Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) As Summer approaches, there's s a new lineup of seasonal dishes at Gustazo Cuban Café. Chef/Owner Patricia Estorino has crafted a menu that brings together the bold, soulful flavors of her native Cuba with the freshest ingredients New England has to offer. These new creations are all about balance: tradition and innovation, warmth and brightness, depth and freshness. Additionally, chef Patricia is always playing with new and seasonal ingredients.

Here’s a little taste of what’s new:
* Ensalada de Habas – A vibrant salad of fava beans, marinated chayotes, Campari tomatoes, watermelon radishes, red leaf lettuce, crushed plantain chips, and pistachio vinaigrette.
* Ceviche – Black bass cured in citrus and guava with dashi, dragonfruit, gooseberries, marinated cucumbers, crispy onions, and a splash of Curio’s Walk in the Woods gin.
* Grilled Bread – Toasted bread piled high with marinated tomatoes, queso frito, roasted red peppers, sherry balsamic, rose harissa, and opal basil.
* Pan-Seared Swordfish – Served with roasted marble potatoes, grilled asparagus, green almonds, hearts of palm, and tangerine vinaigrette.

With locations in Waltham and Cambridge, Gustazo Cuban Café brings the rich flavors and warm hospitality of Cuba to Greater Boston. Founded in 2011 by Chef Patricia Estorino and her husband Adolfo, Gustazo is known for bold, ingredient-driven cuisine, craft cocktails, and a welcoming atmosphere. 

2) Visit Tambo 22, the excellent Peruvian restaurant in Chelsea, next week, from June 3 to 7, for a special week-long celebration of the release of Chef Jose Duarte's new cook book, Taranta: A Boston Chef's Journey to Sustainability. Chef Duarte is one of my favorite chefs, who is extremely talented, compassionate, generous and an overall great person.  

On June 3, you can meet Chef Jose Duarte in person for a book signings of his new hardcover cookbook. Even if you can't attend the signing, you can still purchase the cookbook online. Also, from January 3-7, you can indulge in some of the cookbook menu specials, which are pictured above. The full Tambo 22 menu will also be available. Please note that items may sell out!

For Reservations, please go HERE.

Portuguese Lunch at Adega in Woburn: First Impressions

On Main Street in Woburn, nestled within a small complex of stores, including a laundromat, cleaner's and hair salon, is an unassuming sign, Adega. Unless you were specifically looking for it, you might drive by without giving it any attention. You might not even realize it was a restaurant. Yet it has existed in that location for 10+ years. 

This is the Adega Restaurant & Bar, a Portuguese restaurant which has existed since 2014, and is owned and operated by Chef Helder Teixeira, who is a native of the Portuguese island of Madeira. The restaurant seems to often fly under the radar, receiving little publicity or mentions on social media,  but is worthy of much more attention. 

Adega is open from Tuesday to Sunday, for both Lunch and Dinner, and it's a homey and clean restaurant, which seats around 50 people.  

There's also a small bar, and in 2022, the restaurant acquired an All Alcohol license, an upgrade from their previous Wine & Malt license.  

The Food Menu offers many traditional Portuguese dishes, and there's always a list of Specials, commonly including 2-4 appetizers and 6-8 entrees. The regular menu includes Appetizers (9 options at $10-$15), with items such as Steamed Mussels and Flame Grilled Linguiça. The Meat & Poultry Entrees (8 options at $20-$30), includes dishes such as Sautéed Pork, Sautéed Chicken, and Black Angus Sirloin Steak. The Fish & Seafood Entrees (12 options at $25-$35) include dishes like Salted Codfish, Portuguese Seafood Stew, and Grilled Octopus.

I've dined at Adega for lunch on two occasions, and the food was consistently delicious. Let me provide some of my initial impressions on my experiences.

