I was fortunate enough to have met someone in D.C. who loves food as much as I do. Elizabeth, like all the foodies in my life, has an adventurous palate. Needless to say, we instantly became friends. She took me to a Korean restaurant called Mandu in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. Now, before I tell you about the wonderful authentic Korean fare I had, I want to tell you more about Dupont Circle. If you live in Boston, picture the South End: gorgeous brownstones with big stoops, small bistros and trendy bars. Given that it is a very gay friendly part of town, it was tasteful, trendy, and absolutely fabulous! Being the fabulous gal that I am, I felt right in! Now, onto the food.
D.C. has something Boston doesn’t have and will never have: happy hour. Not the kind of happy hour where you get a half-priced burger, but you still pay full price for a drink. No, not that kind. In our Nation’s Capital drinks are discounted EVERYWHERE usually from 4-7 P.M. At Mandu, beers were $2 and martinis were $4. A girl who loves to get her drink on could get used to these kinds of prices. I ordered, upon Elizabeth’s recommendation a soju martini. Soju is a typical Korean alcohol, usually made from rice and resembling sake. My soju martini was mixed with aloe juice. Think of how refreshing aloe feels when you rub it into your sun burnt skin. It felt just the same drinking it. It had a very refreshing herbal taste, perfect for a hot summer afternoon. My second martini (because there is always a second) was soju mixed with yogurt. Korean yogurt is not the creamy flavored food that most of us have for breakfast. It was milky, but not creamy, and very sweet. Because of it sweetness, it was an excellent after dinner drink.
For an appetizer we shared the pan fried mandu, or dumplings. We couldn’t decide which ones we wanted to order, so we settled for a combination of shrimp, vegetables wrapped in a spinach wonton, and beef and pork (ground and mixed together). The inside of the dumplings were steaming and the outside was fried to a delightful crunch. They were accompanied with a very simple, soy and sesame sauce. The sauce was tangy, so I am assuming it contained rice wine vinegar.
Korean restaurants serve complimentary sides, or appetizers. These are the chef’s choice- they constantly change and you never know what you will get. The server brought out four sides: sweet potatoes cooked in a sweet glaze and paired with green beans, sliced zucchini cooked in a red chili paste, tofu with eggplant and onions, and a spicy pickled cabbage, called kimchee. They were all served cold. The sweet potato was my favorite. It was very sweet and was great to eat after the zucchini and the cabbage to offset their spiciness. This sounds like a lot of food, but the portions are small and serve as the perfect course between your appetizer and your entrée.
For an entrée I ordered the Dolsot Bibim Bap. It was a rice dish served in a very hot stone bowl, so it kept on cooking while you were eating it. Plain white rice was served with a variety of vegetables, such as mushrooms, spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, thinly sliced beef and topped with a fried egg*. Elizabeth explained that you mixed all the ingredients together so that yolk breaks and soaks into the rice. A spicy red bean sauce, similar to a red chili paste, was served on the side so that you can add as much as you’d like. I added a couple of dollops and it added the perfect amount of spice to my dish. To me, this was the perfect meal because it contained all the nutrients you needed: carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and of course, the right amount of fat. Since the rice kept cooking, when you reached the bottom, it was crunchy. I have zero complaints about the Bibim Bap. I absolutely loved it!
Elizabeth ordered the Duru Chigee, thinly sliced pork belly served with kimchee, tofu and rice cakes. The rice cakes are made with rice flour and are chewy in texture. I sampled her dish and I was a huge fan. Pork belly resembles bacon, but contains more meat. It is a fatty meat, so I don’t recommend it if you are concerned with your fat intake. In fact, Elizabeth’s only complaint was that her dish was a bit fatty. Otherwise, it was a very flavorful dish.
This concludes my authentic Korean experience. I loved it. Absolutely loved it! It has been one of the greater culinary experiences I’ve had. I already found a few Korean restaurants in Boston so that I can introduced all my Massholes to this wonderful cuisine.
Buen Provecho!
*As a side note, I want to tell you that one of my favorite dishes growing up, being the well-fed Cuban girl that I am, was plain white rice mixed with a fried egg. I used to have this all the time, served with steak or just on it own. Try it some time. It’s delicious!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Jaleo- Washington, D.C.
