Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

SUMMER WINDS DOWN WITH THE ST. ANTHONY'S FEAST IN THE NORTH END

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

 

A tray full of delicious arancini.

Chocolate chip cannoli

It wouldn't be the end of summer without the annual St. Anthony's Feast in Boston's North End. The Feast is a celebration of all things Italian, and includes games for kids, parades, masses and so much delicious food. We went on Saturday night and it was packed. The crowd and the heat didn't stop me from enjoying some of my favorites like meat-filled arancini and a chocolate chip cannoli. What a way to end August! Summer may be winding down, but fall festival season is coming and I can't wait for the granddaddy of them all, The Big E!

Friday, January 20, 2023

BUBBLE TEA: YUCK OR YUM?

Friday, January 20, 2023

 

ViVi Bubble Tea
A brand-new bubble tea shop has opened up in Faneuil Hall in Boston. ViVi Bubble Tea specializes in Taiwanese bubble tea. There are a few other locations in Massachusetts, but it originated in New York City.

So what is bubble tea? It is made of tea most often with chewy tapioca balls. This is why people either love or hate bubble tea. Many people at work said they do not like the texture, saying they don't want to chew their coffee. But I quite enjoy those tapioca balls along with the refreshing flavor of the cold and milky tea.

Vivi offers a bunch of bubble tea flavors like honey dew, Japanese matcha, black tea and even tiramisu. There are also a bunch of varieties like milk teas, floats and lattes. ViVI also serves food like popcorn chicken, curly fries, soup noodles and rice bowls. 

Friday, April 29, 2022

GORDON RAMSAY BURGER IS COMING TO BOSTON

Friday, April 29, 2022

 

Hell's Kitchen Burger
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is expanding his food empire in Boston, preparing to open a second restaurant in the city. Gordon Ramsay Burger will open in Boston later this year. It will feature the chef's butter-basted burgers, fries, and hand-spun milkshakes. Of course, there will be a Hell's Kitchen Burger with mozzarella cheese, jalepenos, roasted tomatoes and avocado.

The 4,000-square foot restaurant will be in the new Canopy by Hilton hotel which is near Faneuil Hall and the financial District. The Hell's Kitchen host opened Ramsay's Kitchen in the mandarin Oriental earlier this year. It features his signature Beef Wellington, along with twists on local favorites.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

BOTTOMS UP AT THE ROCK BOTTOM

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Chicken carbonara

Check out their bar!

Rock Bottom is just steps away from the Bock Wang Theatre.

Rock Boston Restaurant & Brewery
Boston, MA
No one saw it coming, but last Saturday families flooded the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery on Stuart Street. We were all in the city for the Cocomelon show at the Boch Center.  After the show ended, it was a mad rush for food. The unsuspecting staff at Rock Bottom did a great job seating all of the parents and kids.

All of the moms and dads, including me, got ordered a beer. I enjoyed a Guinness. Rock Bottom offers many local beers, along with boozy milkshakes, cocktails, margaritas, mules and wine.

For lunch, I LOVED their chicken carbonara. The linguini is covered in a garlic-parmesan cream and is topped with a sunny-side up egg. Other entrees include fish and chips, Cajun fish tacos, grilled salmon and steak & fries. There are several burgers on their menu, along with a fried chicken sandwich, and a Philly cheesesteak. Rock Bottom also serves up a bunch of salads, bowls and flatbreads. For dessert, their beer donut holes covered in caramel sound amazing.

Wednesday, June 09, 2021

JIMMY BUFFETT'S MARGARITAVILLE IS COMING TO BOSTON!

Wednesday, June 09, 2021

Fins up, Boston!
Boston will soon be wasting away again in Margaritaville. Jimmy Buffett's restaurant is set to open its newest location in Faneuil Hall later this year. If you've never been, Margaritaville offers summer-inspired fare like fish tacos, Caribbean chicken egg rolls and Lava Lava Shrimp. There are salads, sandwiches and a bunch of burgers including, of course, a Cheeseburger in Paradise, named after one of Buffett's biggest hits. The drink menu is packed with frozen concoctions like margaritas, specialty boat drinks and Landshark beer.

The chain usually drops anchor in year-round sunny spots and tropical vacation destinations. Still, they are giving it a go in Boston. Maybe it will be a nice oasis during one of our many winter snow storms. While new to Boston, Margaritaville is no stranger to New England. There was a location at Mohegan Sun for about decade which closed in 2018.

