Well Seasoned Gourmand

Great Roasted Chicken in Boston

The other night I made a roasted chicken at home and it was absolutely delicious.  It had crispy skin on the outside and juicy tender meat on the inside and it was bursting with flavor.  So it got me to thinking:  could I find a great restaurant roasted chicken that had nice crispy skin and juicy, flavorful meat.  And yes, fortunately, we have found some great places that are doing it right.  So give them a chance to change your mind about the lowly roasted chicken.  And if you want to try at home to get this result, I have posted a recipe on the Well-Seasoned Gourmand’s website.  Click HERE to read entire article.

Shepard, Cambridge

Best Brazilian Steakhouses in Boston and North

[caption id="attachment_1336" align="alignnone" width="300"] Oasis, Medford[/caption]

Brazilian barbecue generally refers to a wide range of meats grilled on skewers.  Often, it's served in the rodízio style, where servers continuously come to the table with a wide range of meats such as top sirloin, ribeye, beef ribs, lamb, pork sausage, and more.  You are given a card that is red on one side and green on the other.  As long as your card is on the green side, they will continue to bring over skewers of meat.  When you order Rodizio, you first make your way to the hot and cold buffet and help yourself to the many choices.  Once back at your table, a seemingly endless stream of waiters will circulate with skewers full of meat, fresh from the grill. You’ll be offered as much as you like of any item.

Pro Tip 1:  Don’t take too much of any one item or you’ll run out of space before you’ve tasted them all. They do tend to start with the less expensive meats hoping you will fill up before getting to the filet etc.

Pro Tip 2:  If the meat is not done to your liking, let the waiter know and they will bring your preference.

Pro Tip 3:  Don’t fill up on the buffet.  That’s not what you’re paying money for.

Fogo de Chao, Boston

[caption id="attachment_1333" align="alignnone" width="300"] Fogo de Chao Beef Ribs[/caption]

The first restaurant opened in Brazil in 1979 and debuted first American restaurant in Dallas in 1997.  Today there are over 50 worldwide.  The full Churrasco experience (36.95 lunch,  53.95 dinner) which includes continual service of  fire-roasted meats carved tableside by Brazilian trained gaucho chefs, including house specialties like Picanha(signature sirloin), Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Fraldinha (Brazilian sirloin) Cordeiro (lamb) and more.

[caption id="attachment_1334" align="alignnone" width="300"] Fogo de Chao Charcuterie[/caption]

Each experience starts at the gourmet Market Table & Feijoada Bar featuring seasonal salads, fresh vegetables, feijoada (traditional black bean stew served over rice), soups and more.  It includes cheeses and charcuterie as well.  The Market Table is a bit above most of the salad bars in most Brazilian steakhouses.  Click HERE to read entire article.

Hidden Gems in Boston and North

[caption id="attachment_1330" align="alignnone" width="300"] Fish Taco,Yellow Door Taqueria[/caption]

Let’s talk about my favorite type of restaurant:  The Hidden Gem.  These are restaurants that are not well known outside of their neighborhoods but have better than expected food. Some of these may be a little out of the way but all of them are worth a food adventure to try out.  From authentic Mexican tacos to authentic Lithuanian food to Pizza, we’ve got you covered!

El Oriental de Cuba, Jamaica Plain

[caption id="attachment_1316" align="alignnone" width="300"] Savory Chicken in Sauce, El Oriental De Cuba[/caption]

El Oriental de Cuba has brought the Cuban cuisine flavor to Jamaica Plain since 1994 and features Cuban dishes like Ropa Vieja, authentic Cuban sandwiches, delicious Cuban coffe  Click HERE to read the entire article.

Small Local Chain Restaurants in Boston and North Worth Going To

[caption id="attachment_1311" align="alignnone" width="300"] Seafood Risotto-Evviva Cucina[/caption]

Today we are talking about small local restaurant chains with 3 or more locations.  As you know, we are not generally big proponents of the big national chain restaurants, but we wondered if small local chains had more value.  Here are some small chains that we felt were worth going to.

