For my first official post as the Foodista on Pointe, I have decided that the documentation of a well-rounded evening of excellent food and culture would be a perfect kick off.
This past Saturday night, a couple of friends and I were very excited to see one of our Physical Therapists from Boston Ballet perform at Green Street Studios right near Central Square. Seeing as we are usually the ones performing, it is such a treat to get to sit and enjoy another company perform. What made our evening even more fun, were the two stops we made before and after for our tummies and some libations:)
Our first stop was at Thelonious Monkfish, a sushi restaurant in the heart of Central Square. We arrived at 6 30 and were lucky to get one of the super comfy, Japanese-style tables. I was very impressed to see these seating arrangements as I have not seen them since I had sushi in Singapore this summer. At these tables, you sit on a cushion on the floor by a very low table. It creates a very relaxed, zen-like atmosphere:)
Although you cannot see the low tables, the rest of the restaurant is set up as shown above, with regular two or four top tables and an impressive sushi-bar where chefs are busy whipping together some beautiful rolls and pieces.
Once we were settled, we ordered their sashimi sampler to start. An assortment of vibrant, fresh fish came out; the tuna was a deep red-pink and had a distinctly sweet fishy taste. I was most impressed by the mackerel however, which was sooo tender. A good test for any sushi restaurant is their raw fish, and on this level, Thelonious Monkfish did not disappoint!
The menu here is extensive, serving much more than sushi. They had a number of interesting sounding soups and I found it incredibly difficult to make a decision. In the end I went with their mushroom-ginger soup. It was delicious! A light, ginger spice added to vegetable broth with shiitake, julienne, shoots of ginger and enoki. Next time I will have to try their duck pickled lime soup...or their kimchee rice soup...YUM!
Of course, I could not resist ordering an order of sushi. Again, with all the interesting rolls, it was difficult to make a choice. (I mean how can you ignore a 'Gaga Monster roll'?) In the end, I went for Fashion Maki: bbq eel, cream cheese and cucumber drizzled in their house-special sauce. As with their fresh fish, their sushi ingredients were fresh, vibrant and tasty:)
The whole reason we ended up in Central was to see the Contrapose Dance company perform. The show was at 8 oclock and held in the largest studio at Green Street Studios. It ran about an hour and a half and featured different choreographers, both local and remote. There is something really special about being in an intimate space with a group of impassioned artists who are giving so much. The audience was packed and involved and it is a real pity this dance company does not make more appearances..although I am already looking forward to whatever they do next!
Once the show was over and all the dancers congratulated, we headed over to Brick and Mortar, a bar that has recently replaced the former Enormous Room - one of Central's quirkiest dance spots. Brick and Mortar embodies the same 'removed and understated' quality of Enormous Room with its location being completely unmarked. In fact, I decided not to take any pictures of the exterior or the interior so that you can have the fun of discovering it yourself!
I will say however, that the inside has been refurbished into a great, lounge-y space with a long, half-oval shaped bar. The staff are very attentive (which is definitely not how Enormous Room used to operate), the drinks are different and well-made and they have some snack items that are enough to make your mouth water...take for instance, their 'Devils on horseback', aka, bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese, or their Duck confit and gruyere fries...pictured above.
Brick and Mortar is a great spot to hit up for a casual drink and I would be eager to take it up for dinner as well.
All in all, our evening was a great mix of food and art. Boston is a fantastic city and many interesting endeavors await at your fingertips. Get out and take advantage - I know I plan on doing just that! Here comes the foodista on pointe:)
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