Stella

When I think of Boston, cold weather, die-hard sports fans, the Commons, and the Ivy league first come to mind. I sometimes think back to Revolutionary days - admiring the architecture of this historical city on the Harbor. Enjoying all of the above, but mostly spending time with college friends has always taken precedence over any food excursions on my visits. Well, move over San Francisco, Chicago, even New York, here comes a city who wants to and can join the culinary ranks. I can finally admit that my most recent weekend in Boston turned into a typical travel weekend for me - a culinary adventure. While I do have friends who know me well and put much thought into every dining experience, each meal, from brunch to lunch to dinner, was a complete success. But, it was our dinner at Stella on Saturday night that was really top-notch and has forever changed my view of Boston dining.

Stella already gets praises in my books for being located in the South End - one of my favorite neighborhoods in Boston; and, a second round of praises for serving Italian fare, my weakness. And, to top it off, I couldn't believe it when there was a section on the menu for grilled pizza! New York's Gonzo had introduced me to this delicious creation, but I had never seen it any other restaurant. Luckily, I was with a group of ten and so we were able to order several of these as well as other starters to begin with. I may now be convinced that all pizzas should be grilled as both the homemade meatball with buffalo mozzarella and toasted garlic as well as the shitake, crimini, and oyster pie drizzled with truffle oil were absolutely delicious. There was an even draw at the table as to which was best - but, the meatball pizza definitely gets my top vote. We also shared the crispy fried artichoke hearts with a country mustard remoulade and a couple orders of the parmesan arancini - risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella topped with a spicy pomodoro fondue. Needless to say, the meal started out with a bang.

As we moved onto the main course, our table was a true testament to the versatility of Stella. The preparations were all so appealing that we actually ventured away from a typical pasta-only Italian experience and sampled everything from the chicken to several different fish to pork. Of course, there were still many pasta dishes on the table and rightfully so, since the orecchiette with sausage, cured tomato and chile flakes ended up being amazing. Although this dish sounds rather basic, it was the perfect preparation of many of my favorite flavors. Another wonderful, traditional Italian dish was the Osso Buco. However, to stray from the norm, the chefs used pork instead of veal and served it over basil parmesan risotto in a red wine sauce. Since I rarely go the seafood route in an Italian restaurant, I was nicely surprised by both the salmon and the swordfish. But, my favorite seafood dish was the saffron risotto with calamari, mussels, and shrimp in a citrus tomato broth - creating a sort of Italian bouillabaisse.

Overall, it was a wonderful, memorable evening. It is not every day that I get to enjoy a delicious dinner with 9 friends, enjoy it in a chic setting, and continue to enjoy it once the bill arrives. I apologize now for my previous misconceptions, but, I still would have never guessed I could have enjoyed all of this in good old Beantown! Stella has certainly set me straight and raised the bar for all future visits up north. One last praise: although we didn't have time (or really room for dessert), I walked out the door with my small, but still usually quite apparent sweet tooth more than satisfied. There is a small jar full of chocolate mints at the hostess podium. Be sure to grab a handful or two before heading out - it never hurts to go out on a fresh note!



Stella
1525 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 247-8747
website
FOOD RATING (out of 5):

Westville

Enough with the brief shout outs. It's time Westville became a full-feature. You might recall this restaurant from a mention in the Recession Edition or, more recently, in Where is the Toast in NYC? Or you may just be an NYC villager and it has become a household name over the years. This post goes out to my oldest friend from Richmond who discovered Westville with me over five and half years ago when I first moved to the city. Midway through our grueling search for the perfect west village apartment, we stumbled across yet another imperfect one on West 10th and Bleecker - located directly above this newly opened, farm-focused restaurant. The amazing smells from the tiny space below nearly sold us on the spot. But, in the end, a two bedroom apartment with no living room for $2600 a month in 2003 wasn't quite going to do it. We realized we'd be just as well off if we moved a few blocks south - still close enough to frequent Westville almost once a week!

