Food Truck Festival Brings in the Crowds

Sunday, June 10th, marked the first Food Truck Festival  of 2012.  I, along with what seemed to be about half of Greater Boston's population, had been highly anticipating this event.

Held at UMass Boston, over 30 different trucks were there and prepped to serve a limited menu to some very hungry people.

The set up is quite smart, everyone gets a little, red booklet with a number corresponding to each Food Truck stop - only one portion is allowed at each stop.

Although this helped reduce the number of repeat customers, by about 1 o'clock, the lines were so long leading to each truck, that they all came and met in the middle of the field.  They were also not moving - it seemed that Truck staff could not get their items out fast enough to keep the lines moving. 

The immobile lines combined with the baking hot sun made it impossible for my friends and I to get to more than three trucks.  This being said, what we did have was truly delicious.  Jerk chicken and fried plantains from Irie Bites was authentic, smoky and sweet - it had all the complexities of the traditional Jamaican dish.  

It was so disappointing to have to admit defeat...and to leave hungry!

Luckily however, we were not far from Local 149, one of my personal favorite restaurants.  It is quirky, local and fun - all three things that helped make us feel better about bailing on the Food Trucks.  With chalk available at all the tables, our youngest companion took the opportunity to visually represent his feelings...mind you, there is no better way to arrive at Local 149 than 1000 percent hungry:)

  We ordered a round of milkshakes right away.  I got their ginger milkshake, it was DELICIOUS: fresh ginger root infused in a creamy frappe so thick you almost wanted to ask for a bigger straw...except then it would disappear faster...

We ordered a few other things including their Hog wings, mini pork shanks smothered in Hoisin BBQ sauce and their charcuterie platter, a daily spread of house-cured meats, local cheeses and house pickled veggies.  

It was just what we needed to reboot after battling the sun and the lines at UMass.

Although our trek ended with great success, I am still sorry I missed out on all the great things coming out of those Food trucks.  Hopefully, the trucks will figure out a better way to expedite items for upcoming festivals - either that or I would highly recommend the VIP tickets which get you in 1 hr early.

Buy your tickets for other Food Truck Festivals here! 

My Midnight Marathon

 After much agony and anticipation, this past Marathon Monday, I made it to my first Midnight Ramen.  Since January of this year, a team of talented and innovative chefs, headed by Mark O'Leary and Yukihiro Kawaguchi of O Ya, have gotten together about once a month to serve up 60 bowls of hand made ramen.  The real intrigue? The location is always changing and the ramen is not served until late into the night. 

The whole concept is exciting and has generated an uproar in Boston's food scene. Tickets are exceptionally difficult to come by, selling out a mere two minutes after they are released.  

So you can imagine my excitement in snagging a seat at the most recent Ramen event, this one being held right in my neighborhood, at The Gallows.

 A midnight ramen feast is not exactly how one might begin the week, but I could not pass up this opportunity! So I spent most of my Marathon Monday preparing for a marathon of my own: how to stay up until midnight...

In actuality, it ended up being a non-issue, a combination of my cat nap at 7 and our seating time at 11 p.m. made for a fairly do-able circumstance. 

The Gallows, a spot that is always brimming with people and vibe was full of ramen enthusiasts feasting on bowls of steaming ramen and hand fashioned pork belly buns.  I arrived the first of my fellow ramen companions and had a moment to take it all in.  Being in a restaurant at such a late hour on a Monday, when the rest of the city is deserted, is something different in and of itself.  

As if in accord with this theme, the restaurant was entirely lit by candlelight, providing for an atmosphere of being 'in the know' that hovered over the tables.

 The menu is simple and starts with a hand made, steamed, pork belly bun.  The bun itself was very interesting and you could taste the care that went into each one.  I have had better pork belly though, notably, the pork belly buns presented at   Uni's Late Night Ramen.

