A Foodies Life

L'Andana Grill- Burlington, Ma

In less than an hour from when I arrived in the Boston area yesterday I had running shoes on and was starting a 4.5 mile challenge with my twin brother.  An hour after that I was panting but made it back to the house and not too far behind.  While my brother is a big guy, he has run his entire life.  Three weeks ago I couldn't run a mile.  Now I'm not going to lie, I didn't run the whole thing but I didn't walk too much either. 

 

Our reward was dinner at a great restaurant called L'Andana Grill in Burlington, Ma.  The restaurant is chic and stylish with very comfortable seating.  I was worried that we were seated too close to the table next to us but once conversation flowed and food arrived you forgot you were so close.  The menu has an Italian flair but is highlighted by the wood fired grill.  As an appetizer we ordered Carpaccio and a four cheese Fonduta.  The Carpaccio consisted of shaved parmesan, sirloin, buttery croutons and a black truffle aioli.  When all the ingredients were put on the fork it consisted of the perfect bite.  In my opinion it was topped by the gooey, yummy four cheese Fonduta.  My brother had been before and knew to ask for more of the tasty garlic bread that you get prior to your meal as dipping bread.  The bread that came with the Fonduta was wonderful but the garlic bread just added to it.  The best part of the Fonduta was the big chunks of roasted garlic and the salty sopressata. 

 

For entree's my brother decided on the swordfish and I decided on the Scottish salmon.  I just had some of the swordfish for lunch and while it was wonderful nothing could have beaten the perfectly cooked salmon.  Underneath the salmon was a sweet, delicious pile of lentils.  I haven't eaten lentils that good in a long time.  In the lentils were cranberries that popped in your mouth and the tartness was a wonderful surprise.

 

The dessert menu looked delightful but we were so full on the appetizers that we ended up bringing most of our meal home.  I would recommend this restaurant to anyone in the Burlington, Ma area. 

 

While I was successful at the run last night I was woken up by a knock on the door at 5:45am and told it was time for another run.  I felt like one of those whiny teenagers on a episode of MTV's Made.  I only made it 2.7 miles and at the end I could barely feel my legs.  So while I'm reminded that I have a lot of work left to do I'm happy with what I've done so far. 

 

Carrot Cake

I'm sure I've written about this but maybe haven't posted a pic. Introducing the 7 layer carrot cake from Mitchell's Fish Market. If you live near a Mitchells you have to try it. Your life will never be the same. Ok it probably will but it will be sweeter!

PF Chang's Take Out Service

Yesterday was my last day of gluttony.  After smoking all week long and eating like a pig I've decided that with a new month it's time to put the body bugg back on and get to work on losing the weight.  So for my last meal I decided on take out from PF Changs because I was supposed to be meeting friends for drinks.  You can read my other reviews of my PF Changs experiences here and here.  Taking out food for PF Changs has always been a hassle.  The last time I risked going through the it was last December.  That time I spent many times calling, literally probably twenty minutes.  I finally got through and went to get my food but I wondered if it was really worth it.  

When I get a hunkering for something I'm going to go through with it no matter the cost.  So I called PF Changs, thinking that it was the end of February and not too many people in town so it shouldn't be too bad.  

"Pf Changs, this is J, how can I help you?"  The polite woman on the other end said.

"Yes I'd like to place an order for take out."  I replied.

"Ok I'll have to transfer you to the take out line."  She said.  I was put on hold and listened to the radio announcer voice tell me about all their new specials, including sesame chicken, mahi mahi etc.  I continued to listen to him and the music and then it repeated.  I held my cell phone up to see how many minutes had transpired.  It said 4.  Annoyed I called back, the same woman answered the phone.  She said that she would take my order.  So at least we had shortened our time by about fifteen minutes.  Now it was early when I did this, about 5:30.  She told me that it would be ready in about twenty minutes so I waited ten, then got in the car.  When I got to the parking lot it was packed!  Spring break hasn't started yet but I parked three rows back, which even during the summer I've never had to do.  