One of the Appetizers is Lapas Grelhadas ($15), grilled limpets served with a garlic butter sauce and lemon. Limpets are a type of sea snail with a single shell, a speciality in the Azores and Madeira. I've previously enjoyed them elsewhere, and this dish was quite tasty. The limpets are a little chewy, like escargot, with a briny taste, enhanced by the garlic and butter. It was an ample-sized dish and the sauce was an excellent place to dip your bread. If you've never eaten limpets, they are well worth checking out.

Another appetizer are the Pasteis de Bacalhau ($13), Fried Codfish Cakes with a black-eyed pea salad. The codfish cakes were nicely crisp on the exterior, with a fluffy interior like salty mashed potatoes and cod. Again, a delicious and ample dish, with 6 cakes, for a very reasonable price.

As for the Entrees, the Espetada de Carne e Linguica Caseira com Batata Frita Portuguesa e Vegetal do Dia ($25) is a Beef and Homemade Linguica Kebab with Portuguese Fries and the Vegetable of the Day. A visually impressive dish, the meat was tender and flavorful with a nice spice to the linguica.  

The Portuguese Fries were excellent, a nice combination of crispness and fluffiness. 

Of the Seafood entrees, the Arroz a Valenciana ($35), similar in some respects to a Spanish paella, is composed of sautéed chicken, pork, linguiça, shrimp, mussels, scallops, calamari, clams, and a half lobster. What a combination of meat, poultry and seafood! The broth is made from garlic, olive oil and saffron, and it's all served atop rice. Everything was tender and flavorful, with quite a delectable broth. It's certainly large enough for two people to share, or one very hungry person. 

Overall, Adega earns my hearty recommendation, and I'm eager to try more of their menu items. It's reasonably priced and the dishes are ample and delicious. Service is very good, and the restaurant has a homey vibe. 

Have you dined at Adega before?   

Rant: Older Restaurants Deserve Respect Too

Last month, I provided my initial impressions of Casa Romero, a Mexican restaurant in Boston which has existed for 50+ years. And later this week, I'll be providing some initial impressions of the Adega Restaurant & Bar, a Portuguese restaurant in Woburn which has existed for 10+ years. 

I believe that these restaurants, and many others, don't seem to get sufficient attention from the press. On social media, they are infrequently mentioned. Why is that so? As I've said before, new restaurants get the lion's share of publicity from food writers, reviewers and on social media. There's often a frenzy to be one of the first to review a new restaurant, and with so many restaurants opening all the time, writers don't lack for material. However, that means they give little, if any, attention to restaurants that have been open for years. 

That needs to change!

I've written about this issue before, as far back as 2014, and it's an issue that should be raised time and time again, to continue to bring attention to this matter, as a regular reminder to people. The last time I wrote about this issue was back in 2018, so it's time to bring it to the forefront once again.

Many older restaurants were reviewed years ago but often haven't received an updated review in a very long time, if at all. During those years, so much can change, sometimes for the positive and sometimes for the negative. Consumers shouldn't have to rely on a 10 year old review to judge a restaurant. Some of these older restaurants are worthy of a new review, to ensure people know that it remains a quality restaurant.

These restaurants have survived so long for a reason and they should receive additional attention from time to time, to ensure people don't forget them. Every month, a significant number of restaurants close, indicative of the toughness of the restaurant industry. Each year a restaurant survives is a significant achievement. Those that can survive the test of time often deserve our respect and attention, and we need to ensure they are not forgotten. They need to be supported by our patronage. 

We need to write more about these older restaurants, to continue to highlight their quality. Any worthy writer can find an angle concerning these older restaurants. Don't just be dazzled by the new, restaurants that might not even survive a year. On social media, people need to talk about these older, but worthy, restaurants. And we need to dine at these places, to give them our financial support as well. 

Which older restaurants do you believe are worthy of more attention? 

