New & Exciting Change Comes to Centre Street Sanctuary, 365 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA

***December 31, 2013: Critical Update!  Chef Hopkins has apparently left his post at Centre Street Sanctuary abruptly over the holidays according to Owner/Operator Adam Rutstein, but no worries, his fabulous menu has survived and there are more than capable hands (including the classically trained Nick) to carry on.***
My favorite neighborhood watering hole has made a major change in the kitchen with the smart addition of Head Chef, Tim D. Hopkins!

Chef Tim Hopkins

Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to get to know Chef Tim through several casual conversations and one face-to-face interview.  I am excited about what his plans are for Sanctuary and so is Owner/Operator Adam Rutstein.

Chef Tim has turned the kitchen completely around...for the better.  Respectfully working with the old menu, he has thoroughly trained the kitchen staff/cooks and as a result, has elevated the dishes that existed upon his arrival.  He has the kitchen pumping out good food in a timely fashion.  Adam is proud and brags about the quickened turn around time of dishes to the table for patrons.

 The execution of such dishes as poutine (fries and gravy), fish and chips (now gluten-free with potato crusting), and steaks (extended dry aged in-house) has improved ten-fold.

Poutine

Fish and Chips

Brunch is now more than edible and instead of apologies flying from the kitchen and management to my table, delicious food did!

Mediterranean omelet: spinach, mushrooms, tomato, goat cheese served with home fries

Chef Tim's background is rooted in creative ventures from working with Chef Leah Dubois (now of Local 149), raw food goddess, at Grezzo.  The now closed Grezzo was a raw foodist's dream in the North End, focusing of beautifully creative dishes that could make any non-vegan soul a believer with dishes like "papaya steak", "mushroom lasagna", and "chicken-less salad".  
The menu was heavy on the juicing, pureeing, and marinating styles of preparation.  Chef fondly recalls a mushroom napoleon with marinated mushroom, macadamian nut puree, seaweed, and cashew sauce.  As we chat, he seems nostalgic about the place, but assured me that his moving on was simply because he "missed fire".
There's a dish that I imagine being an ode to Grezzo on Sanctuary's new menu:  Portobello veggie napoleon made with layers of portobello, roasted veggies, goat cheese and rosemary with Romesco sauce.

Grezzo was not his first veggie resto rodeo.  During his days as an art major at University of Iowa, he rendezvoused at a gourmet farm to table vegetarian restaurant in Iowa City.  He worked there for 2 years.  That is where he decided to change career plans.  He learned about rotating crops and even build green houses.

Perhaps the perfect ricotta gnocchi, luckily for us, is residual from those days as well.

Ricotta gnocchi vegetable ragout (green and red bell peppers and yellow squash) and foraged mushrooms and Romano cheese.  Can be served with or without truffle oil.

 Other vegetarian options include the fried macaroni and cheese balls served with a house made jalapeno hot sauce.  Crispy spheres stuffed with creamy, tender mac and cheese were a perfect match with the heavily spiced sauce - beware!  My friend described the dish as one that she could "eat an unfortunate amount of."  We desperately fought the urge to order more.

Fried mac and cheese balls with housemade jalapeno hot sauce

A deconstructed, of sorts, Greek salad was another meatless wonder.  Uber fresh red and green julienned bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes, feta, fresh oregano, and kalamata olives is served atop a smear of feta and Greek yogurt.

Greek Salad

Now, let's talk meat!
 The chili is fabulous.  The beef chili is made with black eyed peas in lieu of classic kidney beans, onion, roasted tomato bruleed, smoky cheddar cheese with a dollop of crème fraiche and fresh herbs.

Beef chili with black eyed peas, bruleed cheddar cheese, roasted tomato, onion, creme fraiche.

The cloven wings - meaty, confit hog shanks coated in sticky, sweet, gingery Asian bbq sauce is a real filler!  A generous portion of tender shanks was more than enough for an entree.

Cloven wings- Asian bbq confit hog shanks

  
 Applewood smoking has become a central theme for handling meats on the new menu.  The Applewood house-smoked roasted duck breast over sweet potato puree and cranberry duck jus.  It can also be served with the Asian bbq sauce mentioned above.

Applewood house-smoked roasted duck breast over sweet potato puree and cranberry duck jus

Fall away braised, dry-aged short rib with compound butter (butter with red wine, shallots, and garlic) that imparts serious, complex flavor to the protein over tender collards served with apricot marmalade for a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and acid.

