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Category Archives: Eatin’

Review: East Side Kings (Austin)

21 Oct
East Side Kings Food Truck

East Side Kings Food Truck

So I learned the hard way that most food trucks in Austin are dark on Mondays. Thankfully, East Side King’s trucks still operate on Mondays so the food conquest wasn’t a failure. East Side King has three locations, but we settled on visiting the East Side Kings at Liberty Bar.

The space is located in a pretty quiet area of Austin, but it was still pretty busy for a Monday night. After looking at the menu, I ordered Poor Qui’s Buns, Thai Chicken Karaage and Derek’s Favorite Chicken Buns.

Something I love about food truck (and East Side King is no exception) is the fact that things are cooked to order. East Side King incorporates a lot of herbs into the dishes and all were fresh and crisp.

Poor Qui's Bun

Poor Qui's Bun

The first thing I tried were the Poor Qui’s Buns — roasted pork belly in steamed buns, Hoisin sauce, cucumber kimchi and green onion. Delicious. The pork belly was crackly and blended perfectly with the crunch and acidity of the cucumber kimchi. The bun was light and fluffy and didn’t distract from the overall taste of all the elements.

Next I sampled the Thai Chicken Karaage — deep fried chicken thigh with sweet and spicy sauce, fresh basil, cilantro, mint, onion and jalapeno. I’m willing to go on record and state that thighs are the most underrated cut of chicken. They have so much flavor and East Side King really brought out the flavor with the mix of herbs, jalapeno and the sauce. It was crispy, hot, cool and refreshing. The perfect dish for a warm night.

Thai Chicken Karaage

Thai Chicken Karaage

This dish also paired really well with my Shiner Bock. So don’t forget about the right beer.

Finally, I tried the Derek’s Favorite Chicken Buns. Once again, the chicken thigh pieces were crisped to perfect. This bun was composed of deep-fried chicken thigh, Thai flavored spicy mayo, fresh basil, cilantro, mint, onion and jalapeno. This turned out to be my favorite dish. The pillowy soft bun mixed with the herbs and crispy chicken provided a very textured, yet simple dish.

I’m a big fan of Asian cuisine, and East Side King can hold it’s own as a serious Asian dining experience — albeit outside of the standard brick and mortar. It’s no wonder Anthony Bourdain stopped by on his most recent visit to Austin.

Derek's Favorite Chicken Buns

Derek's Favorite Chicken Buns

The brains behind East Side King consist of former chefs from Uchi, one of Austin’s top Asian restaurants. They’re really onto something here as they’re now up to three truck — each with a unique menu. They’re also smart to open on Monday nights, they pretty much have a Monday night monopoly.

I’ll have to wait to continue my food truck conquests on my next visit to Austin. Just not on a Monday.

East Side King trucks operate outside of Liberty Bar, The Grackle and Shangri-La in Austin. Hours vary so visit the East Side King site for more info.

 
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Posted by on October 21, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Lambert’s (Austin)

19 Oct
Crispy Wild Boar Ribs

Crispy Wild Boar Ribs

There was no way in hell I was going to take a trip to Texas and not leave without having barbecue. Brisket is one of my favorite cuts of beef so my tastebuds were set on having some great brisket. Based on my Austin friend’s recommendation, we headed to Lambert’s in downtown Austin so I could cure my barbecue/brisket craving.

After ordering drinks, we started with a charcuterie plate (not pictured because I forgot to take a pic until we were nearly finished devouring it) that came with two local cheeses and two from elsewhere as well as some nice meats. All of the cheese and meat was overshadowed by the foie gras pot de creme. Wow! That little pot was full of flavor and I really didn’t want to share it. I would have liked one of those as an entree.

A close second on the charcuterie plate was the local honeycomb. The honey was great and paired well with every meat and ever cheese we sampled. But did I mention the foie gras pot de creme? I did? Okay, moving on.

Natural Beef Brisket

Natural Beef Brisket

Not surprisingly, I ordered the Natural Beef Brisket in a coffee and brown sugar rub with pickled esabeche. The brisket was good, especially the fattier pieces. However, I really didn’t get much of the coffee and brown sugar effect. What made the brisket great was Lambert’s house barbecue sauce.

