A Chinese Restaurant in Mayberry?

The core of the story centered on Sheriff Andy Taylor, a widower, raising his son, Opie, assisted by his Aunt Bee, all in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina. 

The Andy Griffith Show, which aired from 1960-1968, with 249 episodes, is a beloved and iconic comedy series. It always did very well in the ratings and is commonly listed as one of the best TV series ever. It was considered a wholesome show, generally upholding strict moral values. As a child, I watched the series and I’m sure many of my contemporaries did the same. 

However, nowadays, the series receives some criticism as there was almost no diversity in the show. For example, there was only a single black actor, Rockne Tarkington, who had a speaking part on the show and he only appeared in a single episode, as Opie's football coach. A few other black actors and actresses appeared as non-speaking extras, although none of them were listed in the credits.

Thus, I was recently surprised to learn that one of the episodes centered on a Chinese restaurant in Mayberry! I didn’t remember that episode from my childhood, and wouldn’t have imagined such an episode existed. Fortunately, the episode, from 1967, presented a very positive image, which would have reached many households all across the country, helping to break erroneous preconceptions and prejudices against the Chinese. Such positive depictions are absolutely necessary, so let's take a deeper look at this fascinating episode.

The episode, “Aunt Bee’s Restaurant” (Season 7, Episode 21) aired on February 6, 1967. At that time, in the fictional town of Mayberry, there were a few restaurants, primarily diners, including the Mayberry Diner, Bluebird Diner, and Snappy Lunch. There was a more upscale spot, Morelli’s, which was located just outside of Mayberry. All of these restaurants provided basic American fare, and most were relatively inexpensive. 

As the episode began, Andy and his friend, Gomer Pyle, were discussing what they would eat for lunch when Aunt Bee arrived. She mentioned that she might stop by the Spare Ribs Tavern and bring some home for dinner. However, Gomer mentioned that the restaurant had closed the day before, as they couldn’t succeed. 

Aunt Bee commented that Mayberry wasn’t really a spare rib town, which is very curious as North Carolina is well known for its barbecue, including its ribs. Aunt Bee then finished, by stating,  “The restaurant business can be so treacherous.” This was intended to mean the restaurant business was very difficult, and didn't refer to any betrayal or deception. 

Next, Aunt Bee stopped by the Spare Ribs Tavern, to speak to the owner Henry. The signs in the restaurant were interesting, providing insight into their menu. One signs mentioned, “Complete Lunch” including items like beef stew, meat balls, roast beef, roast pork, chicken fried steak, ham & lima beans, and hamburger steak (all priced $1.25-$1.35). The lower part of another sign mentioned Cole Slaw and Homemade Soup. A prominent third sign promoted Barbecued Ribs, To Go, for 85 cents. A fourth sign mentioned hot dogs, pizza, French dips, and chile. Interestingly, the sign also mentioned beer for 25 cents, even though Mayberry was a dry town. 

The Spare Ribs Tavern probably served a menu similar to many of the other existing restaurants in Mayberry, except for possibly the barbecued ribs. So why wasn't it able to compete with the other local restaurants? The tavern had far more variety on their menu than just barbecued ribs.  

Henry wasn’t present so Aunt Bee spoke with Charlie Lee, the chef, and the old her that he planned to return to Pittsburgh to work at Wong Soo’s Canton Palace. Bee was disappointed, as she felt he was an excellent chef, and Charlie then told her that he felt a Chinese restaurant in Mayberry would have been a great idea, a relative gold mine. Charlie began learning how to cook Chinese cuisine when he was 17 years old, and stated he knew how to prepare items like chop suey, chow mein, and egg rolls. 

However, Charlie noted it would take money, about $400, to renovate the tavern and turn it into a Chinese restaurant. Charlie lacked the needed capital so he needed a partner to invest that money, but he didn't know no one who would do so. As Bee left the restaurant, she found a penny on the floor, and Charlie told her it was her lucky day. 

Later that day, Bee was at home with Andy, and she began to sing “Chinatown, My Chinatown,” a popular song written by William Jerome and Jean Schwartz back in 1906. She had already made up her mind to invest in the Chinese restaurant and was slowly trying to tell Andy about it. She asked him, “Everybody likes good wholesome food, don’t they?” This was a clear indication that she considered Chinese cuisine to be “good wholesome food.” She finally then told Andy, who was skeptical of her plans. 

Andy didn’t think she knew anything about running a restaurant, although she claimed it would be like serving a lot of company, although Andy replied that she didn’t serve sub gum to her guests. Andy’s friend, Howard Sprague, showed up at their home and Andy asked for his opinion on Bee’s plans, hoping he would be on Andy’s side. Howard though was a fan of Chinese cuisine, and especially fond of water chestnuts, and thought having a Chinese restaurant in Mayberry would be a good idea. 

Andy remained doubtful but Bee went forward with her investment. So, at least some of the people of Mayberry had some familiarity with Chinese cuisine. Had they visited a Chinese restaurant in another part of North Carolina? That information isn't provided in the episode. However, it's good to see that none of them had a negative image of Chinese cuisine. 

Charlie Lee’s nephew, Jack, arrived in Mayberry to be the waiter in the new Chinese restaurant. He was currently attending the University of North Carolina, studying for a Masters in Psychology. Charlie, Bee and Jack, helped decorated the restaurant, with large Chinese screens, lanterns, and other similar items. 

The Grand Opening of “Aunt Bee’s Canton Palace” was held and the restaurant was packed. One of the guests raved about the Moo Goo Gai Pan, a dish he’d never eaten before. Andy, his girlfriend Helen, Howard, and Gomer, ate together. Howard caught an error on the menu on the name of a chicken dish, Ling Chi Chi, which he ordered along with a bowl of something like a Chinese matzoh ball soup. Andy, Helen and Gomer ordered the $1.95 chow mein dinner, although Gomer was going to get the smaller $1.65 chow mein dinner until Andy mentioned that he was treating. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and couldn’t wait to return. Gomer wanted to try their fried rice. 

At the end of the night, when the restaurant was essentially closed, Bee sat down with Andy and friends, and a plate of fortune cookies was brought to the table. Bee was pleased that they had a revenue of $80 (about $633 in today's dollars) for the night, which might mean they had about 40-60 customers that evening. When Bee opened her fortune cookie and read her fortune, she seemed nervous and wouldn't tell anyone what it said, merely claiming it was silly. 

Later that night, she couldn't sleep and sat in the kitchen, looking at her fortune. Andy woke up and saw her in the kitchen. He picked up her fortune from the table and read it, which said, “Beware of new business ventures, they can prove costly.” Bee, who was superstitious, was greatly concerned about the fortune, stating, “The Chinese are very intelligent people." 

The next day, Bee tried to get Charlie to make some changes to his restaurant, from adding more seasoning to the chow mein to expanding the menu to include steaks, chops and spaghetti. Charlie wasn’t happy with such changes and, with Jack, went to speak to Andy. Charlies was worried that the changes would quickly put them out of business. Jack eventually tried to use his knowledge of psychology to convince Bee not to worry about her fortune cookie, but was unsuccessful. Rationally, Bee understood she shouldn't be superstitious, but she couldn't stop her feelings. 

In the end, Jack opted to buy out Bee, giving her back her $400 investment. The Chinese restaurant remained open, although it’s unknown if they changed its name, or at least removed “Aunt Bee’s” from the name. Jack had previously not wanted to buy out Bee's investment, but he got a fortune cookie which helped changed his mind. The restaurant wasn’t mentioned again in the series so its ultimate fate was unknown, although it seemed very popular and likely would have remained in existence. 

