Picco, Boston, MA (Brick Oven Pizza+ Homemade ice cream), 513 Tremont St, Boston, MA

July 2011
Picco actually has VERY good mac n' cheese and raviolis!  Pretty impressive actually.  The pizza is terrific with great toppings.  I am dying to try the clam and pancetta!
The ginger ice cream is creamy and delightfully spicy

October 2011
Tonight, my bf had his usual...pepperoni pizza (well-done).  It was delish!
I started with the pumpkin ravioli.  AMAZING...raviolis stuffed with warm, spiced pumpkin; topped with perfect sage butter and shaved parmesan cheese!  I was the perfect starter.  It went well with my prosecco, which I believe should have been served in a flute, not a white wine glass, but that's just me...the proper glass snob (shrug).

My pizza was pretty awesome: roasted apple, bacon, and gorgonzola toppings.  THE perfect fall season pie! (though we had spring/summer weather today).  The shredded cabbage and thyme added a nice earthy touch.  I loved every bite! My palate didn't quite pick up the celery cream, but everything else was lovely.

Being the girly girl I am..I was also excited about the coat/purse hooks beneath the bar!

I'm still a fan!

Picco Restaurant Website

Reply on Yelp.com from Picco Restaurant  manager:

Hi M. W.

Thanks for taking the time to review Picco! It's good to hear you are a fan of our pastas, some people never deviate from our pizza! If you want to mix up your usual mac and cheese you should try adding some roasted garlic or our homemade sausage (both staff favorites). Unfortunately the clam pizza was a one off special so it will not be back in the near future. You should follow us on facebook or twitter to see what are specials are because they are always changing and the kitchen is always experimenting with something new.

Thanks again for the great review!

Mark Tikonoff
Manager

London Grill, Philadelphia, PA (American; Fairmount/Museum Neighborhood)

September 2010
Our dining experience was mediocre at best. The service was slow & pacing was terrible (we waited for significant periods of times between courses) even with the dining room half empty AND the hostess assisting our waitress. The risotto was overcooked and under-seasoned (the only thing saving the flavor were the added goat cheese and apples). My chicken was salty and the 'basil mashed potatoes' it came with HAD NO BASIL! After attempting to convince me there was actually basil in them (none was tasted or visually observed) the hostess brought me out cut raw basil...I informed her I had not intentions of making my own food at the table. This experience (being the huge foodie I am) ruined the rest of my evening!!

London Grill Restaurant Website

Response on Yelp.com from London Grill's manager:

Hi M W,

My name is Nicole, I'm one of the managers at London Grill. On behalf of the owners, management, and staff, I would like to apologize for your recent imperfect experience here. We will gladly offer you a complimentary drink and entree if you will consider joining us again to re-evaluate your review of London. Please contact us at 215-978-4545; Terry, Cristina or myself will be happy to speak with you to try to amend this situation. We would like to make it right.

Kindly,
Nicole Kelly

2011 Hampton Beach Annual Seafood Festival (Hampton Beach, NH)

*Update:
2012 Hampton Beach Seafood Festival will be held: Sept. 8-9

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September 2011

Well worth the trip! Only 5 bucks for a wristband to enter and the tapas range from $3-$10.  I spent about $60-70 on food, desserts, and a water over 1.5 hours and it was worth it!
I'm still in a lobster coma!

First stop:

"Ray's Seafood" (Rye, NH):
Ray's actually had 2 stands...is that cheating??

*The Lobster quesadilla was great fresh chunks of lobster smothered in cheese inside a warm tortilla.  I think a mango salsa would be great with this app.

*Grilled lobster tail was fantastic...tender half lobster tail taken right off the grill on a skewer and doused in sherry butter!

*Their fried clam strips, hot out of the oil, were great but the homemade tartar sauce was just so-so.

*My companion had their hot lobster roll and really loved it!  Her only complaint was the soggy bread which prevented her from picking the roll up in one piece.
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"Brown's" Lobster Pound (Seabrook, NH):

*Cold lobster roll...this was absolutely amazing!  I am new on the lobster roll scene and Brown's did not disappoint!  The toasted buttered roll was fantastic and lobster salad was fresh and rich.  Loved it!
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"Spud's Restaurant & Pub" (Rowley and Saugus, Mass.):

*THE best coconut shrimp EVER!  The batter was sweet (almost like funnel cake/fried dough batter) with crunchy flakes of coconut.  The shrimp was of decent size and portions.  I held on to these for awhile...savoring every bite!

*Though I was not yet ready for desserts, their fried ice cream looked awesome!  Just out of the deep fryer, they covered it with whipped cream and chocolate sauce!

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"Rye Harbor Lobster Pound" (Rye, NH):

*The lobster alfredo pizza was gross!  I think it had a lot to do with them serving it undercooked to move the line a bit.  It was an interesting concept but was not executed very well.

*On the other hand...their clam chowder was fantastic!  It had great seasoning and the clam was tender vs. chewy.  It was a save.
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"Ertie's"

*This booth only served samples of their seafood and corn bisque but it was THE HIGHLIGHT of the Festival.  I can't find a website for them on the net (HELP!) , but I was blown away by this bisque...it was a perfect blend of seafood, spice, and freshness (from the corn).  I loved it and was so disappointed that they weren't selling bowls :0(
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"Crepes Ooh La La" (Wolfeboro, NH):

*Lobster Crepe:  This freshly made crepe was stuffed with chunks of fresh lobster with a creamy sherry drizzle atop!  It was heaven!

The ladies running the booth were wonderful!  Very friendly and upbeat wearing adorable lobster claw hats.  They actually took your name when you placed your order and called you when the dish was ready.  Very professional and organized.
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"Seafood Shack"

*The shrimp bisque was just so-so.
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"LeBec Rouge" (Hampton, NH):

*The shrimp ceviche was awful!  I think they should research ceviche and try again!
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"Clyde's Cupcakes" (Exeter, NH)

*I took two cupcakes to go and am now enjoying them with a cold glass of Crios Torrontes!

*The Oreo surprise was a chocolate-lovers dream.  The cake was moist and SURPRISE!!! There was a whole chocolate Oreo serving as the base!  AMAZING!

*The lemon-ginger cupcake was spicy!  You can really taste the fresh ginger and the lemon provided an awesome citrus finish that cleansed the palate nicely!  Biting into this wonderful creation was like taking a bite out of Autumn!!!

Dear Clyde:  
I am a forever fan!!!
I must have more!!!  I am soooo excited to find out that I can have these amazing cakes shipped to Brookline!!!
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WD-50, NY, NY (Lower East Side; New American)

Young pastry chefs at work! 
Head pastry chef:Malcolm Livingston II

February 2011

Me and Wylie!

WD-50 and its namesake totally lived up to my expectations and beyond! Wylie Dufresne is a genius! Not only was the food (presentation and execution) exquisite, but the knowledgeable staff were polite and charming. There were a couple of surprises which I will keep to myself so that new diners can experience the wow factors on there own This was not just dinner BUT a TRUE 

EXPERIENCE!

Meeting Wylie and his latest (and youngest I believe) head pastry chef,  Malcolm Livingston II was inexplicable! It truly made the visit a once in a lifetime experience...to spend a moment in Wylie's kitchen and snap a few photos (with him) was
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I'll never forget it...it was a foodie's dream come true! -Still gushing... 

WD-50 Restaurant Website