Wasabi is newish kaiten dining sushi restaurant located inside the Natick mall. There is a conveyor belt that runs through the entire space with plates of sushi (and other Japanese dishes) on it. You watch them pass by and grab what you like. At the end of the meal, the waitress adds up your bill based on the empty plates. Fun and fast!

Oh and the plates are color-coded, with each color representing a price category. The most expensive plate as you see below is $5, so you really can try a whole bunch of dishes. Love it!

[There are a few other dishes you can order straight off the menu, including soups, salads and some hot appetizers.]

I’ve seen this conveyor belt concept in airports in London. I’m glad they finally brought it to the U.S. (or should I say… Boston area since Wasabi appears to be a chain).

Which one is it gonnna be?

Adam and I tried a few plates as a light lunch. This guy was my favorite:

Tyson’s Roll

It was sort of like a deconstructed California roll (with the crab on the outside) topped with seaweed salad and wasabi cream. It tasted super fresh and delicious.

The seared salmon with red pepper coulis was pretty boring.

Adam got the crunchy salmon. It was pretty fun dipping the maki in the panko mixture for some extra crunch

These two rolls were sort of forgettable. Solid but nothing special.

Eel cucumber maki

Lucky roll – mango, salmon, green and red tobiko (and wasabi cream)

Our bill was about $20 for all of this. Definitely the perfect spot to refuel at during your next shopping spree in the Natick mall.

Have you ever been to a kaitan sushi place?

Standing in front of the bakery counter, watching happy brunchers enjoying their meals, reminded me that I never actually blogged about our experience at Sportello back in July.

 Photo by Boston Photojournalist Erik Jacobs

Our wedding anniversary happens to be on the same day as my dad’s birthday and also the weekend of 4th of July. Needless to say, there is a lot of eating happening during those few days. Since we went to Italy for our honeymoon, we also have a tradition of celebrating somewhere Italian. Keeping all of this in mind, this year we decided to keep things relatively casual (read: not too pricey) and Barbara Lynch’s Sportello seemed to fit the bill perfectly. [Last thing going for it is that it happens to be on my 30 by 30 list ]

On a Tuesday night, around 7:30pm, the restaurant was pretty deserted. I’ve seen pictures of the space before but in real life (possibly partially because it was empty), it seemed like we just came to a bakery to celebrate our anniversary dinner (there is in fact a bakery section to the right of the above picture). The large windows flooded the space with light, which made the space seem that much more casual. I did say we wanted things relatively casual. Casual we got.

It’s all right, I had high expectations for the food and was excited to finally try it. We hopped on the bar stools right by the open kitchen and made our beverage selections.

Whipped ricotta and stewed fruit with Italian bread

The whipped ricotta was rich and creamy but the bread did not excite me. I felt like I could get that at a supermarket. I saved room for what I hoped would be better things to come.

Salumi plate – robiola, peperonata, olives

A simple plate of fantastic salami and what I thought at the time was the best brie of my life. Looking at the description now I see it was in fact robiola, which wikipedia tells me is a softened Italian cheese (of course!) made with varying proportions of cow’s, goat’s milk and sheep milk. I loved how soft and creamy it was without any stink that I’ve experienced with stronger brie. Even the little breadsticks (grissini) seemed more flavorful that usual (house-made?).

Adam ordered the spicy tomato soup with caraway grilled cheese

He enjoyed the flavorful soup (I tried it, good stuff) but the cracker on top does not grilled cheese-make. I’m all for creativity but that’s just false advertising

For my entrée, choosing the ricotta gnudi with tomato, basil, black olives croutons was a non-brainer.

I’ve only had gnudi at Pazzo (which has since closed, tear) and was shocked at how fluffy and airy those pillows of ricotta-goodness were. The gnudi at Sportello did not resemble those at all. They were a lot smaller in size and in fact seemed pretty firm – a lot heavier than even my homemade gnocchi which I made just days prior (too much flour?). I’m going to cut to the chase here – I wasn’t that impressed. My favorite part of the dish was the tiny olive croutons you may be able to spot in the pictures. I picked every one out and thought it was a really fun and creative twist on an otherwise very classic dish.

Adam pretty much licked his plate clean (he got the polenta bolognese of sorts – sorry I don’t remember the details, it’s obviously been a while) but I once again thought this was too classic and unexciting for a Barbara Lynch spot (with prices to match!).

Ice cream sandwich – chocolate gelato, chewy chocolate cookie

Classic. Solid.

Overall we left the dinner pretty disappointed. I think a very large part of it was the ambiance, which just did not match what we need for an anniversary night (totally our fault although most online pictures make the space look cozier than it is) and then high expectations for a hyped up spot further just lead to unmet expectations. I loved the open kitchen concept and think that on a busier night the space could be buzzing with more excitement and perhaps take a life of its own (like at Barbara Lynch’s B&G Oysters). What we experienced was more fitting for a brunch/lunch spot. Simple food with quality ingredients in a modern space. Don’t expect anything beyond that.