Charlie Lee was played by Keye Luke, a native of Guangzhou, China, born on June 18, 1904, but who was raised in Seattle, Washington. His lengthy acting career began in 1934, and some of his roles included “Number One Son” in the Charlie Chan films and Kato in the Green Hornet film serials. He would also play the blind Master Po in the Kung Fu series, as well as Mr. Wing in the Gremlin movies. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed by RKO, Universal Pictures and MGM. He died of a stroke in 1991. In 2012, he was also the subject of Keye Luke, a short documentary and bio-pic, directed by Timothy Tau, about his early life and career. 

Jack was played by Lloyd Kino (Kinoshita), who was born on May 18, 1919; in Seattle, Washington. He too had a lengthy acting career, appearing in numerous television series during from McHale’s Navy to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (as well as one episode of Kung Fu), as well a number of movies from Mortal Kombat to Godzilla, The Cable Guy to The Last Tycoon. He passed away in 2012. Interestingly, in the Andy Griffith episode, Jack was a college student but the actor was actually 47 years old at that time.

This 1967 Andy Griffith episode depicted Chinese restaurants in a very positive manner, and due to its immense popularity, likely was influential in persuading Americans to dine at such restaurants. With Chinese restaurants receiving so much negative publicity over the years, it's always good to see a more positive depiction. And it's cool to imagine the Canton Palace having a lengthy and successful history in Mayberry.

Odyssey's Wine Lover Dinner Cruise

On a recent Friday evening, a throng assembled on Rowe's Wharf, behind the Boston Harbor Hotel, waiting to board the Odyssey Cruise for a Friday Wine Lover's Dinner Cruise.  It was in some respects a diverse crowd, many senior citizens but also various young couples, some looking almost too young to be of legal drinking age. It was overcast, and the occasional sprinkle fell from the sky, threatening to keep the ship in port. At 6:00p.m., we were permitted to board the ship and the crowd formed a line down the walkway.

Nine others and I were there as part of a complimentary food blogger dinner. I am sure that the Odyssey hoped this would garner them some positive press but I don't think those hopes will come to fruition. Frankly, most of the experience felt as if I was at a mediocre wedding reception, and I don't have the slightest inclination to repeat the experience.

The Dinner Cruises usually cost about $89.90, except on Saturday nights when it costs $119.90. For that price, you receive a three course meal, musical entertainment, a three hour cruise of the harbor and the ability to dance. On Fridays, they have a Wine Lover's Dinner Cruise ($89.90) which also gets you one free glass of wine. So, you can already see that this is not a cheap dinner. For two people, with a couple drinks, tax and tip, it will probably cost you $250-$300 for the night.

The dinner menu, which apparently changes only once a year or so, is small, with four Appetizer choices, six Entrees and five Desserts. The dishes sound appealing, like the Caramelized Duck en Croute and Bourbon and Peach Glazed Pork Loin, but in their execution the food is often mediocre, what you might see at a wedding reception. Most of the people dining with me were very disappointed in much of the food. For the high price, you would expect the quality of the food to be much better. I have to admit though that I did enjoy my dessert, the Seasonal Fruit Cobbler, though it certainly was not gourmet.

The wine I had, the 2005 Westport Rivers Brut RJR was a good sparkling wine, but most wine dinners I attend provide more than a single glass of wine with the meal.  Our server, who said he had worked on the ship for seven years, made several misteps. The band had its ups and down, murdering some songs while doing well on others. The dance floor was crowded at several points, but it still seemed like a wedding to me.

Sure, it is a pretty view but I would rather have skipped dinner and just had a drink on the upper deck, over looking the harbor. For the money, you can find much better experiences in Boston, and I would not recommend this cruise even for a special occasion.

Sake Dinner at Uni

Looking for an intriguing sake-paired dinner? Then maybe you should make reservations on July 18 at Uni Sashimi Bar. Uni will present an evening with Sake Maker Kenji Ichishima of the Ichishima Sake Brewery in the Niigata region of Japan.  Sake expert Michael John Simkin, of MJS Saké Selections, works with Ichishima and you may have met him before at other local sake events. I have previously had the pleasure of tasting through the entire Ichishima portfolio, and they are top notch sakes. So this dinner should be quite compelling. 

Menu

First Course:
Gliddenpoint Oysters (prosecco, sour strawberry, chili)
Toro Sashimi (umeboshi, fresh grated wasabi)
Paired with Ichishima Tokubetsu Honjōzō

Second Course
Konbu Cured Bronzini (shiso ponzu, wolfberries, burdock, basil oil)
Suzuki Ceviche (sudachi lime, Sparrow Arc Farm beets, coconut green curry)
Paired with Ichishima Junmai Genshu

Third Course
Hiramasa (yellow chive vinaigrette, lily bulb, negi)
Steamed Abalone (wakame, cauliflower ceviche, aji amarillo)
Paired with Ichishima Junmai Daiginjō

Fourth Course
Lacquered Foir Gras (charred cipollini, onion kabayaki, pickled watermelon)
Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki (pine dashi, soba noodles, scallion)
Paired with Ichishima Ginjō Koshu

Fifth Course
Yamamomo Confetti (dry lime soda)
Paired with Ichishima Silk Deluxe Junmai

Cost is $150 per person. To make a reservation, call Uni at 617-536-7200. Maybe you will even see me there.

Muscadet Month: The Older Mysteries

In the Boston area, it is Muscadet May, a celebration of this famous Loire white wine, sponsored by Loire Valley Wines. You can find a number of participating restaurants and wine stores, as well as some special Muscadet tasting events. So you have plenty of opportunities to experience this delicious, and inexpensive, wine. I was fortunate to be invited to a Muscadet luncheon at Island Creek Oyster Bar, a chance to experience nine Muscadets with some local seafood.

I previously explored the The Mystery of Melon de Bourgogne, the grape which constitutes Muscadet, after attending a Loire Valley Wines tasting. I enjoyed numerous Muscadet wines at that tasting, and the 2008 Chateau de la Rogotiere Vielles Vignes Black Label 'Stelvin' Muscadet ($14.99) was even one of my 2010: Top Ten Wines Under $15.  But Muscadet still seems to be more of a niche wine, known far more to geeky wine lovers than the general public. Yet everyone should know of it, as it is an easy-drinking, value wine and especially great with seafood. For wine lovers, it can also offer plenty of complexity, as well as being indicative of its terroir.

We tasted three flights of Muscadet, three glasses per flight, and all nine wines tasted different. Muscadet can express itself in a variety of flavor profiles.  The first flight, with a classic pairing of Island Creek oysters and a Muscadet mignonette, consisted of 2009 Guy Saget Les Clissages d'Or Muscadet Sevre et Maine, 2009 Domaine de la Quilla Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie and 2010 Domaine de la Louvetrie Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie. All three cost about $12-$14 each, offering simple but delicious wines, with dominant fruit flavors including green apple and melon. My favorite of this group was the Louvetrie, which had a nice acidity to it. The Island Creeks, one of my favorite type of oyster, went great with the Muscadet, and these wines would have gone well with plenty of other seafoods, from shellfish to light fish dishes.

