Gourmet Dumpling House in Chinatown-new addition

Gourmet Dumpling House (in the former Quality Cafe space)

52 Beach Street

Boston, MA

This newly opened Gourmet Dumpling House in Chinatown had alot of customers the two times I visited this past week and weekend.

There is an extensive menu consisting of a hodge podge of dishes seafood dishes, Taiwanese (lots of stuff similar to Taiwan Cafe's menu actually) alongside with dumplings (made to order give extra 15 minutes) and tons of noodle, rice and other dishes.

The first day we got the Xiao Lung Bao (pork and crab). They were alright and I am not a XLB purist but the better ones were had at Joe Shanghai's in NYC for my mom. Of course I had some amazing ones in Shanghai. They were made to order and had a nifty hole on top to get the broth out. The dough was on the thicker side with a decent ginger, soy and vinegar dipping sauce. Then we got the eel stir fried ee noodles. They were delicious with a slightly spicy kick from Jalapeno pepper slivers in this noodle dish. The eel was not abundant but the dish was good.

Service was ok and the waitstaff did their best the first time to be pleasant, fast and good. The second time at lunch on a busy Sunday, we had three errors (thought we got a certain dish not once but three times) brought accidently to our town too. They have to work out the kinks here and there.

Third time, I got the Pork Chop Rice (Taiwanese style) with lots of crispy fried pork served with pickled cabbage, tea egg and a meatsauce over a bed of rice. UMMMM it was delicious and it is not on a loud kids sectioned off plate as they serve at Taiwan Cafe. I felt there portion was more generous and it was great fun and good. Then my friend got the seafood noodle with ee noodles (very good and simple with bits of seafood mainly shrimp and squid and no veggies). Her husband got the beef with noodles stir fried with egg noodles in a sa chay sauce. I love sa cha sauce and I loved it! My other dining pal got the mini chicken dumplings in a noodle soup opting for the thick fat Japanese Udon Noodles. The mini chicken dumplings were plentiful and good in a very simple clean broth (not laden with MSG).

This restaurant tries to cram alot of tables and chairs into this very small and humble space. Since it is new, the business has been brisk.

8 forks out of 10 forks

Wheatberry Bakery nestled in Amherst, MA

Wheatberry Bakery and Cafe

(organic and artisan goodies)

321 Main Street, Amherst, MA

413-253-1411

Last weekend, I was in town for the Emily Dickinson Musuem (located across the street at 240 Main Street) I went to get a quick bite while waiting for my 2pm tour. It is a small but warm and inviting space. With a two counters and a few chairs so if you want to dine in you can. There is a lovely display of baked goods-cookies, scones, bars, and muffins. The menu is not too cluttered with a few hot options for breakfast, lunch and snacks. There are the usual suspects for drinks coffee and teas but in addition some higher brand waters and sodas (for those who do not indulge in caffeine.)

I got the Satori drink (soy milk with apple, carrot, ginger) $3.95 which was better than I anticipated. Plus I got some good nutrients and vitamins to boot out of it! I got the Italian Panini (la Quercia Proscuitto, Genoa Salami, sopresata with marinated olive salad grill pressed on country french bread served with asiago cheese.) $6.95. I enjoyed it alot and it really hit the spot with the mix of cheese and salty Italian luncheon meats, great olives and crusty bread made a delicious combo for this ravenous traveler.

9 forks out of 10 forks

Spoletos in the heart of NOHO, MA

SPOLETOS

50 Main Street, Northampton, MA (413) 586-6313

Spoletos is a Northampton institution and the most expensive restaurant in town. This past weekend I ventured back to my alma mater for a meeting. But I was with some friends who were in NOHO for the first time. We decided to head to Spoletos for dinner.

One memorable dinner experience was when Nicole Kidman with then husband Tom Cruise was in town filming "Malice" with Bill Pullman and Alec Baldwin. I got her autograph and Tom's too (that night I had just gotten back from a long road trip from Philly.)

