Non-Rant: Choosing A Special Occasion Restaurant

Which restaurant should you choose for a special occasion?

The answer isn't always easy, and will depend on many different factors, from price to cuisine. It's a question I've often seen asked on numerous forums, and a question I've been asked by many people. I want to offer ten restaurant suggestions, which will fit a variety of needs, places which I find to be consistently good and definitely worthy of your patronage. These are places I especially love, and which  I've also recommended to many others. 

I also want to note that my list only includes restaurants located outside of Boston. There are plenty of lists of Boston restaurants, but far fewer for those outside of it. In addition, this list is far from comprehensive, but is more just a small selection of some of my favorites. 

When considering where to celebrate your special occasion, there's a number of questions you should ask yourself, to help narrow down the possibilities. How much do you want to spend? Do you want to splurge, or be more economical in your choice? Will your celebration be for breakfast, lunch or dinner? How many people will be celebrating with you? Is there a specific type of cuisine that you desire? Are you looking for a more intimate venue? Will you be accompanied by children? Does anyone in your group have any dietary restrictions? Do you want an excellent wine list or a large selection of beers on tap? And there's even more questions you can ask as well.

As you consider these questions, and others, here's my top suggestions:

Nightshade Noodle Bar (Lynn): For a splurge, Nightshade offers inventive and delicious French/Vietnamese inspired-cuisine, with their own unique spin, in multi-course tasting menus. Its wine and cocktail program is also excellent. It's a more intimate spot and is one of my Top Three Favorite restaurants. I'll be dining there later this month celebrating one of my own special occasions. As it's very popular, try to make reservations as far ahead as possible. 

The Bancroft (Burlington): Also for a splurge, and for either lunch or dinner, the Bancroft is one of my favorite steakhouses. I've dined there most often for lunch for special occasions, and those lunches have always been excellent. Steak may be their speciality but you'll find plenty of other delicious dishes, from Fried Clams to a Duck Confit Sandwich. 

Pellana Prime Steakhouse (Peabody): Pellana is another classic steakhouse, a place to splurge, with an excellent wine list. Sure, you could easily go to one of the chain steakhouses, but these more independent places will surprise you with their quality. 

Nick & Andy's (Danvers): Sometimes, you want a breakfast celebration, and my top choice for such would be Nick & Andy's. The food is fresh, delicious and there's plenty of variety. Try their fresh-baked muffins or hash browns (which are tougher to find locally). Prices are reasonable and service is very good. 

Ithaki (Peabody): Another excellent spot for breakfast, which definitely flies under the radar, is Ithaki. Their breakfast menu has some of the usual dishes, but also includes some special Greek dishes, from Bougatsa to Strapatsada. It's a more unique spot, and definitely worth consideration. I'll add that they also offer lunch and dinner, and if you're seeking a Greek flair to your celebrations, then definitely check out this restaurant.

Row 34 (Burlington): For both lunch and dinner, this is a great spot for fresh seafood, from oysters to tuna credo, from fried clams to lobster rolls. Their lunch menu even has an excellent Tuna Melt! They also have a very good wine list and creative cocktails. I've celebrated here a number of times, for both lunch and dinner.

Clam Box of Ipswich (Ipswich): For more of a casual seafood spot, I'd opt for the Clam Box, which is my favorite clam shack on the North Shore, providing such delicious, fresh fried seafood. I love their fried clams and their fried scallops are some of the best I've ever tasted, so sweet and tender. Plus, on Fridays, they often have fried lobster tails, such a decadent treat.  

A Tavola (Winchester): For a more intimate spot for dinner, and which serves excellent Italian cuisine, check out A Tavola. Their home-made pasta is superb, and you can also find some intriguing and delicious specials, from chicken fried quail to duck wings. Their Italian cuisine is as good as anything you'll find in the North End. Their wine list concentrates on Italian wines, and there are many very good choices. 

Tambo 22 (Chelsea): For a splurge, and a more unique cuisine, check out this Peruvian restaurant. It's also a more intimate spot, and should impress your celebrants. The food is delicious, interesting, and hearty. They also have a full drinks program, including numerous Peruvian spirits and a variety of Pisco Sour cocktails.

Prince Pizzeria (Saugus): This restaurant has existed on Route 1 for 60 years, and is a place I've been going to since I was a child. It's a large, casual spot for pizza and Italian cuisine, and its tasty pizza is basically its own unique and delicious style. You can easily book a large celebratory party, at a reasonable price, here. It's a very family friendly spot, and everyone from children to adults loves pizza so it's a great choice for all. 

Rant: Saving Local Farmers

Waygu beef, Mangalitsa pork, Quail. 

The pandemic has significantly hurt so many industries, including the U.S. farmer. The USDA published an article last month, America’s Farmers: Resilient Throughout the COVID Pandemic, which detailed some of the problems American farmers have faced in recent years, as well as during the pandemic. 