Last time I was in D.C. in 2008, I went to a Spanish restaurant called Jaleo, located near Chinatown on 7th Ave. NW. The restaurant was featured on Rachel Ray’s $40 A Day show. Say what you will about her annoying squeaky voice, but the woman knows her food! I took my mom and she said that the only tapas that surpassed the ones from Jaleo, were the ones she ate in Spain. Jaleo got my mom’s seal of approval and it definitely got mine ten times over.
I headed to Jaleo last night for their “Jaleo Hour”, their happy hour where tapas, wine, sangria, and well drinks are $4. Unfortunately, I don’t know my way around D.C. very well and my commute took longer than I expected. I arrived at the bar at 7:01 p.m.- ONE MINUTE too late! I had eaten at my hotel room, so I wasn’t terribly hungry, but I was definitely in the mood to have a drink (or seven!) I plopped down on a stool and order a half carafe of their Cava Sangria: Cava, brandy, strawberries and mint. Simple, delicious and refreshing! After I finished the sangria with the help of my new friend, Elizabeth, I ordered one of their signature cocktails, La Pomada: gin, freshly made lemonade, and mint.* After two Pomadas and half a carafe of sangria, I was ready to eat! Two different people, sat next to me at different times throughout the night and ordered the oxtail, so in my quest to try new things, I followed suit. A big chunk of oxtail was served on top of very, very creamy mashed potatoes. The meat came off the bone effortlessly and had the richest flavor imaginable. The tail was cooked in a red wine sauce, that when mixed with the meat’s natural juices, made a heavenly puddle perfect for dipping bread. It definitely wasn’t made for sharing. I mean, you could, but trust me, you won’t want to. I could have eaten at least two more. Absolutely fantastic!
I will definitely be returning to Jaleo this week to partake in their happy hour and to eat more food. Stay tuned.
Buen Provecho amigos!
*The lemonade was served out of canister that made it fizz. If any one knows the proper name for this device, let me know
I headed to Jaleo last night for their “Jaleo Hour”, their happy hour where tapas, wine, sangria, and well drinks are $4. Unfortunately, I don’t know my way around D.C. very well and my commute took longer than I expected. I arrived at the bar at 7:01 p.m.- ONE MINUTE too late! I had eaten at my hotel room, so I wasn’t terribly hungry, but I was definitely in the mood to have a drink (or seven!) I plopped down on a stool and order a half carafe of their Cava Sangria: Cava, brandy, strawberries and mint. Simple, delicious and refreshing! After I finished the sangria with the help of my new friend, Elizabeth, I ordered one of their signature cocktails, La Pomada: gin, freshly made lemonade, and mint.* After two Pomadas and half a carafe of sangria, I was ready to eat! Two different people, sat next to me at different times throughout the night and ordered the oxtail, so in my quest to try new things, I followed suit. A big chunk of oxtail was served on top of very, very creamy mashed potatoes. The meat came off the bone effortlessly and had the richest flavor imaginable. The tail was cooked in a red wine sauce, that when mixed with the meat’s natural juices, made a heavenly puddle perfect for dipping bread. It definitely wasn’t made for sharing. I mean, you could, but trust me, you won’t want to. I could have eaten at least two more. Absolutely fantastic!
I will definitely be returning to Jaleo this week to partake in their happy hour and to eat more food. Stay tuned.
Buen Provecho amigos!
*The lemonade was served out of canister that made it fizz. If any one knows the proper name for this device, let me know
Uncle Julio’s Arlington, VA
I decided to check out the local eats in Arlington and found myself at Uncle Julio’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant offering classics plus a few extra exotic items, such as frog legs. I sat outside in the patio because, compared to Boston, the weather in Virginia is very pleasant! I ordered a Margarita, made with Patron of course. For $10, I would have liked more Patron because after two Margs I was barely tipsy. Zero points for Uncle Julio for making weak, expensive drinks.
I wasn’t very hungry, so I only ordered an appetizer. I ordered the vegetable tamales topped with Cotija cheese and sour cream. I liked this dish, but I do have some negative criticism. I was expecting a lot of vegetables: mushrooms, onions, peppers, maybe a zucchini or two, but what I got was two corn tamales, topped with a drizzle of sour cream, a few crumbles of cheese, and 3 slivers each of red and green peppers. All was forgiven when I took the first bite. The masa was firm in texture and had a smoky, spicy aftertaste and to my surprise, I found a few corn kernels in it. Maybe these were the vegetables they were talking about. They were served on top of dried corn husks, not wrapped in them like I would have liked. These were simply for garnish and I applaud their effort to make the dish as authentic as possible.
