Masa

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Dena Raffa

I’ve been to Masa once in the past, possibly 2-3 years ago for Restaurant Week. When I looked at the menu last week it was nothing like what I remembered from the RW menu on my first visit. Offering South Western cuisine with a contemporary American flair, Masa‘s Executive Chef Philip Aviles has created an inspired menu with twists and classic favorites.
The restaurant is dimly lit with chandeliers and sconces, and the dining room holds booths, banquette seating, and free standing tables while the bar seats about 10 and has high-tops for apps or dinner reservations. We’re led to a high-top banquette in the bar area, closest to the open windows so we could feel the cool spring breeze.

Bread: Country bread and corn bread were served with molasses- honey butter, red pepper cream cheese, and habanero hummus. Both breads were great but the corn bread was amazing, especially with the molasses-honey butter. The hummus was my favorite to pair with the country bread. Really great bread basket and accompaniments, I just wish they gave you more than a tablespoon size of each spread.

Menu: The Tapas menu (served only in the bar area) offers $1 bite-size tapas and $5-$14 Picaditas which are more of an appetizer size dish. The Dinner menu consists of First Course, Main Course, and Sides. Luckily we were seated in the bar area so we had access to the Tapas menu, which was a blessing and a curse b/c it provided too many sections to choose from! Do I go with 3 Tapas and an Entrée? Or maybe a Picadita and a First Course dish? There were a lot of possible combinations which made for an interesting meal.

Food/Presentation:
Shredded Chicken Taquito with Chipotle Aioli (tapas menu)
I decided to order a couple of tapas items to start, one being the chicken taquito. If you order tapas it is presented family-style on one plate; the taquito can be seen in the back of the photo. The chicken was wrapped in a tortilla, fried, and placed on a dollop of chipotle aioli. I could have eaten many more of these, but there was more food coming!

Tuna Tartare Taco with Chile Lime & Avocado (tapas menu)
Along with the taquito I ordered 2 tuna tartare tacos (the other 2 were for Matt). Chopped rare tuna and avocado always pairs well with a crispy taco shell and chipotle aioli. I enjoy small bites and this was a great way to start the meal without leaving me prematurely full before the entrees.

Negra Modelo Braised Pork Shoulder & Sauce Borracha with Port & Fig Jam, Baby Arugula, & Garlic Whipped Potatoes
A small mound of pork shoulder sits on a scoop of whipped potatoes and is topped with the arugula mix; three spoonfuls of fig jam were dotted around the plate. The pork was excellent and fell apart nicely with zero fatty parts in sight. I adore anything fig but for me it felt like an unnecessary addition to this savory dish. I enjoyed it with the pork every other forkful but didn’t love when it mixed with the potatoes. A minor criticism for this truly enjoyable entrée.

Chipotle Chocolate Ice Cream, Papaya Sorbet, Hibiscus Sorbet
One small scoop of each came dusted with powdered sugar, the two sorbets together and the ice cream in a separate ramekin. The sorbets were excellent, with the Papaya’s strong fruity flavor stealing the show for me. The ice cream was different but we knew it would be when ordering Chipotle Chocolate. It had a somewhat cakey consistency, and didn’t seem to be cold (although I’m pretty sure it was) b/c after each bite my mouth was pretty much on fire. The chipotle chocolate was a confusing contradiction of hot & spicy ice cream, something I’ve never experienced before! It was interesting, great for a small taste, but I’d never be able to eat an entire bowl/cone.

Bathroom: Mirror, mirrors, on every wall! Maybe I’m obsessed with full length mirrors b/c I don’t have one at home, but I always appreciate seeing the full picture, head to toe. Besides seeing my reflection every where I turned (I swear I’m not a narcissist), the women’s room had 2 stalls and 2 sinks, and a couple of decorations to match the restaurant’s décor.

Service: We were seated at a high-top in the bar area, which I originally was slightly disappointed about, but it worked out for the best b/c this section was a bit more upbeat and it allowed us to order off of the Tapas menu. Our waitress was friendly, informative, and delivered everything in good time.

Overall: When we arrived at 7pm Masa was lively and energetic with a packed bar. As the night went on it emptied out a bit by the time we left a little before 9pm. I love Masa’s multiple menus, and would from now on request to sit in the bar in order to have Tapas as an option. I’d like to also note that the Tapas are 50 cents on Thursdays, and every other night from 4pm-7pm and 10pm-close. Makes for a great happy hour spot, especially with their tasty beverages like the Raspberry Mojito. I am looking forward to returning; there are so many tapas, picaditas, and apps I need to try!

The Perfect Bite: It’s hard to beat a tuna tartare taco when it’s done right.

www.masarestaurant.com

For more photos & descriptions of what everyone in my party ate, visit my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston

Tryst

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Dena Raffa

Bread: Two rolls and two white crostini were served to the 3 of us with a square container of cold butter. I only tried the roll, which wasn’t warm and difficult to pull apart; a sign this wasn’t the freshest bread. It would have been ok to dip in a soup perhaps.