I should point out that I’m much more of Texas barbecue sauce fan than I am for a Memphis (vinegar-based) sauce. I enjoy the thick sauciness of Texas sauces. That said, Lambert’s was not as thick as some sauces I’ve had and it definitely had a spicy heat component that’s absent from most Texas sauces. A+ on the sauce.

I also tried the Crispy Wild Boar Ribs and the Natural Pulled Pork. The ribs were tasty thanks to the sauce, but in my opinion, weren’t crispy. The pulled pork was very well done and had a different sauce than the house sauce that was equally delicious.

Now for the sides. I’m convinced the art of a good barbecue should be evenly divided 50-50 between meats and sides. Well, Lambert’s has some of the best barbecue sides I’ve ever had.

We ordered four for the table: Brussels Sprouts in Brown Butter with Bacon, Baked Mac and 3 Cheeses, Smoked Bacon Braised Collard Greens and Green Chili Cheese Grits.

I tried the grits first. I’m very very very picky about grits. If the base is water, forget it. Thankfully, Lambert’s used some form of dairy with a load of cheese. All of that was balanced very well by the heat from the green chilis. I would have this grits again and again. I may try and replicate the recipe.

Natural Pulled Pork

Natural Pulled Pork

The Brussels Sprouts were also a hit thanks to the bacon and brown butter of course. The Collard Greens didn’t quite live up to the Brussels Sprouts, but were still tasty.

And I still haven’t forgotten about the Mac and 3 Cheese. It was bubbly, crispy on the top and creamy on the inside. A total cheesy success all the way around. The pasta wasn’t too firm and wasn’t too chewy. I was ready to lick the bowl, but I’m afraid I would have come to blows with the rest of the table.

We ended the night with Lambert’s Bread Pudding that ranks as one of the top three I’ve ever had. Which is saying a lot given the number of bread puddings I’ve had while living in New Orleans (I would rank only Mr. B’s and Boucherie’s bread puddings higher).

While Lambert’s is a refined barbecue experience, the place can totally hold its own with some of the best barbecue joints in Texas. The meats were solid, the sides were phenomenal and the service was exemplary. They also have a great happy hour on Mondays where all appetizers are half off. If I lived in Austin, I would make this my Monday night regular place to eat.

Lambert’s is located at 401 West 2nd Street in downtown Austin. Lambert’s is open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner is available Sun. through Wed. from 5 to 10 p.m. and on Fri. and Sat. from 5 to 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

 
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Posted by on October 19, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Gourdough’s (Austin)

18 Oct
Gourdough's Food Trailer

Gourdough's Food Trailer

I’m not gonna lie, I was looking forward to the trip to Gourdough’s probably more than any other place we were planning on eating. In fact, Miguel and I spent roughly an hour during a Saints game a couple weeks ago perusing the website looking at all the pictures of Gourdogh’s menu. I highly recommend checking out their website, it’s well done and give you an accurate idea of what you’re in for.

The food truck/trailer scene in Austin is a truly unique culinary endeavor and Gourdough’s is one of the best ones out there in my opinion. Since we were a party of three (myself, Miguel and our gracious host Ashley), we decided to get four donuts to split. Word to the wise: these things are huge and are definitely dessert donuts, not breakfast. We didn’t eat every bite, but we wanted to sample as much as we possible. We decided to order the Mama’s Cake, Sara’s Joy, Funky Monkey and Miss Shortcake donuts.

Funky Monkey

Funky Monkey

I made the mistake of trying the Funky Monkey first. I say it was a mistake because it was so full of flavor, sweetness and goodness that I knew it would be hard for the other three to measure up. Funky Monkey is a donut topped with cream cheese icing, caramelized bananas and brown sugar. It was rich and decadent, but it exceeded my expectations somehow.

On a side note, I take issue with the name. This is definitely a Bananas Foster type donut. I was under the impression that Funky Monkey was banana and chocolate. Either way, I’m not complaining. They could call it dirt donut and I would still recommend it.