One evening, the generous, lovely Abbey, Sanctuary's Pastry Chef, sent a decadent mini Black Forest cake:

Chef Tim is a man of many passions.  The one he shares most is his love of creating "comfort foods, done well".  One that is just as tender is a creation he lovingly calls 'magic' as he glow with pride, his daughter.  "My baby is magic!", he states as ask for a glimpse into his personal life and passions.  
His biggest influence in the kitchen was his granny.  He grew up with her Irish, German, and Dutch influences and his grandfather's Dutch and Scottish influences.  His grandmother's recipe for O'Brien potatoes (home fries) was a simple dish made with sliced potatoes and soy sauce, smothered in cheese.

He loves southern food, with plans to serve fried oysters (New Orleans style) with a rémoulade or a chipotle aioli.  He exclaims, "There is love that goes into each of my dishes".  Yes chef, it's truly apparent!

Head over to Centre Street Sanctuary for a tasty bite with new attitude! 

Let me know what you think!

Amazing Pre-Birthday #34 Dinner & Cocktails @ Steel & Rye, 95 Eliot Street, Lower Mills, Milton, MA

On the eve of my 34th birthday, my girls took me out to Steel & Rye, a restaurant that apparently has earned and deserves all the buzz!  Chef Chris Parsons really shows off at this venue! 

We arrive on this could evening to much appreciated free valet.  The evening has started off great!  The entire staff is amazingly welcoming and friendly.

Meringue and candle sent from the kitchen for our bday!

 Bartender eye candy aside, Derric is the real deal and started the night off right with a few lovely, thoughtful craft cocktails.  I offered that my palate was longing both bourbon and chartreuse.  

He made this beauty:

Derric's creation:  A Diamondback made with Laird's Applejack (.75 oz), Rittenhouse Rye (1.5 oz), Green Chartreuse (.75 oz), Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth and Absinthe.

Steel & Rye is an industrial space with tailored, refined lines.  Clean wooden lines are accented by steel, glass, and brass.  The ceilings are sky high and vaulted in bare wood, nautical fashion with pulleys and wires. 

 Interesting light fixtures impart dim, soft light and large, high and low windows with tall, paned doors adorn the space.  

There are light painted brick backgrounds and blonde, softwood partitions with faux windows to section off areas with booth-like seating.  Strategically placed plants and red chairs at the bar and surrounding high tops add a pop of much needed life and color to the decor.

Bar fare starter offering.  Soft, thick bread with fresh, softened butter.

We enjoyed a few other appetizers. 

The smoked bluefish was good with the pickled red onions adding a bit of zip and texture.  The butter cracker was pretty unremarkable.  I would have preferred crostinis or the like for firmness and added texture.

Smoked bluefish, pickled red onion, butter cracker

 I loved, loved, loved the burrata (for two).  The creamier, more interesting cousin of mozzarella, was served in a lake of emerald, peppery arugula and walnut pesto with warm lentils and salted, roasted beets.  The layers of flavors and textures was smart along with the beautiful color of the dish.

Burrata served wtih arugula and walnut pesto, warm lentils, and salted, roasted beets.

I am such a huge fan of burrata, that I wrote an entire article/post about it as I've had it at multiple places in different states.  You can read about it, here.  This dish will definitely be added soon.

While Derric continued to send out fabulous cocktails from the bar to our table, he made yet another off-menu concoction, De La Louisiane, made with:

1 oz Rye

 1 oz Benedictine

 1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

 2 dashes Peychaud bitters

Absinthe rinse

Drink and smile.

Our entrees absolutely did not disappoint with my absolute favorite being the home-made spinach fettuccine with savory, saucy, hearty wild boar Bolognese, shaved Pecorino and juicy, olive oil-poached tomato!

Spinach fettuccine with wild boar Bolognese, shaved Pecorino, and olive oil-poached tomato

The salmon entree was simple, yet perfectly autumnal in its construction.  A nicely cooked (medium) salmon filet was served over Tuscan kale with Sparrow Arc Farm (a 40-acre family farm in Maine) heirloom turnips, seckel pears, lady apple, and mostarda.

 

The strangest, though not entirely unpalatable dish was the home-made buccatini pasta tossed with sweet lobster, tender, smoky braised pork belly, beautiful delicata squash, sauteed spinach, brown butter, and sage.  The combination of lobster and pork was quite interesting. I found the smokiness of the pork belly to overwhelm the delicate nature of the squash and lobster.  Buccatini bites like an udon noodle before you realize it's hollow.  It was my first experience with this noodle and I liked it a lot.

Buccatini with lobster, braised pork belly, delicata squash, spinach

By the end of our fabulous night, Derric offered us a toast of flips!

Overall, I had great pre-birthday night with fabulous friends, fantastic cocktails, and devine eats!

I'll be back for sure!

 Have you been to Steel & Rye?  What did you think?  Drop me a reply!

