An Evening at Moxy in Portsmouth

Joel and I don’t go out to dinner much anymore; for budget, health, and schedule reasons, we often find it preferable to cook at home. That’s not to say that we don’t love a nice restaurant date night - or at least I do! - but it’s just not a frequent occurrence anymore. So when we were invited to try out Moxy up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I was thrilled for the opportunity to take a quick road trip and spend an evening away from our home and our usual routine.

I had already heard great things about Moxy from a few other bloggers who had made the trip up for an earlier press dinner, so I suspected it was worth the drive. Richard, the Passionate Foodie, gave an exceptionally glowing review. I was also intrigued by chef/owner Matt Louis’ impressive background (more on that in a bit) and the restaurant’s commitment to local sourcing, and I’m a sucker for shareable tapas-style meals. More things to taste!

Hasty pudding "frites" and fried tomatillos with a house molasses barbecue sauce

We met Matt briefly on the way in and were amazed by how humble he is, considering his beyond stellar background. Since we didn't have much of a chance to talk, he took the time to fill me in on his background via email afterwards. It began when he was just a kid and his dad managed a hotel. By age twelve, he was working in the kitchen there and found the chef to be a great mentor. The chef was also a huge advocate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and took Matt to visit it when he was fifteen years old.

Poached hen egg with fingerlings, bacon, and lobster

"That was it," Matt wrote to me later. "There was no other option, and I pursued it like a football player getting into the NFL." When he began studying at the CIA, his eyes were opened to a level of fine dining he had never experienced, and he began obsessing over Thomas Keller’s legendary French Laundry. "It was like something out of a myth," Matt wrote. "Is this place real? Can a restaurant like that really exist? I honestly didn't believe it."

Grilled apple and pear with chili-scented crispy kale, pumpkin-sunflower seed granola bites, melted Vermont chevre, caramelized onions

Matt was traveling to California for a wine program portion of his studies, and he asked an instructor for help getting a reservation for The French Laundry. He got the reservation but also handed Matt a letter of recommendation, saying that he could only go dine there if he also brought the letter and a resume. He did, and he never expected to hear anything, but the restaurant asked him to come in for a tryout.

Fried clams with pickled peppers, cocktail onions, Raye's mustard aioli

"It was extremely hard," wrote Matt. "So hard that I just wanted to get through the day and get out of there. It was on the flight home that I remember waking up, and when I did, when my head cleared some, I immediately knew that I had to work there. All the reasons it was so hard were all the reasons I needed to be there." Matt started emailing Chef Keller telling him that he needed to work there. He knew he wasn’t up to the level of the others yet, but that was why he needed to go so badly. "I think I basically bothered him to the point that he told me he would give me a job at Bouchon and go from there."

Pan-seared pork tenderloin with cranberry marmalade, collard greens, marinated pear

He spent about a year working at Bouchon, Keller's bistro, and spending every free minute staging at The French Laundry, finally transitioning to full-time at the Laundry - the first one to make that transition from Bouchon. He later traveled to New York City to be part of the opening team for Keller’s Per Se. Of working for Keller, Matt writes: "There is so much you learn working for him, it can't even be documented. But most important: true leadership, passion, dedication, hard work, and that anything is possible if you are committed to achieving it. He is an incredible human being who is a role model for everyone, not just cooks."

Apple cider lacquered pork belly with roasted pearl onions and poached apples

Before opening Moxy, Matt also completed stages at other notable restaurants, including Clio, Momofuku Ko, Eleven Madison Park, and Noma (in Copenhagen), and he spent time as a culinary teacher in his home state of New Hampshire, plus five years running the culinary operations at The Wentworth by the Sea Hotel, a New Hampshire resort.

Romanesco cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with sugar pumpkin puree and crispy sunchokes

While time spent with Keller and other world-renowned chefs certainly influenced Matt in the opening of his own restaurant, Moxy is something different, something that is not meant to be an imitation of the places he has been already.

Roasted tomatillos

Wrote Matt: "I feel that many cooks (myself included) go through the process of working for great chefs, great restaurants, gaining great skills, and then the time comes to do their own thing, and in a lot of ways they want to try to simply replicate where they have been in some sense, many times bringing the 'city' to a smaller town, where they immediately set themselves apart because they are doing things no one in that town is. Cooking fancy food on fancy plates, plating in fancy ways...but is that cuisine??? Is that your voice?? Is that your identity??? I didn't even realize all this until I was doing some serious stages at Torrisi, Ko, EMP, and Noma before opening Moxy."

