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Blog & Tweet Boston Sunday Supper at Fiorella’s in Newton, MA

I have always loved the idea of "Sunday Supper", especially when I don't live close to my family & most dinners consist of my husband & I eating at different times :( Sunday Supper...a time when friends, family or a close community gather around the dining table & partake in a large meal, talking, laughing, sharing & of course, EATING! Last Sunday, I was able to do just that ^_^

Blog & Tweet Boston was hosting an event at Fiorella's Restaurant in Newton, MA. I was lucky & always grateful to receive an invite from this amazing group of bloggers :) I'll be honest, it was nice for once to casually drive over to the Boston suburbs & park in an actual parking lot instead of going down to events that are usually in the heart of Boston...always busy & exciting, but such a nightmare with traffic & street parking :)

Right away, I could tell that this dinner experience was going to be warm & hospitable. The decor was classic, yet didn't scream stereotypical "Italian ristorante!" The bar was lively & bustling. The dining room was already quite full. Despite all that, we were immediately served a delicious cocktail of blueberry infused simple syrup & bourbon, their "Blueberry Smash." I loved it & highly recommend it :)

After being seated at our table, we were given the choice of our entree from the extensive menu, yet their signature garlic strips & famous marinara sauce were immediately available on the table. They also served us a round of appetizers which nicely showcased their first course offerings. The antipasti platter & the fritto misto were outstanding, particularly the stuffed pepper in the misto & speaking as one who doesn't like stuffed peppers, trust me, try it! The appetizer highlight however was most definitely the GIGANTIC arinici! I love all kinds of crispy rice balls, but this was also stuffed with mozzarella & covered in more of their signature marinara sauce. I would no doubt order it again :)

Next up were the flatbreads, perfectly chewy, yet crispy & light. My favorite was the prosciutto with mushrooms & drizzled with heavenly truffle oil, but the margherita was also perfection in its simplicity.

Of course, in the true spirit of Sunday supper, we all shared every tasty dish that came out, comparing & contrasting. In fact, if one of the other bloggers didn't say "you have to try the stuffed pepper," then I never would have & what a big regret that would have been! We even shared our main entrees, which by that point, I was surprised I even had the room in my stomach to attempt to eat!

I was in the mood for seafood, so went with one of the chef's specials, the scallops lemoncello over risotto. Now, the lemon liqueur made the dish fairly sweet which may not be to everyone's taste, but I really liked it! It paired really well with bitterness of the asparagus & capers & of course, the scallops were also sweet & seared perfectly :)

Finally, again taking every superhuman ounce of strength in me to eat *one* more dish, it was dessert time! I was able to finish my chocolate chip cannoli, but had to taste the tiramisu as well. Since it was very light, but strong in the flavors of coffee & rum, it didn't put me *too* much over the edge. Luckily, I came prepared & wore a very loose-fitting dress. I was able to waddle out, instead of being wheelbarrowed out, hahaha! Thanks again to Blog & Tweet Boston & of course, Fiorella's for such a lovely night out & looking forward to seeing both again ^_^

Disclaimer: I was provided a multicourse meal by Fiorella's & Blog & Tweet Boston in exchange for this review, but opinions are 100% my own.

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The Au Bon Pain Breaking Bread Spring Menu Tasting 2015

Last week, I was invited by Au Bon Pain once again to "break bread" with them & attend a special preview of their upcoming menu items for spring. I've stated before that ABP for decades has been one of my favorite go-to places in the Boston area for fast casual breakfast & lunch items, so I was eager to see what was new!

First up was the delicious breakfast items which for me also easily doubled as dessert :) The simply cinnamony sweet monkey bread was really fun to eat with its pull-apart ease & finger-licking stickiness. I swear up until about a year ago, I never even heard the term monkey bread, now I read it all over the place! It apparently got its funny name from looking like a monkey's fist ^_^

My absolute favorite however was the CroisBun! Forget the Cronut...welcome ABP's take on the flaky croissant but baked in a muffin tin! This was was topped with just a *hint* of strawberry jam, whipped cream & fresh straweberries. It was light & sweet perfection! I will DEFINITELY be returning for this one!

Next up were the lunch items...their new salads! ABP pride themselves on making the shift over to completely antibiotic & hormone free proteins in their fresh, bright & colorful salads. The lobster salad would be a given here in the New England area as we're heading soon into fresh lobster season :) The Farm Stand steak salad will be served medium-rare as standard, but if you want a little more done, they will finish off in the oven for you! Like Burger King (but a million times better), you can have it your way! The turkey salad with fresh grapes was a delight & I love the noodles in the Asian chicken salad.

