2024: My Top Four Favorite Restaurants & Three New Favorites

As 2025 approaches, it's time once again to reflect upon the past year, to remember and savor pleasant memories. It's the time for my Annual Year-End Favorite lists, from restaurants to wine. And I'm starting this year with my Top Four Favorite Restaurants of 2024 & Three New Favorites. These end-of-the-year lists should provide a comprehensive summary of my favorites, allowing my readers to more readily locate such gems, the best of my recommendations. 

I'll note that last year this list included only my Top Three Favorite Restaurants. However, this year, another restaurant has risen to the top of my attention, thoroughly impressing me with its consistent excellence. It's more than worthy of being on this list, but the other three restaurants already on the list remain worthy as well. So, this year, I chose to make this a Top Four list, to accommodate this new Top Favorite.  

This list is also in no particular order, and is purely a subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. However, all of the restaurants here earn my heartiest recommendation and I hope you'll enjoy them as well, as so many others have done. For more Restaurant reviews, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

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My Top Four Favorite Restaurants are those exceptional spots which are consistently excellent, offering great food and drink as well as top notch service. These are the four places which first come to my mind when I want a celebratory dinner, or just want a sublime dining experience. They receive my unqualified highest recommendation. These are also the restaurants I most frequently recommend to others when I'm asked for my top restaurants. And those people who then go to these restaurants usually become big fans of these restaurants too.  

Krasi Meze & Wine (Boston)

Part of the Xenia Greek Hospitality group, this Greek restaurant is amazing, where nearly every innovative dish is exceptional. Their menu consists of a wide selection of small plates, perfect for sharing, and offers creative Greek cuisine, with roots in tradition but it's not afraid to experiment. Their Greek wine list, the largest in the country, is superb with so many delicious and interesting options. Service is excellent, and the servers are very knowledgeable of the food and wine. Krasi never disappoints.

Nightshade Noodle Bar (Lynn)

Offering inventive and delicious French/Vietnamese inspired-cuisine, with their own unique spin, this restaurant offers Tasting Menus, ranging from 7-30 courses. Their dishes are exceptional, bursting with flavor, and creatively composed. Plus, they have an excellent wine list and cocktail program. I like their homey vibe, service is always excellent, and they have an open kitchen, which I've always loved. They recently instituted a 30 course tasting menu and one of my desires for 2025 is to partake of that epic dinner. Be adventurous with your palate and you'll be amply rewarded. 

A Tavola (Winchester)

This excellent Italian restaurant in Winchester first made my Top Three list last year, and it continues to impress. Chef Joe Carli is very talented and personable, and his Italian cuisine is as good as anything you'll find in the North End. The restaurant is still relatively small and intimate, although this year they enlarged their space a bit, adding a small bar and some additional tables. Much of the sourcing is from local farms. I especially love their superb home-made pasta dishes, as well as when they have Duck Wings as a special. Their wine list concentrates on Italian wines, and there are many good choices. You also should check out their event list, which includes fun and tasty wine dinners and cocktail classes, like the A Tour of Italian Noble Grapes and BBQ & Bourbon events I attended this year. 

Il Ponte (Woburn)
Chef Beni Kurti of Il Ponte has brought his deep passion, lengthy culinary experience, and charm to Woburn. It's a homey restaurant, with a casual elegance, and the Italian cuisine is top notch, from home-made pasta dishes to exquisite Neapolitan pizza. During this past year, I've thoroughly enjoyed so many different dishes here, such as the Lamb Lollipop Milanese (pictured above_. Their Swordfish Puttanesca, which is a Special all the time, is amazing, an ample piece of tender and moist Swordfish with a compelling puttanesca sauce. Service is excellent, the servers being genuinely personable and attentive, without being obtrusive. It's consistently superb and every person I've recommended has raved about their own dining experience. Besides dining there numerous times this year, I also celebrated my birthday there and it was a memorable event. Il Ponte also recently added a special Gelato machine, and the gelato is silky and delicious. There's no need to drive into Boston for Italian cuisine with restaurants such as Il Ponte north of Boston.  

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I want to now address those restaurants, which were new to me this year, and impressed me. These are definitely restaurants I want to dine at again, and which are worthy of a hearty recommendation. 

XOXO Sushi Bar (Chestnut Hill)

This high-end Sushi spot opened in March and it's a superb spot, offering some of the best Sushi in the area. They serve Edomae-style sushi, which includes the used of aged and preserved fish, and they even have an intriguing glass case behind the sushi bar showing the aged fish. They serve other Japanese specialties as well, and they are as delicious as their sushi offerings. Their beverage program, from Sake to cocktails, is excellent as well. This is a restaurant well worth a splurge. 

Greco (Burlington)

I was very excited this past year when a branch of the Greco chain opened at the Burlington Mall. I've been a fan since the first Greco opened in 2017 on Newbury Street. It's a fast casual restaurant, specializing in Gyros and Loukoumades (Greek donuts!). Everything is made fresh, so you can enjoy whatever your food preference. You can opt for a Pita, Plate or Salad, with both meat and veggie options. The Greco Fries, with French fries topped by feta cheese, are delicious. And you have to end your meal with sweet Loukoumades, available own three flavors. 