The second flight included 2009 Michael Delhommeau 'Cuvee Harmonie' Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie, 2009 Domaine de L'Ecu 'Expression de Granite' Muscadet Sevre et Maine, and 2009 Domaine Les Hautes Noelles Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu. These wines, priced at about $14-$18, were single vineyard Muscadet and they evidenced strong mineral notes. The fruit flavors were there but beneath the more prominent stony and mineral tastes. More complex, these wines impressed me even more than the first flight. They offer excellent value and again would go very well with seafood. These wines were paired with English Pea Soup with Poached Kumamoto Oysters and Lemon Cream. I didn't think the pairing went that well, the flavors of the soup seeming to overpower the taste of the Muscadet.

For me, the highlight of the luncheon was the final flight, an opportunity to taste some aged Muscadet. You will find many sources telling you that Muscadet should be drank young, and that it does not age well. Yet that is not actually the case, and there are Muscadets which can mature wonderfully, and be quite compelling wines. These were probably the oldest Muscadets I have ever tasted, and they won't be the last as I will actively seek them out.  We got to taste the 1995 L D'or de Luneau-Papin 'Cuvee Medaillee' Muscadet Sevre et Maine, 1999 L D'or de Luneau-Papin 'Cuvee Medaillee' Muscadet Sevre et Maine and 2000 Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu.

Above, you can see the brigh gold color of these aged Muscadet, and they were oxidized to various degrees. They offered complex and intriguing flavors with dried fruits, apricot, honey, minerality, and even some herbal notes. These are wines to slowly savor, to let the melange of flavors slowly tantalize your palate. If these are representative of aged Muscadet, then wine lovers really need to taste these wines. They remind me in some ways of the aged whites of Lopez de Heredia.  And one of the best things about these wines is their cost, only about $25 each! That is a steal for an aged wine of this quality, and you can still find these wines of wine store shelves.  Of the three, the 1999 was my favorite, showcasing the best elements of young and aged Muscadet, as well as evidencing plenty of unique character.

The aged Muscadet were paired with Scituate Sea Scallops with Brown Butter-Oyster Sauce, Ricotta Gnocchi and Favas. The scallops were very fresh, having just been caught earlier that morning. This was a superb dish, with such tender scallops in a savory sauce and fluffy gnocchi. The Muscadet went very well with the scallops, able to cut through the creaminess of the sauce as well as complementing the seafood. Island Creek Bar has become one of the top seafood destinations in Boston.

I have now delved even deeper into the mysteries of Melon de Bourgogne, uncovering some evidence of the nature of aged Muscadet. That was an exciting discovery, especially considering how inexpensive you can purchase 10-15 year old Muscadet. They might not appeal to the general wine consumer, but wine geeks will be fascinated with these aged wines.  As I have said before, Melon de Bourgogne may be a relatively neutral grape, but winemakers can transform it into fascinating wines.

The Sake vs Italian Food Challenge

On Friday evening, a group of curious and adventurous diners chose to accept my challenge, to see whether sake and Italian cuisine would be a good pairing or not.  Most of the attendees had little, if any, prior experience with sake, and none had ever tried it with Italian food.  But they were all open to trying it, intrigued by the idea.  

In collaboration with Gilt City, the dinner was held at Prezza, and Chef Anthony Caturano created a special four-course menu for the evening, and I paired a different sake with each of those courses.
First Course: Rabbit Parmigiano, Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil paired with Chikurin Fukamari Junmai

Second Course: Mixed Mushroom Risotto and Fontina Cheese paired with Kurosawa Kimoto Junmai

Third Course: Wood Grilled Pork Chop, Tuscan Bean Salad, and Romesco paired with Mukune Junmai Ginjo

Fourth: Fig Turnover, Balsamic Glaze, and Pistachio Ice Cream paired with Hou Houshu Sparkling Sake

First, the food was excellent, and well received by the guests.  Some had been to Prezza before, and were already fans, while others had never been and were impressed. They were especially amazed at the large size of the pork chops we received. The chef did not skimp in the least on portions and each dish was plentiful in flavor too.

Second, the most popular sake of the evening was probably the Hou Houshu Sparkling Sake, which many said seemed the least sake-like to them.  It was sweet and bubbly, and a real crowd pleaser. It is the type of sake that almost anyone would enjoy, and it was simply a fun drink.

Third, the most popular pairing was probably the Kurosawa Kimoto Junmai with the Mushroom Risotto. the earthier and rich umami flavors of the Kurosawa complemented the savory mushrooms as well as the grated parmesan atop the risotto. I think the Kurosawa is a versatile sake, perfect for everything from BBQ to fried chicken. Plus, it is relatively inexpensive, often available for under $20. 

The pairings led people to think in a different paradigm, to break out of the box of their preconceptions on food pairings. Plus, they learned about sake, as I spoke during the meal, providing them a crash course in Sake 101. I believe the dinner was a success, and I look forward to repeating this challenge in the future, as well as hosting other sake dinners with a variety of cuisines.  Sake and pizza?  Sake and BBQ? We shall see what the future holds.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Flora Restaurant, in Arlington, continues its Book Reading Series for the next few months.  Flora sets up their private dining room, and the invited guest author will usually reads from their latest book, discuss their latest project, and maybe more.  After the formal presentation, the author will stay and sign/sell books. There is no charge for attending these events. The upcoming authors include: 

April 12, 6pm: Cynthia Gold, Tea Sommelier for the Park Plaza Hotel, former owner of Tea Tray in the Sky and Elements restaurants and co-author of “Culinary Tea: More Than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from Around the World” will be giving a Tea Cocktail Seminar as well as speaking/reading from her book. Signed copies of her book will be available for purchase. She will be giving a demo of how to use tea infusions to create cocktails, and samples will be available. Reservations are highly recommended.

For reservations, call (781) 641-1664.

2) The second annual Boston Wine Week kicks off a week-long celebration of wine, from March 28-April 3, served by the glass or bottle at a number of Boston restaurants. Proving that great wine doesn’t have to be a great expense, all wines (some of which retail up to $90/bottle) will be offered at $9/glass and $32/bottle. Participating restaurants will offer a minimum of six wines, available at a substantial discount.

Participating restaurants include: Bin 26 enoteca, Lala Rokh, BiNA osteria, Jer-Ne, Kingston Station, Woodward at the Ames Hotel, Petit Robert Bistro, Petit Robert Bistro South End, Petit Robert Central, Beacon Hill Bistro, Parker’s Restaurant at The Omni Parker House, Brasserie JO, 94 Mass Ave, Back Bay Social Club, Union Bar & Grill, and Sam’s at Louis. Check the Boston Wine Week website for additional updates.

Also back for the second year running is The Second Glass Classy Bar Crawl, a neighborhood stroll running in collaboration with Boston Wine Week. Two wine crawls are in the works for this year, the first on Thursday, March 31 with pit stops around Back Bay, including 94 Mass Ave, Brasserie JO and Back Bay Social Club. A second Industry Night Bar Crawl will take place Sunday, April 3 at participating Downtown restaurants, such as BiNA osteria, Jer-Ne and Woodward at the Ames Hotel.

3) Ting Yen, owner of Oishii Boston, will host the “Let’s Help, Answering the Call!” disaster relief fundraiser at his restaurant on April 3rd with all proceeds benefitting the Japan Red Cross Society. Ting Yen has enlisted the help of fellow local chefs that are all rallying for the cause. At the event, Anthony Caturano (Prezza), Dante de Magistris (Restaurant dante & Il Casale), Evan Deluty (Stella), Luis Morales (Radius), Kang San (Oishii Too Sushi Bar) and Jeff Nace (Neptune Oyster) will join Ting Yen to help an incredible cause.