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Big Grin, by Chef John Fraser, a fast casual burger joint at The Lineup in the Winthrop Center in Downtown Boston is celebrating National Hamburger Day with a tasty giveaway. On Wednesday, May 28, from 11:30AM to 3PM, the first 100 guests will receive a free burger hand-crafted by the Big Grin culinary team, specifically for National Hamburger Day. Plus every customer in line who does not receive a burger will receive a voucher for Free Crinkle Cut Fries Fries redeemable at a later date.

Big Grin offers American-inspired roadside classics with Chef John Fraser’s classic contemporary influence. Along with a selection of three burgers including the Big Grin Burger, Big Bacon Burger and the Harvest Burger, Big Grin also offers an Organic Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Seared Dimple Dog, B.L.A.T., Crinkle Cut Fries, Olive Oil Waffle Hash Browns, Melty Jalapeno Chili-Cheddar Cheese, Soft Serve, Milkshakes and Floats. Big Grin also offers a rotating assortment of monthly specials. Explore the menu Here.

Rant: Once Again, I Must State "Eat More Seafood!"

Eat More Seafood! Eat More Seafood! Eat More Seafood!

As summer approaches, local clam shacks will become more popular, more lobster rolls will be consumed, and salmon will be grilled in backyards. It's great to know people will be eating more seafood, but the vast majority of people still need to eat even more seafood. As I've said repeatedly before, seafood consumption will significantly lessen your chances of dying from the leading cause of death in the U.S.: Heart Disease. That's a powerful reason why you should consume more seafood and it's far from the only reason. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), the leading cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease, and in 2022, it killed over 700,000 people each year. We all have had family and friends who have died from heart disease, and we should be doing what we can to reduce our own chances of acquiring heart disease. Do you want to die prematurely, leaving your loved ones without your presence? Do you want to die from heart disease when you could have adopted a small lifestyle change which might have saved you?

Seafood consumption is a significant key to reducing your chances of heart disease. Since the 1970s, over 20,000 research studies have been conducted on the health benefits of seafood and they have concluded that eating seafood twice a week can reduce your chance of dying from heart disease by about 36%. You won't find another single food that has been scientifically proven to reduce heart disease so much. 

Low seafood consumption is blamed for 84,000 deaths in the U.S. and 1.4 million globally. Besides helping to reduce heart disease, research has also been providing growing evidence of the health benefits to the brain and bones as well as against cancers and inflammatory diseases. Eating more seafood is such a simple change to your lifestyle and it can bring so many health benefits.

According to recommendations from the USDA, and many other bodies, Americans should consume at least 26 pounds of seafood each year, essentially meaning you should eat 4 ounces of seafood twice a week. The average American doesn't consume this much seafood. Per capita seafood consumption peaked in 2021 at 17 pounds (still 9 pounds short of the USDA recommendation), but has been on a slight decline since then. In 2024, per capita consumption was only 16.5 pounds.

Besides the health reasons for eating more seafood, another compelling reason is the taste. Seafood is delicious! It's diverse in its flavor profiles so there should be something to cater to all preferences. Even if you dislike shellfish, then maybe you will enjoy a flaky white fish or a richer salmon. Fish can be prepared in a myriad of methods, from raw to baked, fried to grilled. Add it to soups or risottos, casseroles or sauces. Want some new recipes? Check HERE for recipes from the Seafood Nutrition Partnership. 

I know that one of the major obstacles to increases seafood consumption is price. People perceive that seafood is expensive, so they are less likely to buy it, opting for less expensive proteins. However, there are plenty of ways to get better value when purchasing seafood. First, buy seafood types, like mussels, which are very good values. Second, seek out local seafood as it often can be less expensive than imported seafood. Third, buy seasonal seafood as it's usually less expensive because it is more abundant in season. If you buy fish out of season, the price may have a premium added to it. Fourth, check out some of the less popular fish species, which may be cheaper because there is less demand for it. Try wild drum fish, snook, or cobia rather than tuna and cod. Fifth, consider eating smaller portions of fish, rather than you would a large steak or pork chop at one sitting. You only need 4 ounces of seafood, twice a week, and that smaller size works out to be a less expensive meal overall. 

