Boston: Formaggio Kitchen

Just back in NYC from a family vacation to Boston...and then Monsieur P and I are off to Paris and Brittany next week. I can hardly wait!

My favorite "food" place in Boston was surprisingly enough not a restaurant or bakery, but a market: Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge. The place is like Murray's Cheese meets gourmet fruit and vegetable shop coupled with sweet gallery galore. The market itself was actually quite small in size, but man did they manage to pack in an impressive bounty of goods, both local and imported from abroad.

Mom and dad bought many different cheeses to take home to Hawai'i. Our cheese options in Hawai'i are fairly limited. Growing up, I used to buy the "fancy" cheeses from Costco because I couldn't find them anywhere else on the island. We have more options now, but still...if only we could somehow import Murray's Cheese to Honolulu...how magical would that be??

We arrived at Formaggio Kitchen on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed with customers. They were many samples (LOVE samples! ;) and food demos going on. The prepared foods looked quite tempting...
...as did the Poco Dolce tiles! I love these tiles to death and they remind me of college. I started at NYU but then transferred to Claremont McKenna, a wonderful school that was situated in a wasteland of food options. While at CMC I took to mail ordering all my favourite foods, and Poco Dolce tiles, specifically the Ginger ones were always on my must-get list.

Just look at all these options! Ahhh, I would be happy sitting the shop for a whole day just examining and eating everything!

We also bought a bunch of fruits including fresh dates...
...here's what they look like on the inside. I've eaten my share of dried dates, but this was the first time having a fresh one right off the stem!

We also found tiny, tiny apples...
...and a few baskets of gooseberries...
...which were simply too pretty for words! Easy to see how this place will be first on my agenda on my next visit to Boston, no?

P.S.
Congrats to my little sister who just started her first day of college today! ^_^

Formaggio Kitchen
244 Huron Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 354-4750

Hello, Boston!

[At JP Licks. Steph snapped this photo of me pouring on the oh-so-delicious hot fudge]

It's been a year since I last visited. In 2009, we took my sister on a college preview tour...and this year we're back to move her into her new freshman dorm at Boston College! She and my parents have been in orientation sessions all week...leaving me with lots of free time. And what did I do with that time?

EAT ICE CREAM. Goodness this is a glorious ice cream town. Thank you to Steph for accompanying me on a full day of sugar-high in 90F+ weather. More details to come next week ;)

When not spooning up ice cream, I was eating cupcakes from the newest location of Sweet on Newbury, a cupcake-only affair. That's the "Organic Carrot" pictured above, $3.25 apiece. The verdict? TOO MUCH frosting! Or...not enough cake. Two ways to view it.
The cake itself boasted a abundance of crushed pineapple bits, along with shredded carrots, keeping it quite moist, but not mushy. Just wish they had chopped walnuts in the batter! A literal tower of cream cheese frosting and the tiniest gold leaf. The cupcake satisfied my craving with little complaint, but isn't one I'd go out of my way for again. They do some fun summer flavors here, including shocking pink-coloured Pink-Lemonade Cupcakes (with a tiny straw poking out of the frosting), and oh-so-cute Ice Cream Cake Cupcakes.

We also took a family day trip out to Cape Cod, stopping in Chatham for lunch at Chatham Pier Fish Market. Most people inside were purchasing fresh lobsters and fish to take home and cook, but they also have a short menu of chowders, bisques and fried seafood. It's takeout only, but we found nearby benches close to the fishing boats...and had front row views of all the fishermen catching fish and lobsters, as well as a whole pod of seals in the water...no need for all those seal watching tours advertised everywhere!

On the menu: Fried Clam Bellies and Fries...
...and a quart of Clam Chowder to share! It was a short two-hour drive each way from Boston, and we made it back in time for an early dinner at Sichuan Garden later that evening. Hope everyone is having a great week! We plan to go out to Nantucket this weekend, but let's see where Hurricane Earl heads...most of the beaches and ferries out to the island are closed at the moment. Maybe better to take it safe and stay in the city!

Sweet
225 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-2253

Chatham Pier Fish Market
45 Barcliff Avenue
Chatham, MA 02633
(508) 945-3474

Boston, Part V: Mike & Patty's

When I mentioned to Carey that I'd be in Boston for a few days, she declared that I must go to Mike & Patty's if nothing else. Read her post for Serious Eats here.

And how true that was.

Of all the pizza, fresh lobster, fried clams, bread pudding and clam chowders we ate, the only thing I couldn't have done without is the Bacon and Egg Fancy from Mike & Patty's. The "restaurant" was wedge into the corner of a small residential street and only a five minute walk from our hotel. We had NO IDEA it was so close the first time we visited, so we hopped into Zubair's car, plugged the address into the GPS. And made the 30 second drive.

"We're here?"
"We're here!"
"Aw, now we have to pay for parking."
"Let's drive it back to the hotel garage."
"That's going to cost another $30!"
"Aw man."
"Yeah. Aw man."

So we found meter parking on the street for $2. Still can't believe I wasn't smart enough to look up direction online ahead of time. Hee.

Mike & Patty's is only open for breakfast and lunch and embodies everything you could imagine of a top notch neighborhood spot. Solid coffee. Great food. And most importantly, extremely awesome and friendly properties. There are but six seats in the "restaurant." It is tiny beyond words. And the food is pretty darn amazing.

