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Saturday in Newburyport

December 19, 2011 in Food, Restaurants, Travel, wine by traveleatlove | 8 comments

The past few weekends have been quite busy! First, we were in Ireland for two weekends in a row, then traveled to Stowe, and this past Saturday, we made the short trip to Newburyport, expecting one of our favorite New England towns to be decked out for Christmas.

I love visiting Newburyport year-round. We enjoy drinks at The Black Cow in the summer, overlooking the bustling harbor, and absolutely adore 10 Center any time of year. On this visit we decided to visit Ceia Kitchen + Bar after I received some information about the restaurant from their PR agency.

We arrived in Newburyport pretty hungry and decided to head straight to Ceia to warm up and fill up.

I loved the wine bar ambiance. It reminded me of a wine bar in Europe, and I really wish there were more places like this to leisurely sip wine in Boston.

Since we were having a date day before the rush of the holidays, I decided to start with a glass of Henriot Champagne while my husband went for the Tempranillo. I absolutely loved Ceia’s stemware. Check out this pretty glass.

We were also offered water, tap or bottled, and went for tap as it’s usually just fine.

Here’s where there was a little problem. Our water tasted like it was rainwater collected from a basement floor. You could smell the dank, mildew-like odor from a few inches away. Why we decided to take a sip is beyond me, but I had to spit it back into my glass. It was bad.

We politely asked for another bottle of water, and our server informed us that Newburyport water is just really bad. I’ve had tap water in Newburyport before at four or five other restaurants, and it was never anything like this. I wish she had smelled or tasted it herself because it had to be worse than usual. If the water is indeed that bad at Ceia, they might want to put a disclaimer on it. We could literally still taste it hours later and did not feel well.

We moved on from the foul water to order lunch, a BLT for him and a salad for me. Served on soft, warm focaccia, the BLT was delicious. I loved the thin sweet potato chips that came alongside the sandwich. It was on the small side but definitely included quality ingredients.

My salad: Beet- Arugula, Pear Tomato, Cabrales Blue, Truffle Vinaigrette

Where are the beets? Sad smile It turns out that they were under the arugula, three very thin slices of beet that definitely did not even make up a whole beet. I didn’t taste any truffle vinaigrette either. The Cabrales Blue was salty, nutty, and flavored the arugula and tomatoes well, but overall I was a little disappointed. Beet salads are usually enough to fill me up, and I left lunch hungry.

Ceia has won a ton of awards, and I would give it another shot based on that and the fact that we only had lunch. I would be sure to order more food next time as portions are small, even for a small portion eater like me. I would definitely come back to have a glass of wine from their great wine list at the wine bar.

Our wanderings around Newburyport brought us to the cute kitchen store and café, Soufflés. Being as chilly as we were, we decided to share a large gingerbread latte for a bit of dessert.

It was just the thing as we wandered toward the chilly waterfront. What a gorgeous sky!

We wandered a little more, taking in the holiday decorations in this adorable town before seeking out our final stop.

Though I am not a huge sweets lover, since my marathon training started, I have been craving cupcakes and cookies. I knew Newburyport had quite a few bakeries, but I confirmed with Megan that Eat Cake! was the place to be when it came to cupcakes. My husband initially thought he put the address of Eat Cake! into the GPS. It turns out, the GPS was sending us to the location we were at, so we walked around the same block a few times before realizing the bakery was a few weeks over. Oops.

It turned out the website did not have the accurate listing of cupcakes of the day, so there were no cupcakes with lemon curd buttercream as I had hoped. Instead we got a raspberry-filled cupcake with white chocolate buttercream (I think?) and one with a coffee/Bailey’s buttercream. I proclaimed the rest of the day the Pop! Marketing Communications holiday party for two.

The raspberry-filled cupcake was amazing, soft, moist, with a perfect buttercream. The other cupcake, which we saved to eat second, was sadly VERY dry and dense. The flavors were good, but the texture made it seem a few days old. My cupcake craving lives on. . .

