Frenchie Wine Bistro

Bienvenue, Frenchie! To quote Boston Magazines top 25 new restaurants issue: every neighborhood in Paris has a Frenchie: an overachiever all day café that will serve you beyond-solid renditions of a dozen or so classics. 

True to it's name, this subterranean South End Bistro transcends you to the chic streets of Paris, France. The atmosphere isn't trying to hard. The neighborhood crowd is young and hip. All white pressed tin ceilings meet white exposed brick walls with a single white fluorescent sign that reads In Vino Veritas. In wine there is truth.

While in the midst of wedding planning (the to do list that never ends) an impromptu date night book-ended by cocktails at The Beehive and beers at Anchovies was the prefect respite. Because it was -14 degrees outside we ordered everything of the hot side of the menu, which meant lots of rich dishes and subsequently lots of bread as a vessel for delicious bites of garlicky escargots, slippery foie gras and creamy goat cheese. 

Escargot Toast ($11) on grilled country bread, lavished with herbed garlic butter.
Foie Gras ($18) accompanied by candied quince and crunchy hazelnuts over brioche.
Goat Cheese a la plancha ($9) - grilled boucheron cheese is a wonderful thing, especially when paired with raw honey and a concord grape compote.
Beef Bourguignon ($19) with brussels sprouts + pearl onions takes comfort to another level. And yes, we needed another bread basket to swipe every drop of that earthy red wine mushroom sauce. 
Chocolate Croissant Pudding ($10) - flaky croissant layers are sandwiched between dense moka (espresso) flavored chocolate with a scoop of housemade vanilla ice cream. 

Frenchie spoils us in the wine department with 32 carefully selected by the glass (32!) I loved the Daniele Croquet Sancerre Rouge (Loire Valley, France) a delicate red that paired expertly with the food. Also - not sure I've ever had RED SANCERRE so that is noteworthy!

Their menu design is fun and playful, I was charmed by the little black and white illustrations and the fact that they don't take themselves to seriously. Lines like "what the fork is for dinner" and "voulez-vous cafe avec moi?" keep things light. The food, however, is taken very seriously and it is utterly fantastic! 

P.S. I got a macro lens for Christmas and this was my first time using it. Please excuse the blurry portions of the images. 

Frenchie Boston

560 Tremont St

Boston, MA 02118

Bromont | Eastern Townships, Québec

The next destination on our Québec road trip was the small city of Bromont in the Cantons de L'Est (Eastern Townships) region. We drove three hours south from Mont-Sainte-Anne to our accommodations at Hotel Château Bromont located at the base of the mountain. When arriving to town we stopped at the Musée du Chocolat café where we sipped exceptional cups of thick and frothy dark hot chocolates alongside fluffy crepes loaded with ham, asparagus and Gruyere cheese. The café hit the spot and is one not to miss if you are in town. Our late lunch fueled us up for what else but another evening of skiing!

I'm getting used to this road trip during the day - check into a new hotel - immediately hit the slopes at night - routine. The savvy folks who put together our itinerary were clearly onto something. With 100 lit trails, Bromont actually offers the most night skiing in North America. It was fun to explore lots of new terrain!

After many solid runs and a 1 beer après at the mountain we retreated to the classy Château Bromont for an elegant meal at their restaurant Quatre Canards. We tasted wines of the region alongside excellent local cuisine - an appetizer of creamy Trout Mousse ($11) with a homemade crouton, and for main courses: Lac Brome Duck Confit Breast ($33) in Frontenac sauce and an Old Fashioned Braised Beef ($31) in Quebec whiskey sauce with pink pepper mashed squash. 

The view from Quatre Canards as well as our third floor room lent a pretty picture over the valley and the edge of the ski trails. Our room offered a well appointed, spacious one story loft. We spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch watching hilarious Canadian sitcoms and drinking more of that lovely local Québec wine - a bottle of 2013 Orpailleur Rouge which was provided in room (for purchase - a reasonable $26). I'm feeling really comfortable and settled here in Québec - and it is such a wonderful place to be.

Quatre Canards also offered a well rounded breakfast buffet - made to order crepes with local maple syrup and fresh fruit were my go-to. 

Next up on our Eastern Townships adventure - our day skiing at Mont Sutton and evening at Balnea Spa.

Bromont Montagne d'Experiences

150, Rue Champlain

Bromont, Québec, J2L 1A2

*our accommodations, ski tickets, and meals were covered by Tourisme Quebec. All opinions are my own*

Bar Fogo

The traditional and upscale Brazillian Churrascaria - Fogo de Chão - is located in The Westin Copley Place with an intimate bar area now offering a small menu of shareable plates. Sweeping wraparound windows that overlook Copley Square and a robust drink menu with Caipirinhas that take me back to Brazil, Bar Fogo was a welcome respite from the ice cold city streets. 

The Warm Hearts of Palm and Spinach Dip we started with was excellent, however, I was disappointed with the hard slices of crostini that came with the dip. These crostini also accompanied the Charcuterie Board, which made sense with assorted cheeses, prosciutto, salami and figs. The dip would be much better served with soft pitas or with some bread that was not overly crisp. Picanha Sirloin Sliders showcase thinly sliced house specialty picanha steak topped with chimichurri aioli, served on the famous Fogo de Chão pão de queijo bread. This bread, on the other hand, was soft and chewy, sandwiching delicate prime cuts of sirloin. Friends and I also noshed on Crispy Parmesan Polenta Fries with malagueta aioli and Grilled Beef Tenderloin Skewers with chimichurri salsa. 

Everyone enjoyed themselves, the appetizers, the cocktails and the wine. Bar Fogo offers a more casual change of pace from the high-energy restaurant; it is a good spot to keep in mind next time you're in the Copley area or are craving a warm weather inspired caipirinha! Many Thanks to Fogo de Chão for hosting all of us.

Fogo de Chão

200 Dartmouth St

Boston, MA 02216

East by Northeast

East by Northeast’s chef/owner Phillip Tang honed the craft of noodle making in his parents’ Chinese restaurant. From Ramen to Ragu - the noodles are sensational; long, silky and chewy. His menu also focuses on small plates like house-made buns, to be paired with these heartier noodle dishes. The result is a homey meal of elevated Chinese comfort foods. The space mimics a similar at-home-vibe, it is tiny (about ten tables and a four seat bar) and cozy with light cornflower blue walls and clean white accents.

Amuse Bouche 

YELLOWTAIL | torched rice, avocado, powdered nori

Chalkboard specials

CAULIFLOWER CROQUETTES ($9) | smoked tahini puree, preserved lemon, cilantro relish

BEEF TONGUE PASTRAMI SANDWICH ($4) | hot mustard, brussels sprout & rutabaga slaw, mantou bread

Regular menu

EDAMAME SALAD ($5) | apple, kale, pomegranate, creamy sesame miso dressing  

PORK BELLY ($4) | roasted belly, apple, pickled red onion, apple butter hoisin sauce 

RAMEN ($15) | smoked pork confit, miso pork broth, soft poached egg, xo sauce, toasted nori    

RED CURRY LOBSTER ($22) | butter poached lobster, egg noodles, coconut red curry sauce, chanterelles, spaghetti squash   

FALL VEGETABLE RAGU ($15) | sautéed black trumpet mushrooms, thick cut noodles, soft poached egg, pickled golden beets, fried shallots    

HOUSE MADE TRUFFLES | vanilla jasmine, sesame, chili

This is one of those restaurants that makes you exclaim why did I not eat here sooner?!? Needless to say, I could really go for some of those pork buns right about now. This dinner was a standout. For your next date night, or to satisfy a ramen craving, East by Northeast is the spot.

East by Northeast

1128 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

*this meal was complimentary - all opinions are my own*