Sara's Joy

Sara's Joy

Next up, I sampled the Sara’s Joy donut. As insane as this may sound, this was the richest donut of the night. The chocolate and coconut mixed perfectly, but I think the amount of fudge and coconut topping exponentially increased the richness. That said, it was still an amazing donut. I think it would benefit from some almonds to give it a little more crunch.

Miss Shortcake

Miss Shortcake

Following Sara’s Joy, I tried Miss Shortcake, the donut with cream cheese icing and fresh strawberries. By this point, I realized Gourdough’s is just as focused on the quality of the donuts as they are with the quality of the toppings. The cream cheese icing is top notch and better than some of the icings I’ve had on cupcakes and other desserts. The strawberries were very fresh and had the perfect sweet to sour ratio. It was a nice acidity balance to the sweetness of the icing and donut.

Last up was Mama’s Cake, a yellow cake batter filled donut with fudge icing and cake batter topping. This is life in the South in a donut. It was definitely reminiscent of growing up on yellow cake.

Side story, as a kid, I once pigged out on yellow cake so badly that I made myself sick. Thankfully, that didn’t happen on my visit to Gourdough’s.

Mama's Cake

Mama's Cake

All in all, the trip to Gourdough’s was no letdown, in fact, it exceeded my wildest dreams. Having such a high-quality website for a food products usually means the bar is pretty high. But Gourdough’s definitely has the ability to meet and zoom past that bar.

The donuts are definitely big and fat, but more importantly, the donuts are cooked to order, delicious and crispy. You may experience a little bit of a wait while waiting for your donut(s), but I can assure you it’s worth the wait (and weight for that matter).

Gourdough’s is located at 1219 S. Lamar Blvd. and is open daily. Hours vary (including late night) so visit the website for details.

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Wink (Austin)

17 Oct
Seared Dayboat Scallops

Seared Dayboat Scallops

Wink is an Austin restaurant that prides itself on using the freshest ingredients possible. When it comes to food, we all know fresh is best, but in today’s world of Sysco suppliers, freshness often doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. Thankfully, Wink succeeds in its main focus. Every plate we had was fresh and it’s no wonder Wink lists the farms and local produce suppliers it maintains a relationship with.

We arrived a few minutes earlier for our reservation so it was no surprise our table wasn’t quite ready due to Wink’s intimate size. So we were forwarded over to Wink’s wine bar next door. There, we settled on a bottle of tempranillo we thoroughly enjoyed. While we waited, we perused the menu and decided to do the five-course tasting me.

Side note: surprisingly, I’m a big fan of tasting menu. It goes against my control freak nature, but for some reason, I 100% trust chefs when it comes to putting together a tasting menu.

First course was a Coriander-scented Himachi Sashimi in Chilled Citrus Soy Broth with Radishes and Pea Shoots. While it was pleasant, it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had. The broth didn’t really add much to the himachi so it was a little more subtle than I expected. And while I like subtle, this was too subtle. The citrus didn’t pop and the radishes conflicted with the himachi in my opinion.

Second course was a Seared Dayboat Scallop with Spaghetti Squash, Oyster Mushrooms, Basil and Orange Emulsion. This turned out to be my favorite course of the night. The scallop was seared to perfection, the spaghetti squash tasted fresh and had a nice crunch to it, the oyster mushrooms were seasoned just right and the citrus element of the orange emulsion popped — unlike the himachi dish. Oddly enough, the orange emulsion reminded me of the icing that comes with Pilsbury’s Orange Danish Rolls. I mean that as a compliment, it was delicious when mixed with the saltiness of the other elements.

Duck Breast

Duck Breast

Next up was Duck Breast with Sweet Potato, Rainbow Chard, Maiitakes and Brown Fig. We ordered the duck medium rare (that’s how I usually roll) and it came out cooked perfectly. It had just enough juice to it and basically melted when chewed. The chard and the sweet potato added a nice sweet, earthy taste to the richness of the duck. The fig tasted good, but was a little lost among the other elements.

Grilled N.Y. Strip with Creminis, Okra, Cippolini and Charred Eggplant Puree was the next course. Once again, we ordered the meat medium rare and once again, it had just enough sear and just enough juice. The creminis and cippolini were amazing when eaten with the strip as was the charred eggplant puree — perfectly smoky and earthy. Now for the okra, I don’t like okra and haven’t eaten it since I was about seven years old. I toughened up and tried it again though and Wink may have convinced me to reevaluate my loathing of okra. It was salty, smoky and had a nice crunch to it.

