The Ginger Pad: An Expanded Restaurant

Just by luck, I stopped by The Ginger Pad in Burlington for lunch today and it was the opening day for their expanded restaurant. Though their stir fry restaurant still exists, there is a second dining area now with an expanded menu. I have long been a big fan of The Ginger Pad so I was excited to see their new expansion.

Please remember as well that as this new section has just opened, it won't be perfect. You must always allow for some initial growing pains as the restaurant gets on track. Don't judge them too harshly yet.

The new dining room is a bit fancier in decor, though still with a casual air as well. You must be seated in this room and a server will take your order, rather than ordering at the counter in the stir fry section. There are numerous booths and tables in the new dining room, as well as about eight seats at a bar and a bunch of other seats at the sushi bar. There are a couple large screen TVs behind the bar. I sat in one of the comfortable booths.

They have a full bar and have a drink menu with numerous martinis and cocktails, many with an Asian flair. Their wine list is small though most of the bottles sell for under $30. They also carry several different types of Sake, hot and chilled. A couple of the brands are Momokawa and Hakushika. I ordered the Hakushika Nama ($8 for 180ml), an unpasteurized chilled Sake.

They very much impressed me when the Sake was brought. The bottle sat in a bucket of ice, keeping it chilled. And my tall shot glass had also been chilled. They certainly know the best way to present Sake and I very much enjoyed the Nama. It had a clean taste with a hint of rice.

There are separate lunch and dinner menus, though you can order off the dinner menu for lunch too. The lunch menu is generally divided into Bento Boxes ($9-11), Sushi combos ($9-16) and Salads ($9-11). Bento boxes include entrees such as Chicken Teriyaki, Shrimp & Veggie Tempura, Chicken Katsu and Salmon Teriyaki. Sushi combos may include nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls. The dinner menu is larger and includes Appetizers ($4-11), Soups ($3), Salads ($5-14), Hot Entrees ($7-20), and Nigiri, Sashimi and Maki Rolls.

I started with the Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura ($9) appetizer. This was a bit disappointing. First, the shrimp and veggies were small, not the usual size you will find in most other Japanese restaurants. The shrimp were close to half the size you can find in some places. Second, the tempura batter was a bit on the heavy side, not the usual light batter I prefer. The batter was not as heavy as what you find on a chicken finger, but heavier than tempura should be. Though it still tasted good.

I moved on to some Nigiri and Maki, including an order of Maguro (Tuna $5.50), Unagi (Eel $5.50), Tamago (Sweet egg omelet $3.50) and Sweet Potato Maki ($4.50). I found some of the Sushi to be a tad more expensive than comparable restaurants. I usually find Maguro and Unagi for under $5 but the Tamago and Sweet Potato Maki were priced as most elsewhere. The Maguro was very good, a big piece of fresh fish. I enjoyed the taste of all of the Sushi, though I found the Tamago piece to be a bit too thin. So, though the sushi is generally good it is not a bargain.

Up next, I chose a Beef Teriyaki Bento Box ($10). The Bento Boxes include Salad, Miso Soup and White or Brown Rice. The Miso soup was very good. the box contains your entree, salad and rice. The beef was very thinly sliced and there was a good portion of beef. It was fairly tender and had a nice teriyaki sauce. The salad was mainly greens with some carrot slices with a mild but flavorful dressing. It was a good meal though nothing special. And you probably get more food, for less money, in the stir fry dining room than you do in the Bento Box.

I love the idea of the Ginger Pad expanding their cuisine but I would prefer that the prices in the new dining room were more comparable to their stir fry menu. That was always one of the best appeals of the original Ginger Pad, excellent food at a very reasonable price. But now they are trying to upscale a bit, with a rise in prices, and I am not sure that is helping the restaurant. The new dining room has plenty of potential but I would like to see more emphasis on value.

I will return to The Ginger Pad to see how the new dining room evolves, as well as to try some different items from their new menu. I do recommend that you check it out as well, to see their new changes and to decide if you agree with my opinions.

Ginger Pad

Want a great fast food value? Then try the Ginger Pad at the Wayside Commons in Burlington. I had lunch there again today and had an excellent meal. I have been here a number of times and each time my experience has been the same. Excellent!

The Ginger Pad largely has a menu of rice and noodle bowls, with various sauces and ingredients. You can add chicken, beef, shrimp or veggies with tofu to any of these bowls. The bowls cost only around $6-8 and you get a ton of food! They make each bowl to order so you can get the bowls without certain ingredients if you wish. I have tried several different bowls and all of them have been very good, including the Lo Mein Noodle, Korean BBQ Beef, Mongolian and Thai Coconut Curry. The menu also has some appetizers, soups and salads. The Shanghai Potstickers are especially good.

Service is very good and your meal is delivered quickly. If you have limited time on your lunch hour, the Ginger Pad won't delay you.

Inexpensive. Very tasty food. Large portions. Quick service. Perfect qualities for a good fast food restaurant.

The Ginger Pad: Revisited

The Ginger Pad recently increased the size of their restaurant, adding more of a sit-down area with an expanded menu of offerings. I previously dined there on their opening day with somewhat of a mixed review. I returned again for lunch to see how things are progressing.

First, I should note that initially the sit-down restaurant had a completely different menu from the stir-fry area. But, due to customer requests, they have begun offering a few items from the stir-fry menu in the sit-down dining room. In time, they may combine both menus into a single menu. This is good as it shows they are listening to their customers and are willing to make changes.

I began with the Ebi Shumai ($7), six steamed shrimp dumplings with a dipping sauce. They were very good shumai, cooked well but not overly done. The price is reasonable considering many places give you four shumai for around $5.