 

The Chateau, 8 locations throughout Mass (Andover, Waltham, Stoughton, Norwood, Norton, Westboro, Braintree, Burlington)

[caption id="attachment_1300" align="alignnone" width="300"] Italian Trio at The Chateau[/caption]

Please click HERE to read entire article

New Restaurant Openings in Boston and North

[caption id="attachment_1285" align="alignnone" width="300"] Highland Fried's Whole Chicken Platter with Collards, Mac & Cheese and Gumbo[/caption]

Today we are talking about New Restaurant Openings in Boston and North. One of the big things we are noticing that most, if not all of these restaurants are either connected to other restaurants, chefs or restaurant groups.  This goes to show you how difficult opening and maintaining a restaurant is without a boatload of money behind you. The everyday guy wanting to open his first restaurant is working with horrifying statistics.  According to a frequently cited study by Ohio State University on failed restaurants, 60% do not make it past the first year, and 80% go under in five years.  Click HERE to read the entire article.

Jewish Delis

[caption id="attachment_1251" align="alignnone" width="300"] Reuben at Michael's Deli[/caption]

There is just something comforting about a Jewish Deli on a cold winter’s day.  Whether you go for breakfast or lunch, you are sure to leave with a full belly and a smile on your face.  Now we aren’t known for our Jewish Delis here in Boston, but we do have some old standbys and some new players on the field.

Marmaleh’s, Cambridge

This is definitely an amped-up modern Jewish Deli.  It has an industrial upscale vibe and the lines are generally long to get in.  Click here to read entire article.

Cheap Eats in and Around Boston

[caption id="attachment_1272" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sizzling Dry Spicy Chicken at Sizzling Kitchen, Lowell[/caption]

This time of year after getting your credit card bills from the holidays you might be looking for cheap eats in and around Boston. Not only is this good for your wallet but it can also be a food adventure because lots of cheap eat places are going to be ethnic.  For the most part, this means you will get authentic home cooked meals that are fresh and delicious and won’t be something you routinely eat.  We love food adventures.  Here are some of our favorite Cheap eats: Click HERE to read entire article.

One Seaport Place

[caption id="attachment_1276" align="alignnone" width="300"] One Seaport Place[/caption]

The newest hot-spot in Boston for food and entertainment, One Seaport Place

If you haven’t been in the Seaport Area lately, you would probably be hard pressed to recognize it.  Offices, condominiums, retail stores and restaurants are springing up all the time in Seaport, and this combined with its convenient location close to Downtown, right off the highway, make it one of the most desirable parts of the city.

Today we are going to focus on one of the areas of the Seaport called One Seaport.  It is comprised of two city blocks, situated on three acres of the land in the heart of the Seaport neighborhood.  Read entire article here

Best things we ate in 2017.

[caption id="attachment_804" align="alignnone" width="300"] Boston Cream Donut, Half Baked Cafe in Beverly Farms[/caption]

We had many unique and delicious dishes this year and it was hard to just pick out a few.  In addition to the delicious food we have had, we have met some really wonderful people who take great pride in doing a great job.

Sashimi

Fish Market Sushi Bar

One of the best sashimi we had was the Avocado ball, a dish they are known for.  It is filled with assorted fresh sashimi and tobiko, wrapped in a generous amount of avocado slices and topped with a lemon mayonnaise.   It was delightful.  We took the recommendations of owner/Chef Jack Poon and tried many delicious items.  Read entire article HERE

Ten Great Places to get Buffalo Wings in Boston and North

 

While the annual rumors that we’re running out of wings simply aren’t true, wings have indeed become the most expensive part of the chicken due to their popularity when fried and covered in buffalo sauce.  Few of us realize, though, that less than 50 years ago, wings were considered one of the least desirable cuts of the chicken, a throwaway part often cooked into stock.

 

Frank and Teressa Bellissimo, who founded the Anchor bar in Buffalo, NY in 1939, have said that the invention involved a mistake.  Chicken wings were delivered, instead of necks, which the family typically used when cooking up spaghetti sauce. To avoid wasting the wings, Frank asked Teressa to concoct a bar appetizer; the result was the wing we know today.

Teressa cut each wing in half to produce a “drumstick” and a “flat,” that she deep-fried without breading and covered them in a hot sauce.  She served them with celery (from the house antipasto) and blue cheese salad dressing. They became popular within weeks throughout the city, where they were (and are still) simply called “wings” or “chicken wings.”