Now I’m probably the last person who would be excited to try an eatery that specialized in pig meat, but one look at the menu from The Salty Pig and I was intrigued. The sandwiches of course drew me in, as did the not-your-average pizzas (Fig Pizza: red wine fig jam, apple, goat cheese, truffle oil – are you kidding me?!). Located at 130 Dartmouth Street near Neiman Marcus in the Back Bay, The Salty Pig is a casual and hip new spot with a lot of character.

Bread: Four thin slices of white bread were served wrapped in a recycled menu in a tin. A red square dish of EVOO was brought for dipping, but I prefer butter with non-substantial bread.

Menu: For a Starter you can pick your own pig part/meat, cheese and spread. They also offer salads From the Garden, Main Plates, and Pizza. The online menu shows a “Sammich” section that I was really looking forward to but apparently sandwiches are now only available during lunch. 

Food/Presentation:
Prosciutto Galloni (traditional 1 year aged ham), Pecorino di Pienza Morchiato, Fig Jam
I don’t love pig meat but felt we needed to try a pairing with the cheese and spreads, so I went the safe route with prosciutto and had the waiter determine which cheese would be best. All meats/pairings are served on a wooden board with pickles, toasted crostini, and Dijon mustard. The fig jam addition was a must. I’m really glad we tried this. Maybe next time I’ll be more adventurous with the… Pork Pate? Or the Saucisson Sec (salt & pepper dry cured pork).

Smoked Cauliflower: wild rice, pistachio puree, golden raisins, mushroom
At first glance I didn’t even give this dish a second thought, until the waiter claimed it as the best meal on the menu. I wasn’t set on another particular option so I trusted him and boy was he right! The photo may look unappetizing, but it was one of the most delicious and flavorful entrees I’ve had in a long time. Each bite had a different texture and taste; salty, sweet, smoky, creamy. Really excellent meal!

Bathroom: They have 2 unisex stalls/rooms, and the one I used had comic strip wallpaper. I guess everyone needs a little reading material when takin’ care of business! I always appreciate something different.

Service: Our waiter knew what cheese to pair with our prosciutto and accurately described each entrée we had a question about. He checked on us regularly and refilled my iced-tea on cue.

Overall: What a great new place! They have a few seating options with high tops, low tables, and a bar. Decorated chalk board-beams lead up to high ceilings which makes this establishment feel a bit larger than it is. The Salty Pig has a clear voice & character; below is a customer journal/guest book that the check is presented in. I sure did let them know that I highly recommend this place! I’m 100% going back for lunch – now do I get the Chicken & Apple Panino or the Smoked Turkey & Avocado?

The Perfect Bite: Each and every single bite of the smoked cauliflower dish.

http://thesaltypig.com/

I’ve been to Via Matta once or twice before, quite some time ago. I knew it was classy and had great food but just couldn’t remember much else about it, or more importantly, what I had ordered. Thanks to Groupon/BuyWithMe/whatever coupon Erin & I purchased, we essentially received $50 off our meal which was a great start.

tabletop

Bread: It didn’t come to our table until moments after our appetizers were served. I was starving and pretty annoyed, but the bread runner apologized repeatedly. Luckily it was delicious; great, hearty, fresh bread served with a side plate of EVOO.

bread

Menu: Quite an extensive menu with 18 Antipasti options and 16 dinner options between Pasta and Secondi Piatti. I casually skimmed the online menu in the days leading up to dinner and noticed they had a Bolognese dish. I honestly hoped that my favorite meal wouldn’t appear on the menu come dinner night b/c I become weak in the knees at the sight of “bolognese” and never want to order anything else! I desperately wanted to try the Agnolotti with Maine crab, avocado, and cherry tomatoes and was stressing every second up until I had to make my decision…

Food/Presentation:
Warm Shrimp with spicy watermelon, pancetta, avocado and basil
I normally do not enjoy shrimp but there have been a couple of shrimp dishes in the past that have changed my mind, and I can now add this app to the list! The watermelon had just a bit of spice, I love avocados in/on/with anything, and basil is my favorite herb. Really tasty and refreshing.

apps

Crispy Meatballs with spicy tomato-basil sauce
I’m really picky when it comes to meatballs since I grew up eating Gram and Dad’s homemade ones. But I have no complaints here; crispy outside, soft on the inside.

