City Snapshot – Lima, Peru (Part Una)

February 27th, 2013

Where to begin friends, where to begin.

This Gringo just ventured far from the snow-covered tundra that was once known as Boston…sneaking out on one of the last flights from Logan before the historic blizzard they called Nemo buried our great city in white powder.

I touched down in warm and sunny Lima, Peru to explore a city teeming with culinary treasures. In case the news hasn’t reached your desk yet, Lima is in the midst of a major food revival.  Over the course of a short series of posts here on the blog, I will catch you up to speed.

The first of these posts presents a food essay on three reasons why the restaurant scene and cooking in this city is so fingerlickin’ good:

1.     BIODIVERSITY.

Peru pimps 28 of the 32 distinct climate zones that exist in the world. To put that into food terms, this country produces everything from coffee to chocolate to quinoa to sea bass (Chile isn’t the only country in that market). This is the original home of the humble potato, which was spread throughout Europe by the conquering Spaniards. They now grow 3800 types of the round thing, along with 55 varieties of corn, and nearly 20 varieties of commercially available native fruits that you’ve never eaten before. You thought acai was the next cool yuppie antioxidant? Let me tell you, there are five to ten more down here in Peru that haven’t even hit the market yet.

Below you’ll see a small selection of the bountiful spread of produce bestowed upon this country by the Pachamama:

2.     CULTURAL DIVERSITY

The major immigrant groups entering Peru over the years have left a footprint on the palates of the people here:

  • Japanese farmers voyaged here en masse and brought their love of raw fish and agri-skillz with them.
  • The Italian influence really made a mark here as well – most restaurants (even traditional Peruvian ones) will have a small section of their menu devoted to pasta and/or pizza.
  • The Spanish brought over European cooking techniques and a zest for excellent seafood dishes.
  • The African community gifted us dishes like tacu tacu, an amazing rice and beans concoction.
  • Finally the Chinese influence has manifested itself in what Peruvians call “Chifa” – a fascinating mix of South American and Eastern influence that is so popular you’ll find a chifa joint on just about every major road in Lima.

And let’s not forget the array of interesting dishes that were here before any of these groups arrived – roasted guinea pig, alpaca steaks, anticucho (skewered beef heart and potato), and my favorite: ceviche.

But Peru is not great at food because all of these influences exist separately. Peruvians are exceptional behind a stove because they have allowed everything to fuse and meld together into their recipes, their homes, and their identities.

In fact, if you ask a Peruvian what their roots are, they will likely respond “el que no tiene DE INGA tiene de MANDINGA”. This is an old saying where “INGA” refers to Incan or indigenous blood/heritage, and “MANDINGA” refers to West African people sometimes also called “Mandinka” or “Mandingo”. In Peru people use this phrase to say that everyone is mixed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.     SERVICE AS “METIER”

The French have an excellent word to describe the unique mix of art, science, craft and calling that make a true profession. This word applies perfectly to nearly every individual position within the restaurant business in Lima. The top Lima restaurants (dare I say) may even put some of their French counterparts to shame in the service department…ahem, excusez-moi…monsieur…where is my effing café au lait?

Let me paint a picture for you – the more upscale joints in Lima (of which there are many) will have a small army of servers tending to your dining needs. The service is always attentive but not overbearing, composed but not snobby. A quick glance and eye contact with not just your server – but any food service professional on the floor – will bring them to your table within a few moments. And I’m not just talking about the haute-cuisine joints in town – some of the best service I encountered here was at small local pastry and sandwich spots.

I would also certainly extend the word métier to describe the approach that Peruvian chefs in Lima take to their trade. The food is artfully prepared, obsessively fresh, painstakingly thought-out, and well-executed from a technical perspective. Fun facts:

  • Le Cordon Bleu opened their first school in South America in Lima.
  • Robert DeNiro discovered Nobu Matsuhisa (of THE Nobu Empire) after eating at his restaurant Matsuei in Lima.
  • Some of the diaspora of Ferran Adria’s El Bulli (of Michelin 3-star, #1 restaurant in the world fame) have settled their chef’s knives in the city of Lima.
  • One of the most respected figures in modern Peru is Chef Gaston Acurio, a man renowned for heralding the food of his country and celebrating the goods of small farmers and food operators (more on this amazing person later).

