FOOD ON THE FOOD

I Heart My Waitress

I totally forgot to post this at the time, but Husband and I went out to dinner for my birthday last month.  Since it was the Eat Local Challenge, we (I) wanted to go to a place where the chef really valued local ingredients.  This is not hard to find in Boston.  Most of the best area chefs buy a goodly portion of their produce locally, so it was really just a matter of picking a place.  There’s Steve Johnson’s Rendezvous.  Ana Sortun’s Oleana.  Craigie on Main.  Hungry Mother.  Harvest.  Why are all of these in Cambridge?  They do it in Boston, too, I swear.

We decided on the Garden at the Cellar outside Central Square.  The chef, Will Gilson, is the son of farmers who run The Herb Lyceum in Groton.  I figured he must really, really like local produce.  Also, according to certain customer reviews, word is that the chef is pretty tasty himself (be sure to read the one by Jennifer S.).  And, well, there is a newly opened position on my blog…

Whenever we go out to eat, I end up liking Husband’s meal better.  Like 100% of the time.  But, I’m starting to catch on.  When Husband decided what to order, I swooped in and stole his idea because it was my birthday, not his.  And, you know what?  It worked.  My grilled pork chop with roasted apples, Brussels sprout-bacon hash, and fingerling potato au gratin had me doing all the annoying Rachael Ray eye-rolling and moaning.  And if you don’t think I’ll be stealing the idea of hashing Brussels sprouts with bacon, then you’re obviously new to my blog.  Husband’s salmon was excellent, too, by the way.  Organically farmed, whatever that means.  But I still liked mine better.

Also, we had one of the most beautiful small plates I’ve ever seen.  It was thick curls of grilled calamari, perfectly tender, scattered with sprouts and edible flower petals all basking gently on some kind of sauce.  It all worked so well together, I couldn’t even identify the sauce.  It was sauce.  That’s all I know.  Anyway, it was spectacular-looking on its long, rectangular plate, but more importantly, it tasted amazing. 

But excellent food aside, I want to talk about service.  Great service is hard to find, and yet it’s so crucial to the overall dining experience.  Poor service affects how you experience the food.  But, admittedly, it’s also very subjective.  Every diner has different expectations and it really has a lot to do with individual personalities and your own mood, blah, blah, blah.  So, when you have a server who really clicks with you and does a good job almost effortlessly, it’s like magic.  My particular perfect waitress can be found at the Garden at the Cellar.  She was knowledgeable.  She was attentive without hovering.  She smiled often and her face didn’t crack under the strain of it.  And when I told her that I didn’t like my cocktail, did she get all defensive and hurl my glass across the room to smash against the bar?  No.  No, she did not.  She simply asked why and we talked about what I might like better.  Her suggestion was perfect.  I offered to pay for it, but she didn’t charge me. 

They don’t serve dessert or coffee at the Garden, just some nice chocolates with the bill.  I was secretly grateful.  I can’t not order dessert if it’s on offer, and I will ask unreasonable things from my digestive organs in order to cram some sugar into a space that’s already bursting beyond reason.  The focus here really is on the food.

The end result?  A fabulous birthday for me and a big-ass tip for my server.  Win-win.

Time to Eat the Doughnut

I’m not one to dwell on things, but I had a really great doughnut over the weekend.  It was a sour cream glazed doughnut from Hole-in-One in Eastham (or was it The Hole in Orleans?).  As you know, my heart normally belongs to the chocolate honey-dipped variety, but I have to make an exception in this case. 

Sour cream is, by far, my very favorite dairy product after cheese and ice cream, and to then bake it into a glazed doughnut is really enough to move me to tears.  See how craggily it is?  How it’s not a perfect circle?  You can’t build a machine to make it look like that.  Notice the glaze and how it congealed mid-drip?  That’s artistry.  And how the person pouring it missed a few spots?  Creative license.  Doesn’t bother me in the least, because at quality doughnut shops, even the plain doughnuts are delicious. 

Now, THIS is what I mean when I talk about doughnuts.  Real doughnuts.  Not this crap.  To borrow a phrase from my dad: Eat your heart out, Rachael Ray.

(Incidentally, to the left of the doughnut, you’ll see an ad in the Cape Cod Times for the Chocolate Sparrow, which is the only place to find ice cream in the off-season on that part of the Cape.  I would know.  Ben & Jerry’s is closed (WTF?).  Nauset Ice Cream is closed.  Emack & Bolio’s — closed.  Why is the promise of ice cream so hard to fulfill in the dead of winter?  You can’t explain seasonal demographics to hungry and demanding children.  Luckily, some birds are brave enough to tough out the cold season, and this chocolaty sparrow lived up to its name.)