Newburyport is always a great place to visit with a number of restaurants, cafes, and bakeries to satisfy just about every taste. We visit about every two months, and it is always nice to be there during the holiday season!

Stay tuned this week for a post on holiday bubbly, a recap of the Pop! Marketing Communications tapas dinner, some Boston restaurant posts, and more.

What did you do this weekend? Eat anything delicious?

Technorati Tags: Cupcakes, Food, Lunch, New England, Newburyport, Travel, wine

Tags: Cupcakes, Food, Lunch, New England, Newburyport, Travel, wine

The Burren and Kinvara

December 7, 2011 in Food, Travel by traveleatlove | 14 comments

Of the nine days we recently spent in Ireland, it rained for about eight-and-a-half. I’m not talking a sprinkle or a drizzle or gray skies, I am talking full-blown sideways downpours, skies that make it look like night time all day long, and winds that can (and did!) literally knock me over. As a result, we spent much of our recent holiday sitting by the fire at home or in a pub or ten. Spend a few days in truly miserable Irish weather, and you will learn to appreciate the relaxation and fun a good pub brings, not to mention the warmth a drink or two impart.

Initially we planned on this trip being big on hiking in Connemara, including a visit to my father-in-law’s childhood home, which is accessible only on foot. Day-after-day was too cloudy, windy, and rainy to do so. The mountains literally disappear into the clouds, and no one would ever find us out there. And the rain turns fields into lakes, trails into rivers.

On the one lucky day that was fully enveloped in cozy Irish sun, it was warm enough to wear just a fleece, and we headed to The Burren, an area not far from Galway, to walk up Abbey Hill.

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Burren means great rock in Irish. I have also heard that it means “rocky place”. Either is accurate, as it is a place covered with limestone and has the unusual characteristic of supporting plants from the arctic, Mediterranean, and alpine all at once. Formed by the existence and passing of glaciers, the limestone, once at the bottom of the sea, is formed in layers and rich in fossils. The Burren is home to many rare species of plants, and because of its mild climate has one of the longest growing seasons in Ireland. Encompassing 250 square kilometers, The Burren is also home to some great traditional Irish music, particularly in the town of Doolin.

The hill we climbed didn’t look bad from the base. I snapped a bunch of shots overlooking Galway Bay, we surveyed the paths going up, and we were off.

While the incline and distance don’t pose a problem to a somewhat fit person, the rocky landscape makes it an adventure. Sitting here for thousands of years, many of the rocks can’t be moved, while others only need the front of the foot to break or wobble, sending the hiker flying. My father-in-law is as sure-footed as the sheep he grew up raising in similarly rocky mountains, and he scrambled up the hill far ahead of us, somehow knowing, though most everything looked the same to me, where the safest and surest path was.

Every so often we stopped to take in the views, assess the path ahead, and of course to pose for photos.

There was no rest for my father-in-law, who easily beat us almost to the top. Talk about feeling out of shape!

Being the kind gentleman he is, he actually stopped about 20 feet short of the rocky summit to let me get there first.

The reward for our troubles was spectacular. The trip down was terrifying. Those wobbly rocks that don’t seem too bad when you are leaning up the mountain are another story when gravity is pulling you down. Luckily, we arrived at the bottom unscathed and happy from all of that perfect, fresh air.

All of that hiking built up quite the appetite and thirst, so we headed to the tiny seaside village of Kinvara for a bit of lunch at the PierHead. Kinvara is one of my favorite places to visit on a sunny day. The blues and greens are astonishingly beautiful, and it’s fun to look at all of the boats.

A sunny day in Ireland, though rare, really is like no other.

Since the West of Ireland is known for its seafood, I went with the prawn salad for lunch. There’s one thing you need know about salads in many Irish restaurants. If the menu says salad, there’s a very good chance it will be coated in a heavy, mayonnaise-based sauce or dressing. When I studied abroad, I ordered the salad plate for my first dinner out, and I received a green salad, tossed in mayo, a potato salad, tossed in mayo, and you guessed it, cole slaw, tossed in mayo!