Monday, July 29, 2019

BOSTON'S "BABBO" TO CLOSE

Monday, July 29, 2019
Saying goodbye in September 2019
Babbo's Ricotta Gnocchi
Babbo in Boston's Seaport is reportedly shutting down this fall. The Globe reports the formerly Mario Batali-backed pizzeria will be closed for good by September 15. 62 employees will be out of the job.

Babbo is known for its wood-fired pizzas, pastas and gelati. Batali got into the Boston restaurant scene for the first time with Babbo in 2015. He later divested his interests in Babbo and many other restaurants after he was accused of sexual misconduct.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

CLASSIC ITALIAN AT PANZA IN THE NORTH END

Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Baked ziti
Classic Italian food at Panza
Panza
Boston 
www.panzarestaurant.com
 
There's nothing like the North End at Christmas. Every restaurant is decorated. There are huge wreaths with big bows. Holiday pastries on display. Panza fits right in with its large snowflakes hanging in the windows and Christmas music playing in the dining room. It offers the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the season and enjoy a classic Italian meal.

 Panza is cozy, just like other restaurants in the North End. Daily specials are handwritten on a mirror. The menu is full of Italian favorites and every meal begins with Italian bread with olive oil. Appetizers include calamari, bruschetta and grilled Italian greens. Entrees include hearty staples like chicken or veal picatta, eggplant, chicken or veal parm, braised beef short ribs and seafood risotto. 

Pastas include linguine carbonara, spinach & ricotta ravioli, lobster ravioli and linguine with clams. I ordered the baked ziti. This was a HUGE plate of pasta with two incredibly flavorful meatballs. Those meatballs were the star of the show. I had enough for lunch the next day and the leftovers were just as good as fresh.

Monday, December 11, 2017

CHEF MARIO BATALI ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Monday, December 11, 2017
Celebrity Chef Mario Batali is being accused of sexual misconduct by four women over the course of two decades. He is off of "The Chew" while he's being investigated. Batali is also giving up daily oversight of his restaurant empire, which includes Eataly and Babbo in Boston.

Three of the alleged victims worked for Batali. Among the things he's accused of: groping the chest of one woman and grabbing one from behind and holding her tightly against his body.

Batali released a statement saying in part, "I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family."

Sunday, September 17, 2017

EARLS OPENS IN BOSTON'S PRUDENTIAL CENTER

Sunday, September 17, 2017
Entrance inside of the Pru
Swordfish Tacos
Avocado Super Toast and Green Dragon Roll
New York Style Cheesecake
Downstairs Bar
Upstairs Dining Area
Some of the many refreshing cocktails at Earls
Earls Kitchen + Bar
Boston, MA
www.earls.ca/locations/prudential-center

Earls Kitchen + Bar has opened its newest location at the Prudential Center in Boston. This spacious restaurant based in Canada prides itself on diverse flavors from near and far.

Eat Up New England stopped by on a very busy Saturday night and was lucky to score a table on the first floor by the bar. The service was exceptional, with our waiter going above and beyond to make sure we were happy. Their drink menu is very impressive, with beers from near and far. I enjoyed a massive glass of Clown Shoes from Ipswich, Massachusetts. Our server encouraged us to sample the beer and wines before we choose one and we were happy to take him up on his offer.

We shared some small plates for dinner, including the vegetarian-friendly Green Dragon Roll and some Avocado Super Toast. Both dishes were excellent and I loved the large size of the sushi roll. I also ordered their Blacked Swordfish Tacos. They are made with a roasted jalepeno crema, which proved to be way to hot for my taste, but our server was happy to bring me an option that was far less caliente. Earls menu is also made up of steaks, burgers (including a local Fenway Burger), salads and main plates like BBQ chicken, salmon and fish & chips. 

Earls dessert menu includes New York style cheesecake, which I can never pass up. This favorful and filling slice of heaven is served with strawberries.  

Earls serves brunch on the weekend and offers a happy hour weekday afternoons and nights.  This is their second Boston-area locations. There's also an Earls at Assembly Square in Somerville.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

BRUNCH AT GASLIGHT IN BOSTON

Saturday, August 26, 2017
Julia Child's raspberry shortbread
Omelette Lyonaisse
Entrance and outdoor patio
Gaslight
www.gaslight560.com 

Summer is winding down, but at restaurants like Gaslight in Boston's South End, customers can still find plenty of sunshine and cool breezes. Eat Up New England was lucky enough to enjoy Saturday brunch on their outdoor patio. The spacious stone patio is dotted with tables and umbrellas. There are string lights above. Geraniums and petunias provide added summer ambiance. It is the perfect setting for the perfect French-inspired meal.