I browsed through the menu and the food seemed rather pricy for a Tex-Mex restaurant; however, I noticed the people around me had massive portions served in front of them, so I am sure you got your money’s worth. I certainly did with the tamales. I was able to eat one and take the other one back to my hotel room. Did I mention the complimentary all-you-can-eat chips and salsa? Perhaps they were the reason I didn’t finish the second tamal.
Will I come back here? Given, that I have to travel to Arlington for work a couple times out of the year, yes! Next time, I’ll definitely show up hungry so that I can have an entrée, such as their fish tacos or even their frog legs! But, I think I’ll skip on the $10 Margarita and order a Corona with a lime next time.
Bon Appetit, or as Uncle Julio would say, Buen Provecho!
I wasn’t very hungry, so I only ordered an appetizer. I ordered the vegetable tamales topped with Cotija cheese and sour cream. I liked this dish, but I do have some negative criticism. I was expecting a lot of vegetables: mushrooms, onions, peppers, maybe a zucchini or two, but what I got was two corn tamales, topped with a drizzle of sour cream, a few crumbles of cheese, and 3 slivers each of red and green peppers. All was forgiven when I took the first bite. The masa was firm in texture and had a smoky, spicy aftertaste and to my surprise, I found a few corn kernels in it. Maybe these were the vegetables they were talking about. They were served on top of dried corn husks, not wrapped in them like I would have liked. These were simply for garnish and I applaud their effort to make the dish as authentic as possible.
I browsed through the menu and the food seemed rather pricy for a Tex-Mex restaurant; however, I noticed the people around me had massive portions served in front of them, so I am sure you got your money’s worth. I certainly did with the tamales. I was able to eat one and take the other one back to my hotel room. Did I mention the complimentary all-you-can-eat chips and salsa? Perhaps they were the reason I didn’t finish the second tamal.
Will I come back here? Given, that I have to travel to Arlington for work a couple times out of the year, yes! Next time, I’ll definitely show up hungry so that I can have an entrée, such as their fish tacos or even their frog legs! But, I think I’ll skip on the $10 Margarita and order a Corona with a lime next time.
Bon Appetit, or as Uncle Julio would say, Buen Provecho!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Simple and Delicious Meals
I am currently out of town and although my room comes equipped with a small kitchen, I don’t have access to many cooking tools or ingredients. Last night, I went to the local grocery store in Arlington, VA and I bought a few essential things. I came up with a simple recipe for honey mustard chicken. You’ll need the following equipment: a bowl, a fork, a knife, and a frying pan. You’ll need the following ingredients: one or two chicken breasts, white wine, honey mustard (plain mustard works as well), olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped garlic and Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb spice mix, or any other multi-purpose spice mix.
In a bowl, whisk about 2-3 table spoons of mustard with half a cup of white wine and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix in the salt, pepper, garlic and one or two shakes of Mrs. Dash. Let the chicken marinate in the mixture for 10-15 minutes or longer if you have the time. Remove the chicken from the mustard wine mixture and reserve any remaining sauce. Cook the chicken about 3-4 minutes on each side and then add the remaining sauce. Cook for an additional 3 minutes and serve. I paired the chicken with baby Portobello mushrooms. I seasoned these with a bit of Mrs. Dash and cooked with olive oil over medium heat until they were browned on both sides. I enjoyed my meal with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio.
I love how versatile this recipe can be. I can add the chicken to a salad made with baby romaine, cucumber and red pepper or melt a slice of cheese on top of it to make a sandwich. It is the perfect dish to make after a long work day.
Bon Appetit!
In a bowl, whisk about 2-3 table spoons of mustard with half a cup of white wine and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix in the salt, pepper, garlic and one or two shakes of Mrs. Dash. Let the chicken marinate in the mixture for 10-15 minutes or longer if you have the time. Remove the chicken from the mustard wine mixture and reserve any remaining sauce. Cook the chicken about 3-4 minutes on each side and then add the remaining sauce. Cook for an additional 3 minutes and serve. I paired the chicken with baby Portobello mushrooms. I seasoned these with a bit of Mrs. Dash and cooked with olive oil over medium heat until they were browned on both sides. I enjoyed my meal with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio.
I love how versatile this recipe can be. I can add the chicken to a salad made with baby romaine, cucumber and red pepper or melt a slice of cheese on top of it to make a sandwich. It is the perfect dish to make after a long work day.