Monkfish with sunflower-arugula "pesto"

"This process, being exposed to a lot of great restaurants, especially Torrisi and Ko, made me realize that I had no idea what my identity was," he continued. "I had no soul, no personality, no thread bringing it all together. I was setting up simply to cook fancy food, on fancy plates, plating it fancy, wearing a fancy chef coat, just because that is what I thought you did. Torrisi has soul, Ko (and all Chang's places, for that matter) have identity, have personality. Noma has a vision, and everything is directed towards that vision. I realized I had none, which was awesome, because it made me find it."

Beef short rib marmalade with grilled bread, pickled onions, Great Hill bleu

So what exactly did he find? "I love tapas-style dining," he told me. "I love small plates, I love sharing, I love the non-pretentious vibe, I love the energy, I love trying many things, I love the music a little louder. I realized that my two favorite restaurants are Toro and Ssam Bar, so why don't I do a restaurant in the style of places I want to eat? Well, I'm not Spanish (though I did travel to Spain to make sure I fully understood the true tapas culture and history of it), and I’m not Korean. I actually don't know much about truly cooking either cuisine."

Accoutrements for johnny cake community

"But I am American," he continued. "And I live in New England. So why not a true tapas-style restaurant, all American, with a strong focus on New England. THAT WAS IT! The identity, personality and soul were there. I knew what I had to do! Everything to do with the restaurant would come from this thread. Tapas in style, American in execution. All food would be driven by the history and culture of New England, twists on traditional tapas to make them American, the bounty of local farmers and producers. As long as a dish comes from at least one of these sources, if not more, than we have it. Nothing ever hits the menu that doesn't fall into one of these categories. Keep the price point low (true tapas), keep the music loud, keep the vibe totally warm, relaxing, comfortable, and non-pretentious. That’s where I want to eat."

Misty Knoll Farms pan-seared chicken thighs with creme fraiche, pickled ginger, cilantro, and lettuce for wraps

The verdict? I think Matt achieved exactly what he had hoped. We weren’t sure what to expect from the vibe ahead of time, so we were probably the only people not in jeans. It was casual, fun, loud, and full of energy, all great things as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know much about the Portsmouth dining scene, so I can’t definitively say whether it’s bringing something new to the table, but on its own, it’s outstanding all around. It could certainly hold its own in a bigger city like Boston, but it’d be shame, because it would probably end up with higher prices and more pretension. It’s perfect for a place like Portsmouth, because it blends a laid-back attitude and solid dedication to local produce with influences from far and wide.

Johnny cake community: cornmeal pancakes, brown sugared pork shoulder, house sauces, crispy onion, pickled cucumbers 

Matt treated us to a tasting menu which drew from the "great eight" experience, plus a number of supplemental dishes. (I'm not sure if the eight-course line-up is still available; now the website shows a "fab five" menu.) We loved everything, but the poached hen egg and apple cider lacquered pork belly really stood out. The plating was consistently pretty and fun; many courses were served on a wooden slab with a thick flourish of an aioli or similar sauce. I was delighted to find some tasty fall ingredients repeated in multiple dishes, like delicate roasted pearl onions, apples, and pears.

Whoopie pie slider with chocolate dipping sauce

If you’re already in the Portsmouth area, you have no excuse not to give Moxy a try right now. Even from Boston, it’s absolutely worth the drive.

Indian pudding

This meal was complimentary, but all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Restaurant Review: Cuchi Cuchi (CBS Boston)

“Please don’t call them tapas,” requests the menu at Cuchi Cuchi in Central Square, Cambridge. “We globe trot!” Globe trot, time trot… Cuchi Cuchi is all over the place cuisine-wise and era-wise, but somehow they pull it off spectacularly. We arrived to an hour-long wait and managed to grab a tiny table at the edge of the crowded bar to try some cocktails and soak up the ambiance while we waited to dine. From authentic 1890s stained glass to a mannequin in sequins to a staff bedecked in cocktail dresses and wide-brimmed hats, Cuchi Cuchi gives off an air somewhere between Moulin Rouge boudoir and 20s speakeasy; Cuchi Cuchi’s website pins the inspiration as a mix of la belle époque (late 19th to early 20th century Europe) and the golden age of Hollywood (late 1920s to 1960s). Fun, crowded, and lively, it’s a great spot for a night out with friends if you don’t mind waiting for a table.

Read the rest of my article over on CBS Boston.

More photos:

Thai Tapas and Circus Rock

I love Union Square. In a way, I'm glad the Green Line doesn't go there yet, because it still feels a bit like a hidden nightlife gem. There are plenty of great places to go, eat bar food, catch some good music, and not wait in lines or pay obnoxious covers. Joel's band, the Somerville Symphony Orkestar, was playing at PA's Lounge on Friday night - their last show of 2010 (and their very first show in Somerville). Despite their name, they've been gigging for about a year and a half in Cambridge, Boston, and even Providence...but never Somerville.