If that doesn’t start to get you interested in Peruvian cuisine, read the next post on the best restaurants, food trends, and dishes that I encountered on the trip.

Posted in City Snapshot - Lima | Comments Off

Giulia – Don Carlos by Verdi, on a Plate

February 5th, 2013

http://www.giuliarestaurant.com/

Location: Cambridge, MA

The Foodie: Recommends

Sooooo – It’s been a quiet month here on NicktheFoodie.com – but not for lack of eating. During this slow, cold month of January, your master of ceremonies has been patiently waiting to spring a deluge of fun filled food adventures on you.

In this short month of February, you will be magically swept off your feet to vicarious experiences of Italian dining in Cambridge, to our nation’s capital, and to the exotic culinary capital of Peru.

Let’s start with the first item on that list – Giulia.

After assembling a pretty impressive CV in Boston and Chi-town, former Via Matta Exec Chef Michael Pagliarini stepped out on his own to bring us a very solid upscale Italian joint. Thank you, Michael.

We managed to snag a table just a few short weeks after Giulia’s grand opening, and impressively the FOH (or Front of House for the laymen) were running the place like they’d been practicing with plastic kiddie toys and mannequins around the clock for a solid month before the first breathing customers arrived.

Which is to say, service was very attentive.

I could go on and on about an exposed brick interior and a “pasta table” while filling up this site with expertly-crafted photographs, but I will skip right to what you rely on me for – the food.

So enjoy my food blurb complete with poorly-taken smartphone snapshots:

FOOD BLURB:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giulia has everything that an Italian expat nostalgic for the flavors of the motherland would want:

  • House-made pastas rolled out with nice technique into lovely shapes such as pappardelle, fusilli, ravioli, orecciette, agnolotti and linguini
  • A menu structured to facilitate several courses slowly devoured amongst family and free-flowing bottles of wine
  • Dishes that prominently feature a range of beloved meats, that when sung in an operatic fashion, sound like a classic tragedy set in a salumeria: mortadella, soppressata, pancetta, lardo, prosciutto and Finocchiona (a version of Tuscan salami made with fennel seeds)
  • The famous cheeses of Italia sprinkled, shaved, sliced, and diced up into your favorite dishes – think aged parmigiano, pecorino, ricotta, and grana.

I had the good fortune of sampling several delectable dishes here over a few courses – here are the highlights:

  • Warm Semolina Cakes with Lardo – Soft little circular slices of love slathered in a substance that is the subject of every segment of food porn – yes, lardo. That thin layer of fat under the pig’s skin that is wonderfully herbed and melts like butter onto a warm slice of good bread.
  • Pappardelle with Wild Boar – An amazing pasta dish from start to finish, this creation will meet and exceed every thought of mouth-watering anticipation once the order escapes your mouth and reaches the pen of your server. Beautifully thick strands of pasta with braised  wild boar, seared black trumpet mushrooms, juniper, aged parmigiano and a little spicy heat bubbling up from below.
  • Burrata – Another foodie buzz word that features prominently into full-length foldouts in Bon Appétit magazines and winds up posted on your favorite chef’s locker. That cream-filled mozzarella-like cheese is served up at Giulia with roasted peppers, pine nuts, and golden raisins.

I left still dreaming about a few dishes that I’ll be back for like an Arnie flick: Veal medallion with umbrian lentils, cippolini and pomegranate saba, house-made lamb sausage with broccoli rabe, pepperonata, and gigante beans, and the classic bucatini all’amatriciana (consisting of house-cured pancetta, tomato, onion, pecorino and white wine).