For dessert, we split a cheese plate of some great Texas cheese and a dessert sampler. The dessert sample had three components: A Raspberry Meringue filled with Lemon Curd, Creme Brulee and El Rey Chocolate Cake.

Grilled NY Strip

Grilled NY Strip

The Raspberry Meringue was hands down my favorite. The meringue had the perfect crunch to it and the lemon curd was more sour than sweet which was my favorite aspect.

The creme brulee was bruleed wonderfully and it was a solid creme brulee. For some reason, creme brulee isn’t a dessert I get overly excited about, but there was nothing wrong with this one.

The El Rey Chocolate Cake was super decadent. El Rey chocolate is from Venezuela and it was easy to realize the cocoa content was quite high. I’m not the biggest chocolate fan, so Miguel was on his own for this one and based on his feedback, it was a great chocolate cake.

Overall, Wink has some creative dishes that really benefit from the freshness philosophy. Wink also takes wine very seriously which is something most fine diners can appreciate. The place is small so it is very intimate. Reservations are highly recommended, but don’t necessarily expect them to seat you promptly. We had a reservation for 8 p.m., but didn’t get seated until 8:30 p.m. Luckily, the wine bar is fantastic and makes you forget you’re waiting.

Wink is also a little hard to find as it’s nestled in a an area off the main drag. It’s definitely worth the trip. Wink practices what it preaches when it comes to the main philosophy: fresh, fresh, fresh.

Wink is located at 1014 N. Lamar Blvd. and is open Mon.-Sat. from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.

 
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Posted by on October 17, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: The Company Burger

13 Oct
Company Burger with Bacon and Yard Egg

Company Burger with Bacon and Yard Egg

The burger craze is in full effect in New Orleans and the newest burger joint on the block is The Company Burger. Serving burgers, sides and beer is a pretty much fool-proof concept, but The Company Burger’s concept is not only fool-proof, but genius.

In my visits to The Company Burger I’ve tried just about everything. My favorite? The Turkey Burger. Yes, that may sound weird and health-conscious, but it’s the best turkey burger I’ve ever had. The patty is thin and juicy, but the tomato jam, green goddess dressing and arugula it comes standard with really push it over the top. I could eat one every day and die happy.

The Lamb Burger is also a solid choice, but falls just short of the Turkey Burger and the Company Burger if you ask me.

However, The Company Burger’s biggest seller is its antibiotic/hormone-free beef patty burgers. The only items complementing the beef patty? Red onions, American cheese and housemade bread and butter pickles. It’s simple, it’s grilled to perfection and it’s full of flavor. I can usually never resist adding bacon and a yard egg to mine. There’s nothing better than an egg yolk bursting in a burger and creating a rich, makeshift sauce.

Speaking of sauces, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the mayo bar at The Company Burger. All of the mayos are made fresh daily and there’s a mayo for every tastebud. The Basil Mayo is the best in my opinion. Especially when you dip the Sweet Potato Fries in it. I also like making my own Sriracha mayo which is something I wish they would add. The Company Burger also offers Baconnaise, but I have to admit, I wasn’t a big fan. It was too sweet. The best part is that you can mix, match and sample as much as you want so the mayo combos are endless.

Company Burger Burgers and Onion Rings

The Company Burger, Brisket Sandwich and Onion Rings

The sides at The Company Burger are just as well done as the burgers. The Company Fries are handcut fries that always come out crispy and salted just right. Plus, the skin is left on which is always something I enjoy in a fry. The Sweet Potato Fries and Tater Tots are also great choices. As for the Onion Rings, they rank in the top three for onion rings I’ve ever had. Made with red onions, the batter and the sweetness of the red onion combine amazingly to create a heavenly onion ring.

On one visit, I was fortunate enough to sample the Brisket Sandwich. It was so great, I’m thoroughly disappointed it was a special. It held its own against most briskets I’ve had in Texas, and Texas is serious about brisket. The homemade cole slaw and brisket were an example of crunch, sweetness, saltiness and meatiness. On second thought, I’m glad it was a special because it would be trouble for my belly if it was a regular item.

