Grub Street Boston

The Other Critics: Vegan Pizza at Peace O' Pie, Huge Portions at Stork Club

Carolina Bolado — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:44:06 -0500

]]>• Peace O' Pie's vegan pizza is so good it might make you forget you're eating fake cheese. [Globe]

• Three stars for Jade Garden, where the trick is to point out your protein while it's still swimming in the tank. [Phoenix]

• The portions are huge and the prices reasonable at Stork Club, but the New Orleans-inspired food gets only a C+ from the Herald. [Herald]

]]> Read more posts by Carolina Bolado

Filed Under: jade garden, peace o' pie, stork club, the other critics

Jim Halpert Would Take Pam Beesly to Sonsie

Carolina Bolado — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:50:03 -0500

]]>So says Brighton-native John Krasinski, best known as Jim Halpert from The Office. Krasinski talked to UrbanDaddy about his favorite Boston-area haunts, like Bill's Pizzeria in Newton Centre and Sullivan's in Castle Island. If he were returning home as Jim with a pregnant Pam on his arm, he'd try to take her to show her a good time at Sonsieor Match. And his best Boston meal? That award goes to Anthony's Pier 4, where the Krasinski family celebrates each Christmas Eve with clam chowder. [UrbanDaddy]

]]> Read more posts by Carolina Bolado

Filed Under: anthony's pier 4, bill's pizzeria, celebrity settings, john krasinski, match, sonsie, sullivan's

Have a Free Dessert on the Mayor

Leila Cohan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

]]>The Mayor's Holiday Special is underway and, from now until January 18, printing a voucher entitles you to savings at more than 40 Boston restaurants. The deals vary from place to place: a free appetizer at some, free desserts at others, but with everywhere from Bina Osteria to Pops getting in on the action, printing out a coupon is well worth the ink.

Mayor's Holiday Special [Official Site]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: cheap eats, foodievents

Bambara Takes a Cue From the Mall

Leila Cohan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

]]>Bambara will host a five-course dinner inspired by the shops of the Cambrideside Galleria at 7 p.m. on November 14. Don't expect Taco Bell and Panda Express, though: the dishes served are mostly related to the mall by their punny titles. At $40, the dinner is a pretty solid deal, especially since free parking at the Hotel Marlowe is included. We've got the full menu below.

]]>Radio Snack
Tomato Onion Jam Tart, Whipped Pecorino, Mache

Pumpkin Express
Pumpkin Flan, winter greens, bleu cheese, spiced walnuts, maple sherry vinaigrette

Old Navy Beans and Clams
Linguine and clams with escarole, navy beans, tomatoes, lardoons

Duck Breast Buy
Roast duck breast, parsnip puree, braised garlicky chard, cranberry demiglaze

The Apple Store Crisp
Apple crisp with burnt sugar ice cream and hazelnut crackle

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: bambara, cambridge, foodievents

Food Pantry Turkey Shortage; Hungry Man Steals Brownies

Helen Rosner — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:18 -0500

]]>• The Merrimack food pantry is concerned that they won't have enough turkeys on hand to meet the Thanksgiving demand. [WBZTV]

• A man who stole $1.75 worth of brownies from a store in Somerville claimed he had not eaten in many days, and was arrested on charges of shoplifting by concealing, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and carrying an open container of alcohol. [Wicked Local]

• Kellogg's has voluntarily decided to remove the labels from their cereal boxes that promise to boost children's immunity. [Money Times]

]]>• Restaurant chains are trying to drive business by offering free meals to veterans. [USAToday]

• A piece of baguette dropped by a bird has shut down the Large Hadron Collider. [EMD]

]]> Read more posts by Helen Rosner

Filed Under: crime, labeling, mediavore, somerville, thanksgiving

Is Lord Hobo Open?

Adam Martin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:06:29 -0500

]]>Oh, the Internet. In answer to the question of whether the long-awaited Lord Hobo might be open, a Universal Hub poster has the succinct answer. Aw, that deserves a sad trombone. [Universal Hub]

]]> Read more posts by Adam Martin

Filed Under: funnies, lord hobo, sad trombone

What to Eat at Jean-Georges' Market

Adam Martin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:40:16 -0500

]]>The new Market by Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened last week, and today we have the menu below for your perusal. Among the highlights at dinner: Raw sea urchin toast, rice cracker-encrusted tuna, and foie gras brulee. Lunch features most of the same items as dinner, but without the raw menu. The highlight there: A series of house-made sodas in flavors like Passion Chili and Cherry Yuzu. For when you just can't get away with three martinis.