 For the ramen, you have two choices, a traditional salt-based broth or soy-based..both are obviously nice and high in sodium:)
I went for the traditional salt base and am very glad I did.  The broth was fantastic, not too salty, but enough to make you crave more with every slurp.  However it was definitely the noodles that took the cake.  Again, the handy craft that goes into these is exquisite, it makes for slightly thin but dense noodles, perfectly cooked.  As per usual, a soft-boiled egg adds complexity and texture.

I really enjoyed this bowl of ramen, it was nothing fancy, but honest and true, just like something you would find anywhere on the streets of Japan.

For dessert, two simple macaroons are served to settle the sweet side of things. 

Guchi's Midnight Ramen is an exciting step out of your ordinary food routine. It is a great concept, mixing tasty, fresh and hand-tailored food with intrigue and excitement.  Still in its early stages, I think this pop-up has a lot to offer and will continue to grow and offer late night appetites a satisfying end.

Marathon Madness

 The weekend of the 14th means one thing in Boston...Marathon Weekend! The arrival of masses of marathoners and their supporters descend upon the city and throngs of people from all over the world are out and about.

As with every year, the John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo is held at a convention center somewhere in the city.  In past years, it has been held at the Hynes Convention Center, but this time round, celebrating their 35th year, the expo was held at the World Trade Center by the Seaport.

 There are loads of things to do at this expo; runners go for number pick-up, you can create a cheer card to egg on your favorite runners or write your name on a big wall, filled with the names of runners, messages from fans and other such enthusiasts.

 I have a couple of friends running and although I did not make a cheer card, I did put in a shout out for each of them on the 'Big White Board'.  A foodie friend of mine, Amanda Lakowski, aka Kitchen Misfit, will be running for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I am so proud to support her, what a beautiful thing to do!

I plan on being at the finish line to cheer everyone on for the last leg...no pun intended:)

 

 Of course, no Sports Expo is legitimate without hoards of supplement bars and powders.  I must admit, it was this part that attracted me the most:)

And I certainly got my fill of samples:)

 

The Seaport is such a fantastic area of Boston and on a nice day, there is no place quite like it - even with the hoards of people floating around, there is still so much space to saunter around by the water.  Of course, I can rarely go to this area and not make a pit stop at Flour Bakery...even after all the power bar samples, I could easily find room for a Chunky Lola:)

I always love seeing the city of Boston come alive and there are few other occasions that present such an influx of people from all walks of life, here to witness one of the world's most prestigious marathons.

I wish all the best to everyone and please, please, please hydrate...it is going to be a scorcher!

A work out for you brain and your tummy:)

 When people think of going to a restaurant, they usually think of going out to enjoy a meal, a good chat or serious gossip - but there is so much more that be can done within the framework of a restaurant.  

 Common Ground Bar and Grill in Allston has the right idea, offering a different event every night of the week, from Stump trivia on Mondays to their Millennium party on Saturdays. (Check out their weekly schedule of events here.)

 My friend and I went to check out their Monday night Trivia last week and from about 8-10, the bar was packed with eager trivia gurus...and then some pretty fresh faces..aka, my friend and I:)

Although the trivia certainly helps draw in the crowds, Common Ground also has a recently re-configured menu, drawing on seasonal items, hand-picked and created jointly by Manager Bob Oguin and Chef Jaime Suarez.  Everyday, they set off in search of the freshest ingredients from local markets that incite their inspiration...it makes the world of difference!

 My friend and I arrived a bit before 8 and got started with an array of food...aka brain fuel, because we were ready to give this trivia a real go. On the board above the bar is a list of daily specials, whatever Chef Jaime Suarez and Manager Bob Oguin create from their collaborative morning trips to the markets.  

 We started with some chicken wings with Sweet Asian glaze.  Knowing we were going to have some serious pub fare, we figured we should get some greens...something people don't usually associate with a neighborhood bar.  Again, Common Ground knows what they are doing and serve up a delicious, roasted duck salad, with Gorgonzola, dried cranberries, green apple malt vinaigrette, all on a bed of delicious mixed greens.