When my friend K was living here she always ordered the Mongolian beef so I decided I'd order the lettuce wraps and the Mongolian beef.  I remember the Mongolian beef as having a fried coating, being crispy, salty and sweet, which is why I wanted it.  When I got home I got the lettuce wraps out and got in inordinate amount of lettuce in the lettuce wraps.  It seems that when I do dine in I have to ask for more lettuce for the wraps.  Then I opened the Mongolian beef and it was nothing like I remembered.  No coating on the beef the best part was the sauce but it still didn't feel like it had the same um pf that it normally does.  

If felt duped.  

Shoestring Fries and Boo Fries

Last Friday night I did what your supposed to do on a Friday night.  I went out with some friends from work.  Not a normal group of friends that I go out with, actually I'd only really been out with two of them out of work once.  When you work with people day in and day out they become family so it felt like we'd been hanging out for years.  

First we went to my normal bar, if you know me I don't need to even tell you where it was.  If you don't know me, then continue to read the blog and you'll figure it out.  We imbibed quite a bit, dare I say I even smoked a few cigarettes.  We'll pretend you didn't read that though.  Although I will tell you that the cigarette addiction has taken over again.  Ok, start the comments a rolling.  

After many many drinks we were all starving.  It was probably about eleven o'clock at this time, late for me.  So we decided to try this little burger joint in the village.  I'd been there a couple of times and fallen in love with their fries.  They are small shoe string cut fries loaded with salt, crispy and incredible.  

All week long I have been thinking about these fries and thinking I have to find them.  I was talking to one of the guys who went out with us, we'll call him The D Man.  

"Ron you should just call the place, tell them your the chef here and ask them about their fries."  The D Man said.  

He walked away and I thought for a minute about it.  Trying to think of how else I could figure this out.  I called my food purveyor, who is a friend but she didn't answer.  I searched the internet for the restaurants number and called.  A young lady answered.

"Hi my name is Ron and I'm the chef at so and so.  I was in there last weekend and I love your fries can you tell me if you get them from (name of my purveyor).  

"Oh hi, yes we do get them from there."

"Great, could you give me a product number, item number, something?"

"Um we're really busy and the owner normally doesn't like to give out that information to other restaurants."  She said.

"Well I'm not a restaurant, I feed the elderly."  

"I know that but I'm going to have to call him, can you give me a call back in an hour?"

"Ok thanks."  

Well I was under crunch time in doing my order so I did a google search on the size of shoe string cut fries and came up with 3/16".  I found some online with my purveyor and ordered two cases.  

Cut to tonight.  The fries were on the menu at work.  I got to work at five thirty this morning and had every intention of leaving early, early was 3:30pm.  A long enough day.  When I got home I had to go and get dog food and do some errands, including re-stock cigarettes for my father who would have come home tonight to no cigarettes and I would be out on the street.  I know I know.  In the back of my head I was thinking 'man I have to go and try those fries out.'  

"I just knew you were going to be back."  The D Man said.

"How did you know?"  One of the servers asked.

"Because of the fries."  

I went over and got some out of the basket and they were just as great as the night before.  

"Hey how about some boo fries?"  The D Man said.

"Yeah sure."  I replied.  He took a plate piled them with fries, added some brown gravy and topped them with cheese, then put the plate in the oven so the cheese would melt.  He took them out and I started devouring the plate.  They were gooey, yummy, cheesy and melting in my mouth.   

I've had them before at Acme Oyster House.  After a few minutes of research on the web it turns out that they originated in New Orleans.  They are very similar to Poutine, which is the Canadian version except it's with cheese curds.  

If your ever at an Acme Oyster House give them a try.  Or if you ever feel adventurous enough to make it at home you can do that too!