Ever been to a place that was just wrong for the occasion? Have you been to Sportello? Any other Barbara Lynch restaurant? Thoughts?

PS – Adam and I are going to New Orleans this coming weekend. Any not-to-be missed dining spots or any other suggestions for us?

Luckily, Boston has a lot of foodies with the same love for eating out… and brunching. We even have a Boston Brunchers group, which meets monthly for… you guessed it, brunch. Since it’s inception less than a year ago it grew to over 300 bloggers. And this is why it’s the very first time I got to finally join them. Clearly, the seats at these brunches go fast!

This past Sunday, The Cottage in Chestnut Hill hosted 16 of us bloggers to an amazing brunch. If you’re familiar with Chestnut Hill, the Cottage is located right in the strip mall by the newly renovated Shaw’s, the movie theater and Macy’s (which used to be a Bloomingdales… also known as my mom’s second home ).

The restaurant space is absolutely gorgeous. It has gigantic windows which just shower the rooms with natural light. Everything is so clean, fresh and inviting. It definitely had a very modern cottage feel (the original location in La Jolla was in fact a cottage, that’s how the name came about).

I just loved the little details like flowers on each table and little knickknacks throughout (see the shelving units in the next picture).

Bloggers chatting it up… we never run out of food related topics! [I also spy my Bloody Mary there. It was solid.]

Chef Todd (below) and the owner John came out for a bit to say hello and welcome us to brunch. They talked about their other locations in La Jolla, CA and (surprisingly close to the Chestnut Hill location) Wellesley, MA. All are in affluent cities with demand for high quality restaurants.

Chef Todd shared a story about the executive team’s semi-yearly trips to California where they stuff themselves silly doing “research” for future menu planning. He admitted it actually gets painful towards the end, but it’s absolutely the biggest inspiration for the restaurant’s ever-changing menu (hey guys, I wasn’t joking when I said I’m willing to endure the pain. Call me!). The focus is always on freshest ingredients, and as often as possible – local (you can see from the menu it’s definitely seasonally appropriate!). I was also happy to hear that they work with local and sustainable meat suppliers (I noticed in their dinner menu duck from Crescent Farms and Brandt Farms beef – both committed to humaine treatment of their animals).

Since the restaurant hosted us bloggers for brunch and everything was taken care of (except for tax and tip), obviously I can’t review “normal” service. We were all treated like queens! I can, however, tell you about the food. I’m sure you’d get the same quality even without camera in tow.

Truffled tater tots

Need I say more? They were mentioned as a side to bbq tenderloin tips and caught our attention right away. Luckily, the server was happy to bring us a few plates to share sans the beef (and was even kind enough to swap the fries for tots for a few ladies). Under a wonderfully crispy layer, were creamy truffled mashed potatoes. I admit that truffle oil can feel like cheating but man oh man, that’s my kind of cheating. These were incredible and got 2 thumbs up (or something less geeky ) from everyone at the table!

For my entrée, I was *thisclose* to ordering stuffed French Toast with strawberry compote + marscapone cheese (Liz did – smart girl!). Doesn’t it look and sound incredible?!!

I sort of OD’ed on sweets the day before so I went with a savory option instead.

Maine Lobster Cobb – mixed greens, applewood bacon, egg, spring beans, tomato, great hill blue cheese, hass avocado, tarragon vinaigrette

[sans the blue cheese]

This salad was fantastic. Every ingredient on its own was super fresh and I just loved the citrusy tarragon dressing covering the greens. And what is better than fresh Maine lobster on a beautiful summer day? Nothing! If (correction: when) I come back to The Cottage, I will make sure someone at my table orders this salad so I can steal a few bites (there is no way I’m not ordering the stuffed french toast twice in a row – let’s get real!).

Some other gorgeous eats a few other ladies ordered…

Quiche of the day with broccoli and caramelized onions

Maine Lobster BLT+A with hass avocado, applewood bacon, lemon aioli, butter lettuce, tomato, toasted brioche bread

Um, I think I need this Lobster BLTA  in my life right now!

Every single plate was licked clean when we were done. It’s safe to say this brunch was a great success (say it like Borat!).

It was really fun to catch up with a few of my blog friends and meet some new ones! Thanks again to Renee for organizing this event and to The Cottage for hosting us! I am certain I’ll be back again.

Erbaluce has been on my “to try” list for quite some time now (and yes, is in fact on my 30 by 30 list!). It is an Italian restaurant in the adorable Bay Village neighborhood, with a menu focusing on local and organic produce and sustainable meats and seafood. The menu changes nightly based on availability of ingredients, which is why it’s hand written. I just love love love this concept and was even more excited about this dinner after reading the menu offerings the night we visited. It was inventive and fresh… I honestly wanted every single item (thankfully I got to try quite a few of them, since I went with a group of 6!). Once we had a chance to review the written menu (both a la carte and restaurant week menus were available), the super knowledgeable waiter then told us in detail a few extra specials (btw, why do you need specials if the menu was created just today anyway??) and made us all drool just a bit more. I was giddy with excitement. I had high expectations. I just felt like this was going to be the most perfect dinner (note to self: having super high expectations may be a way to set yourself up for failure).

