Farmstead Table + Parish Café x Baby Camden

Dining out with baby Camden has been a success. He's pretty chill. Above we are enjoying a night out at Legal on the Mystic in Assembly Row. I didn't take any photos of that meal but him enjoying a rare bottle and the fact that I had the photo below ;)

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Farmstead Table in Newton Center is always a wonderful choice. In their clean intimate space we dined early and Camden mostly slept. 

A classic American country kitchen presents innovative plates with the freshest of the season. It looks like I ate a gorgeous crab and avocado dish topped with radish plated to resemble a tartare, plus grilled corn & cabbage tacos with avocado, cotija cheese, a spicy aioli and dusted with fresh chives.

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Parish Café escaped the blog all these years! I love it here for sure. Camden has a backup daycare in Back Bay so we will take a stroll and find somewhere to pop in for a bite. 

Their thing is gourmet sandwiches crafted by local chefs. The Bravas from Chef Cassie Piuma of Sarma Restaurant it INSANE. A grilled sesame torta bun is slathered with sweet onion butter, then layered with prosciutto, chorizo, manchego, crispy brussels sprouts, drizzled in a grand finale of hot sauce and garlic aioli. There are some notable Boston chefs on the menu - you can't go wrong as long as you get a sandwich. The tomato bisque with a deep fried grilled cheese crouton and basil is also next level. When Camden was first old enough to eat, the Baked Mac n Cheese with gruyere, romano, monterey jack and a Ritz cracker crumble got the job done!

Legal on the Mystic

301 Great River Road

Somerville, MA 02145

Farmstead Table

71 Union St

Newton Centre, MA 02459

Parish Café

361 Boylston St

Boston, MA

prenatal dining out | Newton

We had nested all we could nest. The nursery was ready. We were ready. My induction was scheduled. We worked hard wrapping up at the office. We also worked hard putting together all the baby gear. And then, we felt like dining out all the time. These were not planned "we must eat out everywhere before baby comes!!" dinners, they were actually somewhat spontaneous outings that happened to mark special prenatal events. 

Also posting the February occasions: Valentine's Day // my 35th Birthday // Bob's birthday // [how cool that our sons birthday is right in between ours? Pisces Fam!]

I'm glad we took advantage. Postpartum, I've never been so content to be at home 24/7. It has all been so lovely. We're lucky!

Little Big Diner - Newton Centre

When you have a Ramen craving LBD is the best of the best. I enjoyed the very filling Miso Ramen topped with chashu pork, bean sprouts, sweet corn, scallions, nori + an ajitama egg

Sweet Tomatoes Pizza - West Newton 

Lunch Date before my Non Stress Test @ NWH MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine).
This pizza is some of my favorite around. We had Garlic Spinach + Hawaiian.

COOK - Newtonville

Dinner date after getting the car seat inspected at the Newton City Police Dept.

Cook is an awesome neighborhood spot for an upscale casual meal. We shared Charred Broccoli with chimmichuri + Sticky Wings in a spicy soy glaze. A classic Burger with cheddar, LTO and crispy french fries hit the spot.

Rice Valley - Newtonville

The classic "lets go for spicy food" meal 

This was the night before my scheduled induction (Saturday 2/23). A little spicy never hurt the chances of going into labor naturally, right? 

We don't eat American Chinese food often. Rice Valley has a nice atmosphere to dine out in and the food is average. The Hot and Sour Soup was nice and spicy. We asked for the General Gao's Chicken (labeled as spicy) to actually come extra spicy. It did not, even though she assured it would, but it was still a tasty meal. The actual night of my induction (Sunday 2/24) we went for Spicy Buffalo Wings at Buffs Pub right before heading to NWH to get admitted. Talk about going all out. My water broke after one dose of the oral meds (which is considered lucky) so I honestly think the spicy wings helped me out!

West on Centre - West Roxbury

[I am postpartum now!]

