I'll have that, with some extraordinary on top.

It's the little things in life that are truly extraordinary. Holding hands with your sweetie while taking a walk on a balmy summer evening, giggling with mom on the phone over something silly (but cute!), seeing flowers blooming outside your window after a rainy day. And..biting into the perfect grilled cheese. Well, maybe they aren't all on the same level, but believe me when I say: the grilled cheese at Stephanie's on Newbury is worth the ride over.

Imagine the softest, lightest brioche (doesn't do it justice to call brioche bread - it's elevated, almost-pastry-like) grilled with butter, stuffed with two melted cheeses (cheddar and goat), with just the right amount of avocado (can there ever be too much avocado?), and a slice of tomato. Mmmm. Happiness. Although I suspect the extraordinary part of this lunch was sharing the moment with mom & dad, gazing into the heart of Boston.

Drink Pairing

Spanish Sparkling Cava or Champagne 

Dining Guide

Stephanies on Newbury, Newbury Street, Boston

Oatmeal. Dosa. Oatmeal Dosa?

"Would you like some milaga podi with your oatmeal dosa?" Here was a question I never expected to be asked. But my wonderfully creative mom had found a way to combine healthy and incredibly delicious in the most unexpected way! Dosas are savory Indian crepes, traditionally made with rice flour and urad dal (black lentils). My mom decided to try with a blend of whole wheat flour and finely ground oatmeal.  Sprinkle a few spices, add a little water, mix well, and try the art of dosa-making. The result? A nutty, complex and slightly spicy pancake bursting with flavor. And that milaga podi - that's a ground mix of Indian spices into which you dip each bite of your dosa. A match made in heaven (and available at your local Indian grocery store!). Oh, and my mom adds that there are numerous permutations and combinations to dosa making: add curry leaves, cilantro, or if you like an extra dash of spice, rock it by adding a dash of sambal to the dosa mix!

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups oatmeal (regular Quaker oats will do great)
1 tsp red pepper powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
(Add 1/2 cup yogurt if you like the dosa tangy)
Water {Add water till the mix is of pouring consistency (like thin pancake mix)}
A few tsp oil
Salt to taste

Recipe
Grind oatmeal in blender to a powder.

Good ol' oatmeal

Good ol' oatmeal all ground up

Add to whole wheat flour and fold in other ingredients except oil. Remember to add enough water till the mix has the consistency of a thin pancake mix. Keep aside.

Don't forget to add your favorite spices!

All mixed!

Heat a flat pan with a tsp of oil. Pour approximately quarter cup of dosa mix onto the pan, and using a heavy soup ladle, draw the mix into concentric circles. Let the pancake-like dosa fry on the pan, and after a couple of minutes, turn over and cook. Remove from pan and enjoy!

Brunch & Burlesque

We joined our dear friends N & V for sunday brunch recently. N had read rave reviews about East Coast Grill in Cambridge - and let me just say, the recommendation was spot on! A Bloody Mary bar, delicious & generous portions, and fantastic sides that rivaled the entrees. And the best part - great company! What more could you want? Brunch in the Boston area is turning out to be kinda-sorta-totally amazing!

The Bloody Mary Bar - included a variety of toppings like celery and carrots - and also a range of hot sauces to top off your drink. I didn't try the Bloody Mary (there was just too much to eat!) but it did look promising!

Just some of the incredible sides: Grilled avocado topped with fresh salsa, and fried sweet plantains. Mmmm mmmm mmmm!

Perfect corn bread with guava butter

French toast with apricot jam, fresh fruit and cinnamon-maple syrup! Sweet tooth anyone?

My pick: the "breakfast platter." A combination of scrambled eggs (I asked for egg-whites), fried plantains, beans and rice, avocado-mango salad, and a folded tortilla. Delicious is an understatement!

