No More Coffee Breaks at Starbucks?

The afternoon doldrums brought me to Starbucks.  I like Starbucks; I like the fancy drinks (although the prices pain me).  I often think that I’d prefer to support the neighborhood coffee shops, but Starbucks put a lot of them out of business.  The only one left within a convenient distance to my current home just isn’t that good.

I particularly enjoy Starbucks’ specialty drinks.  Their regular coffee is simply too bitter for me.  Every once in awhile I give it another try, I ask them to leave me a lot of extra room for milk or cream, but I still end up dumping half of the coffee in the trash so that I can mask the bitterness with milk/cream and sugar.  Palates differ greatly, though - my husband can drink (and enjoy) their coffee black.

On this visit to Starbucks I was hoping for a new seasonal coffee drink; I love the seasonal concoctions – Pumpkin Lattes, Eggnog Lattes, and possibly my all-time favorite, the Leprechaun Lattes.  When I want less caffeine and more comfort, I love the new Signature Hot Chocolates.  In the summer, I drink light Frappucinos.  So, I was surprised to walk into Starbucks after several weeks of Starbucks withdrawal to find that not only were there no new specialty coffee drinks but that the coffee menu had been taken over by (gasp!) teas.

Don’t get me wrong – I like tea.  But it’s generally not why I go to Starbucks.  I do occasionally order a chai tea latte, but like their coffee, it tastes as if it was overbrewed and the strong black tea flavor overwhelms the spices that make chai special.  The new menu at Starbucks features several Tazo tea latte drinks and tea infusions.  I will probably try one of these at some point, but I’m hugely disappointed to see tea taking over the menu.

Several hours after my Starbucks excursion I discovered that Starbucks is facing financial troubles and may be closing as many as 300 more locations (they closed several in 2008 already).  Which leads me to think…perhaps Starbucks should stick to what they do best?

Domino’s at My Door

I admit it.  I’ve never, ever, had Domino’s pizza before.  I consider myself a pizza aficionado, I’ve lived near Domino’s franchises several times, and yet I’ve never tried their pizza.  I’m not sure how this happened, it certainly wasn’t intentional.

So, tonight, I rectified the situation.  After a simple online order, Domino’s was at my door in less than 30 minutes with their trademark boxes.  We took advantage of a special that included three small pizzas with one topping each, for four dollars each.  We also took advanatage of ordering breadsticks, just because.  For just over $20 including tip, we have dinner for two nights.

The breadsticks weren’t actually breadsticks, although my husband tells me they used to look like true breadsticks years ago.  The breadsticks were actually a half a pizza dough, a semi-circle of baked dough that was an unappetizing yellow color.  One bite explained the yellow hue; the breadsticks were buttersticks.  They tasted like cheap pastry with a smattering of herbs on top.  The marinara dipping sauce wasn’t much better.  It was far too acidic and didn’t have a nice flavor.

The pizzas were a big improvement over the breadsticks.  We ordered a pepperoni, a mushroom, and a feta.  None of them were well endowed with toppings or cheese, and the texture was a bit oily/greasy, but overall, I enjoyed the pizzas.  The crust was thick and bready, the pepperoni was just crispy and spicy enough, and the mushrooms added a fresh flavor.  Unfortunately, I could barely discern the feta, although I could see small crumbles of it here and there on the pizza.  I haven’t tried the pizza in its day-old state yet, but I worry about the oiliness after reheating.

Domino’s satisfied my pizza craving, but there are better pizza options out there.  I can’t say Domino’s won’t be at my door again, though.

Chilling at Chili’s in Westford

There’s a list of chain restaurants that I avoid…I want to like them because of their convenience and affordability, but after food poisoining from one, hair in my food at another, and general disappointment at many,  I created a mental list of “chain restaurants to avoid.”  Chili’s Grill and Bar was on this list for awhile – not for any great offense, simply because I often left disappointed.  However, after receiving some gift cards for chain restaurants for the holidays, I’m back in the (chain restaurant) saddle.