Bon Appetit!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Central Kitchen-Central Square, Cambridge
I’ve heard mixed reviews of Central Kitchen. People loved it, hated it, or thought it was worth returning to only for a dish or two. I love hearing other people’s suggestions and opinions about food, but I figured this was one restaurant for which I needed close my ears and form my own opinion.
A board of complimentary bread with hummus was served before dinner. I’ve been to many restaurants lately that serve their crusty bread with hummus. I love hummus, I could eat hummus every day, by the tub; however, not everyone loves hummus as much as I do. I don’t think that hummus should be a substitute for butter because as much as I love hummus, I love butter even more(especially on a piece of bread!)
Starters: Fennel Parsnip Soup and the Filet Mignon Tartar
The naturally spicy flavor of parsnip that I absolutely love was very weak in this soup. The fennel was more prominent than the parsnip and I would have preferred the opposite. According to the menu the soup was topped with a drizzle of curry infused olive oil. Although the olive oil was present, the curry was not. The consistency of the soup was extremely runny. I would have preferred a thicker consistency. Overall, this dish wasn’t the most memorable.
The tartar was the crowned jewel of the meal. It was made with a buttery filet mignon and mixed with mustard, capers, shallots and green onions. A raw quail egg sat on top of the beef and served as a perfect dipping ‘sauce’ for the meat. It was also accompanied by two brussel sprouts, tangy cornishons and pickled carrots. Yes, everything in this dish was raw, the egg, the meat and the vegetables and I am still alive to tell you that this has been one of the greatest appetizers that I have eaten at a restaurant. Don’t be turned off by raw meat or eggs. Contrary to popular belief, it won’t kill you nor will you fall ill with salmonella.
Entrée: Cassoulet and Chicken
Buttery cannelli beans were seasoned very lightly with parsley and served with wild boar sausage, duck confit, and pork. The meat on the pork pulled apart effortlessly. I think it might have been braised based on the consistency and moisture of the meat. The duck leg was extremely juicy and flavorful and its skin was extremely crispy. The wild boar sausage was too dry for my taste, which is very unfortunate because the flavor was gamey and delicious. This dish was slightly different from the original cassoulet recipe. Instead of having the consistency of a stew, the beans were drained and served dry. Although I enjoy a different take on an original recipe, a touch of moisture, preferably the juice of either the duck or the pork would have been the perfect addition to this dish.
Half a chicken was served on a skillet and accompanied with brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes. One particular accompaniment stood out amongst the rest. It was an intact, whole onion seasoned heavily with anise. It was the only part of the dish that was seasoned as such and I thought this was a very creative way to add a subtle hint of spice. Sure, if you ate the onion by itself, the anise was very prominent, but when mixed with the other ingredients it provided a slight hint of anise’s licorice-like flavor. The chicken was extremely moist, however, the skin was not crispy enough. This was just a minor flaw and did not affect the buttery flavor of the chicken. The brussel sprouts and the potatoes were cook al dente and seasoned with the juice from the chicken.
Dessert: Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
The vanilla bean was very subtle in this dessert, almost nonexistent. Nonetheless, once the caramelized layer of the brulee was cracked, a delicious, thick custard was revealed. Neither Scott nor I stopped to breathe while we were eating this dish. In fact, the waitress stopped by our table and commented on how fast we had inhaled the brulee. I love a waitress with a good sense of humor!
Drink: Rum Swizzle
Spiced rum was mixed with simple syrup and ginger, garnished with candied ginger and mint. It was very similar to a dark and stormy but mixed together. It was very heavy on the rum, the way a good mixed drink should be.
I also tried a white wine I had never tried before called viognier. It reminded me of a Sauvignon Blanc, dry and slightly crisp. I highly recommend it.
I greatly enjoyed this restaurant. The food and the service were excellent, and the prices were very reasonable for the portions. Both Scott and I were able to take half of our dishes home, minus the brulee of course!
Bon Appetit!
A board of complimentary bread with hummus was served before dinner. I’ve been to many restaurants lately that serve their crusty bread with hummus. I love hummus, I could eat hummus every day, by the tub; however, not everyone loves hummus as much as I do. I don’t think that hummus should be a substitute for butter because as much as I love hummus, I love butter even more(especially on a piece of bread!)