The bread was served with a creamy dip, which I hear was delicious but my bread (which was an end piece) was so hard that I feared of breaking a tooth, so I quickly surrendered (Adam looved the dip so he ended up eating my bread just to scoop a bit more of the dip).  Out of the 6 of us, 4 had end pieces which we all found to be waaay too hard. After the dinner, as we were talking about our meal, I was sort of annoyed with myself for not saying anything. This little issue could have been easily remedied (rock hard bread is still not ok though for a restaurant of this caliber – I blame restaurant week for this lack of attention to detail!)

The sunflower appetizer was one I knew I needed to try the moment the waiter told us about it (we ordered it for the table to share). It’s basically the sunflower head (with the tough area with the seeds scooped out), sautéed in white wine, stuffed with ricotta and served with sunflower petals, sunflower stems, raisins and capers. How creative does that sound?? 

I LOVED this! The sunflower head tasted sort of like a giant artichoke heart and was perfectly complemented by the creamy ricotta, the acidity of the capers and the sweetness of plump raisins. The waiter told us the sunflower petals tasted like carrots but they honestly tasted like flowers to me. Maybe my palate isn’t refined enough. Regardless, this won serious brownie points for creativity and ended up being my favorite dish of the night!

It was a tough choice but I ended up ordering off the restaurant week menu for the rest of my meal – I figured this was my chance to take advantage of this amazing price point (a lot of the entrees at Erbaluce are actually over $33 so it was like getting 2 dishes for free!). I started with the chilled melon soup with lemon basil and sesame.

The sesame oil gave a decisively Asian flair to this refreshing soup. Very unique. My taste buds were confused and delighted at the same time. I enjoyed it at first but after a few spoonfuls found it to be a little too intense. I think a piece of bread would have been a great accompaniment, but I was not going to put my teeth at jeopardy again

I typically order meat at restaurants that have organic options, but the sweet corn and sunflower risotto with basil was too delicious sounding to pass up (I’ve been obsessed with corn this summer so it’s no surprise!)

More flowery petals!

Once again, this was unlike any risotto I’ve tried before. It was not creamy at all! The rice granules were completely separate… I suppose you can say it was a very loose risotto. The fresh corn kernels popped with every bite which at first put me off, but then it all started to make sense as I kept going back for more. The broth/sauce was fantastic and the dish quickly became addictive. The shredded (Asiago?) cheese finish brought a really nice sharpness, rounding out the sweet corn. I can tell you that weeks later as I think of this meal, I start craving this risotto again.

Adam ordered the chef’s specialty (off the a la carte menu) – rack of wild boar with wild concord grape mosto and braised greens (the greens are tops of the vegetables served that day, like beets – nothing goes to waste!)

He enjoyed this dish but thought it was too small for $36. I’m not normally impressed with large portions so it’s hard for me to really penalize a dish for its size, although $36 is a little steep. With that, I’m personally ok for paying extra for sustainable options. After a small discussion, Adam said he would have been a happy camper if just one more slice of meat would have been included… I guess 2 pieces does not make a “rack.”

Some stewed local peaches with honeyed ricotta and chocolate ganache were an appropriate summer dessert…

… although the girls were thrilled to see some complementary chocolates with local blackberries to finish the meal. Apparently I’m not the only one that needs loves seriously intense chocolate desserts!  

I’ve heard mixed reviews of the place during restaurant week. The place did get very busy and placing drink orders mid-dinner proved to be a slightly frustrating task. With that said, I thought the food was well executed and the menu (especially the a la carte items!) was extremely imaginative. While exciting in theory, this honestly took a few moment to warm up to since our taste buds were not used the unique flavor combinations. Upon further reflection, I appreciated the inventive use of the local produce and, as stated above, have even been craving some of the dishes since! I would definitely recommend Erbaluce to adventurous foodies! I thought restaurant week was a great value at this place as well!

I’m slowly but surely going through the restaurants on my 30 by 30 list. This time was extra fun because Adam and I were joined by our friends Kyle, Tiffany, Jim and Liz. We’re trying to have a monthly dinner going and this was our second outing (the first one was at Bistro du Midi… yeah, I’ve put myself in charge of organizing future dinners so we don’t actually have 11 months passing between each “monthly” dinner again). We even left the comfort of the Back Bay/South End area and traveled to Jamaica Plain. I know… so ambitious!

Canary Square is bar and restaurant specializing in American comfort foods with a twist. Local ingredients are often used in many dishes, which is always a welcome sign for me because aside from the sustainability side of it (which is complicated in my opinion), I think it forces creativity in the kitchen and as well as makes the menu more seasonally appropriate.

The décor is modern meets warm with exposed brick walls and ceiling beams with funky lights. I was actually imagining a tiny spot similar to Coda in Boston and was very surprised to walk into a large space filled with dozens of tables. It was already buzzing with excitement (around 7pm) but I wanted to take advantage of the warm weather and asked to be seated on their patio instead!

