Boston - Estragon and Beehive

So hung out with the East Coast Cousins, which is always a treat. The meetup was a bit like a snowball going down the mountain, where you kinda just collect people along the way.

Ken and I chilled at Clarke's, a pub just outside of Fanueil Hall. Drank Sam Adams, which always seems to taste better when I'm in Boston, and had a basket of fries - nice crispy thick-cut chips.

Then we picked up Shona, and sped over to Estragon in the South End. It's a tapas place that has a hip ambience. When Jacob showed up, we went to work on choosing from the restaurant week menu, with the mission of ordering a myriad of tapas we could all share.

There are some tapas that are good, but mostly, they were average to slightly disappointing. The ones that shine are the cod cheeks, arugula salad, and garlic shrimp. The typical torta or croqueta pale in comparison to the real thing that you're sorry you even tried it. Stick to the unique items that you probably never had while you were whiling away the best summers of your life in Barcelona - beef tongue, tripe, anchovies, that kind of thing. Those were okay. Opt for the Turron dessert. Don't bother with the queso platter. Only one of the options is good - like a young Parmesan cheese that has a lot of potential, the other is such a waste - like a chunk of waxy Swiss cheese...

Later that night, Jacob and I ended up at the Bee Hive. It was busy, but the space is so eclectic, that it's enough to just stand around a little bit and soak it all in. There's a massive portrait of a woman on the 30-ft high brick wall that's entirely engaging. She reminds me of a sad, depressed Bjork. Really startling.

Anyway, the highlight was the company, not necessarily the food.

Boston, Advertising, Consumers, and Eats

So I'm here for work, and there hasn't been a lot of time to eat out, since watching consumers until 10PM doesn't leave time for much else, but of course, I fit it in where I could.

First, some of the best lines of the study where we were exposing possible advertising ideas:

• In serious deadpan, a consumer said, "I don't think people are drawn to mimes."
• Exasperated after consumers continued to pick on things he continually told them not to, the moderator said, "Look, those details aren't going to matter. I'm NOT going to say it again!"
• A woman started looking at her cell phone, so the moderator says, "No texting please." She looks up and says, "I was just quickly looking to see what the message was." He says, "Yeah, that's what I mean."
• A guy who was attempting to make the ad better said, "I think there needs to be more humor. Like, can't you have something shooting out of the t-shirt cannon and hitting a guy in the balls, and he rolls around in pain? Like, that would be funny!"

Okay, now on to two restaurants that are great finds. The beauty is that I happened upon the city during Restaurant Week! Sweet!

First, The Elephant Walk - French/Cambodian. Really great food. There's one in Cambridge, Boston, and Waltham. I opted for the three-course dinner for $30. Started with the Chilled Citrus Avocado Soup. Great flavor, with sweet from orange juice, tart from the lime. The avocado lent some texture, and it was really a good one. But not as good as my friend's tuna tartare dish, with avocado and other spices - that thing rocked. Next was Lac Loc - tender, marinated cubed beef was grilled and had a delicate sweetness to it. Place that along with rice noodles that are dipped in some fish sauce and wrapped in lettuce leaves, it's like the Chinese lettuce wraps with a Southeast Asian twist, and it was really delicious. Last, the grilled pork tenderloin in a brown savory sauce infused with coconut milk, served with lime wild rice and seared eggplant. I have to admit, I found the sauce a bit too sweet, but it didn't stop me from MMM-ing all the way down to the bottom of the plate. That thing was awesome. My friend had the braised short ribs with Shanghai noodles. Tender and savorific!

Second, B&G Oysters. It's in the South End of Boston, across the alley from The Butcher Shoppe and across the street from Hammersly's. David lives two doors down from it all, and I can only say I'm envious that he's got this trifecta of great cuisine right outside his door! Of the three, I like B&G and the Shoppe the best. They're down to earth and you can let your hair down. Hammersly's is a little too fancy-schmancy and overdone for my taste, but if you're on expense account, it's a good place to go. B&G Oysters is a great joint for seafood. I had the raw oysters, which were fine - the Little Wing from the west coast was my favorite, and Blue Point is a good ol' standby. I still say it is hard to evaluate oysters because if you're not in London's famous Food Market getting a freshly shucked oyster from one of the stands there, you haven't truly had a great oyster. Yes, they're freshly shucked here, but it's not as plump, not as large, not as briny-bnalanced, just not the same. The Chorizo Risotto-stuffed Calamari was the star of the night. Calamari is stuffed and pan-fried, set on a bed of arugula and vinaigrette-marinated peppers with some golden raisins. DELICIOUS. Get this if you're there. Lastly, the Lobster Cassoulet was good, but I have to say, lobster isn't my favorite, and neither are beans. So for me to actually have liked it, it must be a dream for folks who do like the combination.