 Deviled eggs, an item I usually skip over, came topped with house-cured bacon which sparked our interest.  Turns out the bacon was a delicious crispy pork belly...these little guys did not last long:)

 

  Of their daily specials, and upon Bob's recommendation, we tried their 'Sticky Chicken'.  It was a juicy chicken thigh, covered in a sticky, sweet glaze and on a bed of chopped fennel, carrots and cabbage.  It was similar to the chicken wings, but so much more fun because there was more meat...and consequently - so much more mess:)

 We also (yes there was more:) ), ordered their buffalo mac and cheese which is, understandably, a crowd favorite.  Served in a skillet, the casserole is cheesy and creamy, mixed with the sweet and spicy kick from the buffalo and a traditional sharp cut of Gorgonzola.  It was a fantastic rendition.

Only their fig and prosciutto sandwich disappointed, but it was largely because it was a bit light on the house-made fig jam...the fries however, were prime! (Apparently some people travel from quite a distance just for these fries...and I consider doing the same shortly:) )

We were completely stuffed, and come to think of it, our food coma probably did not help our trivia situation...but I refused to leave without dessert.  Again, as recommended by Bob, we gave their Chocolate Grand Mariana cake a try. It was a glorified molten chocolate lava cake - crispy on the outside, warm and lava-like on the inside.  With the side of whipped cream, I somehow polished off an entire cake...

So what did we learn? Among other things, that 'Mac and Cheese' was apparently a special edition Crayola color introduced in 1993, the LA Lakers were originally from Minneapolis and Oakland is the 4th highest ranked 'place to visit' as stated by The New York Times...We also learned that Trivia takes some practice and although my friend and I had some shining moments...we did not perform as well as we had hoped.  Common Ground seems the perfect place to fine tune our trivia skills - and even if that doesn't end up panning out -  we are sure to have a great meal:)

Beer and Burgers - a match made in heaven

5 Napkin Burger, a Nation-wide chain specializing in the art of the burger, opened it's first location in Boston last March.  Since then, it has taken the concept of 'the burger', redressed it, and presented it as something more than your average pub grub.  

Part of 5 Napkin's mission, includes creating fun, social events around the burger.  One of their more popular dinner series is their Beer Dinner Series.  These dinners, priced at $45 a person, are inspired by a specific brewery that works with the chef to create a four course dinner, with each course expertly paired with a beer.

On the 2nd of April, I was invited to experience the Beer Dinner featuring  dinners, and any excuse to visit 5 Napkin Burger is fine by me:)

The dinner began at 6:30 with a reception and although my rehearsals at Boston Ballet had me running a little late, the team at 5 Napkin were kind enough to bring us a plate of what we had missed out on. Unfortunately, we could not catch up on the socializing part, but I was really happy to see a very large group of beer and burger fans:)

Of the appetizers, my favorite were the cheddar tots - like tater tots but with a creamy cheesy goodness on the inside. I also quite enjoyed the tuna wontons that were light and fresh, with a generous portion of avocado, which can never hurt.

The beer paired with the appetizers was a Levitation Ale and was actually my favorite beer of the night. It was a great way to start off: light and refreshing.

The first course was a small taste of Peel-and-eat Shrimp served in a beer boil with butter sauce.  Again, it was a nice way to begin the meal, especially when you know a burger is coming! The beer paired with this was the IPA (or Indian Pale Ale, for any non-beer drinkers out there). I was not as much of a fan of this beer, but it did work well with the buttery flavors of the dish.

Th piece de resistance was in the next course...aka, the burger. You could choose between their veggie burger or a Mushroom Blue burger. Although I do love their veggie burger, I was going big or going home and went for the Mushroom and Blue.  5 Napkin really knows burgers and they get a 10 oz. hunk of prime ground beef, always juicy and delicious and the bun they use is a perfect compliment. (So many places have too much bread!) The mushrooms were sauteed, adding a slightly sweet component and the whole lot was cut across with the sharp blue.  A strong burger like this was naturally paired with a strong beer, the Arrogant Bastard Ale, which, not surprisingly is known as one of their most aggressive...I admit, I could not drink much of this one...