Pinoy Kabayan (Boston)

There's only 3 Filipino restaurants in the Boston+ area, and Pinot Kabayan is the only one in Boston proper. This new restaurant is a fast-casual spot which does plenty of take-out. The food is authentic, delicious and reasonably priced. Many of the dishes are very approachable, such as Tocino (sweet cured pork) and Tapa (Filipino jerky) while other dishes are for the more adventurous. For example, Dinuguan, which roughly translates "bloody soup or stew," is commonly made with pork, offal and pork blood. However, I found it delicious, especially atop some garlic rice. I eagerly look forward to dining there again soon.

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There are a few other new restaurants I've dined at this past year, but for which I haven't yet written reviews, but which are still worthy of recognition. They include Sogne (Woburn, Italian cuisine), Fiorella's Cucina (Burlington, Italian cuisine), Adega Restaurant (Woburn, Portuguese), Bar Mezzana (Boston, Italian cuisine) and Feather & Wedge (Rockport, Seafood). Reviews of these restaurants are likely to come in 2025.

What were some of your Favorite Restaurants this year?

XOXO Sushi Bar: An Impressive Spot, Newly Opened in Chestnut Hill

Edomae-style sushi. With origins extending back about 200 years, this style has been returning, and there are a few spots in the Boston+ area where it's now available. In short, this style refers to aged sushi, seafood which has been preserved through a variety of methods. Most people think that fresh sushi should be eaten as soon as possible, but aging and preservation can actually enhance the taste of the seafood, especially bringing out more umami notes.  

On March 8, XOXO Sushi Bar opened in Chestnut Hill, on Route 9, and it specializes in Edomae-style sushi. I was recently invited as a media guest to dine there and experience their Japanese cuisine and sushi. I was extremely impressed with their food and their sushi is definitely some of the best I've ever tasted. It's a great addition to Chestnut Hill and I suspect it will become extremely popular.

The owners of XOXO Sushi Bar are Fred Starikov and Steve Whalen, developers and the co-owners of City Realty Group. Their website states: "We develop a wide range of asset classes, including apartments, condominiums, retail, commercial and R&D space." They also own the Silhouette Lounge in Allston, and founded CityKids, whose mission is "to spark intellectual curiosity in the children of Boston and beyond by providing them with unique experiences and valuable educational resources."

They hired Executive Chef Kegan Stritchko (pictured above) to oversee and create the menu at XOXO. Kegan has over ten years of restaurant experience, having worked locally at Uni and Fat Baby Sushi. He has also worked at other Japanese restaurants in Texas, Colorado and Florida. One of maybe his most impactful experiences was when he worked as a sous chef to the famed Makoto Okuwa, who specializes in Edomae-style sushi. At XOXO, Kegan follows many traditional practices of Edomae-style sushi, but also uses modern technology to enhance those traditions.     

The restaurant is casually elegant, modern and cozy, large enough for about 55 guests, including 16 at the sushi bar. We sat in one of the booths, although the seats at the sushi bar might be the best location in the restaurant, allowing you to watch and interact with the chefs preparing the sushi. Chef Kegan was hard at work behind the sushi bar, assisted by three others, Pedro, Dayne and David. It was a Tuesday night, and it was fairly busy, probably partially due to the restaurant only having been open for a couple weeks. From what I could observe, the other guests seemed to be quite happy with their food.

The term "Edomae" is a combination of two words: "Edo," which is an old name for Tokyo, and "Mae," which means “in front." It basically referred to the Tokyo waterfront, where the fisherman brought in their fresh catch. The fishermen and vendors realized they needed a way to make their fish last longer, so it didn't rot before they could sell it. They started preserving the fish in a number of ways, such as curing it in salt or cooking it with soy sauce. Today, with modern refrigeration, such preservation methods may seem unnecessary, but they actually can enhance the taste of Sushi. Thus, Edomae-style sushi has seen a return, with clever chefs using innovative preservation methods to enhance the taste of their fish.

At XOXO, behind the sushi bar is a glass case of hanging fish, which is actually a dry-ager, helping to preserve and enhance the fish. It currently is aging Tyee King Salmon, Ishidai, Sakura Masu and Kanpachi. I asked Chef Kegan about this matter and he explained, “Despite being a relatively new innovation for most countries around the world, dry-aging fish has been part of Japanese tradition for centuries. Primarily, dry-aging techniques prevent fish from going bad as it makes its way from the fishing nets to fish shops and restaurants. Apart from extending the fish’s shelf-life, dry-aging also improves the quality of its flavor and ironically tastes even fresher than fresh fish!" 

"Have you ever had sashimi at a sushi restaurant and thought this had to be the freshest fish you’ve ever tasted? Ironically, good sashimi comes from dry-aged fish and most sushi restaurants still incorporate these techniques in their food preparation. Unlike dry-aged steak, for which dry-aging is used to magnify flavor and texture, the primary objective of dry-aging fish is to enhance their freshness. There are different ways to dry-age fish, some techniques using salt or baking soda to reduce moisture, whilst others involve a controlled, low-humid environment designed for this specific purpose. Yet, in all cases, the fish have to be scaled and thoroughly cleaned before put through the dry-aging process. The precise dry-aging period entirely depends on the size of the fish. Small fish are typically dry-aged for a few days whilst larger cuts – including salmon and bluefin tuna – need around two weeks to dry-age properly. In the end, by ridding the fish of any excess blood, moisture and slime, it loses that unpleasant fishy smell and yields a much cleaner flavor and a firmer texture.” 