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
At first sight it appeared perfect: massive amounts of meat with a nice tomato sauce. Don’t get me wrong, the dish was really great and I just about finished the whole damn thing, but the noodles were too soft for my liking. I prefer an al dente pasta and this seemed almost like an egg noodle. Other than that, I really did enjoy it.

bolognese

Bathroom: The restroom has a few stalls, 2 sinks, with clean and shiny walls and countertops. The giant tissues boxes threw me for a loop b/c I assumed they were in fact tissues and spent more time than I would have liked searching for the paper towels! Quite tricky…

bathroom

Service: It took way too long to get our drinks and the bread came after the apps which is a big no-no. But after actually speaking with our waitress she was really helpful when we were deciding what dishes to order. Another gentlemen helped us later in the evening when Erin asked if she could order ½ of a dessert (just the cherry gelato) to go. We had a laugh with the guy since it was a bit of an odd request. But he was hilarious and more than accommodating, and even provided her with a real spoon so she could eat it in the car!

Overall: The food was really excellent. Matt & Rany devoured their meals (they both got the homemade Chitarra with rabbit, morels, asparagus and parm). I would consider Via Matta more of an upscale/fine dining experience, with entrees ranging from $18-$34 and apps running $10-$18. I recommend it and would not hesitate to go back, esp. if someone else is paying! 😉

salt & pepper

The Perfect Bite: I have honestly been dreaming of what could have been had I ordered the Agnolotti. I love each and every component of that dish but the damn Bolognese won me over again. It was great, but I just wasn’t crazy about the noodle consistency. So believe it or not, I’ll go with: shrimp, spicy watermelon, avocado.

www.viamattarestaurant.com

UPDATE:
I went back to try the Agnolotti dish and oh my goodness… one of my favorite meals in all of Boston! I could have used a couple more actual pieces of Agnolotti, but the stuffed ricotta/avocado mix was smooth and creamy as can be, the crab was sprinkled throughout the dish and there was something about that tomato sauce that was unreal. Loved it!

agnolotti

view from the bar

I adore burgers and haven’t been blown away by one in quite some time. I’ve been told I need to visit R.F O’Sullivan’s in Somerville as well as Mr. Bartley’s in Cambridge, but I live in Brighton and don’t cross the river too often. So thank goodness for 5 Napkin Burger, a must-eat for burger lovers, located on Huntington Ave (with access via the street and the Prudential Center).

Bread: We were not served bread, which at a burger place is fine by me. I had plenty of other delicious options to fill my stomach with.

Menu: Starters (ranging from soup to salads to wings to deep-fried pickles!), Sushi Maki Rolls, Burgers, Salads, Entrees, Sides, Shakes. I had a burger mentality coming into dinner so my eyes went right to the beef.

Food/Presentation:
Stack of Cornmeal Crusted Onion Rings: blue cheese dressing & 5N sauce
I’m not one to order onion rings (I was eating with 3 boys) but I’m glad I got to taste them! Really fantastic, especially in the 5N sauce (which I believe is a chipotle aioli).

onion rings

Sushi Special: spicy tuna, avocado, king crab salad, torched scallop, sriracha chili sauce, eel sauce, cilantro
Burgers and sushi? Why not! 2 of my favorite things come together and I was very pleased. This special was excellent, so light and fresh. There are a couple other sushi options I would like to try (Southwest Roll), although it is a tad pricey, ranging from $10.95-$15.95. If they all come with 8 pieces it’s perfect to split with a friend!

sushi special

Original 5 Napkin Burger: 10 oz. fresh ground chuck, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, rosemary aioli, soft white roll
Simple and scrumptious. The cheese melting technique was ideal, covering the top as well as the sides of the burger. I spread a bit of the rosemary aioli on the top bun then discarded the rest (it’s really just flavored mayo, let’s be honest). We all ordered the burgers to be done differently (well done, medium, medium rare) and each came out cooked perfection. Definitely a success.

5 Napkin Burger

Espresso Brownie Sunday: vanilla ice cream, espresso caramel, whipped cream & salted peanut
I could have had a giant bowl of the whipped cream, espresso caramel & salted peanuts and I would have been a happy girl. Vanilla ice cream is a waste of my time, and brownie sundaes aren’t my first choice, but this was really good.

i deleted the good pic by accident..

Banana Bread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This was the dessert special and I wasn’t super impressed mainly b/c it was too rich. I do love banana bread but the frosting was unnecessary for me.

