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One Rainy Night at McGreevy's
By The_Sagest on Thu, Jul 24, 2008 1:30 am
del.ico.us
reddit!
I was impressed on our first trip. Even though they were completely out of a certain beer I really like, the food and ambience totally made up for it. This place is a sports bar without putting TV's every damn place and actually possessed comfy lounging no pretension furniture. Between that, beautiful real/faux antiques, and not having enough people crowded into it to be obnoxious, it was a good place to hang our collective hats.
Last time, we ordered the Irish Boxty with steak, and it was filling enough for two people. If you can imagine a quesadilla stuffed with mashed potatoes, meat, cheese, and a bit of veggies, it's close enough. This time we tried the corned beef and potato croquettes, which was a much smaller bit of business (two to an order) and just not as much meaty fun. I think I prefer wholesome goodness to presentation, though the croquettes were over a bed of Irish bacon and fried onions that was tasty and a bit fatty.
For an entree this time out, I went with the fish and chips and my girl ordered the whiskey chicken. The fish and chips were good, the fish dense and a bit oily instead of flaky, and there was a mountain of skin-on fries underneath. I could have done without the sorta-salad on the side, but as a plate goes, it was above average in quality and more than adequate in quantity. My girl's whiskey chicken was well done also. The whiskey cream sauce was more delicate than you'd guess, and the chicken breast was thicker and more succulent than I would have expected. Their mashed potatoes were dense, had a few well-placed lumps, and no skins. If I had to give the spuds a letter grade, it'd perch right on the B+/A- border. It would've been an A- if they'd put black pepper in them.
We each had a Magner's cider (20 oz bottle for $6, fair value indeed) and I finally had a Harp with my dinner. We watched the game start to slip away in the 6th before we left. I'm glad we scrammed when we did, because watching the tie extend another six innings would have been too much, um, downtime.
Still, if you want authentic Irish pub grub in a downtown locale with great HD Sox presentation, this place would seem to be tough to beat.
The S likes his chips crispy, his mashed with skins, lumps, & pepper, and his cider straight from the bottle. He might not be a man's man, but he sups like one!
A week later: Tales of Maine and chili mishaps
By The_Sagest on Wed, Jul 16, 2008 3:11 pm
After our visit to the Maine Diner (located in Wells, across the street from the Bull & Claw) we decided to just explore Maine a while. We first travelled to Ogunquit. There was a decent amount to see, in terms of cool stores and whatnot. We waded at the beach. We patronized a local coffeeshop. It was very hot and very sunny. I was enjoying myself too much to notice this; as a pale, pale, man I would pay for that later.
After that, I mentioned York Beach to my girl. She had never been. I was aghast. Between The Goldenrod, the beach itself, and the Fun-O-Rama arcade, it's a great take in. I sort of talked her into it. It was my unbirthday, after all. We got to watch the taffee puller in the Goldenrod's window, frequent the penny candy shop, and even hit the arcade.
At the Fun-O-Rama, air hockey was played (I lost, very predictably). They still had the vintage Q*bert stand-up that I played as a teen when my family visited; I made the top 10 high scores with one quarter once again. We played some imported Japanese side by side target shooter game (which already had three free games worth of dough in it) where I very uncharacteristically took vengeance and won something like 10 of twelve rounds. I usually suck at FPS games.
After that, it began to get late in the return traffic sort of way, so we began the drive home. Somewhere north of the MA state line, I began to feel awful. Not queasy or carsick, but hot, sluggish, and leathery. It took me a bit to realize I had overdone my sun exposure for the day and was paying for it. When we stopped for dinner on Route 1 at Sake, I knew I was in for it. It hurt to touch the back of my neck and I was wobbly getting out of the car.
At Sake, I had two glasses of ice water and two Sprites in about 20 minutes before I began to feel myself again. Then I actually had some food, a bit of idaho maki, some eel, and tuna wrapped in scallions. It wasn't a large meal, but between the MD, the Goldenrod, and my internal state of affairs, I didn't need one. After that, I was dropped off in Brighton, a very well-spent day concluded.