One reason that I avoided Chili’s was the seemingly unavoidable noise, even on a weeknight.  My husband and I returned to Chili’s on a weeknight, and while it wasn’t quiet, I was pleased that we could hear each other easily.  The noise certainly didn’t detract from our meal.

Our waiter was warm, friendly, and attentive.   He was quick to take our drink order and to deliver them.  I ordered a Chambord 1800, a margarita on the rocks  with a kick of Chambord.  My husband ordered a Long Island Iced Tea.  Both drinks were sweet and enjoyable, if a little too full of ice.

For dinner,  I had the chicken tacos with sides of rice and black beans.  My husband had steak and portobello fajitas with rice.  My tacos were good but I found the chicken filling somewhat sparse and the cheese almost non-existent – the filling was predominantly iceberg lettuce and tomatoes.  I was surprised that I needed to eat all three tacos to feel full (I was looking forward to left-overs!).   The soft taco shell/tortilla was soft and just bready enough to be satisfying.  The rice, on the other hand, was so salty it was nearly inedible.  Interestingly, my husband had what appeared to be the same rice but we both found his appropriately seasoned and agreed that mine tasted like a salt shaker.  The black beans were cooked appropriately and were decent.  My husband also enjoyed his fajitas but the portabello mushrooms were very few and far between, and he also complained of the lack of cheese.

For dessert, we split a gargantuan order of chocolate chip cookie molten cake.  It was a warm, moist white cake full of chocolate chips and topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.  There were two chocolate sauces on the dessert - an enjoyable chocolate shell that ensconced the ice cream, and a soft chocolate sauce that surrounded the cake.  It was decadent.

Our bill came to just over $50 including tip, a fairly reasonable price.  I recommend Chili’s for their fun drinks and desserts, but entrees can be inconsistent.  Regardless, I think Chili’ls has redeemed itself enough to be removed from my list.

Not Your Average Lunch at Not Your Average Joe’s?

Lunch the other day found me at Not Your Average Joe’s at The Loop in Methuen, MA.  The restaurant was not as crowded as I would have anticipated at lunch time and we were seated swiftly.  I’ve eaten many times at Joe’s over the years, and have also eaten many dinners at the Acton and Newburyport locations.  I enjoy their menu, particulary the fact that it is an allergen-friendly restaurant offering many gluten-free options.  They have a varied menu that includes pizzas, salads, sandwiches, meat and seafood, and a few pasta options.  They are inconsistent in quality at times although I have found the salads to be consistently great.

Our server was quick to arrive and greet us, but clearly perturbed that we weren’t going to eat and run.  After a few hasty attempts to take our order before we’d read the menu, she abandoned us for a long while before returning (which was preferable to the table-stalking).  Luckily, she left us with Joe’s addictive focaccia bread served with a dipping sauce of olive oil, parmesan and red pepper.  I could easily have eaten just bread and oil for lunch.

My friend and I each decided on the soup and 1/2 sandwich combination offered on the lunch menu.  Oddly, the soup selections weren’t on the lunch menu (I have noted them on the dinner menu in the past).  After inquiring about the soup options, we each chose the Tuscan sandwich and I added a sweet potato soup to my order, while my friend ordered the chicken noodle.  I also ordered a hot coffee.

The Cup of Joe was not average, it was in fact quite a good cup of coffee, especially on a cold day.  My sweet potato soup was creamy, but not too rich, with a nice sweet potato flavor.  However, the finish was overpowering due to too much black pepper which quickly overwhelmed all of the other flavors in the soup.  I was also surprised to find chunks of meat in my soup, which my server had not mentioned.  I couldn’t be sure what the meat was, but my best guess was that it was ham.  It didn’t add anything to the soup, nor did the unidentifiable white chunk which may have been a flavorless piece of mozzarella.  The soup would have been wonderful had they not tampered with it so much and masked the nice sweet potato flavor in the soup.  My friend’s soup was also chock-full of black pepper, including peppered wide noodles.  My Tuscan Chicken sandwich was decent, although it could have used more pesto.  The chicken was tender and the sun-dried tomatoes added a nice flavor.  Overall, it was an average lunch that I could have gotten cheaper at a deli or coffee shop (the combination was about $9, not including my coffee).

