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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Bricco Ristorante & Enoteca

Last night I got together with Tricia and Corinne, my best gals and college roommates for a little North End Restaurant Week action and some much needed catching up. I chose Bricco because both these ladies had never been and the menu had a plethora of good looking options from which to choose.
Bricco gets a compilation of mixed reviews; word of mouth I've heard everything from absolute adoration to just acceptable to "it's overrated" / "I've had better down the street" and a whole lot of "it's too expensive-s". After having dined here for the first time in December I was content to express my enjoyment but wasn't proclaiming it a North End favorite. I definitely agree with the too high price points in some instances where dishes don't live up. 

However, I've always been content visiting the bar and I certainly liked it here enough to give the menu another try. There isn't much to complain about by way of prices when you are paying a prix fix of $33.11 for three courses. (Yes, I'd encourage a restaurant week visit!)
Their cocktail menu is so well done and while I realize this looks like a standard glass of white wine it is actually a Left Bank ($12) where Hendrick's gin and St. Germain meet dry white wine. Delightful and inventive, the sweet elderflower liqueur was balanced out by the dry white wine and potent gin. Tricia enjoyed a strong and sweet cocktail of a different nature, the Limoncello Martini ($15) with Pallini limoncello, Ketel One Citroen and Mionetto Prosecco.

For the Antipasti course Bricco offers six dishes yet we somehow all ordered the same thing; the Eggplant Bake layered with bufala mozzarella, tomato coulis and eggplant. After a few bites I was confident we had ordered the best appetizer on that menu. Obviously, I had not tasted all the others, I just had a feeling this was one of the good ones. This was a refined eggplant lasagna if you will, with layers of paper thin al dente pasta that had been baked tender. The spongy texture of the eggplant with its mild flavors benefited from a vibrant burnt orange pool of a flavorful tomato sauce. The golden brown surface layer, bubbly and crisp was topped with olive oil soaked basil leaves. The secondi course followed with Agnolotti al Plin. Beautiful pillows of pasta with curvy ribboned edges are stuffed with braised veal and beef that mingles with fresh ricotta cheese. This perfect portion sits in a rich velvety truffle cream sauce topped with spinach. It was certainly a pasta filled meal for me, which is just what I was craving. Bricco does pasta dishes well. Corinne enjoyed the Veal Saltimbocca - a thinly pounded cutlet, breaded and bathing in savory juices, highlighted with crispy salty prosciutto and pungent earthy sage. That potato cake was a playful element with a crisp exterior and flaky, buttery layers. A side of spinach also accompanied.
For the Dolci course there were only three choices. My thick piece of Bread Pudding was actually quite good, spiced with vanilla and drizzled in a gooey caramel sauce. But I noticed the bread pudding on the regular menu is served with banana gelato, and gelato would have perfectly complimented this dessert. The Molten Dark Chocolate Torte was a tasty bite of rich chocolate sauce contained in a warm cakey-torte, but that's all it was, a bite. We actually had a good laugh about it as it was placed in front of Corinne. (I almost feel bad saying that, the poor little dessert, but....yes, we laughed at it!) 

Despite some uninspiring dessert offerings on their Restaurant Week menu, I like Bricco! Good company never hurts to maintain the fondness associated with a meal and an evening in general; but it is also the bustling urban atmosphere of this modern enoteca with a large yet intimate dining room, a sleek wine bar pouring inventive cocktails and a gorgeous open kitchen putting out solid dishes that makes it a North End destination I have come to adore and frequent.

