Website to Check Out: Guidespot

Some of you may know that I write for a site called Guidespot. Guidespot is a fabulous resource for the various restaurants and activities your city has to offer. While the guides can feature pretty much anything to do with a city, many of them are featured around food. And no matter what type of cuisine you're looking for in your city, chances are you'll find it on Guidespot!

• Here are all my guides for all you Bostonians. I obviously write a lot about food in Boston, but also have some guides featuring some other fun touristy things to do in the city. I'm pretty much an expert on Boston's nachos and so I pride myself on my guide to the best nachos.
  


• My favorite New York Guidespotter. She has a fabulous guide on where to get the best candy in NYC.
  


• A fabulous writer of Los Angeles guides. I'm LOVING his hilarious guide to the best sushi in LA.

Don't worry, I think Chicago guides are coming soon! The site is growing everyday and now we're starting to think about how to make it even better.

That's where you come in. It would be fabulous if you could give me your feedback and let me know what you like about the site, what you don't like, and what you think could be improved. Be honest! We've got everything from a city's best nachos to cupcakes to hangover cures, but is there something you'd like to see that we're missing? Is the site search-friendly for you? Do you just hate it altogether? We really want to work to improve the site. Plus, if you give me your feedback, I might win a little ahem, cash prize. So, the more the better :)

Check out the guides for your city and the site as a whole and let me know what you think by leaving your comments or e-mailing me at Anderson.SusanM@gmail.com. Thank you so much and I hope you all enjoy Guidespot!

[Sues]

Salmon served with Black Bean Puree and Corn

I recently had dinner at Stephanie's on Newbury Street and had a reallyyyy great dinner... I cleaned the plate, which is sort of rare for me since my stomach can't fit much in it. I ordered the ancho chile and honey glazed salmon served with black bean puree and warm corn salad. It was phenomenal and needless to say I got quite a craving for it the other night and since I was already in for the night I attempted to make my own version (minus the honey, since I actually forgot about that until now!)

After washing the salmon off, I seasoned it with some garlic salt and pepper, cooked it in a pan until golden brown. For the black bean puree I used just a basic can of black beans then mixed it in a blender with some red pepper flakes to add some heat, salt, pepper, and some extra virgin olive oil so it wouldn't be as thick. I then cooked the fresh corn quickly in a pan to warm it up.... simple enough and veryyyy tasty!




Now I'll have to go back to Stephanie's to compare! And to try their out their killer brunch especially the egg's benedict which Sues swears by!

Stephanie's on Newbury
190 Newbury Street
Boston, MA
617.236.0990

You Need to Go to: BerryLine

I have one very important piece of advice for you. If you're in Boston, run to Harvard Square. Or whatever, you can walk; that's what Sara and I did today (LONG walk!). Or you can even take public transportation. Just yourself there and to 1 Arrow Street as soon as possible.

Why? To get to BerryLine. BerryLine is officially my new favorite place. It's a frozen yogurt place, but you know how most frozen yogurt tastes pretty much like ice cream? This actually tastes like real yogurt. Amazingly good, creamy yogurt. Of course, the best part is the toppings. They offer tons of different fruits, candies, cereals (Fruity Pebbles!), etc.

Or maybe the best part is that the yogurt has 25 calories/oz. So a small yogurt has 125 calories. A medium, 200. Wow. I'm seriously in love.

Finally. BerryLine is Boston's answer to PinkBerry. Now if only there were one just a little bit closer to my apartment, I think I might move in.

Sorry, we couldn't really wait to take pictures before we started eating!

[Sues]

You Should Eat At: Bouchee

Last week, my favorite ex-coworker (and newly engaged woman!), Kerry, and I went out to lunch. She works in the Boylston St. area of Boston, which is full of great restaurants, so we get to try somewhere new every time we meet up.

This time we took a stroll down to Newbury St. and had lunch at Bouchee, a cute little French restaurant. I'd say we made a good choice as we both had fabulous meals that left us feeling full and satisfied.

As we usually do when we meet for lunch, we each chose a meal that we were both somewhat interested in, so we could share. Kerry ordered the macaroni and cheese with smoked ham and parmesan breadcrumbs. It was simply amazing. The mac and cheese was nice and rich, but not too heavy; while the parmesan breadcrumb topping added the perfect crunch.

I ordered the flatbread with sweet sausage, bleu cheese, grapes and tarragon. Generally, I'm not an alternative pizza kind of girl. When I get a pizza craving I want the real thing with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. But this sounded appealing to me, and I'm telling you, I could have eaten the entire thing (and it was really large). The sharpness of the bleu cheese was nicely cut by the cinnamon flavor of the sausage and the sweetness of the grapes. The crust was thin and crispy just the way I like it.

Bouchee's lunch menu is large and filled with mouth-watering French delicacies, like escargot, foi gras, and duck confit, as well as delicious-sounding salads and sandwiches. The Croque Madame sandwich is smoked ham, gruyere, bechamel, and fried egg; sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen, but like it might be worth it.

Prices range from about $10-$17 for lunch entrees, while dinner entrees are $13-$35. I can't wait to go back for lunch at Bouchee later this spring to enjoy the outdoor seating right on beautiful Newbury.