My beefs with Giulia are few, but I feel that I must step up onto my all-important soapbox to air them into the cybersphere:

  1. Wine list is too aspirational. When the cheapest bottle starts at $55, you are missing out on a wide market of drinkers who are happy to slug down an excellent bottle priced at $35.
  2. The “Small Plates” phenomenon taken too far. The way Giulia is priced, you will be dining on a miniscule portion of excellently cooked food for the price of a heaping portion at other places. Unfortunately, I thus need to file this spot in my ‘special occasion’ folder next to other restaurants that I spring out when in the doghouse with me lady.

Overall – a fantastic food experience, which is undoubtedly the most important thing. But like any good Italian tragedy, we need a little drama thrown in to make life a little more juicy.

Posted in Boston Environs - Cambridge, Italian | Comments Off

Top 5 of ’12

January 10th, 2013

Yes, I will join the tide of food writers listing off their top meals and restaurants of the past year. Yes, I will continue a tradition I started last year. Yes, you will be happy eating at any of these five wonders of the local food scene – as selected by the Hiram Bingham of culinary exploration – which is of course, yours truly. I travel by “T” though rather than donkey.

Whereas the defining theme of last year’s Top 5 list was “Gimme Something New and Different,” 2012′s top eats were more balanced between zany new creations (i.e., grilled romaine and braised oxtail salad at Strip T’s, house-made XO sauce at Journeyman, lamb belly w/ orange and moxie at Puritan) and insanely good renditions of classic dishes (i.e., roasted bone marrow at Puritan, fenugreek-smoked duck at Herb Lyceum, the ramen at Yume).

Interestingly, this list seems to also touch upon Contemporary American, Farm-to-Table, Snout-to-Tail, Classic and Modern Asian cooking. These trends are already the zeitgeist in the food world, and I hope they do continue into 2013.

  1. The Herb Lyceum | I can’t keep a secret very long – the true identity of my recent “Mystery Review”
  2. Strip T’s | Three cheers for one the most eclectic restaurants I’ve ever eaten in.
  3. Puritan & Company | This newcomer to the food scene definitely makes my short list.
  4. Journeyman | One of the most inventive, creative, scrumptious meals you’ll have on either side of the Charles.
  5. Yume Wo Katare| One bowl of ramen was all it took to solidify their spot on this coveted list.

Posted in Best in Class, Boston's Best Dishes | Comments Off

Puritan & Company – The Culinary History of New England, Rewritten

December 30th, 2012

http://puritancambridge.com/

Location: Cambridge, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

–“Men of New England, I hold you to the doctrines of liberty which ye inherit from your Puritan forefathers.” –

The puritans left England to practice what they believed without persecution. Like the intense cult-prone adventurers who first developed the new world, Will Gilson has sailed out into uncharted culinary territory with his new restaurant to worship the demigods of lamb belly, jamon iberico, and bone marrow on his own terms.

I am here to tell his story.

While I’m pretending to be an historian, I’ll throw a little more history atch’ya – a local business called Puritan Cake Company once occupied the space that now houses this immaculate new temple of gourmet righteousness. In fact, the new owners will even present their interpretation of the cake once produced here in little bite-sized pieces at the end of your meal.

I open this review with a lesson of our past, for, in Churchill’s words: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Gilson, it appears, was paying attention during his “ye olde volume ‘o cooking history” class in culinary school. The menu at Puritan & Company shows deference and respect for rustic New England favorites while taking a few chances with cuisine from other regions and incorporating interesting twists on the foods of our forbearers. This is also a restaurant strongly grounded in the fat of Massachusetts soil – with goods sourced from Savenors and The Herb Lyceum (the Groton farmstead owned by Gilson’s family).

Now, without much further ado, I present to you my analysis on my flavor fave dishes from Puritan that I had the joy of eating from our charcuterie table seats:

The softest, buttery brioche roll you will ever taste – topped with some amazing lightly-shaved sea salt. Washed down with a Peak Organic dark nut brew made specially for Puritan that involves a little ginger and honey from the Herb Lyceum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something called Gougeres. I’ve never seen these in France (assuming they’re a French dish), but wherever they hail from these things are awesome. Lightly-toasted warm balls of wonder stuffed with rosemary and cheddar mornay. Tasted like a gourmet cheez-it.

