Location:
32 Church St., Cambridge, MA
Appearing as though it's the red light district of Harvard Square, this Border Cafe in Cambridge is loud, crowded and welcoming.
The margaritas were STRONG, the nachos crispy and the Cajun/Mexican mains absolutely delicious. Each of us in our party of five enjoyed our round-table meal.
I even spilled a drink on my brother in law.
If you can't have a good time here, there is no hope for thou.
Location:
26 Park Plaza, Boston, MA
Everyone said to go, so we finally went.
With our fish eating friends from New York.
They know good eats, so it was fun to try a variety from the menu: Oysters, New England Clam Chowder, Lobster Bisque, Signature Crab Cake, Lobster Roll, Fish n' Chips and the Wood Grilled Assortment.
Although it seemed like forever for our food to arrive, reaaaaally forever, when it finally showed up, we were all really happy with each dish. It was totally worth the wait! I even tried a bit of the cream-based soups and marvelled at the scrumptiousness of them. Definitely hands down the BEST sea food I've ever had! And our friends agreed!
With their:
"If it isn't fresh, it isn't legal"
slogan spanning more than 60 years now, Legal means business and they're open for it; I highly recommend giving it a try if you're looking to try sea food or are a sea food fanatic!
Location:
700 Boylston Street, Boston
My sister, niece and I went to The Boston Public Library's The Courtyard for Tea after the the Fall Fashion presentation by Roopal Patel at Neiman Marcus.
The Courtyard restaurant is set within the gorgeous Boston Library courtyard, which is one of the most beautiful places to have lunch - quiet and serene, as if transported to another era.
It was before 2pm and tea hadn't officially started (Wed-Fri from 2-4pm) but they seated us graciously and even made vegetarian accomodations for my sister who is vegetarian (and I also don't eat chicken, but my niece does). They were able to switch out the smoked salmon canapes for more cucumber/cheese ones.
Our server was really sweet.
The teas were excellent - ranging from Earl Grey (who else?), Ceylon Indian and Raspberry Herbal.
Although the sandwiches were tasty, we were surprised at the quantity, which was very little. We each perhaps got 2.5 sandwiches (that's in the quarter size that it's cut into) and 2-3 tiny pastries each.
For $22.50 per person, we were expecting a bit more. Even the scones were small. My sister who has had afternoon tea all over Boston (and Toronto) and I, who's had it all over Ontario were not satisfied with the portions.
Might have worked well for someone like my niece and her friends and their doll-size proportions of high tea.
Seems like their lunch portions are much larger, but for a high tea experience, this is probably not the best place in Boston for it.
Location:
20 Charles Street, Boston, MA
Ordered in from Upper Crust the other night.
Upper Crust is no stranger to the media. Having been under immigration investigations and labour inquiries, it's no surprise that Upper Crust is popular, not only in the media, but for their pizza as well.
With 18 locations all over, I have to admit that the 'za was fantastic: thin and non-greasy.
Location:
900 Boylston Street
Boston
towneboston.com/
I had a lunch date with fellow Boston Blogger Style'N at Towne earlier this week. I didn't realize until I saw the building again that it was the same place I'd spotted one evening in the myriad of street lights, after shopping at the Prudential and thinking, what is that place, I want to go to there.
Huge and cosy interior. Friendly, unintrusive staff. Really tasty meal.
I had the daily pasta - rock shrimp in a red sauce.
Style'N had the cheese & bacon sandwich with tomato bisque.
After the disaster at Kashmir (review coming soon), this was a welcome change.
Location:
250 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA
www.temazcalcantina.com
We went to Temazcal to celebrate my BIL's birthday.
It was one of those early Fall September days, so the rain was coming down, and it was a Friday so we did get caught in rush-hour traffic.
On top of this, a few things to note:
Temazcal doesn't take reservations.
They have valet parking which is $20 (!) but you get it validated by the restaurant so it's actually $16 (!). (There will be much usage of exclamation points in this post).