Tin Roof Beer at Company Burger

Tin Roof Beer at Company Burger

The Company Burger has a great beer and cocktail selection that seems to be continuously expanding. Local beers and other beers from all over the country are available. I really enjoyed the Tin Roof I had on a recent visit. The cocktails are also meticulously crafted and worth sipping on.

If you still have room for dessert, The Company Burger has some very decadent brownies which are probably best split. There’s also a Carrot Cake, but I’ve yet to try it. I usually don’t have room for dessert after scarfing down my burger and fries.

The Company Burger is the perfect example of a neighborhood burger joint sticking to burger roots, but experimenting enough to please consumers from all aspects of life. This is a great place to bring anyone because if they can’t find something worth eating on the menu, there’s something wrong with them, not the restaurant.

The Company Burger is located at 4600 Freret St. and is open daily (with the exception of Tuesdays) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

 
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Posted by on October 13, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Boston Cupcake Showdown: Cakeology vs. Sweet

11 Oct

I’m a fiend for cupcakes so while in Boston I sought out two of the best shops: Cakeology and Sweet. Both are in the same vicinity in downtown.

Cakeology operates in a single location on Province Street while Sweet has four locations throughout Boston. During my visit, I went to Sweet’s Downtown location on School Street. Cakeology’s shop has a nice interior seating area and it’s fun to watch the bakers out in the open. Sweet’s location is more boutique and feels like a more refined experience.

But I’m not reviewing the interiors, let’s get down to the cupcakes!

Cakeology's Carrot vs. Sweet's Organic Karat

Cakeology's Carrot vs. Sweet's Organic Karat

Cakeology’s Carrot Cupcake vs. Sweet’s Organic Karat Cupcake

Cakeology’s Carrot Cupcake was moist, but a little loose and I didn’t taste many carrot cake elements that I’m used to. I was hoping for more texture inside with shredded carrot, coconut or walnuts, but it wasn’t there. The frosting, however, was great. It was very light and fluffy and had the perfect cream cheese finish.

Sweet’s Organic Karat Cupcake was a little on the dense side, but it was packed with more carrot cake elements. The diced pineapple really sent it over the top. However, I found Sweet’s frosting on this cupcake a little grittier than I would have liked.

Overall, I have to give this one to Sweet. The carrot cake elements were there and the pineapple was a pleasant surprise and gave the cupcake more texture. That said, if I could put Cakeology’s frosting on the Sweet cupcake, I would have had close to the perfect carrot cake cupcake.

Cakeology's Pumpkin Spice vs. Sweet's Pumpkin Pie

Cakeology's Pumpkin Spice vs. Sweet's Pumpkin Pie

Cakeology’s Pumpkin Spice Cupcake vs. Sweet’s Pumpkin Pie Cupcake

First up, Cakeology. I didn’t get a lot of pumpkin from this cupcake. I know pumpkin is a subtle flavor, but this cupcake was lacking for me. The frosting was also a little loose. I did like the decorative pumpkin candy on top to give it a pop of color. But, I wouldn’t recommend this cupcake.

Unfortunately, Sweet’s Pumpkin Pie Cupcake wasn’t any better. Once again, I didn’t get much pumpkin, but I did pick up on the nutmeg and cinnamon aspects. The frosting was creamy and tasty, but it really overpowered the cupcake itself especially the subtlety of the pumpkin.

I wish I could, but I can’t recommend either of these cupcakes which is a disappointment because it’s Fall and everyone could use more pumpkin in their life. There’s definitely room for improvement for both shops on their pumpkin offerings.

Cakeology's Red Velvet vs. Sweet's Red Velvet

Cakeology's Red Velvet vs. Sweet's Red Velvet

Cakeology’s Red Velvet Cupcake vs. Sweet’s Red Velvet Cupcake

Red Velvet — the golden standard of cupcakes. I’ve always been baffled by how the red coloring seems to add unexpected flavor to a light cocoa cupcake. It’s got to be purely psychological.