Bouchee Brasserie
159 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02115
617.450.4343
www.boucheebrasserie.com

[Sues]

Welcome to Watertown, MA

Today I spent the afternoon in Watertown, MA. Now, if you're from the Boston area, you're probably thinking, "Watertown, woo hoo, lucky you" (cue New England sarcasm). I know, I know, the Arsenal Mall isn't exactly the hottest mall around, and the Watertown Mall is at least a hundred times worse. If you're in the area, it's probably to go to Target or maybe the less cool than Boston's version of Filene's Basement. However, I'm telling you right now, Watertown has some definite perks.

First of all, where have I been hiding for the last 3 years that I've never heard of Russo's? That is, until I heard about it 3 times in one day (no joke) a couple weeks ago, which is when I realized I had to go. So after a trip to Target, Sara took me on a tour of Watertown and was more than excited to bring me to Russo's.

This market is seriously awesome. The produce is plentiful and the prices are really, really good. Blueberries for $1.98, blackberries for $1.98, asparagus for $2.49/lb. In addition, the prepared foods looked fabulous and the bakery goods a-m-a-z-i-n-g. They also have homemade pasta. Oh, and at least 3 different kinds of Bocconcini. So yeah, now I know where to go for that. Sara also introduced me to an amazing new product: pink grapefruit yogurt. Yes, it sounds a little odd, but it's really quite fabulously delicious and now I wish I had stocked up better! I guess that means another trip to Russo's is in the future.

After our Russo's excursion, Sara took me to Fordee's, a little Middle Eastern sandwich shop in Coolidge Sqare (note: not Coolidge Corner). Their falafel wrap with tahbouli was out of this world and huge! But really, everything sounded good and the pita chips were a definite yes. Also, everyone who worked behind the counter was extremely friendly. We had already stocked up on Hommus at Russo's and were stuffed from our lunch, but according to Sara, there are tons of great Middle Eastern specialty shops in the area also.

So thanks to Sara for introducing me to the joys of Watertown. Even though she's from Connecticut and live in Beacon Hill, she somehow always seems to know more about the surrounding area than I ever have. If you're in the Boston area and haven't already, definitely go spend some time in Watertown!

You Should Eat At: Giacomo's

Image from Boston100.net

The North End is one of my favorite places to go out to eat in Boston. The only problem is, whenever I go, I feel so extremely overwhelmed by all of the restaurant choices, it can take hours to decide where to eat. When I finally decide on a place, I walk in to discover a 2 hour wait. And I'm sometimes hesitant to try somewhere I've never heard of because, gasp, what if the food's not as good as I know it is somewhere else? This means I usually end up going to the same old standbys (Bella Vista and Limoncello) and have a great difficulty trying anything new.

So, I was pretty excited when my sister and her friend came to visit and had already decided we would be having dinner at Giacomo's. I'd never been, but had heard good things so I was down for it. We went to the restaurant at 7:45 on a Monday evening and there was only a 5 minute wait. However, I hear the line is usually ridiculous and reservations cannot be made. It's really tiny inside, with maybe about 8 tables and an open view of the kitchen. It's small but homey.

I've never been to a restaurant where I've had such a hard time deciding what to order. Because everything sounded SO good. I finally decided on the clams and mussels in scampi sauce and didn't regret it at all. They were extremely generous with the shellfish and the sauce was to die for. But seriously, I wanted everything. Butternut squash ravioli, pumpkin ravioli (I know. I turned down my two favorite orange foods...what is wrong with me??) I also came really close to getting fettuccini with swordfish and tuna in a pesto cream sauce. And the goat cheese filled gnocchi with mushrooms and mascarpone. Basically I need to go back to Giacomo's about 50 more times before I've tried everything I want. If you're in the mood for seafood, Giacomo's has pretty much anything you can think of and lets you choose from a variety of sauces.

The prices at Giacomo's are very reasonable, with entrees from around $12-$17 (and worth every penny). Oh, and most bottles of wine are only $16. We got a fabulous pinot noir.

The host (owner?) was extremely friendly and charming. He chatted with us, laughed with us, made fun of us, and took pictures with us. He pinched my cheek when he found out I graduated from grad school and seemed to be very proud of me, asking me questions about my degree and work. This is exactly how I envision the North End to be.

I will definitely be back at Giacomo's, probably on another Monday evening when I don't have to wait. There is, however, a second location in the South End, which does take reservations. But I have a feeling it's not quite as charming as the North End version. And it just wouldn't be the same if you couldn't go to Cafe Vittoria for cannolis after dinner.

Giacomo's Restaurant
355 Hanover St.
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-9026

[Sues]

You Should Eat At: Mistral

Mistral is one restaurant in Boston I've been dying to go to, but have never had the opportunity (read: it's expensive). But after going last night, I saw exactly why it's so expensive; it's amazingly delicious food...and so worth it! I mean, Valentine's Day is coming up. So if you're not planning on cooking up the fabulous Valentine's Day menu we're going to give you (just sit tight a few days), then take your honey (or make your honey take you) to Mistral. Birthdays? Anniversaries? Just please, find an ocassion to go here!

