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Friday, July 30, 2010

Hot Lobster Roll | Neptune Oyster

I finally made it to Neptune Oyster! It has been on my list all summer long. Scratch that, it has been on my list all two years and four months long (the amount of time I have lived in the North End!) In that time I've developed an infinite love for Salem Street and its restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Even the True Value on Salem is a huge asset to the neighborhood! How have I been literally everywhere else on this street except the beloved Neptune Oyster? Named for the Roman God of the Sea and one of the most delectable creatures to come from it, but today we weren't here for the namesake.
It wasn't a solo mission this afternoon as co-workers (not mine, each others) Gretchen and Lizzy of Clean Green Cuisine and Food to Run for, respectively, joined me on their lunch break.
A table for three in the back corner opened right as the girls arrived at 1:15. Good thing I was right around the corner, because without your entire party you will be denied a table. Reservations are not accepted here, but the woman on the phone whom I spoke with a few hours earlier was kind and helpful when she explained a party of three coming in at 1:00 would be a 0-20 minute wait. We lucked out with zero! If you do encounter a wait it is without a doubt worth your while to stick it out.
Ice cold Peroni on draft were necessary to compliment our first hot buttered lobster roll experience.
Yes, I said hot. Maine Lobster Roll ($25). As Gretchen would say, it's an investment.
The plate before me boasts a toasted brioche roll overflowing with sweet succulent portions of Maine lobster drenched in warm butter. You do have the choice to order this delicacy cold with mayo, but how often are you presented with an option for the former? Those deep golden brown french fries are delightfully crispy in texture and well seasoned with salt and pepper. 
With each refreshing sip of Peroni, each bite of warm buttery lobster meat, and each hot french fry dunked in cool ketchup: the ultimate summer lunch combination has been achieved. 
The service at Neptune was friendly and prompt. The place itself oozes class and character. Seating is shared in a long red leather booth with granite tables adjacent a bar that runs the length of the small space. I'd love to come back and dine at the raw bar but for now 63 Salem Street is officially checked off the summer lunch bucket list!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Antico Forno + Bova's | North End Pizza

July, glorious July. We've had some beautiful weather over the past few weeks, so I've made it a point to spend time outside. Outside doing none other than my favorite activity: eating. There are an abundance of quality spots in the North End to grab a bite to-go and plenty of outdoor green space and picnic areas to benefit from.

{Antico Forno at the Rose Kennedy Greenway Park}
A few weeks ago I had a craving for a simple, no frills, pizza margherita after a late Monday in the office. Straight from the T I headed to 93 Salem Street:I felt rejuvenated after sipping on a Peroni at the polished marble bar while I waited for my brick oven Margherita Pizza ($12).
Antico Forno's pizza always seems to hit the spot, whether I'm dining in their rustic trattoria (Antico Forno is Italian for "old-stove") or enjoying a pie to-go in the late afternoon sunshine at the park.

{Bova's enjoyed at North Square}
Bova's Bakery - a North End tradition since 1926 is located at 134 Salem Street, on the corner of Prince. Last Sunday I was craving an easy lunch so I walked down and picked up a slice of their famous Sicilian pizza and a little treat for dessert.I brought my purchases to the picnic tables at North Square.
Unfortunately it was not the cleanest area in that moment. I am not sure who is responsible for the mess, or who is responsible for cleaning it up. There are even trash cans nearby so this is pretty awful! The sun was shining and my slice of pizza, thick and doughy with sweet tomato sauce and bubbly brown melted cheese tasted awesome.
From brick oven thin crust, to Sicilian thick crust by the slice, I believe I've got the best of the best at my disposal when it comes to pizza. Though in this post I've merely touched upon the variety served up here in Boston's Little Italy.
My éclair was pretty amazing too. Eclairs are not typically my dessert of choice but today the pastry called to me from behind the glass counter of treats. Rich chocolate icing coated over a puff pastry stuffed with thick creamy vanilla custard. Drool.