Off to Estragon tonight. Stay tuned...

No-longer-dieting Food Critic

In the past several months, I've blogged about all the dieting books I've read, trying to find the magic elixir to losing a few pounds. All it's done, though, is confuse me on what it is that I really need to do. Now, I have a new tactic. It's tried and true; it's proven; it's been used forever. It's called, "Exercise More; Eat Less."

I know, I know, it's really a departure from the instant gratification that we, as Americans, are so used to now.

The things I've learned from reading all those books, though, have not been for naught. For example, I am now eating mostly whole grains and reducing the amount of sugar I intake. Good things to go along with my "Exercise More; Eat Less" plan.

Some aerobic interval training here, some lifting there, and I've noticed a positive change in my body structure. I think I'm looking better. But more importantly, I'm feeling better.

Lancaster Short List... So Far

People often ask me where they should go in Lancaster. Here's my short-list off the top of my head on where I would go if I had folks who were visiting me from out of town:

Belvedere Inn - one of my favorites. It's casual chic, and sometimes the bar upstairs (called Crazy Shirley's) has a jazz session going on. Be sure to get their "grilled caesar salad." It's unique.

Carr's - Across the alley from Central Market. Most of his menu is really good. Only once did I go there and question his use of seasonings on a fish dish. Otherwise, great atmosphere and pretty good wine list. Upscale casual.

Lancaster Dispensing Company - across the alley from Carr's. It's a very casual joint that has great sandwiches. I would stay away from salads, and I have no idea about entrees, because everytime I go there, the wait staff tells me to get a sandwich.

Gusto's - New Italian/Mediterranean/Spanish place on Queen St. Although it has a wine list, you can bring your own wine for a $10 corking fee - but I think it's worth it; the wine list is pretty sparse. Their Veal Milanese (like a Weinerschnitzel) is the best thing on their menu. I also liked the carrot chestnut bisque, which was a special. Their pizza could be good, but it comes out soggy.

Rachel's Crepes - Casual cafe for crepes. It takes a while for the food to come out, but the crepes were very reminiscent of the ones I had in Paris - at least the egg and cheese one was.

Wish You Were Here - Total hippie dive. I like it for breakfast. They have good coffee, great Swedish oatmeal pancakes, and their Indian omelette is actually pretty good. They try to be organic and locally minded, which is a plus.

La Costena - Authentic Peruvian in a sparsely decorated place. Apparently, they have problems when too many folks are at the restaurant at the same time, so go during off-hours.

Bangkok Wok

Today, the hubby and I decided to be really adventurous, so we headed across the Susquehana River and into Mechanicsburg/Camp Hill area. I had heard of a great Thai place called Bangkok Wok, and I swear, it might be better than my old hole-in-the-wall New York City Thai joint in Hell's Kitchen, Pam Real Thai.

Bangkok Wok is BANGING!!

We got the fresh summer rolls, which were good, but not better than the Vietnamese version at Pho Thanh Thuy in Lancaster. The Papaya Salad had some good heat (just a little more than medium, please!) and it was really delicious - a spicy/tart vinaigrette flavor that was just beautiful.

The green curry with chicken was authentic and simple with the right balance of veggies, meat, and coconut milk - a winner!

Drunken Noodles with beef took home the prize, though. Fresh sheets of rice noodles slathered in basil, heat, and sweet. The beef was tender, and I was so, so very happy.

I envision many business trips beginning with a stop at Bangkok Wok for some Drunken Noodles to be eaten at the airport. I can't wait for my next trip.

