Union Bar and Grill

The Union Bar & Grill, located on Washington Street in Boston's south end, is an upscale brunch spot in a land of brunch spots. The decor is classy and the staff is dressed accordingly. The space is large and the table layout optimizes the space.
We all got drinks that were good. H got a pimossa which is a mimosa made with pomergranite juice. It was very good. I got the wake up call which is an odd concoction of liquors, esspreso, and juices. When it came out I was taken aback because I thought it was a coffee drink, but it is a martini with a rusty orange color. Once the surprise wore off, I enjoyed the drink.
For food H got the cod cakes. The cod cakes are a twist on eggs benedict where the English muffin and Canadian bacon is replaced by lightly breaded cod cakes. H found them interesting and tastey. I got an omlette instead of my usual steak and eggs. I immediately regretted the decision, but not because the omlette was bad. I just don't like omlettes much. Fortunately, this omlette was very good and made my bad choice bearable.
The prices were in the high range, but the Union earns them. The entire experience was high class.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

On our way home from RI Sunday H and I stopped at the new Five Guys Burgers & Fries place in Norwood. The chain is well known as a premium burger joint with good prices and fast service.
They score well on both counts. The burgers are tastey and huge. The small is a "normal" size burger. My large was a double decker. The large Cajun fries were enough for a family of four.
The gamut of burger toppings are available. I got jalapenos, cheese, and BBQ sauce.
The burgers were better than average but not great. I personally like the burgers at Wild Willy's in Watertown better. The Cajun fries were also above average. One nice thing is that all of the ingredients are fresh. The fries are cut each day and the meat is never frozen.
Our meal came in at around $20 with two drinks. While not cheap, the price is good for the quality of the food.
The only part of the experience I found lacking was the atmosphere. Most McDonalds have more charm than Five Guys. The food comes in a brown bag perfect for take out. Unless you enjoy eating at formica tables in uncomfortable chairs, I'd take the hint. Eat the burgers at home or in the comfort of your car.

Epoch

Tonight we ate at a little place in Exeter, NH called Epoch. For a change of pace we tried the tasting menu: six small courses.
The first course was oysters with caviar. I'm not a big fan of shell dish, but the dish was pleasant. I wouldn't get it again, but I didn't dislike it.
The second course was a beet salad with a hazelnut dressing. It was sweet and earthy.
The third course was a lightly seared tuna. This was my favorite course. The tuna was perfectly cooked.
The fourth course was duck two ways over a butternut squash purée. The. seared duck breast was pleasent. The fois gras was fine for fois gras. The purée was excellent.
The fifth course was a lovely cheese and cracker course. The accompanying wine was a white port. The wine was a subtle desert wine.
We finished the night with a squash cake and Ginger ice cream. It was a perfect end to the meal.
The price was not too bad at $65 per person for the food and $35 per person for the wine.
The waitstaff was attentive without being over bearing. They did an excellent job pairing the wines with the course and describing each course.
The night was fun. We felt like Top Chef judges.

Za

H and I stopped into a little pizza and salad place on Mass Ave. in Arlington. It is called Za and is located next to the Arlington Diner. They are a high end pizza place that uses a lot of locally sourced ingredients and a lot of organic ingredients. They have an eclectic selection of salads that range from a fancy wedge salad to a greek salad on a bed of potato salad. The also have an interesting selection of specialty pizza.
I had the wedge salad and a simple bacon and jalepeno pizza. The salad came with crumbled blue cheese, carrots, and a nice dressing. The pizza was a greek style pizza and was cooked to perfection. The most interesting part of the pizza was the jalepenos. They were bread and butter pickled. They had an initial sweetness and ended with a hot kick.
H had the greek salad and portabella and goat cheese pizza. She enjoyed it.
It is one more excellent option for pizza.

Bear Rock Cafe in Reading

Bear Rock Cafe is a Panera Bread alternative. It offers "artisan" sandwiches at a decent price and with relative speed. It also offers free wi-fi.
I had a jerk chicken sandwich on a sourdough roll. It was passable to eat, but the presentation was lacking. The roll overwhelmed the sandwich and was a little stale. The sandwich swam on the vanilla styrofoam plate. H's salad looked nicer and according to her it was good. The salad also arrived on a vanilla styrofoam plate.
I found it to be a poor alternative to Panera. The prices were marginally better, but the food was not on the same level.

