Estella First Anniversary Party

 Even Sen. Ed Markey was there to lead the Happy Birthday chorus at the recent Estella first year anniversary party.  We totally enjoyed the great food and craft cocktails at the only black-owned and operated club in the Downtown Crossing area.  We love the setup of this space, a lively bar scene on the street level, upstairs dining tables and a private club vibe on the lower level.  Congrats!

Prospero. Caliban. Ariel.

 

(l) John Douglas Thompson as Prospero and John Lam as Ariel.

It's my favorite Shakespeare play, The Bard's last work, mystical, whimsical and magical, a word I rarely use.  The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's new production of THE TEMPEST currently playing under the stars on Boston Common is a sheer summer delight you do not want to miss.

Like in the play itself, nature conspired and conjured up a respite of perfect weather for this classic tale on the night we attended.  How could one go wrong?  A stunning night in Boston, a quiet crowd munching on beautiful picnic spreads and all in anticipation of escaping this past year with friends and art-lovers of all ages and backgrounds.  And if that wasn't enough how about our friend John Lam, cast in his first dramatic role (he's principal dancer of The Boston Ballet) sprinkling that magic dust all over the stage?

Siobhan Juanita Brown as Gonzala.

 

We so loved this production that as we departed the Common we asked ourselves:  How lucky are we to be here?  Take your children.  All young people should be exposed to live theater even if they don't quite understand the synopsis.  It's not an overly lengthy play at about ninety minutes.  They'll love the costumes and the staging and the music.  Take the grandparents and the rest of your family and all your friends and all their friends, too.  We have already vowed that we will be back again with a new crew to experience it through their eyes.  There is nothing like it in Boston right now and we are sorely in need of it.  

We recommend that you do reserve space in advance as it is limited and the crowds can be large.  We sat in "the wings" but there really is not a bad spot for viewing.  (I walked around and checked).  A blanket and sumptuous picnics are allowed (no tables or large chairs) and we do suggest renting a beach chair in advance at a nominal fee of $10.00.  The production is free.  Bravo!

Nu Burger

 

If you're anything like us the one thing you've been dying for during this pandemic is a great burger.  Well we recently had one at Nu Burger, a pop-up burger outpost at Anoush’ella in the South End.  It was everything and more that satisfied the hunger for a juicy, meaty experience.

I went with the Pesto Basilico with fresh mozzarella, basil pesto, roasted tomato, lettuce and crispy pancetta.  Medium rare, dripping with flavor, fresh ingredients and a toasted brioche bun it was all we had been craving for.  We've had other burgers during this pandemic but nothing nearly as good as this.

My dining companion enjoyed the Umami Truffle with pecorino, truffles, fried egg, tomato, balsamic shallot, arugula and aioli and reported equally satisfying results.  "The best I've had in years," being the exact quote.  There are a few other varieties you can find on the menu and we both vowed to go back and try them, as well.  Why go anywhere else when you've had the best?

It's really quite difficult during these trying times to report on the vibe of a place or even an area with most places that were once thriving now literal ghost towns, shocking us with an eerie emptiness but we saw more people out and about in the South End than in other locations, all properly masked and practicing covid-19 etiquette.  And the steady stream of takeout orders was impressive.  Then again, good food will always be in demand.

Anoush’ella

35 West Newton Street

Boston MA 02118

Telephone:  857.265.3195

Socials:

@anoushellakitchen

@thebostonfoodie

@deano_iam

@theboysofTBF

111 East

We enjoyed the spectacular summer weather last weekend by spending some time in the Seaport District which was crowded with many people having the same idea.  We stopped in to 111 East, a new restaurant on Fan Pier for a few appetizers and a delicious Hot Pot dinner.

The Duck Egg Rolls, Soy Duck with Cilantro Lime Aioli, pictured above were excellent and described by my dining companion as the best egg rolls he has ever had.

The Rosé sangria, made with sake, passion fruit and strawberry, was not too bad either!  

The Crab Salad with King Crab, Crab Stick, Jicama, Jalapeño, Scallion, Wonton Chips, Spicy Aioli.  Also excellent.