On to the sandwiches! I'll admit the lobster salad sandwich would be pretty indulgent for me for lunch, but served on ABP's flaky croissant & just a light accompaniment of greens, the lobster really shines!

My favorite of the sandwiches however was the sirloin & Asiago sandwich! I love a steak sandwich that's *not* the usual Philly cheesesteak. Again, the steak comes standard medium rare & that hearty cheesy taste of Asiago on the crunchy bread is all the steak needs! The entire tasting was topped off by what ABP does best...their signature cookies! Simple chocolate chip is always my favorite & these do not disappoint with the perfect balance of chewy & crispy, plus *plenty* of chocolate!

Some of these delicious goodies are already available, but look for the new spring items coming April 27th!

Disclaimer: I was compensated by Au Bon Pain to sample the new spring menu items, but opinions are 100% my own.

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The Crumbnut from Crumb's Bake Shop, South Shore Plaza

I never craved a cronut.  I never stood in line for a cronut.  However, on my way out of South Shore Plaza the other day, I did stop by the Crumb's Bake Shop for a sweet treat.  I settled on their cinnamon sugar version of the cronut, the Crumbnut...only because it was $2.50 & didn't feel like paying $4.50 for a cupcake.  The verdict?  Meh.  It was light.  It was airy.  It was big.  It was fine for that mid-afternoon sugar break.  If I was in the area again, I might get another one.  Or I'd get a cupcake.  At least now, I don't feel compelled to have to jump on to the cronut bandwagon...hahaha...which I'm sure has already long passed me by!

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Daikanyama at Bloomingdale's at The Mall at Chestnut Hill

Nestled between the fragrance & cosmetic counters at Bloomingdale's in Chestnut Hill is an unexpected surprise...Daikanyama, a little Japanese restaurant that serves everything from lobster toast to ramen to pork belly sliders!  I just had to investigate :)

If you go, do yourself a favor, skip the traditional leather-bound menu & just peruse the iPad mini that your server gives you.  There are way more innovative items on that menu, so try something new!  I definitely did & will be back to sample everything else!

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The Happy Grilled Cheese Food Truck in Jacksonville, Florida

I was away in Florida for Christmas vacation & I had a hankering for some food truck action :)  Lucky for me, The Happy Grilled Cheese Truck was not yet on holiday hiatus & close to a shopping center that my family & I were already planning to visit that day.  Win-win!!!

Some of our favorites were the California melt (because avocado makes everything tastier) & the no hangover melt (which contained my quintessential Southern food favorites of pulled pork plus mac & cheese).

The favorite by far was one of their board specials...the chicken & waffles!  The "bread" was 2 waffles that surrounded breaded chicken & cheesy goodness with a hint of Sriracha.  Very tangy, not too spicy & a nice take on both the grilled cheese sandwich & the uber-popular chicken & waffles dish.  It definitely put a big ol' smile on my face :)  Hopefully the next time I'm in town, I'd be very happy to be able to sample even more menu items!  I've eaten at many a food truck in my day, but none is so aptly named as Happy Grilled Cheese Truck ^_^

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New Year's Eve Dinner, Social Restaurant & Bar, Newton, MA

i barely recognized the Applebee's former space when I walked in.  Sleek, dim, comfortably well-appointed for their modern American casual fare.  There was a singer, bass player & piano player on the small stage, entertaining & not overly obtrusive.  For the NYE $45 prix fixe menu (a great value considering the amount of food I got), I tried & enjoyed:

- The lobster grilled cheese sliders & tomato bisque.  I'm a big melty cheese sandwich fan, so to add lobster, quarter & cut the crusts off, plus give a creamy, flavorful tomato bisque to dip into (especially on such a chilly night), was a very promising beginning to a delicious dinner.

- The red mojito was the traditional mint, lime, rum cocktail with some muddled cherries.  Refreshing & a delightful twist to one of my favorite libations.  A complimentary glass of champagne was also part of the NYE menu.

