Pho Pasteur

Happy New Year, dear readers! Today I am seeking your advice! Where is your favorite place in Chinatown for Pho? 

Xihn Xihn was my all time favorite so I was pretty devastated when they closed in 2015. In an effort to branch out, I discovered Pho Pasteur is also very good. Once the weather starts to get really cold I find myself craving this comforting Vietnamese noodle soup often. And when that craving strikes, I typically head over to Chinatown for a quick lunch and order the Pho Ga ($7.95) which is chicken noodle and occasionally the Pho Tai ($7.95) which is rare steak. Accompaniments include scallion, onions and cilantro, with bean sprouts, thai basil, limes and hot chili paste on the side. 

This particular visit to Pho Pasture was a late night one - as evidenced by all the food! You can't go wrong with fried egg rolls ($4.50) and pork lo-mein ($9.95) to accompany your Pho!

Pho Pasteur

682 Washington Street

Boston, MA 02111

A Spoonful of Ginger

A Spoonful of Ginger is an annual event put on by the Joslin Diabetes Center to benefit the Asian American Diabetes Initiative. They raise money and awareness each year through this well orchestrated culinary and cultural experience. It was held in the gorgeous, ultra sleek and modern Art of the Americas Wing Courtyard at the Museum of Fine Arts. I attended as media, capturing the delicious bites of food and taking in the scene, while learning how diabetes significantly affects the quality of life and health outcomes for a rising number of Asian Americans. It was inspiring to see local restaurants and chefs such as Ming Tsai, Jasper White and Joanne Chang come to together to support Joslin and AADI in their commitment to finding a cure. 

The participating restaurants put on an impressive spread. In order of appearance: Seafood Pearl Balls from Summer Shack | Wonton Soup from Xinh Xinh | Tuna Tartare (with chive, shallots, kiwi, truffle oil and yuzu tobiki, served on a lotus root chip) from Lotus Blossom | Pork Buns from Bao | Cockles with Ginger Broth and Chinese Sausage from The MFA's New American Cafe | Salmon Tartare from Basho | Carrot and Ginger Soup from Myers + Chang | Sushi Boat from Basho | Spicy Tuna Volcano Maki from Empire.  

Dim Sum Brunch @ Moksa

A contemporary Izakaya brought to you by Chef Patricia Yeo, Moksa serves Japanese small plates for lunch, dinner, late night and weekend dim sum brunch, with a strong focus on the cocktail program run by bar manager Noon Inthasuan. Located in Central Square with a small unassuming exterior; a black awning shaded by leafy trees meets a shiny industrial doorway. The interior beholds a unique sprawling concrete floored space.

The bar and cocktail lounge (where we were seated) is illuminated by red and green LED lights while an eye catching white origami fixture parades overhead. Zebra-wood table tops adorned with Asian tea tins holding chopsticks add character. The dining room in stark contrast is darker and more intimate, almost cavernous with rich black ceilings and slanted walls to match the tables. 

Sunday afternoon marked my first visit to Moksa for their dim sum brunch as part of a Boston Brunchers outing with popular Seattle based blogger turned author Michael Natkin. At this event we received signed copies of his incredible vegetarian cookbook, Herbivoracious

(published by local agency Harvard Common Press) and had a chance to chat with Michael about everything from signing a book deal (out of the blue, the folks at HCP contacted him!), to his whirlwind US tour (he's been to San Fran, LA, Austin and after Boston was onto Providence + NYC), to family life (he has two young children who are also vegetarian and love to cook). As the conversation flowed among our intimate group so did the shareable pan-Asian plates, where everything from dumplings and noodles to pancakes and pho elicited praise. Dim Sum was not without boozy breakfast drinks made table-side and a number of Chef Yeo's daily dessert creations.  

It all started with a Sake Mary, a robust house made mixture perfectly spiced with peppercorns and laced with a generous amount of ginger and horseradish. Then a parade of dishes, notably inspired by Asian street foods begins. It is all about the textures in the Duck Confit Shao Bing ($7) where shredded and lightly crispy confit teamed with a soft griddle marked English muffin.
The Miso Eggplant Bao ($8) had a notch up on the Char Siew Bao ($8) - the clam shaped buns were irresistibly fluffy and slightly sweet, but the eggplant soft and steeped in miso flavor was unbelievably good. The Char Siew which is Cantonese style BBQ Pork marinated in a honey hoisin sauce was a little chewy and on the dry side.


The Tea Smoked Duck ($6) was elegantly prepared and sliced to a pristine thinness, the smokey flavors matched with a well dressed cucumber and carrot slaw. There was tender Vegetable Dumplings ($5), fantastic Edamame Potstickers ($8) and both the Five Spiced Chicken Spring Rolls ($6) and Vegetable Spring Roll ($6) with accompanying dipping sauces were comforting, crispy bites.