Cakeology’s Red Velvet Cupcake was delicious. The cupcake itself was moist with a definite hint of cocoa. The frosting was creamy with just enough cream cheese flavor. Put those two together and you’ll see that Cakeology has a damn good red velvet cupcake.

Sweet’s Red Velvet Cupcake was a letdown. The cake was too dry (I tasted all of these cupcakes the day I bought them) and stuck to the roof of my mouth. Tastewise, it didn’t have the hint of cocoa I was hoping for. Aside from the cupcake, the frosting was gritty (much like the carrot cupcake) and there was too much of it in relation to the cupcake. I like frosting, but it needs to be used in proportion to the cupcake. Otherwise, the frosting can overpower the cupcake — that’s what happened here.

Cakeology’s Red Velvet Cupcake wins this particular battle by a wide margin.

Overall, these are two delicious cupcake places in Boston. Each with its own specialties and approaches to the cupcake world. After tasting both shops’ cupcakes, it’s a tough choice. I can’t really tell you to pick one over the other, but I can recommend Sweet for its Organic Karat Cupcake and Cakeology for its Red Velvet Cupcake. I wish I had more time to evaluate all of the offerings these shops have. Guess I’ll have to head back to both next time I’m in Boston.

 
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Posted by on October 11, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Neptune Oyster (Boston)

09 Oct
Neptune Oyster Bar

Neptune Oyster Bar

First things first, being a Louisiana native, I’ve always considered myself a Gulf Coast oyster purist. For years, I was convinced they were the best on the planet. Sadly, while I love the Gulf Coast, Neptune Oyster in Boston has reversed my stance on where to get the best oysters.

Located in Boston’s North End, Neptune Oyster looks unassuming from the outside. When you get inside it’s full of hustle and bustle in a very confined space, but as fresh as this seafood is, the location could be a back alley and it wouldn’t matter.

After reviewing the oyster and seafood offerings from the raw bar, I decided to get a mix of oysters from all over the country. Oyster #1 was a Wellfleet oyster from Wellfeet, Mass. Described as medium, very high salt and with a sweet butter finish, it’s sounded like a good bet. And it was. I could taste all the elements in the description. Before I continue as I should definitely point out that the descriptions Neptune Oyster provides are very accurate. So trust what’s on the order sheet.

Oysters at Neptune Oyster

Half Dozen Oyster Variety

Oyster #2 was a Katama Bay oyster from Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. My reason for ordering it was because of the description as having a “buttered popcorn finish.” Once again, spot on. This oyster had a very buttery taste that I really enjoyed.

Oyster #3 was a Glidden Point oyster from Darmariscotta, Maine. Listed as having a citrus finish, this was probably my least favorite of the half dozen. It had the lowest flavor profile of all the oysters I tried so I don’t have much to say about it.

I also don’t have much to say about Oyster #4 (a Peacock Cove oyster from Cumberland, N.B.). I was barely able to pick up on the “hints of champagne” listed in the description. Maybe I need some actual champagne as an accompaniment instead of my Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer.

Oyster #5 was by far my favorite — a Kumamoto oyster from Willapa Bay, Wash. The description suggested “hints of honeydew melon.” Sounds insane, right? It was insanely accurate. I definitely picked up on the honeydew melon flavor.

Oyster #6 was my second favorite — a Kusshi oyster from Deep Bay, B.C. Listed as having a “cucumber finish,” this oyster also lived up to its description. I can’t tell you how pleasantly surprised I was that the descriptions matched the oysters’ flavors.

Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster

Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster

For my main course, I had a cold lobster roll (Neptune Oyster also has a hot version using clarified butter instead of mayo). I couldn’t leave Boston without having at least one lobster roll, and I’m glad I ordered one here. The roll was buttery and grilled to perfection while the lobster itself was plump, fresh and rich. When combined with the light mayo and the roll, it was bliss. The fries were also very good. Probably the best I had during my trip so don’t over look those. Add some Tabasco to your ketchup and you’ve got a great meal.

I’m a little disappointed I discovered Neptune Oyster so late into my trip, but at least I found it. It’s one of the premier oyster bars in Boston and probably one of the best on the East Coast period. It will definitely be a stop I make next time I return to Boston. Neptune Oyster had the best and freshest seafood I had during my stay.