 

To finish off an already successful meal, we were given a Smores Pie; a layered symphony of graham cracker, chocolate ganache and marshmallow.  I was duly impressed - so many dinner events like these neglect the dessert course, thinking most people will be too full to enjoy much else. Well I beg to differ! The dessert is the last impression! It could easily be the most important part of the meal...at least for me:) The sweet ending of 5 Napkin Burger's Beer Dinner Series really put the bow on top, and left me wanting more...

As far as multi-course dinners go, 5 Napkin's is well done and at 45 dollars (all-inclusive) it makes for a fantastic Tuesday evening. The next one is set for the 24th of April...so keep your calendars open!

Diamonds (and chocolate) are a girl's best friend...

Lately, I have been living it up during the weekends - what with great taco adventures, local dance performances and sushi and of course, last weekend's Jazz Brunch at TW Food.  You would think I could do with a weekend off...but when you are loving what you are doing - that's the last thing you want;)

If it is possible, this weekend continued the trend of fun and tasty treats and, as you will see, made me feel very much like a young child again - but who wouldn't with a chocolate bar in the morning and a Grand (diamond themed) Ball in the evening!?

The chocolate bar at Cafe Fleuri in the Langham Hotel, is something I have always wondered about, but which has seemed somewhat surreal to me.  How could you possibly have a brunch of just chocolate? I figured there must be some catch.  When I arrived on Saturday morning to meet a friend, I quickly surveyed the scene and was able to surmise in under 10 seconds, that the team at Cafe Fleuri, had gone and created a paradise of my sweetest delights.  When you walk in and the first thing you see is a beautiful chocolate fountain...things have obviously been done right!

After a first tour around, I quickly realised that I had a challenge on my hands...and it takes a lot to challenge my sweet tooth - so you can imagine my euphoria.  Luckily, my friend had a fantastic idea and we agreed to divide and concur, trying not to get two of anything so as to try the most, and waste the least.

The buffet is organized with stations in the middle going from milk to dark chocolate and then surrounded by specialty stations. Everything is done with care and precision, there is no sloppy buffet display at Cafe Fleuri! Above we have one of their milk chocolate cremeux and if is possible to imagine, it was as delicious as it was pretty...and every piece was presented in like form.

It was impossible to decide where to start.  The create-your-own cupcake station?  Or maybe the coldstone-esque ice cream bar with an array of different toppings folded into your ice cream right in front of you?

Of course you could also go for the sweeter side with their cotton candy station..but I steered clear of that one, my mission was purely chocolate related:)

In the end, we assorted various bits and bobs and ended up with a first collection of goods as picture above. (Just so you know, we made about three more trips of this size...needless to say, I was on quite a sugar high!).  Our favorites from this first batch was without a doubt the flourless chocolate stack (so gooey and rich) and the bourbon and peanut crunch cake (because when do peanuts and chocolate not go together!?) I was not a fan of their chocolate brulee, which, in fairness is difficult to pull off in a buffet where it will be sitting around and lose its crisp, torched topping and the right temperature altogether.

My personal favorites, and indeed, the only thing I went back for seconds of, was their banana, bacon tart.  I know, what in the world is that!? Simply, it is a banana cream with a big chunk of banana, topped with thick meringue and a piece of bacon, all held together in a 64% extra bitter guayaquil shell...ummm yes please! Everything about this little bite was perfect, the salty bacon made well with the sweet meringue and the smooth texture of the banana came together with a crunch from the shell..it was really something:)

My favorite station was definitely the 'chocolate crepe station' - pick your crepe (vanilla or chocolate) and your filling (white, milk or dark chocolate, bananas, coconut, mixed berries or almonds) and then, if you wish, pick your poison (aka liqueur), to have flambée-ed as a finishing touch.  I went with a vanilla crepe, with milk chocolate and mixed berries and a St Germaine flambée. It was expertly put together and the fire from the alcohol (which I tried my best to capture), was spectacular.