WHEN: Sunday, April 3rd at 5:30pm
COST: $100 per person (100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Japan Red Cross Society)
TICKETS: Tickets are available by calling Oishii Boston at: 617-482-8868

4) Join 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar in Salem, on Friday, April 1st, as they toast the return of their full liquor license with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

On February 10th, 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar became one of seven restaurants alleviated from Salem's age-old seasonal liquor license that prohibits hard alcohol from being served 10 weeks out of the year-- during the “off season.” Limited to serving only beer and wine during those 10 winter weeks, April 1 will mark the end of their seasonal liquor license, and the first day they can serve liquor again. To celebrate the end of their prohibition, 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar will unveil their new spring cocktail list and serve complimentary hors d’oeuvres to guests from 5pm-7pm in the lounge area. After 7pm, to honor the drinker and diner, “62” will serve a complimentary signature spuntino with each drink purchased off of the new cocktail menu in the bar and lounge area.

Guests can cheers to freedom with over 20 creative cocktails from “62’s spring cocktail list, each one made from fresh ingredients, including the “Kiwi” a refreshing blend of Stoli Blueberry, muddled kiwi and house-made ginger lemonade ($10), and the “Sgroppino,” named after classic Venetian sorbet, because of its delicate blend of Ketel One, Prosecco, Limoncello and mint ($10).  And no prohibition party would be complete without classic favorites such as the “Back Porch Lemonade” (Smirnoff Citrus, lemonade, cranberry and house-made ginger ale, $10), or the “The Side Car” (Brandy, Cointreau, lemon and orange bitters, $10), just two of “62’s extensive “Signature Cocktails” made with a twist!

5) Spring is in full bloom at Da Vinci Ristorante and Chef Peppino welcomes diners to enjoy flavorful creations and cocktails of the season. Launching Tuesday, March 29th diners may choose from the latest menu, featuring seasonally blends of both Italian and Indian-fused cuisine. For $39 per person, guests will have their choice of nine primi courses, fourteen secondi and seven dolci options. And as a true sign that spring is in the air, guests will have the opportunity dine outside on Da Vinci’s scenic patio overlooking Park Square.

The Prix Fixe Menu is offered all day Monday – Thursday and before 6 p.m. Friday – Saturday. New featured entrées include:

· Masala Agnolotti– Indian accents, spicy ricotta and English peas. Stuffed with ginger, cherry tomato sauce and curried pesto
· Roasted Pork Chop – Roasted and wrapped in pancetta; served with Caribbean sweet potatoes and sautéed broccoli rabe; finished with a white wine sage rosemary sauce
· New England Cod Fish – Pan seared Alaskan salmon with artichoke and sweet potato cake, sautéed baby spinach; finished with Prosecco sauce
· Sirloin Steak – Chargrilled and served with truffled Parmesan mash, sautéed asparagus, ginger cumin jus

To wash it all down, diners are invited to indulge in the following spring specialty cocktails ($12 each).
· Coconut Margarita– Patron Silver, Patron Citronge, Malibu Rum and pineapple juice
· Blueberry Gimlet– Cold River Blueberry Vodka and fresh lime juice
· London Fog– Bombay Sapphire, Cointreau and grapefruit juice

A Taste of Portugal at Prezza

Portuguese wines offer some of the best values in the wine world, including plenty of excellent wines under $10. No other region consistently delivers as much as Portugal does at this price point. Their wines provide intriguing aromatics, exotic tastes and plenty of character.  Yet they produce some top-notch higher-end wines too.  If you are not drinking Portuguese wines, then you need to expand your palate.

During the Boston Wine Expo weekend, I was invited to drink and dine with some representatives of Value Vines, LLC, an import company which specializes in Portuguese wines.  The company is relatively young, having been founded in 2009, and their name is intended to reflect "the wonderful price/value ratio to be found in these wines."  I was eager to taste some new Portuguese wines so agreed to meet them, especially considering we would dine at Prezza, one of my favorite Italian restaurants (and which was just reviewed in the Boston Globe.)

It was a pleasure to meet Adele, Carl and Anthony of Value Wines, and they were passionate and knowledgeable advocates for Portuguese wines.  They presented wines from Enoforum, an export company founded in 2004 by a group of grape-growers from the Alentejo region of Portugal. Their purpose is to promote, educate, and sell wines from Alentejo. Prior to the formation of Enoforum, the wines from this region constituted only a tiny business in the U.S., so the growers came together to try to change that.    

The Alentejo region, in southern Portugal, is quite large, covering almost 1/3 of the total area of the country and possessing over 22,000 hectares of vineyards.  They produce mostly red wine, but also produce good whites and roses. The region's history extends back thousands of years, to the ancient Phoenicians who probably were the first to plant grapes here.  Around 31 B.C., the Romans conquered the area, continuing vine cultivation and wine making.  When the Moors arrived in the region, they also continued wine making, despite Koranic prohibitions, reminding me of the history of the sherry region. 

This region is also the primary producer of cork, possessing the world's largest cork oak forest, which covers about 520,000 hectares.  Compared to the cork forests, the amount of vineyards is only a small percentage.  Alentejo is a vast agricultural area, of great importance to Portugal.  It is also supposed to be quite a beautiful land.   

We began tasting wines from the Alente brand, including one white and two reds.  Alente has three levels of red wines, dependent on the amount of oak used.  The three men on their label represent shepherds and minstrels. It is obvious why shepherds, in such a major agricultural area, are there but minstrels?  Well, there is a strong and rich musical tradition in Alentejo, where many agricultural workers sing while they work.  So minstrels have a significant connection to this region.    

The 2009 Alente White (about $10) is a blend of Antão Vaz and Arinto, which was fermented in vats and American oak, and then allowed to remain sur lie for another 3-4 months. It has an alcohol content of 13%. This wine was very aromatic, with that intriguing nose I often associate with Portuguese wines.  It was a crisp and pleasant wine, with delicious fruit flavors of apple and melon, along with a subtle minerality.  It had plenty of character for a wine at this price point, and would be great paired with seafood, salads, and light chicken dishes. What helps to elevate this wine above others at this price point, is its subtle exoticism.     

I began my dinner with an appetizer of Rabbit Parmigiano, a superb dish with a moist and perfectly cooked piece of rabbit. If someone tasted this blind, they would love it, even if they thought they disliked rabbit. The sauce and cheese did not conceal the sweet taste of the rabbit, only contributing to the harmony of this dish.

To accompany this dish, I drank the 2007 Alente Red (about $10), a blend of Trincadeira and Aragonez, which was aged in French and American oak and had an alcohol content of 13%.  It possessed an alluring nose, plenty of dark fruit and spice notes. On the palate, the wine was light and smooth, with delicious ripe plum and blackberry flavors and lots of spice. You get good complexity for this price point, and it paired well with the rabbit dish. This is a wine that would pair well with Italian cuisine, especially red sauce dishes.  It would also be a good pairing for pizza, BBQ, burgers and more.
 

My entree was the Braised Lamb Shank, a hearty and tasty dish with plenty of tender, flavorful meat atop a creamy polenta. There was enough food to sate almost any appetite. With such a dish, I needed a bigger wine and had two selections that fit the bill.