Starters: Fennel Parsnip Soup and the Filet Mignon Tartar
The naturally spicy flavor of parsnip that I absolutely love was very weak in this soup. The fennel was more prominent than the parsnip and I would have preferred the opposite. According to the menu the soup was topped with a drizzle of curry infused olive oil. Although the olive oil was present, the curry was not. The consistency of the soup was extremely runny. I would have preferred a thicker consistency. Overall, this dish wasn’t the most memorable.
The tartar was the crowned jewel of the meal. It was made with a buttery filet mignon and mixed with mustard, capers, shallots and green onions. A raw quail egg sat on top of the beef and served as a perfect dipping ‘sauce’ for the meat. It was also accompanied by two brussel sprouts, tangy cornishons and pickled carrots. Yes, everything in this dish was raw, the egg, the meat and the vegetables and I am still alive to tell you that this has been one of the greatest appetizers that I have eaten at a restaurant. Don’t be turned off by raw meat or eggs. Contrary to popular belief, it won’t kill you nor will you fall ill with salmonella.
Entrée: Cassoulet and Chicken
Buttery cannelli beans were seasoned very lightly with parsley and served with wild boar sausage, duck confit, and pork. The meat on the pork pulled apart effortlessly. I think it might have been braised based on the consistency and moisture of the meat. The duck leg was extremely juicy and flavorful and its skin was extremely crispy. The wild boar sausage was too dry for my taste, which is very unfortunate because the flavor was gamey and delicious. This dish was slightly different from the original cassoulet recipe. Instead of having the consistency of a stew, the beans were drained and served dry. Although I enjoy a different take on an original recipe, a touch of moisture, preferably the juice of either the duck or the pork would have been the perfect addition to this dish.
Half a chicken was served on a skillet and accompanied with brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes. One particular accompaniment stood out amongst the rest. It was an intact, whole onion seasoned heavily with anise. It was the only part of the dish that was seasoned as such and I thought this was a very creative way to add a subtle hint of spice. Sure, if you ate the onion by itself, the anise was very prominent, but when mixed with the other ingredients it provided a slight hint of anise’s licorice-like flavor. The chicken was extremely moist, however, the skin was not crispy enough. This was just a minor flaw and did not affect the buttery flavor of the chicken. The brussel sprouts and the potatoes were cook al dente and seasoned with the juice from the chicken.
Dessert: Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
The vanilla bean was very subtle in this dessert, almost nonexistent. Nonetheless, once the caramelized layer of the brulee was cracked, a delicious, thick custard was revealed. Neither Scott nor I stopped to breathe while we were eating this dish. In fact, the waitress stopped by our table and commented on how fast we had inhaled the brulee. I love a waitress with a good sense of humor!
Drink: Rum Swizzle
Spiced rum was mixed with simple syrup and ginger, garnished with candied ginger and mint. It was very similar to a dark and stormy but mixed together. It was very heavy on the rum, the way a good mixed drink should be.
I also tried a white wine I had never tried before called viognier. It reminded me of a Sauvignon Blanc, dry and slightly crisp. I highly recommend it.
I greatly enjoyed this restaurant. The food and the service were excellent, and the prices were very reasonable for the portions. Both Scott and I were able to take half of our dishes home, minus the brulee of course!
Bon Appetit!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Garden at the Cellar
I’ve been to Garden at the Cellar many times. You can even say it is my favorite bar and why wouldn’t it be? The drinks are cheap, Quentin the bartender is a riot, and their bar bites are the most gourmet the city has to offer. I had never been to their upstairs restaurant until now.
When I first arrived at the restaurant there was a 45 minutes wait, so I headed downstairs to the bar to have a few drinks. I started my meal with a $2.50 PBR because I am a classy broad and accompanied it with crispy potatoes. These were cubed and fried to a crisp topped with a rosemary dijon aioli. Both the rosemary and the dijon were very subtle, but the aioli sauce was loaded with garlic and the best thing besides a potato is a garlicky potato. The greasy potatoes paired very well with my Blue Ribbon.
My first course was a potato leek soup with sliced black truffles. As soon as the plate was set on the table the smell of truffles filled the space around me. I was surprised (and excited) to see the sliced truffles. Most dishes I’ve eaten contain either a pinch truffle shavings or a drizzle of truffle infused olive oil. The Chef was very generous with his truffles, which provided a delectable flavor and great texture to the creamy potato.