For my entree, I chose the Asian Short Ribs ($16) off the dinner menu. This comes with a choice of salad or soup, and your choice of white or brown rice. I chose the miso soup and enjoyed it as much as much previous visit. The Short Ribs are cooked with a ginger and honey glaze. When they arrived, there were six good-sized ribs in the plate, slathered in sauce. I will warn you that this is a messy meal so ask for extra napkins. They will also bring you a warm, wet towel and lemon slices for after the meal so you can clean your hands. The ribs were very meaty and tender, easily coming off the bone. And I very much enjoyed the sauce, a bit sweet but not overly so with some interesting spice flavors. This dish impressed me and I would definitely order it again.

My server was very good, attentive and personable. Overall, this was a good experience and it appears the restaurant is trying to improve. You should check them out.

Stoneham Sun: The Ginger Pad

My new column of "A Passionate Foodie" can be found in the May 21 issue of the Stoneham Sun newspaper. This is a weekly column that concentrates on reviews of local restaurants though it may also touch on a few other food and wine topics.

The new column has been published today and will soon be available online as well. The new column is a review of The Ginger Pad restaurant in Burlington. This Asian Bistro is inexpensive, gives you plenty of food, and it is delicious. An excellent fast food option.

If you have any questions or comments about my column, feel free to add them here.

Dine with passion.

The Ginger Pad: New Sushi Bar

I stopped by The Ginger Pad in Burlington for dinner last night. I noted that they are undergoing some renovation, expanding their restaurant into a small area next to them. They are going to add a Sushi Bar. I don't have any more details on it as of yet, but I am eagerly looking forward to it. Based on what they offer now, I would expect the sushi to be fresh and reasonably priced. I don't even know when it will open. Their website is silent on the expansion. But I will share any new information I find.

Bonefish Grill: A New Seafood Restaurant in Burlington

Burlington's restaurant scene continues to grow with the addition of Bonefish Grill, part of a chain of seafood restaurants which originated in Florida in 2000. Now, there are over 150 Bonefish Grill restaurants across the country and the Burlington location is their first Massachusetts site. Located in the Wayside Commons, it occupies the former location of the Ginger Pad restaurant. It opened on November 11, and is now open for dinner, lunch and brunch.

I have visited the restaurant twice now, once for dinner as a media guest, and another time on my own for lunch. Please note that as the restaurant is still very new, it may be working out a few kinks as any new restaurant must do. Even though it is a chain, and some of the details have been well worked out at other locations, there are still potentially issues that will arise at any new location, from service to kitchen issues.

Based on their website, the restaurant is devoted to seafood sustainability and authentication, quite worthy objectives. For example, in selecting their seafood, they use reports and recommendations from NOAA and consult with groups like Ocean Trust. They also conduct some DNA testing to authenticate the identity of their seafood. On their menu, you will find wild and farmed seafood, and it appears that different locations may also carry different sources and types of seafood. My only concern with their seafood selections is that I wished it carried more domestic seafood.

As I have written before, the U.S. imports 91% of their seafood and I have urged people to eat more domestic seafood. For example, I asked about the sourcing of their shrimp and my server informed me they were from the Gulf of Mexico though the manager told me that the shrimp actually came from Thailand. It appears that some of the southern locations of Bonefish Grill do carry Gulf shrimp, but the manager stated that due to the large volume of shrimp they purchase, they had to rely on Asian shrimp. I understand the logistic issues for such a large chain, which don't exist for small, independent seafood restaurants, but I still wish they could find ways to carry more domestic seafood, especially if they are able to do so at some locations.

The interior of the restaurant is very different from the former Ginger Pad, and it now seems more elegant, with a long bar at one end of the restaurant. The interior consists of numerous booths and tables, and they possess an exterior patio which will be great during the summer. On both times that I visited, the restaurant was relatively full and the noise level was very good, despite the crowd. During the evening, they also had free valet parking, which is nice as the parking lot can be quite full, especially during the holiday season.

The dinner menu includes Soups, Salads, Starters (about $4.90-$12.50), Burgers & Sandwiches ($11.90-$17.90), Grilled Fish ($15.90-$29.30), Grilled Specialties ($14.90-$22.70), and Sauteed+Baked ($9.90-$18.90). There were also several dinner and lunch Specials. Prices are reasonable and the most expensive dishes, such as Lobster, are priced as expected. Though many of the dishes are seafood, you'll also find steak, chicken, pork and more. Plenty of variety and any patron should be able to find something to appeal to them. The lunch menu has some less expensive options, as well as fewer choices for Starters, Entrees and Desserts. One oddity is their pricing, with dishes ending in cents like 40, 50 or 70. There is no reason for this, it is merely a matter of whimsy.

The wine list has over 40 selections, with most available by the glass, and the prices generally seem to be around 2X retail, which is average. There are lots of well known, large brands on the list, especially from California, so the average consumer will find plenty to appeal to them. If you are seeking something from smaller, more artisan producers, you won't have much luck. I did get a bottle of the Paco and Lola Albarino ($40), which is an enjoyable Spanish white that I would recommend.

You can also order a cocktail, like one of their Martinis (about $8 each), or a beer, from a list of about 20 choices with several on tap. Cocktail prices seem reasonable, especially compared to many other places which charge $10 or more for their martinits.

For non-alcoholic choices, you can opt for the House-Made Lemonade ($3.50), made with fresh pressed lemon juice, organic agave nectar and a little homemade lemongrass simple syrup. Tasty and not overly sweet, it was refreshing. Only caveat is that the glass contains so much ice that the actual amount of lemonade is relatively small.

For dinner, we began with a couple Starters, including one of the Specials, the BFG Imperial Dip ($9.40), which is made with four cheeses, crab meat, shrimp, and scallops. The dip was creamy and cheesy, with plenty of seafood, and it had a nice taste to it. It was accompanied by crispy pita chips which I felt were too thick for the dip. I would have preferred a thinner cracker which didn't detract as much from the dip.

