Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Indulge in all that Valentine’s Day has to offer this year at Bistro du Midi with a special five-course meal, presented by Executive Chef Robert Sisca. With picturesque views of Boston Public Garden from the second floor dining room, Bistro du Midi is a romantic setting to impress that special someone with exceptional service and a delicious menu.

The full Valentine’s Day menu is as follows:
FIRST
--Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare, winter radishes, white chocolate snow, passion fruit pearls
Optional Wine Pairing: Da Luca Prosecco, Veneto Italy
SECOND, Choice Of
--Endive & Arugula Salad, pine nuts, winter vegetables, green olive vinaigrette
--Nantucket Bay Scallop Crudo, sturgeon caviar, blood orange, persimmon
--Island Creek Oysters, Santa Barbara uni, pink lemon mignonette
Optional Wine Pairing: Fournier, Sauvignon Blanc, Val de Loire, France 2016
THIRD, Choice Of
--Beet Gnocchi, cricked creek farms feta, pine nuts, basil
--Scituate Lobster, smoked parsnip soup, hen of woods mushrooms, pomelo
Optional Wine Pairing: Santa Barbara Chardonnay, Santa Barbara, California 2016
--Hopkins Farm Braised Lamb Daube, black truffle potato puree, aged goat cheese, crispy onion
Optional Wine Pairing: Faiveley Pinot Noir, Bourgogne Rouge, Burgandy, France 2016
Chef’s Optional Course (choose one: supplement $25)
--Black Truffle Tagliatelle, périgord black truffle, wild mushrooms, preserved lemon
Optional Wine Pairing: Domaine Depeuble Beaujolais 2016
or
--Seared Foie Gras, pear, pomegranate, duck cracklings
Optional Wine Pairing: carmes de Rieussec, Sauternes, Bordeaux France 2013
FOURTH, Choice Of
--Crusted Halibut, manila clams, spigarello, crab-tomato broth
--Ora King Salmon, chorizo, cauliflower, chestnuts, golden raisins, preserved lemon
Optional Wine Pairing: La Craie, Chenin Blanc, Sec, Vouvray, Loire, France 2016
--Brandt Beef Filet Mignon, mushroom duxelles, puff pastry, black garlic bordelaise
--Crescent Farms Duck Breast, baby kale, husk cherries, turnips, spiced chocolate duck jus
Optional Wine Pairing: Chateau Deyrem Valentin, Cabernet Blend, Margaux, Bordeaux 2015
FIFTH, Choice Of
--Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta, orange tuile, blackcurrant sorbet
Optional Wine Pairing: Churchill, Ten Year Tawny, Port
--Éclair, strawberry ganache, hazelnut praline, raspberry-rosé sorbet
--Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake, rose crémeux, pistachio ice cream
Optional Wine Pairing: La Spinetta, Moscato d’asti, Piedmont, Italy

Cost: The Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu is $105 per guest, with an optional $50 wine pairing, and the special additional Chef’s Course is an extra $25.
Please call 617-426-7878 to make a reservation.

2) Try something new with your loved one this Valentine’s Day with a special Couple’s Sushi Making Class at Red Lantern Restaurant & Lounge. The class will take place on Saturday, February 9th from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Guests will get a hands on sushi class with the talented sushi chefs at Red Lantern, complete with appetizers and beverage pairings – and of course the one-of-a-kind sushi creations!

A limited number of tickets are available on EventBrite for $175 per couple and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/red-lantern-boston-presents-couples-sushi-making-class-tickets-54774703613

3) The Boston Marriott Burlington and Chopps American Bar & Grill team welcome guests for an unforgettable romantic evening. The team welcomes couples to experience their Romance Package (available February 13 – February 17), designed to make the sparks fly! Let the Chopps and Marriott teams take care of all the romantic details so you can spend time with that special someone. Rates start at just $249/night and include:

Romance Package:
· King Bedded Guestroom
· Complimentary upgrade based on availability
· Dinner for Two – 3-course prix fixe Menu in Chopps American Bar and Grill
· Breakfast for Two – Either Fresh Bites in-room or in Chopps
· Complimentary High Speed Wi-Fi
· $50.00 Long’s Jewelers Gift Card
Available on the evenings of February 13 – 17, 2019
Rate Code: RMPD
Priced at $249 per couple + room tax

Chopps American Bar and Grill is serving a special Chef’s Tasting Menu for a romantic week-long affair February 13th – February 17th. In addition to the full dinner menu, Executive Chef Stefano Zimei has created a decadent three course prix fixe menu for $50 per person (not including tax and gratuity). This menu will be available for the entire Valentine’s week.