I'm sure this eye-catching display sparks questions from the guests dining at the sushi bar, allowing the Chef to explain and educate about the benefits of dry-aging fish. And the excellent taste of the Sushi will showcase those benefits.  

Their Beverage Program, overseen by General Manager Ashif Nirola (who used to work at Douzo), ranges from Cocktails to Sake, Japanese Whiskey to Wine. Their Cocktail list has 9 listed cocktails, all priced at $18 each, including the Lychee Martini, Shochu Expresso, and Matcha Vesper. Many of the cocktails are created with some Japanese ingredients, such as Yuzu, Shochu, Ume, Ki No Tea Gin, and more. 

I ordered the Tokyo Old Fashioned, which is made with Toki Whiskey, Rihei Ginger Shochu, Japanese Bermutto, Sakura Bitters, Cherry & an Orange Slice. It was a hearty drink, with a large ice cube, and a complex and intriguing taste. A very tasty and well-balanced cocktail. Bermutto, used in some of their cocktails, is the first Japanese "Vermouth," a fascinating product, made from Junmai Sake and Kuma Shochu. Four botanicals are added, including Yuzu, Kabosu, Sansho & Yomogi. I first tasted Bermutto back in 2021, and keep a bottle in my home bar. 

The Beer list has 5 choices, priced $9-$18, including Sapporo and Hitachino Nest. Their Japanese Whiskey list has 10 choices, from Suntory Toki to Kaiyo "the Rye" 10 Year old. The Wine list ranges across the world, including California, New Mexico, Australia, Italy, Argentina, France, Austria, and Spain. There's also a Reserved List of higher end wines. Many of the wine selections are from well-known wineries, but there are some lesser known wines scattered amidst the list as well. 

I was particularly interested in their Sake list, which includes 3 Junmai, 2 Ginjo, 8 Daiginjo, 2 Nigori, 2 "Others," and 5 choices on a Reserved List. Prices by the glass range from $13-$20, and bottle (720ml) prices generally range from $64-$225, with a few 300ml and one 500ml bottle for certain selections. There are plenty of good choices on the Sake list, and during the course of our dinner, we ordered glasses of the Wakatake Daiginjo and Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo, both excellent choices which pair very well with the restaurant's cuisine. 

The Reserved List has five exquisite choices, although more splurge choices are they priced from $280-$650. For example, the Katoukichibee Shouten, Born Yume Wa Masayume Junmai Daiginjo ($650/720ml bottle) commonly retails for $250-$300, if you can find a bottle. This Sake is "specially limited" and is said to be an exceptional Sake. The Tatenokawa 18 Junmai Daiginjo ($575/720ml) commonly retails for $200-$250, and its rice has been polished down to 18%. It's also considered to be a very impressive Sake. 

The Food Menu has plenty of diverse options, as well as nightly Specials. If you don't want to have to choose individual courses, you could opt for a 16-course Omakase, with dry-aged dish and sashimi. You could also choose the Chef's Choice of 7 pieces ($62) or 11 pieces ($98) of Nigiri Sushi, of 5 types of Sashimi ($10 pieces/$55) or 9 types of Sashimi (18 pieces/$102). Caviar and Truffle are available as supplements. 

The Sushi/Sashimi menu has about 19 options, with Sushi priced per piece and Sashimi priced per 6 pieces. For example, Bluefin Akami is priced at $6 per piece of Nigiri Sushi and $18 for 6 pieces of Sashimi. The Bluefin Chu-toro is $10/$30 and the Bluefin O-toro is $15/$45. A5 Waygu is available as Nigiri for $28 per piece. Other choices include seafood such as Hamachi, Hiramasa, Kinmedai, Madai, Ikura and Snowcrab. The nightly Specials menu adds a number of additional Sushi choices.   

Other menu options include Temaki Handrolls (7 choices, priced $12-$22), such as Miso Scallop and Crab Butter. There are also Hot dishes (12 choices, mostly $12-$29), such as Tempura Rock Shrimp  and Miso Black Cod, and Cold dishes (7 choices, mostly $23-$45), including Tuna & Truffle and Wagyu Tartare. You can also select the Robatayaki, charcoal grilled dishes (9 choices, priced $10-$20), such as Japanese Street Corn, Skirt Steak, and Hokkaido Scallop.

I began my dinner with a cup of Miso Soup ($9), made with green crab dashi, White Rose Farro Miso, and negi (Japanese long green onions). With an alluring aroma, the miso soup was delicious, with a nice depth of flavor and plenty of umami. It definitely ranks with some of the best miso soups I've ever tasted, so much more flavorful than the average miso soups you find at many Asian spots. I often order Miso Soup at a new Japanese restaurant, as I've found that if the soup is impressive, then the rest of the cuisine is likely as impressive. 