Neptune Oyster, located in Boston’s North End at 63 Salem Street, opens daily at 11:30 a.m.

 
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Posted by on October 9, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Saus (Boston)

08 Oct
Saus' Sign

Saus' Sign

Waffles. Fries. Two things pretty much irresistible to a food. So when I heard of Saus, a place in Boston specializing in both, I had to visit. Saus is located just steps from Quincy Market so it should benefit from a lot of foot traffic. When my friend and I went it was empty so we had plenty of time to peruse the menu and decide what we wanted.

We ordered a regular-sized order of fries to split. In addition to the fries, Saus offers roughly 15 to 20 dipping sauces. We decided to try four: Bacon Parm (bacon and parmesan), Samurai Sauce (Sriracha mayo), Truffle Ketchup and Vampire Slayer (roasted garlic mayo). All of the fries and waffles are made to order, so once we placed our order, the potatoes went into the fryer. They came out hot, golden and crispy.

Fries at Saus

The Fries and Sauces

Were they the best fries I’ve ever had? Probably not, but they were still worth ordering. What really made the difference is the sauces. It’s clear to me that the brains behind Saus took the time to test sauces in deciding what would pair with fries. My two favorite sauces of the night were the Samurai and the Bacon Parm, but they were all good.

After most of our fries were out of the way, our waffles came out piping hot. Saus offers four different waffle toppings (Salted Caramel, Homemade Nutella, Lemon Cream and Berry Berry) and a seasonal topping (when I visited it was Harvest Apple). Since we ordered two waffles, we chose Salted Caramel and the Homemade Nutella. What makes Saus’ waffles insanely delicious is the fact that they use pearl sugar. It really gives the waffles a nice crunch that doesn’t just come from the golden brown waffle itself.

The Homemade Nutella waffle was quite tasty, but Saus’ Nutella has nothing on the real thing. It doesn’t have quite the same chocolate/hazelnut ratio or the consistency of Nutella.

Waffles at Saus

Salted Caramel (top) and Nutella Waffles (bottom)

I will say that the Salted Caramel waffle is one of the best waffles I’ve ever had (sorry, Waffle House Pecan Waffle). The sweet/salty flavor profile has always been one of my favorites and Saus’ salted caramel topping is perfection. One of my biggest pet peeves is when salted caramel isn’t right. Thankfully, Saus got it 100% right.

To me, Saus is street food under a roof. But it’s damn good street food. They have late night hours on the weekend and I can’t imagine the fries and waffles don’t make for some great drunk food. I enjoyed my trip to Saus so much, I wanted to go back, but ran out of time. Add it to your list next time you’re in Boston, it’s already on mine…again.

Saus is steps away from Boston’s Quincy Market at 33 Union Street. The hours vary so visit Saus’ website for details.

 
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Posted by on October 8, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Pomodoro (Boston)

06 Oct
Pomodoro's Bread

Pomodoro's Bread

I ventured into Boston’s North End (think Boston’s version of Little Italy) on Monday night to have dinner at Pomodoro with friends. The place came highly recommended from one of my friends (who happened to be in our party) and he was spot on.

The place is small and intimate with a definite allure — I wouldn’t hesitate to call it romantic. I’m pretty sure there was only one server for the entire restaurant. For me, that added to the charm and she was never stressed or rushed so it worked.

Normally, I wouldn’t pay any attention to the complimentary bread basket a restaurant, but let me tell you, the bread at Pomodoro is insanely good. The crust has a nice crack and the bread on the inside is light and fluffy. The olive oil is also great. They had olives in the actual olive oil which was something most places don’t do and it really pulled out the olive flavor from the oil. Don’t skip the bread if you go in.

