ArtBar (2 Dine For Boston)

I’m often hesitant to dine at hotel restaurants, both in my own city and when traveling. More often than not, they aren’t a good representation of what the city has to offer…or they’re just not good. On a recent night, though, I had a coupon for a free reservation through Savored.com, which basically amounts to a free 40% off coupon for the food portion of the bill at participating restaurants, so Joel and I scanned the options and settled on ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge, a fairly easy drive from our part of Somerville. The menu looked enticing as well. I’m always a fan of trying restaurants with seasonal menus that showcase locally sourced ingredients.

I should disclose up front that we received free food at this meal–an appetizer and two ridiculously large desserts. We haven’t experienced this too often, but bringing a camera to a meal can apparently be a magnet for special treatment, even though dining rooms must be overrun by bloggers and Yelpers and other assorted hobbyist photographers at this point. While on one hand, it’s nice to receive freebies now and then, it can easily be overbearing and awkward. Our server was uncomfortably enthusiastic, checking in much too often, and we definitely didn’t have room for two giant desserts. I appreciate the gesture, but what was supposed to be a quiet date night turned into somewhat of a gluttonous farce. I did, however, enjoy most of the food, and ArtBar exceeded my expectations of hotel restaurants.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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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.

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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.

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Minibite: Lunch at EVOO

I spent the better part of 2011 working in the Cambridge Innovation Center, a hotbed of startups in Kendall Square, and there are a ridiculous amount of restaurants within a few blocks of the building. EVOO's right next door, attached to Za. I had been to the old EVOO location near Dali for a fantastic dinner a few years ago, but I figured it was time to try out the new location.

My mom came into town to meet me for lunch one day, and we both ordered the same dish, the Chinese box of mustard-glazed shrimp, sesame-hoisin braised beef, gingered vegetable-cashew salad, and organic brown rice. It comes served in a Chinese takeout box, but I missed taking a photo as the waiter ceremoniously dumped the food out onto the plate and removed the box from the table.

At $16, it's a pricey lunch, but it's light and delicious for a great once-in-awhile workday treat. (Bonus: EVOO uses a wide variety of local, sustainable, organic ingredients, and the space is LEED Gold Certified.)

Restaurant Review: Hungry Mother (CBS Boston)

I’ve noticed a fairly common unwillingness in this region to pay a high price for Southern cuisine. Grits, ham, sorghum, catfish: these words seem to trigger immediate outrage when paired with fine dining costs. Somewhere along the line, we’ve managed to box Southern food into a small container of cheapness and deep frying. Fortunately, there are several Boston-area spots that destroy this stereotype, offering up high quality Southern food to packed houses night after night; once people are willing to take the plunge, they’re hooked. Kendall Square’s gem, Hungry Mother, is one of these places.

Just over three years old, Hungry Mother has already made quite a name for itself (or herself?), serving up beautifully constructed Southern-style dishes with a Northeastern flair: Chef Barry Maiden (also an owner of the restaurant) uses local, sustainable ingredients whenever possible, and draws from Virginian Appalachia and surrounding areas for specialty items that aren’t available up here. Maiden hails from Virginia, where, by the way, there is a state park called Hungry Mother.

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

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Gallery Review: Voltage Coffee & Art (CBS Boston)

It’s not so unusual to find coffee shops decorated with the works of local artists, but at Voltage Coffee & Art, it’s part of the name and part of the mission. Not even a year old, this Cambridge cafe/gallery has already made a name for itself in the bustling tech heart of Kendall Square.

The layout is a maze of white walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a mix of high tables and standard tables. Bright light and clean lines make it a perfect home for art exhibits – and not the timid landscapes and skylines you see in many coffee shops.

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

Food Truck Review: Momogoose (CBS Boston)

Momogoose is absurdly fast, cheap, and filling. Don’t let the huge line scare you: within seconds of ordering, you’ll be walking away, food in hands. Momogoose, a pan-Asian food truck, is parked closest to the main street in the mega-row of food trucks near the Kendall Square T station in Cambridge, so it tends to draw the biggest crowd of all the trucks, but they certainly know how to handle the hordes. Food trucks like Momogoose are a fun adventure; items are constantly running out, so you have to be a bit flexible – and keep an eye on the daily specials, as those are often the most exciting choices. If a menu item is covered with tape, it’s out. Quick – pick something else.

Momogoose’s service is amazingly friendly, particularly for a team cramped in a blindingly fast- paced, tiny kitchen with no end to the customer line in sight. You will always be greeted by a smile. (And how can you not smile in return? You’re paying less than $6 for a gigantic container of hot food – really enough for a second meal.)