It was busy on Saturday night and our table of 4 was seated after half an hour wait. Our waitress was attentive and I always had my water glass filled and she asked to make sure if we wanted our more bread etc. She did give some great suggestions since there was a lot to choose from on the menu with strong recommendations for the Chicken Balsamico and the Black Peper Encrusted Duck.

We ended up getting the :

Saul's Mussels' (PEI Mussels cooked with lemon, capers, garlic butter, scallion, red chili pepper flakes, white wine and marinara served with garlic bread.)

Angel Hair Crab Cake (Crab cake served with a twist-chipotle pepper mayo)

Chicken Balsamico (Half boneless roast chicken served with roasted garlic mash, grilled portabello mushrooms, arugula and oven dried tomatoes with a balsamic demi glaze)

Black Peppercorn Encrusted Duck (fanned atop a herb parmesan risotto along with sauteed spinach and finished with a port-cardamon demi glaze)

Rainbow Trout (Farm raised Rainbow Trout cooked with lemon caper butter, juillened mixed vegetables served alongside some herb roasted potatoes)

The bread with olive oil was very good. Nice warm and crusty with lovely softness in the middle great for dipping sauces (olive oil and the mussels sauce too!). We enjoyed the hint of red chili flakes that added the intense kick to the marinara, garlicky broth that was delish! The crab cake was good but nothing special just one crab cake beautifully decorated with a good flavorful chipotle pepper mayo.

As for the entrees, our favorites were the duck and trout with the chicken coming in last. Though two waiters "supposedly" love love the chicken dish. Though it was delicious, it did not compare in taste to the trout and duck. It was a bit dry and all the good served had generous portions. Considered pricey for local area residences, for a Bostonian the costs, quality of food and quantity made Spoletos a great deal in my book. The balsamic demi glaze was intense, the grilled portabello mushrooms a dream alongside with a cannot fail garlic mash, the extra dry white meat knocked the dish down.

The rare duck meat fanned on the flavorful cheesy risotto was amazing! My friends thought the peppercorns enhanced the duck's flavor and the port-cardamon demi glaze added a nice hint of flavor. But another fave was the Rainbow trout, with the great julienned mixed veggies, flavor from the lemon and caper butter to have a great moistness and not be overly cooked or dry. This dish definitely held its own against the the other dishes.

Service--great

Food--very good

9 forks out of 10 forks

Kingston Station in Downtown Crossing

Kingston Station (former Peking Toms space)

25 Kingston Street, Boston, MA (between Summer and Bedford Streets)

(617) 482-6224

Recently went with some friends to the pretty new business in the Downtown Area (closer to Chinatown) to Kingston Station. I was greeted with the busy afterwork bar scene on a Friday night. I was lead to the back to a quieter dining room area off to the side. It was nice. I was very comfortable. Our server for the night was very affable, polite, friendly but at times forgot a few minor details (to even make the diner's experience even better).

While I waited for my friend, I tried the grapefruit martini (comes in two sizes and I got the larger size) and it was refreshingly delicious with a nice kick that I need to end my work week. By the time my friends arrived, we all agreed to forego the entrees and just subsist on the appetizer menu. One friend recommended alot of dishes as she has come over many times as it is conveniently located near her apartment.

Tuna Tartare avocado, prickly pear $13.00
Pork Ribs Ah-so with asian slaw $10.00
Chili Glazed Chicken Wings $8.00

Crispy Calamari cilantro, garlic and red chilli $10.00
Seared Scallops ginger-braised apple, lemon risotto $11.00
Truffle Frites* warm gruyere, and sliced scallion $7.00

Mussels* smoked chorizo, roasted jalapeno, tomato confit $ 11.00

Overall I had a lovely experience at Kingston Station. The appetizers varied in quantity in terms of the Tuna Tartare or the Seared Scallops but the Truffle Frites, Mussels, Calamari, Wings and Pork Ribs we had generous portions.