This Miso Soup is also more unique as it uses a different type of miso paste. Most miso paste is made with fermented soybeans, but the White Rose Farro Miso is made from Emmer Farro grain, an ancient grain, and the paste is said to possess aromas of whiskey, banana, and butterscotch. Chef Kegan stated, “The farro grain miso is an organic miso made by keep well farms in Pennsylvania (two ex-pastry chefs that now own a farm). They ferment all their own produce turning them into miso and vinegars. I like supporting local farmers and people that push the industry forward with passion. That's why I use there farro grain miso. It's also delicious.” 

From the Hot menu, the Unagi Crispy Rice ($29) consisted of four pieces of BBQ American Eel, atop fried sushi rice, and sprinkled with crispy onions. The eel was tender and flavorful, with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce, and complemented by the crisp, crunchy rectangles of sushi rice and crisp & sweet onions. I'm a big fan of eel, and this was an excellent dish, a nice combination of flavors and textures.

I opted for two types of Robatayaki. The Pork Belly ($15) was made with pork tare and sweet chili miso. I received three large pieces on a wooden skewer, and each piece was a wonderful combination of silky fat and tender meat, with crispy charred edges. It possessed a delicious, lightly sweet and savory sauce. Each bite felt like it melted in my mouth. A great choice!

The Chicken Thighs ($16), with negi and brown sugar soy, were moist, tender and flavorful, again with a delectable sauce and a touch of char. Based on these two options, I suspect the rest of the Robatayaki would be equally as tasty. 

From the Hot menu, I chose the Karaage ($18), which is another iconic dish I often order at a new Japanese restaurant. The Karaage is made from chicken thighs with ponzu (a citrus-based sauce) and togarashi. This dish was a rather large bowl of chicken, with a crisp coating, tender and flavorful meat. It was enhanced with citrus notes and pleasing spices. A great bar snack, and a nice accompaniment to a glass of Sake.

The Live Uni ($28), on the nightly Specials menu, was sourced from Maine and the uni sits atop a yuzu panna cotta. With an appealing plating, the Uni was superb, both creamy and briny, and the panna cotta provided a sweet and citrus aspect to balance the saltiness of the uni. 

Our first plate of Sushi included Chu-Toro ($10), medium fat cut bluefin tuna, and O-toro ($15), the fattest cut bluefin tuna belly. All of their sushi is delivered to your table already seasoned with the amount of soy sauce and wasabi which the Chef believes it should possess. However, if you desire more soy sauce or wasabi, you can request it. I chose to accept the Chef's preparation for all of the sushi I ordered, and didn't feel any of it needed more soy sauce or wasabi. 

Just look at the sushi, and you'll delight in its color and fattiness. And once you take a taste, you'll find it to be buttery smooth, with a mild briny touch, and a hedonistic deliciousness. Such compelling pieces of tuna, and if you've never tasted these cuts before, you really need to change that fact. In some respects, these cuts are like the Wagyu beef of tuna, rich and fatty, melt-in-your mouth pleasure. 

Our next plate of Sushi included 6 different choices, and I'll mention them from left to right. First, there was the Bluefin Akami ($6), a lean cut, which was nice to compare with the prior Chu-Toro and O-Toro. With a deep red color, it was tender and flavorful, but not as silky smooth as the Chu-Toro and O-Toro (although that was expected). It was definitely an excellent piece of Bluefin. I'll also note that all of the Sushi seemed quite fresh, even those which were dry-aged. 

Next up were two pieces of Ora King Tyee Salmon, including the regular version ($6) and the Toro ($8). This is a sustainable Salmon, farmed in New Zealand, and has been a hot item in the seafood industry for at least the last 5-6 years. It has won a number of sustainability awards and its flesh is considered to be exquisite. I've previously tasted this salmon and loved it, finding it rich, tender and flavorful, better than many other salmon. And this Sushi too was excellent, especially the Toro, the salmon belly.   

The fourth piece was on the nightly Specials list, Ishidai ($9), a fish I had never tasted before. This fish is known by a number of other names, such as Knifejaw Snapper, Striped Beakfish, Barred Knifejaw, and Stone Snapper. The Ishidai was sourced from Japan, and it's a small fish with distinctive black and white stripes. It had a bit of a chewier texture, with a mild sweetness and a good amount of fat. A pleasant flavor, which would appeal to many Sushi lovers.

Another fish from the nightly Specials list was the Sakura Masu ($9), listed as "cherry blossom trout," and which was also sourced from Japan. Again, this is another fish I'd never tasted before. Interestingly, although it is seen as a trout in Japan, others see it as a salmon, and it is sometimes called Masu Salmon or Cherry Salmon. Its scales have a pink-cherry color, which is the reason for its "cherry blossom" name. If you look at the sushi, it certainly looks like a piece of Salmon, and is tender and fatty, with a pleasing taste which did remind me in many respects of an excellent piece of salmon. 

Finally, and also from the nightly Specials list, I had the Muki Hotate ($10), Japanese live scallop, which was tender with a mild chewiness, and its flesh was sweet and delicious. I often order Hotate at sushi restaurants, and this was one of the better ones I've ever tasted.  

I had the opportunity to ask Chef Kegan his three favorite types of Nigiri Sushi, and he replied:

Saba (Mackerel), Kinmedai ("Splendid Alfonsino"), and Shima Aji (Striped Jack). All three are available on their regular Sushi menu.