By the end of our time there, although I had been drinking copious amounts of water, my head was starting to feel the effects of the sugar, but that did not mean I was incapable of enjoying one of their warm, chocolate bread puddings.  I was absolutely taken away by the quality of this dessert. I got their right as the station had been filled.  The pudding was moist and rich, with the perfect strike between a crisp top and gooey center. I was delighted to finish off my meal with a bite of this. (And then some pretzels for MUCH needed salt...)

 

After this trip to paradise, I had to hydrate quite a lot because I was due to attend Le Bal du Diamant, which is the Boston Ballet's annual Black Tie benefit. I was in one of the performance excerpts that are a tradition for our ball, and some of my friends were modeling a gorgeous line of jewelry and fashion-wear from Tiffany's.  I think we can safely say we were all in a dither:)  After that, we get all dressed up and saunter off into the scene where, after a drink and a mingle, we generally dance the night away.

I felt like a princess the whole day, flitting from chocolate castles to diamond castles.  A day like this is pretty near perfect for a foodista on pointe:)

Secret Secret:)

There is something undeniably thrilling about being in on a secret. Perhaps it's the exclusivity of it, the 'hush-hush' of it all or maybe just the thought that if people are not begging you to let them in on it...it's probably because they don't even know what they are missing out on.

One of my most recent favorite 'secret' has in fact been around for a while.  It won't surprise many of you that I am referring to a 'secret dinner' of sorts people refer to as 'pop-up dinners'.  As with many secrets, pop-ups are not on display and it's not until you start looking out for them that you realize just how rich and lush the Greater Boston's pop-up scene really is.

Most people ask: what exactly is a 'Pop-up'? There are many answers. It is a term which can be used to describe an individual or group that throws a dinner party in a given location for one night.  It can be in a restaurant (like the Celebrity Chef series at Stella or Guchi's Midnight Ramen), a person's home, or an entirely different location, like a retail store. Pop-ups can also be businesses which sprout up in unused locations for a limited time, like Dore Creperie.
Different as they may be, all pop-ups share two things - first, they are always shrouded in some kind of secrecy to heighten anticipation and novelty and second, they always end up bringing together a mix of people from all walks of life. Without fail, attending a pop-up is an interesting and enlightening experience!

This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to check out a pop-up dinner in a series that has just been launched.  Unfortunately, I cannot give away the location, that is part of the puzzle leading up to your invitation to dinner. I can say however, that its concept is vegan, Afro-Cuban street food....and lots of Bubbles:)

I was especially excited about this dinner as it was a super secret pop-up, aka, it was the rehearsal for the actual launching of the series called, Barrio Pop-up Dinner. Keep reading and you will find the email that will get you one step closer to getting in on the next one!

The dinner began at 8 30 and I was very happy to see some familiar food blogger faces waiting just as eagerly as I for the door to open. Once inside, a glass of delicious Champagne was handed to us and shortly thereafter we were taken to the dinner room.  The space is small but comfortably fits about twelve people and has been made specifically for pop-up events.  It even has a demonstration kitchen and funky art work to boot!

To our surprise and many people's delight, we were soon instructed to get chopping. A large assortment of fruits and vegetables were placed in front of us and we were told to help chop the ingredients for our salad.  (I keenly steered far away from the pineapple and settled for a much less intimidating bunch of carrots).

The fruits of our labor (pun intended) were not wasted and we saw our fine skills placed on top of a bed of mixed greens constituting the first course.  Jicama, carrots, tomatoes, mango and pineapple all piled high on our plate made for a tasty and colorful medley. We were also given a skewer with grilled corn coated in crumbly cheese with a nice kick.  It was delicious! (I surreptitiously managed to procure a second skewer:) )

 

Another surprise was delivered once our salad plates had been cleared, this one came in the form of two scoops of Wild Blueberry and goat cheese ice cream. Talk about a stroke of genius! It served simultaneously as a palate cleanser and a hot topic of conversation. This got my table going on a tangent that veered towards the wonders of pairing chocolate and cheese...yumm:)

A ratatouille of sorts was served next with eggplant, zucchini and roasted peppers.  I am not sure it was supposed to be served cold, but the spicy salsa verde certainly helped heat it up again:)

For the main course, we were given a plate piled high with traditional Cuban street food - rice and beans, collard greens and fried plantains (which they thankfully brought out extra of.  Two soft tacos were filled with vegan chicken and green apple curry.  I was curious about how you make vegan chicken, but the big boss aka... Ice T, would not let me in on that secret...but I suppose some must be kept:)

It was pretty tasty, however I was not too crazy about the texture.

