Tasted Menu & Dinner @ Blue Inc.

About a month and a half ago, I was contacted by Alex Rosenfeld, Founder and CEO of Tasted Menu, a website and forthcoming mobile app focused on dish specific reviews at Boston Restaurants, asking if I would be interested in participating in their pre-beta launch as an early contributor to the site. Essentially, Tasted Menu allows users to rate, review and share photos of dishes based on current restaurant menus, which then show up in a "what are people eating right now" news feed and link to your individual profile as well as to the site maintained restaurant menu page.

I didn't hesitate to jump on board, this website sounded right up my alley! The potential of landing dinner invitations on the company if I surpassed certain thresholds of contributions in advance of the beta launch was also a motivating factor. While contributing, I discovered you can follow other users in their dining adventures and not unlike the Facebook concept we all know and love, "like" their reviews and photos. Some of the more unique features also caught my attention. For example, once you review 6 or more dishes at a certain restaurant you become a "Maitre'd". If you post about a certain number of food specific items or ingredients you become a "Gourmand of ...." (currently I am the #1 Gourmand of cocktails, surprise surprise and yes, you can review restaurant specific cocktails, too!) Tasted Menu is officially launching to the public in mid-October (any day now!) but if you want to request a user name in advance, head to the site and use "Daisy" as your invite code. Then you can check out the dish ratings and reviews (linked below) from our recent dinner at Blue Inc, and contribute reviews of your own if you feel so inclined!!

Not that long ago, I posted about my lunch at Blue Inc. This time around, I met Alex, Bianca and Rachel for dinner. The bar and restaurant were packed on a Tuesday evening, the atmosphere was loud and lively compared last time, a quiet and subdued Friday afternoon. We were seated promptly for our reservation at 8pm. I started with a Fat Boyz Margarita, Bianca chose the Anorexic Model and Rachel went with Cheffy. We rated our drinks based on the sites standard 10 point scale. Which drink received a rating of 8.0 and which one a 6.2? Only one way to find out...
We started the meal by ordering two dishes off the Bar Menu to share. The Fresh Made Scallion Pancakes received an average rating of 5.8 and the Spicy Tuna Tacos which only got a 5.4 . The majority of us seemed to enjoy the scallion pancakes, but they didn't blow us away. We agreed there was no spice whatsoever in the tacos. They were light and refreshing, but somewhat of a disappointment overall.

For our main courses Alex sampled two dishes off the appetizer menu, the Pan Seared Scallops and the Hand Rolled Sage Gnocchi. The rest of us ordered traditional entrees and very much enjoyed them! Rachel got the Cabernet Braised Shortribs, Bianca the Pan Roasted Natural Statler Chicken and I went with the Signature Honey & Hoisin Duck Glazed Confit.For dessert, everyone except me ordered a different flavored Liquid Nitrogen Milkshake. Since I had already ate/drank one of these when I was in for lunch, I opted for the "Signature" Butterscotch Fondant with dried and fresh strawberries and black truffle ice cream. I appreciated the opportunity to dine at Blue Inc. once again. I felt the bar bites were lackluster but the dinner entrees showcased much more creativity and skill. I should also mention, I am under no obligation to blog about Tasted Menu, I am doing so because I think it's an amazing website that like minded Boston food scene will appreciate! The concept is innovative and the content is informative while the design is user friendly and the site itself very efficient. 

If you've already had a chance to check out Tasted Menu, what did you think?

Madrid | Eat Like a Local

Our time spent eating out in Madrid was defined by humble tapas bars as opposed to high end dining rooms. Before departing we were fortunate enough to receive restaurant recommendations from a co-workers niece who resides in the city. Having a locals insight was one of the most helpful aspects as far as exploring from a culinary standpoint goes, and we could not have been more appreciative. This post details the three of my favorite spots we might never have stumbled upon otherwise; which I am highly inclined to recommend to future travelers.

We visited the taberna lined Calle Cava Baja on more than one occasion, this popular curvy street that lies just south of Plaza Mayor in the La Latina neighborhood quickly became one of my favorites.
I read that it actually has the highest number of bars per square meter in of all Madrid; no wonder I was a fan! The area looks to offer a solid mix of both traditional and modern tapas and cuisine.