 Gaslight's prix fixe brunch is the best deal in town at just $11.95 per person. The meal starts off with TWO drinks. Choose your juice: orange or grapefruit. Choose your caffeine: coffee or tea. Then, my favorite, Julia Child's spiced shortbread with raspberry jam. It's a fantastic sweet treat before the main course arrives. There are usually four options, including omelets, scrambled eggs and vanilla French toast. The French toast is FANTASTIC, but this visit I ordered the Omelette Lyonaisse, which is filled with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese and potatoes.

Gaslight serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays all year. Eat Up New England highly recommends getting a meal or two in on that patio before the cold weather moves in.

Monday, August 07, 2017

KICKING OFF "DINE OUT BOSTON" AT STREGA IN THE NORTH END

Monday, August 07, 2017
Course 1: Calamari
Course 2: Fettuccini Carbonara
Course 3: Tiramisu
Strega on Hanover Street
Strega
www.stregaristorante.com

Dine Out Boston is in full swing, and there is no better place to kick off restaurant week than in the North End. Strega is offering a three-course lunch menu for just $20. 

We had the best table in the house. Up front, with the window open on a beautiful summer day. It was only made better by this fine food and a parade that just happened to be passing by.

The meal started with their delicious olive bread, olive oil and olives. For course one, I enjoyed their light and fresh calamari, which is served with plenty of warm sauce. I really enjoyed their fettuccini carbonara for my main course. The pasta was homemade and the sauce was perfectly creamy. For dessert, I choose the cold and refreshing tiramisu over a cannoli.

Dine Out Boston is going from August 6-11 and 13-18.  Log on to DineOutBoston.com to check out menus from restaurants in Boston and the 'burbs.

Monday, July 31, 2017

CLOVER TO CLOSE DOWN ITS FOOD TRUCKS TO FOCUS ON ITS RESTAURANTS

Monday, July 31, 2017
Inside its Boston location near Dana-Farber
Chickpea fritter sandwich
Clover Food Labs is taking all of its food truck off of the road so they can focus on their brick-and-mortar restaurants. On its Website, Clover's CEO, Ayr, Muir writes that it has mixed emotions about this. Clover started out as a food truck. They were a staple at SOWA Market and could always be seen at busy spots around the city. The good news: we can still enjoy all of Clover's fast food vegetarian menu at its restaurants. I'll have one chickpea fritter sandwich, please.

Friday, December 02, 2016

EATALY BOSTON IS NOW OPEN!

Friday, December 02, 2016
The sparkling new Eataly has finally opened in Boston's Prudential Center. Doors opened to the public at 4pm yesterday. As you can see, the lines were long. I waited for about a half hour before I squeezed inside. Of course, it was well worth the wait. Step inside now with eat Up New England for a look at what Boston and beyond are buzzing about!
Once inside, I ate waaaay too much, but enjoyed every bit of their authentic Italian food. Eataly bakes all of their bread everyday. You can sample it in their bread section. They also make plenty of pizza and focaccia. This is a slice of fall-inspired apple focaccia that I enjoyed.
For dinner, I loved this calabrese sandwich with salami, cheese and amazingly fresh bread. I washed it all down with a Peroni, which, of course, Eataly has plenty of on tap.
Eataly has a cannoli cart where the desserts are made right before your eyes! This is their "classic" cannoli with candied orange.
Celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Lidia and Joe Bastianich are partners with Eataly's owner Oscar Farinetti. Their pastas, sauces, books and other products are for sale at Eataly.
Customers can watch Eataly's crew make fresh pastas. Bring some home or choose from one of their many boxed pastas.
Have you ever seen so much cheese? They have every kind imaginable and they'll cut it fresh.
More cheese! Eataly also has a butcher, fish monger, a salad bar, gelateria, olive oil & vinegar sectrion, pastry shop and cafe. Their hot chocolate is incredible. It's so chocolatey and topped with the most delicious whipped cream. I also love their tiramisu.
Fresh herbs and vegetables. They also have a wide selection of fruit.
Eataly's outdoor entrance off of Boylston Street. Inside, Eataly has several sit down restaurants, including Il Pesce. Their seafood-inspired menu is the work of famed local restaurateur Barbara Lynch. There's also a wine bar which was packed on opening night.
The indoor entrance to Eataly. It's where the old Pru food court used to be. They've signed a 15 years lease for this space.
The best part of the grand opening was meeting chef, TV host, author and restaurant owner Lidia Bastianich. My wife and I bumped into her. My wife said, "Lidia is that you? I didn't expect to see you here!" She said, "I'm working." She took the time to talk with us on a very busy opening night and posed for several pictures with us. It's something we'll never forget.