Lunch was good, but probably not worth the nearly $30 it came to (including the tip).  I would recommend Joe’s for dinner when the prices are more justifiable, or for lunch when in the mood for a full entree (an order of Crab Cakes or Not Your Average Chicken Oscar is only a few dollars more, if even).  Joe’s also offers many specials including a fixed price couples’ menu including wine on Wednesdays (Winesdays), Happy Hour food specials, and an “insiders” e-mail listing that includes coupons on your birthday.  All in all, Joe’s may not be average, but it is a mixed bag.

How Local are Localvores?

In an effort to learn more about localvores, and to find restaurants dedicated to the cause of cooking with local ingredients…I haven’t unearthed very much!

First, my search to find restaurants in my area that strive to use as many local ingredients as possible – results online were limited.  I did locate a site that lists restaurants in MA who buy local ingredients - the Metrowest area listed mostly restaurants in and very near to the city, but I was pleased to see two restaurants that I know and like: Aquitini in Newburyport, and the Flatbread Company in Amesbury (Flatbreads has several other locations, including Bedford, MA – stay tuned for a review on a future date!)  However, I know many more local restaurants strive to serve fresh, local foods.  Along these lines, I was saddened to learn of Infusions Bistro in Chelmsford, MA closing their doors after a slow winter/holiday season (another thing I can blame the snow for?) as I know that the chef there valued local ingredients.  I wish him and the rest of the staff well and hope he opens another restaurant in this area.

I did come across a site (all links at the end of this entry) for localvores in Boston and I learned a bit more there.  They have great resources for city-dwellers, and I got one great piece of advice which was (I am paraphrasing, hopefully doing their intentions justice) that it’s ok to start slowly as a localvore – commit to buying a few local ingredients (i.e. local dairy products) rather than jumping in whole-hog.  That I can do, and would like to try.  I do enjoy farmers’ markets, farmstands and smaller grocers that sell local ingredients – which is saying a lot as heading into a grocery store/superstore sends me into a tailspin (just ask my husband!)  They also state on their site that localvores do not buy all of their food locally nor does the food need to come from within 100 miles (again, I am paraphrasing).  This point confuses me…I do remember reading in the past that localvores strive to eat as much food from possible from within a certain radius…I remember it having something to do with maximizing the “green” efforts of eating locally.  So, this leads me to ponder, what is local?  How relative a term is it?

http://www.farmfresh.org/food/restaurants.php?zip=01773

http://www.flatbreadcompany.com/

http://www.aquatini.com/

http://bostonlocalvores.org/

Localvores in Massachusetts?

Localvores, or locavores, depending on the source you consult, are growing in numbers and starting  a movement that is intriguing to me.  A localvore is someone who consumes food that is all, or mostly, obtained from local sources – i.e. produce from a local farm or farmer’s market.  What are the benefits to being a localvore?  Many, according to its proponents.  Eating locally helps to support local farmers, helps the local economy, and is a “greener” way of eating (you can reduce your carbon footprint by eating an apple from a local farmer’s market rather than a banana that had to be shipped from another country).  Furthermore, the food that you are eating is fresher, and thus, should taste better.

A few local restaurants serve food based on this premise, perhaps most noteably Gilson’s Herb Lyceum in Groton, MA.  They don’t receive a lot of press, but what they do receive is positive.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, either, as one of the owners’ sons is the chef at Garden at the Cellar in Cambridge.  The two restaurants are very different in scope but share a desire to serve locally acquired food.  I have yet to try either, but am eager to try both.

People are showing a general interest in learning where their food comes from, as evidenced by television shows like How’d That Get on My Plate with Sunny Anderson.  Many chefs on Bravo’s Top Chef state a commitment to serving food that is in season and derived from local farms and other sources.  On a recent episode, the chefs went to a farm to learn about the livestock, chickens, and produce so that they could serve the farmers farm-fresh dishes.