The Waygu Beef & Ginger Dumplings ($8.70) are pan-seared with crispy shallots, crispy garlic, Thai peppers and soy sauce. Filled with lots of meat, these were compelling, with a nice balanced blend of tastes and textures, enhanced by the crispy shallots and garlic. Not the type of dish you expect at a seafood restaurant but it is highly recommended. And with six dumplings, it is a good value too.

A warm loaf of bread with a pesto oil was brought to the table, and of course that appealed to my heart. Warm bread is so enticing, and the pesto oil had a little spicy kick to it. I fully understand why their bread is so popular.

The Classic Caesar Salad ($3.30 with an entree) was good sized, with plenty of fresh Romaine, grated Parmesan and crunchy little garlic croutons.

The Beet and Goat Cheese Salad ($4.70 with an entree) includes pickled beets, candied pecans and strips of goat cheese. Another fresh and good salad.

For an entree, I chose a Special, the Lobster & Steak Duet ($22.90), which includes a steamed lobster tail, with drawn butter, and a 6 ounce Filet Mignon (which I had with an added garlic/gorgonzola butter on top). Cooked perfectly rare, as I requested, the filet was delicious, especially enhanced with the pungent taste of the gorgonzola. It may be a seafood restaurant, but they did an excellent job with the steak too. The lobster was also cooked nicely, and it was sweet and tender. The simple butter was all it needed.

The Chilean Sea Bass ($24.50 for the small) is one of their grilled fish options. With your fish, you can have one of four sauces, from Mango Salsa to Pan Asian. The Sea Bass was tender, moist and sweet, and the Pan Asian sauce complemented it well. Accompanying every entree is a seasonal vegetable (which was spaghetti squash this time) plus your choice of a side.

There are eight sides, ranging from Garlic Whipped Potatoes to Steamed Asparagus, though I chose the Pumpkin Ravioli (an extra $2), with crispy sage and shallot brown butter. The crispy shallots and garlic enhanced this dish as they had the dumplings. The ravioli pasta was just the right thickness, and the sweet pumpkin filling was excellent. I almost could have made an entire meal of these ravioli.

The Dessert menu only has four choices but I don't think you need to look past the Macadamia Nut Brownie ($6.30). It includes a flourless brownie, topped with raspberry sauce, home-made whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and sprinkled with macadamia nuts. It is large enough for two people to share, though you might be tempted to eat it all by yourself. The brownie is moist and rich, with lots of fudgy flavor, and the raspberry sauce is mild, accenting the brownie without overpowering it. The whipped cream and ice cream enhance the dessert, and the nuts add both flavor and texture. Highly recommended. Save room for this dessert. Unfortunately, this dessert is not available at lunch.

During my lunch visit, we began with a starter, the Bang Bang Shrimp ($9.90), which is one of their signature dishes. The crispy shrimp are topped with a creamy and mildly spicy sauce. They were a big hit with everyone, and the shrimp had a nice, crispy coating rather than falling limp under the sauce.

The Lobster Bisque was a Special, There was plenty of sweet lobster meat, it was spiced nicely but I found the bisque itself to be a little too thick and heavy for my preferences.

The American Kobe Burger ($8.90) comes with lettuce, tomato, onions and a special sauce, and you can add cheese or bacon. Each sandwich comes with a choice of Parmesan fries, pesto couscous salad, or Asian slaw. I was told the burger was excellent, and it certainly looked very appealing. And it is at a good price for a burger and fries.

The Grilled Fish of the Day ($14.90) was Swordfish, which was covered by a mango salsa and accompanied by the Asian slaw. Moist and flavorful, this was another good choice.

I decided on the Fish + Chips ($8.90), which is tempura-style and accompanied by Parmesan fries. Unfortunately, my fries lacked any Parmesan, a mistake on the kitchen. The fish was excellent, with a light and crispy batter and plenty of sweet, flaky white fish. You receive three pieces of fish, which is a good sized portion for lunch and the price. I'd recommend this dish.

Overall, I was pleased with the Bonefish Grill. It is reasonably priced, portion size is good, and flavors are very nice. Service was excellent, and it would be a nice place for a romantic date or a group of friends hanging out. I wish the wine list had better options and that the menu included more domestic seafood. If you are in Burlington, consider checking out Bonefish Grill.

Far From The Tree Hard Cider: Joe Frogger Spice

A hard cider reminiscent of a 200+ year old cookie? Sounds intriguing.

Last November, I raved about the hard ciders from Far From The Tree, a new cidery located in Salem, Massachusetts. Owned by Al & Denise Snape, they craft ciders using local ingredients, traditional methods and want their ciders to reflect history. These are dry ciders, actually closer to bone-dry, and that appeals to my preferences. From November to March, they are producing a winter seasonal cider, their "Joe Frogger" Spiced Cider, which was inspired by a 200+ year old cookie recipe.

If you're from Massachusetts, you might have heard of the Joe Frogger cookie, as they are still available in some locations and the cookie recipe can be found in many different sources. Joseph Brown, aka Old Black Joe or just Black Joe, was a freed slave and a veteran of the Revolutionary War. Around 1791, he and his wife, Lucretia aka Aunt Crease, opened a tavern in Marblehead next to a pond.

Lucretia was the cook for the tavern and created a cookie, which contained molasses, rum and seawater, and was eventually named Joe Frogger, a nod to the frogs in the pond. The cookies may also have originally been lily pad-shaped rather than their now common, round shape. The pond was also eventually named Frogger Pond, a nod to the cookie. Because of the ingredients, these cookies traveled well, remaining soft and chewy even on a long sea voyage. As such, they became very popular with sailors

The Joe Frogger Spiced Cider is made with apples, maple syrup, molasses, fresh ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and sea salt from the Marblehead Salt Co. All of the spices in this cider can also be found in the Joe Frogger cookies, and the sea salt reflects the old use of seawater in the cookie recipe. These ingredients and spices are commonly used in other winter recipes, from cookies to cocktails, so they work well as a seasonal product.