My salad at the PierHead was a traditional Marie Rose style shrimp cocktail, which I love. It was heavy on the Marie Rose sauce (which is similar to Thousand Island dressing), but it was also atop a crunchy bed of bell peppers, onions, carrots, and lettuce. The best way to eat it? Slather a slice of brown bread with the sauce and top with prawns. Eat the salad separately.

And of course quench that thirst and wash down lunch with yet another pint of Guinness!

One of my favorite parts of visiting Ireland is (when weather allows) spending a ton of time outside walking, hiking, or running, then kicking back by a fire with a nice drink, sleepy and happy. On this particular day, we ended the night at one of Galway’s best pubs for traditional music, The Crane. It was the perfect day in Ireland.

What’s your idea of a perfect vacation day?

Technorati Tags: Food, hiking, Ireland, Kinvara, Lunch, The Burren, Travel

Tags: Food, hiking, Ireland, Kinvara, Lunch, The Burren, Travel

Ard Bia at Nimmo’s

December 5, 2011 in Food, Travel, wine by traveleatlove | 9 comments

The food and wine scene in Ireland has grown in leaps and bounds over the past couple of decades. Once known for a culture of overly-boiled vegetables and meats, Irish restaurants have garnered quite a bit of buzz for their creative fare made with local, seasonal ingredients, and inspired by the many cultural influences that have shaped the country.

One restaurant in Galway that truly speaks to the city’s bohemian leanings, artistic cooking, and access to farms and fishermen, while maintaining some historical and cultural significance is Ard Bia at Nimmo’s, proud winners of many Bridgestone and other awards and is part of Slow Food Ireland.

To access Ard Bia, one must pass through the Spanish Arch, an extension of the city walls, built in 1584.

Ard Bia is located along the Long Walk, which follows along the River Corrib where it meets the sea. The restaurant is literally feet from the mouth of the rushing river. If you are lucky enough to get a river-facing seat, you will be looking straight down into the water and across at The Claddagh, the village in which the famed ring originates.

Ard Bia is in a stone building with thick walls, narrow windows, its slightly menacing appearance brightened with splashes of red and colorful glass.

Inside is quite the reverse from the stone exterior. A café and bakery area exude warmth, while a friendly staff makes you feel right at home. Mismatched wooden tables, dripping candelabras, and beams of natural light make Ard Bia the perfect place for a leisurely lunch and a glass of wine. At night time, candlelit dinners create a cozy escape from the often tumultuous outside weather. This is the most romantic place to dine in a storm! And if you are lucky to catch good weather, an ideal place to watch the famous Galway Bay sunset.

On this particular day, we were sort of between lunch and breakfast, and we decided to go with both. My husband had a giant, fresh scone with homemade Ard Bia jam, a strong coffee. . . and a glass of Rosé from Catalunya. Quite the pairing! He said that the Rosé did pair well with the fruity jam on the scone, and who I am to judge. If you like it, it’s good!

I opted to start with one of Ard Bia’s freshly made juices, ginger, carrot, and apple. Still feeling tired from the flight and sluggish from a day of Thanksgiving eating, it was nice to get a burst of juicy nutrients. I chased my juice with a glass of Nero d’Avola, a beautiful Sicilian wine that warmed me up nicely on the brisk day.

My lunch was simple perfection, a bowl of roasted red pepper and tomato soup served with hearty brown bread and butter. For me, one slice for breaking up and tossing into the soup and one slice for eating slathered with Irish butter. Vegetable soups are featured on nearly every menu in Ireland, and they usually tend to be delicious and to hit the spot. Ireland’s weather, while it tends not to get as cold as the Northeast, is raw and makes it impossible to warm up. Hot soup, tea, whiskey, and wine all help.

Ard Bia translates to fine food in English, and while we didn’t experience some of their more creative dishes on this visit, we have eaten dinner here in the past. Local dishes, especially anything seafood based, are sure to please, and draw in tourists and locals alike.

Technorati Tags: Food, Galway, Ireland, Lunch, Restaurants, scones, wine