Roche Bros. Tasting Counter

The opening of Roche Bros. over a year and a half ago was a game changer for those of us who work or live in Downtown Crossing. I have hugely appreciated having them close by my office for lunch + snack options during the day and for quality grocery shopping trips after work. Their selection of sushi and maki rolls, artisanal baguette sandwiches and fresh out the oven chocolate chip cookies have been my go-tos.

Now, even more of game changer is their recently unveiled renovation: an impeccable 10,000 square foot space extending into the base of the Millennium Tower. This includes a tremendous selection of beer, wine, sake, alcohol, AND, a sleek new tasting bar offering fantastic lunch options!! Their well appointed tasting counter serves seasonal dishes prepared with fresh, locally sourced products that are sold in store.

I was super impressed with everything from the Seasonal Handcrafted Soda expertly flavored with thirst quenching mango + passionfruit, to the exquisite, fine dining caliber Yellowtail Poke, to the incredibly comforting Harpoon IPA Fondue. From their dessert counter a few aisles over, mini sweet treats are also a win, and I loved the thoughtful touch of red and green holiday flare on the plate! 

Counter service here is personable, knowledgeable and efficient. Bonus points for for presentation and aesthetic: that fire engine red mini cast iron staub! Stainless steel drinking straws! Sturdy plates made of recycled materials. Mini forks for fondue. Chopsticks for the poke. Eating lunch here was fun and enjoyable - this grocery store tasting counter simply did not miss a beat. 

Prices and descriptions below:

Yellowtail Poke ($14) local radish, cucumber, enoki mushrooms, yuzu + sesame dressing

Charcuterie Board ($11) - prosciutto, speck, pickled vegetables: snap peas, carrots and hearts of palm

Local Cheese and Harpoon IPA Fondue ($10) artisianal baguette + charred broccoli

Crispy Flatbread ($11) onion + tomato confit, charred broccoli, crumbled local feta

Mini Dessert Trio ($8) key lime tart, hazelnut cake, chocolate ganache cake. 
We also enjoyed a Cappuccino ($3.50) with dessert.

Right now, the tasting counter feels like an insider secret - but you should not hesitate to make it a destination!

P.S. Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!!!

Roche Bros. @ Millennium Tower
8 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02110

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

A Delicious Journey

In honor of year end I recapped my favorite Boston eats. I ate a number of amazing meals outside my city this year and it is only fair that they be showcased in all their deliciousness. I love to travel be it near, far or home to Cape Cod and great food most definitely makes the journey. 

Breakfast Faves: Fueling up on hearty fare and huge portions for the adventures that lie ahead in your travels is key. From the thick slices of Banana Bread French Toast in Colorado, to Huervos Rancheros piled high with guac, sour cream and salsa in Vermont, there was no shortage of good breakfast eats on the road. Boulder, Colorado: Two Step | The Buff Restaurant Rochester, Vermont: Rancheros Vermonter | Rochester Country Restaurant

Walt Disney World, Florida: Tonga Toast | Kona Cafe, Polynesian Resort

Dennis, Cape Cod, MA: 2 eggs over medium, homefries, white toast, apple sausage | The Red Cottage

Lunch Faves: Mid-day meals on the go impressed in the form of hearty sandwiches with fresh ingredients and hot dogs overflowing with bold toppings. Portsmouth, NH: black bean hummus, avocado, cucumber and sprouts sandwich | Ceres Street Bakery

Rochester, Vermont: Apple Cheddar Sandwich | Sandy's Books & Bakery

Sanibel Island, Florida: Chigaco Dog "The Capone" | Schnapper's HotsA Chargrilled dog with mustard, sweet relish, chopped sweet onions, cucumber slices, tomato slices, sport peppers, and celery salt proved one of the best hot dogs of my life.

Best Tacos: Guys I just really love Tacos!

Winner: Garlicky Griddled Shrimp Soft Tacos | Centro | Boulder, Colorado

Centro Latin Kitchen and Refreshment Palace piled 'em high with pickled red onions, green peppers, fresh shredded and grated cheese, radishes, jalapenos and lemon aioli. Then they served them with dueling rows of achiote rice, black bean refritos and house made sour cream.

Runner Up: Catch of the Day Mahi Mahi Tacos | Agave | Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Agave Mexican Bistro gives you not two but three soft shells with tomato, cabbage, cheese and pico de gallo. On the side a homemade habanero mayonnaise sauce and a seriously hot chipoltle sauce. The traditional heaping portions of Mexican rice and refried beans coated in melted cheese completed the meal.

Second Runner Up: Fried Fish Tacos | Finz | Salem, MA

Best Salad: Traveling 1, 775 miles west to Boulder, Colorado I ate an amazing combination of handpicked leafy greens, sweet dried cherries, tart granny smith apples, crumbled haystack chevre cheese and macadamia nuts drizzled in a sherry vinaigrette. Handpicked lettuce is sure to win me over! And - just North of the city in Salem, Massachusetts I was captivated by golden crispy squares of warm, lightly fried Brie cheese with crisp gala apple slices and crunchy walnuts over a bed of mixed greens. 

