Pre-vacation Gluttony

Saturday before vacation - am I packing? Hah. Apparently I spend my day eating. Starts with ramen with Tai at Santouka in Back Bay.

Tai had the Tokusen toroniku ramen in spicy miso broth.

I don't remember what this was called. And the menu online is not up to date. But it was good. The broth was full-bodied but not too thick/heavy.







For dinner, we met with Jessica and Harry at Lord Hobo in Cambridge. The exterior of the restaurant is totally divey looking. The interior is dark and weird. But the food is surprisingly decent. The menu online is not up to date though.

 Drinks!

Truffle fries - really good. The cheese was killer.

 Beef belly - not bad, pretty interesting.

 Scallops - the puree was sooooo garlicky.

Not Fish n Chips - the potatoes were fantastic. Halibut was pretty good too.

Steak of some sort.

Food at Lord Hobo was good, but not great in any way.

For dessert, we went to Zinneken's in Harvard Square:

Strawberry and nutella.

 Whipped cream.

Banana and nutella.

Cafe Polonia

I'm sorry; I don't have pictures from my meal here Monday. But go here. Seriously. Sooo good.

Get the pickle soup if they have it. It's not at all what I was expecting, but it was really refreshing and delicious.

Also get the smoked salmon potato pancakes. It's everything you'd ever want in an appetizer.

We also had the blood sausage (not as scary as it sounds), the Polish plate (every bit was yummy), and pierogies (I mean, what's not to like).

Do not get the cheese crepe for dessert. It was odd. But they were out of babka. Next time!

Ramen and Roadhouse

Santouka opened another restaurant in Back Bay, where Mentei was formerly. And it's a huge improvement.

It is a pretty small space, so go early, or expect a wait. Drink options are very limited - iced teas and maybe calpico. And water, of course. But you're not coming here for drinks.

Gee's Tokusen toroniku ramen - I think he had the miso broth. That pork was phenomenal. So soft. So flavorful.

My shoyu ramen - a bit on the salty side for me. And my pork was quite fatty. But it was still delicious.









I'm glad for closer ramen options. Everything is made really well here. I also like how they have different bowl size options (mine was a small).

I like this location. I wish it were bigger, yes. But the ramen here in this visit was better than my visits to the New Jersey and Vancouver locations. Hopefully they're consistent.

Lady M's new Boston location is also right around the corner. So good. There is no seating here, so it's really just get your cakes and go.

Friday, Tai and I met with erecruit people at Texas Roadhouse in Everett. I haven't been here for ages, and I was reminded why. The rolls are fantastic. And the drinks are huge and boozy. But wow, the food is salty.

So good. Seriously, I would come just for these alone.

 Tai's steak - salty.

My country fried sirloin - salty.



















Honestly, I was so full after drinks and bread and apps, I only took one bite of my entree to try it. The loaded fries were good though. As was the sweet potato. But don't get the green beans or the "fresh" vegetables.

And today, I had a late lunch with Sam and Nhi at Pho Le. Service can be so spotty here. But the food is consistently good.

Mango salad.

Spring rolls.

Tofu with lemongrass.

Pho.











What a great time. :)

Seafood and Southern Cookin'

What a week, weather-wise. How does it go from 90s to 60s in three days?

On the super hot Wednesday, Tai and I go to Tony's Clam Shop on Wollaston for dinner. I'm not sure if it was just an off day, or if quality has really gone down. But the best thing about dinner was the pina colada. Followed by the fries.

My lobster roll and Tai's clam roll in the back - the lobster just wasn't great. I'm sad. And still on the hunt for a better lobster roll.

Pretty good pina colada - especially on such a hot day.

Pretty disappointing dinner. Not that it was bad. But it wasn't great either. Not sure we'll be back to Tony's.

Saturday, Tai and I went to Assembly Row for dinner at Southern Kin Cookhouse. And where Tai eventually killed the TSX's front bumper.

Southern Kin is hip but relaxed, with country music that is a touch too loud. But with a super-fast kitchen and very efficient service.

Bayou tacos - tiny. But really great flavors. And now I can say I've eaten gator tail.

Half a chicken and waffles plate - I really do love and appreciate when restaurants split plates for you when you're sharing. And I only managed half of this portion. The chicken was great - not dry, crispy, well-seasoned. The waffle was also really good.

Key lime pie - I'd pass. Too sugary.



















Make reservations if you're going during peak dining hours. But definitely worth a trip.

Sun, Sweat, and Slides

Two hundred forty years ago today, the Continental Congress adopted Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence, setting into motion the events that would eventually establish 13 upstart colonies as an independent nation.

Which means we celebrate with alcohol and fireworks, of course.

Friday started with drinks and appetizers at Market Lounge in the Financial District.

Rooftop bar. I think I counted six flights of stairs, but I could be wrong. There is no elevator. You have been warned.

Drinks.

 More drinks.

Mozzarella sticks and buffalo chicken rangoons.



















Parmesan fries with a mango sauce were also delicious. Calamari was meh and extremely salty. Great atmosphere after work though.

Saturday was a fun day in Lexington, where the Lions Club hosts a carnival and fireworks each year. So great to see the kids enjoying themselves.

Sunday, Tai and I drove up to Newburyport and spent a relaxing afternoon walking in the town center and sitting by the dock.

Beautiful day.











Dinner was at Brine, a small place (like one single bathroom small), but really cute. And with very friendly and attentive service.

Littlenecks.

Bacon and egg - with fried oysters. This is a really great small plate. Perfectly balanced. And the salsa verde provided such a nice little acidic kick.

Black bass crudo - this was really interesting, in a good way. Light and refreshing. Really different at first, especially with the almond, but it works.

Littleneck clam and lamb bolognese -  again not what I was expecting, but really great. The rotolo was baked just how I like it. And the dish didn't feel heavy at all.

Clam and pork chowder - and here is where my love affair ended. Not a bad chowder (I finished it, after all), but watery. And they use potato slices instead of cubes, which is fine. But there was not much substance to it. It was good and prepared well, just not my kind of clam chowder.





Newburyport is such a quaint town, but with plenty of shops to spend time in. Perfect for day trip from the city.

With a bbq today, the celebrations are now over and it's time to get ready for another week of work. But there are still plenty of things to do in the summer. :)

BONUS:

Fried dough from the carnival.

Fries from Clarke's, served with honey mustard. Really good.

Cilantro lime shrimp salad from Nordstrom Bistro.

Roasted chicken pommes frites from Nordstrom Bistro.

Lobster roll from James Hook and Co.

Double awesome with ham from Mei Mei Food Truck.