241 Hanover St
Boston, MA 02113

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

In A New York Minute

I adore New York City more each time I visit! We spent a lot of time wandering the streets of Chelsea before and after Sleep No MoreI definitely took some random photos on our walks. HEALTH IS WEALTH!I had some fantastic eats in NYC and I had a blast with my friends. Even thought the food and drink get all the attention in this post, the people were definitely the highlight of the weekend. On Saturday afternoon we wandered into an eclectically decorated low key pub called Bunga's Den on 137 West 14th Street in ChelseaDrink of choice: Sofia Coppola Mini Blanc de Blanc. Champagne in a can. With a straw. Brilliant.
Before the show we met up with more friends and commenced the evening with dinner and drinks at The Half King. Drink of Choice: Framboise Lambic - effervescent Raspberry Beer in a champagne glassThe Half King prides itself on serving pub food done right. The burgers are house made from scratch using top grade ground sirloin. Almost everyone at the table ordered a burger and was extremely pleased with it. I had the Mexican Burger ($14) - pepper jack cheese, guacamole and salsa on a back yard style bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, a sour pickles and fries.
After the show we wandered into BillyMarks West located at 332 9th Avenue. Random posters line the walls and sports trophies fill the nooks behind the bar of this Manhattan dive, while a neon juke box and a dart board provide entertainment.
Drinks of choice: Miller High Life Bottles | White Russians
The Champagne of beers and the "Baileys substituted for milk" (amazing) White Russian.
Once we tired of the crowd at BillyMarks we stumbled into O'Reilley's Pub at 54 West 34th Street. I drank another beer here. It was around 2:45 am and I was feelin' it. Feeling ready for bed! Adam and I spent the night at our friends apartment in Hoboken. We took the 3:15am train home. The Path to be precise, just a short ride across the Hudson. Trains that run until 4am?! I feel spoiled.

Good Morning Hoboken, New Jersey. This marks my first visit here! A quick visit at that, we had brunch plans back in NYC. I had a serious juice craving ever since I woke up and two minutes later we walked right by: Don't you love it when the universe answers?It was meant to be. I ordered a Sunrise ($3.95) - fresh squeezed orange, apple and carrot juices. Back across the river (shot taken from our friends 11th floor hotel room) we reconvened and set out for brunch.
Resto is a laid back neighborhood bistro specializing in approachable Belgian food with a New York influence. Located at 111 East 29th Street in Gramercy Park - it was a leisurely walk from the hotel.We were greeted by a black iron window pained façade displaying through the glass some lush greenery of succulents and jade plants. The interior with weathered wood floors and a marble bar was a charming combination of both homey and modern. The space was packed. Luckily we had a 12 pm reservation and were seated a few moments later. Resto's Bloody Mary's are not to be missed. I highly recommend ordering one off the Bloody Success menu. I went with the Flemish Mary ($12).
First, can we talk about these garnishes? A pickled anchovy wrapped around a caper-berry was a jolt of saltiness that melted on your tongue. I wasn't sure how to go about eating that large hunk of fennel so I let it sit as a decoration as I sipped on my amazingly spicy and robustly flavored drink. I wish I could say the BM was the highlight of brunch. But alas it was not. This was: And I'm now convinced all Eggs Benedict ($10) should be served over Lardon Leige Waffles. Best thing to happen to my favorite breakfast entrée! Slightly sweet, mildly crispy on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, the traditional Belgian waffle cradled two perfectly poached eggs delicately coated in hollandaise. The Benedict was complimented by lightly dressed greens and thinly sliced homefries mingling with caramelized onions.A plate of Beignets ($5) with chocolate sauce were ordered for the table. Yum! I was also enamored with the toast presentation. Well done.I understand there are so many amazing places to brunch in NYC, but next time / if ever you're in the neighborhood, I'd highly recommend Resto!
And that wraps up my eats and drinks in New York City! Back in Boston this week I enjoyed a North End Restaurant Week dinner at Bricco and a visit to the new 5 Napkin Burger. Today I hope to break out the slow cooker and tomorrow I'm finally checking out Bergamot in Somerville. There's no shortage of good food around here, the only shortage these days is finding time to blog about it all.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Sleep No More | NYC

This past weekend I embarked on a road trip with friends to New York City. A large group of us, Bostonians and New Yorkers alike had tickets to experience Punchdrunk's production of Sleep No More. A Macbeth meets Hitchcock inspired immersive theatrical play; where audience members adorn white masks and explore some 100 rooms set in a six story West 27th Street Chelsea Warehouse.
It is tough to grasp at first. I will do my best to explain. The story itself is based on classic text, but even if you know nothing whatsoever about Macbeth (raises hand) this is not going to negatively impact your experience in the slightest. This is definitely not a one-dimensional Shakespearean-lovers production. What it is, is an open-minded, adventure seekers theatrical based dream world.

