Cisco Brewers @ Back Bay Social Club

Back Bay Social Club kicked off spring with a number of beer pairing dinners, showcasing a 4-course meal with a featured brew of the evening. I was fortunate to attend the dinner hosted by Cisco Brewers, one of my favorite local breweries!

The evening commenced with Cisco Sankaty Light in cans and passed apps including prosciutto wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates and bone marrow and ramp toast. I'm a big fan of Cisco in cans, (super convenient for transporting to the beach!) The first course was a springy Day Boat Scallop over a chilled cucumber coulis, topped with black pepper seared halloumi cheese. This was served alongside a classic named for the foggy island where is brewed, Cisco Grey Lady Ale - a dry and spicy wheat beer fermented with Belgian yeast.
Next we sipped a Cisco Madaquet IPA - a light and balanced west coast style IPA. This beer paired nicely with our main course, a delicate Potato Wrapped Grouper in a pineapple burre blanc with root spinach.

An indulgent Peanut Butter Torte with banana sabayon, fried plantains and salted caramel was complimented by the Cisco Island Series Reserve, a slightly sweet and creamy oak aged vienna style lager.

The dinner was excellent - lively, fun and delicious. And drinking all that Cisco has me really looking forward to visiting the brewery on Nantucket this summer! 

This meal was complimentary, thanks to BBSC for inviting me!

Sarma

Sarma means wrapped - enveloped - rolled up: a bundle of food that is bite sized and served as a meze. From the chef that brought us Oleana and Sofra, Sarma is Ana Sortun's version of a Turkish tavern known as a meyhane. Here in Somerville's Winter Hill neighborhood, a warm embrace of little dishes with intriguing spices and herbs delights.

Painted in a deep cornflower blue with turquoise and green accents, decorated with an elaborate set of painted plates, dangling exposed lights and Turkish mosaiq lamps, the restaurant is colorful and comfortable. Megan, Emily and I caught up one evening, deeming the majority of the plates a hit with a few misses in the mix as well. 

In order of appearance the Basturma & Cheese Rolls ($8) with chive and fenugreek fell somewhere in the middle. A lovely bite, but nothing that knocked our socks off. The Haloumi Fries ($7) with kimi white fig ketchup and the Brussels Sprout Bravas ($9) with hazelnut migas fell on the awesome side of the spectrum. Even right now I find myself craving these terrific bites! The Haloumi was warm and melty, while the brussels were rich and spicy. From the bar I sipped an Old Soul ($10) with Bourbon, pineapple, fenugreek and bitters. This was followed up by a glass of crisp, food friendly Txakolina. I'm a big fan of wine menus offering this Basque Country gem - a dry slightly sparking white wine.

We expected to love the Fava Bean Pate ($7) with capers, red onion and dill, but some abrasive salty-spice in the pate itself plus those capers overpowered the usually bright and fresh tasting favas. Green Garlic & Zucchini Keftedes ($10) were soft and light patties topped with refreshing almost palate cleansing ingredients - crisp cress and cucumber tzatziki. The heavier meat and seafood based dishes we ordered were hits. Persian Beef & Swiss Chard ($12) with sweet potato, cilantro yogurt and lime, and the Octopus Skewer ($15) with grilled avocado, grapefruit charmoula and Israeli couscous both proved to be boldly flavored yet balanced dishes with welcome spices. 

For dessert there's about 15 toppings to customize either the thick and tangy Greek style Frozen Yogurt ($5) or the Loukamades ($5) a ricotta doughnut dusted in powdered sugar. We wisely chose both and paired them with the heavenly Banana Pudding ($2) and the ethereal Passion Fruit Curd ($2). This was definitely a fun way to end the meal without being too heavy. Even if you happen to over do it on the small plates (an easy feat, the menu is pretty large) I would not pass on dessert.

Sarma
249 Pearl St. 