]]>Dinner Menu:

SIMPLY RAW

Oysters on the Half Shell
Mignonette
2.75 each

Tuna Tartare
Avocado, Spicy Radish
Ginger Dressing
14

Arctic Char Sashimi
Golden Garlic
Lemon and Soy
12

Sea Urchin Toast
Yuzu and Jalapeño
16

PIZZA

Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil
9

Clam, Chili, Parsley
12

Black Truffle
with Fontina Cheese
14

Beef Carpaccio
Arugula, Parmesan
14

SOUP & SALAD

Creamy Clam Chowder
Smoked Bacon, Thyme
9

Butternut Squash Soup
Mushrooms and Chives
8

Warm Goat Cheese Custard
Sweet and Sour Beets
Pistachios
10

Arugula and Boston Lettuce
Mustard Vinaigrette
Fines Herbes
9

Pear, Frisée, Apple Salad
Danish Blue Cheese
Candied Pecans
11

Steamed Shrimp Salad
Tender Greens, Avocado
Champagne Dressing
13

APPETIZERS

Rice Cracker Crusted Tuna
Citrus-Chili Emulsion
15

Seared Shrimp, Silky Pumpkin
Ginger and Basil
12

Black Pepper Crab Fritters
Pear and Endive
14

Crispy Clams, Basil Salt
Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
11

Sea Scallops
Caramelized Cauliflower
Caper-Raisin Emulsion
14

Foie Gras Brulé
Spiced Fig Jam
Toasted Brioche
17

FISH

Casco Cod
Shimeji Mushrooms
Miso-Yuzu Broth
19

Striped Bass
Nut and Seed Crust
Sweet and Sour Broth
23

Georges Bank Haddock
Parsnip Puree, Mint
Fragrant Coconut Juice
21

Slowly Cooked Salmon
Mashed Potatoes
Brussel Sprouts
Truffle Vinaigrette
23

Lobster with Basil Butter
Lemon Spaetzle
Fall Vegetables
28

MEAT

Parmesan Crusted
Organic Chicken, Artichokes
Lemon-Basil Butter
19

Snake River Farm Pork Chop
Pistachio Pesto
Roasted Cauliflower
26

Soy Glazed Short Ribs
Apple-Jalapeño Puree
Rosemary Crumbs
24

Grilled Lamb Chops
Smoked Chili Glaze
King Oyster Mushrooms
Broccoli Rabe
29

Prime NY Strip Steak
Gingered Mushrooms
Soy-Caramel Sauce
32

MARKET Cheeseburger
Russian Dressing
14

SIDES

Truffle Mashed Potatoes
7

Hand Cut French Fries
6

Sautéed Spinach
7

Roasted Cauliflower
with Pistachios
6

Sautéed Maitake Mushrooms
Sesame and Lime
8

Earlier: Market Opens Tomorrow [Grub Street Boston]

]]> Read more posts by Adam Martin

Filed Under: jean-georges, market, Menus

Lynn, Lynn, City of Sin (and Pizza); Are Fancy Burgers Worth It?

Leila Cohan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Craigie on Main's $18 burger]]>• Lynn's pizza scene is surprisingly solid. [Chowhound]

• Are $18 burgers ever $18 worth of deliciousness? [Yelp]

]]>• Wellesley's restaurant scene is plagued by a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof-esque mendacity. [Chowhound]

• Root beer on tap: one of life's simplest pleasures. [Yelp]

• Myers + Chang's Twitter is pretty great. [Chowhound]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: board at work, burgers, lynn, myers and chang, root beer, wellesley

Bailing Out Gloucester Fishermen; Whole Foods Back in the Saddle

Helen Rosner — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:15 -0500

]]>• After this summer's "boil water" order hurt Gloucester fishermen, the state is offering low-interest loans to help bail them out. [Boston Herald]

• Boxing champion Julio Chavez is opening a boxing-themed restaurant and entertainment complex in Phoenix, Arizona. [NRN]

• After a recession-fueled slump, Whole Foods is finally seeing sales pick up. [WSJ]

• A California-based tomato-processing executive has plead guilty for his participation in a conspiracy to drive up food prices that included Kraft and Frito-Lay. [AP]

]]> Read more posts by Helen Rosner

Filed Under: gloucester, julio chavez, mediavore, whole foods

Stuff Your Face at Taza's Open House

Leila Cohan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

]]>On Saturday, December 5, Taza Chocolate will throw open the doors to their Somerville factory. There will be tours and, more importantly, tastings. Every. single. one. of Taza's chocolates will be available to taste, alongside Mexican hot chocolate. The open house runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and no reservations are taken, so plan to show up early.

Taza Chocolate [Official Site]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: foodievents, somerville, taza chocolate

A Bite of the StarChefs Rising Stars Revue

Leila Cohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0500

]]>Fifteen Boston chefs, restaurateurs, and mixologists were honored at last night's StarChefs Rising Stars Revue and, as befits such an occasion, there was plenty of food. Each honoree contributed a dish and we've got the photographs. Whether you want to relive your glorious evening or masochistically torture yourself with what you missed, we've got you covered.

