat cheese” we meant a light fluffy goat cheese mousse-like creation
• Did we write just “Steak” on the menu? Silly us, that is cooked sous-vide,  tender-as-hell
• P.S. when we title your dessert “Bergamot” that means we made bergamot ice cream

You may also find yourself transported across multiple continents and religious gatherings with each passing plate, like:

• A Jewish family living room in Manhattan for Yom Kippur (Amuse bouche of house-smoked salmon, a deconstructed egg custard mixture  and hard boiled quail egg)
• Tea time in a London hotel (Bergamot ice cream, orange-infused cake, toffee and walnut)
• A bagel shop on the Lower East Side (Allium starter that came together like the most decadent everything bagel with onion cream cheese)
• A Shanghai street corner food cart (Soft rice, black bean sauce, seared tender octopus, house-made XO sauce)

Travel with me for a few minutes:

YOM KIPPUR

ALLIUM

OCTOPUS

LAMB

STEAK

As you may have noticed, they do things differently here – and you are guaranteed to leave having tried something you’ve never seen or tasted before. And I say that as a bartender climbs a wooden ladder to pick fresh herbs from the wall-sized garden that hangs at the restaurant window-front.

http://www.facebook.com/SomervilleWinterFarmersMarket?sk=info

Location: Somerville, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

In the first episode of Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s excellent sketch series Portlandia, a bohemian couple travels from the table they’re dining at out to a farm to see where the chicken they were about to eat came from.

When they arrive out to the farm they become mesmerized by the owner Aliki and lured into an organic farm cult, spending years entranced by his spell…

I felt the same way when I walked into the Somerville Winter Farmers Market for the first time, hypnotized by local treasures sold on Saturdays from 9:30 to 2:30PM November thru May at the Armory on Highland Ave.

Following is just a sample of what was available in this castle of homegrown New England delicacies:

• Valley Farm Natural Raised Beef (best breakfast sausages ever)
• Great Cape Baking Company (a killer rosemary loaf and a donut that has the addictive properties of crack)
• Local mussels, haddock and greysole from Gloucester and Maine
• Stillman’s Farm Meat
• Excellent seasonal produce from MA and NH farms (think celery root, parsnips, chioggia beets, exotic cabbage, etc)
• Fresh milk and vats of butter
• Fiore di Nonno Fresh Mozzarella and Burrata

Spending a winter morning here strolling from table to table sampling (and oogling at) all kinds of amazing goods while rubbing shoulders with the producers themselves is what food shopping was and is always meant to be.

So do your shopping here next weekend, feel like you’re walking into an episode of Portlandia, and allow yourself to be enthralled by the bounty of the earth.