Well, more than five years later, Westville is still doing everything right. Each time I am there, I wonder why it's no longer one of my weekly traditions. I blame that on my best friend's departure from New York several years ago and just too many temptations to try out new spots. While my life has changed quite a bit over the years, Westville has generally stayed the very same. And that is a great thing. The main menu and affordable prices are no different from opening day. Each day the chefs continue to serve excellent farm-fresh comfort food from one of the tiniest kitchen's in the city. As daily specials almost double the size of the menu, my only complaint is that there are just too many great options. However, whether you are going as basic as hot dogs and burgers or more adventuresome with the trout or pork chops, you cannot go wrong. I have probably tried almost everything on the menu over the years and still can never easily decide what I want when I am there.

To solve this problem, I recommend going with at least a few other people or just making sure you are very hungry. The important thing is to guarantee ample sharing opportunities. To start, you cannot go wrong with an order of the smokey mac and cheese with bacon and the corn on the cob with lime, cumin, and cotija cheese. Westville focuses on comfort food and vegetables - these two dishes covering both spectrums. For a healthier start, all of their salads are excellent - also great for sharing or even for a lighter meal. These typically change with the season, but when on the menu, the grilled salmon and sliced steak salads are two of my favorites.

For the main courses, it really depends on my mood. One of the best features of Westville is their side dishes. Each night they offer nearly 20 different preparations of seasonal vegetables. Since I often have a hard time deciding which one or two to order, I sometimes make an entire meal out of the sides. They have an option of ordering 4 market vegetables for $13 - more than enough food for those of us who typically eat hearty meat dishes for dinner. In fact, Westville might be the one place where I would actually consider being a vegetarian. Although, that idea never lasts very long as the sausage and peppers served over grilled bread and their Niman Ranch hot dogs are also some of my favorites. Well, last week I was having one of my vegetarian moments and ordered a plate of lemon grilled asparagus with parmesan, honey-dijon roasted Brussels Sprouts, cauliflower dijonnaise, and sauteed mushrooms with herbs and leeks. All were delicious, but the two greens were probably the winners. Some of the other hits from the night and in general are the turkey burger and the veggie burger- both served on an English muffin. Again, because of the organic ingredients, the flavors just taste fresher here.

I guess my only other complaint about Westville would be their amazing dessert options. Not only are they too tempting to pass up, but it is honestly hard to decide what to order as they are all delicious. If you are in the mood for cookies, they offer two of my favorites - a homemade oreo, two chocolate cookies sandwiching vanilla frosting, or a homemade Lil Devin, two cranberry oatmeal cookies filled with cream cheese frosting. Deciding between those two is hard enough! And then there are the crumbles and the pies all dependent upon the berries or other fruits of the season and served with homemade ice cream. I think I now remember why I had to cut back on my visits to Westville. Good luck turning down any of these options!


Westville
210 W 10th St
New York, NY 10014-6411
Phone: (212) 741-7971
website
FOOD RATING (Out of 5):

Lucali

What do pizza and candy have in common? For many, including myself, they are guilty pleasures - the necessary treats in life that make a morning at the gym or opting for the stairs well worth your while. But, for one Carroll Gardens native, they represent a juvenile fantasy becoming a reality. A few years ago, Mark Iacono opened Lucali in an attempt to save an old, neighborhood candy store and his childhood memories from completely disappearing. While sugar treats are no longer the main attraction, the warmth and comfort felt from any trip to Louie's Candy Shop still remain intact. The addition of one large, handmade wood-fired oven might be the only excusable replacement for the soda fountain stools of the past. Mark Iacono has set up shop - and one for all ages to enjoy these days.

Lucali is as basic as it gets - serving pizza and calzones - nothing more, nothing less. Each night, the waitress runs through the fresh toppings of the day for both options. While the many different ingredients are tempting, I warn you to keep it basic - for two reasons. First of all, the cost can actually add up as no real prices are listed on the blackboard menu. Don't worry - you are not going to spend a ridiculous amount of money here. After all, this is pizza we are talking about. But, you will definitely spend much more than expected if you go overboard with the additions. Secondly, my favorite pizza was actually one of the simplest - a regular pie (tomato sauce and mozzarella) with basil and garlic. With such simplicity, the fresh ingredients were really able to stand out.