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

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Redbones Rib Shack Grand Opening and an Earth-Shakingly Good Somerville Symphony Orkestar Gig

The Redbones Rib Shack opened in Kendall Square at 11am on 8/23/11. Joel's band played in the same courtyard from noon until 1:30pm. The earthquake hit at 1:45. Coincidence? I think not! The 50-strong line of BBQ-hungry people and the earth-shakingly good vibes from the SSO must have triggered some sort of seismic abnormality.

I'm glad to have a new lunch option near my office in Kendall. To be honest, when it comes to BBQ, I long for Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and Fette Sau; Redbones and other Boston spots have never completely fulfilled my needs, but they're still generally satisfying. (I do intend to try Blue Ribbon and Black Strap before making any wide-sweeping "Boston has bad BBQ" judgments.)

Redbones knows how to do an opening. Free ribs for everyone!

I got a pulled pork sandwich with a side of cornbread. Good sustenance for the impending earthquake, all 20 lightly vibrating seconds of it.

Coincidentally, Joel's band, the Somerville Symphony Orkestar, picked up a gig right there as part of the Kendall Square lunch concert series, so I got to eat new tasty food and be a supportive groupie.

Like what you see? Check them out on Facebook for music, info about upcoming gigs, etc.

Then, I returned to my office, and quakapocalypse struck. (My co-workers and I actually did feel it on the 9th floor of our building, and the Californian in the office said, "This is when we should leave the building." So we did. Party outside!)

Have you made it to the new Redbones Rib Shack yet? What do you think?

First Impressions: Voltage Coffee & Art (Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA)

I recently started a job in Kendall Square. (Shorter commute! Food trucks! Awesome architecture! YES!) One day after work, I walked down Third Street to swing by the CambridgeSide Galleria. I needed to brave the roving hoards of teens long enough to search for a polka dot shirt for an upcoming band gig. On my way from the office to the mall, I spotted Voltage Coffee & Art out of the corner of my eye. I had read about in several newsletters - Thrillist and/or DailyCandy and/or some others that clog my inbox each morning - and I was intrigued. Since it's not between the T and my office, though, I promptly forgot about it for a couple weeks.

This Tuesday, I was scheduled to work a half day. I was also battling a miserable cold and feeling pretty gross, so my mind started to wander to lunch pretty early on. I wanted to eat something comforting but light. Something triggered a memory that Voltage was right down the street - a tweet, maybe - and I checked out the website.

I skipped over the fancy coffees - not really my thing. I could probably acquire a taste for it, but I try to avoid highly caffeinated things. I got addicted to energy drinks at some point in college, and it wasn't pretty. I hope my memory is exaggerating this, but I think there was one point when I was drinking two Monsters for breakfast. Ew. 

Spicy chai, hot chocolate...ok, the menu is looking good. And then...TOAST! Two slices of toast with cinnamon and sugar? I'm sold. Simple, sure. I could definitely make it at home. But something about sitting in a coffee shop, surrounded by art, sipping hot chocolate and eating cinnamon and sugar toast? Sounded like a nice way to cheer up my afternoon.

At the bottom of the first page of the menu, a category called "AND ALSO" contains one item: Ants on a Log ($3). I was in love with this place already.

Then, I scrolled down to find a second page, this one full of fancy lattes and hot chocolates. They all sound delicious. I want to try everything, but as a spicy addict, I immediately decided on Midnight Sun, hot chocolate with cinnamon and capsicum.

Finally, lunchtime rolled around and I headed down the street. Voltage feels wide open - the white walls, the light from large windows - although walls sharply divide parts of the seating area, providing plenty of space for art to hang. The baristas were friendly and seemed quite experienced. As you can see in the photo above, my hot chocolate came decorated with a heart of foam. I think this is the first drink I've ever had with a shape in the foam, except for a Guinness I got once at The Cellar that had a shamrock. I'm a sucker for fancy presentation. This hot chocolate made me smile. (Tasted great, too, although not as spicy as I'd hoped. I might have to bring along my own ghost chili powder next time to spike it...)

The toast was ridiculously thick and nicely coated with cinnamon and sugar - just what I needed.

Love at first sight. I was so excited that I repeatedly tried to tweet the above photo while I sat there, even though my phone didn't cooperate for awhile.

No doubt about it - I'll definitely be back, and I intend to drink my way through the lattes and hot chocolates.

MiniBite: A Pumpkin-y Post

...just in time for Halloween!  Or, early for Thanksgiving!

Pumpkins, pumpkins.  I've tried to acquire a taste for them, but I'm just not there yet.  Once, I did have a pretty good pumpkin soup - served in a pumpkin! - on a Rochester dinner cruise along the lovely Genesee River.  (I'm using the term "lovely" loosely here.  When I rowed on the crew team at the University of Rochester, rumor had it that if you dipped any limbs in the water, they'd come out infected or mutated.  A giant mutant fish did jump in the boat once, right behind my seat, flopping against my back.  I had to stop rowing to toss it overboard.)

