Restaurants

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88 Wharf

May 9, 2012 in Food, Restaurants by traveleatlove | 10 comments

It may be Wednesday, but I am still thinking about an amazing weekend spent with my husband, eating, relaxing, getting massages, and running errands. Friday night wine and pizza with friends was the perfect way to get into weekend relaxation mode, and Saturday was a day just for us.

We got a late start; I did some work and blogging while he caught up on sleep, and then it was off to West Marine to pick up some boat stuff before a visit to the Hingham Shipyard, one of those places we keep ending up at. It’s a great place to wander around, and I have to admit, we are both pretty much obsessed with checking out boats. I was also really excited to see island roses in bloom. Gorgeous.

We had a quick late lunch at Wahlburger’s (no Donnie or Mark sightings, unfortunately!) and then headed off to Elements for blissful massages.

A post-marathon massage was just what the doctor ordered, and once we were nice and relaxed, we headed to Milton for an early dinner at 88 Wharf. We were both really excited to check out 88 Wharf as it is right on the river and offers some very pretty views.

We arrived at lowest tide, hence all of the mud. As we ate, we watched the water creep back in.

88 Wharf has a great patio space overlooking the river, but it was a chilly night, and we opted to sit inside. I definitely want to visit again to dine on the patio. The one downside of 88 Wharf, to us, was the interior décor. We found it to be a little corporate and cold, lacking character for a restaurant with such nice views. That was our only complaint.

The cocktail list was a challenge; there were too many cocktails I wanted to try. I decided to go with the Blood Orange Cosmo, and it was tart and refreshing.

We skipped appetizers and went straight to dinner. I try not to order chicken when we go out because I can make it so easily at home, but this one was stuffed with Italian kale and soppresatta, resting on a parsnip puree, and served with a mustard jus. I pretty much wanted to lick the plate at the end of my meal. I am obsessed with kale lately and try to eat it whenever I can. I started eating a lot of it leading up to the marathon, and I swear it made me more energetic.

The chicken was really tender, and the stuffing was amazing. The parsnip puree was perfectly creamy; I am sure it was not fat-free, but it was a fun way to eat this root veggie. And the mustard jus just added tons of flavor to everything.

My husband had the flatiron steak and ate every bite of it. We agreed that 88 Wharf’s chef is doing everything right.

After dinner we took a little stroll along the water and then made an early night of it by heading home to watch a movie.

We love exploring Dorchester’s neighboring towns, and Milton is definitely adorable. And speaking of adorable, I know not everyone is a cat-lover, but here’s a little Scout cuteness for you.

Yes, I did put a plastic box on our dining chairs so she can get a better view out of the skylight.

It’s nice to be recapping my weekend with another one just a couple of days away! How is your week going?

Technorati Tags: Dining out, Food, Milton, Restaurants

Tags: Dining out, Food, Milton, Restaurants

Luxury Dining At Bond

May 7, 2012 in Cocktails, events, Food, Restaurants by traveleatlove | 9 comments

Last Wednesday evening I attended a media dinner at Bond at The Langham Hotel in Boston. I’ve been to The Langham many times for their chocolate bar in addition to attending a Boston Brunchers brunch there and a media preview of brunch and the chocolate bar, but I had never even stepped inside Bond.

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

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

So Much Chocolate

April 27, 2012 in events, Food by traveleatlove | 12 comments

Chocolate Madness 2012 was an event that I will not soon forget. It was full of sweet delights, delicious appetizers, fun with friends, and all for a good cause. Chocolate Madness is an event that raises money for NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts and helps NARAL to further its mission of being able to develop and sustain a grassroots constituency that uses the political process to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices.

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. Winking smile

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