I love the idea of eating as a localvore, but I have to admit that the time and money needed to eat in this way feels extremely restrictive.  In addition, many of the foods I love aren’t in season for much of the year in New England.  Localvores seem to be in short in Massachusetts in general, although the numbers in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine do seem to be growing.  I look forward to learning more about this movement and seeing if and how retailers respond.

http://www.gardenatthecellar.com/home/

http://www.gilsonslyceum.com/herbal_dining.html

http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/

Westford Grille Cools Off

At one point, I was a dedicated patron of the Westford Grille in Westford, MA.  They offered a wide variety of selections and a fun drink menu.  Then they made the fatal flaw of separating their one menu into two menus – a bar menu and a restaurant menu.  Now, when trying to decide where to eat, Westford Grille still comes up for discussion but inevitably one member of the party wants a burger or sandwich (now only available on the bar menu) while another member wants a steak or fish dish (available on the restaurant menu).  Worse, the bar is often loud and crowded, so I am left to decide if I want an expensive but quiet meal, or a loud but affordable one.  To be fair, I have requested (and received) the bar menu in the restaurant’s dining rooms – but it is always a hassle – the waiter or waitress has to check with the powers that be before procuring the extra menu.  I’m simply not always up for the hassle of requesting a secondary menu.

So when I received a coupon in the mail recently, I decided to give the Westford Grille another try.  I reasoned that the coupon would justify the pricier options in the dining room.  I arrived during the peak of the cold snap to a cold host who failed to notice me in the lobby.  I stood and paced in the doorway for at least five minutes before finally interrupting his reading to ask if the other member of my party had arrived.  She had, and had I not asked, I would no doubt have spent several more minutes in the lobby.

The dining room is simple but nice, but so nice as to warrant not serving several of their appetizers and entrees within.

The drink menu, though it changes at times, consistently offers a nice selection of martinis and mixed drinks.  My raspberry-lime rickey martini was zingy and nice, but full of ice chips upon arrival.  My friend ordered a toasted almond that was nutty and creamy. 

Our waitress was courteous and generally on top of her game, but lacking warmth – she never smiled and never greeted me when I joined my friend, leaving me feeling a bit like we were putting her out.  However, our food arrived in a timely manner and I was very pleased with my Marinated Grilled Sirloin Tips.  I have yet to figure out what the marinade consists of, but it lends the steak a really nice, subtle flavor.  They were tender and cooked to order.  My mashed potatoes were thick and tasty as well.  My friend ordered fried shrimp, which I did not taste, but they appeared nicely fried and she seemed to enjoy them. 

I have tried other entrees on previous visits and have enjoyed most of the entrees on the menu, save the dinner salads.  The dinner salads comprise of too many strong flavors that don’t complement one another.

Despite a coupon for $12.00 off of our bill, I was dismayed to see that our bill still totalled nearly $50.00 (after tip) for two entrees and two drinks – a bit steep for a weeknight meal out.  Overall, I like the Westford Grille, but I feel the dining room prices are a bit steep and the bar a bit noisy.  A reunion of the two menus would be the perfect marriage with good options for all diners.

http://www.westfordgrille.com/ordereze/default.aspx

Best Italian in the ‘Burbs

I’ll be the first to sing the praises of the North End, but let’s face it – it’s not always convenient to get to the city for great Italian food, and Italian may just be the perfect cuisine – it can be comfort food or fine dining, depending on your mood.  Luckily, there are several great options for those of us living hectic lives outside of the city.  Here are my top five – and one runner-up (drum roll, please!):

Runner-Up: Tomasso Trattoria, Southborough, MA - This restaurant is a bit of a hike for me, and it is easy to over-order (and over-spend), but I couldn’t leave this restaurant entirely off the list.  I could make a meal of their antipasti alone (perfect meatballs!), and I enjoy the flexibility that their menu offers with multiple courses to choose from.  They have a fabulous wine list, too.  I also noticed in perusing their website again that they now offer a pris-fixe menu on some evenings…I sense a return trip coming on!  http://www.tomassotrattoria.com/

5. Ristorante Molise, Amesbury, MA – While I was disappointed to find higher prices and smaller portions on a recent visit, I love this restaurant for their ample options and rich food.  They have a lovely location in downtown Amesbury as well as a location in Wakefield that I haven’t tried yet.  http://www.ristorantemolise.com/