Bathroom: Spacious, sleek, clean, 5 stalls, with a full length mirror. I like how the stalls were somewhat separate from the sinks.

bathroom

Wait Staff: I forget her name but the (single) boys were smitten. She was super cute and friendly, and totally sold us on the sushi and dessert special. She did a great job, however we ordered the sushi and onion rings as an app and our burgers were brought by food runners directly after the rings, before we even saw the sushi. Not a huge deal – we had the sushi with our burgers which actually was a nice balance – but apps should be delivered before the entrée, always.

decor

 Overall: I consider myself a burger fanatic and I highly suggest 5 Napkin Burger, for burgers or sushi! Everything was honestly superb; my only issue is I wish there were more options. They have a great burger variety (beef, veggie, ‘inside out’, turkey, tuna, lamb) but I wish there were more interesting toppings, for instance: spicy mustard, avocado, relish, hummus etc. The Special Burger had a salsa topping which they should take inspiration from.
The bar was spacious with enough TVs to catch a game. The walls were adorned with over-sized chalk boards and bottles that looked like they should hold some kind of magic potion.

chalk board

The Perfect Bite: 5 Napkin Burger smeared with a little bit of ketchup. The rosemary aioli was decent, but I would have preferred the 5N sauce.

http://www.5napkinburger.com

"the bald man" | Passion Fruit Mojito

Max Brenner might as well be referred to as the Willy Wonka of the Back Bay. One step inside this new restaurant and you’d swear they were pumping cocoa powder through the air ducts. The hostess mentioned this was not the case – the aroma was in fact coming from the chocolate shop in front of the dining area. Full of gourmet chocolate sweets & treats as well as chocolate infused lotions & soaps, I was like a kid in a candy store (literally). But alas, real food awaits and we were led through the circular room to our table. “Chocolate by the Bald Man” was everywhere you turned, in candy dispensers surrounding the diners, in the center of the room in glass containers, inticing you every step of the way.

center of the restaurant

Bread: I was so excited to be surrounded by chocolate that I just now noticed that we didn’t receive bread!! Weird, I always notice when food is missing…

Menu: We were presented with 2 menus, one being the dinner & drinks menu and the other a dessert/dessert drinks menu, both of which are overwhelming in a good why. “First Food Then Chocolate” as their slogan goes… the dinner menu consisted of sections such as: Rise & Shine, Slider Bar, Things to Dip, Crispy & Delicious, Food on a Stick, Max’s Pizzas, Tossed Around, For Your Hands, With a Knife and Fork, Entertaining Side Dishes. I was in a sandwich kind of mood, had 3 in mind, and our waiter encouraged me towards the tuna salad sandwich.

Food/Presentation:
The Unforgettable Spicy Tuna Salad Sandwich – tomato, lettuce, pickled jalapenos, crushed bbq chips brushed with cilantro & avocado mayo
My sandwich was cut in half and separated on a wooden slab by cocoa & chili powder dusted waffle fries, chipotle aioli, and dill pickles. I was very pleased to see there were only 5 or so fries in the small glass. The brioche bun of the sandwich was soft and buttery, the tuna was well dressed (not too much mayo), but it wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting. I also didn’t notice the BBQ chips – I think they were mixed in with the tuna salad rather than placed on top as a condiment. I nitpick, but it was definitely delicious!

tuna salad sandwich

Milk Chocolate Apple Caramel Crisp – oatmeal streusel, toffee ice cream, pure melted cinnamon chocolate
Straight from the laboratory! Served on a graph paper glass dish with a small cup of toffee ice cream, a beaker of extra toffee sauce, and a cast iron pot of warm apple crisp. The crisp itself was more of a hard crust which was tasty, but the apples themselves weren’t great (too mushy for my liking). If you dig, there’s a chocolate surprising underneath the apples which added an extra richness.

dessert

Bathroom: Lights! Lights would be good here! The bathroom was so dark I couldn’t even take a picture (I use my ancient iPhone 3G without a flash). Small, with three stalls, and matching floor & wall patterned tiles. The mirror told me “You Look Extremely Good Today” (written on the bottom) and I wasn’t about to argue.

Wait Staff: Shayne was fantastic. He was excited this was our first time in the restaurant and made it clear that he would be available and willing to follow through with any request we had (including charging my cell phone in a back room so that I could take pictures of my entrée!). Genuine and very accommodating!

Overall: A fun and interesting new addition to Boylston Street! Prices aren’t outrageous, multiple food options are available, atmosphere is quirky and delicious (in sight & smell). A great spot for just dessert (Chocolate Surprise Tiramisu is next), hot chocolate on a chilly day (the options are endless & amazing), or a post-dinner coffee (Baileys cappuccino).
We received our check in a tin expressing “Money For Life, Chocolate For The Soul”. Inside I was expecting some type of after-dinner mint/chocolate, but to no avail! Why have a decorative tin with only the bill inside? A bit disappointing, considering we were surrounded by dozens of little chocolate treats.

check tin

The Perfect Bite: A bite of the Tuna Salad Sandwich with a smear of chipotle aioli. Next time I’ll add slices of avocado!

http://www.maxbrenner.com

Located on Dartmouth Street in Paparazzi’s old location, it’s easy to pass right by Lolita’s small and modest entrance. However once you walk inside you are undoubtedly in Back Bay’s newest and trendiest Mexican ‘cocina & tequila bar’. The long main bar is constantly 2-3 people deep and the back lounge/bar – fit with sofas, chairs, and stools – tends to fill up as the night goes on. I had been twice before for drinks and apps and was excited to dive into their extensive menu.