After loading in the equipment, we decided to grab dinner at one of our favorite Union Square spots, Ronnarong, a tiny Thai place where you can get tapas-style small plates (called gup gla-em, Thai for 'drinking food') and/or full-sized entrees. The restaurant is named for the chef (Ronnarong, or Ronnie) whose attention to detail is noticeable even when it comes to the physical menu, a hefty but lovely piece of art with a three-dimensional elephant on the cover. 

When deciding on a drink, I was initially conflicted: I was freezing and in the mood for hot tea, but Ronnarong's sake-based cocktails are extraordinary. Fortunately, I could have it both ways: I noticed something called 'Thai hot toddy' on the menu, a comforting concoction of black pu-erh tea, sake, and some other ingredients. Ginger was in there too, I think. Joel and I absolutely loved this drink, and I'd highly recommend trying it on a chilly winter night.

We each started with Spicy Thai soup, and I really appreciated that when I ordered mine without mushrooms, they came back to ask me if it was ok that there were mushrooms in one of the other dishes we had ordered.

Spicy Thai Soup: hot and sour broth with shrimp, mushrooms, lemongrass, and lime leaf ($5)

For the meal, we split four small plates. With the tea, two soups, and complimentary shrimp chips, it was a perfect amount of food.

We always get the Asian broccoli, a perfect vegetable side dish to add a somewhat healthy touch to the meal.

Stir-fried Asian Broccoli - sauteed with oyster sauce ($6)

The Tasty Pork BBQ - a simple, light dish - lives up to its name.

Tasty Pork BBQ - roasted pork with spicy sauce, onions, and cucumber ($7)

Thai rolls - standard but good.

Thai Rolls - crispy rolls (chicken OR vegetable) ($6)

 Our favorite: the Paradise Beef. Get this no matter what (unless you're a vegetarian).

Paradise Beef - ancient recipe, marinated then dried, deep fried upon order ($6.50)

We've been fully pleased with every visit to Ronnarong: excellent, friendly service, great food and drinks, and very fair prices.

After dinner, we headed back to PA's Lounge for the show. Stroamata opened with a lovely set (think soundscapes somewhere between rock and techno with dreamy vocals floating on top), and Joel's band was up next. First, I shot some photos...

Rowen

Joel

Dave plays the "trumpbone"

...and then I became Rachelephant!

Mighty Tiny closed the show. We've seen them a bunch of times; they consistently put on a ridiculously fun, intense show that can best be described as "circus rock". Creepy masks, interesting instrumentation, little bits of marionette-like choreography - awesome.

In summary:

• Explore Union Square.
• Get the Paradise Beef and Thai Hot Toddy at Ronnarong.
• Support local music: check out Stroamata, Somerville Symphony Orkestar, and Mighty Tiny.

25th Birthday Celebration, Part I: Dali Restaurant & Tapas Bar

Well, I can finally rent a car! I turned 25 yesterday, and a few of us went out to dinner at Dali to kick off the celebration.

Dali is located right in the corner of awesomeness within the no-man's-land between Harvard Square and Inman Square. (Neighbors include Bergamot in EVOO's former spot, The Wine and Cheese Cask, and The Kebab Factory.) When we walked in, I felt like I was entering a festive, heavily decorated cave with sangria waterfalls flowing freely. The sangria waterfalls only exist in my head, but Dali's interior is beautiful and welcoming. 

The servers at Dali are completely and genuinely warm and friendly, and they mix in a little Spanish when they speak to you, seemingly appreciating any mangled attempts to respond in Spanish. Our waitress was attentive, and we were impressed by her extraordinary patience as she carefully prepared my glass of absinthe, setting the sugar on fire and waiting for it to slowly drip into the alcohol below, and then adding ice water to the mix after the flames burned out. This is a variation on the "Bohemian method" (read: modern, flashy, and totally historically inaccurate) of preparing absinthe, where the burning sugar cube (which is soaked in alcohol prior to being set aflame) is dropped into the absinthe, producing a stronger drink. When the flames are allowed to burn out, as in the "Flaming Green Fairy" method practiced at Dali, nearly all of the alcohol on the sugar cube is removed. Another preparation - the "French method" - does not involve fire. (Much less fun, I'd think. However, bartenders should be careful when playing with fire. Perhaps you've heard about the recent arrest of bartender Albert Trummer at New York's Apotheke bar. Interestingly enough, fire marshals aren't really into bartenders setting the top of the bar on fire.)

absinthe fixes everything by Tony Delgrosso

Regardless of the method of preparation, the mixing of water and absinthe causes the liquid to change from clear or green to a milky white. This cloudy solution is called the louche, and it's a result of the non-water-soluble components of the absinthe, including anise and fennel, falling out of solution when the water is added. Read more about absinthe preparation here (note: a video autoplays on that page.)