Perhaps the most intriguing item for their unusually chewy and overall astonishing texture were the Silver Pin Noodles ($14). Surprised to learn these are vegan, the bowl comes brimming with tofu, mushrooms and snap peas. We happily slurped a bowl of Vietnamese Beef & Rice Noodle Egg Pho ($14) though I wish it brought more heat. We dug into the Kim Chee and Shrimp Pancake ($8) which actually did thanks to the addition of sriracha sauce!

I'm noticing a trend where more and more chefs lately opt out of printing a dessert menu and leave this course to spontaneity. Chef Yeo's creativity excels in the sweet treats department, much to our surprise and delight. Homemade daily, the ice creams are a revelation, particularly the pistachio where the flavor of the nut is clean and authentic. The traditional green tea is lovely, too. A five spice ice cream sundae is the best of the bunch, I wanted that entire bowl to myself and I don't doubt everyone else felt the same.
I was content to share a just okay plate of strawberry rhubarb meets lemon jello cake (yes,  there is lemon jello infused into that cake) and an plate of hot churros.

I had a wonderful time getting to know Michael and I was thrilled to dive into his cookbook - where his personality, well written recipes, and vibrant photos fill the pages. As you well know, I am not a vegetarian but his recipes (I can't wait to share what I've made!!) still translate as flavorful, hearty and adventurous. Since I'm on a constant hunt to spice up my weeknight chicken or pork staples his book has me excited about forgoing the meat all together. Herbivoracious has truly inspired a change of pace in my kitchen. 

I find Moksa to be a welcome addition to Central Square's dining scene. Yeo's concept is well executed start to finish, it brings flavorful food and an overall fun experience! 

Moksa

450 Mass Ave

Cambridge, MA 02139

Bon Me Food Truck

The food truck movement has been gaining momentum in Boston, much to the delight of residents and tourists seeking an alternative to the fuss of restaurant dining. They are quick, inexpensive, and have long been a culture embraced in New York City, Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon. I think it is pretty cool that Boston proudly joins the ranks, forgoing a previous reputation of hostility towards the locally focused meals on wheels.
Call it a trend, call it innovation, call it evolution; food trucks delight the masses and take pride in serving cuisine that satisfies the most discerning of critics.Too often I crave the experience of a sit-down restaurant, but this Friday I simply wasn't in the mood to linger. I had lots of errands to run, I was feeling productive, I was in pretty much the opposite of relaxation mode and that feeling needed to be embraced. Enter the Government Center Food Trucks, specifically the Bon Me Truck serving Vietnamese cuisine. Their name is a play on the specialty Banh Mi sandwich which is exactly what I decided to order. A Bon Me Banh Mi ($6) fuses Vietnamese staples including your choice of grilled meat with pickled carrots, pickled daikon, cucumbers, red onion and cilantro with French influences of mayo and pate, both house made, and puts it all on a classic French baguette. I chose the BBQ pork for my filling. The carved roast pork is sweet and perfectly grilled complimented by the pickled vegetable and herb components. An almost foot long baguette was much crispier (and larger) than I expected! The freshness of the bread is evidenced by a soft inside that strikes a harmonious balance with the brittle crunch of the exterior. This Vietnamese (infused with French) sandwich proves to be an awesome six dollar lunch option. I washed the Bahn Mi down with what looks like your typical unassuming cup of lemonade. Lemonade indeed it is, but a Spicy Ginger Lemonade ($2.50) to be precise. If you enjoy the kick of fresh ginger (think: one that is provided by well made Dark & Stormy cocktail) then this lemonade is for you. Bon Me does not hold back on the ginger component. Bon Me is located at City Hall Plaza (Government Center) serving food Monday through Friday from 11:30 am - 3 pm, April through October, along with Clover and Momogoose. These three food trucks whose missions all support a healthy lifestyle were given the opportunity grace Government Center with their presence after winning a competition initiated by Mayor Thomas Menino. I think we can all appreciate the fact that our mayor is an advocate for food trucks in Boston; he believes in offering small businesses the opportunity to prosper while simultaneously enriching public spaces. 

How boring was this random brick patch of pavement bordering the steps at Government Center? Now it is a bright, bustling sectioned off place to eat lunch overlooking Cambridge Street and Quincy Market. Brilliant. I am impressed on all Food Truck fronts - with our cities decision to support the growing culture, the dedication of the purveyors following dreams and sticking to a mission; and overall with the quality and value of the food I've tasted so far. What a huge win for Boston.