Other than everything more on the heavy side (being fried) the food was great. I loved the seared scallop over the delectable and divine lemon risotto (I couldn't get enough of the slightly tart and edgy risotto). The Truffle Frites were fabulous (who wouldn't love food with truffle oil on it!) and the mussels were good in a good broth. The tuna tartare had high grade sashimi grade tuna but I could care less for the rice base. The avocado slices were nice (as I love avocado) but the prickly pear was alright here. The ribs were good slightly sweet bbq sauce and the chili wings were not that spicy but good.

The bread pudding was excellent, good mix of rich and cream made an excellent ending for three spoons to finish off the dessert!

Service overall was good. Some minor things and kinks need to be addressed such as not clearing off dishes when people are not done eating, clearing off crumbs, etc. Our water glasses were always filled and we did get service with a smile from everyone including the bus people too.

Great afterwork hangout with good food!

9 forks out of 10 forks.

Craigie Street Bistrot-lovely hidden gem in Cambridge

5 Craigie Street Circle

Cambridge, MA

Craigie Street Bistrot is a cute but hidden away French Bistrot jewel with award winning chef at its helm Tony Maw.

Roasted Bone Marrow appetizer special $8

Trois Foies with traditional accompaniements $14

Haddock Main dish (sorry no description)

Chocolate coffee meuille-feuille

Apple, Pear and Huckleberry Crumble

Cranberry Soup with Yogurt Sorbet (surprise)

After my 10-15 minute walk from Harvard Square "T" stop I was ready to eat. It was a hot and humid autumn night. My friend had gotten their earlier as she decided to drive. She was able to have a parking spot and we were on time. (The website cautions reservations are not held longer than 15 minutes).

We were immediately seated and were treated very well all night. We got our utensils replaced after each course, our water glass was always filled which was nice. Since it was Thursday night, the neighborhood special three course pre fixe was available for $38. We both got the pre-fixe special with an addition of the special of the night appetizer of roasted bone marrow!

The bread we were served was crusty on the outside and deliciously chewy and soft on the inside. The pat of butter we were given was perfect not overly sweet or salty. Once our first course came, we devoured our trois foie very quickly. All the accompaniments were marvelous from the pepper, salt, pickled shallots, mustard and pickles we were in heaven. The foie was decadently smooth and perfect to spread on the big and delicious toast points.

Next came our perfectly piece of haddock of a fresh fava bean and baby shanghai bok choy with Asian inspired sauce. It was lovely.

The desserts were sensationaly with the exquisitely fresh and delectable apple, pear and huckleberry crumble which sang in our mouth. The chocolate coffee meuille-feuille with a little bit of saffron peach coulis was out of this world. (I wish I had more!) The coffee refreshed the chocolate from being boring but having a bolder taste.

After our rich meal we both got a pot of tea ($4) and I opted for the Sevan blend "crafted blend of oregano, St. John's Wort, lemon balm, chamomile, hawthorne berry, linden, Armenian basil and bean core" and amazingly had no caffeine in it. It was a lovely ending with a light but multi nuanced taste of herbs and essence of the forest.

I give this meal a 9.5 forks out of 10.

Pot Au Feu---Providence's great French restaurant

www.potaufeuri.com

Pot Au Feu

44 Custom House Road

Providence, RI

(401) 273-8953

Recently did a day trip to Providence, Rhode Island to check out Waterfire and the sights with two friends. Of course we had to eat well and opted for the Pot Au Feu Bistro (lower level of this beloved French Bistro). At the RISD Art Museum, we got effusive and loving praise of this restaurant! We were pretty excited! We knew to arrive early as reservations are not accepted.

We arrived at 5:35pm and already there were 6 tables seated inside the lower bistro

space. We loved the wine bottle lined walls with white Christmas lights giving the room a festive but soft glow. Our server was attentive and we always had a change of silverware, our glasses of water were filled and she had great suggestions when we were choosing our menu items.