This cider is available, along with the Roots and Rind, at Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose, and that is where I bought a bottle. As the cider is unfiltered, it will be a little cloudy in your glass. The aroma of this cider has a dominant ginger smell, with the other spices and a hint of apple beneath the ginger. On the palate, and despite the maple syrup and molasses, it is bone-dry and the ginger remains the most prominent taste, but with a pleasant underlying melange of spice and fresh apple. Another winner from Far From The Tree, and it would be interesting to substitute this cider for ginger beer in a Dark n' Stormy cocktail.

Bobby C's Ristorante

The Pine Banks area of Melrose has undergone some extensive renovation and construction, including numerous condominiums. They are also adding some new businesses, including at least one restaurant though more may be added in the future. The new restaurant, Bobby C's Ristorante, opened very recently and I have made a few trips there to check it out. Bobby C's is currently only open for dinner though they will be opening for lunch in the near future.

As I recently said about The Ginger Pad, please remember that this is a new restaurant so you should not expect perfection. You must allow for some initial growing pains as the restaurant gets on track. They cannot by judged too harshly yet.

The restaurant is a casually elegant, medium-sized place that faces Main Street. The front has large windows so you can view Main Street from your table. There is a small bar that seats about eight people and there are two televisions behind the bar. A nice place for couples, families or groups. On a Saturday night, it was very busy so word is quickly spreading.

They have a full bar with a small wine list. I was not impressed with the selection of wines available though nearly all of the wines are under $30 a bottle. Mark-up on the wines seems to be at least twice the usual retail, if not more.

The food menu is extensive, and they always have several Specials each day. The menu consists of Appetizers ($7.99-$11.99), Homemade Zuppa ($3.95/cup, $5.95 bowl), Insulate ($5.95-$12.99), Pasta Entrees ($9.95-$19.99), Other Entrees ($15.99-$28.99), and Pizza ($9.95+). The dishes are primarily Italian though they also have some more traditional American fare such as Rack of Lamb, Steak Au Poivre and Pork Chops. The menu should have something for everyone, no matter what their preferences.

Prior to your food arriving, you receive a bread basket of fresh Italian bread and a dish of spiced oil. The bread has a crusty exterior and a very soft interior. It is a nice start though my personal preference would be that the bread was warmed.

I tried the Mussels appetizer ($9.99), sauteed in a white wine sauce with sliced hot peppers and some cherry tomatoes. I received a large pile of tender mussels and the flavorful sauce was just the right degree of spiciness. Well worth ordering. I also had one of their Special appetizers one evening, a Seafood Risotto ($13.95). This consisted of mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops, all atop arborio rice with a few slices of tomato. The shrimp and scallops were good-sized and tasty. The rice was in a bit of a creamy sauce and was very flavorful, and cooked just right. It was a large appetizer that two people could have easily split. Another dish I would recommend.

The Antipasto For Two ($12.99) has imported meats, cheese, pepperoncini, and roasted red peppers atop mixed greens. It is another large dish with plenty of slices of meat including Mortadella, Capicole, and Prosciutto. Everything was fresh and good.

All of the Pasta Entrees come with a choice of soup or house salad. The Chicken Escarole soup was good, as was the Minestrone soup (a special one evening). The broths are very flavorful and they were both filled with plenty of other ingredients, from escarole to veggies.

The Shrimp Scampi ($18.99) had a creamier sauce, of white wine, garlic and butter. It was good, though they certainly used a lot of butter. If you are looking for a light sauce, this would not be your choice. The shrimp did not seem as large as the ones that had been used for the Seafood Risotto. It was a tasty dish though nothing special. The Veal Saltinbocca ($19.99) was a more impressive dish. There was plenty of thin, tender veal covered with lots of prosciutto and mozzarella. It was in a light, white wine and sage sauce that seemed to have a hint of lemon. Very delicious and highly recommend. I did get the homemade Fusilli with this dish (an extra $2) and it was very good too, cooked just right.

The Other Entrees are accompanied by your choice of two sides, including items like pasta, potato au gratin, whipped potatoes and veggies. The Chicken Marsala ($15.99) is served with mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce. I received plenty of tender chicken and the Marsala sauce was light with the right touch of sweetness. Some Marsala sauces can be too heavy but this sauce was far from that. Another dish I would recommend. For sides, I tried the Au Gratin and some Angel Hair pasta with their red sauce. The red sauce was good though the Au Gratin were a disappointment. The Au Gratin comes with prosciutto and Fontina cheese but they seemed dry, maybe overcooked. I was expecting something creamy or cheesy, like other Au Gratin sides I have had elsewhere. But that was not the case.

I also tried their Pizza with Bacon. Their pizza has a very thin crust and it was topped with plenty of sauce, cheese and real pieces of bacon. I liked the thin crust and the thicker crust on the perimeter. It was a very tasty pizza except that it was a bit oily. When you take a slice of pizza off the pan, there is a pool of oil below it. And the top of the pizza has some oily residue as well.

If you want dessert, they bring out a tray to show you the available choices, such as cannoli, cheesecake and tiramisu. I tried the Tiramisu ($6.95), and it is a bowl of tiramisu rather than a slice. It was quite good, with the right balance of flavors and not overly sweet.

Service was generally good. But, I did have to ask a few times, on different visits, for my water glass to be refilled. They seem to have plenty of staff so they might want to assign someone the job of refilling water glasses. But that is a minor issue which I am sure they will work out.

Overall, I liked this restaurant and think it is headed in the right direction. I think prices are generally reasonable for the quality and quantity of food you receive. There is plenty of variety on their menu and the restaurant has a nice, casual ambiance. I will be returning there for dinner and will also check it out when it opens for lunch. I recommend that my readers check it out and tell me your thoughts.