Somerville, MA 02145

Oleana

This will come as no surprise, but to acknowledge the obvious, I dine out a lot. I realize what probably seems like all the time - between blog events and family celebrations, date nights and girls nights, and can't forget summer lunches, there is never a shortage of restaurants deserving praise. (I swear though, I don't go out every night!) A good portion of summer evenings have me confined to my couch engaged in this seasons horror show that is The Bachelorette or the highlight of summer television, So You Think You Can Dance. However, this past Wednesday evening I finally got to experience dinner at a restaurant I have long lusted over. Certain restaurants in Boston and Cambridge, be them old or new, generate high praise thus striking a burning desire to visit (looking at you Coppa, Bergamot and Mistral just to name a few.) They give constant inspiration and remain a huge motivational factor behind this blog; tonight's dinner at Oleana was no exception. Opened in 2001 by Chef Ana Sortun, this neighborhood treasure situated between Inman and Central Squares in Cambridge serves exceptionally innovative and inspired Mediterranean cuisine with strong Arabic and Turkish influences. Oleana is home to an award winning patio, embodying a truly unique caliber of outdoor dining space. A plush herb garden surrounds inlaid brick, lights are strung overhead from a fig tree and a fountain bubbles in the background. Cozy nooks are created under a trellis accented by large clay pots blossoming with pink and purple flowers.Patrons line up prior to opening at 5:30 pm (even on a Wednesday) to ensure they score a seat in this Near Eastern inspired Zen-garden. If pictures are doing no justice, take my word for it, it's a pretty magical place to enjoy a summer evening meal. Oleana has an extensive wine and beer list, but the small and elegantly simple cocktail menu beckoned. I chose the The Sortini ($10) a balanced creamy yet light combination of unfiltered sake, rose and lychee. We began the meal with a bread bowl and some meze. Starting in the top right corner and moving clockwise: Deviled Eggs ($6) with tuna and black olives, Warm Buttered Hummus ($5) with basturma and tomato and Whipped Feta ($5) with sweet and hot pepper. I don't know about you, but I typically eat hummus cold, so the warm dip took on a unique quality which was nicely accented by the thinly sliced basturma (cured meat.) The whipped feta with a bold kick from the peppers was plain addicting. I adore deviled eggs, these were an exotic take on a classic. A bottle of German Riesling Leitz Eins Zwei Dry was ordered for the table to accompany the next round of meze. This dry Riesling is something of an experiment by the winemaker. What is typically known as sweet white wine, the fruity definitions are not lost while the dry counterpart creates an approachable and full bodied texture. A visually stunning presentation of the quintessential Mediterranean delight - a perfectly prepared ball of Spinach Falafel ($12) comes with beet tztaki spread over a rectangular pita slice and topped with a spoonful of creamy yogurt. The crinkle cress and the single pickle add to the attractiveness of the plate while offering complimentary bites of flavor. This dish was a major highlight of the evenings repertoire. Next, we shared a tasty flatbread with grilled peaches and haloumi cheese cubes. The sweet tender peaches and the springy haloumi (a sheeps milk cheese from Cyprus) were an intriguing pair that offered contrasting textures a top a paper thin, just barely crisped crust. The Fried Mussels ($12) were exceptional. Perfectly plump and crispy morsels are flanked by hot green peppers and drizzled in a cool Turkish Tarator which is a light yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill sauce traditionally accompanying fried seafoods. The Deconstructed Potato Salad special could also be taken for a loose interpretation of a Nicoise salad with its seared tuna and delicate soft boiled eggs. Along with potatoes, tomatoes and peppers, I thoroughly enjoyed this mash up of simple well prepared ingredients. I didn't care for the Spicy Artichoke and Grilled Shrimp Crostini. This special sounded good in theory but flavors and textures didn't mesh well or warrant return bites. A sight to behold were the Ricotta Loukoumades ($12) with thin slices of roasted beets and prosciutto. These fritters tasted just as beautiful as they looked plated over a striking beet puree. A sweet sparkling Elio Perrone Bigaro Rosato kicked off the dessert courses. Stuffed as we were, sampling the dessert menu was just as imperative as the meze; especially with executive pastry chef Maura Kilpatrick at the helm. In order of my least to most favorite, (deciding to save the best for last) the Sicilian Almond Cremolata & Warm Chocolate Panino ($12) didn't particularly excite me. Perhaps that is because it had some seriously stiff competition. If you were in the mood for an icey treat - cemolata with texture similar to that of a sherbet would most likely appease, the warm chocolate panino dusted in powdered sugar added a touch of whimsy. The pastry chef is known for her way with frozen concoctions and the appearance of such is prevalent in each dessert we ordered. The Chocolate Hazelnut Délice ($12) paired a hazelnut cocoa nib tartlet with hazelnut praline ice cream for a rich nutty treat. I was enamored with the Native Strawberry Floating Island ($13) with moscato strawberry crisp and lime leaf ice cream. The meringue based substance embodied a texture so light any airy it dissolved almost instantly on your tongue. It was brilliantly suspended in a strawberry liquid with some fresh strawberry granita on top. If you can only choose but one dessert the Baked Alaska ($14) has got to be it. It manages many feats of versatility by being both creamy and crunchy, tart and sweet and hot and cold. Coconut ice cream is scooped over a bed of chewy macaroon cake, covered generously with meringue and then baked at a high temperature just long enough for the meringue to firm. It effectively insulates the ice cream which is not only a magical feat in process but in taste and texture as well. The silky passion fruit caramel sauce takes it over the top with its bold tropical flavors. I'd strongly encourage you save room. While this is truly the dessert that dreams are made of, the same can be said for the experience in its entirety. The enchanting patio space for starters is matched by absolutely flawless service. Our waiter was both charming and knowledgeable while the manager played an active roll in engaging with patrons as well. Behind them a highly skilled kitchen with a knack for creativity producing dishes as inventive and exotically flavored as they come, Oleana ranks up there as one of my favorite dining experiences in the city.