This is the Bacon and Egg Fancy I mentioned.

It might not look like much, but the taste, everything together in a single bite, is nothing short of incredible. From bottom up. Toasted multigrain bread. House mayo (addicting with a heavy hand of paprika), red onions, cheddar, and avocado. I love how its just so simple, but if you made it at home it would never be nearly as good. The crunch of warm toasted bread, both sides mayo smothered, cut by thin sliced onions, melting cheddar and creamy ripe avocado. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

That was the "fancy," which implies that there's an un-fancy, or rather a "classic" on the menu. This was what my sister had for breakfast each time we went. She likes her food straightforward: bacon, egg, and cheese on an english muffin.

Home fries on the side. These needed a bit more ooomph.

Mike was sweet enough to serve up a slices of pretty awesome peameal bacon, an unsmoked bacon popular in Canada. Mike is from Toronto, and trying to popularize the bacon he grew up with.

Here we have the Grilled Banana Sandwich. Crazy huh? Slices of pain de mie are smothered with cinnamon honey butter, grilled super crispy. Sauteed bananas in the middle. Powdered sugar. You decide, breakfast or dessert. Either way, it's most certainly a morning wake up call for the sweet content alone.

One morning, after too many plates of fried clams, I decided to cleanse my system with a bowl of Greek Yogurt with Blueberries, Granola and Maple Syrup.

But then I saw dad's golden, stuffed Breakfast Torta, and quickly traded him. Heehee. The "somewhat Mexican breakfast sandwich" coupled eggs, salsa, and cheese with refritos, roasted poblanos, potatoes, AND avocados on a toasted seeded bun. Quite a mouthful.

I wish I could have packed up Mike & Patty's, the entire restaurant, in my suitcase and drive it back to NYC. I'd plant it on the northeast corner of 13th Street and 2nd Avenue (currently home of the NYEE). That way I could pass by each morning on the way to my bus stop, pausing in for hot coffee and one bacon & egg fancy.

Happy Sunday ^_^

Mike & Patty's
12 Church Street
Boston, MA 02116-5514
(617) 423-3447

Boston, Part IV: J.T. Farnhams (Essex, MA)

It took us 60 minutes to get there when it should have only taken 30 minutes. We got a bit lost and found ourselves in the forest, on unmarked street, and finally, a fruit stand with a very kind proprietor that pointed us in the right direction.

Soon enough, we made it to J.T. Farnhams in the town of Essex, with lobster on the mind.

I've heard this place gets quite crowded during peak dining times, but we were here at an odd hour, and there was just us and two other tables.

The daily specials board

Order at the counter and get your...
...lemonade here...

...ice cold and fresh squeezed.

Here is the lobster, fresh! Glorious! My parents were especially delighted because you can never get lobster like this in Hawai'i. You can get the lobster boiled or fried, but beacause we were eating a ton of fried food on this trip, we kept it simple and pure, opting for the boiled route.

We ate a trio of lobsters and shared some other dishes including this bowl of clam chowder...
...fried clams...
...which came with fries and onion rings...
...and then a lobster roll (with even more fries)! Fresh seafood is a awesome sight indeed ^_^

Happy Tuesday!

J.T. Farnhams
88 Eastern Ave
Essex, MA 01929
(978) 768-6643

Boston, Part III: Regina Pizza

I woke up late one morning and the whole family was gone. It turned out they had left to go eat clam chowder for breakfast. Without me. Rumbly tummies wait for no one. That's the price you pay for being a sleepy head, heh.

Later in the day, we met up for lunch at Regina Pizza in the North End. I don't know about you but I REALLY REALLY love pizza. My sister was upset because they had only been in NYC and Boston for five days, but already we had consumed pizza on four separate occasions.

Photos as follows:

"The Giambotta" pizza. Per the menu: "Our finest creation - it's the pizza that comes with all the traditional toppings - a full three pounds! In Italian homes when they're having a giambotta, they're going to have mama's best combination. Molta Bene! (Anchovies upon request).

We ordered anchovies on half the pizza because mom and I LOVE anchovies. Dad and sister not so much.

Spicy olive oil to dip the crust...(though I saw one guy literally douse his pizza in the oil).

Liiiiffftt...

...and yes! Right onto my plate ^_^...

...don't think I forgot your upskirt shot!

Ok, off for ice cream with Zubair. Hope you are having a super Saturday ^_^

Pizzeria Regina
11 1/2 Thacher Street
Boston, MA 02113-1539
(617) 227-0765

Boston, Part II: Flour Bakery

Apologies for the lack of posts! :/ My family just flew back to Hawai'i yesterday morning, so I'm getting my life re-organized again...I took a "mini vacation" along with them, hehe.

This will be a short post as I've got to run off again. But for now, photos from Flour Bakery in Boston! :D

I first learned about the bakery via Carey's Serious Eats post, where she spoke very highly of the sttiiicckky buns! They were unfortunately out of the buns by the time we arrived in the late afternoon, but that was okee doke because we totally made do with...

...Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding!! Custardy and gooey, served chilled with chunks of bananas folded into the batter.

And a slice of Apple Spice Cake for fun. Mom and I devoured these in the hotel then went to meet my dad and sister for dinner :)

Happy Thursday ^_^

Flour Bakery
1595 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
617-267-4300