Escargots a la Bourguignonne-Snails broiled in their shells with garlic-parsley butter. 9
Foie Gras de Canard Veronique -Fresh duck liver pan seared with white wine & grapes. 20
Boeuf a la Bourguignon-Beef marinated in red wine and spices, braised until tender, served with potatoes gratinee. 22.95
Bouillabaisse Marseilles - From Provence, a variety of fin fish and shellfish, potatoes and onions poached in a saffron and tomato broth. Served with aoili. 23.95
Pot au Feu - Beef and chicken braised with a melange of fresh vegetables including onions, leeks, carrots, celery, cabbage and potato served with traditional garnishes of coarse salt, cornichons and warm horseradish and mustard sauce. 22.95

Pomegrante Sorbet $7
Mousse Au Citron -A mousse with a hint of tartness and lemon-lime zest whisked to airy perfection. $6

As a party of three, we each had two big escargot and were given tongs to use to eat them with (which I found hard to handle). The garlic parsley butter was delicious. The Foie Gras I had to convince the two newbies and once they tasted "heaven" we finished the dish and used all our bride to soak up all the sauce and demi glaze from the plate. The white wine and grapes and foie were just a perfect meld of flavors, fat and we were all content.

Our salads were a nice fresh mesclun mix with delightful bits of chevre cheese served with two homemade dressings-mustard and balsamic vinegarettes. I enjoyed the balsamic a bit more.

My Bouillabaisse Marseilles was good. I have only had it here and there and I am not an expert. I liked the seafood broth and though it looked like alot of food, it was not actually that much. I felt I had more potatoes than anything. I got 2/3 pieces of mussels, shrimp and scallops and fish sprinkled through out my plate. Though it was very flavorful and I used my bread to finish the broth up with it. The Pot Au Feu was a huge plate of protein my poor friend could not finish. A simple but beef and chicken braised with delicious veggies that were flavorful and not dry at all.
Boeuf a la Bourguignon good with the wine sauce but we all attacked the potatoes gratinee with more gusto! (The waitress confided in us it was the only menu item that had it!) The layers of potato with creamy cheese sauce was delectable and lovely!

We topped out meal with pomegrante sorbet (very refreshing and light) as well as the mousse au citron which was quickly finished. The lemon-lin zest in the mousse created a welcome tart zing to the luscious, airy confection of a dessert! (I would love to have it again!)

Atmosphere and service 9.5
Food 9.5
Prices 9.5

Score of 9.5 forks out of 10 forks for the Pot Au Feu Bistro.

Sichuan Garden----szechuan delights

Chengdu Chicken and cucumber with bamboo (insides) -chinese menu only


Stir fried Chinese Eggplant (Chinese menu)


Braised fish with tofu


Sichuan Garden---9.23.07
www.sichuangarden2.com
295 Washington Steet, Brookline, MA

Sichuan Garden situated near Brookline Village has great Sichuan food. It proclaims itself to have been voted top 100 Chinese restaurants. I have gone on a few occasions and found it to be tasty.

This time I was friends for dinner and we got the cucumber with bamboo shoots (inside) in a light sauce. The cucumber dish was ery tasty and on the Chinese language menu so you have to ask. The bamboo shoots inside is white and spongy like but good. The dan dan noodles were tasty with chilies and five spice and great flavor. We opted for the braised fish with tofu which was spicy and flavorful. The Chengdu chicken was fried but not every greasy and tasted surprising light but delicious. We also got the garlicky spicy Chinese eggplant stir fry which was great.

There was a stream of people on a Sunday night. The staff was helpful and friendly. We got our water refilled and whenever we wanted something or if we had a question, we always had someone able to answer our question. I really enjoyed the sichuan cuisine at this restaurant.

9 forks out of 10 forks

**Confusing with Pin Yin and Wade Giles you will see Sichuan/Szechuan spellings all mean the same thing.