Anyway, back to pumpkins.  I wanted to give them another chance this year, so I gladly accepted an offer of a sample* of Pumpkin Pie Fudge from Phillips Candy House, "Boston's Oldest Chocolatier."  Phillips also sent me some chocolate-dipped jack-o'-lantern-shaped Peeps. YES! I'm a big fan of Peeps in moderation, but if you eat too many in a row, they start tasting pretty gross.  I had never tried chocolate-dipped Peeps, so this was an exciting sample to receive!

First, the fudge:

Look, it's in the shape of a pie slice!  Cute :)  And I liked it!  Made of pumpkin puree, it actually tasted like real pumpkin, and it was very nicely spiced.  The chocolate crumb crust balances out the pumpkin nicely.  Pumpkin alone probably would have been too much for my taste, but I'm still on the fence about pumpkin flavor in general.  I'm sure all you pumpkin lovers out there will really enjoy this fudge.

Next, the Peeps!

I shared these with my bandmates before a rehearsal a few nights ago.  "Peeps suck, but these don't suck so bad," said Andy.  So there you have it!  The chocolate is an improvement over regular Peeps.  It was a very mild milk chocolate, so it seemed to tone down the obnoxious sugary Peep flavor that so many people dislike.

According to the Phillips Candy House website, they "continue to make artisan chocolates and other confections by hand and in small batches, using only the finest and freshest ingredients," which is pretty awesome, so I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed these samples.  If you buy anything from Phillips, I'd encourage you to consider a Yoouukk! Bar as part of your order.  Phillips is donating 100% of the net proceeds from this chocolate bar to Kevin Youkilis' "Hits for Kids" charitable organization, which supports charities and organizations focused on kids' health and well-being.

In other pumpkin-y news, I just picked up some bottles of Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, "a full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar," to bring to a Halloween party.  I've never had it, so I'll update this post once I've actually tasted it, but I'm a big fan of several other Dogfish Head beers (60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, and Raison d'Etre) so I have high hopes for this one.

Some other local pumpkin finds (Except for the last one, I have not tasted these; I've just heard about them or found them online):

-Cinna Punk vegan cupcake at Kickass Cupcakes (Davis Square, Somerville) - "sassy pumpkin spice cupcake with cinnamon frosting"

-Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino at all Starbucks locations (Sorry, I know Starbucks hardly counts as local.) - "a delicious blend of pumpkin and traditional fall spice flavors combined with the finest coffees, blended with ice and topped with whipped crème and pumpkin spice spices."

-Pumpkin and pumpkin pie cupcakes at Sweet (Harvard Square and Back Bay) - Pumpkin: "Sweet's fall classic, fresh moist pumpkin cake topped with traditional cream cheese frosting and topped with a cinnamon sugared pumpkin seed" and pumpkin pie: "Graham cracker crust, rich pumpkin cake and a dollop of homemade whipped cream topping sprinkled with nutmeg complete the Sweet cupcake version of this favorite autumn pie."

-Kaddo at The Helmand near Kendall Square - "Pan-fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce, topped with ground beef sauce."  I've had great food at The Helmand before, but I've never tried this dish.

-Pharsi Ko Tarkari at Mt. Everest Kitchen in Allston - I went to this restaurant with a bunch of friends back in January, and it had just re-opened under new management, so our server kept bringing us delicious free stuff to try in addition to our meals, including a wonderful pumpkin dish that sort of looked like baby food but tasted really good.  "Pumpkin sauteed in veg. oil, ginger, garlic, spices & coriander."

Happy Halloween!


*I accepted a free sample from Phillips: a slice of fudge and some Peeps.  On occasion, I do receive free stuff, and I will always disclose when I'm writing about something I received for free.  I am in no way obligated to write about free stuff I receive, and if I do write about it, I'm not obligated to write a positive review.  This review, along with everything else in my blog, is my completely honest opinion.

Food in Unusual Places: Rolls Done Right at Beijing Tokyo Sushi Bar

by Benjamin Margolis

For the 50,000 people who work and learn in the techie neighborhood of Kendall Square in Cambridge, there are several places to get a quick lunch. Few places are as quick as Beijing Tokyo, where if you don't have your order in your mind within one second of being asked, they will stare you down and make you feel uncomfortable. It's situated in a food court, connected to the Kendall T-stop and the massive MIT COOP, the bookstore for MIT operated by Barnes and Noble. The restaurant is 80% mall-style Chinese counter with the combos and everything and 20% hidden gem -- the sushi section. In addition to the sushi bar menu, there is a glass counter with colorful rolls, sushi and sashimi that was made "2-3 hours ago," the clerk said in my last 1pm visit. Since they don't keep sushi overnight, there is a discount later in the day, according to Yelp.com reviews. However, the prices during the lunch rush are definitely easy to swallow.