Unfortunately, the dessert, which was one of the best parts of the meal for me, cannot be disclosed here...it would give too much away! 

All I can say is that after all of this delicious food and magical champagne flutes that somehow managed to refill themselves throughout, room must be left for the real treat that ends the meal.

Barrio Pop-up Dinner is going to be a great hit.  Once people get it on their radar they will be bombarding the correspondent to get a spot. 

Boston's food scene is always evolving, with pop-ups sprouting up here and there, there is always something new and exciting to look forward to. As for me, I am still looking to get in on a Guchi Midnigt Ramen pop-up and a couple of others...I am also looking forward to discovering more Pop-ups in and around Boston!
As promised, here is the email you should contact to get a spot at the next Barrio Pop-up Dinner (March 8th):

Barrio pop-up dinner

Celebrity Chef Series at Stella!

 In the restaurant business, Monday nights are known for being the 'off' night - people are usually still recovering from their weekends, or trying to get their minds around the inevitability that is the rest of the week. Monday nights in restaurants are thus usually quiet and relatively low key.

This is the exact opposite of what has been going on at Stella every Monday since the New Year. For its third year in a row, Stella holds a Celebrity Chef Series in which a different 'Celebrity Chef' from around Boston is invited to come up with a multi-course meal to be served on Mondays.  Chef Evan Deluty really has a fantastic initiative on his hands.  While you can still order from the regular menu, the bonus of experiencing a different chef's culinary style and inspiration every week has really been drawing in the crowds. 

 Last Monday, it was Chef Louis DiBicarri of Storyville who cooked up a  fantastic four course meal.  He certainly had Stella buzzing with South End locals, fans and friends of both Head Chefs and food enthusiasts.

 First course: Guanciale (delicious, crispy bacon), fried brussel leaves and fennel pollen served under a beautifully soft-boiled egg with toasted focaccia.  It was a perfect sample of a dressed up breakfast:)

 Next we had a mushroom and roasted red pepper linguini.  This pasta dish was served almost like a soup (I assume this was intentional), the broth was certainly delicious and the three large mushrooms were plump with the jus. I really enjoyed the colours, they were perfect for winter.

 For the third course, Chef Louis came out with a White Sweet potato soup topped with pomegranate seeds that added a surprising burst of tang and creme fraiche to balance it all out.

 The piece de resistance came next, it was a sizable cut of Veal Osso Bucco with saffron potatoes and escarole.  I don't often eat veal, but Chef Louis' meat was really prime, I thought it was cooked to a lovely reddish brown, it fell apart at the slightest pressure and you were left with the bone which - to further my delight, was filled with bone marrow!

I really enjoyed this dish...and somehow finished every last bit of it!

As a sweet ending, I thought Chef Louis was very brave in baking up batches of half-baked chocolate chip cookies.  Although this sounds pretty juvenile, I happen to think that baking a good chocolate chip cookie is quite a challenge. It can be too hard, too crunchy, not enough chocolate, not the right contrast between chocolate and batter....etc. Chef Louis' cookies were beautiful. He managed to nail the crispy outer rim with ooey-gooey goodness on the inside. The bitter-sweet chocolate chips married perfectly with the sweet batter.  My friend and I asked for a scoop of vanilla gelato to top it off which I really think is a necessity.

I enjoyed the entire meal; it was different, delicious and there was certainly no pretension.  Dishes were honest and delightful.  When chefs are let loose and free, you really get to try something fun.. priced at 40 dollars this series is a definite win both for restaurants and their patrons.

I can't think of a better way to start off my week - and lucky for us all, this Monday Chef Will Gilson is up and rumour has it...be is going for 6 courses!