Located in the South End (only one of my favorite Boston neighborhoods ever), Mistral even looks posh from the outside.

Mistral

My favorite part of the meal was no doubt the appetizer of Maine Crab Ravioli with Thyme-Tomato Broth (16). I've never tasted such tender, fresh crab meat and the raviolis basically melted in my mouth. The Grilled Portobello Mushroom “Carpaccio” with Roasted Peppers Agrodolce & Baby Arugula (13) and Lambs Lettuce Salad with Soft Goat Cheese & Apple Cider Vinaigrette (14), were also pretty much to die for. I could have filled up on appetizers alone, but I'm really glad I didn't.

I had a really difficult time deciding on an entree, but finally chose the Skillet Roasted Sirloin Steak "Au Poivre" with Potato-Chicory Hash, Cognac & Peppercorns (42) and was extremely happy that I did. The steak was juicy and full of flavor and was definitely more than enough food. I took home lots of leftovers.

I love leftovers.

Of course, I still saved room for dessert, which was a warm chocolate torte and the dessert special, some sort of pineapple cake, also delicious. Of course, the sambuca on the rocks washed it down nicely. We sat with our dessert for over an hour just chatting and catching up, never feeling rushed.

The restaurant is beautiful and had me feeling like I was far away from Boston. Dare I say, it actually felt like a NYC restaurant? Because it did. If you really can't afford to eat at Mistral, it's worth just going to the bar for a couple drinks. I heard it's a great place to pick up older men who will buy your drinks. You didn't hear that from me, though. Allegedly, there's also a late-night menu on Fridays and Saturdays, which looks to be a bit cheaper than the regular menu.

Our waiter left a little to be desired (almost spilling an entire dirty martini on my sister, but merely splashing her instead), but according to my aunt and frequent Mistral customer, if her "usual" waiter had been there, things would have been close to perfect. As she said, that just means we'll have to go back. I can handle that.

Mistral
223 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 867-9300

[Sues]

Ma Soba: Sushi Go-To

From pretty much the day I moved to Boston, I knew I was going to be a fan of Ma Soba in Beacon Hill. It was a warm September evening and the floor to ceiling windows in the restaurant were all wide open as I walked by for the first time. Looking into the restaurant, I could see how amazing the sushi looked. As we passed by, two girls started yelling for us to help them; a homeless man was hanging through the windows harassing them as they tried to enjoy their sushi dinner. Welcome to Boston.

Two and a half years later, and Ma Soba is still my go-to for meeting up with friends and chowing down on sushi. No, it's not the best sushi in Boston (though right after I wrote that sentence, I looked at their website and it actually says "Best sushi in Boston" as voted by Boston magazine, so OK, maybe it is close to the best), but it's really good and extremely inexpensive as far as Boston sushi goes.

They have this amazing deal called "the combo." Actually, I might have made that name up, but that's how my friends and I refer to it. You can pick either 2 or 3 options from their list for a set price. We always get the 3 choice combo because it's only $2 more expensive than the 2 option one, and it therefore would be ridiculous of us not to. So, I usually get 2 kinds of sushi and the vegetable dumplings, which are very delicious. The combos also come with a salad and miso soup, making it way more than enough for a meal. Though, last night, Sara and I finished every bite. We're usually good like that.

I do wish the combo had more options as they don't offer a unagi-maki, which is my favorite. But the it's too good of a deal to even think about ordering rolls separately. And I was quite satisfied with my spicy tuna and California rolls.

I, unfortunately, did not check out 2 Guys Uncorked until after my dinner, when I learned sparkling wine is the way to go when enjoying sushi. Ahhh well, the Cabernet Sauvignon was quite good, and there's always next time. Because, yes, there will be lots of next times at Ma Soba.

[Sues]

Did someone say cupcakes?

I am a huge fan of cupcakes. Obsessed you might say. If I could do anything, I would probably want to open my open cupcake shop. Unfortunately, I kind of missed the boat on that one as cupcakes are already all the rage and shops have already been opening everywhere within the last couple years.

And even though I live a two-minute walk away from the best cupcakes in Boston and surrounding areas (Party Favors), I still bake them whenever I get the chance. I use a combination of recipes and tweak them a little bit each time, but I mainly stick to the Magnolia Bakery's cupcake and butter cream frosting recipes. The best, in my opinion.



I think family and friends got the memo that I am cupcake crazy as these were some of the gifts I got for Christmas this year:




A cupcake dessert stand, so I can properly display my finished product.



And Crate and Barrel's cupcake carrier, so I can travel with my cupcakes. This really excites me as I never have a way of transporting my cupcakes to parties and events. And it holds 24 cupcakes!

Any other cupcake accessories I absolutely need?


[Sues]

Wedding Programs, Invitations, Stationary...

With the warm Boston weather today, it made me think about how quickly this winter will most likely fly and how it will soon be Spring (wishful thinking?). Spring time means lots of weddings (and other events!) so I wanted to share some of my custom stationary design with everyone:

(wedding program and greeting card)

(monogrammed stationary set for a new bride)

Stay tuned for more since doing this is my obsession ;)


[Chels]