From the Temaki Hand Roll menu, I chose the Unagi Foie ($22), made with BBQ Unagi, Foie Snow, and a Truffle Kabayaki sauce. It was crunchy and meaty, savory and sweet, with hints of truffle, a wonderful melange of flavors and textures. Another hedonistic pleasure. 

From the Cold menu, I also chose the Hamachi & Blood Orange ($24), made with yellowtail sashimi, blood orange zu, supremes & zest, and thai chili. It was a light dish with bright citrus flavors, silky & fatty fish, and a little spicy heat. 

They only have two options on their Dessert menu, including Tropical Yuzu and Nikka Choco (both priced at $18). We opted for the Nikki Choco, which is made with chocolate sauce, almond chocolate sponge, Nikka Coffey malt whisky ice cream, chocolate thai chili ice cream, and cocoa tuile & nips. A decadent and tasty dish, the chocolate was rich and flavorful, enhanced by the ice creams, one which was spicy and the other with the taste of whiskey. Another excellent combination of flavors and textures, this is a dish that would appeal to all chocolate lovers, or anyone who loves an interesting and delcetable dessert.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with their cuisine, from their excellent Hot and Cold dishes to their superior Sushi. All of their dishes, from the Miso Soup to the Robatayaki, were elevated above the usual Japanese cuisine you'll find at an average restaurant. Sourcing is very important at XOXO, including some local seafood, such as Uni and Scallops, as well as imports from Japan. And the dry-aging process is fascinating, with such excellent results. 

Service was good, without any significant issues, especially considering they had only been open for a couple of weeks. Although we had a primary server, other servers assisted as well, often delivering some of the dishes to our table. 

Prices are high, but they are comparable to other high-end Japanese sushi restaurants. You also need to consider the excellent quality of their ingredients. You can certainly find lesser quality Sushi at a cheaper price, but if you desire higher quality fish, Sushi which will thrill and excite your palate, you need to pay a higher price. Dining at XOXO Sushi Bar is well worth the price so grab a seat at the Sushi bar and indulge.  

XOXO Sushi Bar earns a hearty recommendation and I will definitely be returning, to try more of the menu, as well as re-order some of my favorites. 

A Food Sampling: Viet Citron, Elm St. Sweets, Tous Les Jours, & Baba Sushi

Over the last couple weeks, I've enjoyed some delicious food and wanted to compile some of the highlights here. What dishes have you enjoyed lately?

Việt Citron, in Burlington, is one of my regular lunch spots and I've previously reviewed the restaurant a couple times. They commonly offer seasonal specials, and I generally order these items, trying something new. Recently, at limited times, they have been offering Xôi Bắp (Ma Homie Sticky Rice), which is composed of "Fragrant hominy corn steamed w/ sticky rice, topped w/ crushed mung beans, fresh fried shallots, and sesame sugar."

In Vietnam, this is a popular breakfast dish although it is also served as a dessert. Some people also enjoy it for lunch or dinner. This was a hearty rice dish, with sweetness from the corn, and a nice crunch from the fried shallots. It comes with a side of sesame sugar so you can choose how sweet you want to make this dish. Without the sesame sugar, it's more of a savory dish, and with plenty of sugar, it becomes a dessert. I can easily see why it makes for a good breakfast dish too. Get yourself to Việt Citron and enjoy their delicious Vietnamese cuisine. 

Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar is well known for its pies and desserts, and those items are now available from the new Elm Street Sweets in Somerville. You can order online a variety of pies, cakes, cookies and other desserts and pick them up later at Rosebud. Options include items like Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Blueberry Crumble Pie, Pecan Carrot Cake, Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies, and more. 

A second location of Elm Street Sweets has also just opened this week at 158 Great Street, Bedford, next to the second location of Posto.  So, now there's a suburban spot to obtain their desserts. They even have a counter where you can see all of the treats, and pick and choose which you'd like to buy. 

I received a media sample of their Banana Bourbon Cream Pie, which is made with a nilla wafer crust, dulche de leche, fresh bananas, banana bourbon custard, vanilla whipped cream, and white chocolate shavings. Aesthetically, it's appealing and very different inside from the traditional Banana Cream Pie, with a darker color inside. It's delicious, with a prominent bourbon flavor, plenty of creamy whipped cream, a rich banana flavor, and a crunchy crust. This would be an excellent choice for the holidays, to adorn your Thanksgiving or Christmas table. Or just for a Friday night treat.

At the H Mart in Burlington, there is the Tous Les Jours, an Asian-French bakery, which is definitely one of my favorite bakeries. From Sliced Pan Bread to Pastry Doughnuts, Garlic Twists to Cornet Pies. They also sell a line of cakes, including the Strawberry Cream Cake (about $36), which I recently bought for a special occasion. 

It had a light sponge cake with layers of sweet and silky whipped cream, as well as thin slices of fresh strawberries. And it was topped by strawberries, raspberries and grapes. I prefer this lighter style of cake to some of the heavier and sweeter cakes with their thick frostings. You can find a variety of cream cakes at this bakery, as well as some special design cakes, such as shaped like a bear's face or a pig. They also carry Buttercream and Mousse cakes. The next time you need a cake for a special occasion, or just a Friday night, check out Tous Les Jours.