Hole-in-One Donut Shop, 4295 State Highway, Route 6, North Eastham, MA, 508-255-9446; The Hole Donut Shop, 98 Cranberry Highway, Route 6A, Orleans, MA, 508-255-3740.

The Chocolate Sparrow, 5 Old Colony Way, Orleans, MA, 508-240-2230

Biagio, Waltham

Last month, we hit the newly opened Italian(ish) restaurant, Biagio, on Moody St. in Waltham.  I was curious to see what else it would bring to the table that the other high-end Italian places in the area haven’t already covered.

The big three are: Tuscan Grill, La Campania, and Il Capriccio.  Where you dine usually breaks down by whether you prefer rustic Etruscan ambiance (Tuscan Grill), cozy al fresco dining (La Campania), or a booth-and-frosted-glass- partition type of experience (Il Capriccio).  But, regardless of your taste in decor, you’re virtually guaranteed a great meal.

So where does Biagio fit into all of this?  Space.  It has lots of space if you get turned away from the others. 

Biagio's great hall of a dining room with its large framed mirrors and drapes is a refreshing departure from reproductions of Italian grottos, both real and imagined.  But, foodwise, it’s just not in the same league.  I’m not sure it’s trying to be.  Then again, that’s how it’s priced.

The tortellini Alfredo was pretty good.  Service was nice.  Big portions, to be sure, but I prefer smaller portions with some nuance.  I wished I could have traded some of it in for a little subtlety.  My cocktail, on the other hand, was a little too subtle (however, I was the one ordering the martini with neon blueberry alcohol, so really, I have no one to blame but myself).

With its roof deck and live music, I can see this being a popular spot to decompress after work.  Or as the least common denominator (or is it greatest common factor?) when dining in a large group since you can’t please everybody, anyway.  But, if you’re really trying to impress a certain someone who loves food (whomever that might be), then I refer you back to the second paragraph.

Biagio, 123 Moody St., Waltham, 781-891-0100

Strawberry Fair Restaurant, Norwell

As I was driving at 70 mph down Rt. 128 last week, a truck rolled over about 100 yards in front of me across three lanes of traffic.  Somehow, I managed to swerve into the breakdown lane and avoid all the other careening vehicles.  The three cars in front of me were not so lucky.  Miraculously, everyone walked away unhurt, including the driver of the toppled truck.  I’m still not sure how that was possible, but I suspect it had something to do with seat belts.

So, in honor of cheating death for the 416th time, I decided to treat my one-year-old passenger, who inexplicably slept through the whole thing, and my own jangled nerves to a delicious lunch at the Strawberry Fair Restaurant.  Actually, we were on our way there anyway for the article I’m supposed to be working on RIGHT NOW.  Good thing, too, because near-death experiences make you hungry.

So where is Norwell, anyway?  The South Shore, it turns out, somewhere between Weymouth and Marshfield.  I grew up in the South Shore and I’ve never set foot in Norwell in my life.  Does anyone live there?  No one knows.  They do have car dealerships, though.  Lots of them, and the Strawberry Fair just happens to be nestled incongruously among them along the main strip. 

A word of warning: the testosterone level of men who enter this restaurant is likely to take a steep dive.  The décor is very country kitchen meets Lilliputian fairy tale.  Shabby chic, to some.  Girly, to others.  It’s a cute little farmhouse with lots of cottage antiques crammed into every possible space.  Which is why the little girl in me thought it was kind of neat.  Okay, maybe it was one strawberry stencil design too many for my taste, but still, I’m a girl.

We had a quick lunch of onion soup, a Cape Cod chicken salad sandwich with cranberries and walnuts, a bag of chips, and the obligatory bowl of strawberries (they don’t force you to order them, I was just somehow compelled).  And it was good.  Better than average.  And the service was great.  (They also have meatloaf sandwiches on the menu so the girly men that come here can feel slightly better about themselves.) 

I dare say I’ll be bringing the family back.  I’m in favor of supporting the quirky little family-owned places serving up wholesome edibles where kids are welcomed with a smile (they even have a small toy stash for antsy little ones).  It would make a good pit stop if you’re stuck in rush hour traffic on Rt. 3, or if you decide to head down the Cape on a Friday evening in the summer like a dumb-ass.  It’s practically right off the highway if you need a bite from somewhere other than McDonald’s/ Burger King/Applebee’s/Ground Round and their ilk.