The 2005 Alente Reserva (about $18), is a blend of Alicante Bouchet, Trincadeira and Aragonez, which was aged in French and American oak for 12 months and had an alcohol content of 13.5%.  This was my favorite wine of the evening, presenting a complex and compelling wine which paired excellently with the lamb.  Its nose was so alluring, an exotic melange of black fruits, spice and vanilla, and the taste was equally as alluring. Its velvety taste was dominated by dark spice and lush blackberry, black cherry and raspberry.  The finish was lengthy and pleasing, and the tannins were mild.  At this price point, this wine is an excellent value and easily is worth twice the price.  It gets my highest recommendation. 

The 2006 Alem Red (about $16) is a blend of Touriga Nacional and Syrah, which was aged in French and American oak for 10 months and had an alcohol content of 14.5%. This wine was very good, with an interesting nose and a delicious taste of blueberry, black cherry and plum.  It was a bigger wine than the Alente Reserva and not as spicy.  It went well with the lamb, though it might have been overshadowed by the Alente Reserva which impressed me so much.

This dinner bolstered my thoughts about Portuguese wines, presenting some excellent value wines. And of course the food was superb, though I expect no less from Chef Caturano of Prezza.  Many consumers may not be familiar with the Alentejo region, being more familiar with Port, Douro, and Dao wines.  But they should learn about Alentejo, and seek out their wines. You won't be disappointed.

6th Annual City Feast: Peruvian Delights at Taranta

I have a special spot for charitable food & wine events, especially those based on a more grassroots effort.  That is the case with the 6th Annual CityFeast which was held this past Sunday in the North End. Carla Gomes (pictured above) is the owner of two restaurants, Antico Forno and Terramia.  She also has a son with diabetes and founded City Feast to help raise awareness of the disease and support Joslin Diabetes Center's mission of conquering diabetes in all of its forms. I attended this event last year, a resounding success, and attended it again this year.

Dana Barros, a former Boston Celtics player, was also on hand to lend support to the cause.  The event began with a reception at Antico Forno, with Prosecco and arancini, and Dana spoke briefly there, also passing out autographs. Afterwards, he made an appearance at all of the other participating restaurants, also announcing that the Celtics had defeated the Lakers that evening.  Dana was very personable and down to earth, even taking off his championship ring to show our table.

Six North End restaurants participated in City Feast, including Terramia, Antico Forno, Lucca, Tresca, Caffé Graffiti and Taranta. Each restaurant offered a five or six course meal, with wine paurings, and I had the pleasure to dine at Taranta with Athena (of Forays of a Finance Foodie) and Dale (of Drinks Are On Me).  I am a big fan of Chef Jose Duarte (pictured above) and his meal thoroughly impressed me once again, especially with his use of Peruvian ingredients which you will find in few other places.  It really makes me curious why other restaurants have not started using some of these unique ingredients as they certainly offer enticing flavors.

The evening at Taranta began with a Pisco Sour apertif, a popular South American cocktail, and I enjoyed its puckery taste.  Next up, we were poured a glass of Estrella Damm Inedit, an intriguing Spanish beer.  "Inedit is a unique coupage of barley malt and wheat, flavored with coriander, orange peel and liquorice.  Inedit is the first beer specifically created to accompany food... Has been created by Damm brewmasters, ...and by Ferran Adrià, Juli Soler and El Bulli’s sommeliers’ team."  I am generally not a fan of beer, so this was not something I liked, but I appreciate its use in the meal and think beer lovers would enjoy it.

Our first course, paired with the beer, was a Crab Meat Causa (a type of mashed potato dumpling), and it was tasty with plenty of sweet crab meat between the soft and flavorful potatoes.  A very nice way to start the six-course dinner.

The second course was a Coccio di Pesce, made with with Stony Island clams, baby octopus, cuttlefish, Spanish smoked paprika and garbanzo beans.  This was paired with a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. The slightly spicy red sauce complemented the very tender seafood.  The baby octopus were delicious, and had been cooked perfectly so that they were not tough or rubbery in the least.

Next up, Lobster & Crab Ravioli in a mascarpone and cherry tomato sauce with a Gulf of Mexico shrimp and topped by some Cyprus black salt. This was paired with a Cono Sur Pinot Noir from Chile.  The firm ravioli contained plenty of sweet meat and the sauce was creamy and addictive.  I used some of the bread to sop up the sauce, until my plate was nearly clean. Though Pinot might not have been your first choice for this dish, it worked well together.

The first three dishes were all very good, but the fourth one was superb, an incredible melagne of appealing flavors and textures. The Auyama Gnocchi is in a sage cream sauce with duck confit, roasted pecans and topped with lucuma dust.  Auyama is a type of Peruvian pumpkin and the firm gnocchi had an intriguing taste, not like the usual American pumpkin gnocchi I have tasted before. Lucuma is an interesting Peruvian fruit that can add a butterscotch flavor. This hearty dish contained a very nutty flavor with hints of exotic spice and cream. It was complex, and the flavors created a very harmonious whole. It was the type of dish you craved seconds, thirds and more and also showed the vast potential of Peruvian ingredients.  This dish needs to be on Taranta's regular menu.

The gnocchi was paired with a 2008 Chono Carmenere Reserva from Chile. I am not usually a fan of Carmenere as far too much of it has a green/vegetal flavor which I dislike but this wine was not like that at all.  It was actually more fruit driven, with a decent complexity and smooth taste.  It is a wine I would buy and enjoy and I was very glad to find a Carmenere that appealed to me.

The fifth course continued to impress, a Braised Short Rib with a Panca pepper sauce and Chuño au Gratin.  Panca is a type of Peruvian chile pepper.  The beef was incredibly tender, and the pepper sauce was only mildly spicy but very flavorful.  A hearty choice for a cold winter evening. The wine pairing was a Argentina red blend from La Posta, which contained Malbec, Syrah and Bonarda, and it went well with the beef and sauce.

This is a photo of Chuño, freeze-dried potatoes from Peru. These potatoes, in their raw form, are toxic and thus are rinsed for days to remove those toxins.  In the winter, they are placed outside to dry for about 30 days.  The entire process helps to preserve the potatoes, and they supposedly will last for 12 years!  For the au gratin, they used about 85% Gruyere cheese and the overall taste was exquisite, an excellent side dish for meat.

Dessert was Lucumiso, a tiramisu-like dessert with Peruvian accents.  It used the Lucuma fruit that I mentioned previously, and the fruit gave this dish a more unique flavor, though still recognizable as a tiramisu type dessert.  You might have difficulty pinpointing the flavor of the lucuma but you will find it pleasing.

Fusion cuisine sometimes gets a bad rap, but Chef Duarte proves that two different cuisines can meld seamlessly and create a unique blend of flavors.  The Peruvian ingredients he uses are compelling, and add depth, taste and complexity to his dishes.  I am extremely pleased that I got to dine here for City Feast, and will return again and again, to see what new dishes Chef Duarte has created. 

Thanks very much to Carla Gomes for another successful City Feast, and I hope my readers lend their support to the Joslin Diabetes Center.

Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau: Le Cirque at Brasserie JO

Did you enjoy a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau at Thanksgiving?  I suspect plenty of people had a bottle on their table. Despite its critics, it is still a very popular choice at this time of year, its simple fruitiness making it desirable to many consumers.

The third Thursday of each November is the official release date for Beaujolais Nouveau, the first wine released each year from the Beaujolais region of Burgundy. Made from Gamay grapes, the wine is produced through carbon maceration, where whole clusters of grapes are fermented together over a period of four to five days. This quickly creates a an easy-drinking, fruity wine.  The release date is now celebrated across the world, with many special events held all over. This is certainly a very successful marketing campaign, though one without pretension. It is a simple wine and no one is trying to say anything differently.  It is intended to be a fun wine, and that is how it is presented.

