itadaki izakaya

Honestly. When is the last time I wrote about a restaurant in Boston? Where have I been eating lately?!? 

On one of the first bone chillingly cold evenings of the year we ducked into Itadaki on Newbury Street, a Japanese Izakaya specializing in small plates, sushi and most notably, ramen noodles. The deeply flavorful Itadaki Ramen ($14) broth is simmered for 24 hours (chose from soy or miso base), loaded with fresh noodles, sweet corn kernels, and topped with the chef's signature chashu -  a delicate pork belly, as well as a soft boiled egg, nori (dried seaweed), a dusting of negi (scallions) and moyashi (bean sprouts). This ramen was soul warming and pure comfort. 

An order of Japanese Spring Rolls ($8) were a deep fried crispy bite where minced pork mingles with cabbage, bamboo shoots and carrots. The Itadaki Spicy Tuna Roll ($9) goes above and beyond as it is topped with the chefs special spicy mayo - choose if you want it suicidal, hot, medium or mild. We went with hot and WOW. Hot it was in a very good way. The Tempura Udon ($14) are a winter special in a rich Bonito broth served with naruto (fish cake), scallions, carrots, radish, tempura bits and two shrimp tempura on the side. Itadaki offers an extensive selection of sake, Japanese whiskey and unique Japanese beers. I drank a Shirayuki ($6) sake from Hyogo, hot. Finally, the Japanese Pudding ($6) proves to be a delightful ending to this comfy, cozy, well executed and reasonably priced meal. 

Itadaki 

269 Newbury St

Boston, MA 02116

*this meal was complimentary - all opinions are my own*

In town | Tulum

It was really hard to pull ourselves away from the beach, however, I felt like a visit to Tulum would not have been complete without seeing the town; a vibrant strip with an abundance of tourist shops, super friendly folks, and local eats. So on our last full day we ventured to spend a morning shopping, brunching, and making sure to get those dreamy paletas at Flor di Michoacan. 

Dining out | Tulum

As I've mentioned, the food in Tulum is something special. The locals (as well the American and European transplants) who run these intimate restaurants and bars by candlelight and wood fired ovens do an amazing job; not only with the cuisine but with the ambiance and décor. The below is a fairly comprehensive guide of where to have dinner in the jungle!

{Pura Corazon}

At Pura Corazon they serve traditional Mexican dishes. Compared to everywhere else we dined the recipes here felt deeply rooted as opposed to trendy or chic. We ate: Yucatan Lime Soup w/ chicken and tortilla | 2 for 1 margaritas | Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Pepper | "Manchamanteles" - chicken in a pineapple mole sauce over sweet potato mash.

 {Cenzontle} jardin secreto

Cenzontle was modern, fresh, and delicious. We ate: Piquillo peppers stuffed w/ goat cheese and jocoque on avocado mousse  | Catch of the day fillet in lime, ginger, paprika, olive oil and chipotle | Tuna al pastor mounted on black rice topped with grilled pineapple, red onion, roasted peppers and coriander pico de gallo w/ avocado mousse.

{Casa Jaguar} 

I don't know why Casa Jaguar gets such mediocre reviews on trip advisor. I had it on my "could skip it" list but the atmosphere coaxed us in. Both of us had excellent fish entrees preceded by tasty vietkong rollitos and followed up with crispy fried bananas and coconut ice cream. It was one of our favorite, albeit very tipsy meals. (A hell of a happy hour on the beach prior!) I borrowed one of their facebook photos so you could see just how beautiful the space is in the daylight. It is even more enchanting and alluring at night.

{gitano} Mezcal Bar + Kitchen

We came here one night for mezcal cocktails at the bar and another night for dinner on a whim when we couldn't get into Hartwood. I'm so glad it worked out this way. Their shareable small plates were fantastic. 

ALL THE MEZCAL DRINKS: Jungle Fever - mezcal, chili, lime, cilantro | Stardust - mezcal, dark rum, pineapple, papaya, house coconut cream | Tapas Plates: zucchini pasta pomodoro | roasted eggplant w/ sweet sunflower sauce + queso oaxaca | grilled chorizo + sweet potatoes | gitano ceviche - fish, lemongrass, cucumber, jalapeno, mango, red onion | 

{Posada Margherita} 

Posada Margherita is an Italian restaurant and hotel on the beach side specializing in handmade pasta dishes. This place happened to be two doors down from us so on a night where we were particularly beat it proved a solid and satisfying choice. I wouldn't necessarily put it at the top if your list, though. The pasta was pretty good (and I was really glad I added the fresh caught lobster to mine) but what truly captivated me was the rustic chic beachfront atmosphere with its endless amount of potted succulents and weathered antique décor. (And how great is that Bano sign? It cracked us up.) I think dining here would come down to how many nights you are in town (Four or five - I'd go with any of the above / Hartwood / Casa Banana first. Seven or eight and you want to switch it up with some Italian? Sure, why not.

[Please note, all these establishments are cash only! They will accept Pesos or USD.]

Casa Banana | Tulum

I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving. I always post thanksgiving photos but this year I didn't take any. There were so many memorable festivities with friends and family the entire week.

I really do have so much to be thankful for, and here, it is for you dear readers. Thank you for another year of reading Indulge Inspire Imbibe. I am so glad this little hobby is still going after all these (almost 5!!) years. 

Now what I did take an endless amount of photos of was my vacation in Tulum. Those posts shall continue!

We ate at Casa Banana on our first night in town and it was definitely one of my favorites. It is a tough margin with so many great spots nearby, but overall I would rate this meal second after Hartwood. 

We started with refreshing but not overly impressive cocktails, a Grapefruit Negroni for her and a Whiskey Miel for him. They have an excellent and fairly robust wine list that saves the day. We had an Argentinian red wine that paired beautifully with the food. 

The grilled octopus salad with asparagus, potato and balsamic was sensational. Man, there really is something about fresh octopus + a wood fired oven! It was a spot on preparation with flavors that were dramatic and exciting. Then there was a fresh caught, wood-fired red snapper with a parsley-ginger marinade, cauliflower, roasted zucchini, carrots and local squash. It was flaky and tender, another perfectly executed dish. Lastly, a slice of soft flan with heaps of sweet, creamy dulche de leche. 

Our waiter was great, too. His vibe of genuine happiness and refined hospitality made him one of my favorites and our visit memorable.