Sunday, August 30, 2015

ST. ANTHONY'S FEAST 2015


Every year, the North End in Boston ends the summer with the St. Anthony's Feast. It's three days of incredible Italian food, music and fun. Eat Up New England was there Saturday night. I enjoyed a rice ball, pepperoni pizza and a cannoli filled with cream and dipped in chocolate chips. One of my favorite vendors was Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda Pop. You buy a tin cup for $12 and get unlimited refills for the rest of the day. Eat Up NE loved their root beer and vanilla soda.



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Saturday, August 29, 2015

INSIDE THE NEW BOSTON PUBLIC MARKET


The brand new Boston Public Market is a fresh food lover's dream come true. It's made up of small shops, all of them selling locally sourced foods, drinks, flowers and other products.


Eat Up NE recently parked in the garage that's right next to the BPM, and what struck me was the smell of cider donuts at ground level. That unmistakable fall smell comes from Red Apple Farm. They make their own cider donuts topped with cinnamon right there. You take a bag home, which of course we did! They also sell apples, fudge, jellies and cider slushies.

Walking around BPM, Eat Up NE was quickly overwhelmed by the variety of fresh and local foods. Appleton Farms sells the cheese that they make. Red's Best offers seafood right off of the boat. Q's Nuts has a huge display of sweet and savory nuts. Taza Chocolate has a chocolate bar where you can get hot and iced chocolate drinks. Yes, there's even a beer vendor. Hopster's Alley, with shelves and shelves of local beer. Bee on the lookout for The Boston Honey Company. They have a display of live bees!

The Boston Public Market is open Wednesday thru Sunday from 8am-8pm, so don't stop by on a Monday or Tuesday.

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Monday, August 24, 2015

DELICIOUS DISH: LASAGNA AT TRATTORIA IL PANINO

Lasagna is Garfield's favorite food and if you were to try this lasagna it would certainly be one of your favorites, too! Eat Up NE loves the meat lasagna at Trattoria Il Panino in Boston's North End. There's layer after layer of thin lasagna noodles stuffed with their delicious meat sauce. It's so rich that it's sure to fill you up no matter how hungry you are. , ,

Sunday, August 23, 2015

VENEZUELAN & SPANISH FOOD COLLIDE AT LA CASA DE PEDRO

Strawberry daquiri
Tequenos
Quesadillas con chorizo
Check out their salt water fish tank near the bar.
Eat Up NE has been wanting to try La Casa de Pedro in Watertown, Massachusetts for some time, and finally got there last week. This large restaurant offers a menu of traditional Venezuelan food, along with some Mexican favorites.

The outside patio is a popular place to dine at La casa de Pedro, but when Eat Up NE visited, it was 90 degrees out. We kept it cool inside. Pedro has a full bar with tons of wine, draft beer, craft beer, martini, sangria and cocktail options. Eat Up NE kept it tropical with a refreshing strawberry daiquiri. We started off with their house favorite "tequenos" for an appetizer. Tequenos are a popular app in Venezuela. It's cheese breaded with puff pastry that's fried. they were very good. Other apps include ceviche, chicken & chorizo, nachos and tortillas.

There are endless lunch and dinner options. There are several salads, quesadillas, meat and fish dinners, along with a few vegetarian options. I really liked the "Quesadilla con Chorizo." This huge platter of quesadillas came with yucca, plantains and black bean rice. 
   
lacasadepedrolatincuisine.com
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LOBSTER TOUR: ROBERT'S MAINE GRILL

Lobster is one of the many things Maine is known for. Yesterday, I enjoyed a lobster roll at Eat Up New England favorite Robert's Maine Grille in Kittery, Maine. They'll prepare your roll warm with butter or cold with mayo. I went for warm. There really is such a difference in taste when you have lobster right by the ocean. Robert's lobster rolls come in regular and jumbo sizes. The one above is regular and was plenty, especially since a paired it up with some clam chowder. Their regular lobster and chowder special is $25. The jumbo special is $30.

Robert's really is the place to go for lobster. There's a tank full of live lobsters on the left when you walk in. They'll steam one up or top off a cobb salad with lobster meat. Customers can even order a clambake for two which comes with a lobster.

Robert's is open year round, so you can enjoy a lobster even in the middle of the winter!

robertsmainegrill.com
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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

LOBSTER BURGER NOW AT SHAKE SHACK!