The full prix fixe menu is as follows:
APPETIZERS
Double Cut Smoked Bacon, chimichurri, honey, black salt
Arugula Salad, roasted beets, crispy goat cheese, apples, coriander vinaigrette
Lobster Soup, butter poached lobster, tarragon crouton, aged sherry
ENTREES
Short Rib Ravioli, caramelized onion, smoked potato puree, trumpet mushrooms, madeira sauce
Grilled Skirt Steak, brown butter sweet potato, salsa verde, maytag blue cheese
Herb Crusted Atlantic Halibut, Maine mussels, fregola, tomato-fennel broth
DESSERTS
Tiramisu, marscapone, espresso chip gelato

For reservations, please call 781-229-6565

4) Experience a romantic dinner at Il Casale Cucina Belmont or Il Casale Cucina Lexington this Valentine’s Day. Chef and Owner Damien DeMagistris presents a special 4 course prix fixe menu for $75 per person.

The four-course prix fixe menu is as follows:
First Course. Choice of:
--Antipasto misto, arancini, maiale meatball, bresaola, montasio cheese, cauliflower salad, olives
--Papa al Pomodoro, roasted tomato bread soup, creamy stracchino cheese, basil, lemon zest (V)
--Fagiolini string bean salad, shaved fennel, citrus vinaigrette, toasted hazelnuts, fresh mint (V)
--Burrata field greens, house made burrata, seasonal fruit, speck from Trentino Alto-Adige
Second Course. Choice of:
--Ravioli ignudi, naked ricotta grana & spinach balls, rich tomato mushroom ragu, crispy trumpets (V)
--Risotto di mare, bay scallops, rock shrimp, mussles, saffron brood, lemon breadcrumbs
--Mezzi rigatoni, walnut pesto, buffalo ricotta, red wine sausge, sweet broccoli
--Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, the traditional meat sauce from Emilia-Romagna
Third Course. Choice of:
--Salmon, grilled Faroe Island salmon, citrus mustard glaze, hazelnut, Romanesco broccoli
--Branzino, grilled mediterranian sea bass, shredded creamy beets, herb salad, preserved
--Pollo, roasted half chicken, crispy brussels sprouts, black truffle vinaigrette
--Tagliata*, sliced prime sirloin, potato gratinate, shaved vacche rosse cheese, arugula, truffle vinaigrette
--Parmigiana di melanzane, eggplant parmigiana layered with tomato, basil, mozzarella di bufala (V)
Fourth Course.
--Insieme, ricotta mousse heart with strawberry glaze, passion fruit, pistachios, chocolate crunch bar (V)

The four course prix fixe menu is available for $75 per person.
To make a reservation for il Casale Belmont, please call 617-209-4942. To make a reservation for il Casale Lexington, please call 781-538-5846.

5) If you’re feeling rebellious with your loved one this Valentine’s Day, dine at Rebel’s Guild for an inspired Valentine’s Day prefix menu from Executive Chef Sean Dutson. The team at Rebel’s Guild is pulling out all the stops to make this Valentine’s Day the most delicious one yet with a special 3-course menu for just $60 per person.