4. The Chateau, Andover or Waltham, MA – This family-owned restaurant has several locations (some under different names) and every location that I have visited has consistently offered extremely affordable Italian comfort food in large quantities.  I grew up eating their fried ravioli and I also adore their eggplant parmigiana.  This is a great family restaurant.  http://www.chateaurestaurant.com/

3. Bella Italia, Tyngsboro, MA – This unassuming restaurant offers authentic Italian food at reasonable prices.  The atmosphere is simple and homey, complete with a fireplace.  My favorites include their Gnocchi Parmigiana, Carbonara, Lasagna, and Rotini Filanti.  http://www.bellaitaliatyngsboro.com/

2. The Colosseum Restaurant, Salem, NH – You may not expect to find North End quality food in a strip mall, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  My only complaint is that the atmosphere is a bit lacking – the restaurant is a bit garish with dated decor, and it can be noisy at times.  That said, they consistsently wow me with their fresh ingredients, authentic offerings, and complex flavors.  And if you like Italian desserts (or any desserts, really), you will do yourself a great disservice if you don’t see their dessert cart – it is larger than the hostess cart on an airplane, and offerings change frequently.  There are mainstays such as Tiramisu and Cannoli, but there are new surprises on each and every visit.  http://www.thecolosseumrestaurant.com/

1. Tuscan Grill, Waltham, MA – I hesitated to place this in my coveted #1 spot, and I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I have only eaten there once (and saddened that it took me so long to discover it).  However, they offered me my most memorable Italian meal outside of Boston in 2008, so it earned the rights to #1!  It is a bit pricier than some of my other options, but it offers more ambiance  and upscale dining as well.  I still salivate months later when I think about the pizzetta appetizer topped with figs, honey, and gorgonzola.  It was perhaps the perfect food.  When you also take into account the great wine, innovative entrees, and cozy Tuscan-inspired decor it is perfect for a romantic Italian get-away!  www.tuscangrillwaltham.com  (Some menu items have changed since my last visit).

Yangtze River Flowing Strong in Littleton

It is hard to ignore Yangtze River’s presence in Littleton if you’ve lived in the area for a long time.  It has been a mainstay for both eat-in and take-out Chinese “comfort” food - their food is not necessarily the stuff of truly authentic Chinese cuisine, but it certainly offers up all of those old favorites that we grew up eating.  (The restaurant has another branch in Lexington as well, but my comments are limited to the Littleton location).

While Yangtze has certainly had some fluctuations over the years, it has never entered that terrain of “scary Chinese food take-out” that we’ve all had – no fear of unidentifiable masses of fried food that taste like salt at their best and rubber at their worst.

After venturing out to try some different Chinese take-out restaurants over the past several months, my husband and I faithfully returned to Yangtze tonight.  (Keep an eye out for future blogs on some of our other take-out experiences – the good, the bad, and the ugly).  Despite our not infrequent Chinese food intake, we rarely satisfy our cravings.  Tonight was a pleasant exception.  We ordered Sesame Chicken, Fried Rice with Chicken, and Moo-Shee Pork with extra pancakes (I will never understand why Chinese restaurants everywhere skimp and give you four, yet there is enough filling for at least six pancakes!)  Our order was ready in a timely manner, and the order and pick-up were completed without difficulty.  While we didn’t venture beyond the lobby, it was clean and service was friendly.

The Sesame Chicken was wonderful, with sauce that was sweet but not cloying, and a nicely crisped but not overly fried outer coating.  It had a nice, mild flavor that kept bringing me back for more.  The Moo-Shee had a nice variety of crisp vegetables with a generous amount of pork, and the pancakes were soft and light.  The fried rice has been better on past visits/take-out experiences, but it was still decent.  It was somewhat lacking in flavor, but it had large pieces of tender chicken, lightly sauteed onion, and crispy sprouts.  Their rice is inconsistent in quality and taste as well as ingredients, but at its worst it is still better than many other area restaurants’ attempts.

Perhaps best of all, hours later I am still full!  It is safe to say that Yangtze will continue to feel at home in Littleton, and my husband and I will continue to bring them into our home.

http://www.yangtzelexington.com

Casa Blanca

Casa Blanca http://www.casablancamexican.com/ opened their doors in North Andover a couple of years ago and despite sizzling entrees, it was slow to warm up to area eaters.  I visited the restaurant several times to find it nearly empty despite their friendly service, enticing menu options, and satisfying margaritas.

I returned this past weekend with my husband, after a long absence, and was pleased to see that the restaurant was booming on a cold Saturday night – so booming that they have initiated a shuttle service for patrons unable to find parking in their cramped and awkward parking lot.  We entered to find it slightly renovated since our last visit, with a more open bar area.  The hostess informed us that we would have to wait, but after fewer than five minutes, we were escorted to a table near the bar.  Seating was more cramped than on previous visits, and as we were surrounded by large parties, the restaurant was uncomfortably loud and crowded.  Several tables had been rearranged to accomodate large parties, leaving me in the path of every staff member who attempted to navigate the maze – the jostling quickly wore on my nerves, but memories of their delicious and generous entrees stayed me.

Chips and salsa deterred us from ordering any appetizers, but unlike previous visits where we were given a small bottle of thick, hearty salsa, we were dismayed to receive a small, sad-looking bowl of watery salsa with limited chunks of tomatoes and onions.  It also lacked in herbs and spices.  We both ordered tropical drinks (a Bahama Mama and a Hawaiian Sea Breeze) and found them to have a nice kick and pleasing fruity, tropical flavors that staved off the cold.

After warding off starvation with a few chips, I was somewhat concerned to see that the menu had changed from charming descriptions of Mexican entrees to a large plastic menu reminiscint of a lack-luster chain restaurant.  Prices had been raised considerably since our last visit.  Nonetheless, my husband and I both ordered the Combo Casa Blanca, or three-way combos, and waited anxiously for our food.  And waited, and waited.  After a nearby group (who ordered several minutes after us) received their entrees, our waitress assured us that our entrees would arrive shortly.  Fairly soon after we received our combos, but we estimated that we probably waited for 30-45 minutes at that point.  While portions were generous, we both recalled the platters being smaller but more amply filled in the past.  We received plates that looked like large, white serving platters – both so large that they nearly didn’t fit across from each other on our small table for two.

Our first impression was that the beans were unappetizing without even trying them, having apparently been sourced from the same watery origins as the salsa – the “broth” of our refried beans ran freely over the plate.  Upon eating them, the texture was lacking, as was the taste.  They were, in fact, watery and mushy.  Their saving grace was the small amount of Mexican cheese sprinkled over the top.  The rice was simply cooked, a sort of Mexican-sticky-rice, and was very good.  Our combo choices were a mixed bag.  I was pleased to find my chile relleno not overly fried and filled with hot and delicious cheese that ran out with each forkful.  It had mild heat as expected and was my favorite part of the main course.  My husband and I both ordered tamales, one of our favorites.  Casa fills them with both beef and pork, and I was surprised to see large chunks of somewhat dry meat in each of our tamales.  Mine was almost too mild, while my husband found his too spicy.  The outer corn layer, however, was thick, soft in texture and had a pleasing corn flavor.  We also each ordered enchiladas verde, mine with pork.  I was disappointed to find my pork filling consisted of large chunks of dry pork that could easily have passed for another kind of meat, such as a cheap (and overcooked) cut of steak.  My husband’s was filled with shredded beef, which was surprisingly not shredded, but he enjoyed the hearty pieces of steak, which was more tender than my pork. 

To finish our Mexican smorgasbord, we placed an order for Churros, which are similar to fried dough.  They are roughly the shape and size of breadsticks, and arrive with a strawberry dipping sauce and a side of whipped cream.  They were warm, crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside.  My arteries clogged a little more with each bite, but it was well worth it.

Overall, Casa Blanca has decent Mexican food and fun libations, at somewhat elevated prices.  It may not be worth fighting the weekend crowds or taking a shuttle bus to eat there, but given the area’s paucity of Mexican options, it’s worth a try… preferably on a weekday, unless you find yourself ready for a rowdy fiesta.