{Boston Common Coffee Co. on the Rose Kennedy Greenway Patio}
I drank a 16 oz Iced Coffee ($2.25) with a flavor shot of Coconut and The Avocado Melt ($5.75) which was delicious with roasted chicken, dill havarti, tomato, chipolte mayo and avocado on pepper jack bread.
On the side I have a White Bean Salad.
As you can see, I opted to make good use of the patio furniture that lines the Greenway sidewalk.Speaking of beautiful days in the neighborhood, this weekend marks the first North End Feast. The Feasts are basically huge festivals that take place in the streets honoring the various Italian Societies and the Saints which they represent.
They've become like tradition now as I'm going on my third season of enduring the madness associated. The local Italians live for these weekends, hoards of tourists flock, processions are underway complete with loud marching bands and ginormous patron saint statues, and lots good food is served. I've almost gotten down which Saint comes when.July 23rd - 25th honors The Feast of St. Joseph. Tonight we'll head over and pay our respects. And by that I mean we'll eat lots of Italian street food, play some Carney games, and maybe even dance in the streets.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

OSushi | Lunch

The other day I received an email with the following information. I usually ignore these monthly statements, however, check the date in bold below. US Airways Dividend Miles E-Statement:
Member since: 2008
Last activity date: 03/27/2009
Beginning balance:10,973
Miles deposited:0
Ending balance: 10,973
To keep your account active, earn miles before 09/29/2010.

I must keep my account active! Luckily I am a member of US Airways Dividend Miles Dining Program. There are a lot of restaurants in the area that I can dine at to redeem miles. They even have a special going on this month: "Change of Scenery Bonus: Spend $30 at a restaurant, bar, or club where you've never earned miles before and become 500 miles richer."


I had previously purchased a $30 Groupon t0 OSushi which just so happens to be on the Dividend Miles Dining list. This means I need to spend $60 on lunch - $30 to cover the Groupon and the other $30 on my credit card so I can become 500 miles richer, ensuring I don't loose the hard earned 10k miles in the bank.
OSushi is located at 10 Huntington Avenue inside the Westin Copley Plaza Hotel.
I was greeted right away by the woman who would end up being my waitress. She sat me in the corner next to the sake case and presented me with both a drink and lunch menu.
History: I have been to OSushi before. Twice in fact, both times for dinner. The first time was when My Mom, sister, Aunt Cheryl and cousin Cayla were visiting me in the summer of 2005. I did not fully move to Boston until 2006, however that summer I lived 4 days out of the week in Allston completing an internship at what is presently the company I work for. The other 3 days of the week were spent on Cape Cod. That was an awesome summer! I digress. The second time here was a date night way back when Adam and I first got together. As a result of these two outings I am a big fan of their sushi.

They have an extensive wine list by the bottle and a fun martini menu too. In the end I chose to start my afternoon with a carafe of cold Nigori Sake. It drank light and smooth with subtle hints of juicy pear and apple.
Originally I was not going to tuck into in a bowl of Miso Soup ($3) but it was quite chilly in the restaurant. Piping hot, full of salty soybean flavor and plenty of scallions, thick strips of seaweed and tofu chunks, Osushi does a great job on this staple starter. They even add baby mushrooms to the mix earning them extra credit.
Lunch.is.served. 
The Tako Nigiri ($4) is a smooth slice of fresh, clean tasting octopus fastened by a belt of nori atop a block of compact sushi rice. 
I could not pass up a longstanding favorite Unagi ($6). It is delicate, soft, umami laden and melt in your mouth. I savored the nigiri sushi in between bites of my almost-too-pretty-to-eat lunch rolls.
The Hamachi Hako ($12) is yellowtail, garlic, scallions + shiso, topped with daikon and jalapeno served on top of pressed rice. Pearly pink and super smooth yellowtail tops a block of sticky rice where the strong flavors of garlic and jalapeno give off just the right touch of heat.
For my final roll: TNT Maki ($8.50) with baked spicy salmon, avocado and cucumber is served atop a homemade hot sesame oil with a firecracker of lettuce and a sprinkle of black sesame. This awesome roll kicked things up a notch.
This meal continued the winning streak. OSushi is my favorite among Japanese cuisine in Boston for sure! What is yours?