The special Valentine’s Day menu is as follows:
Includes:
Glass of Sparkling Wine
House-Made Brown Bread with Maple Butter & Sea Salt
Appetizer. Choice of
--Parmesan Papperdelle, shaved black truffle
--Kale & Mushroom Salad, parmesan, soy-truffle vinaigrette & panko egg
--Rebel’s Deviled Eggs, lobster meat, smoked bacon & dusted with cayenne
--Pan-Fried Sun Chokes, yogurt herb sauce
--Grilled Endive with Pickled Black Trumpet Mushrooms, delicate mustard cream sauce
--Crispy Buffalo Oysters, carrot, blue cheese dressing, seaweed salad
--Clam Chowder, house-made traditional recipe
Intermezzo 
Sorbet with bubbles
Entree. Choice of
--Lamb Rack (for two), lightly crusted domestic lamb with blackberry reduction, spaghetti squash & whipped potato
--Parchment Baked Cod Loin (for two), day boat cod loin baked in paper with herbs and seasonal vegetables
--Vanilla Lobster (for two), spilt 2lb Maine Lobster broiled with vanilla-thyme butter and stuffed with winter vegetables and bread crumb
--Grilled Atlantic Salmon, parsnip puree, butternut squash, beet gastrique, arugula & quinoa salad
--Braised Short Rib of Beef, white corn grits & roasted heirloom carrots
--Brick Pressed Chicken, half chicken, mushroom risotto, charred broccolini rosemary pan sauce
--Seared Sea Scallops, butternut risotto, roasted brussels sprouts
--Filet of Beef, grilled with Hen of the Woods mushroom sauce, sugar beets & whipped potato
--Orecchiette Pasta, rabe & goat cheese
Dessert. Choice of
--Rebel’s S’more, frozen chocolate terrine, brûlée of marshmallow fluff and graham cracker dust
--Crème Brûlée, vanilla bean with fresh berries
Tea or Coffee 

Additional Items for 2 
--Duxbury Oysters on the Half Shell, - half dzn 18/dzn 32
--Dessert for 2 Adults, bubbles with cotton candy – 15
--Table Side Dessert - 12 per person
Rebel’s Sundae: vanilla bean ice cream, warm fudge brownie, bourbon caramel, whipped cream, candied pecans and luxardo cherries, finish with flambé of Bookers Uncut Bourbon

To make a reservation, please call 617-457-2625.

6) On Wednesday, February 20th at 6:30 PM, join Chef Michael Serpa of Select Oyster Bar for a special event that Chef Serpa has been passionately supporting for the past few years; @chefscycle for @nokidhungry. Chef Michael Serpa has invited a few friends to take over the kitchen to help make his goal a reality.

This 4 course dinner will feature dishes from some of the best chefs in the game, Tiffani Faison (Sweet Cheeks, Tiger Mama, Fool's Errand, & the upcoming Orfano), Will Gilson (Puritan & Co., Puritan Trading Company, The Herb Lyceum), John DaSilva (Chickadee), as well as our chef Michael Serpa of Select Oyster Bar and Grand Tour, a bistro refreshed coming later this year on Newbury Street.

The crew will be popping Island Creek Oysters to kick off the dinner, followed by a course from each chef. The wine offerings for the evening will focus on some of the best progressive producers in the country; Banshee Wines, Arnot-Roberts, Scribe, Pax & Wind Gap, Fausse Piste, Sandhi, Cruse Wine Co, and more will all be available by the glass, allowing you to pair each course to your liking. They will mark menus with suggested wines from each producer.

This is a very limited event, offering only one seating. So grab seats if you want them -- immediately if not sooner.
Links to Eventbrite Tickets to Dinner &
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/select-oyster-bar-friends-american-wine-dinner-tickets-54945314916
Chef Cycle Details: http://join.nokidhungry.org/site/TR/ChefsCycle/General?px=3320162&pg=personal&fr_id=1571

The Mind Of A Sommelier: Jesse Eslin

(Check out my Introduction to the The Mind of a Sommelier series.)

Jesse Eslin is the Wine Director at The Table at Season to Taste, located in northern Cambridge. I've previously given raves to The Table, and was quite taken with their intriguing wine list, enjoying some delicious selections from their list, including the Hild’s Elbling Sekt. Jesse was one of the first sommeliers I thought of when I created my new series, The Mind of a Sommelier.

Jesse’s deep dive into wine came when he worked at Craigie on Main and learned as much as he could. He says “working and learning at Craigie On Main with Chef Tony Maws and his amazing team was like going to graduate school for wine. It was crazy, intense, exhausting and I loved learning as much as I could.” In 2016, Jesse opened The Table at Season to Taste with Chef Carl Dooley, creating new wine pairings every six weeks when the Prix Fixe menu changes.