For my second course I had a glazed short rib served with a side of quinoa, which is similar to a couscous. I am not a huge fan of quinoa or couscous simply because their texture doesn’t sit well with me; however, I cannot overlook that fact the Chef Will’s quinoa was very flavorful. The gravy-like consistency and its flavor lead me to believe that the quinoa was cooked in a thick, hearty broth. Seared brussel sprouts adorned my plate. These were perfectly caramelized on the outside and very soft on the inside. The short rib was bathed in a sweet glaze and it was very, very tender.
Scott and I shared the bacon wrapped dates, filled with goat cheese and served on a bed of apple hash. The dates were sweet, the cheese was salty, and the bacon was smoky. The combination of these three flavors was an amazing one. Neither one was stronger than the other, creating an explosion of flavor in every bite. The apple hash was very unusual and I loved every bit of it! The apples were shredded and cooked al dente in a curry sauce. They were sweet, salty, and slightly spicy. The apple hash could have stood alone as its own appetizer, but Chef Will’s decision to pair it with the dates was an excellent one. This is one dish that I recommend you try at least once in your life.
Scott ordered the steak frites. A generous portion of skirt steak was served with French fries, parsnip puree and garlicky spinach. He ordered the steak medium rare because he knows that there is no other way to eat red meat. Needless to say, the steak was very juicy and flavorful. I’ve had the French fries in the pub many times before. They were topped with black truffle olive oil and rosemary. I’ve eaten a large plate of these by myself before. I recommend you do the same! The spinach was cooked very well. I have my reservations with cooked spinach because it is very easy to over cook, resulting in a pile of wilted green goo. This was not the case at The Cellar. The spinach was not wilted, but it was not raw either. Chef Will achieved a good medium between these two textures providing us with a plate of warm, crisp, and very garlicky spinach. I am saving the best for last: the parsnip puree. Its creamy texture and slightly piquant flavor were absolutely flawless. My only complaint about the parsnip is that there wasn’t more of it, but that is just the glutton in me speaking!
I opted out of ordering an entrée because I really wanted to try all of the above plus the Spanish Mussels. Even the glutton in me knows its limits at times. For the past year or so I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect mussels and I think I have come very close to finding perfection at The Cellar. I’ve had my fair share of overcooked and bland mussels. I can safely say that the mussels at The Cellar didn’t exhibit any of these traits. They were drowned in a tomato saffron sauce. The saffron wasn’t overbearing, but it was still a prominent flavor in the dish. The Spanish chorizo was a great addition to the dish. Large chunks of them made their way into the shells and paired exquisitely with the mussels. Long after the mussels were gone, I was searching for tiny bits of the chorizo in the sauce. I hope I found all of them because it would have been a shame to let such a flavorful chorizo go to waste.
I washed all my food down with a Rose Martini: gin, raspberry and rose water, garnished with a maraschino cherry. I had my back to the bar so I was not able to see the bartender prepare my drink. Scott had a great view of the bar and told me they sprayed the martini glass with the rose water instead of mixing it with the other ingredients. This makes perfect sense because the rose was very subtle. I personally don’t like maraschino cherries and I thought their addition to the drink added very little value. I would have preferred a different garnish, like rose buds or raspberries. I have to focus on the flavor of the drink, not on what’s floating in it. Overall, the drink was very light and paired well with my food. Scott ordered a Dark and Stormy, which was served in a pint glass and was very delicious; the perfect example of quantity and quality.
Garden at the Cellar does not have a dessert menu, which I found rather interesting. Instead they offer a complementary plate of Taza chocolate. Taza chocolate is a locally owned chocolatier based out of Somerville, MA. I would love to further investigate the methods they use for making the chocolate because its texture was slightly ashy, not creamy. I don’t want you to interpret this in a negative way. The flavor of the chocolate was delicious and I became an instant fan of Taza.
When I got the bill, I nearly fell out of my chair. All of the above, plus drinks, set us back $75. For a meal of this caliber, I expected nearly twice as much. Good eats at good prices. Garden at the Cellar just became my favorite restaurant.
Bon Appetit!
When I first arrived at the restaurant there was a 45 minutes wait, so I headed downstairs to the bar to have a few drinks. I started my meal with a $2.50 PBR because I am a classy broad and accompanied it with crispy potatoes. These were cubed and fried to a crisp topped with a rosemary dijon aioli. Both the rosemary and the dijon were very subtle, but the aioli sauce was loaded with garlic and the best thing besides a potato is a garlicky potato. The greasy potatoes paired very well with my Blue Ribbon.