A hot day calls for a cold drink! I went back and forth between the basil grape or spicy watermelon mojito (don’t they both sound amazing?!!) but at the end was told that they ran out of mint. Yikes! Instead the sangarita (lunazul silver, red wine, lime, triple sec, sour mix and lime) quenched my thirst just fine! [It was stronger than I anticipated but after a few sips I was really into it.)

Lebanese hummus and pita chips was a lovely starter for the table! I loved the rustic preparation of the hummus (slightly chunky) and the super thick and crispy chips.

Adam also ordered the The Salty Pig – chef’s choice of salty pig parts, house made mustard, pickled vegetables, baguette. The “salty pig parts” that night were represented by a deliciously garlicky pate. I would order this again in a heartbeat!

Most of the entrees were surprisingly heavy (think mac & cheese, pasta carbonara <—with fresh local peas, nice addition! and roasted chicken with mashed potatoes). Comfort food for sure!

I found the lightest thing there and ordered the wood grilled skirt steak with truffled blue cheese tater tots, local zucchini and radish salad

That’s a perfect summer item if you ask me!

The steak was tender and very well cooked but I wasn’t crazy about the spice rub (I think they went a little heavy on the rosemary… I felt like I was eating pine trees) but the zucchini salad was super refreshing and perfectly balanced by the bites of creamy tater tots. I am not a fan of blue cheese but these were really divine!

A few bites of Adam’s wood roasted half chicken with local summer beans, bacon and mashed potatoes…

… and Jim’s baked mac and cheese with grafton cheddar and north country ham…

…made me want to come back to this place in the middle of winter and stuff myself silly with fantastic comfort food. Or maybe I’ll just eat inside with AC blasting (I guess it does have its benefits!).

Red sangria

We were all very happy campers but dessert was yet to be consumed… for completeness of this review of course!

Butterscotch bread pudding with vanilla ice cream

Incredibly rich and remarkably reminiscent of pancakes doused with maple syrup.

Chocolate cheesecake with cranberry jam

This was not your typical chocolate cheesecake! Tiffany was not a fan because “it wasn’t chocolaty enough” and I agree – this had much stronger caramel undertones than chocolate and the cranberry jam added additional quirky bitterness -  but I loved it for it! It was unique and delicious in its own right. Comfort food with a twist.

The check came with a little book for comments, notes, songs, whatever.

Haha, courtesy of Tiffany. My kind of challenge

Canary Square is a fantastic place for good drinks and great food with friends. We’ll be back for sure!

***

For other restaurant reviews, please check out my restaurant reviews page!

The 30 by 30 list was meant to be fun yet slightly challenging (not difficult but perhaps get me to do things I’ve been saying I’ve wanted to do but then haven’t… for whatever reason. Laziness comes to mind!). Believe it or not, this even applies to eating out!! I know, tough task… I told you I was lazy sometimes!

That thing with rarely going to Cambridge because it’s all the way across the bridge. Yeah, well – that doubly applies to Sommerville. I mean, have you ever taken the T from the Pru to Davis? I think it takes a lifetime. Or close to it for sure. Or maybe I’m a drama queen… whatever.

Anywayssss, this past Saturday Adam and I were running errands in Sommerville (that Target is awesome!!) and when we both realized there was no way we could go on without some lunch, I proposed to consult the list. Foundry on Elm in Davis Square seemed like the perfect place. Turn the car around… let’s get some lunch!

I’ve been to Davis a few times (like the Ras na hEireann 5K last year) but apparently I’ve never really looked around. What a cute little spot!! Maybe it was the gorgeous summer weather and lots of spots with outdoor seating and flowers… it just felt so fun and alive. I already want to go back!!

Foundry on Elm is a newish gastropub that’s already getting people’s attention with its high quality French food and craft beers and cocktails. The décor is a cross between a high class pub and a brasserie. The high ceilings and large windows (that used to open up but apparently are out of commission now after a few breaks) added to the bright and clean feel of the place.

Adam and I chose to sit on the high chairs by the window (I wanted the most natural light I could get… and light I got… most of my pictures were waaaaaaaay overexposed and I actually had to fight the light!). Oh and before I continue rambling about all sorts of irrelevant stuff, let me mention my Bloody Mary, which was perfectly spicy with 3 big juicy olives on top. This was going to be a fantastic lunch, I could tell!

Adam got the Pretty Things Field Mouse’s Farewell, which came in a proper glass. He was impressed!

I thought the Pretty Things glass was indeed pretty.

I can’t pass up on anything pickled so the assorted farmstand pickled vegetables had to be ordered. In the mix? Carrots, onions, cauliflower, and peppers.

I was sort of horrified by the amount of onions on some perfectly good veggies but then braved a bite of the cauliflower and enjoyed the slight fennely twist with the addition of caraway seeds. I love the cute presentation with the mini-bucket too

Next up were our main entrees!

Adam couldn’t help himself with the Italian sausage flatbread (with cherry peppers and fontina) which came over a cheesy and buttery crust with just the right amount of heat. He polished the whole thing off mmm’ing the entire way through!