We also got some cava sangria for the table: light, fruity, and fun. Later, we realized we totally missed out on an even more exciting drink, though. The happy, rowdy table behind us was passing around a communal drinking vessel called a porron, sharing white wine and probably a healthy dose of mononucleosis.  Actually, the vessel is designed in a way that the liquid can be poured from the spout through the air and into the mouth, so no one ever actually has to put his or her mouth directly on the container.

El misteri dels porrons by Oriol Llado

Let's see if I can remember everything we ate...

Tortilla Española: Dan ate this one. I'm not sure how it was, but I think he finished it and enjoyed it. It was much thicker than other Tortilla Españolas that I've seen - it looked like a giant slice of pie, but made of scrambled eggs, potato, and onions.

Gazpacho: A classic summer soup, served cold. We all enjoyed this refreshing chunky tomato and onion combo.

Gambas al Ajillo: One of my favorites! It's a simple dish of small shrimp sauteed in a whole lot of oil and a whole lot of garlic. Although it tasted great, it was about half the size and $1.50 more expensive than the same dish over at Tasca, a tapas restaurant in my neck of the woods.

Pincho Royal: It's a rule: wrapping anything in bacon makes it ten times better. This bacon-wrapped shrimp dish was no exception.

Ravioles de Mariscos: Rich, filling lobster and crabmeat ravioli in a rich, filling Langostino sauce

Chorizo a la Plancha: Simple grilled sausage. Yum!

Caldereta Genoveva: Whoa. This was ridiculous. Our vegetarian friend recommended it - he was compelled to try it once, despite the lamb, and he now recommends it to all his meat-eating friends. This is a braised lamb dish in a brown curry-like sauce embellished with almonds and mint essence. The mint gives it such a unique flavor. You must try this.

We finished off the meal with a dessert special that consisted of fried strawberries and ice cream in some sort of sweet, creamy sauce. Fried strawberries are kind of cool, but I think I like them better fresh and unfried.

Of course, there was also the obligatory (and awesome) birthday song. Dali is really into birthdays, and mine was one of three that night. They turn off and/or flicker the lights and come out singing, shooting bubbles with a bubble gun. They placed a huge frog-shaped candle holder in front of me, and I got to make a wish.

Dali was the perfect place to start off the birthday debauchery. Although the interior of Dali is romantic and intimate, it does get rather loud; it's a fun place for groups celebrating birthdays and other occasions. The communal drinks definitely encourage this atmosphere.

After dinner, we walked down the street to The Thirsty Scholar Pub (caution: music autoplays) for some beer and met up with more friends. Thirsty Scholar is nice - especially this time of year - because there are almost always tables available, and the noise level isn't too obnoxious.

Then, we went back to Joel's place and combined forces with Andy and Casey's goodbye party. Andy, Joel's roommate and our bassist in The Bowties, is heading to med school. At this point, the night devolved into a whiskey-drinking jam session with The Bowties and friends. Our whiskey of choice was Georgia Moon, a cheap, clear moonshine-style corn whiskey sold in a mason jar. A Guatemalan friend of Andy's commented that it tasted like guado, the alcohol her "grandparents sold to alcoholics in little plastic bags fifteen times a day."

Appropriately enough, we rocked out to Moonshiner, a traditional folk song that's been popularized by Bob Dylan and others.

Boston Gets a Taste of Clementines from Spain

The Trade Commission of Spain in New York wants the United States to eat more clementines.  Boston's own Deborah Hansen, chef and owner of Taberna de Haro in Brookline, was one of three chefs selected nationwide to take part in promoting the juicy fruit.  Along with three local food bloggers, Richard Auffrey of The Passionate Foodie and Susie Anderson and Chelsee Adams of We Are Not Martha, I got a chance to sample Chef Hansen's clementine creations.

Read more and view a slideshow here...

Edit: Sorry for the dead link. Boston24.com no longer exists, so I'll migrate the full text here soon. For now, you can view the slideshow here.

Stix Restaurant & Lounge

After recently blogging about my visit to 33, I was invited to try out the "global fusion cuisine and 21st century cocktails" at 33's sister restaurant and next door neighbor, STIX. I headed over there for dinner last Wednesday, in time to partake of the Restaurant Week menu. Ben decided to order from the regular menu, so between the two of us, we got to try a little bit of everything. The decor has a modern feel, featuring sleek wooden tables, sharp angles, and exposed brick.