We had to wait at the bar for our table, which was to be about a 45 minute wait. (!)
We had a round of cocktails - the mojitos were served in these giant glasses, with the thick rim, you know the kind, when the rim of the glass fills your whole mouth as though you won't be able to get a sip to drink? And the entire drink had far too much ice for enjoyment.
Then we were seated and given iPAD menus!
My BIL mentioned how unhygienic something like that would be to use - but then again, so are paper/laminated menus as well. They say menus are the filthiest of all.
But I digress.
The light emanating from the iPads were incredible - all of our faces were highlighted in a blue glow, but as soon as we'd all ordered and the iPads were taken away, it was as if someone had turned off a light. We were left to make conversation with ourselves, without the entertainment of swiping through the menu.
The view from the restaurant is quite lovely, and I must say the interior is really nice. Watch out for the slippery floors though - not a friend of a lady and her heels!
Beside us, a table was served with an ENTIRE PIG (LECHON ASADO)! Gross to the vegetarians of the table (and although I don't eat chicken anymore, but do eat bacon - don't ask - I was also not happy to catch the visual).
For the table we ordered the "GUACOMOLE DE LA MIXETA" which doesn't come with chips by the by. Is this not weird to anyone? We then had to order a couple of chip plates.
The guac was AMAH-ZING. And very filling.
I ordered the HUACHINANGO A LA VERACRUZANA (red snapper with plantain mash). It was incredible; the portion was huge and the entire thing was absolutely delicious.
My Mom got the POLLA A LA PERILLA MEXICANA which she loved (surprising, as she's very hard to please)!
Unfortunately those were the only dishes at the table that were good.
This is also largely due to the fact that 98% of the menu is non-veg, and although on the phone they said they'd be able to make any dish veg, our server didn't think so. Thus, the only real veg option was the ENCHILADAS VERDES, which was not a huge hit; the BIL especially did not like it.
The QUESADILLA BOLILlOS (chicken) were average.
The MOLE PABLANO (chicken mole) was served alone without any side of rice or anything. Hard to eat that much mexican chocolate without any carbs, you know what I mean?
Our server, however, was good, and tried his best to accommodate our dietary restrictions as much as he could.
Still, most of the group, aside from me and my happy red snapper, felt like their meals were a huge rip-off in the end. Fancy Mexican is apparently not for this family. Maybe we're just happy with our version of Mexican dinners, with our Uncle Bens Spanish rice and refried beans.
OLE!
Location:
81 Charles Street, Boston MA 02114
www.izzyscurlycakes.com
My girlfriends were visiting from Toronto this past weekend. As we toured around Boston and wandered towards Boston Common on Charles St. we came across Curly Cakes. I'd been past it before and have always wanted to visit.
We did.
Gorgeous Little Shop. Gorgeous Little Cakes.
These babies were absolutely delicious. Each one tasting different than the last. We got three different kinds:
Triple Chocolate (Moist buttermilk, chocolate cake with a rich ganache filling, topped with creamy chocolate buttercream and dipped in melted chocolate, dusted with Cocoa PuffTM streusel. $3.95) Yes, THE Cocoa PUFFS!!!
Red Velvet. (A rich Southern Red Velvet Cake that combines classic cocoa and vanilla flavors, topped with velvety cream cheese frosting, dipped in melted white chocolate. $3.95)
Boston Cream - how could you not? (Moist vanilla cake filled with rich vanilla pastry cream, topped
with chocolate buttercream and dipped in dark chocolate. $4.95)
With our lattes and coffees and teas, everything hit the spot. Did I mention it was only lunch time?
Location:
165 Tremont Street, Boston, MA
Honestly, this place should be called thinking crap.
Hands down, the worst Earl Grey I've ever tasted...and I've tasted plenty. And besides, the chocolate croissant was nothing to write home about. Boo. Very disappointing. Someone quickly direct me to a good bakery/coffee shop. I miss Le Gourmand.