I went the slightly lighter route with a nicoise salad – olive oil-poached tuna, capers, egg, green beans, new potatoes, mustard vinaigrette… which was honestly perfection on a plate! [I’m kind of on a nicoise salad kick now!]

Every component of the salad was perfectly executed, from the delicious medium rare tuna steak, briny capers and olives, creamy potatoes and eggs to crisp green beans. The mesculin greens were slightly overdressed but the dressing was so good, I was still a happy camper!

An incredibly satisfying lunch at a fantastic spot! I’m looking forward to future trips to Davis already [Gargoyles and Posto pizza are also on the list so there will definitely be future trips. No more laziness!!]

Let’s back up though… cooking class? Birthday? What is she talking about??

[My dad, mom and Adam]

The Newton Community Education offers many adult classes, including cooking demos from local chefs (side note: your local high school probably offers lots of adult education classes too… I took a photography class at Brookline High when I first got my dSLR and it definitely taught me all the basics I needed to no longer be intimidated with my camera). My dad found the one taught by Dave, which just happened to be on my birthday. The cooking demo was held at Sweet Basil and included a 4-course lunch.

Learning cooking tricks from a talented chef and enjoying delicious food is definitely one of my favorite ways to spend a day… and the perfect way to celebrate my birthday. I was so there!

[The place is adorable with a modern yet cozy feel. All the dishes and silverware are mismatched, as if you’re at someone’s very quirky home.]

Before he began his demo, Dave chatted up everyone and showed off his latest obsession – homemade vinegars. I think this one was plum. He’s always so passionate about the food, his restaurant, the neighborhood, the guests. Sweet Basil doesn’t take reservations so on most nights Dave “works the crowd” (aka greets the guests, tells some jokes, pours them some wine… it’s BYOB… and even brings snacks to the front of the restaurant and outside for those who are extra hungry. I seriously love this place!!

There was no wait this time though. We dug into the most amazing pesto ever. I promise you. I crave the stuff. I’ve had it at many restaurants and have made my own. Nothing comes close to Sweet Basil’s version! (I have the Sweet Basil cookbook so I am determined to try making it this year!)

Surprisingly, everything Dave demoed and we ate during the luncheon was different from the typical Sweet Basil menu, which actually made me love the place even more. It’s simple ingredients coming together in something seriously special.

Take this spring vegetable soup (potatoes, garlic, white wine, spinach, peas, broccoli, splash of heavy cream – toms + shrimp and shredded Asiago for garnish)

It doesn’t look particularly appetizing, just a bunch of greens from what the eye can see, but it’s incredibly flavorful. There is garlic, there is cheese, body from potatoes and a touch of cream. Every single person licked their bowl clean. Adam asked me to make it very soon. I’m making it this week. Yes, that good [PS – I have all the recipes and don’t want to post them here, but if you’d like to recreate any of these, email me!]

Random trick I learned? After steaming the green veggies, drop the whole colander of them into a big bowl of ice (it stops the cooking process and keeps the greens from turning brown). Then when you need the veggies again (in this case when you need to blend them), pick up the colander from the bowl and you’ve got all your veggies right there! I don’t know why I always dumped the veggies straight into the ice bowl before and then picked them out one by one. Such an obvious (yet genius) little trick!

Next up was a cute little amuse bouche of sorts. Crostini with lemon-herbed ricotta

Toast the bread on ice side only to get that perfect crunchy yet chewy balance.

Chickpea fritters with cucumber-mint aioli, served over salad

The chickpea fritters sounded like falafel but man, they were so much more than that! There were some caramelized onions in the mix (which bugged me so I only had one bite and then picked out a few chickpeas… they were yummy) but I still really appreciate the flavor. You toast the chickpeas first, then smash them slightly, so there are whole (crunchy) chickpeas in the mix which are just so much fun. I can’t wait to recreate these, sans onions!

The last course was jaw-dropping gorgeous. Lamb chops served over parmesan bread pudding

… topped with fresh figs. Dave was so excited about his shipment of fresh figs (which were particularly sweet and just perfect) that he decided to let them shine instead of messing with them. The quality of ingredients is so key!

I’ve never had a savory bread pudding and I can now say I’m a big fan. It was cheesy with a hint of rosemary – a rich and delicious side. [Btw, I am not really a lamb fan so I was more excited about the extras.]

The demo wasn’t that educational (I’m a bit of a geek so I knew a lot of what he was sharing with us) but it was such a fun experience and a delicious treat. If you’re ever in the area, make sure to stop by Sweet Basil. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed (the roasted beet and goat cheese salad is the best I’ve ever had… and yeah, that pesto. Mmm).

The dork that I am, I brought my cookbook copy and made Dave sign it.

Oh I will enjoy it!

Have you ever attended a cooking demo taught by a chef you admire?

*** PS – This wasn’t really a restaurant review given the special circumstances, but if you’re looking for local restaurant recommendations, check out my restaurant reviews page!