I've been purchasing much of my seafood from the Ipswich Shellfish Fish Market in Ipswich. They have a very good variety of seafood, fresh and frozen, generally dependent on what's seasonally available. The fresh fish looks great, is reasonably priced, and tastes delicious. Plus, their service is excellent, from cutting your seafood to order to providing cooking advice. 

Step up your game and eat more seafood. Try to consume seafood at least twice a week. What's stopping you from reaching your seafood consumption goal? 

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) ZURiTO, the Basque-inspired pintxo bar in Beacon Hill from BCB3 Hospitality Group (led by Chef Jamie Bissonnette and celebrated restaurateurs Andy Cartin and Babak Bina) has launched its new outdoor seating. Located at 26 Charles Street, in the heart of historic Beacon Hill, ZURiTO has a new outdoor area that includes 26 seats and standing room, beautifully appointed with flowers and lights. Outdoor seating at ZURiTO is available on a first come, first-served basis. 

ZURiTO is a restaurant rooted in the Basque ethos of “eat a little—but often,” featuring a rotating menu of pintxos, imported jamón and quesos from Spain, along with seasonal larger-format dishes. The extensive wine list is led by Wine Director Nader Asgari-Tari, while the cocktail program headed up by Oscar Simoza, BCB3’s Spirits Director, focuses on low-ABV drinks inspired by Northern Spain – including their Classic Sangria made with citrus in spice.

To welcome in the warmer months, the team has also introduced seasonal specials, including: 
Foie Gras Plantxa, seared foie gras with ramps, sunchoke, and honey
Helechos con Romesco served with the classic, Spanish sauce with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and pine nuts
Asparagus served with salmorejo and goat butter

2) Famed Italian restaurant, Prezza, located in the North End celebrates 25 Anniversary! They will be celebrating with two special events, a Block Party and an Anniversary Dinner. 

The Block Party will be held on Sunday, June 22, from 12pm-6pm, in a tented parking lot across from restaurant on Fleet Street and inside Prezza until 5:30pm. There will be food, drinks and entertainment.

Food: 
Seafood Station including Oysters, Tuna Tacos, and Shrimp Scampi Cups
Pasta Station including Cavatelli Bolognese, Rigatoni plum tomato, & basil, and Orecchiette, sausage, rabe, chili flake
Meat Station including Roasted Pulled Pork Sliders, Sausage, peppers and onions, Chicken Milanese Sliders on focaccia, arugula, roasted peppers, and Beef Tenderloin Sliders, horseradish aioli

Beverage: 
Wine Station including Red, White, Rose and Bubbles
Beer Station including Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Menabrea
Specialty Cocktails, shaken up by your favorite Prezza bartenders

Entertainment  
DJ Scottie Mac
Photo Booth with instant photos
Face Painting
Cornhole and More!

Tickets are available HERE, and are priced from $50-$100, depends on whether you include Beverage stations. 

The Special Anniversary Dinner will be held after the Block Party, on Sunday, June 22, at 6:30pm. The Menu for this five-course dinner is:

FIRST
Tuna Crudo, Blood Orange, Fennel, Calabrian Chili, Citrus Vinaigrette
Prosciutto, Sopressata, Buffalo Mozzarella, Roasted Pepper
SECOND
Crispy Shrimp, Italian Slaw, Cherry Pepper Aioli
Roasted Figs, Stuffed with Gorgonzola, Wrapped in Prosciutto, Balsamic Glaze
Grilled Squid and Octopus, Tomato Braised White Beans, Toasted Parsley
THIRD
Corn Raviolini, Rock Shrimp, Pancetta, White Wine, Butter
Gnocchi Bolognese
Lumache Lobster Fra Diavolo
FOURTH
Crispy Pork Chop, Vinegar Peppers, Roasted Onions, Potatoes
Veal Osso Buco, Risotto Milanese
Grilled Tuna Steak, Fregola, Fresh Corn Cherry Tomato, Pesto, Feta
Boneless Free Range 1/2 Chicken, Yukon Mashed, Green Beans Roasted Onions
Grilled Sirloin, Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Red Wine Sauce
DESSERT
White Chocolate Bread Pudding, Vanilla Ice Cream, Crème Anglaise
Pistachio Sundae, Amarena Cherries, Amaretto Cookie Crumbs
Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Sauce, Hazelnut Ice Cream

