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...

Thanks, I actually went to Fresh City today and got a vegetarian burrito. I thought that this location might be my opportunity to enjoy some really fresh seafood, but my fear is that it might all be over-priced and touristy, like you say Jimmy's is. I might check out No Name this week. I was working in Back Bay before, and I am seriously suffering from withdrawel!

Has anyone tried the new sushi place, Nori, in Brookline yet? I've passed by, but haven't ventured in.

Really, I should rephrase my description. Salernos is not an Italian restuarant, it is more like a pizza/sub shop, that happens to serve some pasta dishes and desserts and has tables (and did I mention their huge glasses of beer?). There was a rumor about this one Italian restaurant in town that it was mafia run and it was closed down after they were accused of money laundering. I don't know if this is true, but it was right at the intersection of I-64 and I-81, so that could be a good location for such things. So don't assume that you can't get authentic Italian, or any other non-American cuisine, outside of the big cities. Their motives for being in a small town may not always be honest, but more then just country folk live in small towns.

I just moved to a new office over by the World Trade Center and I am at a complete loss as to where to go for lunch when I want something other then cafeteria food. Down the road is No Name, and close by I have seen Jimmy's Harborside, Anthony's Pier 4, Yankee Lobster, and Seaport Bar and Grill. Are any of these places good? Is there anything else around here? I never thought I would be in Boston and find such a complete lack of restuarant options! Can anyone save me?

I will second that motion that the Southern Inn is a good choice. I have found the Wilson Walker House to be good sometimes and terrible other times, but you can't beat their $5 lunch special (if they are still offering it). I also recommend stopping by Cocoa Mill Chocolates.. their truffles and snappers (turtles) are excellent.

Well, I am joining this conversation very late, but as a 2002 graduate of Washington and Lee, I feel compelled to put in my 2 cents about Lexington, VA. There are 2 places that my husband and I miss when we think of Lex-Vegas (as the students call it, tongue in cheek). First, we miss Salernos, a very casual Italian (but not Tuscan!!) restuarant. For very little money, you can get a white pizza with garlic, spinach and tomato and a BAB (Big A-- Beer). The other place is the Blue Heron. I don't know if it is still around but they had a wonderful menu that changed every day, depending on what was fresh and seasonal. It was a "healthy" place that served grilled tofu sandwiches, cold soba noodles, and a daily herbal tea. It was the kind of place that appealed to the artists and environmentalists in the area that were usual unseen through the mass of shaggy haired fraternity brothers and gray suited VMI cadets. I agree with previous posters, that when in Rome, eat as the Romans do. This is a town where an exciting day involves breakfast at the Le-Hi Truck Stop, followed by a trip to Walmart. Do not expect these people to know what kobe beef is or ask their thoughts on the Slow Food movement (although they probably invented it, because everything is slow 'round them parts). There are many B & B's in the area that offer "fine dining" but your best bet is to go to the casual, non-chain places. Oh, and to the person who doesn't think a college town can be described as "rural," visit Lexington, it is not a typical college town. There is one bar (the Palms) and half of the students live off campus in old mills and farmhouses. If you listen very closely, you just might here a banjo playing the song from Deliverance.

Check out Tom Sietsema's new review of Urban Bar-B-Que

And now you can, thanks to the new low-carb, Atkins-friendly, South Beach-y menu at Skyline. But for me, that is like lasagna without the noodles... just not the same thing at all.

No, no, no... I have no idea why people outside of the 'Nati ever call it "Chili-Mac"... I was born and raised there and have never heard anyone say the word "Mac" when talking about Cincinnati chili. You either want a 3-way (spaghetti, chili, cheese), a 4-way (spaghetti, chili, cheese, beans or onions), or a 5-way (spaghetti, chili, cheese, beans and onions). You can also get a coney (hot-dog, w/ chili, cheese, onions and mustard) or a chili-cheese sandwhich (coney with no hot dog). You don't say you want a 3-way chili, or a 3-way Cincinnati chili - it is assumed by all (even those with dirty minds) that when you say, "I'd like a 3-way" that you want that sweet and spicy delight on spaghetti with finely grated cheddar cheese. Also, the sweetness is not just due to the addition of cinnamon... they also often add cocoa powder. I personally enjoy Skyline's version of Cincinnati chili, though some enjoy the spicier Gold Star (people take sides on this, just as they take side on which college basketball team is better, Xavier U. or U. of Cincinnati). As for DC, I have been here for 2 years and have no idea if there is a signature dish... it feels like nothing here lasts for long enough to become an institution. Do any other cities have a large Ethiopian population like DC? If not, our dish could be doro wat

I usually don't have time to read them live but check them out later. Tom could choose not to respond to some of the whiners but I think he does because it can be entertaining to read. I love it when he puts someone in their place. People get hyper-sensitive during those chats sometimes (also on Going Out Gurus)... they really need to calm down and realize that these chats are a privilege. Most other cities have nothing comparable to them!