Bergamot is a new American restaurant with a focus on local ingredients. Clean decor and white tableclothes make for an elegant space, while dim lights (at least at dinner time) make the space feel very cozy. The perfect balance!

We were all in the mood for different drinks. I started with a glass of a 2009 Bergerac, Tours de Genres, which had very strong fruit notes (it actually took me by surprise but I absolutely loved this wine… another glass followed later ). Mike had a cocktail, Katie a glass of white wine and Adam had a Pretty Things white fluffy rabbit beer to start – everyone was very happy with their drink choices. The one thing I’d note is that the website says they have “value-priced wines” but $10-$13/glass seemed pricey to me (maybe the bottles are expensive so this is a good value? I couldn’t find this wine online).

After some fresh sourdough bread with a butter spread, we were ready to dig into something a little more hearty

Yellow split pea soup with chicharron and marinated pearl barley salad

There were so many delicious sounding options but I chose this soup because Megan was raving about it in her review. Plus, it’s probably been at least 10 years since I’ve had my mom’s split pea soup and I thought this would be a fun, elevated version of it. I was surprised at how thin the split pea broth was (in the past, I’ve only had chunky split pea soup… I guess that’s more rustic?) with the barley salad adding some of that textural contrast.

Unfortunately the barley salad was also mixed in with some tiny raw red onions (which are a big no-go for me) so the waitress kindly replaced it with another bowl, sans barley this time. I was a bit disappointed that the salad was pre-mixed and they couldn’t replace it with anything else that added some more texture and bite but the broth really was flawless – well balanced with a smooth split pea and almost slightly smokey taste. The friend pork rinds (chicharon) were too big for me to enjoy although I see how conceptually they would add some welcomed fattiness to the dish (I tasted one and picked out the rest). If you like onions, I’d highly recommend this dish, especially on a cold snowy/rainy day like we had last night!

Pan roasted rainbow trout with savoy cabbage, celeriac, apples and beet fondue

Apples? I think they forgot those… but I didn’t miss them! I’m sure you can tell from the picture that the rainbow trout was perfectly crispy on the outside (and I can tell you that the “meat” was still very tender) but the veggies (which so often are an afterthought!) stole the show for me. I’ve never had celeriac like that – I loved the mild taste of the little cubes which welcomed the beet “fondue.” The cabbage had a similar role – it soaked up the beet sauce which was bright and delicious. The trout was clearly seared in butter, which added a lot of richness. I personally did not love so clearly tasting the butter (I want it to enhance the dish without really knowing their “secret”) but something tells me I’m in the minority here.

Overall I really enjoyed my entree but after tasting everyone else’s choices (Katie’s duck had the most amazing green garlic and mushroom sauce <– I LOVE garlic, Adam’s pork tenderloin with oyster mushrooms and mole sauce – which he said was one of the best entrees he’s had in a long time!!, and Mike’s scallops with black beans and avocado) I had some mild food envy as well (Katie’s duck was my favorite of the bunch).

With drinks and conversation flowing and our bellies very happy, we could have stopped here, but I knew that Bergamot had a dedicated pastry chef (Stacy Mirabello) which meant our dinner was not quite over yet.

The desserts sounded pretty funky and nothing particularly jumped out at me (the biggest dessert fan!). But we pushed through and ordered 3 desserts to share.

Meyer lemon beignets with tequila ice cream, espresso glaze and cocoa nibs

Carrot cake with rum soaked raisins, cream cheese frosting and crispy carrots

Cinnamon chocolate cake with peppadew ice cream, marshmallows and graham crackers

All I have to say is WOW. I am SO glad we didn’t skip this course. Dessert is actually my favorite course but I do have pretty high standards so I’m often disappointed… especially with “funkier” desserts (sometimes they seem to be creative for the sake of creativity… even at high end restaurants like Menton). But at Bergamot, each dessert was special and the fun twists added interest, a bit of excitement (I mean tequila and peppadew ice creams?? How often do you see that on menus?) and they actually worked!

The lemon beignets were filled lemon curd (so bright, so delicious!) and the tequila ice really tasted like tequila. A few good-sized scoops of the stuff, and this would be quite the pre-gaming snack The carrot cake was moist, perfectly complemented by the light (and not too sweet – very important!) cream cheese frosting. The chocolate cake was the one I was almost afraid of because I’m very particular about my chocolate desserts. Luckily, it was dense and rich (yesssssss) and a bit spicy (fun) with the peppadew ice cream reminding us all that this was not just a tired chocolate dessert we’ve all seen before. Stacy, I’m your new fan

A few lychee candies came with the check and were a delicious last bite of the night (we call these “marmelad” in Russian but I’m not sure what they’re called in English… the waitress mentioned something French sounding Anyone know what they’re called? They’re sugary and a little gelatinous. Edited to add: Yup, they are pate de fruit – thanks for clarifying this ladies!!).

I’m really happy we finally made the trek to Sommerville to dine at Bergamot (Katie, our plan worked ). I hope we’ll be back again some day!

And just for fun – what’s the craziest ice cream flavor you’ve ever had??

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If you enjoyed this post, check out my restaurant reviews page for more.