Menu: Just a Fling (offering apps from Shrimp Tacos, to Mussel Bisque, to Chicken Tamales), Not Fully Committed (consisting of 4 sandwiches), Getting Fresh (salads), Getting Serious (entrees of pastas, fish, chicken, meat etc), and Sides. There was plenty to choose from! They offer ½ portions of pasta dishes which I’m usually a sucker for, but there were too many other enticing options.

Food/Presentation:
Roasted Local Beets & Burrata Salad: fig & caramelized shallot vinaigrette
Red and golden beets were topped with greens and served with a burrata crostini. I’ve had better buratta, but that was inItalyso I don’t think I can really compare (Burrata is an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream; it has a creamier, softer consistency than mozzarella). No actual complaints about this dish as the beets were plentiful and the greens were refreshing. Side note: I split this salad with Jess and they were kind enough to actually serve us our own 1/2 portions so we didn’t have to eat off the same plate. Major plus!

inside Burrata (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Pig Under A Brick: braised collard greens, mostarda & sweet potato puree
Sweet potato puree was topped with a pile of greens followed by the pork shoulder and the mostarda (a condiment made of a mustard flavored syrup and candied fruit – cherries here). The pork was easy to tear apart (no knife needed) and would have made a great pulled pork sandwich. The top unfortunately was too hard and crispy that I had trouble cutting/eating it. The greens were simple and paired well with the tasty puree which introduced a slight hint of cinnamon. And what a pretty, constructed presentation!

Bathroom: The bathroom was clean but a little bare. The only character was the wooden shelf and wicker basket holding the paper towels.

Service: The service was prompt and our server was quite helpful. I knew this was an annoying request, but I asked if the Shrimp Tacos were able to be done with Chicken instead. He hesitated and I told him it wasn’t a big deal but he said he’d check with the chef. They were in fact able to make that major substitution; too bad I didn’t end up ordering them, whoops! I also really appreciate when restaurants provide each guest with their own portion/plate when splitting items.

Overall: I really enjoyed the menu options and laid back and modern atmosphere. They were sold out of the Slow Braised Lamb (served with spring parsnip ravioli & toasted pistachio crumble) which was disappointing. But there’s enough reasons to go back to Tryst so perhaps they’ll have more in stock on my next visit. The pricing is moderate, comparable to a popular city spot with apps $12 and under, $9 salads, and Entrees ranging from $17-$25.

The Perfect Bite: The pulled pork shoulder with some sweet potato puree.

www.trystrestaurant.com

For more photos & descriptions of what everyone in my party ate, visit my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston

Miel Brasserie Provencale

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Dena Raffa

I’m not typically drawn to French cuisine but I had heard good things about Miel and was excited to try it out. Matt & I originally planned on using our $50 Groupon to the Barking Crab, but they don’t take reservations on weekends and after calling ahead found out there was a “38 person wait for the 16 tables”. For whatever reason they couldn’t tell us what that meant in terms of hours, so instead of wasting time & waiting around we hit up OpenTable. Located in the InterContinental hotel overlooking Boston Harbor, Miel has a classic raw bar and a menu focusing on specific flavors such as herbs, lavender, honey and olive oil. Sounds refreshing!

Bread: Four slices of warm, soft focaccia bread were delivered with a side of creamy hummus; a bottle of EVOO was already at the table. At first I was confused about their bread plates with the ridges, but Matt compared this to how you use a paint roller & the paint tin to remove the excess paint. Perhaps we’re way off, but I bought it…

Menu: Seafood Raw Bar, Soups, Salads, Appetizers, Entrees, and Side Dishes. There were a couple of dishes that caught my eye, like the Parsnip & Chestnut Bisque, the Honey Basil & Scallops, and any one of those pasta options, but I was looking for a lighter meal so I went with a 1-course entrée option.

Food/Presentation:
Grilled Tuna Steak a la Marseillaise: medium rare tuna with tomato & olive sauce, creamy sun-dried tomato, basil polenta with mascarpone
I enjoy tuna but the driving factor for ordering this dish were the accompaniments, mainly the Basil Polenta with Mascarpone. What I received was tuna, tomatoes, green beans, artichokes and pesto, with a side of baked, dried, plain polenta. I have never been more disappointed! The description in no way matched what was put in front of me. Thankfully the meal was good, so I finished it without any complaints to the server about the menu discrepancies. The polenta however wasn’t worth 2 forkfuls, so I left pretty dissatisfied with the whole experience.

Service: The service was a bit spotty; we arrived to an empty, dimly light dining room where there was no one to greet us. If I hadn’t made a successful reservation on OpenTable I would have thought they were closed. We were eventually led to a table in the back part of the restaurant where everyone else was seated. Our waiter took our wine order and brought us bread, but there was a different hurried server who took our app/entrée order. Our meals arrived in a timely manner; too bad it wasn’t what I thought I ordered (see above). Matt asked for a side of asparagus that only came ½ way through our meal because we reminded waiter #1 that he had ordered it.