Last week, on a trip to Worcester, a friend and I stopped at Baba Sushi for lunch. They have three locations, in Worcester, Sturbridge and Bristol. It's a small spot, with take-out, delivery and inside dining. And based on this lunch experience, they have excellent food and I'd definitely return again. 

The Fried Shumai ($6) were fried just right, with a more tender interior and a nice shrimp taste. 

The Gyoza ($6) were also quite good. 

The Chicken Tori ($7) were two skewers of marinated and broiled chicken pieces, topped with a homemade teriyaki sauce. The chicken was tender and moist with a pleasing teriyaki, with just the right amount of sweetness.

The Beef Tori ($8) also had chunks of flavorful beef topped by their teriyaki.

The Sushi was exceptional, fresh, tender and ample. For Nigiri, there was Maguro (Tuna/$7.75), Hotate (Scallop $7), and Unagi (Eel/$7.75).  All were delicious, and definitely some of the better sushi I've tasted in some time. Their menu has an extensive list of Maki rolls too, from a basic Sweet Potato Maki ($5) to a more complex, and very tasty, Dragon Eel Maki ($13), made with tempura shrimp, cucumber, eel, masago, and kabayaki sauce. Baba Sushi certainly excels with their sushi, and I'd like to try more of their menu too.

If you're in Worcester, you should check out Baba Sushi.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Pastry Chef Robert Differ, of Bar Boulud, Boston, is celebrating the arrival of National Ice Cream Month, held in July, by bringing back the “Back Bay Sundaes.”

Available now, Chef Differ will be serving up these three ice cream beauties, which are the perfect summer treat to enjoy on Bar Boulud’s terrace among friends or in the lounge after work as a cool and creamy pick-me-up. This year’s flavors include Magically Delicious (toasted oat cereal ice cream, vanilla crumble, lucky charms, marshmallow $13), Black & White (cookies & cream ice cream, bittersweet chocolate sauce, Chantilly, BB chocolate wafers $14), and Hazelnut Rocher (hazelnut ice cream, Nutella, praline pirouettes, vanilla Chantilly, hazelnut rocher $14). A tasting version of all three sundaes is also available for $15.

Chef Differ is inspired by desserts that skillfully offer a balance and juxtaposition of texture, temperature and seasonal flavors. Why not try out his Back Bay Sundaes.

2) Ocean Prime Boston, located in the Seaport district, is rolling out its #TGISF (Thank Goodness It’s Summer Friday) Seafood Happy Hour, from 4pm-6pm, every Friday this summer. Guests can enjoy $1 oysters and $10 sushi rolls in either The Lounge or the newly-opened outdoor patio.

Sushi Rolls Include: SUSHI ROLLS INCLUDE:
o Prime Roll: Tempura Shrimp, Cream Cheese, Scallion, Beef Carpaccio
o Lobster Roll: Poached Lobster Tail, Kiwi, Pickled Serrano, Masago, and Spicy Mango Puree.
o Tuna Roll: Spicy Tuna, Avocado, Cucumber
o Dynamite Roll: Tempura Shrimp, Spicy Mayo, Sesame Seeds

To make Reservations, please call (617) 670-1345

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) The Hawthorne patio will become your go-to destination for tropical tiki drinks and boozy blender beverages. Returning this year, Swizzle Sundays at The Hawthorne invites guest bartenders from around the city to work the blenders on the patio from 5:00pm to dusk, serving up island-inspired favorites.

The full summer line-up includes:
June 25th – Tim Cooper of 86 Co. Caña Brava Rum
July 2nd – Eric Anderson of Hendrick’s Gin
July 9th – Sean Frederick of Plantation Rum
July 16th – Willy Shine of Jagermeister
July 23rd – Bob McCoy of Privateer
July 30th – The Hawthorne’s own Jackson Cannon
August 6th – Kerrin Egalka of Compass Box
August 13th – Jesse Lauden of Island Creek Oyster Bar
August 20th – Yuna Asriyan of Absolut Lime/Elyx
August 27th – Colin Asare Appiah of Bacardi

Please call 617-532-9150 for reservations.

2) Executive Chef Tyler Kinnett and the team at Harvest welcome guest chef and author Walker Stern from Battersby for a special “The Book and the Cook” dinner. On Sunday, June 25, from 6pm-9pm, Harvest's cookbook series "The Book and the Cook" will host famed Battersby: Extraordinary Food from an Ordinary Kitchen author and Battersby Restaurant co-owner and chef, Walker Stern. Battersby, the small New York eatery, opened its Brooklyn doors in 2011. Since then, it has risen to fame for its thoughtful dishes, expert technique, along with a unique and welcoming environment.

Guests will enjoy dishes from Chef Walker Stern’s cookbook Battersby: Extraordinary Food from an Ordinary Kitchen for guests to enjoy, complete with wine and beer pairings. Guest Chef Walker Stern, will step out of his four by six-foot kitchen and into Harvest for a guest chef dinner, collectively prepared with Harvest Executive Chef Tyler Kinnett and Pastry Chef Joshua Livsey.