Fast forward to yesterday (my actual birthday) and the night before that (birthday eve?). I had planned to make a lamb and rosemary chili, and stopped at the Shaws on Comm Ave to pick up the ground lamb and other ingredients I needed. Unfortunately, their MASSIVE RENOVATION is still ongoing. The coolers with the meat in them were almost completely roped off. The floor was being replaced. There was no real way to get to the lamb. I vented about this to the girlfriend over the phone, who suggested I just duck the cordon, get what I needed and go, but because I had already asked one the beleaguered workers a few questions (which he was happy to answer) I just couldn't do that. Luckily, I had my chili cookbook with me. The reduced sales meat counter wasn't roped off. There were some ribeye steaks there marked way down. So I grabbed them and made a BBQ rubbed ribeye and beans chili instead.
I had to marinate the rubbed steaks overnight, so I grilled them first thing B-day morning, and prepped the other ingredients while the steaks cooled. My new pot worked extremely well, heating quickly and evenly. By 11 am or so I was enjoying a bowl of birthday chili, which I then shlepped downtown to bring lunch to my girl.
After lunch, I had to go the RMV to renew my ID. That took almost two hours. After that, I met my girl at the close of her workday and we relaxed and had dinner and dessert at a new sportsbar in Back Bay. Where did we go? What did we have? Where did that parsley come from? All these questions will have to wait for another installment. This one has gotten too long already.
The S tried caffeinated soap this afternoon. It was a tingling experience.
Great Wednesday! I can't believe my luck!
By The_Sagest on Fri, Jul 11, 2008 3:09 am
The matter of timing involved my big present to myself, a large pot from a certain extremely expensive manufacturer. I had admired their products last year, but blanched at their sky high prices. Three things mitigated the circumstances. First, the outlet store sold seconds at a 30% discount, and like other similar upscale retailers, the seconds were really, really just barely damaged. Second, I got a nice fat infusion of cash from my relatives for the purchase. Third, and perhaps most importantly, my girlfriend had become a member of their buyer's club and got a 35% off coupon good for anything over $100 between the 5th and 13th of July. So I managed to get a 9 quart chili pot, usually priced at $320 for a pristine unit at their outlet store, at $245 for a second with a minor scratch on the lid, at an additional 35% off for a little over $160 (Maine's sales tax is odd). But I had to get there a week early to use the coupon, savvy?
With that accomplished, we spent the rest of the day enjoying Maine. We went to the Maine Diner; it was my first trip to a restaurant that scored 90 or above on The Phantom Gourmet. I ordered chili, pulled pork, blueberry pie, and got a brownie to go. The girlfriend got the mac & cheese, with chocolate cake for dessert. I thought their chili was a good New England variant of the dish, lots and lots of kidney beans, and the heat came from spices instead of hot peppers. The large dollop of cheddar cheese made it even more fun to eat.
The pulled pork was a bit stringy and fatty (it could have been trimmed better before they slow cooked it) but the homemade barbeque sauce made up for that. The coleslaw that came with out meals was cool, fresh, and flavorful. My mashed potatoes were skinless and mixed to a lumpless froth, which tasted fine, but I prefer my spuds with a bit more character. My girlfriend was unimpressed with her mac & cheeese, which was a bit bland, but smooth and gooey and filling. Still, each entree came with hot cornbread (a favorite of hers) and fresh butter to spread on it.
The MD seemed to do the little things really well. My blueberry pie was denser than expected, with many small blueberries, but the vanilla ice cream was better than Richardson's. My gf got her chocolate cake warmed up and it tasted fine. The brownie (which we held off eating until the end of the day) turned out to be an airy cocoa treat, fluffy and good. I don't know if the place deserved all the great press it's gotten the last couple of years, but if it weren't such a hike, I'd go there pretty regularly. Good food great prices, and the widest circle of diners I'd ever seen in one place. The tags on the cars in the parking lot would've ended any game of license plate bingo in a tie!
We went a bunch of other cool places that day, Ogunquit, York Beach, and finally went back to Route 1 in MA for dinner, but that intel will have to wait. This post is ginormous, and I need some rest.
The S had a great Wednesday, and may make lamb chili with rosemary this weekend if the weather cools off a bit.
Kickin' It Cambridge Style
By The_Sagest on Fri, Jun 27, 2008 12:18 am
This Thursday, the girlfriend and I returned to Cambridge for dinner. Despite offering a meal at a more upscale location our previous outing there, which was more random occurrence than design, she was so impressed that she wanted to sample more fare there, less than two weeks after our initial visit.