- For my entree, I chose the ginger braised beef short ribs served with chestnut gnocchi & a frisee, blue cheese & beet salad.  I was already getting full from the bisque & lobster sandwich that I only ate the salad (I looooove frisee) & a small portion of the short ribs, but I'm sure all will make yummy leftovers.  I had to make room for dessert after all :)

- The nutella & white chocolate bread pudding sounded delicious, so I ordered that.  To my delightful surprise, it came with caramelized, brown sugar (like a creme brulee) topping sliced bananas!  The bread pudding was solid, made even better à la mode.

All in all, I was very pleased with this new restaurant in the neighborhood.  Swanky enough for a special occasion out, yet I can see bringing friends in as well for a casual midweek dinner.  Can't wait to try out the other yummy-looking menu items!

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Prudential Center Au Bon Pain Holiday Menu Tasting Preview

When I came up to Boston for college over 20 years ago, Au Bon Pain was a bakery/cafe franchise that I gravitated to during those long-gone crazy days of studying, coffee breaks & report writing.  I literally survived on their spinach & cheese croissant which during my younger years was the most delicious thing I ever had & I could afford outside of dorm life :)  Au Bon Pain has still remained a go-to place for me all these decades for easy sandwiches, soups, hot beverages & delicious sweet baked goods :)  So, I was extremely pleased & happy to attend (at the invitation of Boston TweetUp) an event being held by Au Bon Pain at the Prudential Center to preview their new holiday menu! 

First up, we sampled the chicken, mushroom and Swiss sandwich (all natural chicken, spinach, Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms and tomato spread on a sprouted grain roll) & the egg white & mushroom frittata breakfast sandwich (egg whites, sautéed mushrooms, spinach and cheddar on a sprouted grain roll).  I like how the latter is for breakfast, but with the omission of the egg & then addition of the chicken & tomato spread, it easily transitioned into a lunch item :)

Next, we moved from the savory menu items to sweet, my favorite!  I very much liked the cinnamon walnut coffee cake (holiday mini bundt coffee cake filled with cinnamon spice and topped with walnuts), gingerbread cookie (a hand decorated cookie rich with molasses) & pumpernickel bagel (from rye flour and molasses) with plain cream cheese, but my favorite from all the offerings was the peppermint chocolate shortbread cookie (chocolate dipped shortbread sprinkled with peppermint topping).  The shortbread was nice & thick, so was soft, even chewy where shortbread cookies often end up dry & tasteless.  Nicely done!  The final tasting courses were a Greek vanilla yogurt & triple berry parfait in which I loved the tartness from the Greek yogurt balanced with the sweet blueberries & a lovely surprise...a gluten free Thai coconut shrimp soup (a blend of petite shrimp, red peppers, carrots, bamboo shoots and lemongrass in a coconut and curry broth with a touch of spice)...very nicely flavored & not too spicy.  I can see this warm & hearty soup becoming a popular menu item over this already cold & brutal winter season!  

Au Bon Pain's holiday menu is only available until January 12, 2014 at all US locations, so hurry in soon!  I personally will definitely be back for more of that peppermint chocolate shortbread!  Yum! Happy Holiday Eating everyone!!!

Disclaimer:  I was invited by Boston TweetUp & Au Bon Pain to sample the new holiday menu & received a gift card for future cafe items, but opinions are 100% my own.

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New England Seafood Dinner at Island Creek Oyster Bar

I usually herald the beginning of summers in New England with a good ol' fashioned lobster roll.  Well, maybe it'll be a new tradition to also end summer with one ^_^  Just couldn't resist all that lobster & other seafood goodness at Island Creek Oyster Bar!

Cocktail:  Spiced maple daiquiri (light & dark run with warming spices).  Appetizer:  Fried oyster slider (with lime chile aioli on a brioche bun),

Soup:  Classic New England clam chowder (with buttermilk biscuit crackers & house-cured bacon).  Dessert:  Chocolate pudding triffle (covered with whipped cream & fried ganache).

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Pikiaichi Tokyo Shoyu Ramen Bowl in Allston Village, Boston

Tokyo shoyu ramen (although the miso ramen is my favorite) served with an additional seasoned boiled whole egg at PIkaichi.  It doesn't say it online, but on the in-house menu, you can get a small bowl of curry rice or char siu don (roast pork on rice) for an additional $2.50!  Heck yeah, I did it!  Also got a side of takoyaki (fried octopus balls)...you know, for good measure ^_^

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O-Sushi Restaurant & Bar in Harvard Square, Cambridge

Scenes from the VIP opening of O-Sushi located in Harvard Square, Cambridge.  Complimentary wine & sake.  Waiters carrying platters of hot & cold appetizers one after the other after the other.  Thanks again to O-Sushi for the invitation!