One of the largest producers of Beaujolais Nouveau is Georges Duboeuf, a figure of some controversy.  He has his critics, but I think you should look past the criticisms and actually taste his wines.  You might be surprised and find that you enjoy his wines.  This summer, I tasted a selection of his 2009 Beaujolais wines, including Beaujolais Villages and Beaujolais Crus, and was very impressed with their quality. Thus, I was interested in trying the new 2010 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau.      

I will admit that I usually buy at least a few bottles of Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau every year.  It is very popular with my family and friends, and often ends up on my Thanksgiving table.  This year, I was invited to taste the 2010 Nouveau at lunch at Brasserie JO, a French brasserie in the Colonnade Hotel.  Above,you can see the label, which has a circus theme this year, emphasizing the aspect of fun.  Plus, Le Cirque is quite popular currently, a revival likely due in large part to all of the talented performers in these modern performances.    

The 2010 Nouveau (average price $10) actually seemed very different to me than previous vintages, reminding me more of a regular Beaujolais than the usual Nouveau. First, the Nouveau was very dark red in color, not the lighter shades of previous years. Second, its flavor was deeper and less candy-like than other years. Usually, it is referred to as a tutti-fruity flavor, but this year the flavors had rich cherry and raspberry notes, with only a subtle hint of banana.  It was smooth, soft and easy-drinking and paired well with my lunch.  It was a simple wine, but seemed a bit more complex than prior vintages.  I enjoyed it and would recommend that you check it out.

This was also my first time dining at Brasserie JO and I was pleased with my lunch.  Their lunch menu has plenty of choices, including Appetizers, Eggs & Crepes, Shellfish & Seafood, Salads, Entrees, Sandwiches and more.  Prices for most main items ranges from $12.95-$22.95. 

I began with the Escargot en Cocotte ($10.95), snails in a garlic butter, and have to say these were some of the best I  have tasted. Tender snails with a buttery sauce and prominent garlic flavor.  I then chose the Croque Monsiuer ($12.95) for my entree, which came with greens and frites.  The sandwich was tasty, though thinner than some others I have had elsewhere. It is a good choice, though still not comparable to my favorite Croque Monsieur. The frites were also tasty, properly crispy on the outside, and soft and fluffy inside. For dessert, I ordered one of the Crépes Magnifiques ($7.95), the Banana-Caramel, and it certainly was magnificent. A quite large crepe, filled with ice cream, topped with fresh banana slices and a sweet caramel sauce. This is large enough for two people to split, and is sure to please.

Don't make assumptions and be a wine snob.  Instead, give the 2010 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau a try.  It is a simple and fun wine, and will please the average consumer. And this vintage seems different than previous ones, and is worth a taste. 

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) Please join Chef Vittorio Ettore at Bistro 5 for their 5th Annual "Heirloom Tomato Celebration" throughout the month of September. As of Wednesday, September 1st, they will be present a Farmer's Market Tasting Menu that is an Ode to Tomatoes that even Pablo Neruda would be proud of. I attended last years Heirloom Tomato Celebration and had a superb dinner so I expect this year will be equally as good

Menu:
Gazpacho "Cloud" (Scallop Ceviche, Tomato Essence, Yellow Brandywine, Jalapeno and Lemon Basil Sorbet)
Paired with 2008 Antinori, Vermentino, Bolgheri DOC

Fried Green Tomatoes (Green Zebra Tomatoes "In Carrozza," Buffalo Mozzarella and Opal Basil Pesto)
Paired with 2008 Le Bruniche, Chardonnay, Tuscany

Heirloom Tomato Risotto (Black Plum, Sungold and Pineapple Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Lime Basil with Crispy Prosciutto)
Paired with 2008 Lançon, Domaine de la Solitude, Côtes du Rhône

Duck Breast (Smoked Speckled Roman Tomato Concassé, Pickled Ginger, Thai Basil, Sweet and Sour Squash)
2006 Puerta Bonita, Garnacha, Madrid

Tomato...Sweet Tomato (Organic Peach Tomato Napoleon, Cinnamon Basil Yogurt Gelato, Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise)
2009 Sarocco, Moscato D'Asti

Cost: Five Course: $65 per person, Three Course: $45 per person
Wine Pairing: Five Course: $25 per person, Three Course: $20 per person

*This menu will be a state of evolution throughout the month. It is subject to change based on product quality, availability and chef inspiration on a daily basis.*

2) I returned to Pizzeria Posto for brunch, hoping that the service was much better than my previous visit. And I was pleased that it was better, so I chalk up my initial visit as a growing pain for a brunch service that had just begun. The food was equally as delicious and impressive as my first visit, and I tried a couple new items. You should check out this restaurant.

First, Nonna's Meatballs (5 for $9), are made with free range beef, pork, & veal, and are covered by a pomodoro sauce and homemade mozzarella. These good-sized meatballs were firm, meaty and flavorful, just like how I enjoy them. And it is clear from the taste that they are not just beef, which is good to me as I enjoy the blended tastes of various meats. The meatballs have a tasty pomodoro sauce and there was plenty of gooey cheese atop them.

Second, for my entree, I went with the Campania Panini ($7), which has First Root Farm heirloom tomatoes, basil, and homemade fior di latte atop sourdough ciabatta. I also added two eggs ($3) and prosciutto di cotto ($2). All the Paninis come with baby arugula & rosemary sea salt chips. This was quite the sandwich, stuffed with plenty of fresh ingredients, and should fill most appetites. The eggs were overeasy, so the yolks were soft and when they broke drizzled over the sandwich, which I like. I had to use a knife and fork to eat the sandwich as it was so big, and a bit messy with the yolks. It tasted fantastic and I was extremely glad I ordered it. Now, some Paninis at other places are grilled, but this is not the case at Posto. But it still remains a top notch sandwich.

3) What happens when crops fail, fields erode, temperatures drop, or when the center of power shifts and cultures descend into dark ages of poverty, famine and war? Find out at the Boston Center for Adult Education on Friday, September 17th, during an exclusive, free book signing event of “Empire of Food: Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations” with co-author Andrew Rimas. From 6:30pm-8pm, the BCAE will host an intimate discussion with Rimas as he speaks about his second, recently released book. Afterwards guests will mix, mingle and have a chance to get their purchased book signed by the co-author as they enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres, prepared by Executive Chef Matthew Molloy of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro and wine from Gordon’s Fine Wine & Liquors.

Empires of Food is a global history of food and its trade. Using the colorful diaries of a sixteenth-century merchant as a narrative guide, the book chronicles the fate of people and societies for the past 12,000 years through the foods they grew, hunted, traded, and ate—and gives insights into what to expect in years to come. The authors rgue that neither local food movements nor free market economies will stave off the next food crash, and they propose their own solutions.

Cost: Free to the public with RSVP to information@bcae.org, Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.

4) Poutine! A Canadian speciality commonly consisting of French fries, slathered in gravy and topped by cheese curds. The Gallows, a new gastropub in the South End, serves four different poutines and I recently got the chance to taste all of them. Jackie, the Leather District Gourmet, arranged for a tasting for a fine group of food and wine bloggers and you should read Jackie's review.

