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) Loretta’s Last Call celebrates Flag Day this year by teaming up with Crown Royal's "Packages For Home". Stop by on Thursday, June 14, from 4pm-8pm, to eat, drink and support those who fight for our lives each and every day. Attendees will receive one complimentary drink, snacks, giveaways and much more. Supplies such as toiletries, food and postcards will be handed out to fill Crown Royal bags that will be sent out to our troops overseas. Flag Day at Loretta's is a fun time for a good cause.

To RSVP please email Erica@lorettaslastcall.com or call (617) 421-9595.

2) Friday, June 15, is National Lobster Day, and in New England the lobster may be the king of seafood. Here are several of the local restaurants with lobster specials that day.

Newly renovated, Anthem Kitchen + Bar kicks up a comfort classic this National Lobster Day with their Lobster Mac and Cheese made with fresh, native lobster meat, a creamy four cheese sauce and toasted crumb topping. Bonus: their patio has a bird's eye view of all the excitement happening this summer in Faneuil Hall.

Chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow channels the tastes of South America at his latin inspired restaurant Tico. Executive Chef Leo Asaro will help you spice up National Lobster Day with his Lobster Tacos with fresh lobster meat, avocado, bacon and pickled onion. And try a Margaritas with that.

For those looking for a lobster dish with an Italian spin, head over to Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, in Boston, for their specialty Lobster Risotto entrée made with Maine lobster, fresh herbs, asparagus and topped off with a decadent lobster cream. This rich and flavorful dish will give you a refreshing alternative to the traditional lobster roll.

TAMO Bistro + Bar’s outdoor Terrace at the Seaport Hotel is open for lunch and dinner just in time for National Lobster Day. Try their signature Lobster Roll served in a warm buttered bun with your choice of fries or a salad. Kick off summer in style and celebrate the night away on the beautiful outdoor patio as you listen to live music from the DJ from 7-11PM.

3) On Wednesday, June 13, starting at 5pm, Committee Ouzeri + Bar is launching a Natural Wine Bar Pop Up on their patio. Wine Director Lauren Friel (who is also opening Rebel Rebel at Bow Market) will be showcasing a modest list of all natural Greek wines. They’re offered at a much lower mark up than usual, hence the Democratization of Wine. These will be rare selections that are hard to find and will change monthly. The pop up will also offer wine flights and accompanying meze. This will be on a first come, first serve basis on the patio only beginning at 5:00PM.

The Natural Wine Bar Pop Up will kick off with the following selections, which guests can opt to enjoy with our without suggested meze pairings:
--Slavos ‘Tsaousi,’ Kefalonia
--Domaine Nerantzi ‘Koniaros,’ Macedonia
--Papras ‘Oreads,’ Thessaly

The pop up will run every Wednesday through August 29. This pop up is also in celebration of Committee’s new wine list which now features both 100% Greek AND 100% natural selections (And as I've said before, it is courageous for a restaurant to stick to a wine list that is 100% dedicated to their cuisine. With so many wonderful Greek wines available, there still will be plenty of wines to appeal to all preferences.)

4) Puritan & Company is bringing back their seasonal Market Mondays, but this time with a twist. Stop by on a summery Monday evening to try the carefully curated menu based off of what's green at the farmer's markets right now. These farm fresh specials are now not only totally vegetarian, but available to be ordered all at once. Order "the whole shebang" for $85 and enjoy the crisp, special dishes between 2-3 people. Or simply order a number to yourself, à la carte.

Note: If a guest in your party isn't vegetarian, don't fret as Puritan & Company's regular menu is also available in addition to their Market Monday offerings.

Puritan & Company's Market Monday Menu for June includes:
--Smashed Pea Toast (mint, feta, basil, everything crumble) $10
--Asparagus Soup (poached egg, berbere oil, brown butter croutons) $11
--Seared Snap Peas (radish, sweet soy, pistachio dukkah) $9
--Roasted Beets and Carrots (Great Hill Blue, spiced carrot puree, watercress) $10
--Dill Spaetzle (young onions, morels, mustard butter) $14
--Baked Lasagna (braised greens, potato, ricotta, aged pecorino) $18
--Grilled Lettuce (parmesan custard, tempura peas, meyer lemon dressing) $10
--Warm Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler (vanilla ice cream, lemon curd, basil) $10
--"The Whole Shebang" $85

This isn't my type of menu but I trust the kitchen team at Puritan that they will be putting out some awesome vegetarian dishes.

5) PABU is ringing in summer with a number of reasons to visit the modern izakaya and sushi bar in the heart of Downtown Boston. From outdoor festivities to snacky specials and new libations, PABU has a little something to suit every summertime desire.

PABU Summer Kickoff Party
Thursday, June 21, 4:30-5:30PM
To kick off the official start of summer, PABU and Downtown Boston BID are hosting a Summer Solstice sidewalk celebration at the Downtown Crossing Steps right outside the restaurant. PABU staff will be passing out complimentary Sushi Hand Rolls, there will be a DJ spinning summer tunes, fun contests, games, freebies and more. And to extend the party, PABU will be offering their special Happy Hour menu all night long.

Happy Hour
Monday-Friday, 4:00-6:00PM & 9:00-10:00PM (in bar & lounge area)
As the summer rolls on, get out and enjoy the evening with PABU’s Happy Hour menu. Featuring assorted snacks and sushi from Chef Ben Steigers, such as:

Robatayaki Skewer ($3) – cut of the day grilled over binchotan
Tokyo Fried Chicken Karaage ($6) – soy-ginger marinade, spicy mayo
Hand Roll ($6) -choice of: spicy tuna, salmon, scallop, hamachi or negihama
PABU Ribs ($7) – red chili glaze, kewpie, sesame
And more...

New Cocktails
PABU’s bar program highlights Japanese ingredients, hospitality and most importantly, kaizen, a desire for constant improvement. A few of the new seasonal selections:

Shiso Fine ($13) – el tesoro blanco tequila, aperol, shiso, fever tree club soda
Crane Kick ($14) – rhum agricole, yuzu, lemongrass
Woman on the Other Shore ($18) – ki no bi japanese gin, yuzu, lemon, togarashi bitters