Now, onto the Interview:

What term do you use to describe yourself: Sommelier, Wine Steward, Wine Director, something else?
Wine Director

Please give a brief description of the wine list at your restaurant.
Our wine list is a constantly changing creature that should make almost anyone happy, as long as they are willing to step a little out of their comfort zone, which is almost a prerequisite for eating here.

What are your objectives with the wine list?
I just want to have fun with it, and make it easy for guests to make a quick decision. Early last year, I tried to add a larger selection of bottles to the list for the sake of it, and found that it did more harm than good. Most of the time, guests come in knowing exactly what they are going to do, menu wise, and I don’t think they wanted to bother looking through a list that had 100-plus different options, so they would punt and just order a couple of wines by the glass. I think it’s an overlooked quality to make all of your decisions very quickly and have the rest of the night to just enjoy the company that you are with, so I trimmed it way back, and it feels much less intimidating.

How often does the wine list change?
The wine list changes pretty frequently. Inventory wise, we don’t buy a whole lot at a time, so it gives us the flexibility to change it up whenever we feel like. The pairings change every time the menu changes, and we try to be seasonally conscious in what we put on the list in terms of glass pours and bottles. The weather tends to dictate what direction our guests want to go, drink wise.

Are there omissions on your wine list you would like to fill?
The challenge is keeping the wine list small – we have a tiny restaurant, tiny kitchen, and you can imagine, a tiny wine cellar. So of course I am tempted to have bottles from every region, every grape – but we keep it tight and flavorful and memorable here.

How do you learn about new wines?
It’s a mix of tasting a lot of new bottles from the awesome distributors that we work with, falling down the rabbit hole of book surfing and online articles, and just scrolling around SevenFifty and researching things that look interesting.

What is your strategy on pricing the wines on your list?
As with everything here, our prices come with tax and hospitality included in the price. There can be sticker shock included in this pricing structure when looking at a wine list, so I just have to work that much harder to find really good wine at really good values. It seems to all work out. I appreciate that our guests seem to trust me and jump right into the pairings I suggest. We have bottles at various pricing levels; I like to think it is an adventure that is worth the ride. I try to take care of guests who are coming in regularly, and love wine, but can’t break the bank on it. And equally important is taking care of our guests who are coming in for a special occasion and want something quite celebratory.

What is the most common wine question asked by your guests?
I’d say it’s “What should I drink?” Because of the wide variety of the flavors on the menu, you can go in a bunch of different ways, depending on your mood. Most of the wines that we have are high acid and medium bodied, food-friendly wines that can morph and bend depending on the dish.

What is the most common criticism you receive from guests about your list?
I’d say if there is one thing, and I don’t know if it’s a criticism, it’s that guests often times are unfamiliar with what we have to offer. I think having a short list with a bunch of obscure grapes or familiar grapes from different places is a fun way to get our guests to broaden their horizons and place their trust in us to give them something delicious. I think the way the menu sets up, guests are much more comfortable putting their whole experience in our hands. Plus, it’s stimulating to have that interaction, rather than have a guest just cold order a cabernet.

What is your greatest challenge as a sommelier?
I think the pairings are a fun challenge. Carl loves flavors from all over the globe, and oftentimes, flavors that would be much easier to just give over to a crisp lager. I think that’s the excitement in wine though. It doesn’t have to be so serious, and it has a place at the table along with these cuisines that have a lot of spice, a lot of energy. Every pairing is not going to be absolutely perfect, but it’s fun to see how certain aspects of the wine and the dish play together depending on what bite you take.

Tell me about 1 or 2 of the best value wines on your list?
Generally speaking, if wines have a little bit of sweetness to them, they are going to play well with a variety of the spices that you will find on the menu. The Dandelion from Alberto Nancleras is an off-dry albariño from the Rias Biaxas in northwestern Spain. It’s like drinking the wine version of lemon sherbet sprinkled with sea salt. I love wines that feel like a lightning bolt, and this definitely falls into that category.