A night out with Miss Piggy

Ok don't tell Zoe but I cheated on her tonight with a cute little pug named Miss Piggy.  She is owned by my best friend A.  The original plan was to get Zoe and Miss Piggy together but Zoe as you know is under the weather, recovering from being spayed.  A and I decided that we would meet at Hammerheads where she used to work.  When she got there she asked if we could go to PF Changs. I called to ask if they would allow us to eat on the outside deck with a dog, no was the answer.  

We talked it over and decided to go to the Marlin Grill.  Just to make sure I called and asked what time they opened, it was only 4pm at this time.  I also asked if they would seat us outside and could be we bring the dog.  They said that was fine.  We left Hammerheads and started walking up the road to Marlin Grill, we got side tracked by some friends who were on their balcony.  We played for a few minutes and then made our way down to the restaurant.  I walked in why A stayed out side with Miss Piggy and asked if we could sit outside with the dog.  

"We are not seating guests outside this evening."  A hostess said.  

I gave an annoyed look.

"Let me go ask the manager."  The other hostess butted in.  

She came back a few moments later saying they would set up a table outside.  I understand not wanting to set up a table outside cause it is kind of annoying and it was cold outside.  They did a great job setting the table up and then they decided it would be too near the smoke of the fire so they moved us over to another table.  It was a big production and they did a great job.  

We were hungry and we ordered accordingly.  We started off with the baby baked brie plate, a must have if you are going to the Marlin Grill.  It is a baby brie that is baked off and then topped with strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, a sugary glaze and different flavored crisps.  It's almost the reason why I go there.  A ordered the crab cakes and skillet potatoes and onions which the waiter described as hash browns.  I ordered a 14 oz grain fed ribeye with onions and stuffed with blue cheese topped with a red wine demi glace.  I also had to order their creamy, parmesan topped cream spinach.  

The brie came and we dug in.  Our entree's came and they were wonderful.  My only complaint about my steak was that I didn't remember it was stuffed with blue cheese until I cut into it about three quarters of the way through.  Other than that it was cooked perfectly.  A's crab cakes were wonderful as was the spinach.  The skillet potatoes reminded me of an awesome blossom that you would get from Outback.  They did have the same consistency as hashbrown but were overly salty.  For me to say something is over salted you know it has to be.  I consider myself a salt fiend.  

Stuffed and freezing I gave Miss Piggy some kisses, she returned with plenty of her own.  I said bye to A and I was on my way home.  Probably not the way to spend a evening when your recovering from a cold but sitting outside was so worth it for a wonderful meal and getting to meet Miss Piggy!

Commander's Palace Part 3- Jim Cantore

It was a breezy night, people were getting ready for what could have been a bad tropical storm with lots of rain, but we were on our way to Commander's Palace to celebrate a friends birthday. This is the third time in just as many weeks that I've gone to Commander's Palace. You can find the other reviews here on the site.

You've heard the saying, third time is a charm, well in this case it's not true. I almost wish that I had waited and reviewed the restaurant after I'd gone three times, like they say you should. Instead just check out the other reviews and make your own decision.

The first and most annoying thing about this visit was that we ended up waiting a long time for everything. We sat down for dinner at around 6pm and didn't even get our menu's for about 30 minutes. It seemed that our waitress was spread too thin that evening, which was strange for the abundance of staff they've had previous times. The chef had them bring out a taste of a crab and tomato dish that was wonderful. When we finally received the menu I perused it and noticed that the crab cakes that I've written about before were not on the menu. I inquired to our waitress about it and she said that she was sure they could make them if we wanted. I was just puzzled because it was one of, if not the best dish on the menu, and it had disappeared.

For my first course I ordered a 5 tomato salad it was lite and wonderful. I tasted my friends Turtle Soup that they are famous for and now I know why. For my entree I got a ribeye with potatoes and I think spinach underneath it, on top there was a cayenne butter. While the ribeye was perfectly cooked I felt like the cayenne butter on top of it was not needed. After having been seared in a cast iron pan it felt greasy enough to me. A nice hollandaise or emulsified butter sauce might have worked better.