"Our infectious format rejects the passive obedience usually expected of audiences." ~Punchdrunk

Actor and actress performances range from gentle ensembles through expression and gesture, to physically demanding contemporary dance and movement routines. All the while an eerie, haunting soundtrack plays as you are roaming about this abandoned warehouse, where each room has undergone a massive transformation (think: spooky hospital, bloody bedrooms, a dark graveyard, a hotel lobby, an apothecary, a sweet shop, okay, there's 100 rooms, you get the idea) installed with 1930's based and antique influenced furniture and props.
To quote an introductory welcome message "fortune favors the brave" and while I will admit it can be seemingly scary at times, it's all in the name of art and defying the norms. Photographs are not allowed and the masks are worn by the audience at all times to encourage anonymity, curiosity and freedom. Check your coats, wear comfortable shoes and pay no attention to the friends you entered with, but do pay attention to the details as you venture off on your own to discover dark mysterious spaces and character scenes as they unfold before you.
Having been to this production in its Boston debut last year (set in an abandoned 4 story school in Brookline) it was absolutely one of the most fascinating, awe inspiring, reality defying, sensory enlightening experiences, ever, and easily worth a trip to New York City alone. The second time time around the show surpassed my expectations in every sense of the word.

If you want to learn more, check out this write up in The New York Times and this one in The Wall Street Journal.

Really, everyone should go experience this. Book a ticket now (if they aren't already sold out?) and hop the next train to NYC.
{photo 2 source}
{photo 3 source}

Updated 11.12.2023: Sleep No More to Close in January. I can't believe this show has been running for a decade!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Modern Pastry + Lulu's Bake Shoppe

Some days it is all I can manage to walk home without Modern Pastry pulling me off Hanover Street with promises of classic Italian specialties or LuLu's on Salem Street beckoning me to her pastel pink sanctuary of sweets. The craving is not for just any type of desserts, but for lavish, fancy, good looking dessert.

{Modern Pastry favorites}
Delicately placed atop creamy vanilla custard, sitting in a milk chocolate shell are vibrant red raspberries, tart blackberries and perfectly round blueberries. Not a dusting of powdered sugar is out of place. The crisp chocolate shell vessel ties it all together, holding the luxuriously thick and smooth custard as it cradles sugary bites of tart and sweet berries.

Chocolate Ganache
Soaked with rum and Strega liquor are three layers of light chocolate sponges sandwiching whipped airy chocolate mousse. The cake gets topped with rich dark chocolate ganache finished with zig-zags of white chocolate ganache. A pretty unbelievable combination as the lightness of the mouse and rum cake layers hold up nicely to the thick ganache draping over them. Delicate hints of sweet rum and qualities of the Strega liquor including very faint notions of mint, fennel and saffron elevate this fancy chocolate treat.Lulu's Bake Shoppe serves plenty of sweets such as bagged candies, giant lollipops, and phenomenal signature cupcakes.My favorite (and I've tried many) is the Salted Caramel.
Moist chocolate cake is layered with glistening chocolate frosting and circular swirls of deep golden caramel. This is as decadent as a cupcake gets. Crystals of flaky sea salt sprinkled on top are in brilliant harmony with the caramel and chocolate.
Runner up is the Chocolate Peanut Butter.
PB + Chocolate always makes a stellar combination. Enough said.
What was the last really good dessert you ate?