Joe's American Bar And Grill, Waterfront

The very refreshing (and strong) sangria at Joe's.

 

We stopped by Joe's American Bar And Grill at the waterfront on a recent weekend and had a quick lunch before heading to an event on the harbor. 

It was a late afternoon and although the entire area around Columbus Park was teeming with thousands of people, half of which seemed to be tourists based upon the languages spoken, being seated right away was not a problem.  It was admittedly more of a wait if you wanted an outside table to watch the world, and the boats, go by but time was at a premium for us.  It always is.

I had the Clam Roll.   On a soft bun and served up with great shoestring fries and fresh slaw, it was quite good.

My dining companion enjoyed the Black And Blue from the burger menu.  With cajun seasoning, smoked blue cheese and caramelized onions I was told the burger was fine and the Sweet Potato Fries were also good. 

This is casual food at a reasonable price considering the fact that this is an area heavily visited by tourists during the summer months.  The tab was about $60 for two, including the $15 sangrias.  And Joe's tends to be pretty consistent and reliable past on past experiences.

Of course there is always that very instagrammable shot of the trellis at Christopher Columbus Park that draws you in, too.  I only wish we had more time to hang out in the area!

Joe's American Bar And Grill, Waterfront
100 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, MA 02110
Telephone:  617.367.8700

Socials:
@TheBostonFoodie
@joesamerican

Pasta Beach Newport

 

Spaghetti Carbonara at Pasta Beach in Newport.

It was the first place we went to dine after arriving in Newport, RI on Friday evening for our annual week of food and touring.  Of course, it was mobbed.  It always is.  Even with the move to a new, much more spacious location on Bellevue Avenue.  Pasta Beach is just one of the favorite restaurants of locals and visitors alike.

The new design is contemporary sleek with, as stated, much more room allowing for bigger groups as well as intimate nooks, a big, very popular, bar in the back and a long, marble counter that runs the length of the open kitchen.  That's where we sat the first night.  It was a simple Margherita Pizza cooked to perfection in the brick oven and a glass of cold local brew, Flying Jenny from Grey Sail Brewing.  They rotate the local beers every week.

If it wasn't for the snippets of English spoken in hushed tones you would swear you're in a small, contemporary restaurant somewhere in Italy.  The pastas, salads and pizzas are simply prepared and quickly served.  The Italian mandate of the highest possible quality of just a few ingredients dictates the menu.

On the last night there were glasses of rosé from a decent wine list in the $12-$15 range. 

The Tagliatelle Asparagi e Prosciutto: asparagus, Parma Prosciutto, cream, Parmiagiano Reggiano and parsley.

The portion sizes are just right and so are the prices for the quality ingredients in a sophisticated setting.   No wonder it is so popular with the locals.  They also have a Boston restaurant at Rowe's Wharf that we have yet to try.  So now that's yet another summer goal to add to the list.

Pasta Beach Newport
138 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI  02840
Telephone:  401.847.2222

Socials:
@TheBostonFoodie
@pastabeachnewport

Chicken & Rice Guys

The Chicken & Rice Guys have opened their second restaurant (in addition, of course, to their famous food trucks) and since it's right around the corner we figured we'd stop by and check it out.  It seems like we've been visiting lots of casual dining spots recently and Medford Square is finally getting some bright spots to add to the list.

There are basically two options here:  shredded chicken or shredded lamb.  Plates come in two sizes. We recommend the larger, which is twice the size for an extra two dollars.  All plates begin with a layer of rice not unlike fried rice, a layer of lettuce and then one's choice of meat with three toasted pita triangles.  There are also a number of add-ins and sauces to choose from.  We went with the chicken and the creamy garlic sauce.  The verdict:  it was quite good and in all likeliness we'll be heading back.

The space is bright, modern and airy and board games are provided for those who wish to hang with friends for a bit.  On the Saturday we visited several tables of twenty-somethings and hipsters were doing just that.

Chicken & Rice Guys
64 Salem Street
Medford, MA  02155
Telephone:  617.903.8538
Twitter:  @cnrguys

Chopp's American Grill

We recently dined at the newly-opened Chopps American Grill at the Burlington, Marriott, which has undergone an extensive multi-million dollar renovation.  The space was formerly Summer Winter, a fine restaurant that never really took off, operated by Mark and Clark of the famed Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine. Needless to say, Chopps is an American Chophouse with great food and a nice design in a casual setting. We began with drinks.  Pictured above is the Down The Cape:  Vodka, Cointreau and White Cranberry Juice, a nice take on the traditional Cape Cod.

We sampled quite a few of the appetizers.  This Yellowfin Tuna Tartar with White Soy, Ginger and Crispy Wontons.  The tuna was both fresh and succulent and the crispiness of the wontons held up well.  Great way to start the evening.

The Garden Tempura Veggies was served with a Citrus Soy and Green Goddess Dressing.  A perfectly-fried, light but crunchy tempura batter was excellent.  This is a certain choice for a vegetarian dish.

The Pork Shu Mai served with Sweet Teriyaki was steamed and of the right consistency, filling but not underdone or gooey.

The Fritto Misto:  Cornflower Fried Scallops, Shrimps and Calamari with a Lime Tartar Sauce.  This was a standout and our favorite of our initial tastes.  Everything in the basket was fresh and breaded and fried to perfection.  If you're not sure what to try you can absolutely not go wrong with this plate.

The Crispy Pork Belly with Hoison BBQ Sauce and a Napa Cabbage Horseradish slaw was also good. The pork was not overly fatty without compromising the rich flavors one expects.

For my main course I went with the Filet Mignon.  After all those appetizers the small portion was plenty enough and and nothing less than what one would expect in a great filet.  My side was the Tots which I felt had spent just a slight bit too long in the fryer.  Literally seconds less and they would have been perfectly golden.  They were still good.

My dining companion went with the Diver Scallops served with a Garlic Sauteed Spinach and Lime Essence. Plump, full of that fresh sea flavor and perfectly turned out.  excellent.

For a side I can heartily recommend the Grilled Jumbo Asparagus, crispy but not wooden a nice, bright green on the plate.

Our selection of desserts.  The Lemon Meringue Pie was definitely a favorite here.  The NY Style Cheesecake with Graham Cracker crust and Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake were also good but not as light and satisfying after a heavy meal.

Overall a great Chophouse meal in a new space that's both comfortable and inviting.  Sitting in the dining room you would never know that you were in a hotel.  Adjacent to the dining room is also a Great Room, featuring live music, low seating and lighting, a wall-long fireplace and a more casual menu of burgers and quick bites to share, for a more intimate, date night spot.

Chopps American Grill
1 Burlington Mall Road
Burlington, MA  01803
Telephone:  781.221.6643