What's wrong with this photo?
Despite this quite humorous typo, the TID bits are very good!
Location:
15 West Street
Boston
http://www.maxanddylans.com/
Running errands one day in Boston, it was inevitable that our hunger pangs would set in. We were able to scope out a couple of places finally deciding upon Max & Dylan's. It may have had something to do with the quaint bookstore beside it, The Brattle Book Shop, which seemed to me, something out of the Harry Potter books, which I happen to be re-reading at the moment.
Max and Dylan's also had two high tables by the open windows at the front, which always works in favour of choosing a lunch place.
And.
They had Guinness on tap.
Albeit small portions, the food was quite tasty.
Turkey Sliders with cranberry chutney and Jack cheese.
Fried Haddock Sandwich with cheddar cheese and scallion leek tartar sauce.
And. Did I mention Guinnes on tap?
I liked the ambiance, and they filled up quickly for lunch.
Location:
738 Cambridge St., East Cambridge, MA
Having just moved to Boston, one of our explorations took us to the Royal Pastry Shop on Cambridge Street. We chose a very simple chocolate cupcake.
It was divine.
Open since 1941, there are now two other locations feeding locals delicious American and Italian pastries. I'm looking forward to being one of these locals.
Location(s):
A. 732 Sainte-Catherine Street West, Montreal
B. 1658, rue Saint-Denis, Montréal
www.les3brasseurs.ca
(All images photohogger)
Let me start with the pros of the restaurant:
Amazing beer-battered poutine. Great atmosphere: loud, bustling, was fun to be there during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Food (pros & cons):
Everything was grease-central (could be a pro for some?). The fish and chips came with overly battered and overly deep fried fish, so much so that the fried shell separates from the fish. 
The flatbread pizzas are so thin, which some peopel may prefer, but I say why bother! You practically have to eat the whole thing with a knife and fork which I know some prefer for eating pizza, but I like to pick it up like a pie. Loaded with lots of veggies so it wasn't bad. 
My understanding of, and the way I make, a Nicoise salad is with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, beans, tomatoes, olives, optional artichokes, red pepper and anchovies, all on a bed of lettuce. This one came with smoked meat instead of tuna. Since all of us eat mostly only fish, we opted for no smoked meat. It was alright, but would have preferred more of the original style of a nicoise salad. 
The beer-battered poutine (that we didn't order) was delish. We ordered regular poutine and thought that what we got was regular poutine, and wondered why it was so greasy. But as far as greasy poutine goes (which it all mostly is, anyway), it was a winner!
The cons of the restaurant:
What is with the section of the restaurant that is also part dish-clearing station/garbage take out? Please get rid of this section! I understand one has to clear the dishes and take out the garbage, but is there not a wall behind which this could be done? We had to sit there and be a witness to a server scraping off the plates into the trash and worse see one of them struggle to pull out the garbage bag from the trash can - minus gloves! Then the trash can fell over with a crash! Not something that you want to see before (or anytime) you get your meal.
Then, we were billed for the beer battered poutine ($8.99) which we ate unknowingly as we thought we'd simply ordered the regular poutine ($5.99). I realize it's only a difference of $3, but it was still the server's mistake which she acknowledged and insisted to correct but the manager then said couldn't be reversed. So our server told us not to tip her instead. How ridiculous is that? Needless to say we DID tip her on top of their mistake. She gave us each $5 gift cards to use back in Toronto. Thanks but you won't see us running over there anytime soon.
Sitting next to the kitchen on visit number two (St. Denis location), we had a clear view of all the cooks in the kitchen, all the orders given, all the plates being served, and all the accidents, such as the dropping of a plate of salad near our end of the table. A hearty dose of salad dressing landed on four of us and what did they do to make up for it? "2 beers on us!" Thanks fellas...we were only a group of fifty! And the group menu they gave us was crap. Four options for dinner included: some flatbread with chicken dish, some sausage and sauerkraut dish, some veg lasagna and some chicken skewer dish with fries. I had the veg lasagna and it was soggy, covered in cheese and tasteless.