Cheez-its, Beware!

Rare Jamon Iberico freshly shaved from a $1,200 hock of cured ham sitting by the charcuterie station. Lightly nutty, smooth, and tender.

Fresh-Shaved from the Ham Hock

“Swordfish Pastrami.” One of the most unique and inventive plates on the menu, this dish incorporates spiced strips of smoked sword, cannelles of chilled mustard cream, brussels, and pumpernickel essence. Amazing.

Pastrami of the Sea

Bone Marrow Gratin. Easily one of the best dishes on the menu here, Puritan’s bone marrow is beautifully plated on a bed of hay and roasted with an array of herbs, butter (surely) and garlic. Spreading a little of this gelatinous goodness on a slice of torched duck fat brioche was literally one of the best things I’ve done all year.

Will You Marrow-Me?

Lamb Belly. Probably the other “must try” dish on the menu here in addition to the marrow, lamb belly is similar to pork belly in terms of the presentation and texture, however it comes with an added gaminess and earthiness that is matched wonderfully with an orange + moxie sauce. I’ve never had anything quite like it but I loved it.

Lamb - The Other Delicious Belly Meat

Clam Chowder. Pure genius. Your server will bring over a sexy-looking lineup of clams sharing their shells with a little friend named fried pork belly. A warm creamy broth will then be poured over the bowl from a pitcher. Totally creative.

Not-Your-Mother's Clam Chowda

Wood-Roasted Muscovy Duck – A solid classic bird paired with quinoa, wild mushrooms and thyme.

Order any of these dishes and your stomach will thank you like a pilgrim feasting on a freshly-cooked turkey.

A few words on a singular Puritan plate that, while risqué and interesting – misses the mark a bit. Lamb chop and lamb sausage. This ends up looking like a funny giant lamb lollipop. A bunch of ground lamb sausage is packed around the chop and just becomes overwhelming to eat (plus a little dry – it’s gotta be tough to cook right). If there is one dish on the menu I would replace – it would be this one. Instead – put a game bird, rabbit,  wild boar or some lobster on the table!

On the whole, Puritan & Company really nails it. The restaurant itself is beautiful and will surely be a success with an array of very well-executed dishes that are unrivaled elsewhere.

The first settlers of the new land knew that they were on to something when they laid the first foundations of a society free from sexual misconduct, blasphemous words, and witchcraft. I thank Chef Gilson for bringing a few spoonfuls of sin back onto New England soil.

Posted in Beer Snob Worthy, Boston Environs - Cambridge, Boston's Best Dishes, Contemporary American, Date Spots, Oysters | Comments Off

Boston Resolution Restaurants 2013

December 20th, 2012

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. That’s right – it’s resolution time. But rather than join a gym to shed that extra 20 lbs of gut weight, resolve to stop eating baby animals (veal and cabri are too good to give up), or take up a diet of strictly flax and wheat germ – I am rolling out another list of restaurants in the area that I MUST try in the year ahead.

Admittedly, I made just an ‘OK’ dent in last year’s list, hitting six of the 16 spots that I pined for. The reason for that was  my culinary attention being pulled in other directions as new openings kept hitting my radar throughout 2012. But in the end, I did sample awesome cuisine from Casa B, Journeyman, Marliave, Radius, The Gallows, and Gaslight Brasserie Du Coin. Not too bad.

Looking ahead to the year of the Water Snake – here’s my list of resolution restaurants. Hiss, Hiss, Yum, Yum.