The CC (beware the incredibly aggressive tunes on its site) is an upscale dive, quite an anomaly in a region that usually tries to cater to either the upscale or the good stuff cheap crowds. The schizophrenic menu can cater to either the connoisseur or those seeking comfort food; what other venue offers both tater tots and homemade skin-on sweet potato fries? Their potent potable selection also serves the dichotomy; there are thirty taps for beergeeks far and wide (plus a tiny bottle selection), a small but competent wine list, and nearly two dozen mixed drinks of varying frou frou-ity. Combine the far flung food and drink menu with a dark space with well chosen tunes, a television or two, and conversation at a comfortable but never intrusive level, and it's a great place in a nice space.
This evening, we split the spicy spinach and artichoke dip and I ordered the turkey tips with orange glaze over garlic mashed potatoes and ratatouille. My girl got the basic burger with provolone, sweet potato fries, and a side of their excellent chipotle mayo.
The appetizer was better than average. The spinach wasn't pureed and that made it more interesting to eat. The cheese was rich without seeming heavy or gooey. And it's tough to go wrong with over-sized toasted pita chips.
My meal was very good. The turkey wasn't either dried or gamy. The glaze was tasty without being overpowering. The garlic mashed potatoes were solid, and kept their skins, which I prefer. The only minor disappointment was the quantity of the ratatouille; it was basically a garnish around the spuds. I would have liked a bit more.
My girlfriend enjoyed her burger, which was cooked to her specifications. The sweet potato fries were filling and sliced on the short side and a straight blade isn't used. The result is a crispier fry than Bartley's Burger Cottage that looks a lot like an orange pickle chip.
For beverages, she had a Woodchuck Cider, which she drank out of the bottle due to a dirty glass. The word dive was already used, right? I ordered a blackberry wheat ale, which was fine, but didn't evoke its fruit content as well as a Sarnac Pomegranate Wheat or Boulder Beer Company Mojo IPA might have. It was drinkable, just didn't impress me like I was hoping. It was a fine experience, and we'll be back again for sure.
In a rather backwards maneuver, on the way to dinner we picked up dessert at Rosie's Bakery. It was two brownies, and my girlfriend never touched hers because she was probably too full from dinner. I had all but half a bite of their signature creation. It was a good enough brownie, thick, rich, nice chocolate on a chocolate icing, but I've had more decadent treats. Since the gf's turtle brownie survived the night unmolested, I can't report on its quality. But maybe after our co-ed lunch tomorrow, I'll have an addendum to this report. In the meantime, I'm going to have to come up with some excuse to go back to the Common soon... I still haven't tried the meatloaf.
The S struggles against addictions to certain foods; one of them is brownies.
He's Gone...
By The_Sagest on Mon, Jun 23, 2008 12:18 pm
There are many people who shape the times.
Scientists.
Politicians.
Religious figures.
Many of the above have tried to improve the world, or manipulate or ruin it for their benefit. Historically, it has been very difficult to sort out the folks out for progress from those that were, in essence, really just out for themselves.
But one man, unerringly saw through all the liars, cheats, obfuscators, and nitwits. One man, unflinchingly told things as he saw them, as best he could, for five decades. One man continually let the air out of pompous windbags, air-headed dreamers, and arrogant blowhards everywhere.
And he was entertaining from start to finish.
George Carlin died Sunday. Civilization has lost one of its most sensitive and evocative bullshit detectors. Don't kid yourselves, the world is now a little less safe, a lot more drab, and infinitely less funny.
Go about your business. Nothing more to see here.
The S got news this morning that ruined his whole day.
Hulk Smash Famous Novel!
By The_Sagest on Fri, Jun 20, 2008 1:06 am
This week, I did some neat dining (but am a bit blocked as to how to write about it) so in a switcheroo, I'm going to talk about the movie I saw and the book I finally read.