Winner: Miners Lettuce Salad | Jax Fish House | Boulder, Colorado
Runner Up: Fried Brie Salad | Rockafellas | Salem, MA
Best Appetizer Featuring Seafood: Mainly Oysters Rockefeller, but some shrimp and scallops too. These fresh briny shellfish topped with warm buttery sauces, crispy bacon and sharp cheeses satisfy in the heat of a Cape Cod summer or in the middle of a Colorado winter.

Winner: Seafood Sampler | The Yarmouth House | West Yarmouth, Cape Cod, MA

Bacon Wrapped Scallop, Grilled Garlic Shrimp over polenta and Oysters Rockefeller.

Runner Up: Oysters Rockefeller | Jax Fishouse | Boulder, Colorado

These featured bacon, pine nuts, spinach, pernod, asiago, and breadcrumbs.

Best Sushi/Maki Rolls: I do realize I completely neglected this category in my Boston Eats, but the honest truth is I didn't eat enough great sushi in the city this year. I had some worthy experiences but on the other hand I had some less than thrilling. Mediocre sushi does not an award category make. (To visit in 2011 list includes: OYA and Oishii. I'm saving my pennies!) In my hometown of Yarmouth Port, behold the greatness of Inaho, sweeping this category by default.

Double Dragon Roll | Tuna & Avocado Maki with Spicy Mayo, Tempura Flakes, Fish Roe

Unagi | Eel

Tuna Sampler | Toro, Albacore & Ceviche

Orange Dragon | Salmon & Avocado Maki w/ Spicy Mayo, Tempura Flakes, Fish Roe

Memorable Entrees: Two great dishes - Halibut and Filet Mignon, both on weekend road trips to my favorite state!

Norwich, Vermont: Fennel Pollen Crusted Halibut | Carpenter & Main Delicate flaky fish yielding a barely there crust with a dusting of fennel pollen, served with sauteed spinach, fennel, carrots & a roasted tomato saffron broth; this entrée was flavorful, soothing and aromatic. Rochester, Vermont: Petit Filet | The Huntington HouseThe perfectly cooked fillet was complemented by a large earthy portabello mushroom top and melty blue cheese crumbles, along with zucchini and mashed potatoes!

Dessert Faves: A category I should dedicate an entire post to for Boston one of these days. While on vacation I tended to favor dessert in liquid form. (Odd, right? ;)) But as luck would have it, I found some legit dessert dishes to drool over outside city limits. Captiva Island, Florida: Homemade Award Winning Key Lime Pie | Key Lime BistroA restaurant named Key Lime Bistro better have the best damn key lime pie I've ever tasted. Yes, they do! Norwich, Vermont: Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Oven Roasted Nectarines and Brown Sugar Cookie | Carpenter & MainYarmouth Port, MA: Flourless Chocolate Cake | InahoSilver Plume, Colorado: Naughty Bar | Sopp & Truscott Bakery

Here's to a 2011 full of New England road trips and hopefully more vacationing that requires airplane travel. Thanks for sharing in my journey of great eats! 

Key Lime Bistro & The Bubble Room | Captiva

The last experiences to share on this blissful, relaxing, warm, sunny, picture perfect island vacation off the coast of southwest Florida are two super fun must-visit spots on Captiva. My time on Sanibel & Captiva would not be complete if I let these places fall by the wayside. I didn't eat dinner at either. What won me over at Key Lime Bistro was the Key Lime Pie, and at The Bubble Room, the atmosphere. But let's get to that in a minute.

We scored a front row table on Key Lime Bistro's patio for the live entertainment duo of the evening "Carey & Gary". Mike and I are enjoying Frozen Butterslides ($10) Van Gough Vodka, Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Cream and Butterscotch schnapps.

Adam enjoyed something new and different - a draft beer, while Dave tried a Dirty Girl Scout ($10) Green Cream de Menthe, Bailey's Irish Cream, Cream de Cacao.
Tricia sipped a Key Lime Martini Van Gough Citroen Vodka, KeKe Key Lime Liqueur, pineapple juice and a splash of key lime juice. The service was exceptionally slow, but we chalked it up to the frozen drinks. Our server himself was unfriendly and we chalked it up to him disliking tourists who order frozen drinks. Sometimes even a smile goes a long way to make you feel welcome. No worries though because the Homemade Award Winning Key Lime Pie ($8) made my night.
I guess a place named Key Lime Bistro better have an awesome key lime pie! This blew me away. Smooth creamy custard with robust flavors of tart key lime topped with frothy whipped cream over a pool of sweet raspberry lime sauce to the rescue.

Our next stop was The Bubble Room right down the street at 15001 Captiva Dr SW. It was closed! And it was still pretty early. We decided to check out the exterior and had a ball doing so.Good times. Since all we could do was run around like idiots in Bo Bo's cage, we decided to return on our next Captiva Visit! (After the second Mucky Duck Sunset and before drinks at The Timbers.)

The inside revealed:

A plethora of kitschy Christmas decorations, children's toys and vintage artifacts fill the spaces of this funky feel good Captiva hot spot. A wraparound fish tank lines dining room walls and tabletops are collaged with disco records and party favors. Retro décor outlines the windows and walls.Our plan was to grab a drink at the bar, but it ended up being so packed we passed and just caroused the interior until we had our fill.

That's The Bubble Room in a nutshell. Word of mouth is the food's not that good anyways....

It hurt my heart to leave this place.

Knowing Disney World awaited us definitely dulled the pain.