Half way through the meal one friend got a phone call from someone saying that Jim Cantore was in town. People were on edge all ready because of Tropical Storm Fay but the fear that name brings is amazing. When I told the waitress that he was in town she visibly started cringing. Another friend joked that they had seen him during a hurricane getting a hose sprayed in his face to make it look like it was storming.

The desserts finally came at the very end of a two and a half hour meal. They were wonderful. I'd heard a lot about their cheese cake so I reached over and tasted the piece next to me. It was smooth, tasty and wonderful. I got a meyer lemon and cream cheese filled crepe that was delectable. Their homemade ice cream on their play on milk and cookies was divine.

It was great to spend time with friends, the meal was still very good. I just hope they are not lowering their standards on service.

Central Michel Richard

I'm walking as fast as I can in birkinstocks that should not be worn for a day of walking the mall in Washington D.C. The sweat is dripping off of me as I walk through the doors of Central Michel Richard with my sister. We were rushing for our 1:30 reservation after seeing the spectacular views of our nations capitol a top the Washington Monument.

As we enter we are greeted by a hostess and maitre'd who are behind the podium. Out of the corner of my eye I notice him look at me and sneer and turn and make a comment to the hostess. Feeling two feet tall we are lead to our table. The restaurant is ultra hip and vibrant with a yuppie business crowd enjoying their afternoon lunch. As I look around I realize that I feel out of place wearing my shorts and holding a cap I bought that morning. I can't decide if I should be more upset at my dress or the way I was made to feel. I try to get over it and focus on the menu. My eyes are drawn immediately to the Lobster Burger which I decide to try. My sister and I both order the Gazpacho and she orders the crab cake. The gazpacho comes in a big white bowl with garnish chopped up the waiter then finished by serving the soup tableside in each bowl. The soup was extremely lite with a beautiful creamy feel to it. In between eating the soup my attention was drawn to the large open kitchen where the staff was working away. Our entrée's came out and while small my lobster burger tasted delicious with a crunchy sweet potato garnish and aioli.

While I was disenchanted from the start of the meal they won me over with their food. I would recommend Central Michel Richard if you want an upscale lunch. If you want great service maybe try somewhere else.

Commander's Palace-Destin, Florida Part Two

Last night I had planned to go to dinner with my friend A, who is a bartender at my favorite place. I was shocked and happily surprised when she suggested that we go to Commander's Palace. She wasn't sure about her choice so I thought we should go have a drink. I knew that if she saw the menu she would difinately want to stay. I'm always up for fine dining, although my wallet may think differently. You can read about my other Commander's Palace experience here. When I'm with A she always wants to sit at the bar, which I think by the way is the best place to get good service. If a bar isn't crowded, and even if it is, I tend to think that you get better treatment there. Think about it this way, they want to serve you alcohol so they want you to spend more time there cause you'll drink more. When your meal is done at a table your pretty much ready to go, most likely your not going to stay and have a few more drinks or order up a few more appetizers, right?

I helped that one of our friends was tending bar that night as well. Just as I thought as soon as A saw the menu her mouth dropped open and I knew we were staying. The first thing we ordered was a play on a corn dog. It was a shrimp and tasso corndog with a pepper sauce. It had just the perfect kick that it wasn't over the top. Then we each ordered a spinach salad that had spinach, brandied walnuts, cheese and a delectable dressing. Then I ordered the Hake, which is pictured above, and A ordered the crab cakes that I suggested because Dad had them last time. We asked our friend the bartender what Hake was and he said it was almost like grouper but much better. He was right, the fish was wonderful, the sauce great and there was a beautiful red tomato on the bottom.

A and I had wonderful discussions about everything you can think of, a trip she just took, panic attacks and compromising situations. And after that our dessert came out. It was a repeat of the dessert we got last time. I got the bread pudding and she got a chocolate cake. I feel like a lucky person going there again I'll be back next week!