The movie was The Incredible Hulk. Now, full disclosure, I'm familiar with the comics, the 70's show, most iterations of the cartoons, and even the earlier film. And in terms of resonance with the source material, this film kicks the tail of Ang Lee's. It doesn't try for Freudian subtext or cultural commentary (which the comics dabble in periodically) and the emotional throughline isn't what it could have been, but it's an interesting, entertaining film. And it actually maintains an action movie rhythm, something which completely fizzled out in the first film. It's not as much fun as Iron Man, nor as emotionally satisfying (Banner's lack of a character arc and Tyler's less impressive female lead character undercut the movie) but as spectacle and comics battles come to life go, it's a success. I think 3 out of four stars might be pushing it... but for finally getting Hulk choreography right, I'll give it that grade.
The novel I finally read was Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. Since Andy Rooney went out of his way to mention that he didn't read novels but read that, I figured it couldn't be all that bad. And KV's dark pessimistic humor is supposed to be really enjoyable without being too caustic. And I had a few impressions...
1. It's quite possibly the most disjointed novel I have ever read. I can't think of anything that completely changes tracks from paragraph to paragraph without segue, reference, or apology. Trying to read this while putting it down to sip coffee or eat ice cream was impossible. A chapter at a time, or rereading the last paragraph was the only way to make progress.
2. It's the most low key indictment of something so large, it seems quaint. Without letting civilization off the hook for its compulsion to organizationally mass self-harm, the POV character is so blase and unmoved by the whole experience of WWII that the book could be called a marvel of understatement.
3. It's funny, but you don't laugh. It's too wry and clunky for comedic momentum.
4. I think I'd like to read something else by KV, if only to see if the novel's fractured feel is due to its reliance on the conceit of instant and unwilling time travel.
Overall, I was surprisingly unmoved. I didn't hate it like some novels I've been made to read (A Separate Peace, Catcher In The Rye) but I fear I just didn't get it.
So that's the art beat for the week,
The S is a cinefile and a bibliophile too, didn't ya know.
Movie, Duty, Movie, Dinner, and finally some sleep!
By The_Sagest on Thu, Jun 12, 2008 1:21 am
This week, I was a puppet of the heatwave and the state legislature, with little or no relaxation until Wednesday! My house has no AC and it's an ancient Victorian, i.e. an icebox in Winter and a furnace in Summer. I sleep (or try to) on the second floor. There wasn't so much of that this week.
So on Monday, I woke up sweaty and groggy as hell. I had worked 32 hours the previous three days, including two morning to morning days. Getting only snatches of sleep after that was debilitating to say the least. I managed to meet the girlfriend for a flick and a quick bite after work. Her place of employment's AC was also out; we were co-miserable! To both give us some muggy-relief and fulfill a promise I had made a couple of weeks prior, we went to see The Strangers.
I'm not a horror/slasher movie fan. I just think they're stupid, in the main. The last film of that ilk that I though both smart and entertaining was probably Scream. But the girlfriend loves them. Sometimes she gets someone else to come along, but I volunteered for this one. My mistake.
First of all, the film's opening scene (an extended flash forward) gives the ending away. Second, the motivations of damn near everyone in the film are never revealed. We don't know why the Strangers appear, where they come from, how they know the other two characters are ripe for the slaughter (or even home), nothing. And the trapped couple just do every stupid thing in the book to make themselves sitting ducks. And also, the film's main device (the audience sees/senses the three killers and the couple doesn't... over and over) is not only unoriginal, but it wears thin quickly. The movie did have some good mis en scene and music, but between the lame plot and villains so underdeveloped one doesn't know whether to root for them or against them, it's a wasted effort.
The next day (Tuesday) I had jury duty. Its big minus: an eight o'clock start time which was my third early rise of the week. Its big plus: AC! I spent a good five hours trying not to saw logs in the comfort of the state's jury pool. No case went to trial that day, so we were eventually released. I reread almost all of Yours, Isaac Asimovin that time. Then I had a few unsteady hours waiting for the girlfriend to get off work and nearly went on the nod/passed out due to the heat despite a ton of ice coffee and a Cajun steak wrap at boloco.
I was literally too tired to figure out what to do/where to eat. So I went with the other movie that came out last week, Kung Fu Panda. I found it really enjoyable, if formulaic in plot. It was a far better looking movie than Dreamworks's Madagascar, and more fun than the relentlessly in-jokey Shrek the 3rd. I'm not really a big fan of Jack Black, but he was sweeter and less abrasive here than anywhere I've ever seen him. And Dustin Hoffman as a cranky dour sensei was a real treat. I think I want an apron or a T-shirt with "There is no secret ingredient." on it.