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Blogger Sunday Brunch Harbor Cruise Aboard the Odyssey Boston

I was graciously invited to attend this event with other bloggers by Blog & Tweet Boston.  I had always wanted to try an Odyssey harbor cruise, so happily jumped at the opportunity to finally experience fine dining on the (not so high) seas ^_^

Boarding time started at noon sharp where we were immediately invited to partake of the huge brunch spread before the boat set sail at 1:00.  My husband & I dined on delicious brunch staples like bacon, eggs, fresh fruit, waffles & French toast.  Along with complimentary wine, beer, juice & soda, I enjoyed the Odyssey's house champagne that flowed freely from our attentive waiters :)

After breakfast, we explored the Odyssey which boasted a newly renovated third floor deck with plenty of comfy couches & chairs, perfect for drinking, lounging & taking in the Boston skyline.  We really couldn't have asked for a more perfect day on the water with the warm breezes & clear view for miles.

I was amazed at how huge the ship was!  Each different deck had different areas that could be sectioned off for private parties.  I like how things felt perfectly sociable & you could interact with other cruise goers, like at the buffet or bar, yet have your area to be with your own group.  That day, there was even a huge table for the birthday of a 90-year-old!  Bless her heart, she looked great & her family looked so happy to be celebrating with her!

For lunch, I ate a bit lighter since breakfast was so huge (can never say no to more bacon)!  I just had some cheese & crackers, then smoked salmon & cream cheese atop half a bagel.  Also, had to make room for dessert!  I also never can resist a chocolate fountain with plenty of smooth milk chocolate & varied dippings like fresh strawberries, Rice Krispie treats & marshmallows :)

Before I knew it, eating to my heart's (or stomach's) content & chatting with thoroughly delightful blogger companions, the 2-hour cruise was over :(  A great time was had by all & I was so glad I was able to be a part of one of Boston's memorable & most unique dining experiences!

Disclaimer:  I attended a complimentary brunch courtesy of Blog & Tweet Boston and Odyssey Boston, but opinions are 100% my own.

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Flora Farms, San Jose Del Cabo, Baja Sur California, Mexico

About 20 minutes away from downtown San Jose Del Cabo in Mexico is this amazing green & fertile oasis in the middle of the desert called Flora Farms.  Imagine eating everything delicious & organic just steps away from where it's all grown or raised.  This is a place I would expect in a foodie haven like Portland, Oregon...certainly not in Mexico!  

To say I was excited to eat here is the understatement of the year!  We started with their incredible olive bread & butter, washed down with a carafe of citrus grilled sangria.  I had their 3-course lunch menu consisting of tomato bisque with fresh oregano, a visually stunning edible flowers salad & chicken breast topped with vinaigrette-dressed arugula.  We rounded off our meal with their house white wine & truly, the most unforgettable pineapple sorbet I had ever had!  Of all the delicious places I had been to in Mexico, this was the most unexpectedly out of place, had that wonderfully relaxed feel & hopefully I'll be able to visit again!

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The Office on the Beach Restaurant, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

While the guacamole was nothing to write home about (my husband makes better guac), the seafood ceviche, served atop regular saltine crackers and sprinkled with onion, cilantro & their special cocktail sauce, was really fresh & delicious!  I had the grapefruit margarita which was a refreshing change & a flavor option I never get back home.  The standout however was my order of flank steak tacos.  The meat was marinated really well & flavorful enough that a tiny sprinkle of onion, cilantro, pico de gallo & a spritz of fresh lime was all it really needed.  Sometimes the simplest food really is the best...that plus an umbrella over your head & sand between your toes...oh, & maybe a few less noisy tourists & hawkers ^_^

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Ten Tu Taco, San Jose del Cabo, Baja Sur California, Mexico

First meal of my vacation in Mexico...4 of the most perfect tacos ever at Ten Tu Taco.  Fried fish, fried shrimp, pork with bacon & pork skin.  All topped with uber fresh cilantro, chopped onion, salsa verde, lime juice & the most perfect pickled red onions with habanero that I never knew I was missing all.my.life ^_^

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The Catfish Po' Boy Sandwich from Po Boy's in Newton, MA

I found myself in a part of town the other day that I didn't mean to be at during prime rush hour time. Rather than sit in my car at *that* traffic light that would take 5-6 cycles just to get through (you all know what I'm talking about, right?), I decided to stop for an early dinner & found this little gem of a neighborhood dive in Newton!