With the aroma of sweet fried plantains and guava butter still haunting me, I made it through a busy week. On Friday night, with a large group, we found ourselves at Cuchi Cuchi, recommended by J, who also joined us (great recommendations are key to yumminess, I've learned!). As soon as we entered Cuchi Cuchi, we knew we loved it, but we couldn't figure out exactly what was going on. Over-the-top decor, and service staff dressed as if they were attending a grand ball in the 1920s (or was it the 30s?). Finally, I had to ask. And I was told, by our waitress, dressed in a gorgeous vintage emerald green gown, a fascinator, and more pearls than I could count, "Burlesque! The style is burlesque!" And no, she didn't mean scantily clad women or cabaret, she meant fabulous, theatrical and dramatic. Everything was extraordinary - from the costumes to the food. Small plates - huge tastes! The menu features a sampling of dishes from all over the world. The only common thread here is a sense of drama pervasive through every part of the experience.

A mexican fried tomato - stuffed with avocados, queso and salsa

A rich potato gratin: Thin slices of potato baked with cheese and cream. 

Brie and walnuts, backed in puff pastry. How can something so wrong feel so right?!

Blini: Pancakes stuffed with mushrooms and topped with sour cream.

Ah, it was a good week - I'm stuffed, but hungry for more! Till next time....

Dining Guide

East Coast Grill & Raw Bar - Cambridge: Highly recommend, good for: families, small & large groups

Cuchi Cuchi - Cambridge, Central Square: Highly recommend, good for: small & large groups (as long as you are willing to wait for a table)

Of Empanadas and Arepas

I wound up at Orinoco quite unexpectedly. I was meeting my friend C for brunch and we had planned to meet at Grafton. However, as I was walking into Harvard Square, a little sign caught my eye.

I climbed up the short flight of stairs to read the menu, and my interest was piqued! A Venezuelan brunch! I called C, asked her to change her walking route, and soon we were enjoying a Latin American feast. The menu was filled with wonderful-sounding (and wonderful-tasting) delicacies like arepas and empanadas. We started off with fluffy, sweet and ever-so-crispy fried plantains, always a hit with me.

My entree was called Verde - a plaintain dough empanada (a samosa-like turnover) filled with manchego cheese, salsa verde and a generous scoop of earthy wild mushrooms. A large salad sat in the middle of four empanadas - almost like a distraction to the main event.

Now, I spotted at table across from me, a bottle with something that looked like a very interesting juice. I asked if I could have a glass, and was informed that it was hot sauce! Now anyone who knows me knows that nothing makes me happier than new and exciting hot sauces! The bottle soon arrived, and as I tried to guess the ingredients (with tears of spice rolling down my eyes), I was told that it was a closely guarded recipe (but that I had "probably" guessed one ingredient correctly: habarneros)!

I love walking around Cambridge, and discovering places far away. Where will my feet (and taste-buds) take me next?


Dining Guide:
Orinoco, locations in Brookline, South End and Harvard Square, all in the Boston area

SoGood

We were recently in not-so-sunny Southern California, where I discovered that the fabulosity of SoCal isn't always in it's weather, but in it's food.  It was rather amusing, I must admit, to land in San Diego during it's one cold week of the year, with temperatures around 45 or 50 degrees, right when Boston was a balmy 70! I must say though, that driving through the hills, Pacific ocean on one side, it's easy to imagine how much more lovely it would be here if it were a normal week, weather wise!

So the weather, not the best. But the food. Incredible. I can't remember the last time I traveled somewhere and ate one amazing meal after another (oh wait, I do remember). My hubby and I were consistently overjoyed with everything we ate, so much so, that in our 4 days in San Diego, we ate at one place twice. It was that good. We were staying in the Gaslamp district of San Diego, a revitalized area of downtown, urban in every way: buzzing nightlife, tiny restaurants, shady corners. 

One our first night, we walked over to J Wok, in the Gaslamp quarter. We started with an appetizer of fried tofu. Simple, but delicious. Ofcourse, I asked for some sambal to dip into!

Next came an amazing red curry. Now imagine this: red curry and rice rolled up into the biggest spring roll. This was on the menu, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do justice, so I ordered the traditional plate. Rich and perfectly hot, this was one of the best red curries I've ever had.