In late 2009, when everyone was holding their breath – hoping for the recession in the US to end, Barbara Lynch was deep in restaurant planning mode. She wasn’t the only one – many pricey establishments closed their doors earlier in the year, revamped their menus with more affordable, less stuffy but still quality comfort food items and re-opened for business (usually under a new name). But Barbara chose to take a completely different route and open Menton, her most prestigious restaurant yet (No. 9 Park was her flagship restaurant prior to Menton’s opening), with a high-price tag to match. Dinners start at $95/pp for a 4-course meal and go up from there.

Buzz was created – there were many skeptics for sure (including me!) but since the opening approximately a year ago, I haven’t read one bad review. Also based on reservations availability, it looks like business is going quite well. Obviously I had to check it out for myself!

We had a special occasion to celebrate and I invited my parents to join us. I’ve read a lot about the restaurant and was really excited for dinner but also nervous it wouldn’t live up to its hype or at least not be special enough to justify the price. I’m going to spoil the surprise here and say that it was. Read on more details…

Let’s start with some beverages, which helped with conversation… (sorry, I can’t find the name of my cocktail online – it had lavendar and was quite citrusy. I just love herbs in cocktails and this one was perfectly balanced).

Actually our first round of cocktails was already a sign of good things to come. Adam, my dad, mom and I each ordered a cocktail that sounded good to us. When my mom’s cocktail arrived, however, it appeared to be a lot “manlier” than she was hoping for. We all tried each others’ cocktails and made some swaps based on our preferences but our waiter noticed that she wasn’t really happy with hers. Without a word, he arrived just minutes later with a new cocktail that he thought would suit her better. This was such a nice touch and I knew we would be taken care of for the rest of the evening! [Our waiter was fantastic!!!!]

A few complements from the chef before we even had a chance to browse through the menu…

Goat cheese, golden beet and pickled watermelon amuse bouche* + a mini croissant

*don’t quote me on this description – this was a little over a week ago and my memory is a bit fuzzy. I’m sure this changes often!

I think that amuse bouche was made for me since I’m obsessed with beets, goat cheese and all-things pickled. It was a small but very powerful and well balanced two-bite dish. The mini-croissant was perfectly buttery. The perfect way to start a French inspired dinner!

Course #1: Nantucket bay scallop crudo with heart of palm, white sturgeon caviar and citrus

There is not much more delicate and subtly sweet than a high quality fresh raw scallop. I recently discovered this at a sushi making dinner and was excited to see this elevated version of scallop crudo at Menton. The hearts of palm added a slightly firmer texture to the dish, with their mild flavor still allowing the scallops to shine. The caviar added a bit more sharpness (and fishy taste) and the citrus added some fruitiness. My dad got the same first course and thought it needed more citrus. While I normally love dousing my seafood in lemon juice, I think it was important to keep the soft flavor of the scallops untouched.

Side note: each course was served by four different bus boys/girls to all of us simultaneously, each quietly describing our dish when placed on the table. This was done very smoothly and while a bit over the top, it was nice to be able to dig in almost immediately without waiting for four different (pretty detailed!) descriptions reiterated. Definitely very fancy!

Bread basket selection served “to-order”: mini baguette, sourdough roll, sweet brioche… I chose the sourdough roll

It was pretty standard stuff. We were offered another round of bread later on, so if you can’t chose – you can try them all! (The brioche intrigued me but I wanted to save room for the more special stuff!)

Course #2: Green garlic veloute with octopus, potato and sea cucumber

Veloute is a French soup type, in case you were wondering (I was!). It was poured table-side over the proteins which made for a lovely presentation. It had a really nice garlicky flavor and the bright green hue was just stunning! I think this soup was my favorite dish of the night – it was just so bright and unique (I’ve never had anything like that). The octopus was also perfectly cooked and while it had a bit of a bite, it wasn’t chewy or tough like overcooked octopus can be. No comment on the sea cucumber since I don’t really know what it tastes like on it’s own – I’m guessing it added more depth to the dish. This really was incredible!!

Course #3: Giannone farm poulet with black trumpet mushroom, brussels sprouts and fois gras jus

Chicken done 3 ways, finished with a deep fois gras sauce. This was really interesting but not that exciting to my palate. The chicken breast (the brick in the back of the plate) had a really fantastic texture – it was really moist and honestly like no other chicken breast I’ve ever had (it wasn’t stringy at all if that makes sense, totally smooth). I believe it was cooked in sous vide which allows for exact temperature and a very precise level of doneness (thus injecting moisture and retaining all juices). And while I loved the texture, it was still just “plain” chicken. The little chicken ravioli was fun and the dark meat “drumstick” showcased the fattier/most flavorful part of the bird. To be honest I took little bites of each (finished that mushroom square – yum!) and gave the rest to Adam. He was a very very happy camper. I was happy to finish the rest of the dinner without feeling like I was going to burst!

