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robinlhunter

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Everything posted by robinlhunter

  1. Marie Sharp's basic or hot habanero -- great flavor and really noticeable but not destroyer-level heat!
  2. Sea to You is open Fridays now noon-2p (still Sat am as well -- no other days for the public -- check their website and confirm before trekking over -- it's also a great option for fresh, if not expertly cut and assembled sushi lunch (avoid the maki specials) -- went there last week and was rewarded with possibly the nicest, freshest piece of tuna EVER (at $14 per lb -- $5 less than at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago) for dinner that night -- quickly seared it and served with a lime/cilantro viniagrette over baby arugula salad - WOW! They also had a number of other inviting Japanese-oriented items (monkfish liver, cod roe, seaweed salad, salmon roe, etc.) I'll return to check out on future Fridays. It's actually on Fish Pier next to No Name Seafood -- the entrance looks like a loading dock. It's definitely worth a stop for tuna and salmon alone.
  3. I've really enjoyed Saucy Grace -- one of the best Cobb salads I've ever experienced, and terrific service -- there's also a nice bakery down the same street (all near the town center on a side street).
  4. If you ARE in the western suburban area (which is on the way to CT and could merit a lunchtime detour...), I can't recommend HIGHLY enough that you visit Oiishi, too in Sudbury on Rt 20 IF you are passionate about sushi, sashimi, etc. -- it's as good as it gets and there's seldom much of a wait at lunch time, or on a weeknight (if you're OK sitting at the sushi bar) -- it's a different story about the waiting in the tiny Chestnut Hill location, though the food is just as stellar. I hope you have a chance to enjoy it during your visit. Other personal favorites in town include Chez Henri (French Cuban bistro fusion), Central Kitchen (basic bistro), East Coast Grill (seafood et al), and The Helmand (elegant, affordable Afghan, but hard to get reservations) in Cambridge, as well as B&G Oyster in the South End in Boston and Radius downtown (pure flavors, New American -- great prix fixe lunch menu).
  5. The parking in Arlington Heights gets challenging at peak times on the weekend, but there is lots of space on Mass Ave, as well as Park Ave, and the new store has a lot of parking around it which is used for all-purpose parking now, but I wonder if it will be exclusively for their customers -- if so, it should be no problem getting a spot. Otherwise, try some of the side streets nearby -- there are no non-resident prohibitions during the day in Arlington Heights.
  6. I agree with you that this is a formidable topic and I'm reluctant to tackle it in an email, but here's an attempt -- Red and white burgundies are my favorite category of wine, and yes, like the other posts, I've had the same experience of greatness coupled with devastating disapppointment -- not necessarily with a strong price correlation. Reference books (and detailed maps, especially) help, but tasting is better, and visiting is by far the best way to get to know these wines, in my opinion. I went on a 7-day biking tour based around Beaune that was incredibly fun and informative (and not that physically-demanding, either). There are many tour operators for the region -- I went with www.duvine.com and can vouch for its very high quality in all respects (the founder started out with one of the top high-end cycling tour operators). We even spent a morning cycling with a sommelier from a Michelin-starred restaurant. It was an unforgettable experience. The food was also really great, and we stayed in places with a lot of character, like a 16th-century hunting lodge outside Savigny-les-Beaune. Here are a few personal recommendations of wine, mostly in the $30-$75 range. You may also want to look up the vintage ratings as well -- it does really make a difference in taste and price: White: Montagny (my favorite value-based choice), Auxey-Duresse, Corton-Charlemagne, and Mersault Gottes d'Or (Bouchard is a pretty good, consistent producer) -- try one of these with more age than you'd expect was advisable for a white and you might be pleasantly surprised... Red: Givry-Chambertin, Chambolle Musigny (Andre Ziltener is a reliably good producer of both of these), and Bonnes Mare. Other notable Burgundy winemakers (anything they produce seems to be pretty good to excellent): Alex Gambal (small) and Joseph Drouhin (larger). Enjoy.