So dinner, at the gf's request, we went to Chili Duck in Back Bay. It was another place whose decor rose above its subterranean location. We split an order of spicy Thai wings (eight to an order! Rock on!) and each ordered an entree. I ordered the Sriracha Delight with chicken while my honey bunny ordered the Drunken Noodles with Beef. The SD was nice. Lots of fresh veggies, some sweet succulent pineapple, and a vinegary sauce with kick and tomato puree. the few bites I had of the DN were good... the noodles weren't chewy or floppy, and the vegetable medley was nice, including bamboo shoots!
After dinner, we ambled over to Ben & Jerry's for a couple of cones and more AC. After we parted ways, I went home and tried unsuccessfully to sleep until the wind blew the muggies out of Brighton Center around 3:30 AM. Then I slept until noon on Wednesday, and felt remotely human again.
So we went 1/2 for movies, ate good Thai, and eventually found comfortable environs. It might not seem heroic to you, but given my struggles this week, it felt like that to me.
The S sleeps through thunder and lightning, but not 90% humidity.
Even with perfect weather, a cool free T-shirt, and impressive meal budget, I miss her!
By The_Sagest on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 7:17 pm
All right, I'm admitting defeat. My girlfriend has been on vacation less than a week, and I'm a case ready for my basket. It's just shameful. We have my favorite weather (warm enough to walk, not rainy enough to need an umbrella), roomies willing to go in on dinner bills, a much needed three day break from work, and I'm simply missing her like CRAZY.
I was even rude to the nice lady at the Allston New England Comics when I picked up JSA this afternoon. I know that it's partly the lack of any vacation time envy that my job produces periodically, but I just couldn't hold in the snark any longer. I miss my baby. I can't walk down the street without being reminded of places we've been, and all the mushy stuff that goes along with that. Ugh. So, people of Earth, if I'm ruder to you than usual between now and next week sometime, keep in mind there's a mitigating circumstance- and be glad I wasn't worse.
The S occasionally does maudlin venting. This is one of those times.
So many eateries, so little time...
By The_Sagest on Wed, May 28, 2008 3:49 am
How about the Rosebud Diner? The girlfriend and I went there last week, with decidedly odd results. On the one hand, the actual reason I dragged her there was the chili. I love a good chili, and this bowl of red had become semi-famous. So we went. And the chili was quite good, a traditional Nor'easter variant of the dish, red beans, ground beef, spicy but not too hot. Nice. The rest of the meal (save dessert) sort of let us down. My girl's pasta primavera was a plate of pasta with giant grilled chunks of peppers and onions, bland and boring by any standard, moreso for her. She's allergic to peppers. My mixed grill was a lot of meat, and it was filling, but not thrilling. We had pie for dessert. Her apple was good, bakery quality. My blueberry disappointed... too much crust and too little blueberries. So, while it wasn't a bust, it probably won't rate a repeat visit from yours truly.
Where else did we go? Why a certain famous Cambridge burger joint, of course! I had never been by without it being jam packed, and therefore never ventured forth. But because clouds threatened and there were still a few seats outside the place, we sat down for a quick bite. I got a Michael Bloomburg (which isn't on the online menu) which was messy, delicious and cooked med rare per my instructions with cajun fries. My girl got a much less fancy burger, well done, with sweet potato fries. I love cajun fries. If cajun toothpaste existed as a flavor, I'd brush more often, but her sweet potato fries were superior in every way: thick, soft, sweet, and satisfying. Other than dealing with an incoming passing shower and a really filthy patch of sidewalk, that was a great experience.
Monday, on an exceedingly rare holiday off, I cooked for the girlfriend. We had a picnic. I made her sirloin steak marinated in lime juice, honey, garlic, cilantro, chipotle, and a few other herbs. I served that with a garden salad with blue cheese crumbles and jalapeno vinegar and oil dressing. Mopped up with fresh hand-torn Italian bread, it made for quite a meal. She brought the beverages, chips, and cookies for dessert. It was a good time, with no weather problems.
