Saturday, January 28, 2017

EAT UP IN NYC: CHICK'NCONE

JOE Saturday, January 28, 2017
Chicken and waffles have been a southern staple for a long time. Fortunately for us New Englanders, chicken and waffles have popped up on menus close to home. NOW, there's a new twist on this food favorite... and it's one you'll still have to travel for.

 Chick'nCone has been delighting New Yorkers for a few years. This food truck serves crispy, hand breaded chicken IN WAFFLE CONES! Choose from ranch, BBQ and Cinna Maple sauces. They make the chicken right in front of you in minutes. These crispy cones are the perfect tasty snack or quick meal. You don't even need a fork!

 Eat Up New England found Chick'nCone at the Winter Village at Bryant Park in December 2016. The pop up location is gone now, but check them out on social media to see where they will be cluckin' and truckin' next.

 www.chickncone.com
@ChicknCone , ,

Thursday, January 26, 2017

ITALIAN FAVORITES AT BRELUNDI RISTORANTE IN WALTHAM

JOE Thursday, January 26, 2017
There's a cozy new spot for all of the Italian staples in Waltham, Massachusetts. Step inside the Brelundi Ristorante.

 As soon as you walk in, you're transported to Italy because there's a a showcase of Italian pasteries and gelato. Have a sample of gelato, but be sure to save room for dinner. Their dining room features photos of watches, a nod to Waltham's deep history of watch making.

 Dinner starts out with warm bread and cheesy, crispy bread sticks. Those bread sticks are so good that my wife and I got a second round! In true Italian fashion, they are served with a bottle of olive oil for dipping. Appetizers include grilled octopus, caprese, and a salt roasted beet salad, but we had to try their arancini. They have meat, ham & cheese and spinach arancini and they are served in a little skillet with plenty of sauce. These rice balls were the perfect way to start our meal. 

For dinner, there are pizzas and calzones. Choose from one of their many options or make your own Italian concoction. Just like in Italy, their menu has a Primi section, all of the pastas, and a Secondi section, all of the meats. Pastas include carbonara, meat lasagna, primavera, ravioli with chicken, penne with chicken and broccoli.  I enjoyed the carbonara. It's made with bucatini pasta, which is like a thick spaghetti. Meat entrees include seared salmon, pork marsala, bistecca, grilled chicken, chicken saltimbocca and steak tips. They also serve an eggplant parm and plenty of salads for vegetarians.

We saved just enough room for dessert. They have a blood orange gelato on special right now, which was sooo good.

 Brelundi Ristorante is open for all three meals. They have an extensive breakfast menu with breakfast pizzas, sandwiches, frittate, omelets and breakfast arancini. 

 www.brelundi.com ,

Monday, January 16, 2017

DELICIOUS DISH: LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE AT TUSCAN BRICK OVEN BISTRO IN MAINE

JOE Monday, January 16, 2017
Sure, it's the dead of winter here in New England, but it's still a good time to enjoy some lobster. This delightful lobster ale mac & cheese can be found at Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro in Freeport, Maine. The hearty dish is packed with fresh lobster meat and topped with cracker crumbs. Instead of the traditional elbow macaroni or penne, they use trumpet pasta, which is made in house. Be sure to save some bread for dipping up all of the leftover cheese sauce. It's made of red ale, gouda, fontina, parmigiana reggiano, pancetta and truffle oil. This lobster mac is the perfect hearty dish to fill you up on a cold winter night.

 www.tuscanbrickovenbistro.com , , ,

Friday, January 13, 2017

SOUTHERN IN SOMERVILLE AT THE SOUTHERN KIN COOKHOUSE

JOE Friday, January 13, 2017
Chicken & waffles
Pimento cheese fritters
Farmhouse buttermilk biscuits
Southern Food is one of my favorites, but I just don't eat it often enough. That's why I was excited to check out Southern Kin Cookhouse in Assembly Square in Somerville.

The Cookhouse offers an impressive selection of whiskey and cocktails. I sipped on a couple of "Southern Prides" throughout the meal. This drink is made of Henry McKenna bourbon, allspice, apple cordial and lemon.  

We started things off with some of their mouth-watering apps. Their pimento cheese fritters are amazing, as are their buttermilk biscuits. The biscuits are served with jam and an incredible honey butter. Other apps include fried okra, crab soup, "Redneck Nachos" with spiced pork rinds and cheddar grits and the "Hog 'n Hooch Biscuit," a pork belly with fried green tomatoes.

Deciding on an entree was tough. The Cookhouse's menu is packed with all of the classics including shrimp 'n grits, bourbon brined chicken, Kansas City ribs and "Mississippi Spotted Cat," which is a buttermilk fried catfish. I settled upon one of my favorites, the chicken 'n waffles. It was so tasty and filling.

Good luck saving room for dessert, but they do have several pies included key lime, mud pie, buttermilk pie and Georgia's Peach Crumble Pie. You can also top of your slice with some of Bart's Homemade ice cream, which is made in Greenfield. Flavors include malted vanilla, maple cream, sea salt caramel swirl and mud pie.

If you're a fan of southern food, you've got to check out Southern Kin Cookhouse. The meal was perfect from start to finish. 

www.southernkincookhouse.com ,

Monday, January 02, 2017

FINAGLE A BAGEL BAKERY & CAFE AND TEST KITCHEN IS NOW OPEN IN NEWTON

JOE Monday, January 02, 2017
Finagle A Bagel has opened an all new test kitchen concept in the Auburndale section of Newton, Massachusetts. This cafe just opened in November and is right next door to Finagle A Bagel's corporate headquarters.

The test kitchen has a spacious dining room overlooking a huge kitchen where the bagels are made. You'll have a front row seat to watch the bagel-making process as you eat breakfast or lunch. The bagels made here are shipped out to local stores and other Finagle A Bagel shops. The test kitchen also has Finagle's signature buzz saw which is used to slice their bagels in half. 

What makes this test kitchen different from its retail shops is customers will find sandwiches and sweets that aren't available anywhere else. Right now, they have a chicken piccata bagel sandwich as a special. The test kitchen is also offering bagel press sandwiches right now. I enjoyed their "Traditional" press sandwich with ham, crispy bacon, egg and cheddar cheese. One of the workers recommended it on an Asiago bagel and I'm glad I listened to her!

The test kitchen is kind of off of the beaten path in Newton. It's tucked in on Rowe Street. Put it in MapQuest and you'll find it. Give them some business. You'll be glad you did!

www.finagleabagel.com , , ,
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