The article stated, "The COVID-19 pandemic not only triggered a new type of crisis for the farming sector, it also came at a tough time for U.S. farmers. For the past few years, global commodity production has outpaced demand in most years and prices have been falling." So, the farming industry was suffering from numerous problems before the pandemic, which then exacerbated all of those serious issues.

The article continued, "In addition, the immediate and drastic decline in food demand by restaurants and hotel customers isolated farmers and food processors from some of their biggest buyers, especially for meat, dairy, and specialty crops."As we all know, food prices have risen significantly, however, farmers haven't been receiving the additional monies, and actually have been receiving less. "In general, U.S. food prices have risen since January while prices received by U.S. producers have fallen." How can U.S. farmers survive?

The question that I've been pondering lately is: How do we help these farmers, especially the small family farms that can be found all across the country?

Fortunately, this is the perfect time to support local farmers by purchasing directly from them, at farmers markets, fairs, or directly at the farm. They need our support and patronage. Buy some freshly grown produce, meat from locally raised animals, or other items these farms produce, from honey to wine. There are so many excellent options, readily available to local consumers, if they are willing to take the effort to visit these places. 

For example, when I go to the Clam Box in Ipswich for lunch, I also often stop at 4-5 farms which are within a relatively short distance from the restaurant. Russell Orchards (with their wonderful cider donuts), Tendercrop Farm (with excellent grass-fed beef), Appleton Farms, Northern Lights Farm Stand (with a small menagerie of animals you can view), and Marini Farm. I make sure to have cooler bags in my trunk for these journeys. I help to support these farms and buy some delicious, fresh and locally produced food.

This week, I'll be traveling to Vermont to see some good friends, but during my trip, I've also made plans to visit at least a few unique farms, to learn their stories and give support to all that they have been doing. There will be a Waygu cattle farm, a Mangalitsa pig farm, and a Quail farm. I'm excited to visit these farms, and look forward to what I'll experience there. I'm sure I'll be writing about my visits, sharing my experiences with my readers.

In addition, I suspect I'll stop at other farms or farm stands I find, to see what they are producing. Vermont is such a fun state, and with its close proximity to Massachusetts, it's an easy drive. Plus, many in Massachusetts may not be cognizant that some of these Vermont farms will deliver to them, So, you can even support these Vermont farms without visiting them, although I'd recommend checking them out if you can. 

We can help save local farmers by patronizing them, by giving them our support and buying directly from them. It's easy, and who doesn't appreciate eating fresh, delicious local food. 

Rant: The Seafood Expo: Why Aren't You Going?

This upcoming Sunday, thousands of fascinating and tasty creatures from the sea, a deluge of seafood, will descend on Boston. This epic event is one of the top food events of the year, but it seems to be ignored by most local writers and bloggers. Why aren't you planning on attending the Seafood Expo North America (SENA)?

Starting on Sunday, March 17, and ending on Tuesday, March 19, SENA returns to Boston, and it is probably the largest seafood event in the country. If you are a writer, from freelancer to a blogger, and cover any topics related to seafood, from recipes to sustainability, then I strongly encourage you to attend. As I have said repeatedly before, "the seafood show is fertile soil for a myriad of story ideas as each exhibit booth has its own unique and interesting story." Any writer who attends this show should easily find the seeds for at least a dozen stories, and likely many more.

SENA is a huge trade show, and last year there were about 1341 exhibitors, representing 57 different countries, showcasing a wide diversity of products and services. The total exhibit space is about 258,630 square feet, broken down into 30+ aisles of the Expo, so just walking through the show makes for great cardio exercise. With the vast number of exhibitors, you're sure to find plenty of fascinating stories. Even if you attended all three days, you still wouldn't have enough time to visit all of the booths.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about a myriad of seafood issues, to talk to numerous seafood businesses, to explore the seafood industry. You can discover more about different countries, such as by visiting the pavilions for Japan or Iceland. In addition, the show is fun, with plenty of delicious seafood samples, from lobster to oysters. Ever had salmon bacon? Fried alligator? You never know what might be available to sample at SENA. SENA presents a range of interesting conference panels too, and this year you can attend ones such as  "Seafood Trends & Preferences at Home & Away from Home" or "Changing the Narrative on Sustainable Aquaculture in the Culinary Community." You can also attend the annual Oyster Shucking Competition.

We all know that seafood is at the crux of some of the most important food issues in the world. The range of seafood topics touches on so many crucial matters, from sustainability to health, climate change to slavery. Seafood is integral to the economic health of many local businesses, from fishermen to restaurants. The potential extinction of certain fish species is a major concern that needs to be addressed. These are all issues which need much more coverage by the media, and which you can make your own contributions.

Why do I care? First, I view our local writers and bloggers as a community and I believe we all benefit by helping each other, giving recommendations for excellent events. Second, I feel that seafood is a vital topic which more people need to write about so that we raise attention to all of its urgent issues. That will benefit all of us in many ways. It is with greater exposure and cooperative efforts that we can cause change in the seafood industry. Third, it is a sad fact that there are four times as many negative articles about seafood than positive ones, and we need to change that ratio.

So I hope to see you next weekend at the Seafood Expo North America.