Then, of course, was the Hot Pot.  We chose the Miso and Sczechuan broths.  It comes with a great selection of vegetables and we took the scallops and shrimp for proteins.

Extremely fresh scallops boiled in a few moments to perfection.  The shrimp was just as good.

Tiny bowls of Udon and Egg Noodles rounded out the dinner.  The broths, the condiemts and all of the ingredients were excellent quality.  Just superb.

The decor is artsy in this comfortable space with a crowd that ran the gamut from preppies and upper crust millenials to tourists and couples out on the town.   The Seaport District really does have a New York City kind of vibe.  Overall a great experience that we can't wait to try again.

111 East
11 Fan Pier Boulevard
Boston, MA  02210
Telephone:  617.443.4111

Socials:
@thebostonfoodie
@111eastsp

We were guests of the restaurant for this dinner with no promise of any editorial consideration.

Another Smashing Hendrick's Party

Bathtub gin, anyone?

We were recently invited to another grand Hendrick's Gin event to introduce two new products.  We just love the retro, quirky almost steam punk vibe of this brand and they always can be counted upon to present a showstopper of an unveiling.

You may remember a few years back when we spent part of our July 4th weekend soaring across Massachusetts in The Flying Cucumber like a couple of modern day Phileas Fogg's sipping gin at 8:00AM from engraved silver flasks.  Yeah, it's that kind of vibe.

Midsummer Solstice and Orbium are the new tastes to try.  The first has a more floral bouquet and taste.  Orbium, a limited edition product, is a throwback with that modern, fun flair that the curious gin company does so well.  It contains quinine and Blue Lotus Blossom.  And they both look as good as they taste.  

So, have some fun this summer with a dash of proper gin in your cocktail glass.  From Newport to Portland what could be more fashionable (and easy) than a gin and tonic made with these?

We were invited to this curious event as members of the press/media with no promise of any editorial consideration.

We Are Happy

It's hard to describe Happy Place, the new pop-up installation in Boston.  It's a warehouse on Boylston Street filled with fabricated photo-shoot sets just aching, even begging, for iPhones and Instagram opportunities. Yet, I have to admit, we enjoyed it.

This was a press preview and our goal was to head right to that flower room because it just looked so good in the previous pics we saw online.  It seemed still in the setup stage as last-minute shows will do and was missing the big spotlight standing in for glorious rays of sun but we made do.

We juggled balls on a tub, laughed a lot at the foolishness of it all and melted away from all the crap going on in this world today.  

The next day we found ourselves caught in a faux controversy and defending our delight.  It was slammed by a certain writer at a certain paper who seems to have missed the point that it's just a grownup version of Chuck E. Cheese, a mindless escape for the camera-ready.  Elvis and this new rock music will destroy society and all that.  Also, there is candy. And cookies.  And blueberry coffee.  And it's a cheaper ticket than Disneyworld.  Right here in Boston.  Cynics be damned.

This is the millenial equivalent of an amusement park.  Mobile technology is here to stay and the full documentation of every cute outfit, arugula leaf with carefully arranged drops of aged balsamic, rippling six packs and the purple light of summer sunsets in our neighborhoods or the snow in our backyards is never going to go away no matter how often we see it or lament the mediocrity of each carefully framed cliche.  We live in an age where everyone labors under the illusion that each is a celebrity and his or her opinion is quite brilliant, poignant even when misspelled, and actually matters to everyone.

Happy Place
500 Boylston Street
Boston

Wine Lunch At Moon Bar

 

 

Smoked Bluefish Pate at Moon Bar

 

We recently enjoyed an intimate group of food writers at a great wine lunch at Moon Bar in Park Square, on the first floor of Mooncusser Fish House.  What a gem! 

 



 

 

Lobster Bisque at Moon Bar.

 

Of course, it was seafood all throughout and all of it was excellent.  I was joking with dinner companions how after each dish was served we would then exclaim that that was actually our favorite.

