Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my semi-regular column where I briefly mention some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) There is exciting news for the residents of Stoneham. The Farm Hill Farmers Market will be extended through Tuesday, October 26, 2pm-Dusk on the Stoneham Common.
Originally scheduled to end on Sept. 28, the Market has proved so popular among shoppers, vendors, and the Stoneham community that the Senior Center Friends of Stoneham decided to add the additional Tuesdays. I am very glad that it has been extended.

“Now the residents of Stoneham will be able to get those fresh and tasty fall vegetables that are now coming into season right from their own Market,” said Dennis O’Hara, market manager. “We’ve already seen some carrots, winter squashes, sweet peppers and pumpkins at the Market and will have more late summer and early fall harvests through the month of October.”g


2) Mark your calendar and reserve Monday, November 8th for the seventh annual Flavors of Fall to be held at Regattabar in The Charles Hotel in Cambridge from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.

Top chefs in Cambridge and Somerville will be dishing out savory selections and sweet confections from their fall menus, together with a funky side of jazz and an assortment of beverages from Brooklyn Brewery and Pernod Ricard. Tickets cost $65 per person, every penny of which supports The Community Art Center, which provides economically-disadvantaged youth opportunities to develop themselves artistically, academically, and socially.

Flavors of Fall is organized each year by BostonChefs.com, Greater Boston's premier source for fine dining information and restaurant news online. Newcomers like Russell House Tavern and Bergamot will be joining repeat performers like UpStairs on the Square and Rialto at this year's Flavors of Fall, the area's longest running fall tasting extravaganza.

3) The Q Restaurant, a Mongolian fondue place, is now open on Washington Street on the outskirts of the Theater District. Located on the base level of the new Archstone Boston Common complex, Q Restaurant looks to Mongolian history for inspiration. Mongolian Fondue (or “hot pot”) is a concept popularized in the eleventh century during the Genghis Khan era.

At Q Restaurant, chefs meticulously prepare paper-thin slices of various meat and seafood options that are complemented by an array of aromatic broths and stocks. At the table, guests will interactively plunge their proteins into pots atop built-in induction burners for approximately thirty seconds until fully cooked. The custom-flavored seafood and meats are then served with an abundance of vegetables, noodles and tofu. Q also features sushi, sashimi and makimono offerings.

Q Restaurant features a full-service dining room, private dining capabilities for special occasions, business meetings, and holidays, a spacious lounge, and a separate bar area that will serve up the intriguing cocktails, including a Wasabi-infused martini.

I have seen the menu and many of the items do intrigue me. There are plenty of options, including meat, seafood and vegetarian, even some offal. Prices seem reasonable for the hot pots, though the sushi is a bit more expensive than usual, though not as expensive as the high-end sushi restaurants in the city. Cocktails average about $12. I do want to check it out.

Q Restaurant is located at 660 Washington Street, Chinatown, 02111 (at the corner of Beech Street). Q Restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30am through 1:00am.