Tell me about 1 or 2 of the most unique wines on your list?
I love the Broc Cellars Counoise. Chris Brockway makes some really cool stuff out of a warehouse in Berkeley, California and this is my favorite. Counoise is a blending grape commonly found in the Southern Rhone in France, but really shines on its own. It has this really bright, spicy fruit and is just a pleasure to drink. If fresh, new world Pinot Noir is your thing, you will love it.

Tell me about 1 or 2 of your favorite wines on your list?
The sparkling wine that we are pouring by the glass, Hild’s Elbling Sekt, is my latest obsession. It’s gorgeous. It smells like walking into a flower shop. It’s dry, crisp, lively, and the glass is almost impossible to put down before it’s empty.

Is there anything else you would like people to know about your wine list, your work as a sommelier, or wine service?
I really appreciate the guest trusting us and going along for the ride. I am a happily obsessed wine geek and of course could talk wine all day and night. And I do. There is always something new to learn and try. Here at The Table at Season To Taste we love embracing the new menu every 6 weeks, which also means a new wine list, new breads, new desserts – all new pairings - it’s an adventure and we appreciate that it seems to be working, and I am just so grateful to this community.

BISq: Fried Chicken to Ricotta Cavatelli

BISq, located on Cambridge Street near Inman Square, is on my list of Top 50 Restaurants of 2018, and one of my resolutions this year is to dine there more frequently. Besides its delicious cuisine, it is owned and operated by some genuinely nice people, including Servio Garcia (co-owner and general manager) and Executive Chef Alex Sáenz. BISq is a small and homey restaurant, with the dining room up-front and a small bar to the back. There is also a Chef's dining counter in front of the kitchen.

I stopped by for dinner recently, and was pleased to see that the restaurant was packed, which is great especially considering it is winter and commonly a slow season for restaurants. As I walked down Cambridge Street, past a number of other restaurants, they didn't seem as busy. It's clear BISq has a good following, and it is worthy of that attention. If you haven't been to BISq, you really need to check it out. And if you already love BISq, maybe it is time for another visit.

BISq has an intriguing and well curated Wine List, with 15 wines available by the glass, generally as a Half (about $5.50-$7) or Full Glass (about $10-$13). Those wines, which are all European, can be broken down into 2 Sparkling, 2 Rosé, 4 White, 4 Red, 2 Sherry, and 1 Dessert Wine. These are not the usual suspects and wine lovers will found plenty of wine choices to tantalize their palate. In the near future, BISq will be adding Spirits to their drinks program, so you'll be able to find tasty cocktails too.

I began my dinner with a glass of the NV Mirco Mariotti "Set e Mez" Rosato (pictured above), a Sparkling wine, from the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, which is produced from the indigenous Fortana grape. This wine is made in the méthode ancestrale, with native yeasts, and only about 800 cases are produced. It was delicious, dry and complex, with pleasing red fruit flavors and a touch of earthiness. I selected this wine to pair with Fried Chicken, as bubbles is usually an excellent pairing for that dish. And it definitely worked as well as hoped.

Later in the meal, I opted for a glass of 2016 Winzer Krems "Sandgrube 13", an Austrian Zweigelt. It too was dry and delicious, with lots of bright cherry and strawberry notes, some minerality, and a fairly long and satisfying finish. I chose this wine to pair with a pasta dish, with a rich Bolognese sauce, and it too was an excellent pairing.

The Food Menu at BISq is primarily a collection of creative small plates intended for sharing. The menu lists 14 items, priced from $8-$22 although only one dish is priced over $20. You'll find items such as Acorn Squash, Black Bass Ceviche, Beef Heart Anticuchos, Black Eyed Pea Hummus and Maitake Mushrooms. With advance notice, they can also arrange Whole Animal Dinners, such as Suckling Pig, Lamb, Goat, Duck, Chicken or Fish.

One of their famous specialties is their Fried Chicken ($15) with Thai Bird Chili Salt. You receive four ample-sized pieces of boneless fried chicken, with your choice of dipping sauce, Buttermilk Ranch or Chipotle BBQ. I chose the Chipotle BBQ sauce, which had a pleasant tangy and slightly spicy taste. The fried chicken has a very crisp, crunchy and flavorful coating, covering the moist and tender chicken within. I can easily understand why this chicken is so beloved, and at this price, I think it is a very good value as well.