Wine Cellar Selections include these and more!
2000 Altamura Cab Sauvignon
2004 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino ‘La Cas’
2005 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape
2010 Batasiolo Barolo Brunate
2012 Rhys Pinot Noir
2013 Robert Foley Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Kelly’s Cuvee"

Tickets are available HERE, and tickets cost $250 per guest, but includes complimentary access to the Block Party food and beverage stations.

3) Karma Asian Fusion in Winchester, is now serving a new weekday Lunch Menu, just in time for patio season. Their brand new patio is also now open, seating up to 36 guests.  The Lunch Menu is available from Monday to Friday,  12PM - 3PM. 

Some of their menu highlights include:
Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) $9.50
Salmon Carpaccio $15

Chili Hamachi $15

Crab Rangoon $9

Crispy Wonton $12
Chinese Wok Lunch Sets $22: Featuring dishes like General Gao’s Chicken, Yuen Yang Spicy Chicken or Beef, Vegetarian Mapo Tofu, and Mongolian Chicken or Beef, all served with hot and sour soup, rice, dumplings, and edamame
Sushi Lunch Special $28: Miso soup, edamame, 3 pieces of nigiri, sashimi don, and ½ Fire Dragon Maki

I haven't yet visited their Winchester location, but I'll stop by there soon to try out their new Lunch Menu. The Soup Dumplings are calling my name.

The Skinny Pancake: First Impressions

A new location of the Skinny Pancake has recently opened at the Northshore Mall in Peabody, and I stopped there last Friday for breakfast. Overall, I was very pleased with the food, service, and vibe, and will return again soon to check out more of their menu. However, I probably will order their Poutine again as it was so delicious.

The first Skinny Pancake had its origins back to 2003, when its owners, Jonny & Benjy Adler, worked out of a make-shift cart. They eventually stepped up to using a veggie-oil powered school bus ‘Sueno,’ visiting many festivals. And in 2007, they opened their first restaurant in Burlington, Vermont. Since then, they have opened additional restaurants in Vermont, one in Albany, Vermont, and now two in Massachusetts, one in Hadley and their latest in Peabody. 

They source many of their ingredients locally, in the New England region, and you can see a number of their purveyors in the above poster which is in the entrance lobby. 

Their Menu includes Breakfast All Day ($8.99-$13.89), Buns & Bread ($13.89-$15.89, from Burgers to Burritos), Sweet Crepes ($6.89-$12.49), Savory Crepes ($8.89-$14.89), and Sides, Salads & Shares (including Poutine). You'll also find wine, beer (including a number of options on tap), cocktails, milkshakes, and more. 

The restaurant is also generally open from 8am to either 8pm or 9pm (dependent on the day). Inside, there's a casual and homey vibe. You order at the counter and then sit down, and a server will then deliver your food and drink when it's ready.  

I had to try their Poutine, French fries topped with Vermont cheese curds and Screamin' Ridge Farm Gravy, and I was impressed. The crisp fries, fluffy inside, were a nice thickness, and retained much of their crispness even topped by the gravy. The outer layers of the cheese curds melted into a gooey goodness, but retained a chewy firmness inside, exactly what you want from authentic curds. If different cheeses are used, they often fully melt and lack that chewy firmness I desire. And the gravy was flavorful and relatively light, enhancing the dish rather than masking the fries and curds. To me, this was a well-balanced and delicious Poutine, exactly what I think it should be. Highly recommended!