  1. Cinquecento | This hotly-anticipated cavernous Italian joint from the Aquitaine Group has wild boar gnocchi. Gnocch-said.
  2. Giulia | A just-opened Porter Square newcomer serving more upscale Italian eats. Run by a former Via Matta chef.
  3. Tavern Road | Chef Louis DiBarcarri (Sel de la Terre, Storyville, Chef Louie Night) plans to open a space in Fort Point with the words Porchetta, Game Birds, and Rotisserie on the menu. P.S. They’ll have a street food window. Booyah.
  4. Blue Dragon | Celeb chef Ming Tsai is opening an Asian Fusion spot in Fort Point.
  5. Ribelle | Strip T’s chef Tim Maslow is coming to Brookline (Washington Sq) with a new spot next year. I’ll be there.
  6. Bronwyn | We will finally have a good German restaurant around Boston. Currywurst and Spaten anyone?
  7. Spoke Wine Bar | The guys behind Dave’s Fresh Pasta bring you a wine bar right next to their current venue.
  8. Erbaluce | This Bay Village upscale Italian hideaway will be a romantic gourmet date for me at some point in 2013
  9. Oishii | A carry-over from last year’s list, but I will make it this time around!
  10. East By Northeast | This Pan-Asian small plates resto in Inman Square has been open for a while and deserves my attention.
  11. Santarpio’s | Yes, someday I will hike over to Eastie and eat pizza. It will happen.
  12. Estelle’s | This is what you get when you combine the chefs of Poe’s Kitchen and East Coast Grill.
  13. Bon Me (the restaurant) | A popular Vietnamese food truck goes brick and mortar in Kendall.
  14. Belly Wine Bar | The owners of Blue Room and Central Bottle team up to deliver a nice wine bar concept in Kendall.
  15. Uni Sashimi Bar (and late night ramen) | More for the late-night ramen to get Oringer’s take on a dish that is all the rage right now.
  16. Lone Star Taco Bar | These guys hit the Allston scene big and then fell off my radar. They’re back on, and I WILL get their tacos in the year ahead.

So there it is. Another 16 places to run to in an effort to continue eating my way through all that Boston has to offer. In case you haven’t noticed, the restaurant scene in the area is bumpin’. Lots of these places haven’t even opened yet, but when they do it promises to be an exciting year. See you there…

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Amsterdam Falafel Shop – A Red Light District for Chickpeas

December 16th, 2012

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.

Posted in Boston Environs - Somerville, Middle Eastern, Sammiches, Street Food, Vegetarian | Comments Off

Mystery Review – How to Eat in Your Favorite Chef’s Dining Room

November 26th, 2012

Location: Once named Petapawag

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

Yes, I have a dirty habit of secretively clinging to some of my more exclusive dining experiences while simultaneously bragging about them here on the blog. But hey, we all have our foibles.

Plus, there’s always Google if you are inspired enough to track down the source of a mystery review. Or, you can unabashedly support my ego by pleading for the answer via the bird or the lower-case f.

Like the last mystery review, this one was inspired by a restaurant that combined exclusivity, farm-to-table cooking, and culinary intimacy.

We hopped in a car and drove on three or four highways. We passed by the relatively unmarked locale in the dark a few times before reaching our final destination.

The time: 6:45. We were told to arrive promptly. Dinner is served only on Friday and Saturday nights.

The menu: Shown below. They had me at “duck cracklings”

The scene: There are many reasons why this town founded by the great John Tinker was worth visiting for a three-hour dining experience at said mystery establishment. Here are a few:

  • Seasonally-inspired, farm-to-table cooking in an environment where the chef personally introduces each course and answers questions about their approach
  • Six courses of exquisitely-executed food for $60. A steal for the quality you receive here.
  • A rare BYOB establishment. We sported a 2005 Premier Cru Bourgogne from Domaine Michel Gay et Fils for the occasion.
  • Small capacity, communal-dining format housed in a refurbished carriage house on the grounds of a farmstead.
  • The place is run by a family powered by a passion for sharing good foodstuffs.