Tuesday, despite many awful MBTA hassles, the downpours, and an invisible purse (don't ask) we had another great meal at Zoe's, breakfast for dinner! Most of their great press had been about their AM-style offerings, so when we didn't partake on our first visit, the idea of doing so got caught in the girlfriend's mind like a bad chorus to an eighties pop song. After a week of forceful suggestions, we went. I had a waffle slammer with blueberry waffles, and scrambled eggs. She had a greek omlette. Her omlette had a bit too much feta, and the sausage had a blend of spices that was odd, but not gross. My waffles were fabulous. I am all but certain they make their batter from scratch. You don't get fluffy flavorful results like that with Bisquick! It was another good meal at a comfy, reasonably priced place, despite the eerie veggie themed art on the walls.
Random shout outs? I have a few.... 1. The Crema Cafe in Harvard Square (open almost a month) has the coolest interior of any indie coffeshop I've seen in some time. And they'll brew you a pot of coffee about a half hour before they close if you ask them nicely.
2. Uburger only charges $1.00 to make a burger a double burger. That's boss, considering how fresh and yummy their beef is.
3. Greg Mayo just released a new CD. I was at the Boston pre-release party at Harper's Ferry. It was a genuine par-tay! They're The Greg Mayo Band now, not Greg Mayo & The Groove... I'm not sure I like the pallid name change, but they should really find a label. They deserve to find a wider audience.
The S has sallied forth in the name of great food and good music often these two weeks. He just hasn't kept in touch as much as he ought to!
Dinner, Coffee, and Ambiguity
By The_Sagest on Thu, May 8, 2008 12:11 am
We started with a bowl of Texas chili and the veggie special of the day, grilled artichoke hearts with tartar sauce. The chili was alright, with a kick brought on almost certainly by chili powder and maybe a bit of cayenne. It was definitely Texas style with no beans, and it wasn't runny or filled with veggies, but the flavor just seemed too pedestrian to merit much fervor. The dry corn bread and overlarge slips of greens (chives? cilantro?) didn't help matters.
The grilled artichoke hearts were much better, smoky flavor and tender texture throughout, and a nice large portion. Combine that with a spiced tartar sauce (either paprika or cayenne pepper and diced bits of pickle in a looser than normal sauce). I don't normally go for artichokes in any way, yet I found them delightful.
The entrees were each hit or miss in their own ways. My Rueben, on French Bread, just didn't have the spicy zip it would at a place like Sammy Lagrassa's or the All Star Sandwich Bar. maybe the dressing wasn't zippy enough, or the bread was too flaky, or the meat wasn't as seasoned as it could've been. It just felt like another entry into the almost-but-not-quite sweepstakes. And the shoestring fries, which seemed handcut, and fresh, were just too mushy to enjoy thoroughly. My girlfriend's pasta Bolognese had plenty of meat and a tight, non-watery sauce, but the noodles used were wider and thicker than suited the dish. It felt chewy, even though it wasn't overcooked.
We took a look at the dessert options, more to please our server than anything else. The chocolate pudding with roasted nuts seemed like a fine idea and turned out to be another pleasant surprise. Served with whipped cream and a soft chocolate on chocolate chip cookie and garnished with a mint leaf, it was a dense and satisfying end to a merely average meal.
It's a shame the food at HK was unremarkable in the main. The space is a neat blend of elegant and casual, including a better than average juke box (Charles Mingus AND The Pogues?). The service was attentive and circumpsect. And while there was nothing blatantly wrong with the food, it just didn't wow like it could have if the cuisine were pushed a little further.
After dinner, and some Davis Square window shopping, we stopped into the True Grounds Coffeeshop. We ordered a couple of coffees and a slice of coffe cake. My Vietnamese iced coffee was good, if a little sweet and undermixed. My girl's mocha (she's totally embraced her mocha addiction BTW) was good, if also a bit undermixed, as evidenced by the chocolate sediment visible when she began to see the bottom of her cup. The coffecake was the surprise star, thick, moist, and filling, we each only managed a bite before packing it away for later.
So all in all, it was an uneven dining evening, with highs and lows in oddball places. Chalk it all up to experience, I suppose.
The S is certainly a chili buff, with the chili cookbooks to prove it. Nothing ever excuses mediocre chili... not even great chocolate pudding.
THURSDAY JULY 24, 2008
Overcast, heavy rain 71.6 °F
83% Humidity
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