Comedor: A Blend of Chilean and American Food in Newton Center, MA

Comedor has several different atmospheric moods throughout the space.  Upon walking in, the food/chef bar overlooking the open, bustling kitchen is just as attractive as the bar on the far, left of the restaurant and the tables against the far right wall underneath large, colorful, attractive pieces of wall art- El Tiburon by The Couto Brothers, known for their socially aware collaborative pieces.

The space is warm, fresh, and welcoming.  We sat at the chef's bar and received the greatest service from both 

Steve and Erick.

After starting with an Old Tom's Negroni, we ordered a sweet and savory grilled cheese-the Sanguchito con Queso-fontina and cheddar with creamy, honey manjar and red pepper relish. 

 

Sanguchito con Queso

Our other two vegetarian dishes were excellent.

The Roasted Artichoke and Mushrooms were served with with crisp, charred kale on a blanket of roasted garlic emulsion with lemon.

The flavors complimented each other, boasting earthy notes, but the textural diversity was the highlight for me.

Roasted Artichoke and Mushroom

Another textural highlight of the meal was the  

Niños Envueltos-tender, roasted zucchini, black quinoa, bright, diced red peppers, cilantro, and meaty slices Portabello mushroom.

Niños Envueltos

Niños Envueltos

 One flat note dish was the Oysters a la Parmesana with chorizo and spring greens.  

I simply expected more of a flavor impact from the chorizo which fell short of my anticipation.

 We were quickly taken back on an upswing with the amazingly rich and creative 

Pig's ears Nachos-crispy-coated tender, carilaginous pig's ears topped with paprika, salsa, cotija cheese, and crema on a bed of lettuce!

Pig's Ears Nachos

Pig's Ears Nachos- a close up

Our last dish was a perfectly cooked, tender, medium-temperature Lamb T-bone with avocado, crisped navy beans, sumac, and grilled shallots.

For dessert we sampled Comedor's housemade Mandarin-Olive Oil Ice cream accompanying the Crema Catalanas- custard with EVOO caramel, whipped cream and toasted hazelnut. 

There's also a decent whisk(e)y list!

The menu has since changed since this fabulous first meal at Comedor's. 

 I am excited to head back in to try more!

Beaujolais Nouveau at Café De La Nouvelle Mairie, Paris, France, November 2014

Back in November of 2014-during my birthday week in Paris, Franc- I had the pleasure of experiencing one on the annual November festivities celebrating the red wine produced from Gamay (Gamay noir à Jus blanc) grapes in the Beaujolais region of France with American expat and Italian friends.

Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated on the third Thursday in November.

Parisians take to the street walking from one wine bar to the next sipping (and guzzling) the young wine which according to Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) regulations must be sold in the same year in which it was harvested.   The grapes also must be harvested by hand after which they undergo carbonic fermentation and are bottled just 6-8 weeks after harvested.
These wines do not improve in the bottle, even after years of being held.  They can also be used in cooking.

 

There's no finesse or pomp and circumstance in its handling and production, but the jubilee surrounding its celebration more than makes up for the lack of refinement. 

We spent the night amongst locals dancing and singing along with the live band playing jazzy, New Orleans-style music.

The awesome band had the people moving.  I found Parisians to be more fun when tipsy!

 We enjoyed a few bites and plenty of wine...

The sausage and lentils were delicious.  Large rounds of sausage sat upon tender lentils and carrots.

Sausage and lentils

Two rich dishes made their way to our table as well- the Terrine de Lapin (rabbit terrine) and the Paté en Croute (foie gras and mushroom pie)

Rabbit Terrine

Foie gras and Mushroom Paté

The Daube de Boeuf  "Aubrac", Petits Légumes (Beef stew with potatoes and carrots) was a perfectly simple, warming dish for the misty November evening.

And the party was definitely not confined to the restaurant.  People's personal vehicles served as bistro tables!

 

Beaujolais Nouveau 2014 was a once in a lifetime experience and probably the most fun I had in Paris.