Haggis at The Haven (and Other Scottish Treats)

Last night, we had Kathy and Jon over for our third and final sponsored lamb feast. (I posted a video about the first one here. The second video is still in the works.) In between devouring large amounts of lamb and facing Kathy's enormous dessert, an insane six-layer cake, we played a food trivia game that my parents had given me for Chanukah. A question came up about haggis, which reminded me that I haven't yet posted about the fantastic dinner I had at The Haven back in December.

Joel and I had been eyeing The Haven since it opened, but getting up the motivation to get out to Jamaica Plain is fairly rare. We did try brunch back in August and loved it, but we still hadn't made it over there for dinner when I received a blogger dinner invitation for early December. Sorry Joel. You'll have to try it some other time. (As noted in my August brunch post, Joel is still mourning the loss of the live music at Matt Murphy's, a program that flourished under bartender and music booker Jason, now the owner of The Haven.)

With Cristy and Kevin, I sampled a wide array of The Haven's Scottish menu, including haggis, a dish we were all hesitant to taste...but we knew we had to give it a shot. For the uninitiated, head over to Wikipedia's page on haggis to learn all about it. The general consensus at the table was that none of us are haggis fans, but The Haven's preparation of it appears to be one that would certainly please those who do like haggis. I don't know how to describe it other than "earthy." Very earthy.

I enjoyed nearly everything else immensely, especially my entree, a fantastic rendition of fish and chips. Bonus: it was served in a fish-shaped plate. Adorable. I wasn't a huge fan of the mushy peas due to the, well, mushy texture, but the flavor was great. (I'm also not into hummus and other similarly textured items, so if you are, you'll probably love the peas!)

Other notes: the ambiance at The Haven is extremely inviting, both during the day and at night. The beer list is fantastic (and features lots of Scottish selections). I haven't experienced any of these yet, but there are weekly trivia, music, and movie nights which are probably worth checking out. If I lived in JP, I'd be here all the time.

Special thanks to Jason for hosting us!

More photos (brunch, then dinner):

Disclosure: While this meal was offered free of charge as part of a blogger dinner, all opinions in this post are my own.

Two Desserts for the Price of One: Shareable Treats Around Boston (Tasted Menu)

I'm not really into making a huge deal out of Valentine's Day; Joel and I will be making a nice home-cooked meal in our makeshift sous vide, and I'll probably send a couple delightfully obscene e-cards via someecards.com, so I haven't bothered to post any Valentine's Day restaurant recommendations here.

I did, however, just put up a post on the Tasted Menu blog about some tasty shareable desserts around town, so if you're looking for a romantic dessert-based date...or if you want to eat a huge amount of dessert by yourself (hey, I'm definitely not judging...I had a double dessert day multiple times this week!)...check out:

Two Desserts for the Price of One: Shareable Treats Around Boston

Restaurant Review: Catalyst (CBS Boston)

As someone who spends more than forty hours a week in Kendall Square, I’m always on the lookout for new places to eat in the area. I’ve got my lunches covered by the food trucks, but for the occasional night out after work, the list is growing longer. Shiny new Catalyst has been on my mind since construction began, so it was the perfect choice for a friends’ night out on a recent weekday evening.

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

More photos:

Top Eats in the North End and Faneuil Hall (Tasted Menu)

Unseasonably warm winter days in Boston are perhaps the best times to check out notoriously tourist-heavy areas like Faneuil Hall and the North End. The crowds are much diminished in the winter, so we can enjoy some rare peace and quiet while exploring our own city. Food, of course, is a highlight of this exploration. Let’s look at some of the top dishes to be found in this area.

Read the rest of my article over on the Tasted Menu blog.

The Ultimate Craigie Experience at Craigie on Main (CBS Boston)

In 2008, the six-year-old nationally renowned Craigie Street Bistrot relocated from a cozy basement near Harvard Square to a larger space – with a much larger kitchen – on Main St. in Central Square. The restaurant’s name changed accordingly to Craigie on Main. Over the past three years, chef/proprietor Tony Maws has continued to please diners, particularly carnivores, with his intense focus on local, seasonal, and organic ingredients and French-influenced dishes. Offerings change daily to reflect the best that can be found at the market, and Maws is a firm believer in the ‘nose-to-tail’ philosophy of using every part of an animal whenever possible. Indeed, Food & Wine even named Craigie to its list of the 10 best restaurants for carnivores in the world, and Craigie is the sole representative of the United States on the list.

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

More photos: