Brighton Bodega

Here today with a compilation of dishes I've had at one of my favorite spots: Brighton Bodega. 

A wealth of variety is offered through globally inspired small plates which are filling and big on flavor. The beverage program is impeccable with 20 draft lines host to some of the best New England craft beers, a seasonally focused cocktail menu with house made sodas and syrups, and eclectic, boutique driven wines. 

in order (mostly!)

The Bohdi Tree - plymouth gin, matcha tea syrup, cucumber, lime + eucalyptus bitters, mint

goat cheese stuffed dates with almond za'atar and apricot honey 

smoked salmon carbonara

fresh, briny, perfectly shucked oysters

black truffle gnocchi mac n cheese (S U B L I M E)

fried burrata in San Marzano Marinara (H E A V E N)

warm fluffy bao stuffed to the brim with fried chicken, lettuce and pickles

Korean BBQ Kalbi short ribs 

more warm fluffy bao this time with crispy duck confit bathed in hoi-sin

spicy chicken drumettes

Located in Brighton Center, this spot has felt like a neighborhood godsend since it opened. 

Brighton Bodega

328 Washington St

Brighton, MA 02135

winter at ArtBar

| 1 | Botany Bay, square one, drambuie, amaro bitters, elemakule tiki bitters, grapefruit 

| 2 | All Natural Meatballs, harissa tomato sauce, stone ground polenta, crumbled feta 

| 3 | Winter Froth, spiced rum, egg white, ginger simple, lemon, balsamic vinegar

| 4 | Lentil Fritters, curried mushroom ragu, tzatiki  

| 5 | Rocket Greens, golden raisins, whipped ricotta, pine nut brittle

| 6 | Charred Octopus, chorizo vinaigrette, butterscotch beans, spiced carrot puree 

| 7 |  Winter Vegetable Stew, roasted farro, butternut squash, pesto aioli 

| 8 | #5, house espresso-infused bourbon, amaretto, campari, mole bitters 

| 9 | Georges Bank Scallops, roasted beets, quinoa and bacon salad  

| 10 | Duck Breast, confit of duck leg ragu, sweet potato gnocchi, pomegranate, red chili jus 

| 11 | Tom & Jerry, coronet brandy, egg, demerara, nutmeg, spiced rum, steamed milk 

| 12 | Moroccan Bastilla, saffron ice Cream, honey winter spice flower water

| 13 | Blue Cheese and Cranberry Strudel, fall fruit compote and pomegranate coulis

The other night I got to sample the new winter menu at ArtBar. The bar program here is outstanding and the food really something special. Between the two of us, Amanda and I drank six excellent and interesting cocktails, and still there were so many more that looked appealing. The use of balsamic vinegar in the Winter Froth ($11) was pretty fantastic, giving a tart zing to contrasting ingredients of egg white and spiced rum.  Another gem proves to be the #5 ($11) where an awesome espresso infused bourbon blends with campari and amarretto for equally bitter, sweet and nutty flavors. 

The chef sent out his favorite dishes and after eating our way through 10 or so plates, nearly ever single one I would order again. The cast iron skillet of Meatballs ($10) were a highlight among the starters, flavorful and moist with hearty polenta and thick cubes of tangy feta cheese. The Charred Octopus ($13) was also particularly tasty. The Winter Vegetable Stew ($18) and Seared Scallops ($27) alike were outstanding, the former boasting chewy farro and impossibly tender butternut squash drizzled in a creamy pesto aioli, the latter nicely seared complimenting golden beets and plump pearls of quinoa. The Duck Breast ($25) and accompanying confit ragu were both perfectly executed, the entire dish comes together really well with the chewy sweet potato gnocci and juicy pomegranate. As far as desserts are concerned, pick the Strudel! Overall it was all about the the repertoire of drinks and hearty entrees that stood out at ArtBar on this freezing winter evening.

*this tasting was complimentary, all opinions are my own* 

Harvest | Madison

One of my favorite meals in Madison was at Harvest. Located in the downtown isthmus on Capitol Square it presents with crisp earth tones and white linen table cloths. Wall art is simple but eye catching; an oversized vintage Lillet poster opposes small black and white photographs. It's upscale, intimate and relaxed. It's the type of place you want to linger beginning with a strong aperitif - try a Marquette & Joliet ($9) made with local Death's Door Gin, fresh lemon, angostura bitters and house bubbly.
Specialty cocktails keep the pace, when I inquired with the waitress as to how the Vesper Rouge ($9) was she replied "strong" and explained it was inspired by James Bond's cocktail of choice in Casino Royal and Quantum Solace, combining two parts extra dry gin with one part vodka and Lillet Rouge (it's Blanc in the Bond movies) with a lemon twist. Local distiller Yahara Bay supplied the gin and vodka for this one.

I was here with a large group (nine of us) and that worked out well; our waitress had a good knowledge of the menu items, the evening was set at the perfect pace, and everyone's dishes elicited high praise. An amuse bouche of mushroom and butternut squash soup was a delicate sip balancing the earthiness of one vegetable with the sweetness of the other. Rolls are served hot with soft butter. (There really is something special about the butter out there. It never fails to be really good anywhere you go.)

My first course was a memorable Duck Confit ($9), served with pickled plums, frisee, fennel and a five-spice plum puree. The pickled plums stood out, sweet and juicy, they added a dynamic counterpoint to the tender pieces of duck . I also tried the Pan Roasted Sea Scallops ($14) - some of the biggest, meatiest scallops I've seen, cooked perfectly to boot, topped with toasted pistachio and sitting in a vibrant green puree of herbs and brown butter, alongside concord grapes. 

For my main course, the house made Pumpernickle Gnocchi ($19) was an exciting twist on your typical potato version. They were slightly grainy in texture, and super fluffy. Tiny cubes of butternut squash, pickled cranberries and an apple-caraway jus emphasize the fall season and compliment the gnocchi well. 

The dessert menu is worth checking out. I sipped on Holz's Apple Crisp Liqueur ($8) (also Yahara Bay Distillery) while sampling bites of the Carrot Cake ($8) with cream cheese ice cream, toasted walnuts and carrot caramel and the PB & J ($8) consisting of chocolate miso pound cake, hickory nut mousse and grape gelee. 

Harvest succeeds with elegantly prepared dishes using the finest seasonal and local ingredients - and while this is nothing new it's still worth mentioning - they're doing it right. Have dinner here and you will not be disappointed. 

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