We got to taste their Traditional Poutine, the Spring Poutine, Foie Gras Poutine and Out of Control Poutine. Plus, we tasted several other dishes, from the delicious Scotch Eggs to the intriguing Bourbon Pickled Peaches. As a general comment on their Poutine, the fries were generally crispy, except after they sat in the gravy a bit, and the gravy was tasty. The cheese curds were not traditional, being more like a ricotta and crumbling apart atop the gravy, and I would have preferred the more traditional curds. Overall though, I enjoyed their food. Of the poutines, my favorite was easily the Foie Gras.

Cocktails were also very good, especially their Skin & Bones, which is is blend of tequila and watermelon. Plus, they have a fairly good wine list, including a delicious Italian Lambrusco. The bar appears to be a hot scene, even on a Monday night, and I can understand why. We had a great time, especially because it was such a fun group of bloggers. I'll hopefully get back there soon to try some more food and drinks.

Boston Summer Restaurant Week

The newest edition of Boston's Summer 2010 Restaurant Week will be here soon and it is time to start planning for it, making your reservations to ensure you get into whichever restaurants you really want to visit.

From August 15-20 & 22-27, 2010 diners can take advantage of prix-fixe menus at more than 200 of the region’s restaurants, including 2-course lunches for $15.10, 3-course lunches for $20.10 and 3-course dinners for $33.10. Note that prices are per person and exclude beverages, tax and gratuity.

You can go online to see a list of participating restaurants, peruse menus, and make reservations. You can browse by restaurant name, neighborhood, or meal period.

In support of local farms and food producers and to promote MassGrown, restaurants have been encouraged to include as many local foods and ingredients as possible on their Restaurant Week menus. Each participating restaurant will display the Mass Grown Logo on their info page and menus. I urge you to support those restaurants choosing to go local.

First Annual North End Restaurant Week

Celebrating its fine Italian culinary establishments, Boston’s Little Italy will host its First Annual North End Restaurant Week offering diners economically priced three-course prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus through the weeks of March 28th – April 2nd and April 4th – April 9th . The neighborhood restaurant week menus are priced at $33.10 for dinner and $20.10 for lunch. This event, sponsored by the North End Chamber of Commerce, is a way to stimulate the economy getting local food enthusiasts excited about dining out again.

Long-time Boston restaurateur and North End Chamber Chairman, Frank DePasquale, proposed the idea to the neighborhood restaurant community in order to stimulate neighborhood business as well as the economy during the winter months. “As restaurateurs, my colleagues and I feel a responsibility to stimulate business in the neighborhood, as well as in Boston,” said DePasquale. “Working together by serving great food, we hope to accomplish this for our friends and neighbors.”

A list of some of the neighborhood’s restaurants who already signed up to participate include: Bricco, Ricardo's Ristorante, Strega, Cantina Italiana, Ristorante Fiore, Mare, Tresca, Nico, Trattoria Il Panino, Florentine Café, La Famiglia Spagnuolo, North Street Grille, Ristorante Damiano, Ristorante Limoncello, Gennaro’s 5 North Square and Café Graffiti.

For more information, as well as copies of some of the Restaurant Week menus, check out the North End Chamber of Commerce website.

Boston Restaurant Week: Winter Edition

In celebration of the 5th anniversary of the winter edition of Restaurant Week Boston, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) and American Express will add even more value for consumers. As usual, from March 14-19 & 21-26, 2010 diners can take advantage of prix fixe menus at more than 200 of the region’s best eateries, including three-course dinners for $33.10, three-course lunches for $20.10, and two-course light lunches for $15.10 - prices are per person and exclude beverages, tax and gratuity.

Starting in March 2010, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau in partnership with ArtsBoston will offer diners half price tickets to select performances and concerts during Restaurant Week. Discounts are being offered throughout Greater Boston for performances at American Repertory Theater, Huntington Theatre Company, Boston Lyric Opera, Improv Asylum, and Blue Man Group.

Visitors can go online to see a list of participating restaurants, take advantage of half-price tickets, peruse menus, make reservations, and enter to ‘Win a Boston Getaway’ all on the Official Restaurant Week website.

Restaurant Week Boston is about more than great deals. When diners use any American Express Card at participating restaurants, American Express and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau will donate* $.25 per transaction, up to $5000, to Boston’s St. Francis House, which serves more than 800 poor and homeless men and women a day with a full range of basic, rehabilitative and housing services to end an individual’s experience of homelessness.
* Purchases are not tax deductible.

Beginning on March 15th, diners can further support St. Francis House by bidding on restaurant gift certificates at www.RWBauction.com.

Da Vinci: Restaurant Week Still Going On

Though Boston Restaurant Week is over, there is one restaurant which does not seem to realize it is over. Da Vinci Ristorante will continue to celebrate Restaurant Week every night for the remainder of the year by offering their signature 3-course prix fixe menu at the special price of $33.09.

Da Vinci Ristorante recently unveiled their new seasonal menu, and guests will have a choice between twelve primi courses, sixteen secondi dishes, and five dolci options.

The new primi offers include: Pumpkin Soup (Caribbean potatoes, carrots, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger); La Vaschetta seared I Pettini (scallop stuffed with mushroom, wrapped in phyllo dough, pancetta, corn tomato English pea orange ragout); and Beef Carpaccio (shaved parmiggiano, celery sorbet).

For the secondi course, guests will choose from seasonal pastas and entrees, such as: Butternut Squash Agnolotti (stuffed with Amaretto Biscotti butternut squash, finished with a brown butter sage sauce); Short Rib Ravioli (served with pecorino cheese, finished with veal demi glaze balsamic vinegar); and Pork Shank (braised and served with saffron risotto and broccoli rabe, finished with port wine apple juniper berry sauce).

The dolci options include: Crostata (topped with fresh berries) and Vanilla Gelato (fresh blueberries).

This special Restaurant Week menu is available Monday through Thursday from 5-10:00pm, and Friday and Saturday from 5-6:00pm. After 6:00pm on Friday and Saturday, Da Vinci offers an a la carte version of the fall menu.

Da Vinci Ristorante
162 Columbus Avenue
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-350-0007

Boston Restaurant Week: Summer Edition

It is that time again, time to check out the special value meals at over 200 participating restaurants. Summer Restaurant Week Boston will be held August 9-14 and 16-21, 2009.

Participants can choose from over 200 of the region’s best restaurants and enjoy two-course lunches for $15.09, three-course lunches for $20.09 and three-course dinners for $33.09 – excluding beverage, tax and gratuity. You can check out the Unofficial Guide to Boston Restaurant Week for more info on participating restaurants and their special menus.

You can even become a fan of the Restaurant Week Boston page on Facebook or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RestoWeekBoston.

Restaurant Week can be a great time to check out some new restaurants, or an inexpensive way to check out the cuisine at a usually more expensive place. But not all of the participants offer a exciting deal. You really should check out the listed menus if at all possible, to see exactly what they are offering. If you don't see a menu, give the restaurant a call and ask what will be on the menu. Seek out the exciting menus, those offering something above the usual.

Please also note that Restaurant Week is a very busy time for many of the restaurants. There may be crowds so reservations are highly recommended.

Boston Restaurant Week: Winter Edition

It is that time again, time to check out the special value meals at over 200 participating restaurants. Winter Restaurant Week Boston® will be held March 15-20 and 21-27, 2009. You can view all the participating restaurants, peruse their menus and make reservations through Open Table at www.BostonUSA.com/RestaurantWeek.