Rising Stars Boston [StarChefs]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: andres grundy, chris chung, chris parsons, foodievents, jamie bissonnette, jiho kim, joanne chang, louis dibiccari, maura kilpatrick, mike pagliarini, rachel klein, richard garcia, tom schlesinger-guidelli, will gilson

EVOO, Za Opening in Kendall Square

Leila Cohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0500

Za's Arlington location]]>Kendall Square's Watermark building will soon play home to a relocated EVOO and a second location of Arlington's Za, reports Boston on the Go. EVOO and Za will share a space divided by a common bar, as well as a prep kitchen, partner Steve Kurland tells us.

]]>The menu for the second Za will be the same as the first, and Kurland says he isn't threatened by nearby Emma's Pizza: "I love Emma's, but we're similar in some ways and different in others. There's room for both of us and, in fact, part of the reason we're opening in Kendall Square is because we feel like the area is underserved by restaurants, especially at lunch time." No word yet as to what will take EVOO's space when it closes, but might we suggest a bar where patrons of Dali can while away their wait? The EVOO/Za complex is set to open in February.

Restaurant News [Boston on the Go]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: cambridge, evoo, kendall square, openings, za

Cambridge Chef Giuseppe Castellano To Open New York Spot

Leila Cohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:20:00 -0500

]]>Gran Gusto chef Giuseppe Castellano will open a second restaurant in New York City this winter. Castellano's restaurant will occupy the former home of Cipolla Rossa on the Upper East Side and will have no more than 40 seats, says spokesperson Alicia Purcell. The name and exact concept have not yet been decided, but, unlike Gran Gusto, pizza will not be the primary focus of the menu. As Castellano works on the new restaurant, Gran Gusto's sous chef Jose Sanchez, who has been with the restaurant since the beginning, will take more of a leadership role, with Castellano returning to Cambridge once a week. Castellano hopes to open his New York restaurant in late January or early February.

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: giuseppe castellano, gran gusto, openings

Eat Your Heart Out at Church This Weekend

Leila Cohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

]]>Eat Your Heart Out, a food and music event benefiting Zumix and Future Chefs, will take place at Church at 6 p.m. on Sunday. Eight local chefs, including Tremont 647's Andy Husbands and Tim Weichmann of T.W. Food will serve up music-inspired dishes at a Grand Tasting, after which Deer Tick, You Can Be a Wesley (which we spent an embarrassing amount of time reading as You Can Be a Weasley), and Coyote Kolb will perform. Tickets are $25 for the concert and $50 for the concert and the tasting. Check out the full list of chefs and their dishes below.

]]>Andy Husbands, Tremont 647
A tribute to Jon Spencer's Boss Hog
A "blue explosion" of Southern sandwiches, Featuring Blue's Hog BBQ sauce

Jamie Bissonnette, Coppa/Toro
Bad Brains and Lambs' Heart

Will Gilson, Garden at The Cellar
Castles in the Sand, a tribute to Jimi Hendrix (Featuring Island Creek Oysters)

Matthew Barros, Myers + Chang
Grilled 5-spice tofu buns (aka tofu buns and roses) bao, brandied hoisin, house pickles

Joe Guarino, Church
An ode to Elvis Presley's love of chicken, butter and anything fried:
"Ain't Nothin Butter Houndog".
Marinated Chicken Livers deep fried in corndog batter finished with a sambal spiced peanut sauce served on skewer "corndog style".

Tim Weichmann, T.W. Food
rustic german apple cake with heirloom black russian apples and autumn squash and maple ice cream

Tim Cushman, O Ya
Rockin' Rock Shrimp

Louie DiBicarri, Sel De La Terre
Daddy, would you like some sausage?

Eat Your Heart Out Boston [Official Site]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: andy husbands, church, eat your heart out boston, foodievents, jamie bissonnette, joe guarino, louis dibiccari, matthew barros, tim cushman, tim weichmann, will gilson

The French Chef Returns to WGBH; E. coli Lawsuit in Brockton

Leila Cohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:02:39 -0500

]]>• This weekend, WGBH will begin airing reruns of Julia Child's The French Chef every Saturday at 12:30. [Globe]

• Brockton's South Shore Meats has been sued following the recent E. coli outbreak in New England. [Herald]

]]>• Today's sophisticated kids are bored with standard children's menu fare. [Globe]

• Italian coffee company Illy is partnering with independent American coffee shops to build brand recognition. [WSJ]

• Australia's wine makers are trying to widen their American recognition beyond Yellowtail. [WSJ]

• In an effort to boost bar sales, restaurants are beefing up their wine and beer lists. [NRN]

• The owner of a Denver sushi bar has been charged with fatally shooting a man at his restaurant. [Denver Post via Eater National]

]]> Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: e coli, illy, julia child, mediavore, south shore meats