Once Upon a Dinner @ Kitchen, South End, Boston, MA

"Once Upon a..." is a new series created to feature my forgotten meal shares.  I will write about meals that I have neglected to blog about whether good, bad, or indifferent.  Hope you enjoy some of my long lost culinary memories, whether I did or not!
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For those of you who follow this food+cocktail+travel blog, you are most familiar with my ravings about the fantastic foods and drinks I've enjoyed the most.  Most of you may not be aware that I have literally not owned a pot or pan in well over a year and I'm an avid kitchen dodger.  Even when my kitchen was fully stocked with tools, I just did not have much interest in cooking regularly.  I do get inspired at times to whip up simple things like this, or this, or even this, featured on the "Home Cooking: The Rare Moments" section of this blog.

I write all of this to express that I have almost never written an entirely negative review of a restaurant, especially one that I've enjoyed immensely in the past and one that is owned by the same chef as an all time favorite place of mine (Marliave) where I always enjoy phenomenal dishes.

I dined at Kitchen not too long after its opening in 2012.  You can find that dinner review, here.

On the slushy February evening in question, I met up with a friend with whom I was eager to share a meal because we consider ourselves well-traveled in the world of culinary arts and in the actual world- though he definitely trumps me on a number of countries!  I decided, after offering the then-relatively new Alden&Harlow (reviewed, here), yet, we decided to meet up at Kitchen and we were both sorely disappointed with our meals.  Jimmy, an old friend and the bartender there at the time was my only saving grace for the evening.  
After my arrival, I spoke to Chef Scott Herritt, which I usually do if I see him at one of his establishments (including Grotto and Marliave).  You can perform this, universally polite gesture a million times and only receive a semi-snarky, shallow, who-the-hell-are-you "hey" or barely any response at all.  It's silly, a bit ridiculous and almost humorous.  
He was finishing up at the pass and clearly about to make his way out of the door well before we ordered out meals.  Now, I've not experienced or had any hint that once he's gone, the quality of the food would decline.  This has not been my experience at Marliave for sure.  

I can only chock up our experience to that fact that there was no secondary check of food quality before it left the kitchen on this particular evening, or the remaining staff was disinterested in serving up their best.  Either way, it was simply unacceptable.  There was no one person to express our complaints to at the time, so we simply focused on enjoying what was salvageable from the plates in front of us, but more focused on the glasses before us as we explored a few things with Jimmy. 

This cocktail was featured on the Tipples of the Month Series Jan/Feb 2014

One dish that stood out as equally inadequate for the both of us was the duck breast.  A soggy excuse for a lovely piece of poultry, its fat lacked rendering and the texture of its skin was insulting at best.  The lackluster, watery mash serving as its base did very little to revive this flimsy, rubbery corpse and the Brussels sprouts received very little attention.

The saddest duck breasts in Boston.

The miniscule roasted marrow bone, served with duck liver and anchovy pate and toast points, somewhat elevated the experience with its complex flavors and textures. The fattiness that makes bone marrow so intriguing and addictive -  the smoothness in texture, richness, and salinity of the pate, were both mellowed by the crispy toast triangle.

On this roller coaster of emotion we called dinner, the "Under glass", a dish from circa 1903 made of wild mushroom over toasts and topped with housemade ricotta was confusing and all around deflating. I could not figure out why the blandest ingredients were proposed to one another.  The ricotta would have benefited from an uplifting ingredient, perhaps with one featuring some hint of seasoning.  The wild mushrooms were lame in their presentation and flavor...a bit of acid or salt would have made all the difference.  
Perhaps its previous incarnation, written about by Boston Globe's food writer Devra First was more palatable - wild mushrooms served with cheddar and a side of oxtail.  Read it here.

Wild mushroom and housemade ricotta over griddled brioche toast under a belljar.

Sans glass

The sparse bacon-wrapped scallops were plump and sweet, but again, its accompaniment were DOA.

There are still a number of dishes I'd like to try at Kitchen, especially brunch.  I'm not giving up just yet.  

Again, you can read my first review, here.

Have you had a meal at Kitchen?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Small Bites and Sips at Alden & Harlow: Chef Michael Scelfo's New House

Chef Michael Scelfo at the 2nd Annual What's Your Beef? Fundraiser @BCAE

I've been a major fan of Chef Michael Scelfo since meeting him a few years ago at the Boston Center for Adult Education's first annual "What's Your Beef?" fundraiser.  He was still executive chef at Russell House Tavern at the time and served an amazing dish of   at the event.  

I remember gushing over the dish and discussing my  obsession with offal with him as I devoured the dish he presented - heart and tongue stuffed skirt steak "Braciole" with roasted tomato, broken crostini, and spicy herb puree. 

 Since then, I've drooled over his Instagram and Facebook food photography.  He is a chef with a warm spirit who makes you feel like one of his favorite fans whenever in his presence, so it was not too much of a surprise that after enjoying a few amazing bites and sips at Alden & Harlow with my friend Dr. Rausch, Chef Scelfo waved, walked over, and sat at the table next to us for a brief check-in and chat.  

 

Alden & Harlow boasts an open kitchen and has a beautifully spacious dining room with intimate coves, center room tables and plush high top booths near the bar.  And the bar, managed by one of the best bartenders in the city, Seth Freidus, serves up bold, balanced, elegant craft cocktails as he did on my side of the river at ESKD. 

Pickled green bean starter

Island Creek Oyster Gratin with Uni Toast, Creamed Leeks & Guanciale

 The oyster gratin with creamed leeks, guanciale, and uni toast was decadent and savory.  I was sold at uni toast, but the rich dish was more than just the toast.  Each briny, creamy, meaty bite left my palate begging for more.  This dish was definitely a favorite of the evening.

Slow Roasted Beef Neck with Parsnips, Vinegar, Radishes

The beef neck was fall-apart tender and amazingly seasoned.  It sat upon a parsnip puree, topped with braised greens, floral buds, and pretty breakfast radishes.

Chicken Fried Local Rabbit with Celery, Apple, Blue Cheese, Chili Oil

The chicken fried rabbit was everything on a dish that I love!  Crispy coating, RABBIT, crunch of veg, spicy of chili oil, sharpness of bleu cheese!
What a unique preparation of rabbit.  A refreshing change from your typical braised variety.

Pickled Verrill Farm Corn Pancakes,  Buttermilk, Maple, Shishito

The Verrill Farm corn pancakes were cleverly paired with popcorn and maple and served with Shishito peppers!

We sampled a few dinner cocktails served by Seth made with housemade ingredients.  The most remarkable:

 The Bell tower 

Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Carpano Antica, Green Chartreuse, Rosemary & Ginger Essence

&

 The Krakatoa 

Rye Whiskey, Smoked Orange Vermouth, Dolin Rouge, Dry Curacao 

We sampled two savory desserts:

 

Roasted parsnip cobbler with Ginger Ice Cream, Blueberries, Star Anise

Of all the root vegetables, I find parsnips to be the most intoxicating in scent and taste when roasted.  Using them in a dessert, for someone who doesn't enjoy overly sweet dessert post meal, is brilliant.  The tartness of baked blueberries and the spice play of the star anise and ginger ice cream brought together this dish of unexpectedly complex flavors.

Smoked chocolate bread pudding with Jacobsen Salt Ice Cream

There are few bread puddings on earth that I can tolerate.  Typically, it's a textural aversion I experience.  But smoke chocolate and add Jacobsen gourmet artisan salt ice cream and my interest is sparked.

Alden & Harlow was and is worth my dramatic crossing of the river.  I can't wait to head back for a larger sampling of the menu!  You should do the same!

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!