fischwlu

Wow, my husband and I have good timing! We went to Hugos on May 2... just days before chef Rob Evans won the James Beard award for best chef in the Northeast! We were visiting from Boston, and during our trip we also went to Maine Diner (on our way up), Fore Street, Duckfat, Gilberts Chowder House, Gritty McDuffs, Inn on Peaks Island, Standard Baking, Two Fat Cats Bakery, breakfast at Porthole and Becky's... and a few others. I am still craving more Duckfat fries... [drool]. We never found a good lobster roll place though (we were at the Maine Diner for breakfast) so we had to satisfy our craving at the Clam Box in Ipswich back in MA!

Where did you purchase that monstrosity? Kane's Donuts?

I forgot to note that for those of us who are still relatively "young" you can't put off eating healthy until you are older. My husband was hospitalized around Thanksgiving with pancreatitus and the doctor said it was because he was overweight, ate too much, exercised too little, and drank too much... and he is only 29! So now he is 45 pounds lighter and much more energetic and happy, yet we probably have had more "gourmet" meals since last November. We just cut out the cheap sub shop type foods, a lot of the processed stuff, focused on adding more fruits and vegetables, and try to drink mostly water throughout the day. This whole experience has been an eye opener, because I think people somethimes think they can eat (and drink) what they want while they are young and worry about making up for it later... but maybe the damage will be done by then.

So I was just wondering what people who try to be healthy yet still enjoy real food like to eat and do to stay within that healthy range... My husband and I like to eat as healthy as possible during the weekdays and then we eat what we want on the weekends. Salads, chicken breasts, and omlettes are easy and fast during the week, and then we can have long, indulgent meals on the weekend. We also have been trying to exercise 4-5 times a week... it definitely makes you feel better about eating that cannoli, but it also makes you more selective about what is tasty enough to justify the calories.

Thanks for the info everyone! I plan to go in about a week or so, and then I will report back on my experience.

I am thinking of checking out an "underground" restaurant near Boston and I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience at one of these? My only clue as to what it might be like is from this article.

I agree that both Ilan and Marcel had trouble thinking beyond what they knew and were comfortable with. That's why Sam should have won... he approached each challenge with no pre-conceived notions about what he should make... he let the challenge and his ingredients decide. Even though I despised Marcel the whole time, in the end I was actually cheering for him over Ilan. Ilan is the James Frey of cooking! No originality at all!

I agree that Peets is excellent. I know that there are several places in the North End that specialize in espressos, etc. but I haven't done a taste test yet to see who makes the best. Have you tried any of those places? If you are ever in the Newton Highlands area, I also like this one place on Lincoln Street...

I love those! My favorite part is when the guy says he uses the tater tots as a tooth jacket to keep his teeth warm when he drinks his slushy. But I don't think they should be allowed to show those commercials in New England when there aren't any around here! It's cruel!

I was not aware that UDF sold their ice cream anywhere other then UDF stores... do they sell them at grocery stores? I know that I have found Graeters at grocery stores in Columbus... I can't say the same for UDF ice cream which is mention in the article. Maybe they do though, I haven't fully explored all stores in the tri-state area! (edit: I see here that UDF is sold in grocery stores... see I learn something new every day!)

This was very helpful for me as well, because my husband and I were trying to think of places to go around Chelmsford other then Bainbridges. We are definitely going to check out Michael Timothy's! Thank you!

Yes UDF is awesome. I worked at UDF in college & never got sick of ice cream. And to anyone who doesn't live in Ohio, the concept of an ice cream fountain with a gas station is totally lost. And Graeters! How can you not like coming across a CHUNK of chocolate in your chocolate chip ice cream? ← I know! I crave the black raspberry chip (CHUNK) constantly. And I have been away too long, what is this Buckeye Blitz I see on their website? Aparently the secret to the chunkiness is that they pour the chocolate into the ice cream as it is churning so it freezes and breaks up but in uneven, huge pieces. I remember when I was younger walking home from school and going by a Graeters. My little brother and I would scrape together whatever change we had to buy a lemonade with raspberry sorbet (he was allergic to dairy). Even today I have this crazy idea that a lemonade is supposed to have a scoop of some kind of sorbet in it! That's it, I think a need to make some room in my freezer and order a few dozen pints!

The article also mentions UDF (United Dairy Farmers). They have very good ice cream, malts, sherbert freezes... I can keep going. It wasn't until I left Ohio for college that I realized how rare it is to find a gas station/convenience store that is also an ice cream store/soda fountain! If you are in driving through Ohio and must stop for gas, I must recommend that you stop for a scoop or two at UDF. Of course, if you are doing more then just passing through, get Graeter's instead... they're the best!

YES! I always thought that there were 2 types of people, those who love okra and those who have never had it (many who do not even know what it is!). But I'm in Boston, where I asked a crowd once where I can get some Sweet Tea and they all asked, "What's sweet tea? You mean like Snapple?" So I just assumed people around here were just ignorant and never considered the possibility that if they tried it they wouldn't like it (gasp!).

Po Folks! I miss that place. Growing up, I went to one in Cincinnati, but I don't think you can find any that far north anymore. I had my first hushpuppie there... you never forget your first...