Bobby C's Ristorante
2 Main Street
Melrose, MA
Phone: 781-662-5472

City/Town Recommendations #11

This is my eleventh post of a planned series noting my personal recommendations for food/wine places in various towns and cities. This time I am touching on a few different cities and towns, including Brookline, Burlington and Danvers. This list might be expanded and/or revised in the future but I will note when it changes. Be sure to check my extended reviews of many of these places elsewhere on my website.

Brookline

Wine Stores:

The Wine Gallery
375 Boylston Street (Rte 9 @ Cypress St)
Brookline, MA
Phone: (617) 277-5522
(Very good wine store with Enomatic tasting machine and gourmet foods)

Wine Press
1024 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA
Phone: (617) 277-7020
(Very good wine store with plenty of value wines)

Restaurants:

Fugakyu
1280 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA
Phone: (617) 734-1268
(Excellent Japanese cuisine with fine sushi, albeit a bit pricey.)

Japonaise Café and Bakery
1020 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA
Phone: (617) 566-7730
(Excellent bakery with great sliced, "Shoku Pan" bread)

Burlington

Restaurants:

L'Andana
86 Cambridge Street
Burlington, MA
Phone: (781) 270-0100
(Excellent Italian cuisine with value menu in their bar/lounge)

Capital Grille
10 Wayside Road
Burlington, MA
Phone: (781) 505-4130
(Very good steakhouse, albeit pricey)

Ginger Pad
Wayside Commons
4A Wayside Road
Burlington, MA
Phone: (781) 221.7899
(Very good and inexpensive Asian rice and stirfry bowls)

Danvers

Restaurants:

Hardcover Restaurant
15 A Newbury St. (Route 1 North)
Danvers, MA
Phone: 978-774-1223
(Good steakhouse, all-you-can-eat salad buffet, and romantic setting)

Quincy: The Impressive Fuji At West (Part 2)

Japanese cuisine can be delicious and beautiful, a sublime melange of fresh ingredients and savory umami. On my recent culinary trek to Quincy, Kerry Byrne (a Quincy native, food writer for the Boston Herald, and the owner of KJB Trending Hospitality), aware of my passion for Japanese cuisine, took me to Fuji at West of Chestnut. We experienced a seven-course sampling of the menu, a thoroughly impressive and delicious dinner that made me eager to return to taste more of their various dishes.

West of Chestnut is a new multi-level residential and commercial complex on Hancock Street in Quincy, with a few dozen apartment buildings and several restaurants, including Fuji. Fuji at West of Chestnut, which only opened about three weeks before my visit, is the tenth restaurant owned by the Quincy-based JP Fuji Group. Five of their other restaurants, which range from Japanese hot pot to frozen yogurt, are also located in Quincy, with others in places including Boston, Cambridge and Somerville.

The first Fuji restaurant was opened in Wollaston in October of 1998, and this latest Fuji restaurant is intended to be one of the highlights of their culinary empire. The JP Fuji Group was founded by President, CEO and Chef Jimmy Liang & VP, CFO, and Chef Peter Tse. Chef Jiang is a native of Quincy and he was our welcoming host when we dined there recently.

The restaurant itself is elegant and spacious, with a cocktail bar and sushi bar, and seats approximately 150 people, the largest restaurant currently within their group. During the summer, it will have an outside patio too. I was fascinated by their private dining room, which seats about 12 people, and has its own tasting kitchen. You can reserve this room for an Omakase dining experience, which includes food and alcohol, for roughly $200-$400 per person. The term Omakase basically means "I'll leave it up to you," meaning that the chef will prepare whatever dishes he wants for your dinner. The selections for this Omakase will all be "off the menu" and often include high-end ingredients. It sounds like this could be a unique and exquisite culinary experience for the adventurous diner.

There is a full drinks program at Fuji, from craft cocktails to Japanese Sake. The wine list carries lots of familiar names, the beer list has a few Japanese brews as well as some local beers, and they also carried several Japanese whiskies. Fuji stocks about 11 Sakes (though of course I wish they carried more selections), from Gekkeikan Hot Sake to the sublime Dassai 23 Junmai Ginjo (though please note there is a typo on their Sake menu as the Dassai is a 300ml not 720ml bottle). We opted to drink the Ginga Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo (300ml/$50), which is light, clean and crisp, just an elegant and compelling Sake.

The food menu is expansive, from sushi to noodles, gyoza to wok-tossed dishes. Most Appetizers, from Pork Belly Buns to Salt & Pepper Calamari, cost $10 or less. Check out their Soups, from iconic Miso Soup to the more unusual Oxtail Soup, or their Salads, from Fuji Seaweed Salad to Katsu Salmon Salad. There is a full and extensive range of Sushi, from Nigiri to inventive Maki rolls,  and the Nigiri is reasonably priced. Try an Entree, like the Chicken Kastu or Sake Teriyaki, or opt for a Wok Tossed dish like X.O. Sauce Scallops With Poached Egg or Pineapple Chicken Leg Deconstructed with Cashews. Or you could also go for a Noodle dish like Pad Thai, a Rice dish such as Lobster (Fujian style) Rice, or even Clay Pot, maybe the Crispy Duck version. Lots of appealing choices.

Rather than order off the menu, we placed ourselves in the hands of Chef Liang, to serve us whatever he wanted to present to us, basically our own Omakase. That was a great decision as the Chef served us plenty of tasty and impressive dishes. If you're adventurous, I'd recommend you do the same.

We began with a couple pieces of Nigiri, a piece of Seared Tuna and one of Blue Fin Toro, beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Silky, fresh fish, with subtle toppings, making me crave even more sushi.

We then moved onto a tasty Spicy Tuna Lettuce Wrap, with a house sweet pepper sauce and fresh pineapple. The crunchy lettuce leaf housed an almost ceviche-like mix of tuna, mildly spicy sauce, and fruit. Again, the freshness of the dish stood out.