While the pizza was extremely well-made, I think the calzones are actually the highlight here. And, I am not normally a fan of calzones. In fact, I almost didn't want to order one - especially when learning they were stuffed with feta cheese. How could Greek cheese work for an Italian specialty? But, after braving a decent wait on a cold night and working up quite an appetite, we figured the additional item definitely couldn't hurt. The calzone was stuffed with feta and roasted artichokes - to be dipped in fresh tomato sauce. I loved the thin and crispy dough surrounding the fresh ingredients - all perfectly baked in the wood-fired oven. And, the feta was actually delicious!

Lucali is a great, casual spot for a group outing. It is one of the few BYO restaurants still in existence - a major plus for recessionary times. But, I swear they are really just determined to stick to the candy store basics - avoiding menus at all costs! Given the great setting and solid, affordable food, there will most likely be a wait any night of the week. Not to worry! In true neighborhood fashion, they are more than happy taking your number as you head across the street for a drink at the local sushi bar. Don't let the raw fish and bright lights tempt you! You will soon be in the cozy confines marking the resurrection of Louie's Candy Shop. The smell alone of the wood-fired creations permeating the restaurant will bring a smile to your face. Thank goodness for guilty pleasures.


Lucali
575 Henry St (at Carroll)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 858-4086
menu
FOOD RATING (out of 5):

Where is the TOAST in NYC?

It's the dead of winter. Large, luscious green salads full of farm fresh produce and organic ingredients are far from the mind. Well, I am here to remind you that we are only a few months away from warm days and the resurfacing of salad cravings. Which means, there is limited time to solve NYC's salad crisis.

I was fortunate enough to spend last weekend in sunny LA. And yes, while blue skies almost always prevail in southern California, even locals noted that 80 degrees was unseasonably warm and lucky for a January day. The weather sent us straight to Toast - the brunch haven with ample outdoor seating for the young and trendy. No matter the day of the week or the time of day, the menu stays the same - offering soups, salads, sandwiches, eggs, and more. Despite the endless choices (and the name), I looked around and noticed the large bowls of salad dominating most tables - and eventually ours. The setting and the attitude exemplify the laid back nature of the west coast. And, brings me to my exact question and problem. Why are there not more places in NYC like Toast? Ok - it's true. New Yorkers are definitely not as relaxed as Californians, but we still love our brunch - the idea of prolonging and enjoying a midday meal. While Saturday and Sunday brunch menus at our favorite restaurants do present us with many options, these are mostly for breakfast items. I have yet to find a sit down spot that offers a large selection of entree salads. At Toast, not only are there over 12 options for meal sized salads, but you can also order them in half sizes too. No matter the size of your appetite, there is a salad for you here. Just imagine having to choose between the Chicken Chow (a bed of lettuce topped with grilled vegetables, grilled chicken breast, crumbled feta cheese, fresh avocado, tomato and cucumber served with house vinaigrette), the Garden (mixed greens, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado, goat cheese, pine nuts topped with strips of grilled garden burger and house vinaigrette), or even the Cobb (a mix of lettuce, oven roasted turkey, avocado, cherry tomatoes, turkey bacon, and crumbled bleu cheese is served with a creamy vinaigrette). And this is just a small sampling of the options!

True - salads are not hard to come by in New York. The City is overflowing with salad joints like Chop't, Tossed, and Just Salad. You can mix and match from nearly any ingredient imaginable, but only while waiting in line and then taking it away. I want a restaurant where I can sit down and not have to craft my own salad. A restaurant where I actually have options and am forced to think about which salad to order - and one that will pass for an entire meal. Does this exist in NYC? If it does, I am definitely not in the know and would love to be enlightened! As I sat down to think more and more about this apparent salad crisis in NYC, I started thinking about my favorite salads in the city. Westville's Greek salad. The Smith's grilled steak salad. Ocean Grill's seafood cobb. Hundred Acres' herbed chicken breast salad. Yet, these are all stand alone dishes on menus full of more traditional brunch and lunch fare.