The food: Painstakingly prepared, creatively concocted – unique dishes with a nod to tradition. Duck smoked to succulent perfection. Apples reduced over the course of several hours to caramel. Parsnip and pear married into a rich and creamy soup. Careful thought applied to create a quintessential late Fall meal. Others we spoke with throughout the evening had been here five, six, seven times and said the cooking never falls short of spectacular. Observe:

Parsnip & Pear Soup

 

Poached Pear & Mache Salad

 

Fenugreek-Smoked Duck

 

Pumpkin Panna Cotta, Apple Caramel, Haute Fig Newton

The people: Unlike other eateries, our mystery locale will seat you at a large table with other hungry food lovers. Yes, there will be an expectation of that thing called “socializing” in which you will meet other human beings and communicate verbally. You can also bring a larger crowd and occupy one of two tables that seat six to eight individuals to solely exchange words with your own circle.

We loved the communal slant on everything though. Got a chance to meet the owners, our chef for the evening (a seasoned vet with several restaurants under his belt), a group of musicians, and a fellow blogger who writes an approachable, personal, and funny healthy living blog that can be found at sweatygirl.net. Our table mates laughed at our jokes, shared in our food joys, and overlooked our curious weird-nesses. For that we love them. The shared dining experience confirmed my believe that good cuisine is only enhanced by good chummeryTM

Excellent food, BYOB, reasonable price, intimate setting, awesome chef, farm-to-table, creative technique, social interaction – you understand my desire to keep this one under relative lock and key, right?

Posted in Contemporary American, Mystery Review | Comments Off

Yume Wo Katare – I Dream of Ramen

November 17th, 2012

The Hours

Location: Cambridge, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

If you’ve walked through Porter Square between the hours of 6 and 10pm recently, you may have noticed something different.

By day, an unassuming storefront with a foreign name – Yume Wo Katare lights up for a few hours five nights a week to shovel a delicacy beyond words into bowls for a line of hungry hungry hipsters that stretches to the door of Dunkin’ Donuts and can command over an hour long wait.

As you stand in said line, people will stop open-mouthed and stare at Yume not quite understanding what the hype is all about. They may even ask you what everyone is waiting for. You might say “Ramen” and receive a confused look.

Don’t worry – these misguided individuals just don’t understand.

During your experience in line – you are likely to bond with your fellow Ramenites, marvel at the popularity of Yume, and study the rulebook of eating here. A few tips for your first visit:

  1. Come hungry, and arrive at the beginning of the night (15 minutes before opening recommended)
  2. Bring no more than one other ravenous individual to ensure a small party
  3. Do not plan on takeout, for this is not an option
  4. Bring a wad of cash, for they do not take plastic
  5. Enjoy pork. Liking pork belly is better. Loving noodle soup also imperative. There is only one variety of Ramen served here and it involves loving spoonfuls of both.
  6. Read the helpful posters of information taped to the windows as you wait in line, for lots of useful information awaits you.
  7. Be prepared for whether you want Ramen ($12) or Buta Ramen ($14). The difference is the number of pork slices you receive – the regular ramen gets you two slices and the buta gets you a whopping five.
  8. Know the answer to the question: “Ninniku Iremasuka?” or “Do you want garlic?” This will be politely screamed at you after your order is taken at the register.
  9. Know that every minute of your wait will be worth it, and that the idiosyncrasies are a fun part of the experience of eating here – in other words, pick up your britches and get ready to eat!

Do you want garlic?

RAMEN REVIEW: Yume’s bowl of Ramen is a tantalizing creation that will hook you at the first slurp. It starts with a broth that is one part abura (pork fat), one part soy, and one part ‼ “マジック“‼  I’ve read that this broth is lovingly cared for over the course of 24 hours and simmered with pork bones. Then you’ve got cabbage and bean sprouts. Next, there’s a heaping ladle of thick house-made noodles boiled quickly in a huge wok. Finally, there’s the most succulent and tender pork you’ve ever tasted. They use a fattier, thick, pork-belly-like cut. I’m not exactly sure how they do it, but it’s gotta be marinated and slow-cooked for several hours at the very least. The Jiro-style of ramen served at Yume is the first of its kind in the U.S.