I opted for the Lumberjack, a crepe filled with Ham and Cabot Cheddar Cheese. The crepe was light and slightly crisp, filled with plenty of tasty melted cheese and thinly sliced ham. If you enjoy crepes, you would enjoy this one and I'm sure their other crepes, both savory and sweet, are probably tasty as well.

The Cinnamon Swirl French Toast is topped by powdered sugar and thinly sliced strawberries, accompanied by maple syrup and whipped cream. The French toast was like thick-sliced brioche, with plenty of cinnamon inside, a nicely eggy texture, and the strawberries were nicely sweet. A hearty and tasty dish. 

My first visit to Skinny Pancake was delicious and pleasant, with the Poutine being my highlight. Service was very good, prices are reasonable, and I like how they concentrate on local ingredients. I would recommend the Skinny Pancake, and I will return soon as well, wanting to try their Burger.

Rant: Desserts--To Share Or Not To Share?

Are you willing to share dessert with your dining companions? Or do you want your own individual dessert whenever you dine out? 

Last week, I had lunch at the Pellana Prime Steakhouse in Peabody, one of my favorite restaurants. The three of us enjoyed a delicious meal, from the complementary Popovers & breads to the Clams Casino, from the Filet Mignon with Seared Scallops & Lobster Risotto to the Seared Swordfish. To top off the lunch, we also opted for a couple desserts.

The Chocolate Cake was huge, composed of seven layers with a Belgian Chocolate Ganache. It's not a dessert that most people could easily consume on their own, despite it being delicious and a chocolate lover's dream. 

I selected the Bread Pudding (pictured at the top), made with chocolate chips and accompanied by a Bourbon Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream. It too was huge, and probably would have been sufficient for three people to share. It was also quite delicious, and as a big fan of bread pudding, I was impressed. The Dessert menu didn't mention the size of this dessert, so if you had planned to eat this on your own, as I had, you might have been amazed at its large size. 

Fortunately, the three of us were more than willing to share these desserts, although we still ended up taking some of it home. However, not everyone is so willing to share dessert, or even savory courses. Anecdotally, it seems that women are more willing to share dishes than men. I'm unsure of the reason for this division, but it might have to do with sharing being considered a more intimate act. 

Sharing has never bothered me, and I certainly know a number of men who it doesn't bother either. However, I have spoken to chefs who indicated men tend to not share dishes with other men, although they are more willing to share dishes with women, especially wives and girlfriends. 

Sizable desserts, like the ones served at Pellana, are intended to be shared. They are too large for most people to consume, so if you dislike sharing, what would you do? Would you simply eat until you were full, and then take the rest home? Or would you bite the bullet and share? And if you dislike sharing, what are your reasons? 

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) XOXO Sushi Bar will host a dual-celebration of its One-Year Anniversary and Mother’s Day in Chestnut Hill on Sunday, May 11, from 12pm-10pm. Utilizing XOXO’s advanced in-house dry-ager and jukusei technique – “aging” in Japanese, where fish used in sushi is salted or soaked in vinegar then matured for several days – Chef Kegan Stritchko has designed a pair of celebratory menus that feature local and rare sea treasures designed with luxe and intriguing flavor profiles.

In the abbreviated jukusei omakase offering, there are 11 courses: an Island Creek oyster with leche de tigre and dill; hirame usuzukuri with yuzu dashi, candied quinoa and lemon zest; madai and shima aji nigiri; chef’s choice of five pieces of sashimi; hiramasa and Ora King salmon nigiri; chawanmushi with savory egg custard, snow grab and ikura; bluefin tuna and akamutsu nigiri; a negitoro handroll with bluefin tuna belly, scallion and shiso; grilled langoustine with miso butter, kimchi and chili oil; A5 wagyu beef tartare with black garlic, caviar and taro root; and a dessert of Thai chili chocolate ice cream with chocolate ganache and cranberry gel. 