The next dish, the Fried Whole Fish with Black Bean Sauce, was incredible! The fish was a California Striped Bass and its flesh was moist, flaky and sweet while the crispy skin was nearly addictive. The black bean sauce added a mild earthiness to the dish, with plenty of umami, complementing the sweetness of the fish. Don't worry about seeing the entire fish at your table as this dish is too delicious to miss. Highly recommended!

This cool dish presented Yellow Tail Sashimi, with yuzu, tobiko, and homemade lemon mustard. Again, the silky seafood seemed very fresh, and was enhanced by the subtle flavors added atop it. The citrusy yuzu was a nice addition.

Then, this intriguing glass dome arrived at our table, filled with smoke. What did it contain?
You can watch the video of the unveiling of this dish.

And the reveal! What a beautiful dish, with bright colors and different shapes, a feast for the eyes. The dish consisted of local Striped Bass, with a wasabi puree on bottom, edible pansies, pomegranate, basil/jalapeno oil, and it had been lightly smoked with hickory. Creamy and silky, with the added texture of the greens and pansies, this was another excellent dish.

Next up was the Waygu Ishiyaki, a disassembled Japanese hot stone cooking with premium grade Wagyu beef (from California) that was sliced and served with ginger, scallion, and ponzu sauce & teriyaki sauce. The hot stone is from the famed Mount Fuji in Japan. The fatty beef melted in your mouth, and it was easy to toss a slice on the hot stone for a short time to sear it. I liked both the ponzu and teriyaki sauces, though give a slight personal preference to the teriyaki.

Our last course, hidden beneath cranberry foam, was a blend of Salmon and Spicy Tuna, which was another delightful dish of silky seafood with the added flavors from the foam and other subtle toppings.

Overall, Fuji At West impressed me on several levels, from the aesthetic appeal of their dishes to the scrumptious flavors found within each dish. If you are seeking a new Japanese restaurant to try, I highly recommend you make the short trek to Quincy to check it out. Despite only being open less than a month, the kitchen is doing an great job. I will certainly return soon to check out more of their menu, and maybe to rent their private dining room. Kudos and good luck to Chef Liang and the rest of the Fuji crew.

The Bangkok Brings Tasty Thai & Vietnamese To Melrose

Good things something come in small packages.

The Bankgok is a small, new Thai/Vietnamese restaurant on West Wyoming Avenue, near the railroad tracks, in Melrose, that opened around mid-March. There are about five small tables, for two people, in the restaurant and they have room to put up another couple tables if they get busy. They also do take-out and delivery, though delivery may be limited to the evening hours. I've dined there on multiple occasions, mostly during lunch time, and including getting take-out one evening.

Their website has little information about the restaurant beyond the necessary basics, though you will find their full menu online. Some research indicates that corporate officers are also connected to Pho & Rice in Somerville and Thana Thai Kitchen in Arlington. In the near future, I will try to speak with the owners for more background on the restaurant but for now, I'll primarily deal with their food and service.

The Menu is extensive, with plenty of Thai and Vietnamese options, and is very reasonably priced, with no dish costing more than $15. The Menu categories include: Appetizers ($5-$7), Salads ($7-$8), Soup ($4), Vietnamese Pho & Thai Noodle Soup ($9-$12), Stir Fried Noodle ($10-$14), Fried Rice ($10-$14) Bun-Vermicelli ($9-$11), Rice Plates ($10), Sautéed ($11-$14), Curry Dishes ($11-$14), Bangkok Specials & Seafood Entrees ($11-$15), and Sides ($1-$3.50).

They don't have a liquor license but their drinks menu includes items like Bubble Tea, Smoothies (though it appears they are not available yet), Thai Iced Tea, Lychee Juice, Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Coconut Juice, and more. It is nice that they usually bring a large bottle of water to your table, though you drink it out of a paper cup.

They have about thirteen Appetizers and I've tried several of them. The Roti Curry Sauce ($7) is a  Fried Scallion Pancake served with a Green Curry Sauce. The pancakes are fresh, light and flaky, and not greasy. They make an excellent vehicle for dipping into the sauce, with its tasty flavor combination of coconut, lemongrass and mild spicy heat.

The Moo Pbring ($6.50) are grilled skewers of lemongrass marinated pork, accompanied by a smoked chili and tamarind sauce. These were excellent, with lots of tender, moist and flavorful pork and the sauce added some sweet & spicy elements. Forget those dry beef teriyaki skewers you get at other Asian spots. These easily put them to shame.

The Gyoza ($5), which you can have steamed or pan-fried, come as either Pork & Chicken or Vegetarian, and are served with ginger soy sauce. I opted for the pan-fried Pork & Chicken and they were tasty, filled with plenty of meat, and fried just enough to add some crispness to the gyoza skin.

The Sai Grog Issaan ($6) states it is "Sausages fermented Pork and Glutinous rice" but appears to be sliced sausage with lettuce, cucumbers and peanuts. The sausage was tender and spiced well and the veggies were fresh.

As for the Soups, I tried the Soup Hoanh Thanh ($4), which are pork and shrimp dumplings gently boiled in clear chicken broth with lettuce, onion, scallion and cilantro. You receive four plump and meaty dumplings and the broth is clean and mild. This would be especially good on a chilly day.

The Pho Gar ($9) is a Chicken Noodle soup with shredded chicken, rice noodle, onion, cilantro, and scallion with aromatic chicken broth, accompanied by some bean sprouts, herbs and lime. The broth is intense with flavor and there is plenty of chicken within the soup. The noodles had a nice chewiness to them.

The Mi Hoanh Thanh ($10) consists of pork and shrimp dumplings, yellow noodles, sliced pork, scallions and cilantro in a chicken broth. This is a hearty dish, with several slices of tender pork and plump dumplings. The noodles are thinner than the ones in the Pho but still had a nice texture and chew to them. There was plenty of flavor in the broth making this a very compelling dish.