The Ricotta Cavatelli ($22), made with a veal bolognese, parmesan, and bread crumbs, was a stunner! The tender cavatelli was pillowy soft, but with a sufficient texture so its wasn't mushy, a very well-made pasta. The veal bolognese was meaty, flavorful and spiced well, an excellent base for the cavatelli, enhanced by the cheese and the crunchy texture of the bread crumbs. On a winter's evening, this is perfect comfort food, made to satisfy the belly and soul. It even looks beautiful, the type of dish that immediately draws your attention. Highly recommended!

BISq is consistently excellent, and my most recent experience was just further evidence of why it is one of my favorite restaurants. An intriguing wine list, delicious food and excellent service. So what are you waiting for? Make a reservation to dine at BISq!

Rant: Stopping Restaurant Closures

"It amazes me when people can’t believe a restaurant is closing & when they find out it is they are all like “OMG” & “not another one” & “I love that place, but haven’t been in...” GO support all the places you don’t want to fucking disappear cause we are all dying without YOU"
--A Tweet from Chef Alex Sáenz of BISq 

I've espoused the sentiments found within Chef Sáenz's tweet before, multiple times on my blog, and I'm likely to continue doing so in the future. It is something that needs to be constantly repeated, to ensure that people listen and understand. It's clear that not everyone comprehends these issues because every time a restaurant closes, you hear the same words, the same disbelief at the closure.

However, it is actually a very simple idea. Unless a restaurant has a sufficient number of customers, it won't be able to earn a sufficient income to stay in business.

With the recent spate of restaurant closures, there has been lots of speculation as to the reasons for the closures. Most closures are likely due to a myriad of factors, some the public may know about and others of which they have no clue. At their most basic, the reasons are usually economic and a large part of that equation is the number of customers that dine at the restaurant. No restaurant can survive unless they have enough customers. The winter can be a tough time for restaurants as not as many people dine out during this season. Plus, bad weather, such as a snow storm, can keep customers away.

So, unless you want your favorite restaurants to close, you need to be active in your support, just as Chef Sáenz said. First, you need to dine at your favorite spots, as much as you can. Dine out during the winter. Dine out during the week, when the restaurant may be at its slowest. Dine out at their special events, from wine dinners to pop-ups. They are one of your favorite restaurants because you love their food, so make the effort to dine there more.

Second, recommend your favorite restaurants to your friends and family, as well as anyone else you might encounter. When you talk to these people, relate your experiences at your favorite restaurants. Put the bug in their ear that they should dine there too. This is very important, as the word needs to be spread about these restaurants, so that others patronize it as well. And if they spread the word as well, then even more people will dine there.

Third, spread the word through social media, from Twitter to Facebook, tagging the restaurant. Show photos of your food, tell others about your positive experience, share your thoughts. Your reach will extend to others that you may not speak to on a regular basis and hopefully bring even more customers to the restaurant.

Fourth, write reviews on  the restaurant's Facebook page, Yelp, Trip Advisor, or elsewhere. It doesn't have to be a lengthy review, just sufficient to show your passion and love for the restaurant. It can make a difference, and could be sufficient to convince someone to dine there too. Just keep spreading the word, far and wide.

I implore you to take action today, to make a reservation for one of your favorite restaurants. Make plans to have lunch, brunch or dinner. And then, make plans to spread the word about your dining experience, to let many others know about one of your favorite spots.

Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood: Impressive North Shore Flavor

When you live north of Boston, you probably have your favorite spots for Roast Beef sandwiches. Those spots commonly offer seafood options as well, from fried clams to chowder. I've devoured plenty of roast beef sandwiches during my life, generally eating at least one a week, and have my own favorites. And I may have a new favorite, except that it comes from a restaurant in Boston, not the North Shore.