"Is this place okay?" I asked the person next to me in line.

"What do you mean, are you going to die from it?"
"No, it's just unusual to find sushi in a food court."
"I've been here a few times. It's pretty good, actually."

Reassured, I dug in.

For $4.50 on my first visit I had the eel tempura roll. It was delivered in a tightly packed takeout container, with a shiny brown glaze drizzled on top of all of the 8 pieces. The glaze was sweet and tangy, and I feel like it was teriyaki sauce. They also added toasted sesame seeds on top of it, adding visual appeal and crunchiness. Ingredients also included avocado and cucumber which tied everything together nicely. As would be expected with tempura, Japan's delicious style of fried food, if it's chilled, it won't be crispy. So, don't come expecting a crunchy roll. However, do come expecting fresh rice and a yummy flavor combination.

On my second visit, at the tail end of the lunch rush, the food was, as I expected, inexpensive and good. The Rainbow Roll, $8.25, had salmon and yellowtail, red, and white tuna wrapped around the roll. In the center was rice, crab stick, and creamy avocado, like a California roll. Mmm! The fish itself was creamy as well. It was much fresher than I would have imagined from a food court. I really liked the variety, with each piece presenting a different flavor. And, they know how to pull my heartstrings because the pieces were topped with those tiny orange specimens of flying-fish roe.

I learned that good sushi can be had in a food court. I just wish this was a cleaner establishment. They don't wash the tables after people are finished eating, and I didn't see any employees for the actual food court itself. However, it is near where I and thousands of other people spend 8+ hours a day, and it is a great asset to the neighborhood.

Address: 3 Cambridge Center, Cambridge (near Kendall Square t-stop on the Red Line)
Phone: (617) 252-0788
Website: www.beijingtokyomit.com (The information on the website is for their sit-down restaurant nearby on Main St.)

Emma's Pizza

This isn't your average post-bar-hopping pizza that you devour when hopelessly drunk and regret the next morning. Emma's Pizza, located in Kendall Square, offers a weightless, practically grease-less pizza to be enjoyed by connoisseurs who will appreciate the subtle flavors, expertly combined ingredients, and paper-thin crust. After inhaling four delicious slices, two with pepperoni and two with Canadian bacon, I didn't feel uncomfortably full at all. Everyone at the table was extremely satisfied and surprised by the unbelievable lightness of the pizza.

The menu offers several starters, salads, and sandwiches in addition to pizza. As for pizza, you can either create your own, choosing from three sauces, thirty-two toppings, and seven cheeses, or you can pick from twenty-five suggested combinations. We chose suggestions #14 (pepperoni, basil, traditional sauce, mozzarella) and #19 (Canadian bacon, caramelized onions, rosemary sauce, mozzarella.) Other interesting suggestions are #4 (bacon, roasted potato, cilantro, dried cranberries, traditional sauce, mozzarella) and #25 (two types of sausage, two types of bacon, pepperoni, grilled chicken, traditional sauce, mozzarella.) Two twelve-inch pizzas were enough to feed four people, but the larger option (sixteen inches) would have been manageable as well. We were all still full from an unfortunate lunch of mall food court sesame chicken, so we were looking to keep dinner on the light side. One of my dining companions exclaimed that this may have been one of the best pizzas he had ever tasted, and the rest of us agreed. I washed the pizza down with a pleasantly robust glass of sangria. Wine and beer are also available. And, if you're easily amused by elementary school chemistry experiments, you can order a refreshing Arnold Palmer, where the iced tea layer floats above the lemonade layer. (I was amused.)

The decor is simple but inviting. The cozy dining room features whimsically painted pizza peels (the wooden shovels used to put the pizza in and out of the oven), and there is a large window into the kitchen where you can get a glimpse of the pizza-making process and hungrily watch the finished pizzas waiting to be delivered to their tables. The seating area is fairly small, and we were fortunate to get one of the last available tables when we arrived around 7:30pm on a Saturday night. As we left, the line was nearly out the door, and many of these people were picking up takeout orders. The noise levels grew along with the crowd, but you'll be too busy enjoying your food to care about the noise.

It's a good thing I live all the way out in Brighton, or I would find myself here way too often. I'll definitely be back, though, regardless of travel time. Greasy, cheap pizza joints certainly have their place feeding the drunk college kids of the world, but if you're looking for something a few steps above that, stop by Emma's to find out what gourmet pizza is all about. This pizza is meant for savoring, not for blotting with a napkin or washing down with a pitcher of beer. And with over thirty toppings to choose from, you could try a different combination each time and never get bored.

Rating:
Four forks!

Address: 40 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
Telephone: 617.864.8534
Email: comments [at] emmaspizza.com
Website: http://www.emmaspizza.com
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11:30am-10pm; Saturday, 4pm-10pm; closed Sunday
No reservations are accepted.
On-street parking is available.