Commander's Palace

Tuesday was my birthday and the one thing that I wanted and asked for was a dinner at the new Commander's Palace in Destin, Florida. I'd never been to Commander's Palace in New Orleans so I was excited to experience it's new restaurant. My mother made reservations for us and asked about the dress code. We were told that the dress code was Jacket's requested, no shorts. Since they only requested jackets I decided I would just wear a nice shirt and some dress pants. Dressed and ready to go we got in the car to drive to the Emerald Grande, a monstrous out of place building in destin. After a few minutes maneuvering the parking garage we found our way to the restaurant. Outside was a deck that overlooked the water and other shops that were down below. We spent a few minutes looking at scenery because we were early for our 6:30 reservation. We decided to go in and check the place out and as soon as we walked in I was greeted with a friendly face and a drink waiting for me at the bar. One of the former bartender's from Hammerheads was working. The decor in the downstairs was very modern and chic. If only it was golf carting distance!

After talking with my friend for a few minutes we decided it was close enough to our reservation time that we would make our way upstairs. The staircase was grande, the walls lined with wine bottles. We arrived to the hostess and were seated. The walls in the restaurant were glass so you had a beautiful view where ever you sat. And let me tell you when you sat it was an event. While we were getting ready to sit down there was a staff that felt like a small army every step of the way. The table was set with chargers, napkins etc. Those napkins weren't for me, I had black pants so a black napkin was placed on my lap.

We had perused the menu before hand and I had all ready decided that I wanted to eat the Southern Comfort Spiced Peach salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts, the Crispy Red Snapper and their famous bread pudding souffle. Dad decided on the crab cakes and something that had the name Court Bouillon in it, mom decided on shrimp and grits, the same salad I got and a chocolate cake. You can see pictures of the souffle and chocolate cake above. We argued a few minutes on how to pronounce court bouillon, mom saying that it sounded very different than it was, me arguing that it might be something I know. We asked the waiter when he came back and it was exactly as I thought!

Our salads came and they looked delicious except they looked like they had shaved apples on them and not peaches. I asked the waiter afterwards and he said they were white Alabama peaches. They didn't taste too much like a peach because they were soaked in southern comfort. Not something I'm going to complain about. At the beginning of our meal they brought us each a water and then half way through they replaced it. My father commented that he hadn't even had any of his water, he was told that they didn't want it to sweat on the tablecloth.

Entree's came out and they were very good, not fabulous but very good. Except that the crab cakes were per bliss, probably the best I've ever tasted. They were pure crab meat and none of the cake. Yum. Dessert came it was wonderful too.

We will definitely be back to Commander's Palace, actually in a couple of weeks. It was the perfect birthday dinner!

Poppy's Grouper Trinadad

So for the longest time I didn't really have anything good to say about Poppy's Seafood Factory located at Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin. At least about the food that is, I love the staff. They are very friendly and have put up with me for years now.

Until recently I haven't eaten anything there I would like. I liked the salmon dish that I mentioned in the previous blog about them. If you scroll down it's not too far from this post. But last night because I was feeling crowded at Hammerheads, and one of my friends was working at the outside bar at Poppy's I figured I'd give it a try. So I went over and perused the menu. Not much was jumping out at me except a grouper dish called grouper trinadad. If I could remember the menu description I'd tell you but I honestly can't. While I was waiting for my meal a nice bagguette came out, which I devoured. I would have and should have taken a picture of this dish but I has imbibed a little too much and needed food.

The bartender placed some salt and pepper by my plate just in case but I thought instead of being rude I'd taste it before I added salt. What I tasted was the most delicious combination of spices and acid I have ever tasted. The dish was composed of grouper topped with crab meat on a bed of spinach and roasted potatoes. It was bliss. I did not add an ounce of salt to it. I will definitley be ordering it again. So if your ever in Sandestin at Poppy's check that dish out.