Maybe I was just glad to be alive, but I thought this place was just peachy.

(Strawberry Fair Restaurant, 14 Pond St., Norwell, 781-878-7878)

The Fireplace, Brookline

This has been on my list for a while, even as rumors flew that it was slipping.  My husband and I were looking for a cozy place to celebrate my birthday (which happened two months ago), and what better way to spend a balmy, 60-degree December night than at a spot called The Fireplace.

Luckily, we were seated nowhere near the fireplace.  It’s right by the bar, though I almost missed it because I was too busy trying to figure out where the hostess station was.  Here by the door?  Up there?  Come on, Tammy, think outside the box. 

Instead, we were led to the elevated dining room with a view of the open kitchen.  No wild innovations going on in there, but I gather that’s not the point.  Most of the dishes have some tie-in to tradition whether it’s a classic New England recipe with a few clever updates, or a modern creation meant to showcase local produce and regional cheeses. 

Some high points: a festive cranberry-ginger martini; an heirloom beet salad with walnuts, gorgonzola, and figs (though the beets didn’t really need all of those trimmings to shine); Grandma Gertie’s stuffing; perfectly-seared scallops (the orange-honey sauce was a bit weak, but who needs sauce); and butterscotch bread pudding with rum-drunken raisins. 

The service was fine: just the right blend of “there when you want them, not there when you don’t.”  The ambiance was warm and minimalist, and the food comforting.  You can get more (better) for your money elsewhere around the city.  Still, as long as you don’t expect fireworks, the Fireplace is pleasant, and you’ll likely make it home before the babysitter gets into your liquor cabinet. 

The Fireplace, 1634 Beacon St., Brookline, MA, 617-975-1900
http://www.fireplacerest.com/

December Restaurant Events

On Tuesday, 12/5, Tremont 647 will be hosting its second annual Holiday Champagne Social from 6-9 p.m.  Shoot the unseasonably warm breeze (indoors) over appetizers and bubbly while the staff hands out holiday cocktail and appetizer recipes, with chef Andy Husbands demonstrating.  Cost is $39 (including tax and tip).  Reservations required. Tremont 647, 647 Tremont St., Boston, 617-266-4600.

In celebration of their 10-year anniversary, Tremont 647 and adjacent Sister Sorel are offering 10% off your food bill during the week of 12/10-12/15.

Celebrate Christmas early with Stellina’s traditional Roman-style holiday dinner on Tuesday, 12/5.  Enjoy four courses with Italian wines, caroling, and prizes.  Cost is $45 per person.  Reservations required.  Stellina, 47 Main St., Watertown Square, 617-924-9475.

Some like it hot, and some like it hotter than hell.  For the latter, East Coast Grill is hosting Hotter than Hell Night times three, December 11-13.  Torture those taste buds (in a good way) with dishes like chile-crusted duck with red curry and pineapple chutney, crispy baby back ribs with scotch bonnet BBQ sauce, and harissa-grilled chicken with fig-pomegranate jam.  Call to reserve.  East Coast Grill & Raw Bar, 1271 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-491-6568.

All Star Sandwich Bar, Cambridge

First stop, the All Star Sandwich Bar in Inman Square in Cambridge.  Chris Schlesinger’s homage to the humble sandwich, located on the same block as the East Coast Grill, is humble neither in quality nor portion size.  It’s not cheap, either (sandwiches range from $7-$10), but what did you expect?

On offer: A pretty decent reuben as well as pulled pork, po’ boy, pastrami, meatloaf, Cuban, and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Daily specials are marked on the chalkboard, things like the Turkey Gobbler (turkey with mayo, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry orange relish) -- a perfect prelude to Thanksgiving (or to wean yourself off of post-holiday tryptophan).  If you prefer your turkey in liquid form, or like French fries in any form, don't miss their gravy fries – golden fried shoe-string potatoes topped with turkey gravy.  Next time, though, I'd vote for the gravy on the side.  No one likes a soggy fry, gravy or no gravy.

Space is tight at peak hours, but I found the service to be quite accommodating (despite early rumors to the contrary).  Dessert options are sparse and appropriately simple (chocolate chip cookies, brownies, 7-layer bars), but you probably won’t have room.  And if you do, Christina’s “All Star Ice Cream Bar” is mere steps away.

All Star Sandwich Bar
1245 Cambridge St.
Cambridge, MA
617-868-3065
www.allstarsandwichbar.com