Time is ticking as spring approaches. So, I have two propositions. 1) For those of you who have always wanted to open up a salad-centric, sit-down restaurant - serving breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner - now is the time. NYC will be in demand in only a matter of months (and I am already in need). And, 2) for those of you who are laughing at me and already know of a restaurant of this caliber thriving in NYC, please share your secret. All I ask is that the salad crisis be put to rest!

Toast Bakery Cafe
8211 West Third St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
website
FOOD RATING (out of 5):

Noodle Pudding

Does pasta come to mind? Perhaps, dessert? Maybe just confusion. If you are a fan (as I surely am) of the NY Times' Mark Bittman, aka The Minimalist, you may have just stumbled upon last week's recipe for Noodle Pudding - his attempt to turn leftovers into dessert. While very intriguing and somewhat appetizing, I found it even more baffling that this silly combination of words keeps sneaking into my life. I spent last Saturday night dining at Brooklyn's very own Noodle Pudding - an authentic and low key Italian restaurant located in the heart of Brooklyn Heights. It is hard not to laugh at the name - which, for me, was part of what got me excited to head there. Say it three times and I dare you to keep a straight face. How can you not already love a place whose name automatically brings a smile to your face? But, Noodle Pudding or not, the food really will keep you grinning throughout the night. This is some of the best prepared, reliable Italian food I have come across in NYC. What you see on the menu is what you get - guaranteeing your old favorites from Italy will be a surefire hit.

With such an affordable menu - both for food and drink, this is a great spot for a group. And, they actually take reservations for parties of six or more. In addition to the regular menu, there is a large selection of nightly specials. At a table for six we were able to try a great variety of starters - all of which did not disappoint. These included stuffed mushrooms, asparagus wrapped in a soft Italian cheese, grilled octopus with new potatoes and parsley, prosciutto wrapped around grilled pink endives topped with Parmesan, and sauteed shrimp with white beans and garlic. While basic, every dish was full of flavor and delivered all that was promised. My favorites were the endives and asparagus. Although pink endives are nearly identical in taste to the regular ones, I loved trying them. And grilling these bitter vegetables while adding both ham and cheese to the dish is one of the best preparations I have had. I really do just love anything with Italian cheese - the true reason that the asparagus dish came to life.

We all ordered our own main, but of course ended up passing each dish around the table. This is definitely the kind of place where a simple spaghetti and meatballs could be the winner. We all stuck to the reliable favorites and spent the meal trying to convince each other we had each chosen the best dish. There was tagliatelle bolognese, lasagna bolognese, gnocchi with butter and sage, short ribs with polenta, penne with eggplant and mozzarella, and (a little less traditional, a special of the evening) cavatappi with green olives and lamb ragu spread across the table. It is hard to say which we liked best, but easier to say that we really loved them all. The short ribs perfectly fell off the bone into a bed of soft polenta and winter vegetables - making me very curious about the rest of the meat dishes on the menu. And, I do know I will definitely always order the tagliatelle bolognese (a basic meat sauce) on future visits.

At the end of the meal, we had sampled and consumed more than a fair share of food - leaving no room for dessert. I am even ashamed to admit that we were not all able to finish every dish. The portions are extremely generous - especially when noting the affordable prices. I only wish I had read Bittman’s article before going. Had I known his interpretation of Noodle Pudding, I would have asked for our leftovers to go - an easy way to eventually indulge in a little dessert. While I am pretty sure that is not the Noodle Pudding the Minimalist had in mind, I do think he would appreciate the simplicity and authenticity of this Brooklyn establishment. Noodle Pudding (new definition): simple, tasty, and affordable no matter which way you try it.


Noodle Pudding
38 Henry St
Brooklyn, NY 11201-1338
Phone: (718) 625-3737
menu
FOOD RATING (out of 5):

Convivio

Say "42nd Street." Times Square and Grand Central - two landmarks evoking the hustle and bustle of NYC - immediately come to mind. Say it with a British accent and you have Tudor City - one of the City's hidden gems that I only recently stumbled upon. Of course, food was the reason that brought me there, but this is a part of town that is definitely worth checking out with or without your stomach's command. However, I highly recommend killing two birds with one stone - having an excellent meal and checking out NYC's very own "Little England." Convivio, an upscale Italian restaurant located in the former L'Impero space, is Tudor City's main attraction. The rest of this quaint alcove in midtown is made up of residences built in the 1920s that reflect the architecture of England's 15th century Tudor dynasty. This is the ultimate easy and tranquil escape from the City - several quiet blocks with just one amazing restaurant. One step in Tudor City, you may even think you have stepped off the island!