The Rice Plates ($10) come with Traditional Vietnamese Grilled meat (chicken, pork or beef) accompanied by steamed Jasmine Rice, fresh tomato, cucumber, sliced lettuce and their Fresh Homemade Sauce (Nuoc Cham). You can also add a Fried Egg ($2). Above is the dish with the grilled chicken and egg. Another excellent dish with plenty of tender, flavorful chicken, enhanced by the egg, and the veggies were fresh and crisp. There was plenty of rice below all of the toppings. A good value for only $10.

I enjoyed a few other dishes, but which I don't have photos. The Grapao Gai Sub ($11) is stir fried minced chicken with fresh chili and basil. A spicy dish, it was very good layered over some rice. The Com Chien Fried Rice ($10) is Vietnamese fried rice with a combination of shrimp, chicken, Chinese sausage and mixed vegetables in Vietnamese chef's special sauce. Lots of flavor in this rice dish as well as plenty of meat. It tasted very fresh. The Chicken Pad Thai ($10) consists of stir-fried noodle with egg, bean sprout, turnip, and scallion in a Thai tamarind sauce topped with ground peanut. A nice choice as well.

The restaurant has a special, second menu which you probably won't receive unless you are Thai. It's only written in Thai and they don't have an English translation though your server will explain it to you if you ask. You can see there are sixteen options, priced $7-$12.

Fortunately, Pai Chourattana on Facebook generously provided me a translation of their menu which will help you navigate this special menu.

Off this special menu, I tried Nheam Kra Dook Moo, sour pork ribs (#6 on the menu), which were accompanied by some cucumber slices and lettuce. You need to gnaw the meat off these small pieces of ribs, which have a mildly sour flavor to them. These would make for a nice bar snack.

Also off the special menu, at #16, is the Garlic Pork Over Rice, which also comes with a few cucumber slices.  It's a simple dish, pieces of slightly fatty pork with crisp pieces over garlic over white rice. But it is hearty and tasty, perfect for a rainy day.

The Garlic Pork dish also comes with a small bowl of soup, a slightly soup broth.

I'll be sure to try more items off this special menu as there are plenty of other dishes that interest me.

Service is very good, personable and attentive. Overall, I've been very pleased with the quality and taste of the food from The Bangkok. It is fresh, with clean flavors, and there is enough diversity for all preferences. I've already been recommending it to my friends and I'll also continue regularly dining there. It is a welcome addition to the Melrose area.

Exploring Biddeford to Portland, Maine (Part 3)

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this article, this past weekend, I traveled to the Biddeford/Portland region for a short vacation, and had lots of fun exploring this area. On Tuesday, I discussed the places I visited in Biddeford, and on route to Portland. On Wednesday, I then discussed some of the spots in Portland I visited. And today, I'll finishing talking about the rest of the interesting places I visited in Portland. Some of these stops were preplanned, while others I stumbled upon while wandering through the streets of Portland. Please also note that there were plenty of interesting places I didn't visit, but hope to check out on a future trip.

On Saturday morning, we left our hotel and walked down High Street, taking a left onto Congress Street. It didn't take long before we made our first stop, at Yes Books, at 589 Congress St., a used bookstore. There's an extensive selection, reasonable prices and it has that old-school appeal, with plenty of piles of books scattered everywhere. A fun place to browse and seek out used treasures.

Next, we checked out the Portland Flea-For-All, at 585 Congress St., an eclectic and interesting shop of vintage items, antiques, housewares, clothing, dishware, and much more. I was intrigued by some of the decanters and glassware that were there. 

I wanted to visit Strange Maine, a cool record shop at 578 Congress St., but it wasn't yet open when we passed by. Will have to visit on my next trip to Portland.

The Sock Shack, at 564 Congress St., sells a diverse selection of socks with numerous fun designs. If you have a specific interest, hobby or such, you might find socks that pertain to that subject. For example, I picked up a couple pairs of socks, one with Tiki cocktails and another with Sushi. Check out their Food & Drink selection. They have socks for men, women and children.

Maine Craft Portland, at 521 Congress St., is a retail gallery for Maine craft artists, including pottery, jewelry, glassware, and so much more. A great place to support local artists. 

The Lady in the Moon, at 15 Monument Square, is a boutique dedicated to mysticism and healing, the type of place that would fit well in Salem, MA. Tarot decks, crystals, witchcraft books, skulls, and more. I was intrigued by some of the tea sets they had.

Longfellow Books, at 1 Monument Way, is a large bookstore, offering new and used books, with a large selection of books by Maine authors. 

HiFi Donuts, located at 30 City Center, has "Made from scratch old world style donuts." They also sell sustainable coffee and a variety of interesting breakfast sandwiches (such as NJ Pork Roll, Egg & Cheese and the Breaded Eggplant, Tomato, Pesto & Egg). They also serve Lunch sandwiches, from Peri Peri Fried Chicken to a Deep Fried Brisket Burger.

I opted for the Churro Donut, and it was very tasty, being fairly light and airy, with a nice cinnamon/sugar coating, and it certainly reminded me of a churro. As I would be having lunch soon, I couldn't indulge and try more of their donuts, but will likely return again some day. 

Simply Scandinavian, at 19 Temple St., sells traditional and unique products from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. From clothes to food, Christmas decorations to candy, and much more. 

The Eighty 8, at 225 Federal Street, is also a donut shop, but it makes fresh mini-donuts, to order, and tops them with your choice of toppings, similar to Dockside Donuts in Nova Scotia. 6 donuts cost $6-$8, dependent on the topping. The Eighty 8 has another location at Sugarloaf Mountain and also operates a good truck. I didn't eat any of the donuts here, but suspect they are very good, if they are at all similar to Dockside Donuts. I love the concept and will return here again on my new Portland trip.

Lunch was at the Black Cow, a burger spot, cocktail bar, and soda fountain. The Menu is relatively small, with Sandwiches ($7-$16), Salads ($11-$13), and Sides ($3-$17). Sandwiches include items like a Cheeseburger, Slushburger (Sloppie Joe), Fried Fish, and Fried Chicken. Sides include items like Potato Fries, Tomato Soup, Fried Brussel Sprouts and Pickles. 