Overall: The food was fine, but we clearly didn’t have the best experience. The dining room seemed empty for a Saturday night at 8pm. The tables were so spread out and I was uncomfortable with the amount of bare floor space – it felt like something was missing! They have an outdoor patio overlooking the water that would be nice to have a drink on. I’d maybe go back for the other tempting menu items, but who knows if those are even accurate.

The Perfect Bite: The bread was really excellent, especially dipped in that creamy hummus.

www.intercontinentalboston.com

Sweet Cheeks

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Dena Raffa

Walking into the foyer of Sweet Cheeks I’m hit with an overwhelming aroma of smokey BBQ. Enter into the actual restaurant and the smell matches the visual of a down to earth, casual eatery with family style tables. There’s a bar with a few flat screens (we’re in Fenway after all), low and high top communal tables as well as private tables of 4. We’re led to one of the long picnic-like tables and I’m thankful we we’re seated in actual chairs rather than benches. The table consists of 3 jars of varying sauces (BBQ sauce, sweet sauce, and hot sauce), tins of napkins and silverware, and 3 Mason jar water glasses. Behind me stacks of chopped wood line the wall, I assume not just for décor but for actually cooking the meat, chicken, pork and ribs. I’ve certainly had barbecue in the past but I was not prepared for this authentic Texas-style BBQ meal that was about to go down.

courtesy of Sweet Cheeks website

Bread: If you plan on ordering a full tray or sandwich with 2 side scoops, then trust me, you’ll be glad they don’t serve bread. But you certainly can’t leave Sweet Cheeks without trying their Bucket o’ Biscuits served in a cylindrical tin with a side of Honey Butter. I could have easily split 1 biscuit with someone as these were the largest biscuits I’ve ever seen! Warm and doughy on the inside with just enough crunch on the outside. They were really incredible and went so well with the sweetened butter.

Menu: When it comes down to business you’re ordering Pork, Ribs, Turkey, Chicken, or Brisket. The menu is divided by: Trays, By the LBs, Onsies, Biscuits, Hot & Crispy (sides), Cold Scoops, Hot Scoops, Sandwiches, The Big Rig (for large parties), More Sweet Less Cheek (dessert). To get your moneys worth you essentially want to pick a main meat (in tray or sandwich form) and 2 scoops. No matter what you order you’re probably going to leave full and satisfied.

Food/Presentation:
Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mac n’ Cheese (hot scoop) and Farm Salad (cold scoop)
The pork came thrown on to a bulkie roll with fixings of pickles and onions on the side. I decided to eat just the top of the roll (open-faced style) as I was still trying to digest the enormous biscuit. I poured on the sweet BBQ sauce (the best of the 3 sauces) and after discarding a few fatty pieces, topped it with pork, onions and pickles.

The mac n’ cheese hot scoop came in a deep mug topped with bread crumbs. The first few crunchy bites led to cheesier ones as you fork your way down into the mug. Just the right amount of each!

The farm salad consists of brussel sprouts, red grapes, farro, nuts, and shredded parmesan cheese. This was a welcomed light & refreshing taste among the hearty comfort food.

Bathroom: The corner wall leading up to the bathroom is lined with halved motor oil tin cans and a giant sign reading “King Edwards Cigars”. The women’s restroom pays homage to Dolly Parton with framed pictures, her “9 to 5” movie poster, a cherry apron, and … a sticker machine? I’m not sure how that fits into Texas/BBQ/Parton unless there’s a reference I’m completely missing! I now wonder who the men’s room salutes…

Service: Sweet Cheeks doesn’t take reservations for parties less than 8, but on a Monday at 6:30pm we were seated right away. As my friend and I were waiting for the 3^rd member of our party the server checked on us a few times, offering water and drinks. The meals were brought before I was able to finish my biscuit, but I could have sat there all night with that monstrosity. At the end of the evening I left my Perfect Bite card with the check and Owner/Chef (and Top Chef alum) Tiffani Faison stopped by to shake our hands and introduce herself, making sure we enjoyed our night. I love that the owner/chef was so hands-on and actually present in the restaurant! It was great to meet Tiffani and let her know how great the food was. I was a fan of her South End restaurant Rocca which closed last year, so I’m happy to see that Sweet Cheeks is becoming a big success.

Overall: I adore the comfortable and casual environment of feeling like I’m dining in someone’s backyard (regardless of the lack of outdoor space). The exposed wooden ceiling and walls along with the wooden tables and chairs also give it a barn effect, with strings of light bulbs draped above across the wooden beams. The food was excellent and the portions were more than generous. While the menu isn’t that extensive it still offers a variety of options and combos. The prices are reasonable, especially when you consider the portion sizes; I took home 1 biscuit and ¾ of my mac n’ cheese, definitely getting my moneys worth. There was a great drink selection as well and my Heartless Jezebel cocktail was pretty good.