Besides that, the restaurant is so cramped (why else would we have been right beside the kitchen?) that our server(s) kept squeezing their ar*** between our two tables to get to another section of the restaurant. This happened all night long and I received several scrapes to my back from their pens! Definitely not a good dining experience.
I don't know who the three brewers are but they need to get their act together. The beer they brew? Not one of them did I fancy...but I'll let Beerhogger review them for you. 
Overall, A had slightly better food and service, whilst B is somewhere I never wish to dine again.
One can hope that Toronto's location is better, but I'm not holding my breath.
A.
B.
Location:
3706 Rue Saint-Denis
Montreal, QC
http://www.nilbleu.ca/
Hands down the best Ethiopian restaurant I've been to thus far. But don't ask me, ask my Mom and Mom-in-Law who couldn't stop raving about it. And they know how to cook, if you know what I mean.
The dishes we ordered were:
YETIMATIM SALAD $4.95 (tomatoes, onions, green peppers seasoned with lemon and olive oil dressing)
the VEGETARIAN PLATTER FOR TWO $27.00 (potatoes/cabbage/carrots, lentils, spinach)
and YEASSA TIBBS $14.95 (sole cooked with green peppers ginger).
One thing to note is that the fish came on the same platter as the veggie platter, which may not be good for those who are strictly vegetarian so be sure to make this request when you order!
We also ordered the house wine, which was a Spanish red and quite good.
They gave out damp napkins to wipe our hands with but didn't take them away like one would with hot towels, so we realized we had to keep them, and it made sense later as we ate that it was easier to wipe our fingers with. Be warned that you will leave with turmeric stained fingers nails (even after washing) after dining here, but let me assure you, it's well worth it!
Everything was delicious...and the injera kept coming until we were completely and utterly stuffed.
The exotic decor, which is what I want my home to look like (think animal prints, African sculptures, white leather couches) is beautiful and seems very new. 
My hubby who'd eaten at Nil Bleu perhaps 12 years ago didn't remember it looking like this! The fancy bathrooms round up the upgraded look. 
The service was a tad slow, but since we weren't in a hurry, it didn't bother us and overall the service was sweet and attentive. Thank you to Chakib & Rahel for making our Moms very happy :)
Great place for dates or groups and has outdoor seating. I've already recommended Nil Bleu to my family and friends who are visiting Montreal next month!
Here's an easy BBQ recipe for Summer Skewers.
Cut into cubes, desired veggies (like zucchini,eggplant, onions and mushrooms), fruits (like pineapples and/or watermelons). Optional: tofu and/or shrimp (marinated in soy sauce, chilli sauce, black bean sauce)
Skew the cubes onto skewers and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and BBQ.
Enjoy with a nice cold beer (such as London Pride) on a hot summers day.
This is one of my favourite cake recipes handed down to me from my Mother.
It's the Elachi (Cardamom) cake...a spongy cake that's great for tea parties or rainy days.
Ingredients:
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Cardamom crushed
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg crushed
1/4 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Butter (softened)
4 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
1 Cup Milk
Directions:
Set oven to 350 degrees F.
I like to use fresh nutmeg and cardamom pods and crush them instead of powders which I don't find as aromatic. Remove the shells of the nutmeg and cardamom and crush into a powder.
Combine the softened butter and sugar together in a big bowl. Add eggs and blend together.
Combine the flour with the crushed cardamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder together in separate bowl.
Pour the milk and flour into the butter/sugar mixture and blend until smooth.
Grease and lightly flour a loaf pan and pour the batter (should be smooth and creamy).
Bake for 1 hour at 350F
Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar if desired.
Serve with piping hot chai (tea)!