The bar is lit by a mesmerizing color-changing background and features a wide array of innovative cocktails.

We tackled the cocktail menu first. Although the liquid nitrogen creations sounded intriguing, we each settled on a trio that would let us taste a few different drinks. Ben got the Trio of Solids, which consisted of gelatinous slices of three cocktails: 10 Cane Raspberry Sashimi, Bacardi Effervescent Mojito, and 42 Below Haupia.

This gourmet take on jello shots was served with chopsticks. Bonus points for fun presentation!

My first reaction to the solid trio was that it was weird...but in a good way. I opted for something a little bit more liquidy: the Trio of Carbonation, which contained samples of Bacardi Mojito Fizz, Sparkling Woodford Reserve Mint Julep, and Carbonated Cointreau Margarita. Light, refreshing, and deceptively strong, this carbonated trio is a great summer choice. My favorite of the three was the mojito.

We munched on crispy breadsticks while figuring out what to eat.

The Restaurant Week menu was small but varied, offering a salad or gazpacho for the appetizer, either salmon, chicken, or steak for the main course, and several delicious-sounding treats for dessert. The regular menu is divided up into three main sections: "stix", small plates, and large plates. The "stix" section of the menu for which the restaurant is named features 14 kabob-style choices serves on flavor-infused skewers. A container of labeled skewers sits on each table so that you can smell the different flavors. (Well, I assume that's why it's there. Otherwise, I probably looked pretty silly smelling all the skewers!)

The selection of tapas-like small plates includes gazpacho, a cheese plate, mussels, and a few other choices. Large plates include pan seared chicken breast, slow roasted salmon with bay leaves, seared diver scallops, and more. Ben decided to stick with the "stix" section of the menu, ordering one plate to arrive with my appetizer and two to arrive with my main course. He figured I'd share some of my dessert with him. (Ha!) His first selection was seared scallops on ginger mango stix with orange oil and sesame, an Australia-inspired dish. (Each stix dish is inspired by a particular country or U.S. state.)

The scallops were cooked absolutely perfectly - great texture, no fishy flavor, and very nicely seasoned. While Ben was starting out on his scallops, I was enjoying a summer mesclun salad with honey balsamic vinaigrette and sunflower seeds. I don't usually eat sunflower seeds, but these blended nicely with the dressing. It was a light, well-balanced salad.

For the next course, Ben got two orders of stix. The first was tuna sashimi-style on ginger mango stix with a light soy and citrus marinade and togarashi (inspired by Hawaii.) His second choice was chicken satay on mango curry stix with shrimp crackers (inspired by Indonesia.) Even though I generally avoid raw fish, I tried a bite of the tuna and was impressed by the flavor. Ben enjoyed it as well.

The chicken satay had a delicious sauce, and the mango curry flavor on the stick added an extra layer of flavor.

I chose the flat iron steak with potatoes confit, braised greens, and chimichurri. Although the steak was a little bitter for my taste, the texture was perfect - very tender. I was pleasantly surprised by the braised greens, which I expected to be bitter as well. They were actually very sweet. If green leafy vegetables always tasted like this, maybe children would be more likely to eat them without complaint! The potatoes were a nice starchy balance to the sweetness.

For dessert, I had the valrhona white chocolate mango pannacotta with kalamansi lime sorbet, and it was a tasty way to end the meal.

The great thing about Stix is that it feels like you're out for a fancy meal, but it's fun at the same time. The juxtaposition of snacking on jello shots with chopsticks and finding a newly folded napkin at your place when you return from the restroom is unusual, but it works. Creativity really shines through in the menu, especially in the cocktail section. Stix would be a great place to have a birthday party or a light dinner before a night out; you can order a bunch of stix and small plates to share amongst your friends. Or, you can go for a romantic dinner for two and fight over who gets to eat the third stix in each order. Overall, dinner was great. The service was friendly and knowledgeable, the decor was minimalist but not uncomfortably bare, and the food was innovative, tasty, and fun. Watch out for those solid cocktails - you may forget that you're eating alcohol!

Rating:

Four forks!

Address: 35 Stanhope Street, Boston, MA 02116 (behind Back Bay station)
Telephone: 617.456.7849
Website: http://www.stixboston.com
Dinner Hours: Monday-Saturday, 5:30pm-1am
Lounge Hours: Monday-Saturday, 5:30pm-2am
Reservations accepted.
Take-out available.

What do other bloggers say? Check out...Boston Food & Whine: Stix and Stones
Belly Love: Stix - 35 Stanhope Street, Boston