While the exterior of Convivio takes you back several centuries, the interior has a much more modern, sleek look. You get the best of all worlds - England on the outside, America on the inside, and Italian in your stomach. The contemporary setting dresses up the atmosphere and the attitude - this a definite stop for an occasion. The menu offers sfizi (small plates), antipasti, primi, secondi, and contorni (sides) - traditional Italian options. However, the chefs know how to gussy up tradition - using ingredients that are exotic and prepared together to produce extremely innovative dishes. In Italian restaurants, I find it hard to pass up on pasta - and, with such inventive options - it was even more difficult to turn them down. The whole table felt the same way and made it a pasta night - much to my approval. To offset the heavy and hearty primis, we shared a few small plates to start - grilled porcini and chanterelle mushrooms cooked in red wine and burrata with roasted tomatoes, basil, and olive oil served with grilled country bread. Both preparations only heightened my love for two of my favorite ingredients - mushrooms and the uniquely smooth mozerella. We were pleased with the small portions as the dishes were not only full of intense flavors, but also left us with plenty of room to enjoy our main courses.

Onto the main attraction - the pastas! I will start with the most unique - the sardinian saffron gnocchetti with crab and sea urchin. These are tiny coiled gnocchis (a shape I had never seen before) topped with a tomato based saffron sauce. As with the traditional pasta dumplings, these melt in your mouth with the perfect amount of crab and a dash of crispy sea urchin - a great balance of flavors. We ordered another unique seafood pasta dish - cod ravioli topped with sweet sausage and broccoli rabe pesto. I was nervous that this might be too fishy, but I ended up loving the smooth texture of the cod which was complemented by the bold meat and vegetable flavors. But, the best dish of the evening was the Tortelli D'Amartice - translation: Lover's Pie. And, yes I am in love with these large, flattened tortellinis (pies, not so much) stuffed with pork jowl, tomatoes, and onions. Talk about melt in your mouth! This pasta is an absolute must - and, while extremely rich, the entire plate was devoured. We were definitely thankful we had not over ordered at the start of the meal.

That just meant there was room to overdo it at the end. And, to be fair to both the chocoholic and the caramel lover at the table, we ordered two desserts - the crostata and the budino. The spiced apple tart was topped with a walnut crumble, caramel gelato, and caramel sauce - impossible not to enjoy the combination of these ingredients. Even more decadent, the warm dark chocolate pudding was paired with hazelnut gelato and candied hazelnuts. Ok - we officially overdid it. But, it was definitely worth it. That is the beauty of Convivio - you can eat like an American while still appreciating Italian delicacies. And, at the end of the night, you can walk outside and, with (or even without) a few glasses of wine, feel like you just might run into Henry VIII, or at least one of his wives. Move over Koreatown, Little England is here to stay in Midtown.




Convivio
45 Tudor City Pl
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 599-5045
website
menu
FOOD RATING (out of 5):

ROACH RATING SYSTEM

So as you know, any restaurant I write about is definitely worth a trip (or two)! These are all restaurants I have enjoyed, otherwise, I wouldn't waste your time (or mine) writing about them. But, I realize it would be helpful to be able to rate the food at the restaurants I visit. I have now put the Roach Rating System in place at the end of each post - starting yesterday with Pylos. On the right hand column of the blog, you will now always find a key that indicates what the ratings actually mean. Since this is a new feature, I will lay out the system here too...

1 Roach = Good
2 Roaches = Very Good
3 Roaches = Excellent
4 Roaches = Amazing
5 Roaches = Out of this World

If you are wondering how I would rate any of the restaurants that I have already visited, feel free to leave me a comment below that post, and I will respond with a Roach Rating!