The next day, before heading to the totally-incredible San Diego zoo (I'm not even a zoo-person, but I couldn't help but love this place), we stopped by Cafe 21 (again in the Gaslamp) for brunch. 

We settled into a nice spot outside as the weather was quite nice. I was then served one of the prettiest plates of food I've ever seen. 

These veggie cakes were made with brown rice, zucchini, red pepper and Havarti cheese. Topped with a luscious saffron-cream sauce. I asked for some avocado on the side - I love to add a touch of healthy butteriness to nearly everything, particularly dishes with saffron and other Spanish flavors. These cakes are typically topped with poached eggs, but I asked for scrambled egg whites instead.

The next day, we took the ferry to Coronado Island - a 15 minute ferry drive from San Diego. By now, there was a lot of pretty: views and cold weather.

San Diego from Coronado Island

Coronado Island felt a like a retirement spot for the uber-wealthy, with several confused tourists (myself included) walking around with their cameras hoping they'd spot a celebrity (or a cupcake - see below for delicious cupcakes from Coronado Cupcakery). I think next time, I'd skip Coronado and focus more on the delights of food-filled San Diego. The cupcakes were very good though. 

Birthday cupcake with sprinkes. A little bit of happy.

Now we come to my favorite part of this story. Back in San Diego, our hotel Concierge recommended we have brunch at a local favorite: Hash House A Go Go which serves "twisted farm food." This place is crazy. In the best way. There's a line running out into the street to get in at 11 am, but we were seated almost immediately (our concierge was well connected!). Once inside, and once I got my food, everything was answered. The long lines made perfect sense. An enormous skillet filled with scrambled egg-whites, fried potatoes, avocados, sauteed mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach, a slice of watermelon, a huge biscuit and a large sage plant (yes, a large stalk of sage!). My only regret was that I didn't have a refrigerator at home to take the leftovers to. If you ever go to San Diego, you must eat here!

On our final night, we made a quick run back to J Wok, but I was disappointed when they told me they ran out of tofu (huh?). And then they said, nope, they had a little bit left. Confusing, but still yummy.

We left San Diego with the cloud of vacation-ending over us. Six hours later, we landed into 70 degree Boston, and well...there's no place like home.

Dining Guide 

J Wok: Gaslamp, San Diego

Cafe 21: Gaslamp, San Diego

Coronado Cupcakery, Coronado Island

Hash House A Go Go, San Diego

(All in Southern California)

 

Soy-Chili Noodles with Charred Stir Fried Veggies and Crispy Tofu

A spicy stir fried noodle dish is a perfect easy-to-put-together weeknight meal. I like to add in lots of veggies and crispy tofu - this adds color and flavor (veggies) and protein (tofu); and the more of these healthy add-ins you have, the less of the carby noodles you eat! However, I use a pretty healthy noodle variety too - a whole grain curly Asian-style pasta. Charring the vegetables adds a unique smokey aroma to the dish.

Ingredients
Whole grain Chinese noodles, 12 oz
Tons (very specific here) of veggies - I use broccoli, onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, chinese long beans, sugar snap peas (you can usually find pre-cut bags of this {or similar} combos at any Trader Joes, Whole Foods or your local grocery store - this saves a lot of prep time)
Extra firm tofu, 15 oz block, cut into 1X3 inch slices (ensure that water is squeezed out of tofu block - you can wrap in paper towels and squeeze - this is a quick way to get the water out)
Sesame oil, 1 tbsp
Cooking oil, for stir frying
Chili powder, to taste
Ginger garlic paste, to taste

For the sauce:
Reduced Sodium Sauce, to taste (I use around 6 tbsp)
Black Pepper, to taste
Sambal (chili paste), to taste

Cook noodles as directed on package. Once ready, strain in a colander and wash immediately in cold water. Add sesame oil and ensure the noodles are well coated. Set aside.