Lafamiglia Giorgio

Located at the top of Salem St. on Boston's North End, this Italian eatery is quaint and tastey. The décor is typical of most resturants in the North End-small but cozy. The food, the real reason to eat out, is excellent. I got a pasta dish with spicy sausage and whole wheat pasta. The serving size was large but managable. Prices are reasonable for the area. Most main courses are in the $20 range.
As a side note: We waited for our table across the road at Bacco. We enjoyed Gingertinis. Despite the trendy name and the crazy price, the drinks were lovely. The ginger masks the alcohol with out burrying in Fabreeze. They are worth the price.

Like Greek food?

It had been a very long while since I had seen any of the movie group clan so tried to corral people for dinner. I managed to meet up with a few of the group on Friday night. I was kind of craving Greek food but had bit of a challenge finding a place that was near a T stop in Cambridge that wasn't too pricey. I managed to discover Greek Corner II which is actually a mini knockoff of the Greek Corner Restaurant in Porter Square. The place was small - looks like it caters more to the take out crowd - but it met my needs. The food was basic but yummy (I had souvlaki) and the price was right. I would definitely recommend this place for take out or if you want a quick bite. But if you want a bit more atmosphere for during your dinner, would suggest you look elsewhere. However, the best part of the night was spending some time catching up with a few friends who I hadn't seen a while.

Places to Eat in VA

Last week H and I traveled to Colonial Williamsburg for a vacation. I expected that we'd find loads of great places to eat, but was a little disappointed. Most of the places we found were OK, but not great.
There were, however, a few that stood out:
The Blue Talon Bistro in Williamsburg is one of the best places I have ever eaten. It is located on the outskirts of the historic district and looks pretty regular from the outside. Inside, the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed. The wait staff was attentive without being in your face. We ate at the Blue Talon twice. The first time we stopped for a late dessert and coffee. The desserts were the perfect size - enough to be filling but not overwhelming. I got a chocolate torte with banana ice cream. The chocolate was lush and bitter. The banana ice cream added a nice balance. I could have done without the sauce added as a garnish, but it was subtle enough to not detract from the dish. The coffee was served in a French press and was also excellent. The following day we went for dinner. The dinner menu is small and interesting. I ordered the Mac & Cheese. As with the desserts, the portion size was ideal. The mac and cheese was superb. The pasta was just a tad al dente. The cheese was flavorful and creamy. The side of asparagus was perfectly steamed and peppered. They were firm with just a bit of bite.
Aromas, across the street from the Blue Talon, was also very good. The iced coffee was a little watery, but the other drinks were fine. They serve a diverse menu of food. I got a salad with chicken that was quite nice. H ordered a scallop dish that she enjoyed. Aromas is always busy and full of college kids.
Pierce's Pit, also in Williamsburg, is a great BBQ joint. It looks like a dive and is off the beaten path, but is worth finding.
The last find is a coffee place in Mechanicsville. We were on the drive down to Williamsburg I was jonesing for a coffee, so H fired up the GPS and located Coffee Lane Cafe in Mechanicsville, VA. The store was closing in 30 minutes and we were about 30 minutes away. We arrived with minutes to spare and the staff was cheery and made us great drinks. It was so good we stopped on the way home also. This time the owner and a jolly assistant helped us out. I got a non-fat, sugar-free caramel latte that was most excellent.

Eastern Standard

The group did an early dinner at Eastern Standard this weekend. After taking a cocktail class with the bartender, Joe and Mistress Hopington renewed the groups desire to attend this trendy downtown enclave of the "cafe class." Earlier attempts were frustrated by poor planning and lack of reservations. Only the tres chique get seats without reservations.
The atmosphere was excellent with bright, but subtle lighting, dark woods offset by white linens, and well appointed wait staff. Our waiter was charming, informed, and attentive without being too attentive. The presentation of the food and drink was pleasant.
All was not perfect however. The cocktail menu, while full of clever names and descriptions, was devoid of useful content. The waiter spent many minutes explaining what was in the drinks.
The drinks, once we figured out what was in them, were good.
The food was OK. I got the short rib entre and it was superb. The meat was juicy and melted in my mouth. I could have done without the grits, but if you like that sort of thing... Most of the others reported that the food was good, but not great.
Given the price, Eastern Standard is a disappointing dinner venue. For cocktails, it is great.

Lucky's

It must be pretty lucky if it hasn't gone out of business yet. A restaurant in the basement of a warehouse in the middle of an unpopulated part of town that does not have a sign must be pretty spectacular if it can survive year after year. Right?
Not Lucky's. It is good, but not great. The service was above average, the food decent, the atmosphere forgettable, and the prices steep.
Luckily the quality of the company makes just about any locale fun.