Oleana 

134 Hampshire Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

The Abbey | Brookline

My girlfriends and I arrived to Washington Square on a warm Friday evening, stepping into a dim lit space roaring with conversation; we had decided to check out The Abbey. The space was formerly occupied by Dalia's Bistro and Wine Bar; where intimate velvet booths, rich chocolate wood table tops, gray walls and carpeted floors are completely redone with exposed brick walls and gleaming hardwood floors. Its opening no secret, The Abbey was already packed with patrons.
We put our names in with the maitre'd, snagged the next available seats to open up at the polished wood bar and ordered ourselves some wine. It did not take long for us to be seated. The menu was perused in anticipation as the wine, cocktails and conversations continued to flow. I ordered a Galliano Sour ($10) Galliano, brandy, bitters, lemon juice, simple syrup and one egg white.

Unexpectedly more sweet compared to sour or bitter, I just now learned Galliano is a sweet herbal Italian liqueur.

We were served bread with a zesty garlic hummus and started with a few small appetizer plates. The Fried Halloumi Cheese ($4) is an unusual and tasty appetizer served with a tangy yogurt dipping sauce. Halloumi is made with sheeps and goats milk and can be pan-fried without melting. This creates an incredibly unique texture where the light crispy batter breaks exposing warm, dry and salty cheese crumbles. We enjoyed vegetable side dishes including the Spicy Julienned Snow Peas ($4.50) which were sautéed and flavored with a bold kick and Hoisin BBQ Broccoli ($4.50) was also excellent. Our entrees were served when we realized the waitress forgot about our Lamb Lollipops - which was disappointing only for a minute. I was certainly excited to try the dish, but it seemed a blessing in disguise as the ladies and I knew we ordered plenty of food otherwise. We shared a beautiful plate of crispy and well seasoned with parsley and parmesan Truffle Fries ($4.50), dipped in a side of roasted garlic mayo, which we absolutely loved!And for the finale of foods - my entrée of Bison Bolognese ($17) served with fresh linguine and romano cheese was the just right portion size of a really excellent dish. With a thoughtful and fun presentation, I was thoroughly satisfied by the toothsome linguine in a richly flavorful sauce and the plentiful chunks of ground bison.

The Abbey does not take reservations but are open for lunch, dinner and late night so there is ample opportunity to check out the new digs. I used to live on Beacon Street @ Englewood not too far up the road, so I'm impressed to see positive change and reasonably priced food in a neighborhood near and dear to my heart!

The Abbey | Washington Square

1657 Beacon Street

Brookline, MA