I See Dead Things...In the Fridge

There was a time when I tried to grow all sorts of plants in my condo in Minneapolis, but a green thumb I am not, so eventually, they all died. The thing is, when they finally shriveled up and looked all brown and lifeless, I still would not throw them away. Why, you ask? Because I don't like to touch dead things. My boyfriend, at the time, would come over and throw them away for me. All the while, he would be shaking his head.

So it is with the dead things in the fridge. Today, the hubster and I were snowed in. As Eric was making lunch, he started looking through the refrigerator and said, "Hey, there's leftover Chinese in here!" Silence. Then, "Ew. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to look like that." At that point, the dam broke. We started throwing things straight into the trash or into the garbage disposal. Much like a good movie that makes you sob, it was a sort of purging of the soul. And the timing couldn't have been better.

Earlier in the morning, we had had a fairly serious spat. Things of the past were brought up, making us realize that they had never really died, they had just laid dormant. Waiting. Harshly truthful words were spoken, hot and salty tears were shed, but then there was understanding.

Just as the dead things in the fridge had been festering and allowed to survive in the fridge, so had resentment and selfishness in our minds and hearts. The purging of the dead things was like taking all that muck and sending them into the abyss where it would be trucked away with the rest of the garbage, never to be seen again.

And I realized that it was much easier to touch the dead things when he was also doing it alongside.

Seattle - Ready for some FISH??

Spent a week in Seattle. Sure, I was doing work, but I was mostly eating. Since I'm landlocked, and Seattle is not, I went seafood heavy. Why not? I like fish, and I forgot my Omega-3 supplements.

SeaStar - Chef John Howie's new seafood restaurant in the Union Square is only 3 weeks old and is sister to the Sea Star in Bellevue, WA. He's an expert at cedar plank cooking, so it's no wonder that the house specialty is the Cedar Plank Salmon. Smoky, with a flavorful dry rub, it's a winner, but didn't especially wow me, perhaps because of raised expectations. The broccoli, though, also had the subtle smokiness that I was NOT expecting, and I really took to the flavor. Appetizers included two different ceviches, Japanese Hamachi and Halibut. Not bad, the halibut is the better choice. The Calamari Poppers are squid stuffed with spicy tuna. Awesome. The spicy tuna really has a kick to it, so watch it. Salmon Poke - raw salmon diced with herbs and spices. Really great. Came with taro chips.

Steelhead Diner - Two words. Black Cod. Get it. It's Asian-inspired, what with the ginger, soy, and bok choy. It's the closest thing I've ever had to Chilean Sea Bass which is truly my all-time favorite fish. Now it's a tie between that and Black Cod. With my food karma on full steam, I ended up with a full order to go, and I traveled with it all the way home so that I could share it with the hubby. I just wanted him to understand what it is that we're missing by not living by the ocean. Oh, and careful with the beet tartare salad. It could be phenomenal, but they mix it with capers, which is a pretty weird combination. I had to really work to try to like it, and when you have to work that hard, it kinda takes away from it.

Anthony's - Don't bother. It's so average, it's disgusting. I ordered the best thing on the menu - steamed dungeoness crab. Can't go wrong with something you just need to steam. Everyone else's seafood looked a little sickly. No thank you.

Nijo Sushi - Pretty good, but it isn't better than the sushi I've had in Orange County. Chefs are younger and cuter, though. Nuff said.

Matt's at Pike's - A real gem. Had to sit at the bar since it was Friday night and it was packed. We saw the actor who plays the detective on CSI in the corner waiting for some folks, so my bold friend walked right up to him, said hello, and asked for a picture. He was polite and said it would be okay, even though he didn't usually make that a habit. My brief brush with fame. At this point, I was at my caloric limit, which is saying something because my caloric limit is much higher than it really should be. So we got two apps and shared an entree. Beets on top of mixed greens on top of sheep's milk cheese. Really a great dish. Pork belly - not as good as David Chang's in NYC. That stuff is legendary and I have yet to find anything close. Short Ribs with hominy grits - now we're talking. Moist, tender, falling apart. Yes, sir. Loved this place!

Jade Garden - Reportedly the best dim sum in Seattle. I believe it. Really good flavor, fairly quick service, and it's not as surly as when you're in a bigger city.

Other places that I missed but intend on visiting next time - Monsoon for some modern Vietnamese, and Flying Fish for some excellent fish tacos, so I've been told...