Po Boy's is a local sub shop specializing in the most famous of New Orleans sandwiches.  The mostly take out joint is small, but the owner has a BIG heart & talks about his only 6-month-old shop with great passion & excitement.  I got excited just listening to him, but also in anticipation of my fried catfish po' boy, French fries & onion rings that he was serving up.  He had a small outdoor dining set up that consisted of a couple of tables & some chairs outside on the sidewalk, but Po Boy's is located on a relatively quiet street, so having the option to sit outside & enjoy this lovely sandwich was great on this sunny, warm evening.  My catfish was super fresh, nicely battered & perfectly fried with romaine lettuce & sweet Roma tomatoes.  The super thin & crisp onion rings (my favorite!) also came with extra remoulade sauce to dip...nicely spiced, but not too much heat for my wimpy tastebuds.  I enjoyed it all!  With the wide variety of other po' boys on the menu...oyster, spicy chicken, voodoo shrimp...can't wait to come back & try every single one! 

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Boston Brunchers at The Sinclair in Harvard Square, Cambridge

I LOOOOOOVE eating in Harvard Square.  It has definitely been one of my favorite stomping grounds over the past, hmmm, oh, two decades that I've lived in Boston :)

Along with 8 others from the Boston Brunchers group, I was lucky enough to be invited over by The Sinclair to partake of their delicious brunch menu & specialty cocktails!  It was the *perfect* Sunday as well with sunny blue skies & no sign of rain while sitting atop their rooftop deck & hearing the music & festivities of the concurrent Harvard Square May Fair!

These were the lovely dishes that were served...some on their brunch menu & some just for us ^_^

1.  Mimosa Flight.  Taditional OJ, Cava Novara-Mango Campari, Cava Orchard Pear-Austrain liqueur, nectar cava.  Such a nice way to start brunch!  I think the mango was my fave of the 3.

2.  Misty Point, Virginia oyster.  A sweet & super fresh oyster from somewhere *other* than New England!  

3.  Smoked Pork Belly Bloody Mary garnished with a pastrami'd pork belly slice & a Grillo's pickle.  I don't like Bloody Mary's but this was nicely spicy & the piece of perfect pork was quite an unexpected surprise!

4.  Asparagus Soup with fresh Parmesan shavings...creamy smooth & flavored with truffle oil.

5.  Smoked Salmon Gravalax with dill, pickled red onion & Thai chilies.  Supreme in its simplicity and one of my favorite dishes.

6.  The Tiger Lily:  Corralejo Tequila Blanco, aperol, grapefruit, soda.  My favorite of the cocktails...perfectly refreshing for the sunny afternoon.

7.  Fried Calamari with Tom Yun Gai sauce.  The squid was light & crunchy & the spicy Thai sauce was a yummy accompaniment...another favorite dish!

8.  Duck Confit over Root Vegetable Hash.  They had saved the heaviest, yet best dish for last...my absolute favorite of all the yummy items we had already been served.  Even as full as I was getting, I ate every last shred of duck & cubes of veggies :)

The staff at The Sinclair really showed us a good time & the brunch presentation was just amazing.  I have friends coming into town next weekend who are definite foodies & this would be a place I would *definitely* take them.  Thanks again to The Sinclair & I'm very happy to now have my go-to brunch place in Harvard Square ^_^

Disclaimer:  As a member of the Boston Brunchers, I was provided brunch & cocktails free of charge by The Sinclair, but opinions are 100% my own :)

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A Box of Donuts from Union Square Donuts, Somerville, MA

It was my first time going to Union Square Donuts & I had a *mad* hankering for their now famous maple bacon donut, but also decided to try some other tasty treats!  While I will always favor salty pork products on my delicious baked good, I was actually surprised that I liked the perfectly pink glazed sweetness of the cherry hibiscus donut the best!  Must be the Hawaiian in me...hahaha!  Apparently that morning, my timing was impeccable.  Not even 2 days after I satisfied my craving, USD had announced that they were closing down since they were moving into a bigger space & will be reopening next month! Whew...lucky, lucky me!  It's almost May & I'm *just* about getting a maple bacon craving again.  Pleaaaase, Union Square Donuts!  Looking back at my old photos is making me hungry!  Please open back up soon!