Back in July 2017, Mooncusser Fish House opened, a joint endeavor led by Ian Calhoun, Vincent Vela, and Chef Carolyn Johnson, all who also own and operate 80 Thoreau in Concord. This seafood restaurant is actually divided into two parts, the Moon Bar located on the first floor and the Mooncusser Fish House on the second floor. The Moon Bar is the more casual dining area while the upstairs is more higher-end. And in May 2018, they expanded their concept, opening Cusser’s Roast Beef & Seafood within the Moon Bar.

Last weekend, I stayed at the Boston Park Plaza, so last Friday I stopped by the nearby Cusser's for lunch. Cusser's is only open for lunch, Monday through Friday, from 11:30am-2pm. You can dine in at the Moon Bar (which I did), or get take-out from a special window located outside the restaurant. The menu is small, but with a sufficient range of choices, including Roast Beef Sandwiches ($10), Lobster Roll ($25), Tuna Burger ($14), Fish Tacos ($10), Fish & Chips ($12), and Swordfish Souvlaki ($15). They also have Sumac Lemonade ($3), which I found to be tart, only lightly sweet, and quite tasty and refreshing.

Lunch began with a cup of their Mooncusser Chowder ($8), with clams, smoked scallops and skate. The half-moon crackers atop the chowder were made by their pastry chef Katherine Hamilburg, whose skill touched on other elements of the lunch as well. I love this chowder, and it was one of my 2017 Top Ten Favorite Restaurant Dishes. Plenty of tender, tasty seafood with a flavorful broth that wasn't too thick or too thin. And on a cold winter day, it certainly warms the belly, and is an excellent way to start your lunch at Cusser's.

The Fish & Chips ($12) includes several pieces of fried Hake, and their choice of fish delights me. Though Hake is a member of the Cod family, its flesh tends to have a milder taste and softer texture than cod. And with some of the sustainability challenges that face Cod, Hake is an excellent alternative. The batter was crisp and light, with plenty of mildly sweet hake inside. And the Fries were quite crisp, with a fluffier interior. Another winner of a dish.

The Roast Beef Sandwich ($10) can be ordered in two different styles: North Shore and 80T Style. The 80T Style is served with cheddar, pickled red onions and Thoreau sauce (a type of spicy mayo). I went for the North Shore style, which usually comes with barbecue sauce, mayo, and cheese, though I had them omit the mayo. I'd heard some good things about their roast beef but I still wasn't prepared to be so impressed with it.

The rolls are made daily by pastry chef Katherine Hamilburg, and it originally took them quite a while to decide on the right roll for their roast beef. It was soft and fresh, with the slight crunch of the seeds atop the roll. Honestly, the rolls you get with most North Shore roast beef sandwiches aren't particularly interesting or memorable. Hamilburg's roll was an excellent vehicle for the extremely tender and flavorful rare, roast beef. They freshly slice the roast beef for each sandwich, which you can watch within the Moon Bar. The barbecue sauce had a pleasant tang to it and didn't overwhelm the sandwich. Each bite was so satisfying. The ratio of bread to beef was also good, and overall, it was a well-balanced sandwich and one which I found absolutely delicious.

I actually ordered another sandwich to go, planning to eat it for dinner as I knew I would be stuck in the hotel for the rest of Friday. Plus, I knew Cusser's would be closed for the weekend so I wouldn't have another opportunity to get one of their roast beef sandwiches.

After lunch, we received a couple complimentary Whoopie Pies ($3/each), which are made fresh daily by pastry chef Katherine Hamilburg. Another winner from Hamilburg, the chocolate pies were fresh, mostly soft with a slight crunch to certain parts, and provided a delicious and rich chocolate flavor, which went well with the sweet, creamy center. They weren't too big, and just seemed the right size to be a great ending without being so large that you felt bloated once you finished it.

Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood is a lunch spot worthy of your attention, and if you love roast beef, then their sandwiches will impress even a jaded North Shore aficionado. I suspect that their Roast Beef Sandwich could even end up as one of my Top Ten Dishes of 2019. Their seafood dishes remain consistently excellent and you definitely should pick up some whoopies pies for a sweet treat. I like this lunch concept and maybe other restaurants could emulate this idea, creating something a bit more unique for the lunch crowd. Kudos to the entire Mooncusser team!