Guests can opt for an expanded menu with five additional courses, bringing the grand experience to 16 courses: a personal 1oz jar of caviar paired with purple potato chips; Hokkaido uni nigiri; king crab nigiri; dry aged otoro; and A5 wagyu ribeye carpaccio with caviar, lemon miso butter and negidare.

COST: Jukusei tasting menu: $150 per guest; Jukusei tasting menu with expanded offerings: $250 per guest
Reservations are recommended via OpenTable 

2) For Mother's Day, from May 9-11, Back Bay steakhouse Abe & Louie’s will be featuring their signature menu in addition to a collection of specials. For starters, there is a chilled English pea and ramp soup with morel mushrooms, brioche and mint ($18) as well as Maryland soft shell crab with sugar snap pea slaw and malt vinegar aioli ($28). The “land & sea” entrée pairs a 6oz filet with a Maine lobster tail served alongside confit fingerling potatoes and bordelaise ($90) in addition to roasted branzino with morel mushrooms, ramps and white miso emulsion ($60) with the option to enhance it with a “mélange of spring” of sauteed morel mushrooms, ramps and confit fingerling potatoes ($22). For something sweet, there is tiramisu with mascarpone, espresso and cocoa powder ($15). To make Reservations, please call (617) 536-6300. 

3) For Mother's Day, from May 9-11, the Coach Grill in Wayland will dish an array of food and cocktail specials over three days. The starter features are crispy softshell crab with asparagus, vinaigrette and remoulade ($25) as well as a shaved asparagus salad with cucumber, red onion, spring radish, feta and lemon-dill vinaigrette ($16). Bring your appetite for the main courses, “land & sea” with a 6oz filet mignon and crab-stuffed shrimp with asparagus ($75), or a 1.25lb stuffed lobster with Ritz cracker and herb stuffing, corn succotash and beurre blanc ($95). Leave room for dessert, a mascarpone cheesecake with macerated strawberries ($13), or a lemon tart with blueberries and vanilla Chantilly cream ($13). To make Reservations, please call (508) 358-5900.  

4) Bakes for Breast Cancer – the non-profit organization dedicated to funding breast cancer researchers and clinicians – is proud to announce its dates for Bakes for Breast Cancer Massachusetts. The weeklong annual fundraiser runs from Friday, May 9 through Thursday, May 15. Founder Carol Sneider launched this event and nonprofit in memory of her mother who lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 43. The best memories Carol recalls were the times spent in the kitchen baking bread, cakes and other sweet treats.

Since its inception in 1999, Bakes for Bakes Cancer has encouraged restaurants, cafés, bakeries, pastry shops, grocery stores and other businesses offering desserts to designate one of their sweet treats during the weeklong event where 100% of the proceeds go to Bakes for Breast Cancer to fund breast cancer research. Participating establishments also have the opportunity to offer up their entire dessert roster where 50% of the proceeds goes back to the organization. Over the last twenty six years, Bakes for Breast Cancer has raised over 2 million dollars and over 5,000 different establishments have participated in the annual weeklong event. There are over 160 participating venues, 12 of which are at the gold level, meaning they donate 50% of all dessert sales over the week of May 9 – May 15.

“Since 1999, Bakes for Breast Cancer has been on a mission to do its part to help eradicate breast cancer for good, one sweet treat at a time,” said Bakes for Breast Cancer Founder Carol Sneider. “We are proud to keep expanding into different states and marquee cities, and we will continue to do so in areas with thriving culinary scenes with establishments that share the same mission as ours. Statistics on both women and men directly and indirectly affected by breast cancer are alarming, and we will continue do our best to help reduce those numbers.”

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2023, an estimated 297,790 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women except for skin cancers, and it is estimated that in 2023, approximately 30% of all new female cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer. On average, every 2 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States and approximately 15% of women diagnosed have a family history of breast cancer.