My first course was a potato leek soup with sliced black truffles. As soon as the plate was set on the table the smell of truffles filled the space around me. I was surprised (and excited) to see the sliced truffles. Most dishes I’ve eaten contain either a pinch truffle shavings or a drizzle of truffle infused olive oil. The Chef was very generous with his truffles, which provided a delectable flavor and great texture to the creamy potato.
For my second course I had a glazed short rib served with a side of quinoa, which is similar to a couscous. I am not a huge fan of quinoa or couscous simply because their texture doesn’t sit well with me; however, I cannot overlook that fact the Chef Will’s quinoa was very flavorful. The gravy-like consistency and its flavor lead me to believe that the quinoa was cooked in a thick, hearty broth. Seared brussel sprouts adorned my plate. These were perfectly caramelized on the outside and very soft on the inside. The short rib was bathed in a sweet glaze and it was very, very tender.
Scott and I shared the bacon wrapped dates, filled with goat cheese and served on a bed of apple hash. The dates were sweet, the cheese was salty, and the bacon was smoky. The combination of these three flavors was an amazing one. Neither one was stronger than the other, creating an explosion of flavor in every bite. The apple hash was very unusual and I loved every bit of it! The apples were shredded and cooked al dente in a curry sauce. They were sweet, salty, and slightly spicy. The apple hash could have stood alone as its own appetizer, but Chef Will’s decision to pair it with the dates was an excellent one. This is one dish that I recommend you try at least once in your life.
Scott ordered the steak frites. A generous portion of skirt steak was served with French fries, parsnip puree and garlicky spinach. He ordered the steak medium rare because he knows that there is no other way to eat red meat. Needless to say, the steak was very juicy and flavorful. I’ve had the French fries in the pub many times before. They were topped with black truffle olive oil and rosemary. I’ve eaten a large plate of these by myself before. I recommend you do the same! The spinach was cooked very well. I have my reservations with cooked spinach because it is very easy to over cook, resulting in a pile of wilted green goo. This was not the case at The Cellar. The spinach was not wilted, but it was not raw either. Chef Will achieved a good medium between these two textures providing us with a plate of warm, crisp, and very garlicky spinach. I am saving the best for last: the parsnip puree. Its creamy texture and slightly piquant flavor were absolutely flawless. My only complaint about the parsnip is that there wasn’t more of it, but that is just the glutton in me speaking!
I opted out of ordering an entrée because I really wanted to try all of the above plus the Spanish Mussels. Even the glutton in me knows its limits at times. For the past year or so I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect mussels and I think I have come very close to finding perfection at The Cellar. I’ve had my fair share of overcooked and bland mussels. I can safely say that the mussels at The Cellar didn’t exhibit any of these traits. They were drowned in a tomato saffron sauce. The saffron wasn’t overbearing, but it was still a prominent flavor in the dish. The Spanish chorizo was a great addition to the dish. Large chunks of them made their way into the shells and paired exquisitely with the mussels. Long after the mussels were gone, I was searching for tiny bits of the chorizo in the sauce. I hope I found all of them because it would have been a shame to let such a flavorful chorizo go to waste.
I washed all my food down with a Rose Martini: gin, raspberry and rose water, garnished with a maraschino cherry. I had my back to the bar so I was not able to see the bartender prepare my drink. Scott had a great view of the bar and told me they sprayed the martini glass with the rose water instead of mixing it with the other ingredients. This makes perfect sense because the rose was very subtle. I personally don’t like maraschino cherries and I thought their addition to the drink added very little value. I would have preferred a different garnish, like rose buds or raspberries. I have to focus on the flavor of the drink, not on what’s floating in it. Overall, the drink was very light and paired well with my food. Scott ordered a Dark and Stormy, which was served in a pint glass and was very delicious; the perfect example of quantity and quality.
Garden at the Cellar does not have a dessert menu, which I found rather interesting. Instead they offer a complementary plate of Taza chocolate. Taza chocolate is a locally owned chocolatier based out of Somerville, MA. I would love to further investigate the methods they use for making the chocolate because its texture was slightly ashy, not creamy. I don’t want you to interpret this in a negative way. The flavor of the chocolate was delicious and I became an instant fan of Taza.
When I got the bill, I nearly fell out of my chair. All of the above, plus drinks, set us back $75. For a meal of this caliber, I expected nearly twice as much. Good eats at good prices. Garden at the Cellar just became my favorite restaurant.
Bon Appetit!
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