The patio features a fire pit, stone walls, overhead covers to make it a little les sunny, and even fleece blankets for chilly nights. Before dinner, I enjoyed a delicious sour cherry cocktail. Ashmont Grill always has fun and creative cocktails on the menu. It’s definitely a good place to go if you are looking for a drink.

To start, we shared a plate of the messy Trainwreck Fries. They’re basically smothered in cheese, bacon, sour cream, and jalapenos.

My husband ordered a wedge salad, which we ended up also sharing because it was amazing. Oven roasted tomatoes and lardons really make this salad special. The flavor in the tomatoes was incredible.

I had the Truffled English Pea Arancini, hearty balls of risotto with mushrooms and a tomato dipping sauce. Alongside that I had a bowl of lobster chowder which was delicious, but I was stuffed at this point.

We spent a good deal of time just relaxing after our meal and enjoying the cool evening. It was a perfect night for patio dining and a great way to kick off a fun weekend.

Other favorite Boston patios? Interestingly, Dorchester has a few. dbar has a gorgeous outdoor oasis, and The Ledge does as well. Sam’s at Louis one of my favorites in all of Boston. And of course, the roof deck at Legal’s Harborside is a great place for cocktails and bar bites, and I like the Legal Seafoods outdoor space in Harvard Square too.

Do you have a favorite restaurant patio in Boston or another city?

Technorati Tags: Ashmont Grill, Boston, cocktails, dinner, Dorchester, Food

It was all worth it. Ceol na Mara is back in the water for the 2012 boating season. On Saturday we went down to the winter storage dock to pick her up and drive her back to the Dorchester Yacht Club.

It was a lovely weekend on the water, on our boat and on a friend’s boat.

Each day, we promised we would get home early to get things done around the house.

But somehow we couldn’t leave this behind.

So we stayed  a little bit longer. We’ve waited for this weekend for what seemed like an eternity, and it was so good to have our favorite pastime back.

Also back was a sandwich I left on the boat, unrefrigerated, by accident in October. This veggie and hummus wrap from Shaw’s was still in perfect condition and didn’t smell. We are still marveling over it. How can that be?!

More importantly, is it bed time yet? I can barely keep my eyes open!

How was your weekend?

Technorati Tags: boating, Boston

Wow.

My photos are all awful (I will learn to take a good photo someday!), but Bond is gorgeous.  High ceilings, chandeliers, leather chairs, a stunning bar, and jazz music on Wednesdays all add to the swanky feel of the lounge.

A creative cocktail list features cocktails all named within a financial theme; it makes sense since the building was once the Federal Reserve Bank.

Since it was almost Derby Day, I had the Derby Debt, Bond’s version of the mint julep. It was delicious. . . and strong! Then the food started coming. I loved almost everything, and though I left before dessert (To get a ride home, I will always skip dessert if it means avoiding the MBTA!), I left stuffed.

{Vietnamese Fresh Rolls – Shrimp, Chicken, and Spicy Peanut Sauce}

Delicate and flavorful, these were a healthy, fresh way to start.

{Stracchino Cheese and Heirloom Tomatoes – Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic}

Surprise! These tomatoes were stuffed with a creamy cheese. I am definitely stealing this idea for summer.

{Crispy Point Judith Calamari – Sweet Chili, Black Sesame, and Cilantro}

This was definitely a favorite. The fried, but not greasy, calamari was spicy and sweet. It was a great twist on a New England classic.

{Grilled Baby Corn with Esplette – Cotija Cheese, Aioli, Lime}

This was my least favorite dish of the night. It probably would have been delicious with real-sized corn; I just didn’t love the flavor of the baby corn.

{Sweet Soy and Ginger Chicken Wings}

These were sticky, sweet, and amazing. They reminded me a little of my mom’s BBQ chicken, but the presentation definitely fit the upscale lounge feel. The bone “handle” on each was perfectly clean which meant no sticky fingers as we ate the tender chicken.

{Lobster and Chorizo Quesadilla – Queso Blanco and Sweet Corn}

You really can’t go wrong with smoky chorizo and perfectly cooked sweet lobster. Again, an upscale twist on a favorite type of food. I liked that the rolled up quesadillas were easy to eat and less messy than the regular version.

{Flat Bread Pizza – Great Hill Blue, Grilled Stone Fruit, Pancetta, and Arugula}

I was almost too full to try this pizza, but it was one of the things we were looking forward to. I love blue cheese, fruit, and arugula, and adding them to a pizza with pancetta, well it was incredible. Salty, sweet, and gooey; I love that Bond’s menu really seems to be about flavorful contrasts and twists on comfort fare that fit really well into the atmosphere.

Before I left, I took a quick trip up to the Dom Perignon lounge, which sits above the dining rooms, looking out over everyone. Dom Perignon in a private lounge? Now you’re talking!

Bond’s service was top notch, and my dining companions, Megan, Daisy, Lindsey, and Will, were fabulous. It was a great way to unwind after a very long Wednesday. As  I mentioned, they do have live music every Wednesday, making it feel a little like a weekend mid-week. Who doesn’t love that?

I enjoyed a complimentary dinner as a media guest of Bond. However, I was not required to write a post, and all opinions are my own.

Technorati Tags: blogger events, Bond, Boston, cocktails, dining, events, Food, hotels, Restaurants, The Langham

The event was held at the Cyclorama in the South End, an impressive space that has held a variety of events including Taste of the South End and Wine Riot.

I arrived early, per usual, checked in as a judge and was soon joined by Daisy, Rachel, and Elizabeth for the opening reception.

The reception appetizers were incredible. I was hungry, and Choice Catering put out a beautiful spread. There were little tartlets filled with cheese, pepper, and olives, cucumbers topped with hummus, shrimp salad wraps, chicken skewers and several other options. I am not kidding; I parked myself at that table.

Although I was invited to be a judge of the chocolate, I have to admit that I would take tuna tartare over a cupcake pretty much any day, any time. These gorgeous Caprese skewers were also a hit. I made something similar for my husband’s birthday last year, and they were a crowd pleaser, not to mention so easy.

This food was seriously good. Can you tell I liked it?

After the reception, it was time to do our duty as judges. I was at the Heavenly Homemade and Sublimely Sweet table.

Initially, I only saw the judging sheet for four items. I could do this, piece of cake.

I liked my first bite  (which ended up being a chocolate peanut butter roulade from Amanda’s Cakes and Things) so much that I ate the whole thing. It was a few bites in that I realized we had an additional four items to judge. Still, the roulade was amazing, especially the frosting, and it was worth being a little full for the rest of the judging.

My other favorite desserts included a peanut butter chocolate fudge brownie from Butter Girl Baking Co. and the chocolate carrot cupcake from Cares Bakery. What a fun combination!

In addition to the category we were judging, we also got to wander the event and taste some of the other amazing treats. Honestly, I was pretty full after judging, but I enjoyed looking at all of the creativity and deliciousness in the room.

And I nabbed one of these chocolate mousse parfaits from Union to go. It was divine.

I loved getting to see Robin from Doves and Figs. She makes great jam and here incorporated it into cupcakes.

I heard that over 600 chocolate lovers eventually attended the event. That’s a lot of chocolate and a lot of support for women’s rights which is pretty sweet.

And now I sign off for the weekend. It will be great to unplug a little, that’s for sure. We have some boat cleaning and waxing to do in preparation for the big launch back into the ocean, and I might try to get a massage. Mostly, I just don’t want to spend the weekend in front of a computer, iPad, phone, or anything else that connects me to the world. I need a break!

Have a great weekend!

Technorati Tags: Boston, cake, charity, chocolate, dessert, events, Restaurants