Ongoing/Upcoming Events & New Cocktails @ Taberna de Haro, Brookline, MA

One of latest favorite restaurants in Brookline is Taberna de Haro after having interviewed Chef/Owner/Sommelier Deborah Hansen (read, here) and writing reviews about the food and cocktails.

Food

First and foremost, THE roasted suckling pig is back!!! Every Tuesday night, for just $25 a plate you can either gather a big group of carnivore friends or just order one portion with sides if you like.  Deborah will be more than happy to walk you through wine pairings!

The Fall menu has changed slightly.  Now, all 30 tapas (yes, this is an expanded number!) are listed on one side of the menu, while the weekly specials and larger dishes -  traditional fare from Spain always -  are listed separately on the other.  Many of the tapas are now smaller and less expensive, also, so guests can try more things.  This is uber important to someone like me who not only wants to try a bunch in one sitting, but finds it necessary in order to write about a variety of unique dishes.

The charcuterie plate is unique in that all 5 of the offerings are house-made and most reflect Spanish curing traditions.

Music

There will be live guitar music every Thursday evening.  Head over and enjoy the sweet sounds over a spectacular meal and beautiful surroundings.

Wine & Spirits

The wine list now has 335 wines from Spain and 50 different Sherries.  Each wine is described in detail by Deborah, but I strongly recommend picking her brain tableside.  She'll spend as much time with and attention to you as necessary.  You'll learn more than you ever thought you could!

Wine Tastings are held on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 for $55 per person.  Be sure to make reservations by calling the restaurant and note that pre-payment is required at (617) 277-8272.  Price includes 4 or 5 wines, plus tapas paired with each.  Tax and gratuity are not included. See the website for details.

Craft cocktails by bartender Devon Burroughs are as successful as they are creative. The bar is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday.  Some new additions to the list include:

Knuckle Up 11

Jalapeño & mango infused tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, Tabasco

A Sacred Retreat 12

Aviation Gin, Pear de Brillet, cranberry simple syrup, lemon juice, fresh muddled ginger and cranberries

A Sacred Retreat 12:  A a beautifully balanced, autumnal cocktail with acidity and girlish color imparted by the muddled whole, fresh cranberries and spicy notes of fresh shaved and muddled ginger.  Without being too sweet, the Pear de Brillet was a brilliant addition adding fruit and viscosity as the spirit base (Aviation gin) contributed a clean, light on the juniper, mildly spicy profile.

Inclement Kerfluffle 11

Pineapple-infused tequila, AJ Stephens ginger beer, lemon juice, simple syrup

 I did have the opportunity to taste the pineapple-infused tequila neat.  It was quite an interesting blend of two flavor profiles I would never think could work.  It, indeed, does.

Holidays & Reservations

The expansion, 16 months ago, allows Taberna de Haro to take reservations for larger parties.  Taberna de Hara does accept reservations via UReserv on their website tabernaboston.com  for small groups, or you can call for large groups (617) 277-8272. 

They are now accepting holiday party reservations with tailored menus available. 

Head over to Taberna de Haro and please drop me a line about what you think!

Recent Tasty Bites Around Town: Tapas @ Estragon, Soups & Seafood @ Centre Street Sanctuary, Mussels @ The Ledge Kitchen & Drinks Dorchester

On nights when I'm reviewing new cocktails at Boston's best bars or just out with the girls, small bites are usually in order.  Here are a few of my favorite dishes around town.

Estragon Tapas Bar South End

I arrived at Estragon to sample and review the amazing Sahil Mehta's gin cocktail repertoire (read review, here).  It was my first visit to Estragon so I decided to check out a few tapas as well.  I was pleasantly surprised with the options Chef/Co-Owner Julio de Haro, of Madrid, created and with the food itself.  Lara Egger, the other owner, wrote the cocktail menu reads like a book of poetry.  Lara is a writer who recently received the Arts & Letters 2013 Rumi Prize for Poetry and wrote Estragon's whimsical cocktail menu.  It includes such descriptions as: 

Jack Gilbert: "Feeling bittersweet? This mix of Cava & Aperol gets its edge from our house “Fire-Cider”. Most champagne cocktails are ballet; ours is burlesque."  

OR

Elderflower Sour: "From the Alps to the South End, elderflower’s peachy floral notes are paired with our house citrus blend for a libation that is more balanced than your average unicyclist."

The most amazing tapa of the night?  The Pringá.  A moist, flavorful, tender mixture of beef shank, pork belly, chorizo, and bone marrow spread over grilled Iggy's bread!  The tender beef, salty pork belly, spice of the hearty chorizo, and corpulence of the bone marrow all impart beautiful flavor and texture to the dish.

The Pringá

I really enjoyed the Queso de Cabra con Tomate, warm goat's cheese and tomato on toasted bread.  There was a generous portion of warm, soft cheese spread over bright, thinly sliced tomatoes.  So simple and delicious! 