Bread:  In replacement of the bread basket we were of course served chips with 4 different salsas – 3 served together on a square plate and the other brought in a bottle. I wish we had been warned about the queso-looking dip in the center – it was not a typical cheese queso as it was insanely hot! My mouth was on fire longer than I would have liked, but I was pleased with the variety of accompaniments.

chips & salsas

Menu: Primero, Tacos, Sopa & Ensalada, Quesadillas, Tres Ceviches, Enchiladas, Vertical Nachos, Principal, Sancho (sides), Guacamole. Quite the selections to choose from! I basically wanted something from almost every section. I knew we’d be ordering guacamole, so I bypassed my craving for the Tortilla Soup and just ordered the Pulled Pork Tacos.

Food/Presentation: We were first brought an aperitif: a small steaming bowl of grapefruit pieces, topped with tequila and 4 tiny spoons. I had a taste but it was taken away before we could enjoy the whole thing!

aperitif

Fresco Guacamole: fresh avocado, tomato, serrano chile, diced onion & cilantro
It’s very rare for me to taste a guac that I don’t like. Needless to say this bowl was gone in minutes. Next time I’ll have to try the “Especial Guac” filled with jumbo lump crab, Atlantic lobster, and garlic-wine butter drizzle!

guacamole

Pulled Pork Tacos: seared crispy with salsa verde
Three soft shelled tacos were served filled with pork and grilled red peppers. The meal was great but I was expecting “pulled pork” as the menu stated, and as you can see from the photo these were pieces/chunks of pork which is very different. Slightly disappointed…

pulled pork taco

Bananarama: crisp fried banana-caramel cheesecake burritos with deep chocolate ice cream, butterscotch sauce, and pecan brittle
We so did not need dessert, but in the spirit of Ariane’s birthday we had no choice 🙂 I didn’t exactly get a sense of “cheesecake” in this dessert, but these burritos were right up my alley. Crispy and FULL of banana, I could have had this all to myself.

desserts

Buenas Notes: warm deep chocolate-espresso bread pudding with coffee ice cream, brown sugar caramel, and hot fudge sauce
The “bread pudding” had more of a brownie texture but it was still incredible, especially with that coffee ice cream. Heavy and filling, thank goodness there were 4 of us!

Sour Apple Cotton Candy with Cherry Pop-Rocks
Like we needed more sweets! In my previous Lolita experiences I remember eyeing the cotton candy I’d seen making it’s way from table to table. At first I thought it was a dessert option but I quickly learned it was complimentary – Lolita’s version of an after-dinner mint, served before we were given the check. I was delighted but noticed that many other tables left this large portion to go to waste.

cotton candy

Bathroom: In keeping with the dark, red, gothic theme, the bathroom has printed wallpaper, 3 individual black sinks, black shutter doors on each of the 5 stalls. Pardon my photo of the toilet, but how can you NOT take a picture of that crazy paisley print? A bit small for this constantly crowded establishment (the stalls are directly behind the sinks), but the full length mirror and the facecloth ‘napkins’ adds points.

bathroom sink, mirrors

fancy toilet

Wait Staff: When we arrived we were told the wait was 30-45mins. When we checked back in 45 mins later we were told we were going to have to wait another 45 mins. My friend explained to them “No thank you. You told us that 45 mins ago!” so they tippity-tapped their fancy Reservations App on their iPad and assured us it would only be another 25 mins. Ugh, they’re lucky they can provide delicious sangria to keep me company.
Our waiter was “pissy” to start off the night, not making eye contact and acting like he didn’t give a damn. We were about to write him off but he later apologized for his mood and started acting more playful/friendly – we ended the night adoring him!