 



 

The wines were also very well paired.  I particularly liked the Riesling, St. Urbans-Hof 'Nik Weis', Mosel 2015.  Delightful wine, well-balanced, not too sweet as some Rieslings can be.  Then there was the Cabernet-Franc, Couly-Dutheil, Chinon 2017.

 

Fish Tacos With Cabbage Slaw, Cilantro, Pickled Red Onion And Thoreau Sauce.

 

To reiterate, this was our favorite.  Really, though, the tempura has never been done better, light but crisp.

 



 

Smoked Mussel Toast With Pumpkin, Sage, Roasted Garlic Aioli On Sourdough Toast.

 

No, THIS was our favorite.  It may have not been the prettiest girl, or boy, at the prom but if one loves the taste of smoked foods then this is a standout winner.  Beautifully rich flavors layered on top of one another, the texture of that toast and all infused with that smoky essence. 

 





 

Swordfish Souvlaki With Garlic, Oregano, Lemon, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Chickpeas, Yogurt And Pita.

 

This was our favorite.  Seriously, it's too easy to dry out swordfish.  Yet, the morsels on the kebab stick were moist, tender, succulent and packed with flavor. 

 



Although we dined downstairs at the bar we did head upstairs for the view of Mooncusser Fish House imagining how beautiful it must be with that view of Park Square all glistening in the holiday lights, a hidden gem.  Then we were reminded that the space was once that infamous after hours private club that we flocked to when the bars closed at 2AM and we were just getting started.  remember the name?

Moon Bar and Mooncusser Fish House.  A great find where you will not be disappointed.

Mooncusser Fish House
304 Stuart Street
Boston, MA  02116
Telephone:  617.917.5193

Socials:
@TheBostonFoodie
@MooncusserFishHouse

We were invited to this event as members of the media and professional press with no promise of any editorial coverage.

 

 

Brunch At Lower Mills Tavern

 

Lower Gin Mills:  Lion's Tail Gin, elderflower, mint, lime and house made ginger beer.  It's for those who like their daytime weekend libations more on the boozy side.

 

Everyone is always asking us where to go for brunch.  There are lots of options but when we were invited to Lower Mills Tavern to try out their experience we were game. 

 

It's not an area we visit often but the traffic was fairly light on the rainy, cold Saturday we visited and we found it warm and inviting inside with a pretty good crowd at 1PM.



 



 

Three Little Birds:  Citrónge liqueur, pomegranate juice, strawberry-blood orange shrub and prosecco.  Refreshing and lighter.

 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with blackberry compote, served with home fries.

 

We began with a couple of cocktails, tasty indeed, as we glanced over the menu.  Everything looked good but we knew we just had to begin with the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. They did not disappoint.

Steak And Eggs Hash with mushroom, red onion, breakfast potatoes, fresh mozzarella, chive and rosemary oil.

The eggs featured in this dish were perfectly poached and runny, a classic, hearty breakfast dish.

The Home Fries at Lower Mills Tavern were really some of the best we've had, perfectly seasoned with an almost creamy texture under that outside layer of crisp.

Chicken Sandwich:  Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Vermont cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and creamy ranch dressing on a seeded brioche bun.

 

The Chicken Sandwich was my favorite menu item.  I always think the buttermilk helps but, really, you either nail it or fail it.  This one was great.

 

Avocado Toast with eggplant hummus, chili-toasted chick peas and balsamic gastrique on whole wheat bread.

How can one not try the Avocado Toast?  It's such a thing now but this one was perked up with those chickpeas offering a tinge of heat we liked.

A side of Cauliflower Mash.

We also really liked the architectural details of the restaurant design which gave things an authentic mill town feel, the exposed brick and comfy leather banquettes were inviting and casual.  It was the kind of place you can just slow down and relax in for hours.

The aftermath.

 

 

The verdict:  The next time we are asked where to head for weekend brunch south of downtown Boston we'd advise anyone to try Lower Mills Tavern. 

 

 

Lower Mills Tavern

2269 Dorchester Avenue

Boston, MA  02124

Telephone:  857.267.4461

 

Socials:

@TheBostonFoodie

@LowerMillsTavern

 

 

We were invited to attend this brunch as members of the media with no promise of any editorial consideration.