The menu for the evening is as follows:
RECEPTION
GOUGERES WITH MORNAY SAUCE
Chicken Liver with Shaved Mushrooms and Balsamic
Chiarli Cleto, Lambrusco, Modena Spumante Rosé
FIRST COURSE
WATERMELON SALAD WITH SHISHITO PEPPERS AND FETA
Villa des Anges, Pays d’Oc Old Vine Rosé
SECOND COURSE
GRILLED TUNA WITH PIPERADE AND SPANISH HAM
Chimay Rouge, Belgium
THIRD COURSE
PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH SUMMER FRUIT PANZANELLA
Julien Sunier Fleurie Beaujolais 2014
FOURTH COURSE
FENNEL SEEED PANNA COTTA WITH LEMON CONFIT
Evolucio Tokaji 2012

Cost: The Book and the Cook dinner is $70 per person (inclusive of a signed book, beverage pairings, tax & gratuity) and includes a reception and seated dinner.
Space is limited and reservations are required. Call 617-868-2255 directly to book seats or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/the-book-and-the-cook-battersby-at-harvest to purchase tickets.

3) Empire Asian Restaurant & Lounge, which recently celebrated its Five Year Anniversary, is offering Unlimited Sushi on Monday evenings, starting at 5pm.  The Unlimited Sushi costs $29/person and there are no menu substitutions, no sharing and no to-go options. There are 11 options on the menu, essentially all Maki rolls, from Spicy Tuna to Return of the Hamachi Tartare.

For reservations, please call 6170295-0001

4) Gather, the modern American restaurant located in Boston’s home for innovation, District Hall, will be hosting two Game of Thrones themed Brunches to celebrate the upcoming Season 7 premiere. GoT fans can join Gather for themed food and drink specials alongside other Game of Thrones inspired activities to celebrate the Season 7 premiere all weekend long.

WHEN: Saturday, July 15th, and Sunday, July 16th from 11am-3pm
Guests wishing to join Gather’s realm for brunch should make reservations for inside seating, as seating is limited, by calling 617-982-7220.
Patio seating will be available first come, first serve and weather permitting.

5) Chef/Owner Will Gilson and the Puritan and Co. team invite guests to join them for a night of all things rosé at their third annual Rosé Rumble. This Rosé Rumble will offer guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the best rosés in Boston like a true insider. Taking place on Wednesday, July 12th, the third annual rosé rumble will showcase a variety of rosés for guests to taste, discuss, and learn about while enjoying bites from Chef Will Gilson and the Puritan and Co. team.

The night will feature two, separately ticketed sessions- one at 6 p.m. and one at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $75 and can be purchased here: https://roserumble3.eventbrite.com/.

This should be an excellent event and I strongly recommend you check it out.

6) Puritan & Company Chef Will Gilson will be teaching a hands-on cooking class at the Milk Street Cooking School Master Class on how to prepare a New England Clambake at home on Wednesday, July 19th from 6pm-9pm in the Milk Street Test Kitchen, 177 Milk Street, Boston.

In this hands-on Master Class, students will learn tips and facts about the seafood used and secret techniques for ensuring a properly cooked feast that highlights the best of our simple summer ingredients. The class will also cover wine and cocktail pairings, since clambakes are the perfect party food.

Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased by logging onto www.177milkstreet.com

"Let's Talk About Sushi" At AKA Bistro

Since its opening in 2010, AKA Bistro, in Lincoln, has remained one of my favorite restaurants, a suburban gem which is located only a few minutes off Rt.128. It offers both French bistro cuisine as well as creative Japanese fare, especially innovative sashimi dishes. They source much of their ingredients locally and the seafood is always fresh. They serve lunch, dinner and brunch so there are plenty of opportunities to check out their menus.

One of my favorite dishes is their Moules Frites, the mussels within a compelling broth in which you should dip your crusty rolls. You might even just want a straw (which they actually provide for the broth in one of their Steamed Clam dishes). Their Miso Soup is one of the best I've ever had, putting to shame the thin, lackluster miso soups you find at a number of spots. Their wine list is strong on French wines, including Alsatian, and they also have a small, but well curated section of Japanese Sake.  If you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend you check it out.

Earlier this week, AKA Bistro held a special popup event, Let's Talk About Sushi, a collaboration between Master Sushi Chefs Chris Chung of AKA Bistro and Youji Iwakura of Atelier Kitchen Zen. They were assisted by Assistant Sushi Chef Philip Wolfe. The dinner, which cost $98 per person, offered essentially 12 courses of food, from an amuse-bouche to dessert, and most of the courses were Sushi

There were suggested wine and Sake pairings for each dish, and if you opted for all of those pairings, it cost about another $100. However, you could also choose just a few of the pairings, each which were separately priced. Some of selections included wines and Sake that were not usually available by the glass. I opted to get a bottle of Kubota Senju Tokubetsu Honjozo Sake ($58), a clean, dry and aromatic Sake that would pair well with the various Sushi dishes.

The event was held in the main dining area and the Chefs worked at one end of the room, fully visible to all of the diners. It was fascinating to watch the intensity of the chefs as they worked, to see the care and attention that went into each dish. They seemed to be perfectionists, ensuring that each dish met their strict standards. They made sure that each piece of nigiri had the proper ratio of rice for the size and type of the topping. Both Chris and Youji bring many years of sushi experience to the table and their exquisite skills were more than evident in the dishes that we were served.