Cam was still in the NICU and we were really not up for hanging out at home without him. This was another nice meal out that proved a welcome distraction. I had Pan Seared Sea Scallops in a citrus reduction over butternut squash puree + sautéed garlic spinach with roasted cauliflower. 

This neighborhood restaurant provided a terrific meal and swiftly paced (but not rushed) service. This was perfect for us as we did not want to linger, we were either eager to head back to NWH for Cam's bedtime feeding, or home to get that extra, much needed sleep! 

Saturday 3/2 ended up being Camden's last night in the hospital. On our way home we received a call from his nurse that he would likely be discharged the next day. He came home with us on his actual due date, Sunday, March 3rd! He is now 3 weeks old and I've never been happier! Being his Mom is the absolute best. 

sycamore | newton centre

An upscale neighborhood bistro perfect for date night. Consistently winning Best of Boston awards since they opened in 2013. Tempura soft-shell crab with green sriracha. Polenta fries. Unique homemade pasta dishes. Exquisite fish entrées like bluefish with rabe pesto, chickpeas, and sweet pepper jam. Strawberry rhubarb angel food cake with hibiscus sorbet. Beignets with salted caramel sauce. The menu is always changing and no matter what, it is always exceptional. If you ask me for a restaurant recommendation in Boston, I'll ask if you don't mind venturing slightly outside the city because sycamore is consistently at the top of my list. With an easily accessible location in Newton Centre on the Green (D) line, sycamore really is a must if you're looking for somewhere new to impress! 

sycamore.

755 Beacon St

Newton, MA 02459

Newton, Lately

Blue Ribbon BBQ | West Newton

This plate was actually from the Lexington Battle Green BBQ Festival. We were biking along the Minuteman Trail and out of nowhere live music and smokin' ribs, pulled pork, beans, coleslaw, mac n cheese, cornbread, the works!! 

Max and Leo's | Newton Corner

At Max and Leo's tiny Newton Corner establishment the 900 degree coal fired oven turns out exquisite artisan pies. See also: a Definitive Guide to Boston Pizza in the Improper Bostonian and Boston's 12 Best Pizza Joints in the Boston Globe.

 

Truly their coal fired pizza and cozy Newton Corner digs are the BEST. Start with a nice glass of red wine and a Fire-Roasted Stuffed Red Pepper with rice, chicken, vegetables + drizzled with a balsamic glaze; then go half and half with their creative pies. For tomato sauce based, half Dante / meatballs, house-made mozzarella, roasted red pepper + basil with half Jero’s Pineapple / house-made mozzarella, bacon, pineapple, + jalapeño is a winning combo. And if you're in a white olive oil base kinda mood the L’Umina with sliced pears, caramelized onions, basil, ricotta cheese, fresh-sliced Prosciutto + drizzle of organic wildflower honey with half L’Oscar / Italian sausage, caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, mascarpone + mozzarella cheese will really do the trick. Also in the white pizza category I really like The Brooksy ($17.95) with grilled chicken, caramelized onions, wild mushroom, mascarpone and mozzarella cheese. The Marley ($16.75) is a classic red pizza finished with arugula, shaved parmesan and a balsamic drizzle. I guess I have basically had every pizza on the menu at this point so - trust!

Max & Leo's 

325 Washington St.
Newton, MA 02458 

Cook | Newtonville (update - they moved to Needham!)

Cook is a great restaurant to have in the neighborhood where a cheerful modern space serves creative American comforts. The Banana French Toast ($12) is made with Portuguese sweet bread. I paired a Bellini ($9) with the Smokey Pepper Grilled Cheese ($12) made with manchego, house boursin, crispy shallots and a smoky pepper jam with a side of leafy greens and sweet pickles. Yum!

Shake Shack | Chestnut Hill

Love indulging in a Shake Shack Burger and their golden crinkle cut fries. SO GOOD.  P.S. Their 100th Location just opened in the Seaport!!

Where have you been eating in your city or neighborhood lately?!