Add tofu steaks to pan with hot oil. Fry for a few minutes on each side until a lovely golden color coats the tofu. Remove from heat and add a spoon of the sauce. Set aside.

Add oil to wok. When hot, add stir fried veggies and chili powder. Stir fry for 5 minutes or so and add ginger garlic paste. Continue to stir fry until the veggies are charred. Add noodles, and add all the remaining sauce. Fry till noodles are slightly golden. Top with tofu.

Drink pairing: Gerwurtztraminer, an aromatic off-dry white wine is magical with spicy Asian flavors. If you're looking for something non-alcoholic, I enjoy a sweet lemonade with this stir fry as well.

Cheers!

When Once isn't Enough.

Recently, my hubby and I discovered a wonderful little Asian bistro in Boston's South End. We loved it so much in fact, that we were there two weekends in a row. And, their Nasi Goreng even inspired me to create a version of my own. I came across Myers+Chang when I was on a furious google hunt for a delicious Boston-area restaurant to head to one Friday night. One of the owners (Ms. Chang, also the chef) is a Harvard alum, who left a career in management consulting and started a career in baking and cooking. I'm soon finding my way to Flour, her reputed Boston-area bakery. But today we focus on the unique, spicy and interesting Asian food served up at Myers+Chang.

Let's get one thing straight. Space is at a premium in the northeast. In New York, you're lucky if you fit entirely into your apartment. I exaggerate, but you get my drift. Boston is a little more spacious than its swanky upper-east-side-esque neighbor, but when I think back and compare with Atlanta - I am always shocked at how little space I have in restaurants here. Myers+Chang was no exception. Our table for two was so cramped, that I actually felt I was sitting with the nice couple next to us. They were only inches away. It was a little too much for me, and I asked if we could get a table where we could have a little more privacy.

Once we moved to table by the window, things went much better. I was able to look around (without feeling like I was invading my neighbor's conversation) and appreciate the modern diner style decor here. And then - the best part. The menu. So many choices. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, shellfish free, or no-restrictions. Whatever you like, you'll find it here. And we certainly did. So much so, we were back the following weekend with our friends M & M. We tried so many dishes, that I thought I should present these in somewhat of an organized fashion. So here we go!

Appetizers: During our two visits, we tried shitake and chinese greens wrapped into lovely pan-friend dumplings; crispy scallion pancakes and tangy rainbow-colored asian pickles. The pickles were served with a wasabi-edamame dip.

Shitake and chinese green dumplings.

Scallion pancakes - crispy, a little bit greasy though, but still very tasty. 

Pickled jalepenos, fennel and an assortment of veggies. A pickle-lover's delight.

Soup: On this cold snowy night, I enjoyed a squash and coconut soup. This soup tasted like a great red curry. I was almost tempted to ask for some sticky rice to pour it over.

Rice: On my first trip to Myers+Chang, my hubby ordered a gorgeous Nasi Goreng. I was so envious at this wonderful looking bowl of food - but I couldn't try it because it had meat and seafood. On my second trip, I ordered a vegetarian rice dish they offer - genmai fried rice. Happily, they substituted egg whites for me instead of the sunny-side-up egg that typically sits on the dish. I added a generous dollop of sambal red chili sauce, and it was delicious (without the sambal, it was a little on the mild side): brown rice, roasted garlic, soy and sambal. What more could a girl want?

Noodles: The Shanghai noodles, made with portabella mushrooms, tofu, and a deep, peppery sauce was rather incredible. We also enjoyed their cold Dan Dan noodles which were drenched in a peanut-based sauce spiked with chili paste.

Pepper-laced Shanghai noodles

Cool Dan Dan noodles

We also had dessert (chocolate terrine with a Vietnamese coffee sauce poured over) - but really, the main course is the star of the show here. My favorite dishes would have to be the dumplings, genmai fried rice and the Shanghai noodles. I can't wait to go back for round 3.

Dining Guide:
Myers+Chang, Boston (South End)
Reservations highly recommended