The restaurant is located in a former bank, and you can see one of the vaults if you're sitting at the bar. It's a casual spot, with more atmosphere than a fast casual burger joint. 

Their Cocktail menu has plenty of appealing options, most priced at $11-$15, as well as a couple Non-Alcoholic options. They also have a dozen beers on tap, many local, House Crafted Sodas, and a very small selection of wine. 

I opted for the Angel Fire ($15), made with mezcal, amaretto, madeira, Jamaican rum, and charred apricot bitters. This was a very well-made and balanced cocktail, with a complex blend of flavors, with the mezcal being the most prominent taste. Highly recommended.

The Before Sunset ($13) was made with cynar, bourbon, averna, lemon, and Islay scotch. Another excellent, complex and well-balanced  cocktail, with a nice smokey edge to it. I'd return here just for their cocktails.

In some respects, it's a no-frills spot, as they put your food in paper plates and give you plastic utensils. The Cheeseburger ($10) normally comes with a beef smash patty, American cheese, iceberg, pickles, mustard, onion, c.t. mayonnaise, and a Black Cow bun. However, you can customize your burger if you so desire, and my burger only had cheese and pickles. It was a delicious and meaty burger, with a soft bun that well fit the burger. I was very happy with this sandwich.

The Foie Gras Poutine ($17) is a Side, with potato fries, Foie Gras gravy and cheese curds. This was fine, but didn't appeal to my own preferences. First, I'm not a fan of these shoestring fries, especially in poutine. I prefer a thicker French fry. Second, the curds were more melted, lacking that squeaky, almost rubbery texture, you get in the usual cheese curds in poutine. I had no complaints about the taste of the gravy, and many people would enjoy this dish, but it just wasn't a personal favorite for me. 

Overall, I strongly recommend Black Cow, especially for their burgers and cocktails. 

The Gross Confection Bar has a Bakery at 57 Exchange Street, and a Dessert Bar & Restaurant at 172 Middle Street. Obviously, the name caught my eye. Why would you call your Bakery "gross?" It isn't because the owners are named Gross. It began as "pure kitchen sarcasm" and the owner decided to use the name in 2019. The Bakery has plenty of appealing pastries, scones, cookies, biscuits and more. If I hadn't been so full after lunch, I probably would have bought a few items here. 

Skordo, at 372 Fore Street, primarily sells a myriad of spices, herbs, salts and such. You'll also find cookbooks and assorted kitchen accessories. The spices and herbs are from all over the world, and generally stocked by world region. I bought a few intriguing spices, such as gochugaru, Korean chili powder. 

For dinner that evening, we went to Boda, located at 671 Congress Street. It is a Thai restaurant, which they state: "We serve “very Thai” food, with a focus on street vendor specialties and home-style cooking... By “very Thai” we mean our food is very authentic, opposed to being an Americanized version of Thai food." 

It's a medium-sized restaurant and they don't take reservations. We arrived a few minutes before it opened, and there was soon after a long waiting line formed outside. The restaurant filled up within ten minutes, if not less. 

They have a full bar, with a variety of Cocktails ($12-$13), and we chose the Mai Tai ($13), made from a house rum blend, orange curaçao, almond orgeat, pineapple syrup and lime. This drink had more of a pleasing sour taste rather than a sweet one. A nice way to begin our dinner. 

The Menu includes Tapas ($4-$12), Grill Bar ($4-$10), Thai Salad & Soups ($8-$12), and Entrees ($17-$22). There are lots of appealing dishes and you might be torn over what to order. Plus, there were some Seasonal Specialities. 

We began with the Kanom Jeeb Gai ($9), chicken dumplings with ginger, scallion, onion, shiitake, and carrot with a sesame soy dipping sauce and fried garlic. Very tasty, with a nicely balanced blend of flavors and textures. The dumplings wrappings were more thin, allowing the delicious fillings to dominate. Another good start to the dinner.

From the Grill Bar, I selected the Beef Skewers ($9.50), which are seasoned with ginger, garlic, soy, lime leaf and lemongrass. These were average, nothing special. 

Also from the Grill Menu, the Thai Sticky Rice Ball ($4), is made with soy, pepper, scallion, and garlic, and it also was average, with a few overly charred spots, especially on the bottom. 

From the Seasonal menu, the Crispy Chicken in a Sweet & Salty Garlic Sauce ($11), was excellent. The chicken coating was very crispy, with moist, tender chicken within, and the sauce had a rich garlic taste, with a nice balance of sweet and salty. I also wasn't expecting there to be so many pieces of chicken in this dish. Highly recommended!

As for Entrees, the Woon-Sen Pad Thai ($18), is made with glass noodles, Chinese chive, shallot, salted Daikon, bean sprouts, fish sauce, and chicken, wrapped in a Thai egg omelet. What an intriguing idea putting the Pad Thai inside an omelet, adding that eggy texture and flavor to the dish. Quite a delicious and more unique dish.

The Chicken Panaeng ($18) is braised chicken in a sweet & salty panaeng curry, Thai basil, lime leaf, and coconut cream. This was another excellent dish, with plenty of tender chicken in a compelling and complex sauce, with rich coconut notes, and a nice balance of sweet and salty. 

Overall, I was largely impressed with Boda, except for their Grilled Bar items. The Grilled items were okay, but nothing special like the rest of their dishes. Service was very good too. I'd definitely recommend Boda, but just note that it fills up quickly as they don't take reservations.

And that wraps up my time in Biddeford/Portland. It was lots of fun, and we enjoyed some excellent food and drink. Plenty of interesting shops, and there's much more that I hope to visit on future trips to Portland. 

What are some of your favorite spots in the Biddeford/Portland area?