Eat and Destroy

First, sorry for the crappy phone pictures, but I left my camera at home. M came to the rescue and let me use the camera on her phone.

On Saturday night, PK and I met up with a few friends at the alchemist. We started off at the bar. Immediately, I was impressed with their cocktail menu (since they are a bit more inventive than other places), but the tastiness of the drinks was hit or miss. Even though I was pleased that the drinks had more alcohol than they should have, it seems that not all the bartenders can make a good drink by eyeing the amount of ingredients they use.

Our meal started right with some of the best pre-dinner foccacia bread that I have ever had. However, the appetizer that PK and I shared, Fried Risotto Cake with mussels, clams, and small pieces of chorizo in a saffron broth ($10) was just mediocre. While the presentation was great, it really had little flavor. (Others who have eaten there on other nights disagree and really like this dish.)

Our main courses were all much better than the appetizer. I was in the mood for something simple so I had the open faced steak sandwich with fried hot peppers ($12) which was good. PK had the Baked Penne ($12) which she really liked. Since I like my food to have a lot of spice, I found it to be a bit bland (preferring Zon’s Mac Daddy). N had one of the flatbreads ($7-$12) which he really enjoyed. M & Tio both had the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($9) which was mediocre since it needs some spice so that it goes a step beyond a generic BBQ sauce.

The hostess and our waitress were fantastic. When one of our friends, M, stated, when ordering, that she was allergic to dairy (and ordered the one flatbread that did not have cheese listed as an ingredient), the waitress was apologetic when the flatbread arrived with cheese and rushed to bring out a different dish for her (and she took both the dishes off the bill). I know that this should be a common practice, but, lately, it seems that most restaurants of a comparable price range barely seem apologetic when they do make an error.

Verdict: I think that with little improvement, the Alchemist will become a great addition to the few non-pub restaurants in JP where you get a good meal and a drink for under $15.

Comfort Food, Jamaica Plain, Pub, Uncategorized

PK and I just got back from a long weekend in Amherst, NH.  We spent most of our time in the cabin by the fire, reading, cooking our own meals, and playing games. However, we did go to two restaurants (owned by the same people). On our way to the cabin, we shared a couple appetizers at Camp in Meredith, NH. The decoration there is a bit corny, but that did not take away from the quality of their comfort food.  We shared an order of their Stack o’ Rings ($5.99) and Walk in the Woods (asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and cheese sauteed and served in a cast iron pan with pita; $5.99). Both were really tasty, but the size of the onion rings was just frightening.  We could only make it through two each and our stomachs felt like they were in fryolator hell for a couple hours after the meal.

A few days later, we drove to the underwhelming town of Lincoln, NH and had dinner at the Common Man. We shared an order of Butternut Ravioli ($5.99) which was good. PK had the Pork Tenderloin ($14.99) and I had the Baked Macaroni & Cheese ($11.99).  Her dish was terrific. There was nothing special about my meal, but it was the best traditional Mac & Cheese that I have ever had (but does not come close close to Zon’s Mac Daddy).

Verdict: Even though I am not a big fan of comfort food and I despise chain type restaurants, I would recommend both the Common Man and Camp. If anyone knows of any other places that I should try in this area of New Hampshire, please let me know. The one thing that I hate about both restaurants is their bathrooms.  For some reason, they think that it is a good idea to pipe in a looped recording of a woman’s voice making bad jokes and promoting their other restaurants.  Next time I go to one of these places, I will be tempted to relieve myself in the parking lot or on the side of the restaurant in order to avoid that annoying recording.

Comfort Food, Lincoln-NH, Meredith-NH

Last Friday, PK came home from work in a crappy mood so we started the evening off with a few Ankle Breakers (1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1 oz. cherry brandy, and 1/2 oz simple syrup). Soon she was feeling much better and it was time to get something to eat. She suggested Zon’s. I had not been there since they first opened so I was up for it. However, on the way there we decided to meet some friends for drinks at the Behan. After a Newcastle each ($4.00), we headed to Zon’s. As soon as we sat down, our friend Scott appeared and took a seat with us. We started off with a Zon’s Brew each ($4) which was an okay beer. And, even though I am not really into Mac & Cheese, the Mac Daddy ($15) sounded really good. (It’s a mac & cheese with Italian sausage.) It was great; however, the ankle breakers from earlier might have had an influence on my opinion. PK ordered the Tilton Stilton ($13) which we both agree now takes Grumpy White’s place as having our favorite burger in the Boston area (and should be added to the Bossa Nova’s Great Hamburger Tour). Scott had the Butternut Squash Soup ($8) which was just okay in my opinion, but I am biased since I am not a big fan of squash.

Verdict: I always complain that the majority of nice (i.e., not cheap) restaurants in Jamaica Plain have inferior quality food for the price than can be found elsewhere in Boston, but Zon’s is definitely an exception and I am looking forward to eating there again soon.

Comfort Food, Jamaica Plain