The Quarry | Hingham

 

 

 Introducing my new favorite restaurant! If The Quarry was located in Newton I'd become a regular. We had such a nice dinner experience on our drive home from the Cape one warm July evening. 

The Quarry shines in every aspect of the dining experience. A cozy, casual, atmospheric bar fronts a classy, polished, visually stunning dining room with vaulted ceilings and wall-to-wall windows that look out over the quarry itself. The setting is complimented by equally polished and attentive service. Then there's the scenic, serene, al fresco terrace. I wont call it Waterfront dining - but quarry front - how unique! Most importantly - the food is terrific. 

We each chose a beer from the well rounded selection - a Bad Martha's 508 IPA and the chefs very own draught Pineapple Tikiweizen which he brewed down the street at Barrel House Z. After our perfectly chilled beers arrive, a server sweeps over with a warm basket of bread and tableside olive oil service. He meticulously prepares the oil for dipping by grating fresh garlic and sprinkling in red pepper flakes and dried herbs. 

The small plates section of the menu is stellar with numerous dishes and nearly all sound enticing. The Crispy Pork Belly Bun ($4) was one of the best baos I've had. Simply done with hoisin sauce, cucumber and cilantro, it was an ethereal bite of tender, slightly crisp pork belly. I was equally charmed by a generous serving of Fresh Burrata Caprese ($15) with juicy tomatoes and a luscious duo of balsamic glaze and pesto. Lastly, we couldn't pass up the Roasted Figs ($7) - three candy sweet nuggets stuffed with bleu cheese and proscuitto to add that key punch of sharp, creamy and salty flavors. I'm glad we went with three small plates to start the meal, the portions felt like just enough without overdoing it. 

Entrees also delight at The Quarry. A Pan Roasted Swordfish ($29) comes over a flavorful succotash of house smoked bacon, roasted corn, lobster, chipoltle and roasted potatoes. The Local Lobster Brodetto ($28) offers a 1/2 lobster over generous potions of toothsome scallops, shrimp, calamari, clams and mussels bathing in a savory saffron tomato broth. I'm pretty confident you can't go wrong on this menu. 

We debated over dessert - of course we were full after all this food, but what's a new restaurant experience without it?! We settled on Lavazza Espresso ($4) and the chef sent over our choice of digestif - Limoncello for him, Amaro for her (also the chef's favorite. If you haven't gotten into Amaro yet, please do.) For the divine grand finale a Cider Doughnut Sundae ($8) tops a warm, sugary doughnut with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream chocolate and salted caramel sauce.

The Quarry

415 Whiting Street

Hingham, MA 02043

*This meal was complimentary - thanks so much to The Quarry for hosting us*

the girl & the fig | Sonoma

 

 

After an incredible day exploring Napa Valley in swooped The Girl and The Fig (literally! they called us that morning to announce their early re-opening and to book our reservations off the wait list!) A Sonoma dream come true! Serving rustic country fare with a French passion, this is truly the restaurant in Sonoma not to miss. While our waiters demeanor left a little something to be desired, the food and drink far outshine the minor gripe. I don't eat Flounder often but this was by far one of the best versions; in fact, I'd go so far as to say one the most beautifully prepared fish dishes, ever. 

Fig Fashioned ($12) Buffalo Trace Bourbon, fig liquor, fig, orange, cherry, house made bitters

Charred Brussels Sprouts ($11) roasted shallots, braised coppa, chili gastrique

Goat Cheese Sampler ($15) three selections of local artisan goat cheese, fig cake, compote, spiced nuts, lavender honey

 Wild Flounder Meuniere ($27) Yukon gold potato puree, cello spinach, lemon caper brown butter

The Girl & The Fig

110 West Spain Street

Sonoma, CA 95476

North End Progressive Dinner Part 4 | Prezza

Dessert

At this point in the evening, my picture taking is getting progressively blurrier, heck I probably shouldn't even be using a nice camera. The four of us were thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Despite all that food, this was a serious booze infested dinner crawl, as I went from perhaps the strongest gin martini ever at Fiore, to a bottle of sparking wine at Mare, a bottle of red wine at Mamma Maria, and now a Bailey's on the rocks at Prezza. They don't skimp on pours, three of us were the recipients of glasses loaded with the stuff. Given the fact that most restaurants in the North End don't serve dessert (kindly leaving it to the pastry shops and caffes) either that or they give you two options (tiramisu and cannolis) Prezza's menu is certainly a rarity and branches out from the neighborhood norms. The grand finale began with White Chocolate Bread Pudding ($10) with vanilla bean ice cream and creme anglaise. It was thick, moist and bursting with balanced sweet flavors. We also shared the Fig and Cocoa Turnover ($10) with a lovely pistachio gelato and port wine sauce. The turnovers were crisp and flaky, beholding rich warm fig with hints of cocoa. The gelato in both instances was perfectly creamy and a thoughtful addition to the desserts

The staff at Prezza were a delight. Despite the restaurant being busy at peak Saturday night dining time, and the fact that we did not have a reservation, the hostess didn't hesitate to seat us at a four top in the crowded dining room, simply to indulge in dessert.