Queso de Cabra con Tomate

Last, but not the least of the evening, was another simple, yet amazing dish: Setas al Ajillo, sauteed rosemary-garlic mushrooms.  Tender, meaty thick sliced mushrooms were roasted with high quality olive oil, seasoned with finesse with rosemary and garlic.  Pure heaven!

Centre Street Sanctuary Jamaica Plain

I've reviewed Centre Street Sanctuary on a number of occasions now:  dinner review, featured cocktails and more.  I will soon interview their new chef as well!

The Portuguese kale soup was hearty and perfect for the impending fall weather.  It is made with Tuscan kale, chourico, split peas, yellow potatoes, and bread for dipping.  A perfect comfort soup, it tasted like a bit of home.  

Me being the cauliflower fanatic I am, of course I ordered up the cauliflower soup.  It's the warm version to my favorite cold soup in Maryland at The Tasting Room in Frederick only with cheese!  The soup was hot and with a richness that lingers on the palate.  Made with fresh cauliflower and smoked gouda, which I think is quite original, it was topped with roasted cauliflower spears, toasted walnuts, chives, oil, and grated gouda.  So good!

Last night, I sampled the crispy fish and chips.  The dish is made with potato-encrusted, lightly fried hake, tartar sauce, crisp, hand cut fries, and lemon.  Though the potato drench is gluten free, it is a bit heavy and does not adhere to the fish as well.  I find textural issues with most gluten-free substitutes.  Owner Adam and new Chef Tim tell me it was an incidental finding via an improper order. The hake is flaky and humongous!  It's overall a good dish.

Ledge Kitchen & Drinks 

Lower Mills Dorchester

I was pretty disappointed when I realized my favorite mussels in Boston had been taken off the menu at Ledge (read about them, here), but I was pleasantly surprised when the replacement dish was not a total bust.

Spicy chorizo mussels with mushroom, red bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, and potato.  Perfect autumnal dish!

 

Appleton Estates Sponsors Jamaican Bartenders' Brunch @ The Hawthorne for Thirst Boston 2013

Jamaican Morning Fix: Appleton Estate Reserve rum, Pomegranate grenadine, Lemon juice, Orange, and Mint

As I walk through the front door of The Hotel Commonwealth, past a few valets, and towards the door of The Hawthorne.  I overhear two hotel guests ask one another, "Hey!  I wonder what's going on in there?".  Their curiosity is piqued by the jammin' tunes blaring through the walls.  

It's cold outside, so walking into the warmth of The Hawthorne is a welcome change.  It feels as if you are stepping off of a plane in the Caribbean to begin your vacation.  
There are tons of familiar, happy faces holding beautiful cocktails with silver swizzle sticks!

Me and two of my most favorite ladies ever!  My friends Mich and Jax!

Our section.  From left to right - *A Classic aged daiquiri with Appleton Estate V/X, lime and fresh fruit; *An Appleton Rum Fizz with Appleton Estate Reserve, Appleton Estate 12 year, lemon juice, spiced black tea simple syrup, egg white, seltzer mint; & a *Jamaican Morning Fix (shown above)

The soulful music of the reggae band (out of Brooklyn) makes all the difference in transforming the swanky bar into an island retreat.

There were two bars, as is the case typically with events at The Hawthorne.  

The Main Bar featured: 

The Jamaican Morning Fix and Appleton Rum Fizz (described above)

& 

 Jamaican Iced Coffee 

 Appleton Estate 12 year, Grand Marnier, Vanilla Demerara syrup, cold-brew coffee, whipped cream, and cinnamon

Appleton Estates rum and Vanilla Demerara shots

The back bar/Swizzle & Daiquiri Bar featured:

Daiquiri (described above)

Swizzle

Classic swizzle with Appleton Estate V/X, fresh fruits & tweaks

Add ons included:

Syrups (honey, ginger, simple, or spiced black tea)

Whole Fruits (pineapple, mango, watermelon, blackberries, strawberries, and oranges)

Herbs/Bitters (mint or  Dales's Pimento)

Booze (Maraschino or Allspice Dram)

It's always a pleasure to run into Colin Asare-appiah, brand ambassador for U'Luvka Vodka in the USA and co-founder of LAB Bar (London Academy of Bar tending in London) and chat with him about the industry.  You'll always learn something new!

Me and Colin Asare-appiah

Jax, Ced, and Colin

The Caribbean-inspired food was amazing!  Juicy jerk chicken thighs, stamp & go fish cakes, sweet potato stew, salads...simply delicious!

Great times with entertaining and interesting fashion statements to boot!

Disclosure:  Though I received media passes for all events and seminars at Thirst Boston 2013, all opinions written about events and seminars are my own.