Most of the Sushi dishes were Nigiri ('hand-pressed"), seafood or other items atop vinegared rice. However, each dish was more creative than just a piece of fish atop rice, adding other flavors and textures to elevate the dish. The fish and other main toppings still were the stars of each dish, but they had costarring additions to make each bite even more compelling. The freshness and quality of the toppings were evident and not a single dish was a failure. The dinner provided plenty of diversity and complexity, and I craved seconds of all of the various dishes. I'm not even sure I could choose a single favorite from all those tasty plates.

Chef Chris Chung, on the left, and Assistant Sushi Chef, Philip Wolfe, on the right.

Chef Youji Iwakura.

We began with an Amuse Bouche, Hand Crafted Tofu with uni, mirin sabayon, and dashi soy. A well balanced dish of creamy tofu, briny uni and the umami of the dashi soy. It reminded me of the salty foam of the sea, an excellent starting point for all of the seafood which was soon to come.

Next up was a Takiawase (appetizer), Sake Steamed Local Clams with white wine glacé, morel & fresh bamboo shoots. The broth was savory and stellar, though I expected it would be as AKA Bistro has always done a great job on broths with shellfish, from mussels to clams. You had to consume every bit of the broth as it was just that delicious. The tender clams were in contrast to the crunchy bamboo shoot, which added a little bitterness to the dish.

We moved onto our first Sushi dish, Kama Toro, which is part of the tuna around its collarbone. The Kama is high in fat, making it very tender, and its flavor is more concentrated that most other parts of the tuna. As this is a rare cut, it was a special treat. This Kama was marinated yakiniku, grilled over bincho tan, with nikiri-soy (a sweet soy sauce). This sushi was lightly warm, melted in my mouth like creamy butter and there was a light sweetness to the intense taste of the tuna. Simply superb. This was far above the usual tuna you have at sushi restaurants.

The Cured Sawara, which is Spanish Mackerel, was made with hibiscus vinegar, house made ume, and Okinanawa black sugar. In contrast to the Kama, this fish had a firmer texture and was a bit more oily (in a good way). There was also a nice contrast in this dish of the vinegar with a little sweetness. Another tasty Nigiri.

The Mategai, which are Razor Clams, were accompanied by a Shichimi Togarashi cured Meyer lemon slice. The meaty razor clams had even more texture and were chewier, though not in a bad way. They possessed a clean taste, enhanced by a bit of lemon, and the slight saltiness of the nori. The first three Sushi dishes offered a nice progression of textures and tastes.

The Bincho Maguro, which is Wild Albacore Tuna, was minute marinated in zuke-soy and fresh horseradish. Silky tuna, with a spicy kick, it had a texture closer to the Sawara. An excellent piece of tuna, far better than the average maguro you find in many other spots.

The presentation for this dish, Seared Hangar Steak, was cool as the glass held in the aromatic smoke. The steak was accompanied by black lava salt, burnt rosemary scent, AA choy (a Chinese vegetable also known as Taiwan lettuce), and blood orange kosho (a salted cured condiment). This was a Steak Nigiri, sitting atop vinegared rice. The beef had a smoky edge to it, with a strong flavor of rosemary, and nice acidity from the kosho. The beef was tender, with a nice texture, and it made for an interesting diversity after several dishes of seafood.

The Maitake Mushroom Mini-Musubi was sautéed in garlic oil and that atop toasted nori. We were told to roll up the nori, making our own little hand roll. It was savory and salty, with lots of umami and a hint of toastiness. A nice blend of flavors.

The Poached & Seared Monkfish, with shio koji (a seasoning) and brown butter, was topped by what seemed to be a pickled onion. The tender and lightly sweet monkfish was enhanced by the crunchy onion. The taste was clean and light, with savory notes giving some umami to the dish.

The Gyoku, Edomae Tamago, is essentially an egg omelet and was accompanied by truffle butter and sakura blossom salt. The truffle butter was like a powder atop the tamago. The rich and slightly sweet egg taste was enhanced by the umami-rich truffle taste and a mild saltiness. Definitely one of the top tamago dishes I've ever had.

Our last savory dish was Wan, a Noodle Soup, of Homemade Soba with salmon caviar and yam julienne. The aroma of this dish was so alluring and the taste delivered on those aromas, presenting an enticing savory broth, with the saltiness from the roe. The noodles had a good consistency, with just the right amount of bite to them. The yam slices added a bit of crunch to the dish, and also helped to cleanse your palate.

The final dish, which I didn't get a photo, was the Dessert, the Choux à la mode, basically an ice cream puff with azuki and amazake ice cream. Sweet and creamy, with a flaky pastry shell, it was a pleasing finale to this stellar dinner.

Overall, this was a stellar dinner and each and every dish succeeded. The diversity of ingredients, textures and flavors delighted the eyes and the palate. Kudos to the chefs for all of their hard work in creating this sushi dinner. Chef Chris Chung has also told me that they will be doing another Sushi popup in the future so I strongly encourage my readers to attend the next event. And if you haven't been to AKA Bistro yet, you should also check out their usual menu.