Last week, in honor of year end I recapped my
favorite Boston eats. I ate a number of amazing meals
outside my city this year and it is only fair that they be showcased in all their deliciousness. I love to travel be it near or far, (or home to Cape Cod) and great food most definitely makes the journey. I don't have enough variety to dedicate as many specific award categories as Boston warranted, but hopefully you enjoy my favorites all the same!
Breakfast Faves: Fueling up on hearty fare and huge portions for the adventures that lie ahead in your travels is key. From the thick slices of Banana Bread French Toast in Colorado, to Huervos Rancheros piled high with guac, sour cream and salsa in Vermont, there was no shortage of good breakfast eats on the road.
Boulder, Colorado:
Two Step |
The Buff Restaurant 
Rochester, Vermont:
Rancheros Vermonter |
Rochester Country RestaurantWalt Disney World, Florida:
Tonga Toast |
Kona Cafe, Polynesian ResortDennis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts:
2 eggs over medium, homefries, white toast, and apple sausage |
The Red Cottage
Lunch Faves: Mid-day meals on the go impressed in the form of hearty sandwiches with fresh ingredients and hot dogs overflowing with bold toppings.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire:
Black bean hummus, avocado, cucumber and sprouts sandwich |
Ceres Street BakeryRochester, Vermont:
Apple Cheddar Sandwich |
Sandy's Books & BakerySanibel Island, Florida: Chigaco Dog "
The Capone" |
Schnapper's Hots
A Chargrilled dog with mustard, sweet relish, chopped sweet onions, cucumber slices, tomato slices, sport peppers, and celery salt proved one of the best hot dogs of my life.
Walt Disney World, Florida:
Taco Hot Dog |
Magic Kingdom, The Lunching Pad
Okay, so this did not prove the best hot dog of my life, but for theme park food on the go, it seriously wasn't that bad! The Lunching Pad located in Disney's Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland serves three artery clogging specialties, also pictured with the Taco Dog is the Philly Cheese Steak Hot Dog. Unpictured is the Reuben Hot Dog.
Best Tacos: I'm not sure what it is about a soft tortilla shell bursting with flavorful ingredients with an accompanying side of spicy rice and refried beans that seems to call to me when I'm away from home. Maybe it is because I don't frequent Mexican restaurants in Boston? (Must remedy that!) Maybe I crave tacos when I'm traveling? Travel near or far accompanied by a plate of tacos was apparently my thing in 2010.
Winner:
Garlicky Griddled Shrimp Soft Tacos |
Centro | Boulder, Colorado
Centro Latin Kitchen and Refreshment Palace piled 'em high with pickled red onions, green peppers, fresh shredded and grated cheese, radishes, jalapenos and lemon aioli. Then they served them with dueling rows of achiote rice, black bean refritos and house made sour cream.
Runner Up:
Catch of the Day Mahi Mahi Tacos |
Agave | Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Agave Mexican Bistro gives you not two but three soft shells with tomato, cabbage, cheese and pico de gallo. On the side a homemade habanero mayonnaise sauce and a seriously hot chipoltle sauce. The traditional heaping portions of Mexican rice and refried beans coated in melted cheese completed the meal.
Second Runner Up:
Fried Fish Tacos |
Finz | Salem, Massachusets
: Just North of the city in Salem, Massachusetts I was captivated by golden crispy squares of warm, thick, gooey lightly fried Brie cheese with crisp gala apple slices and crunchy walnuts over a bed of mixed greens. Traveling 1, 775 miles west to Boulder, Colorado I ate an amazing combination of handpicked leafy greens, sweet dried cherries, tart granny smith apples, crumbled haystack chevre cheese and macadamia nuts drizzled in a sherry vinagrette. Handpicked lettuce is sure to win me over!
Winner:
Miners Lettuce Salad |
Jax Fish House | Boulder, Colorado
Runner Up: Fried Brie Salad
| Rockafellas | Salem, MA
Best Appetizer Featuring Seafood: Mainly Oysters Rockefeller, but some shrimp and scallops too. I love a fresh briny shellfish topped with warm buttery sauces, crispy bacon and sharp cheeses in the heat of a Cape Cod summer, or in the middle of a Colorado winter.
Winner: Seafood Sampler | The Yarmouth House | West Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Apple-Wood Bacon Wrapped Scallop, Grilled Garlic Shrimp over polenta, and Oyster Rockefeller
These featured bacon, pine nuts, spinach, pernod, asiago, and breadcrumbs.
Best Sushi/Maki Rolls: I do realize I completely neglected this category in my Boston Eats, but the honest to god's truth is, I didn't eat enough great sushi in the city this year. I had some worthy experiences but on the other hand I had some less than thrilling. Mediocre sushi does not an award category make. (To visit in 2011 list includes: OYA, Oishii and Basho. I'm saving my pennies, ok?) I got my sushi fix in one place and one place only this year.
In my hometown of
Yarmouth Port, Cape Cod, Massachuestts. Behold the greatness of
Inaho, sweeping this category by default.
Double Dragon Roll | Tuna & Avocado Maki with Spicy Mayo, Tempura Flakes, Fish Roe.
Vegetable Jalapeno Roll 
Unagi | Eel
Tuna Sampler | Toro, Albacore & Ceviche.
Volcano Shot | California Roll with Scallop, Mushrooms, Spicy Mayo.
Tako | Octopus
Orange Dragon | Salmon & Avocado Maki w/ Spicy Mayo, Tempura Flakes, Fish Roe
Memorable Entrees: Just two great dishes of fish and steak I felt I must share - Halibut and Filet Mignon to be precise, consumed on various weekend road trips to my favorite state.
Norwich, Vermont:
Fennel Pollen Crusted Halibut |
Carpenter & Main
Delicate flaky fish yielding a barely there crust with a dusting of fennel pollen, served with sauteed spinach, fennel, carrots & a roasted tomato saffron broth. This entree was flavorful, soothing and aromatic.
Rochester, Vermont:
Petit Filet |
The Huntington House
The perfectly cooked medium fillet was complemented by a large earthy portabello mushroom top and stinky melt-y blue cheese crumbles, along with zucchini and mashed potatoes!
Dessert Faves: A category I can (and will!) dedicate an entire post to for Boston one of these days. While on vacation I tended to favor dessert in liquid form. (Odd, right? ;)) But as luck would have it, I found some legit dessert dishes to drool over outside city limits.
Captiva Island, Florida:
Homemade Award Winning Key Lime Pie |
Key Lime Bistro
You knew that would make the cut! A place titled Key Lime Bistro better have the best damn key lime pie I've ever tasted. And they did.
Norwich, Vermont:
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Oven Roasted Nectarines and Brown Sugar Cookie |
Carpenter & Main
Yarmouth Port, Cape Cod, Massachusetts:
Flourless Chocolate Cake |
Inaho
Silver Plume, Colorado:
Naughty Bar |
Sopp & Truscott BakeryHere's to a 2011 full of New England road trips and hopefully more vacationing that requires airplane travel. Thanks for sharing in my Journey of great eats!
In your 2010 travels, where did you eat your favorite meal?