Eat Up New England's lobster tour continues at an unlikely place: Shake Shack. The burger joint is now serving this Surf N' Shack burger at all of its New England locations. It's topped with lobster. I ordered one at their Dedham, Massachusetts location today. It's delicious. Of course, Shake Shack could top their burgers with just about anything and it would still be good. These special burgers are $8.99 and will be available through September 20. 

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Monday, August 17, 2015

(Closed) DINE OUT BOSTON: BLUE GINGER IN WELLESLEY

Spicy Paella with House Chorizo
Beef Tataki & Shiitakes
Eat Up New England has always wanted to check out celebrity chef Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Dine Out Boston was the perfect excuse to stop by for lunch today. 

For an app, I enjoyed their beef tataki and shiitakes. It's served with just enough wasabi. It's complementary, not over-powering. I LOVED the spicy paella with house chorizo entree. It's served with several mussels and their wicked good chorizo. What an amazing dish!

For lunch, Blue Ginger is serving a 2-course menu for $20. Add dessert for $25. Three course dinners are $38. The chef will also make up a vegetarian option.

www.ming.com/blue-ginger.htm


UPDATE: Blue Ginger closed in June 2017 after 19 years in business. , , ,

Sunday, August 16, 2015

DINE OUT BOSTON STARTS TODAY!

The summer may be coming to an end, but it's going out with a bang in the Boston area. It's time for the annual Dine Out Boston. Today thru August 28 (Saturdays excluded), treat yourself to a multi-course lunch or dinner at some of the best restaurants in the city at a discount price. Here are some of Eat Up New England's favorite places that are taking part in Dine Out Boston:

Boston:
- Antico Forno (North End)
- Cinquecento (South End)
- Clink (Beacon Hill) 
- Del Frisco's (Seaport)
- Da Vinci (Back Bay)
- Gaslight (South End)
- Max Brenner (Back Bay)
- Rosa Mexicano (Seaport)
- Strega Waterfront (Seaport)
- Towne Stove & Spirits (Back Bay)

Outside of Boston:
- Legal Seafoods (Chestnut Hill)
- Seasons 52 (Chestnut Hill)
- Zebra's (Medfield)
Check out Eat up New England's archives for much more on these restaurants. Log on to dineoutboston.com for a full list of participating restaurants. ,

MOUTH-WATERING HIBACHI DINNERS AT KOTO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE IN SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT

Koto has a large indoor koi pond with waterfalls.
Scallops hibachi dinner

When you think of South Burlington, Vermont, Japanese food isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Since 1999, Koto Japanese Steakhouse has been one of the most popular restaurants in South Burlington. Diners can sit down for regular table service or get a show with one of their hibachi chefs.

Koto has an extensive menu that's complete with Vermont beers and ciders. Appetizers include tofu, shrimp or chicken tempura, spicy squid, calamari and edamame. There are countless sushi options. Order them a la carte or as an entrée with miso soup included. Even if you sit down for table service, you can still enjoy a hibachi dinner. Choose from lobster tails, salmon, sirloin steak, chicken, filet mignon, and shrimp. They all come with soup, salad, two shrimp and choice of fried rice or noodle. I loved the scallops hibachi dinner. It's so flavorful and the portion was perfect.

Koto is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.


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Friday, August 14, 2015

SUMMER IS CREEMEE SEASON IN VERMONT!

No summer in New England is complete without a creemee from Vermont. Creemee is Vermont slang for soft ice cream. Eat Up New England made a couple of trips to Burlington Bay's ice cream window in Burlington, Vermont this past weekend. They have four creemee flavors: vanilla, chocolate, maple and black raspberry. Go for the black raspberry and maple twist. It is so unbelievably good and refreshing.

www.burlingtonbaycafe.com
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Wednesday, August 12, 2015

$20 FOR A SMALL PIZZA!!!

There's a new pizza place in Westwood, Massachusetts. If you like paying $20 for a small pizza, then check out Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza.  Eat Up NE ordered this SMALL meatballs and ricotta cheese pizza for dinner the other night. There were no prices on their website, but EUNE figured it would cost $15 at most. Oh, no. $19.24. FOR A SMALL PIZZA!!

The pizza was good, but note worth the ridiculous price. Apparently, this concoction is one of their "specialty pies," which are way over-priced. Lunch is the way to go at Anthony's where you can get an individual pie for under $10.
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