This past February, famed Chef Patricia Yeo took the helm at Om Restaurant and Lounge's kitchens and rehauled the menus. Having been a fan of Patricia’s since her days in NYC at Sapa (where I was a regular due to yummy seafood dishes, unpretentious atmosphere, and its close proximity to my apartment), I was excited to see what she could bring to the table when I revisited Om last week during a media luncheon to showcase its new offerings.
There really isn’t much you can do when multiple courses of delicious food are placed in front of you. You kind of just have to eat them – and eat them all, so much so that your server gets teary-eyed and tells you that she wants to hug you. Had the food, drinks, service and value at Nubar – the recently opened restaurant and lounge in the Sheraton Commander Hotel in Harvard Square – not been so on point, this interaction could have gotten a little awkward. But instead, the love and excitement that was easily evident in Nubar’s fare transferred over to my well-fed body, and all I could say was “Hug away!”
Exactly two months ago marked the first time in my 25 food-filled years that I tried red meat. I’m not a vegetarian, I’m not religious and I’m not against eating animals – I just was never fed a cow (or a pig, for that matter) and always deemed everything from a quarter-pounder with cheese to a filet mignon non-options. My random rebellion began one night with a single taste of my boyfriend’s burger, and let’s just say it was love at first bite. Luckily, my dabble into the meat department came just in time for an outdoor BBQ on the patio of Bambara in the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, where Chef Jay Silva served up a rainbow’s variety of sliders that could satisfy herbivores and omnivores alike!
The restaurant industry is a fickle animal -- new establishments pop up everyday only to shutter a year or two later -- like most Hollywood marriages, longevity is rare. That's why when I got a dinner invite to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Grendel's Den, the beloved Harvard Square institution known for its affordable hearty dishes and "Cheers"-like atmosphere, well -- of course I had to attend! There's something to be said for any business that can last 40 years -- and even though this was my 1st time visiting (sorry, but it's a trek getting to Harvard Square from where I live), I was excited to help them celebrate.
One of things I have come to appreciate the most in my move to Boston (besides my spacious apartment with real closet) is the close knit food blogger community. Although I have come to know many through twitter, it's even more lovely when we can all get together in person and share a meal (plus it's great to eat with folks that love food as much as myself)!
I often have a hard time convincing both myself and others that I’m 25 years old and a grown up. Grown ups don’t wear book bags filled just with gum and tootsie rolls to parties; grown ups don’t don running sneakers with skirts to bars and hope no one notices; and grown ups most certainly don’t refer to people their own age as grown ups. Woopsies. However, upon entering Foundry on Elm in Davis Square displaying all faux-pas mentioned above, I was overtaken by the adult atmosphere and almost instantly felt like I, too, was all grown up.
I admittedly went into Joanne Chang’s cookbook release party at Flour Bakery in Central Square with a plan— eat a meal beforehand so as not to embarrass myself by juggling a cupcake in my left hand, a cookie in my right and a sticky bun on my nose all while trying to devour a raspberry bar with a “Look Mom! No hands!” kind of maneuver. Given my notorious nature to overdose on sucrose on the regular, it was no surprise that the tempting treats this confectionary crowd celebrity served up more than fufilled my delicious-quota for the day. From the fill-your-own Oreo bar to the savory snacks that outdid my expectations, I’ve taken a cue from her infamous sticky sticky buns themselves and gotten myself stuck on Joanne Chang’s Flour Bakery.
I’ve never really been much of a “taster” when it comes to eating—I’m more of a grab-it-by-your-hands, shove-it-in-your-mouth, no-evidence-left-behind kind of girl. But last Tuesday, my habits had to be honed as I had the pleasure of attending the 8th Annual Taste of Cambridge at The Charles Hotel, and taste did I ever! I celebrated the culinary crafts of the city by taking myself on a three hour tasting street tour of over 50 restaurants along the intersection of savory and sweet.
So as many of you know, I am currently on my “Countdown to Fashion Week” detox and revitalize diet plan because:
a)I will probably be drinking most of my calories that weekend b) I need the stamina to stand around all day in my fabulously gorgeous but terribly painful stilettos c) I do not want to be called out for my rotund hips this year
A stream of jazzy notes and raspy lyrics float up to my ears as I approach the One Kendall Square Music Lab last Wednesday. The band, 3rd Left, is the featured entertainment for the evening. Hailing from Plymouth, MA, the rock and jazz inspired four-man ensemble creates the perfect mood for an evening of food, drinks, and mingling.
On Thursday, June 25th, the rain gods took a break from dousing New England with unrelenting rain showers just in time for the 7th Annual Taste of Cambridge food festival. With cuisines from India to Ireland, the Taste of Cambridge “celebrates the diverse dining scene of one MA’s most historic cities”. Held in the court yard of the classically chic, Charles Hotel, Thursday’s savory food bazaar was jammed packed with food aficionados and curious tasters alike. Proceeds from this event benefited Youth on Fire, a care center for homeless / street-involved youth, and Club Passim’s Culture for Kids/Music Speaks, a free, monthly, multicultural program whose goals are to provide children with exposure to other cultures and peoples.
Starting off with something familiar
I ventured into the festive melee of food, music, and laughter for my first sampling. As the fates would have it, I stumbled upon Koreana, Cambridge’s premier Korean restaurant (and my shameless addiction). I sampled their kimchee (pickled cabbage with spicy seasoning), Gal bi (grilled, marinated beef), and chapchae (stir-fried cellophane noodles). The serving size was just enough to leave me with room to move on to the next food station.
Trying to stay cool
I will admit, the warm weather did play somewhat of a role in my sampling choices. Due to the humidity, I gravitated to any table that offered a cool and refreshing treat. Therefore, I found myself enjoying a creamy summer gazpacho from Small Plates and a flavorful shrimp gazpacho from Legal Seafoods. I topped off my night with a scoop of delicious homemade Black Raspberry ice cream from Lizzy’s Ice Cream.
Want to see some of my highlights for TOC, check out the following clip