At the first bite the world around me melted away, downtempo started playing in my head, my eyelids grew heavy, and I uttered a slow food moan. I tasted this Ramen in my soul.

Waaay Tastier Than It Looks - Trust Me.

Now mind you, I wasn’t able to make it into the wildly popular Guchi’s Midnight events that sold out quicker than a U2 concert. I also haven’t tried the ramen at Uni. Sadly, I’ve never been to Japan either. So don’t consider me a ramen connoisseur. But I’d venture to say that this will rank up there with some of the better ramen you’ve ever sampled. It’s also probably authentic stuff.

I will end this synopsis with a short story to illustrate the uniqueness of Yume:

When we were seated and our ramen orders were ready, a server gingerly carried a bowl over to my dining chum and murmured something quickly in Japanese that I would assume was something like bon appétit. We slid the bowl down to me before our second bowl arrived and our server looked let down by the switcheroo. We wondered why. At the end of the meal I asked why each bowl of ramen is destined for a single individual and our server translated my question for the chef. He said “I connect to you.”

You connected to me Yume. You tickled my food gland. You spoke to my sinews. I will return.

Other views and information on Yume:

Boston Globe

Boston Phoenix

Japanese American in Boston

Yume Wo Katare Kyoto (the other location in Japan)

Posted in Boston Environs - Cambridge, Boston's Best Dishes, Ramen | Comments Off

More Food Trucks – Kendall Style

November 11th, 2012

http://www.cloverfoodlab.com

http://momogoose.com/

Location: Cambridge, MA

The Foodie: Strongly Recommends

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four wheels, cheap meals, innovative nom noms. What’s not to like about food trucks?

Inspired by my recent night of mobile gluttony at the Boston vs. NYC food truck throw down, I’ve been ardently seeking truckin’ munchies.

This quest most recently brought me to a quiet side street in Kendall Square here: http://goo.gl/maps/tJ9tc

Lured by the sound of revving engines, the queues of smart kids, and the clank of portable food stuffs – I stumbled upon a veritable cornucopia of food trucks. Here’s the lunchtime lineup in Kendall:

  • Momogoose (M-F, 10:30AM-4:30PM)
  • Clover(M-F, 8AM-8PM)
  • Your mandatory halal truck
  • José’s Tacos

Let’s start with Momogoose. These guys have several trucks posted up around the Boston area and sling some mean Asian dishes served in four formats:

  1. Twelve inch baguette
  2. Rice bowl
  3. Noodle bowl
  4. Salad bowl

Just choose your delivery mechanism and add proteins like Korean BBQ, bulgogi, spicy pork, chicken teriyaki, and more.

I tucked into a humungo spicy pork baguette sandwich (basically a banh mi) and enjoyed every bite. Observe:

Asian Hoagie

Now, on to Clover. If you haven’t heard of these guys yet, then you are not truly up on your local food game. Clover runs a few brick ‘n mortar locales in Harvard Square and Inman and have a small army of trucks serving up their ever-famous chickpea fritter and a host of other rotating inventive vegetarian health-conscious specialties.

Though I love their chickpea fritter, I branched out and tried their seasonal Fall sandwich of roasted turnip, fresh spinach, apple spread, and sharp cheddar in a wheat pita. Washed down with an iced sweet hibiscus drink in the late-day sun – I could have melted into the loving arms of motherhood and apple pie. Observe:

McTurnip With Cheese

I scoped out José’s Tacos and the Halal truck and was less impressed both by the lines and the look of their vehicles, but think they’re probably worth a shot at some point. It will be hard to pull myself away from Clover and Momogoose though.

So if you find yourself in Kendall for work, for school, or for play on a weekday, be sure to hit up one of these excellent meals on wheels and support your local truckers.