Sunday, September 04, 2016

CITY TABLE IN BOSTON'S BACK BAY

Sunday, September 04, 2016

Another summer Dine Out Boston has come and gone. I hope you were able to venture out and try a new restaurant or two. I loved City Table in Boston's Back Bay. It's right across the street from the Boston Public Library, attached to the Lenox Hotel.

 City Table was offering a three-course menu for $33. To start, I loved their bowl of New England clam chowder. It was a massive, hearty portion of perfect chowder. Entrees included steak frites, City table burger, vegetable risotto and salmon. I ordered the "Murray's Statler Chicken," a roasted chicken breast with whipped potatoes and wild mushrooms. Amazing. For dessert, it was a choice between red velvet cake and summer berry shortcake. I loved the light and fluffy shortcake, which was surrounded by a flavorful medley of berries. The perfect way to end the perfect meal.

City Table is open for breakfast every day and offers traditional fare like omelets, breakfast sandwiches and French toast. They also do brunch on the weekend. They are open every night for dinner and specialize in comfort foods like shrimp & grits, jerk chicken mac & cheese and scallops. They also have a bar packed full of craft beers, wine and specialty cocktails.

 www.citytableboston.com

Sunday, August 28, 2016

ST. ANTHONY'S FEAST 2016

Sunday, August 28, 2016
The streets were packed in the North End of Boston this weekend for the annual St. Anthony's Feast. I stuffed myself with an arancini, pizza, fresh-squeezed lemonade and a homemade cannoli by the fella you see above. The St. Anthony's Feast is by far Eat Up New England's favorite food festival all year. Mangia!

Thursday, August 25, 2016

BOSTON RESTAURANTS MAY SOON HAVE LETTER GRADES

Thursday, August 25, 2016
If you've ever dined out in New York City, you've probably noticed letter in the windows of every restaurant. Every restaurant in the Big Apple gets a grade - A, B, C - based on the number and severity of violations found during safety inspections. Last night, the Boston City Council approved a proposal that would bring the letter grades to Boston. All it needs is the approval of Mayor Marty Walsh. If approved, restaurants must post their letter grade or face fines.







Saturday, July 23, 2016

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES, $1 OYSTERS AT BACK BAY SOCIAL CLUB

Saturday, July 23, 2016
Back Bay Social Club's weekend brunch is where it's at! They serve everyone's favorite boozy beverages - Mimosa's and Bloody Mary's. Start of your meal with their famous $1 oysters. We sucked down a tray of 10 of them this afternoon. They are soooo good.

Check out the chicken and waffles. This crispy white meat was drizzling with just enough of their house BBQ maple syrup. Amazing. Other brunch options at BBSC include a lobster roll, build your own omelet, Belgian blueberry waffle, lobster benedict along with several salads, burgers and pizzas. 

Brunch is served from 11am to 3pm Saturdays and Sunday. You can also get those $1 oysters during the week, Mondays thru Fridays from 4pm to 6pm. 

backbaysocialclub.com
Twitter: @BackBaySocial
Instagram: @backbaysocialclub_boston

EATALY BOSTON TO OPEN THIS FALL

Saturday, July 23, 2016
The long-awaited Eataly Boston is coming along. I snapped this photo outside of their storefront in the Prudential Center today. All three glorious floors of Eataly Boston are now set to open this fall. They are aiming for September. This $20 million dollar market will feature some 15,000 products, a 300 seat rooftop grill, six restaurant, a brewery and cafe. 

 I'll be one of the first people in line. It will be so nice to enjoy one of their amazing hot chocolates this winter without have to travel to New York City.

Facebook: @eatalyboston

Saturday, May 21, 2016

IT'S LOBSTER ROLL SEASON!

Saturday, May 21, 2016
Summer is coming, so that means it's time for lobster! I enjoyed my first lobster roll of the season today at Solas in Boston. Solas is an Irish pub, but they make a delicious lobster roll that's served with a pile of french fries. BTW, I kept it Irish with a Guinness to wash it down. Happy summer and welcome to lobster season!
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