Optional cheese course

Our waiter carefully described each cheese to us and we picked a few favorites – an aged gouda (my favorite!), aged cheddar, a blue cheese (my dad’s pick- I can’t stand blue cheese… I tried!), gruyere and a few others. They had a really impressive selection so you could certainly find a few you’d love!

We sampled them all over crispy toasts, an apple/raisin medley, roasted pistachios and almonds and honey (all included as part of the cheese course – you pay per cheese so you can spend as much or as little as you want on this course… kind of cool!).

It was hard to behave at this point since I knew dessert was still coming and I was pretty sure some macarons were going to grace our table before the evening’s end.

Course #4: Gateau caramel, hazelnut tuille, chocolate star anise glace, dried apricot

It was out of character for me to order a non-chocolate dessert but I wanted to stretch myself a bit here. Unfortunately I didn’t love it. It tasted nothing like the complex description implies – all I tasted was a “standard” sponge cake with a few gimmicky twists. Sorry, Menton. Fortunately you impressed me enough in courses prior. No worries.

I also had a bite of my mom’s passion fruit pavlova…

… and my dad’s ricotta cheesecake…

I liked the cheesecake but wasn’t over the moon excited about it (they weren’t either). Unfortunately Adam did not share his hot chocolate mocha dessert with the rest of us but he polished it off, so I guess that’s a good sign.

Baby macarons. Yay!

They are teeny-tiny with a nice variety of flavors. I thought they were super cute but unfortunately that perfect delicate chewiness of a macaron does not translate to this mini size. Oh well, they still made me smile.

While this is certainly one of the most high-end (read: expensive) restaurants in Boston, our waiter made us feel very comfortable and welcomed (he was very knowledgeable but also very personable – nothing felt forced or fake). Every dish clearly had a lot of thought behind it and (aside from desserts) really worked. This dinner was definitely a meal to remember!

I hope you enjoyed this recap. For other restaurant reviews, check out my restaurant reviews page.

Luckily, B&G Oysters takes walk-ins… there is just a wait, but we didn’t mind. I heard they have one of the best lobster rolls in the Boston area (and Adam was eyeing their mussels last time we ate at B&G). Plus, POPS happens to be right around the corner with plenty of bar seats. This night was definitely starting out right!

Just like last time, the vibe at B&G was magnetic. The seats at the bar are definitely prime location. You can see the chefs in action *this* close. Yup.

We started with a few adult beverages Wines by the glass are expensive (cheapest is $12) but they are extremely high quality. I had a beautiful Pinot Noir. Cheers!

Somehow I was seduced by the atmosphere and decided to order a few oysters to try. Neither Adam and I are generally fans but they were right there (literally, I think if I leaned a bit over the bar, I could touch them… watching the guy shuck them all night was really fun!) and if there was ever a place to see one more time if oysters were “our thing,” B&G Oysters would be it. So we asked our waitress to recommend 3 different ones to try – a nice variety.

I don’t remember exactly what kind of oysters these were (I know the first one – mildest one- was from PEI, and the other 2 from MA). The first one was smooth and salty and I kind of enjoyed the silky texture (this is going to sound gross, but from my previous experience I kind of remember them having the texture of eyeballs, but these were just fresh albeit a little slippery). The taste got stronger with each one; the last one tasting the most like the ocean but I didn’t mind it (although I preferred the first 2!). Our waitress said we had an oyster break-through. I would agree! So here you go, a very amateur review of my experience but maybe it will give you some courage to give them a go if you like the idea of them but are too afraid to try them (or haven’t tried the ones you like). I would definitely stick to a place with knowledgeable servers and a good variety!

For my appetizer I ordered the red snapper tartar with pickled fennel and chorizo.

It was very heavy on the mayo and I found the smokiness of the chorizo crumbles (which you could hardly detect visually) to be distracting and strange. The pickled fennel, however, added nice acidity and brightness. Overall, I did not enjoy this dish and left it mostly uneaten. Too creative for me.

Lobster roll, french fries, bread and butter pickles

Yeah, those chives you see there, they had to be removed (the waitress instantly noticed the mistake and had it replaced – good service!). This was a solid lobster roll but nothing like its “competitor” at Neptune Oyster. I dream of the warm lobster roll at Neptune’s. Definitely the best in Boston!

The fries were awesome. Crispy, nicely seasoned. I ate a few and really enjoyed them. It was a fun treat!

Oh and I did order a side of brussels sprouts which were pathetic. They were basically steamed and covered in butter. I couldn’t stomach even 1, and I LOVE brussels sprouts. Do I need to show them how to roast them or pan fry them? You need them to caramelize. That’s brussels sprouts  101.

Despite my food being just okay (Adam’s mussels were in fact fantastic, especially with the garlic bread they came with!), I would not hesitate to come back. I’m not sure what it is – this place has magic. I trust the servers, the bar is busy and buzzing with excitement and you just can’t help but want more. Dibs on the mussels next time!

By the way, I’ll be in Maine Friday through Monday night with no internet access so there will not be a post until early next week. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my UNO’s mindful choices review and giveaway ! Hope you have a fantastic weekend!!

A very relevant question… have you had oysters? Yay or nay?