Little Big Diner | Newton Centre

I've love Ramen! And I'm not ashamed to admit I will eat a bowl of Maruchan at home when the mood strikes. It's a comfort thing. I've had ramen at a handful of places in Boston - that's certainly not an exhaustive list and I had yet to proclaim a favorite among them. Little Big Diners Miso Ramen ($15) changes that. A traditional patian broth with miso paste achieves a savory depth that's further enhanced by a wealth of umami flavors - ground pork, a gorgeous ajitama egg, and an alluring swirl of black garlic oil. The bitter crunch of bean sprouts, plus sweet corn kernels, heaps of scallions, a strip of nori, and delicate, chewy noodles impart balance and texture. A dose of chili heat is optional, and advisable. This ramen is the one!! Its my favorite! The Forest Mushroom Ramen ($14) loaded with heiwa tofu and shitake mushrooms is also wonderful and well suited for vegetarians. It offers a uniquely subtle yet dense and earthy broth, capped with a confetti of crinkly watercress, scallions and sesame seeds. 

Dishes from the "little" section of the menu like the Grilled Shrimp "Salad" Buns ($9) with pressed cucumber, lime, and mayo, cradled in soft, pillowy Chinese steamed bao are a revelation. Three rotating draft cocktails include a fizzy Singapore Sling ($10), plus a rum, campari, green chartreuse and almond syrup concoction called Flip The Bird ($12) and my choice - the Umami So Fat ($9) with bacon washed bourbon, maple and umami bitters. Beer, sake and wine lists have 6-8 solid offerings like the Great Divide "Colette" Farmhouse Ale ($6) on draft, and the Bushido ($7) junmai genshu sake - also on draft!

They don't take reservations - on a recent Friday around 7 pm we only encountered a 15 minute wait. LBD is a fun, casual, energetic spot to get your noodle on and definitely worth a trip to Newton Centre!

Where is your favorite place for Ramen?

 Little Big Diner

1247 Centre St.

Newton, MA 02459

b street.

On Tuesday I met one of my college girlfriends for dinner at b Street in Newton Center. The appeal of being located directly on the T (green line) is a win for me. This neighborhood is quaint and feels like an easy going mix where the city meets the suburbs. B street fits right in with the local vibe - cozy and welcoming with a trendy atmosphere. Corinne and I enjoyed some wine, cocktails, appetizers + dessert. We were seated at a high top in the bar so we felt content to linger, (catching up for over three hours!!) our waitress  kindly reassuring us that it was no problem when an hour passed and we still had yet to order food. When we finally did I was delighted by what Chef Scott Keith as well as pastry Chef MacKenzie Courington dished up. The bartender muddled one seriously good old fashioned, the Newton Old Fashioned ($12) to be precise with Woodford Reserve, bitters, cherry, orange and raw sugar. Later, I drank a most excellent Black Cherry Manhattan ($14) where Makers Mark is stirred with house made black cherry sweet vermouth and served up. The Steamed Mussels ($12) were plump and came bathing in a heavenly mixture of Belgian Lager with champagne mustard, clarified butter, chunks of roasted garlic and thick slices of grilled sourdough toast. Served on a chic bamboo board the Grilled Flatbread ($12) started with a sticky sweet fig jam base loaded with tender duck confit, tangy gorgonzola cheese and a strip of peppery arugula on top. It was fantastic!I was definitely pleased with the portion size of the appetizers, I felt that they offered a lot of food for the price. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable when it came to menu items, from her descriptions of the white wines Corinne debated over to enticing us with desserts, we appreciated her input. Without it we might not have experienced the magical trio of decadent chocolate, luscious caramel and a host of crunchy peanuts which formed the Salted Peanut Turtle Tart ($8). B Street does not take reservations, when I arrived at 6:15 there were a good amount of clientele settled in, but still a few open tables and bar stools to be claimed. I like that it was busy but not overwhelmingly crowded. If I lived in the neighborhood I could definitely see myself becoming a regular!