Participants can choose from over 209 of the region’s best restaurants and enjoy three-course prix fixe lunches for $20.09 and three-course dinners for $33.09 – excluding beverage, tax and gratuity. A new menu option this year is the two-course gourmet lunch priced at a very affordable $15.09; diners can select an entrée and then enjoy either an appetizer or dessert as the second course. Some restaurants will even participate on Saturday, March 21.

Along with prix fixe menus at the region’s best tables, participants are encouraged to take advantage of special hotel packages during the two week promotion. Special offers can be easily accessed on Boston’s official visitor website www.BostonUSA.com/RestaurantWeek.

In addition, when diners use any American Express® Card at participating restaurants, American Express and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau will donate $.25 per transaction, up to $5000, to Community Servings, an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide free home-delivered meals throughout eastern Massachusetts to people homebound with HIV/AIDS and other acute life-threatening illnesses.

New restaurants to Restaurant Week include places including: Amelia's Trattoria, Asana, Bina Osteria, BOND, East Coast Grill, Estragon, Limoncello, Marliave, Sportello, Stella, and Tomasso Trattoria & Enoteca.

You can even become a fan of the Restaurant Week Boston® page on Facebook or follow Restaurant Week Boston® on twitter at www.twitter.com/bostonRW.

Lala Rokh: Restaurant Week

After my previous exceptional experiences at Bin 26 Enoteca, I felt that I had to try their other restaurant, Lala Rokh. Lala Rokh was the first restaurant opened by the brother and sister team of Chef Azita Bina-Seibel and Babak Bina. Since its doors opened in 1995, it has received much acclaim and positive press. Lala Rokh was participating in Boston Restaurant Week but their menu was not posted online but I decided to take a chance anyways.

Lala Rokh is a Persian restaurant, offering authentic dishs from various regions, so it is rather unique to the area. It is a rather spacious restaurant, though broken up into several different rooms so it is does not look as large as it does. Plus, the smaller rooms provide a more intimate atmosphere. When we entered the restaurant, Azita Bina-Seibel was at the hostess desk. It is always nice to see the chefs and owners at their restaurants.

They have a full list of cocktails and wines, including some with a Persian flair. The wine list is interesting and seems reasonably priced with plenty of bottles under $40. We chose a bottle of Domaine du Pegau Plan Pegau Rouge ($36), a simple Rhone style blend. It was a good wine, easy drinking and went well with much of the food we ate.

As for the food menu, there were many interesting dishes but many were not to my preference as they had too many vegetables. That certainly does not mean the food is not good, it is just not my preferred cuisine. But if you really like veggies, then you will likely enjoy this place.

My wife ordered off the Restaurant Week menu. She started with a salad of bitter greens, cucumber and tomato topped by a vinaigrette. Everything was fresh and she enjoyed it very much. I chose not to start with an appetizer.

For an entree, I had the Kebab E Bareh ($23), which had pieces of roasted lamb, a ground lamb sausage, a small pile of Basmati rice and grilled veggies. The lamb was excellent, tender and flavorful. My wife enjoyed the grilled veggies. She had a veal entree, a slow cooked dish mixed with spices, veggies and rice. The veal pieces were very tender and had an excellent taste. She thoroughly enjoyed the entire dish.

For dessert, she had a type of custard with rose water, strawberries and almonds. Again, my wife enjoyed the dessert though it was not my style.

Lala Rokh has very good cuisine, but make sure that you enjoy the style of the cuisine. Though it is not my preference, I still would recommend it, especially as it is a rather unique place.

Lala Rokh
97 Mt. Vernon Street
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-720-5511

Boston Restaurant Week Extended!

Boston Restaurant Week, which was supposed to end tonight, August 22, is going to be extended by at least a week for over 65 of the participating restaurants. So there is still time to make reservations and check out some new restaurants. With three-course lunches at $20.08 and dinnrs at $33.08, you may be able to dine inexpensively and get an excellent meal. Check out my prior post for more details.

Also check out the list of restaurants extending their participation to see which ones are participating and for how much longer.

Bistro 5: Restaurant Week

One of my choices for Restaurant Week was Bistro 5 in Medford. Their menu choices looked very interesting, one of the better ones I saw, and I only live about six miles from the restaurant. Yet I had never been there before. After my dinner there the other night, I will be making many more trips to Bistro 5.

Bistro 5 is an Italian restaurant owned by Chef Vittorio Ettore. It actually is a spacious restaurant, though divided into a few different rooms. It has a casual ambiance with an interesting decor that seems to provide a more intimate atmosphere as well. For a Wednesday night, even during Restaurant Week, the restaurant was very busy, nearly full. That usually bodes well.

Our server turned out to be someone I knew, Angus, who also works for Vineyard Road, a fine wine distributor. I had recently met Angus at the Scholium Project wine tasting. He was an excellent server, personable, knowledgeable and attentive. I watched him handling his other tables and he evidenced all those qualities to everyone. And he certainly knows his wines.

Before our food started to arrive, we were brought a basket of warm, fresh bread with some oil and a chickpea spread. As I have said repeatedly, I love warm bread and think it is such a good way to start off a meal. This bread was delicious!

We chose to get the wine pairings with our meals, and it only cost $22 extra for three glasses of wine, one for each course. They have an interesting wine list and we even able to make some changes if you desired. For example, our server offered an Italian red wine rather than the white wine that went with the Rabbit Ravioli course, a change I much appreciated. We had some excellent wines with dinner and were very glad we chose the wine pairings as it allowed us to try several different wines.

We began our first course with the Calamari and Peach Risotto selections. The Calamari was semolina-coated fried squid with a sweet and spicy chutney of cherry tomatoes, ginger, champagne vinegar and a touch of honey. My wife really liked the squid and the chutney was very tasty with a mice melange of flavors. The Peach Risotto had Gorgonzola, Prosciutto di Parma & mint oil. I was intrigued by the description of this dish but a bit wary how the peach would be with a risotto. But the dish was superb! Every flavor melded together beautifully and I greedily devoured it. There were good-sized pieces of peach in the risotto but their sweetness just complemented the creamy rice. My wife and I were impressed with the first course.

For the second course, we chose the Veal Milanese and the Rabbit Ravioli. The Veal was breaded with pistachio crumbs and parmigiano served over sage-garlic mashed potatoes, escarole, shallots and a porcini demi-glace. An excellent dish with tender and flavorful veal. It was topped with crisp carrot slices which were quite intriguing and delicious. The potatoes were quite delicious too. A top notch dish that continued to impress. The Rabbit Ravioli came with shaved Pecorino Toscano, golden cherry tomatoes & Tuscan kale. The Ravioli was superb! Such a savory taste, with buttery flavors, some creaminess and fresh pasta. Each bite was decadently delicious.

For dessert, we had a Chocolate Pot de Creme and the Duet of Sorbets. The Chocolate was a creamy, rich chocolate blend that would be sure to please any chocolate lover. The Sorbet included a peach sorbet and a berry one. Both were very fruity and flavorful, the scoops sandwiched between light, crispy cookies and with a fruity sauce on the side. An excellent ending.

Bistro 5 very much impressed me, especially for Restaurant Week. The food is absolutely delicious and the chef has created some intriguing dishes. I will be back very soon to try out their regular menu and I highly recommend you check out the restaurant as well. They have three and five course tasting menus which would be a good way to see the range of the chef. And much of what was on the Restaurant Week menu is on their regular menu too. Mmm..maybe I will be back there next week.

Bistro 5
5 Playstead Road
Medford, MA
Phone: 781-395-7464