Posted in Boston Environs - Cambridge, Food Trucks, Korean, Outdoor Eating/Drinking, Vegetarian | Comments Off

The Top 10 Burgers in Boston List – 2012 Elections

November 6th, 2012

Well, dear readers, not sure if you’ve noticed but I’ve been slowly amassing a list of burgers in the Boston area that I feel is worthy of publishing for your eating pleasure.

It’s nearly election day and in case you haven’t had enough wall-to-wall coverage of the political machine in action over the last few months, here’s another politically-themed piece of commentary for you.

But rather than insane hair styles we’ve got funky sauces and toppings…instead of mud we’re slinging house-made ketchup…we have burgers for everyman and burgers for the top 1%…rather than the usual pollster questions we’re asking “Are your burgers better now than they were four years ago?”

There really is an ideological divide in the way people think about burgers these days. Some like a flat patty, some go for the “haute burger” and refuse to spend less than $20 on their meat fix, others dream of something closer to the family barbeques of yesteryear.

So, in the world of beef patties as in the world of voters, the list is only as good as the person who writes it. Before you read on, here are the hot-button burger issues that helped these spots get voted onto this Top 10 list:

  • A dedication to the fine art and science of creating a burger that is true to the roots of what a burger should be – down home comfort joy that is better than cuddling with a snuggie.
  • If deviating from comfort food bliss, creating a twist and adding something unusual that makes your burger stand out from the rest
  • Demonstrating a bias towards the fatter, ball-shaped burger over the painfully thin variety
  • Using only the finest beef cooked by veritable grill meisters
  • Being unafraid to really cook a burger RARE.

With all that prefacing behind us, here it is, your Top 10 Burger List after a long hard-fought campaign:

1.       R.F. O’Sullivan & Son

There is no burger on earth that tastes better than the Blackjack at RF’s. A Cajun-spiced burger with spicy Creole mayo, melty cheese, and all the standard toppings. After hundreds (nay thousands) of beef patties across several states and countries over the years, these guys remain at the top of my list.

2.       Craigie on Main

Whereas RF’s is the king of the comfort burger, Craigie really does make the best haute-burger creation in Boston. It’s true. This mysterious burger that lurks only on the bar menu and frequently runs out of stock is packed with culinary wizardry yet still manages to stay true to what a burger really should be.

3.       Radius

In perhaps one of the most brilliant twists on the original I’ve ever seen, Radius slathers their burger in horseradish sauce and lightly fried onion strings. Decadent, inventive, and at $20 it is the real reason why Occupy was protesting right around the corner.

4.       Boston Burger Company

Another spot that cooks up amazing twists on the classic burger while staying true to burger 101. I like the Inferno and have heard much noise about the Hot Mess, a burger topped with Sweet potato fries, chopped pickles, jalapeños, bacon, red onion, shredded lettuce and thousand island dressing (just avoid going on a date afterwards).

5.       JM Curley

This newish player in the burger game slings a very respectable comfort burger that is juicy as hell and served simply with Russian Dressing and pickles.

6.       Lord Hobo

This g-pub in Cambridge cooks up an incredible, flavorful burger wearing Irish cheddar and sleeping between two peppered challah buns.

7.       Green Street

Green Street makes the list as the only real thin-patty burger in this year’s election. But add the fact that it’s a double-decker topped with slaw, bacon, and Russian dressing and we’ve got ourselves a winner.

8.       Neptune Oyster

You still have room in your gut for a huge burger after three dozen oysters, right? One of the top local restaurants in the shellfish game pays homage to their namesake by topping their burger with two fried oysters. Bomb-dig.

9.       Bergamot

Another mysterious hard-to-get-bar-menu-only burger that stole my heart away. Made with brisket and bone marrow, this thing is insanely rich but good to the last bite and worth pursuing with gusto.

10.   The Gallows

This g-pub in the South End serves up a comfort “Our Way” burger that leans to the thin side but is a joy to eat and keeps with tradition.

Posted in Top 10 Boston Burgers | Comments Off

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »