Panza - More North End Goodness!

When friends of ours from New York City were travelling through Boston on their way back from a wedding in Maine, we were more than willing to meet up on a Sunday night for dinner.  When asked if they had any particular requests, S mentioned that it had been ages since she visited the North End, so Nick took that as a mission to find a place that took reservations on a Sunday night.  While we love Mamma Maria, we wanted something a bit more low key.  After comparing some Yelp reviews to what was available on Open Table, he stumbled upon Panza, and we decided to give it a go.

Panza is located in the North End on Hanover Street across from the crazy lines of Giacomo's.  The restaurant is classic North End with its tiny space, two rows of tables and a nice open window at the front.  After arriving I was surprised they actually took reservations since similar restaurants typically don't want or need them!  Nick and I arrived, luckily just before it began to rain, and were seated straight away.

View from the table

While looking over the menu, we munched on some hearty Italian bread.

Locke-Ober - A Boston Tradition

Every time Restaurant Week rolls around I always debate whether I am going to take advantage because, like a lot of people, I have had some good and some bad Restaurant Week experiences.  Recently, though, restaurants who cannot do the limited menu well have stopped participating.  Others, like the Butcher Shop,  I have done because you can actually make reservations when traditionally they don't take them.  The other strategy is to go for a more expensive place that we would not otherwise plan on going to, which was how this year we decided on on Locke-Ober.  While I had been there a number of years ago (back when Lydia Shire was involved), Nick hadn't, so it seemed like a good option.

Locke-Ober is tucked away off Winter Street in Downtown Crossing, a bit of a dodgy area but definitely getting cleaner.  Once you walk through the front doors, however, you feel like you have not only stepped into a different world but a different time.  While the jackets are not required for men anymore, the guests seem to respect the restaurant's history and dress accordingly.  With the amazing wood carvings and details that date back to the mid 1800's, he interior is really quite striking.

Inside Locke Ober

After taking the space all in, we looked over the cocktail and wine list.  Since the Ward 8 was just featured in Eater Boston's 15 Most Iconic Drinks, I knew I would be ordering it - it's a mixture of rye whiskey, lemon juice, lime juice and some grenadine all topped off with a maraschino cherry.  The drink was sweeter than I expected but still good and made me feel like I was enjoying a bit of history.

Sam Adams Brewery and Grass Fed - a Day in JP

For Nick's birthday this year we decided to do a bunch of random Boston activities, including a trip to the Sam Adams Brewery!  While Nick had already been there, I never had, and with the weather being a bit iffy we thought this would be a good rain-or-shine activity.  The brewery is just a quick walk from the Stony Brook stop on the Orange Line.  Luckily, we happened to beat the rush and only had to wait a half hour for our tour to start.

Awarding Beers!

When the Irish Red group was called (each tour time is assigned a beer type!) we gathered in front of an old-school barrel and readied ourselves to learn about making some beer!  Sam Adams doesn't charge you to tour and taste, but do suggest you make a donation to one of three different charities they support.  These charities include one that helps start-up companies, while another provides money for the preservation of the Granary Burying Ground (resting place of Sam Adams - yay, Boston local!).

West Bridge

Who knew that Kendall Square in Cambridge would fast become one of the go-to neighborhoods for "it" dining destinations?  Since West Bridge opened only a few months ago, it has only added to Kendall's prestige.  The restaurant is the brain child of chef Matthew Gaudet (of Aquitaine fame) and Alexis Gelburd-Kimler, who wanted to connect sophisticated French and classic comfort foods.  When our friends Gillian and Jonah asked about West Bridge, I was overly enthusiastic about setting up a dinner because of all the amazing reviews I had read.  

Upon entering you are welcomed by a light and open space, made warmed by the bleached wood floors and other accents.  While chatting and catching up, our server brought over a little amuse bouche drink: a combination of melon and cucumber.  A fanciful addition to this drink was that the little balls in the drink were actually cucumber, making for a surprise bite in your mouth.  

Amuse Bouche!

The group chose a wide variety of of dishes off the menu.  For appetizers, I went with the mussels and Gillian and Jonah got the Calamari "Tonerelli"whelks, cockles and sweet 100's.  Both of these shellfish dishes were amazing.  The broths with each of these were crazy delicious - so tasty and different than anything I had had recently.  I was sure to save some of the bread brought to the table because I wanted to make sure I did not leave any of the broth behind!  These mussels were some of the best I have had.

Whim Dinner at Smolak Farm

After last year's amazing experience at Smolak Farms' Whim Dinner, Nick and I could not wait to go again this summer.  With a setting next to a pond, an apple orchard and farm animals, it's hard not to be sucked into the picturesque location.

Whim Dinner

This year, we were originally set to go at the beginning of August, but then the rain came and our diner was cancelled.  Luckily, we were able to reschedule for last week's dinner with Mary Dumont of Harvest.  With someone whose restaurant was at the beginning of the farm to table movement (years ago) we knew we would be in good hands.

City Landing - New Waterfront Dining

We were a bit sad to hear that Sel de la Terre on the waterfront was closing.  However, when a team from the Cape, including chef Bill Brodsky, explained their concept of bringing delicious Cape food and a sophisticated/casual dining atmosphere to the space, I think people were intrigued.  I recently had the opportunity to pick a location for a Junior League prep meeting and thought it was the perfect opportunity to check out City Landing, especially since it had opened just a few days prior.  I was excited to give the new space a go.

The interior has been constructed with a lighter, easy feel.  The dominating green color reflected the feeling the the architects were trying to convey.  We were seated by the window (for a lovely view of the rainy evening!) and while we got caught up, we looked over the menu and tried to make some decisions.

After debating a few items, I decided to go with the Hoisin Barbecue Rare Tuna with baby bok choy, sticky rice cake and a dashy soy broth.  When the plate arrived at the table I knew I had made a good decision - the presentation alone was beautiful!  The tuna was seared perfectly and the hoisin sauce was flavorful without being overwhelming.  The bok choy and sticky rice were a nice contrast in texture and taste to the fish.  Overall the plate was balanced and something I would not hesitate to order again.  

Hoisin Barbecue Rare Tuna

The others at my table went with a good variety of other items on the menu, including a combination of the Long Wharf Chopped Salad, which had an amazing combination of grilled chicken, shrimp, cranberries, Great Hill blue cheese, pear, tomato, bacon and almonds in an red wine vinaigrette.  This loaded salad had a different flavor profile in each bite that offered loads of goodness.