Overall: Trendy. Dark. Swanky. Gothic. Or if you’re Ariane you refer to it as a “vampire den”. Whatever you want to call it, you’re not going to Lolita for a quiet casual evening. The place is constantly packed so make a reservation if you plan on eating (only allowed if you have a party of 6 or more – annoying). I’m not a tequila fan so I avoided the 7 margarita options, but the Rojo Sangria is excellent (although one of the cheaper cocktails at $9). There’s plenty of food I still want to try so I’ll be back in the future, although it strikes me more as a winter spot considering there’s no windows or sunlight of any kind!

back lounge/bar area

The Perfect Bite: The guac was excellent but I think (almost) every guacamole is amazing. My entrée was good but the menu lied to me making me believe I’d be served PULLED pork… so I’ll have to say the Bananarama dessert.

www.lolitaboston.com

I found Rustic Kitchen on OpenTable.com when looking for a 7pm reservation on the Saturday night before Valentine’s Day. I had never heard of this restaurant so I checked out the website and learned that not only do they have an impressive menu, but they film a live cooking show in a studio in the restaurant – very cool. Located in Back Bay’s Park Square, I originally thought it was associated with the Park Plaza Hotel which led me to believe this was more of an upscale establishment. Upon entering I realized it’s actually attached to the Radisson, which is a notch or two below the Park Plaza’s status. This made no difference, I was still excited for the evening ahead!

Bread: 4 slices were served on a square plated with olives and a white bean dip. The bread was soft and doughy, not bad. The bean dip was a little too watery for my liking, lacking texture/substance.

bread

Menu: The options were endless: Italian and Seafood Starters, Pizza, Salads, Rustic Comfort Classics, Hand Crafted Pasta, Fresh From the Docks, Rustic Italian Steakhouse. I was of course eyeing the Tagliatelle Bolognese and after the waiter confirmed it was exceptional I just had to order it. This special occasion called for an appetizer as well, so I went with the Tuna Tartar.

tuna tartar

Food/Presentation:
Tuna Tartar with spicy chile sauce, avocado & pistachio crackers:
The tuna app came in a massive mound with the 2 crackers sticking out of the middle, linked together by circles of thinly sliced red onion. This was unlike any tuna tartar I’ve had in the past. First of all, it was huge and could have easily fed 2-3 people; second, the consistency was mushier than I’m used to. Most tartars consist of finely cubed pieces of raw tuna but this one had all different shapes and sizes which made for an odd texture. I did appreciate the chunks of avocado though!

Tagliatelle Bolognese with an authentic creamy meat sauce served over rich egg noodle with grated Grana Padano cheese:
The pasta came in one of the coolest bowls I’ve ever seen. Not only did it have a place holder for my fork, but also a small circular indentation in place of a spoon, to use for twirling the noodles around the fork – brilliant! I wish I could say the same for the entrée. It was good, but the pasta was too thin and over cooked for my liking. I have no complaints about the meat or sauce, it’s just that I’ve have many a Bolognese in my day and I have high expectations. It’s my favorite dish of all time, after all! 🙂

bolognese

Mango Sorbet with chocolate chip biscotti:
Topped with berries and 2 biscottis – and our waiter had already brought us 2 additional biscottis for Matt’s coffee (slash Dena’s enjoyment). The sorbet was refreshing and the biscotti was thin, crunchy, and paired perfectly when dipped in Matt’s coffee!

mango sorbet

Bathroom: Located outside (down the hall) of the actual restaurant. Since it’s shared with the Radisson patrons there wasn’t much décor etc to connect it with Rustic Kitchen, but it was clean, modern, and had plenty of space.

bathroom

Wait Staff: Gustavo was fantastic! One of the best waiters I’ve ever had. I honestly felt like a VIP. At the beginning of our night we were looking over the wine list and Gustavo immediately offered to bring us a tasting of two wine types that we knew we enjoyed (Malbec, Merlot). Usually I take a shot in the dark (not much of a wine connoisseur) but with his help we were able to choose a bottle we knew we’d love. He was just as helpful the rest of the evening, being honest with his recommendations of certain dishes/drinks. If it wasn’t creepy I would have given him a hug on the way out.

Kaikin Malbec

Overall: The décor was quite “rustic” with stone columns and brick walls, and the overall atmosphere was quite casual. The lighting was interesting – above each booth looked like an upside down lily. Gustavo absolutely made the night! The prices matched the portions (above average prices = large amount of food), but the dishes themselves were average. I’d give it another shot and return for the Cooking Show, no doubt about it.

lighting

The Perfect Bite/Sip: Biscotti dipped in coffee. Also, my Chocolate Covered Strawberry Martini. I don’t handle straight liquor very well, but this literally tasted like a liquid chocolate strawberry (which is one of my favorite foods). And judge me if you like, but dipping the biscotti in my martini wasn’t too shabby either.

chocolate strawberry martini

www.rustickitchen.biz