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:

Pomegranate-Glazed Porgy and Latkes

This post is belated; we made this during Chanukah, hence the latkes. The porgy (also known as scup) is from our favorite fish market, New Deal, located between Inman Square and Lechmere in Cambridge. We asked for advice on what would go nicely with a pomegranate glaze (other than salmon, which seemed like the most obvious choice, but Joel had had that a restaurant a few days prior and wanted something else). The porgy was recommended to us because in winter, it's a bit fattier than in warmer weather while still marked by a fairly light flavor; it seemed like a good fit in terms of texture and taste.

We grilled it on our cast iron grill pan (an absolutely essential kitchen tool as far as we're concerned). The idea for the pomegranate glaze was two-fold: mainly, I'm just obsessed with pomegranates while they're in season (and I finally learned how to easily remove the arils without making the kitchen look like a murder scene). Also, pomegranates figure prominently into a variety of Jewish traditions, so it seemed like a good way to celebrate Chanukah. (That and presents. And gelt, of course.)

Latkes and sauteed greens went well on the side.

And we finally opened up a Dr. Loosen late harvest riesling we picked up a few months back. It was spectacular and played nicely with the pomegranate.

Happy much-belated Chanukah!

Porter Exchange: Cambridge's Little Japan (CBS Boston)

Cambridge’s Little Japan – Porter Exchange – is tucked away inside a Lesley University building in Porter Square, quite hidden if you don’t know where to find it. It’s worth finding. The Exchange houses a bookstore, a sporting goods store, and a cluster of Japanese gems: several restaurants, a bakery, a bubble tea counter, and even a gift shop, Tokai, which is full of tea sets, bento boxes, chopsticks, and more. There used to be a Japanese grocery store in the Exchange as well, but Lesley ousted it in 2009 to make room for the bookstore. In fall 2011, however, the original owners of Tokai are opening up a new grocery store, Miso Market, just a few blocks down Mass Ave.

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

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Blogger Dinner at Ceia Kitchen + Bar

Newburyport seems like a gem of a town, from what I glimpsed of a tiny piece of downtown one evening in November. I joined Kevin (The Mighty Rib), Tara (Wine Me A River), and Lena (Lena on the Beach) for a blogger tasting at Ceia (Portuguese for "supper"), a dark and intimate brick-walled oasis of locally-sourced yet European-inspired dishes. Executive Chef Billy 'Brando' Brandolini created a lovely five-course tasting for us.

We began with a baby beet salad (candied butternut, cabrales blue, hearts on fire, and guanciale vinaigrette) - pleasant overall, but texturally too soft. Something crunchy or crispy - nuts, perhaps - would have taken this to the next level. Nonetheless, it was a nice way to start out, and the blue cheese was sparse enough that I could avoid it after confirming that yes, I still don't like blue cheese.

Next, a pasta course: pappardelle with local pulled rabbit, dijon and veal ragout, rams head fungi, brillat mousse. I panicked a little upon seeing the menu; I've owned pet rabbits, Yeti and Bigfoot, and my current roommate owns a big old one named Jane, so despite my usually carnivorous ways, I can't bring myself to eat rabbit. I'm also not a mushroom fan. Even so, I ended up ignoring my hangups and ate most of this course. Turns out it was pretty tasty, and I haven't been haunted by the ghosts of Yeti and Bigfoot. Just don't tell Jane.

Then, we moved on to the fish course, cod accompanied by garbanzo mash, creamed bright lights chard, and infused EVOO. I'm embarrassed to admit that I had a hangup with this course as well. Garbanzo beans, especially in mashed form, are very unappealing to me, but I gave these a try, and I'll file them under "OK, that wasn't so bad." The cod was delicate and flaky, seared perfectly, and very enjoyable.

The next course was supposed to be suckling pig, but the chef on duty (not 'Brando') wasn't happy with how part of the course turned out. Instead, he whipped up a surf 'n' turf 'n' eggs combo that was delightful. Nothing better than ultra-rare beef.

Dessert was a big hunk of brillat savarin; it was too strong a cheese for me to handle.

The after-dinner drink, however, was outstanding. Now if only I could remember what it was...

The wine served with dinner was also fantastic - Convento San Francisco Temperanillo, Ribera Del Duero 2005.

Worth the long drive from Boston? I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'd make a special trip out just for the restaurant. If I happened to be in the area, it'd be worth another visit. Special thanks to Kevin for organizing.

Disclosure: This meal was complimentary, but all opinions expressed are my own.