Read my full review of dinner at Prezza here.

Bella Note Thursdays @ Aragosta

Presenting Bella Note Thursdays at Aragosta Bar + Bistro; where from 5:30 - 10 pm ladies can enjoy a drink and an appetizer paring for $20.
The Fairmont Battery Wharf kindly put together a preview of the event for Lin, Meghan, Elina, Bridget, Megan and myself. At the chef's counter where the glistening tigers eye bar overlooks the action happening in the kitchen, the six of us where treated to a sampling of the Bella Notte menu. Guests chose from five signature cocktails or a subset of red and white wines and from eight of chef David Daniels favorite appetizers. We watched and photographed as him and his sous chefs prepared everything in front of us using fresh ingredients and refined techniques, it was quite a treat! The Yellow Pepper Limoncello Sour is a particularly creative cocktail from which to choose. Limoncello liquer is shaken with vodka, freshly squeezed lemon juice, agave nectar and garnished with a fresh chive.The chef started us off with some crusty bread and olives in olive oil before a splendid showcase of the apps! The Truffle Rigatoni (half portion shown) is a unanimous crowd pleaser. Comforting and elegant, warm goat cheese foudue is laced with fragrant truffle among extra wide tubes of rigatoni that benefit from a few minutes under the broiler. The creamy white pasta is plated and served with a stroke of tomato, the sweet red sauce adding a dash of contrast. The Margherita Flatbread was exceptionally thin and crispy, fully loaded with red, yellow and cherry tomatoes, torn burrata, parmesan and fresh basil. The juicy tomatoes pop with sweet flavors while the soft burrata cheese melts into whole basil leaves and warm tomato sauce. Don't overlook this simple ingredient flatbread as you debate over the bella note menu, it proves a substantial and delicious contender.I have had the Lobster and Truffle Crostini in the past, it was one of the appetizers I highly recommended! I really enjoy the sweet crustacean meat teamed with white bean puree, however, in this instance I found it lacking. Certainly the lobster was piled high but there was noticeably much less bean puree. Others commented that their batch was over salted. In choosing your appetizers wisely - note that this one can be hit or miss. At this point I've transitioned to a glass of Zonin Prosecco. While the kitchen before us was dishing out appetizers, our waiter took care to offer drink refills promptly. The first glass of prosecco certainly wasn't the last! The Hand Crafted Selection of Salumi, Caponata and Hot Cherry Peppers tasted every bit as good as I remembered. If you're in the mood for some house cured meats like coppa, mortadella and prosciutto, this board is a fine offering.The Baked Veal and Pancetta Meatballs were something special. Served in a mini cast iron skillet with soft polenta and fresh mozzarella, four meatballs offered plenty of comforting, hearty bites. The Warm Black Mission Figs cater to the sweet tooth, this dish was easily our "dessert"! The ripe candy sweet fruits benefit from a sandwiching of tangy, savory gorgonzola dolce on the bottom, while whisps of crispy, salty prosciutto are layered on top.On their own cocktails begin at $11 and the appetizers showcased range in price from $12 to $18. So this deal (exclusive of tax and tip) priced at $20 will technically save you anywhere from $3 - $9 depending on what you order. Plates are ideal for sharing so take advantage of Bella Notte with a group of girlfriends and each order something different. The relaxed scene on the North End waterfront inside a cozy bar and bistro is a perfect way to spend (or kick off) a Thursday night out!

Fig Infused Vodka Martini

I decided on a whim to make a small batch of infused vodka using some dried black mission figs I had on hand. I simply placed four of the figs into a wide-mouth mason jar, poured vodka over them, covered the jar and let it steep for about two weeks at room temperature. I shook the infusion about once per day. I also took care to store it away from direct sunlight.

On Saturday night, my first attempt at a homemade infusion was ready to take center stage in none other than.....a martini!! The drink making process was quite an experiment, but the final measurements below depict an equal balance of sweet to sour to bitter.

Fig Infused Vodka Martini

2 1/2 shots fig infused vodka - (about 2 ounces)
1 squeeze of fresh lemon juice - (about 1/4 lemon)

1 dash Angostura bitters- (about 1 teaspoon)

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into martini glass and garnish with half a fig slice.

The about measurements are depicted in parenthesis because I wasn't technically measuring the ingredients. Originally I juiced half a lemon into the shaker and whoa, it completely overpowered the martini. I have been known to underestimate the strength of a lemon, but I also love a citrus counterpart. I easily tempered this by topping the drink off with more of the vodka, which is delightfully figgy and sweet, but not intoxicatingly so.As far as the bitters are concerned, I purchased my first bottle for the occasion. Angostura is the most basic of cocktail bitters and a tiny bottle will only cost you about $8. Despite the fact that this was my first time crafting a cocktail with it, I knew a little dash would go a long way. The fig infused vodka lends a depth and potency while the lemon some brightness and the bitters serve to balance these equally sweet and sour parts. If you follow me on Instagram, (daisy21) you saw what my Saturday night consisted of firsthand! I was perfectly content to stay in and sip this while watching Sweet Home Alabama on TV. Have you ever infused vodka or another type of liquor? What did you make with it?