  7. Haven't lived in NYC for a few years, but used to live at 53rd/7th Ave -- you mentioned you like Thai -- PongSri at 48th and 8th used to be a great one for pre-theatre-- maybe it still is, but they've also expanded and tour buses have been spotted in front of it recently -- approach with caution, but the red curry WAS especially good. More recently, I've really enjoyed brunch and dinner at 44 & X Hells Kitchen -- a few blocks deeper into the West Side. Note also that the Seinfeld "soup Nazi" inspiration was at 55th or 56th and Eighth Avenue -- the soups were outstanding and the experience entertaining (real NYC food experience) -- he takes a lot of time off now, so it may be closed. I also had a number of informal breakfast celeb sightings at the Moon Rock Diner on W 57th St, but it's not a food destination. Enjoy!
  8. IF you are focused primarily on the food, Oishii is the hands-down best sushi value in the Boston and New England area, maybe even the East Coast, in my opinion (the closed rivals I can think of are Nobu in NYC and Sushi Ike in Hollywood). Chef seems to spend much more time at the much more spacious location in Sudbury than at the cramped, usually overcrowded original spot in Chestnut Hill. It was a real pleasure this past summer to watch him discuss the merits (or not) of the dried seaweed wrappers he was receiving with his supplier one afternoon -- what passion he has for excellence! Make the trek to either one a priority, and try to sit at the sushi bar if possible. The ankimo (monkfish liver) I had in Sudbury recently was world class -- the baby hamachi with chili peppers is another outstanding original, as well as Geoffrey's maki roll...and so many more...go with the chef's choice (I keep trying to memorize the Japanese term for this meaning putting yourself in the chef's hands..) menu if your budget and timing permits- you should probably call in advance for this. Fugakyu is a nice upscale place with good sushi and food as well, but I don't think it's the same league (same opinion about Ginza, by the way, and I think the one in Chinatown is better than the ones in Brookline and Watertown, though all are good). Enjoy!
  9. You're in a favorite part of the world to me, both for skiing and annually in the summer for the Fairlee triathlon (just a few exits north on I-91) -- here are a couple of favorite eating experiences: 1. Three Tomatoes Trattoria in Lebanon, NH -- really good basic Italian fare with a decent wine list, including quaffable house wine served in fun carafes. This is my hands-down favorite in that region. 2. The Fairlee Diner -- real and old-fashioned for a hearty breakfast, particularly on the weekend -- they open super-early -- the pancakes and home fries I've had (as well as the basic egg staples, etc.) have been consistently good. 3. Hanover (NH) Inn -- upscale dining experience I haven't had yet, but which has been recommended several times -- the town is great and very nearby. There is also a good, reliable basic pizza shop on the main street, but I can't remember its name (it's about 3-4 blocks down the street from the Dartmouth campus green), as well as a great local bakery/diner (Mel's??) just a few doors down from the Hanover Inn. 4. (American?) Flatbreads pizza at Lareau Farm -- this is a worthy destination drive on Rt 100 in Waitsfield, VT -- probably an hour or more away, but it's a beautiful drive if you take I-89 to Exit 3, then wind through Bethel, Roxbury, etc. to get there (don't try to cross the Roxbury Gap Rd in the winter unless you're brave with real AWD or better -- it's steep and unpaved). The authentic wood-fired oven pizza (and the rest of the food) is phenomenal, but they're only open on Fri-Sat for dinner and there is pretty much ALWAYS a long wait (no reservations), either in the small, crowded bar and/or outside around a bonfire. Waitsfield and Warren, VT (be sure to stop in the Warren Store) are great towns to visit, even if you're not a skier! I hope you enjoy some of these options -- any off the beaten track recs from you for Brooklyn would be much-appreciated -- my best friend lives in Park Slope and lives to eat as I do! Cheers!
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