Pomodoro's Antipasto

Pomodoro's Antipasto

We started by ordering the antipasto plate which was an Italian smorgasbord. It was loaded with Tuscan white bean salad, roasted sweet red peppers stuffed with a tuna salad, prosciutto, green beans, poached calamari, lightly fried potatoes, arugula, parmesan, fried artichokes, goat cheese toast and fresh olives. I don’t like olives much, so I skipped those, but the standouts of the board were the stuffed peppers (sweet heat), the calamari (amazing taste and texture) and the goat cheese toast (because it’s goat cheese). I wasn’t a big fan of the prosciutto, it was sliced too thick and didn’t have the saltiness I’m accustomed to. The potatoes had a nice crispiness to them, but completely lacked seasoning so there wasn’t anything to send them over the top. All the beans and arugula tasted fresh and complemented the other elements very well.

One of my friends ordered the Classic Linguini. Pomodoro tosses their linguini with a slow roasted plum tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs. That’s it.

Classic Linguini

Classic Linguini

It may sound boring since there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles attached, but let me assure you that sometimes the most simple dish can have the most impact. This linguini was a perfect example. Light, acidic, herbacious, it had all the elements one expects out of a classic tomato sauce and pasta dish. Add some parmesan cheese and the flavor is taken to another level.

My other friend ordered the Veal Scaloppini. The veal was cooked with a sweet onion balsamic sauce and paired with a green olive risotto. While my friend thought it was overloaded with balsamic, it actually worked for me. I liked the acidic balsamic-onion combo especially when a piece of the veal was taken with a bite of the much subtler risotto.

Chicken Carbonara

Chicken Carbonara

I ordered what we all agreed was the best dish of the night: the Chicken Carbonara. Pieces of chicken with wild mushrooms, Italian ham and cracked pepper on a bed of rigatoni. The chicken was juicy and cooked perfectly. The white sauce on everything was beyond belief. All of these elements worked together in harmony to create one of the best traditional Italian dishes I’ve had in year.

After dinner, do yourself a favor and head over to Mike’s Pastry across the street. They have some of the best desserts you’ll find in Boston.

North End in Boston is full of Italian places and everyone who’s ever been to or lived in Boston seems to have their own unique opinion on the best place to go. After dining at Pomodoro, I’ll happily go on record saying it is one of the best Italian places in Boston. The ambiance, food and setting were all exactly what I wanted out of the experience.

Pomodoro is located in Boston’s North End at 319 Hanover Street. Hours are Mon. through Fri. 5 to 11 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.

 
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Posted by on October 6, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: UBurger (Boston)

05 Oct
The Grand Slam Burger at UBurger Boston

The Grand Slam Burger at UBurger Boston

Burgers don’t seem to be a big thing in Boston, but I wanted to check the scene out anyway. After doing some research, I decided to go to local joint UBurger. Turns out I missed their fifth anniversary by a day.

Technically a chain (they have three locations – Park Street, Kenmore Square and BU West Campus), UBurger serves a variety of burgers (either pre-made or build-your-own). I ventured to the Kenmore Square location which was full of students.

Since I had already perused the menu online, I had an idea of what I was going to order. The menu is pretty extensive, but I had my mind set on a Grand Slam Burger (with bacon, cheddar cheese grilled onions, mushrooms and house sauce) and an order of onion rings. I probably should have ordered a frappe as well, but knew I was going to get dessert elsewhere so I resisted.

My order came out pretty quickly and dove in to the onion rings. Very crispy and thinner than most onion rings I’m used to, they packed quite a crunch. They were lacking a little seasoning, but overall, UBurger has some solid onion rings. The crispness held up even after they had been sitting for a while which is always a good test.

UBurger Onion Rings

UBurger Onion Rings

The burger itself was cook medium (I prefer my burgers mid-rare to medium) which was a nice change-up from most quick service burger joints that overcook the meat. The patty was seasoned really well and was really a star on a bun. The house sauce was very good, but with the way it blended with the grilled onions and mushrooms, I couldn’t quite pick up on the flavors in the sauce. The bun was a great aspect. It wasn’t too heavy or light and had a nice doughiness to it. All of the elements on this burger really worked well together so I was more than happy with my choice.

All in all, UBurger was a pleasant experience. The burger and onion rings were both solid items and I can see why the place is so popular with the local students: it’s quick and it’s cheap. My burger, onion rings and drink rang in at $10.33. Not bad for a such a solid meal.

UBurger has three location throughout Boston. Visit the UBurger website for locations and hours.

 
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Posted by on October 5, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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