The rustic yet sophisticated Taberna Tempranillo for dinner is an excellent place to start. 

We felt immediately welcome, greeted by both the bartender and the waiter when we entered the cozy, semi-crowded tapas bar. We were seated right away at a table for two in an earth toned atmosphere of exposed brick and weathered wooden beams. Trendy low hanging light fixtures highlight the bar backed by an impressive wall of vinos españoles. It seemed we had just dodged the real crowd, as more clientele poured in and the bar grew three people deep, many onlookers waiting for a table - a sure sign we were steered to a quality spot! Adam and I discovered early on that usually three tapas plates (after the bread and complimentary olives, of course) were enough to fill us up. Especially when we're ordering Placa de Quesos like this one. A medley of the finest Spanish cheese varying in firmness, texture and taste, graced our palates. I wish I could remember the names, but this was a month ago now and our waiter spoke limited English. I can tell you that all of them were excellent. We also filled our bellies for what was sure to be a late night out on the town with Codorniz with salmorejo - which is grilled quail with a tomato and garlic spread on baguette slices. I loved this simple preparation with quality ingredients. And since this was one of our first meals in Spain, we couldn't pass up the coveted Jamón ibérico - deliciously tender cured ham which comes from free-range black Iberian pigs. The jamon was nicely complimented by toasted baguette slices and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Another visit to the beloved Cava Baja saw is in for an afternoon delight at Casa Lucas. The modern airy space was home to a lively crowd of regulars and maintained a minimal yet tasteful decor. Most of the patrons were larger groups convened at tables, so we lucked out with two stools at the small bar. The male duo behind the bar were not overly attentive but still pleasant, they seemed eager to please a string of familiar faces that swept in and out, some with young children even. Adam sipped on Mahou (the official beer of Madrid) while I enjoyed a copa de cava. In addition to a bowl of small olives and some thick slices of jamon over toasted bread, we snacked on a Pinchos Frios (cold tapas) and a Pinchos Calientes (hot tapas) each. The Junilla consisting of pastel de espsinacias y puerros con gambas or a spinach and leek pie with roasted red pepper and shrimp, was a distinctive and flavorful preparation. I didn't know what to make of the square "pie" of spinach and leek at first, but I definitely enjoyed the interpretation lending a soft and velvety texture. I only wished the shrimp was a little more substantial. The Alella pollo en salsa de soja con cebolla morada y mousse de maiz con aceite de sesamo or chicken with soy sauce, purple onion, corn mousse and sesame oil was a standout. A decent sized piece of juicy chicken intermingled with complimentary soy and sesame flavors, and that subtly sweet corn mousse was innovative and enticing. Casa Lucas was one of those situations where I felt like we were forced to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, in the sense that we were unfamiliar faces in a neighborhood haunt. The staff isn't going to hold your hand, but they are going to serve you some remarkably unique tapas. Another fantastic neighborhood to dine out is the Barrio Malasaña located at the metro stop Tribunal. La Dominga on Calle Espiritu Santo was actually our first meal in Madrid, and easily one of the most memorable of the trip. Beautiful Spanish dishes are served in an ideal atmosphere by a friendly and attentive waitstaff. They have a great selection of wine, I enjoyed a glass of Rioja Blanco.We got a kick out of the snifter the size of my head containing Adam's go to drink - Dewars on the Rocks. Side note - Dewars is known as White Label and only White Label in Spain (and elsewhere in Europe too - a British couple we met had no idea what Dewars was, but "ohhhh while label, yea we know that!") Light bulb moment! No wonder bartenders have no idea what Adam's been ordering unless he points it out on the shelf. Thank goodness we cleared that one up. We were served a tasty shooter of gazpacho before some of the most attractive looking plates of food I've ever seen came out of the kitchen. Adam raved the entire trip about his Carrilleras de Iberico al vino tinto which are Iberian pork cheeks in red wine. Simply unparalleled, these were tender, succulent and fully coated in a rich red wine sauce with side of the smoothest, creamiest potatoes bathing in a bright green herbal emulsion. I was just as enamored with my Canelones crujientes de confit de pato y setas acompanado de chutney de mango or Crispy confit of duck and mushroom cannelloni with mango chutney. The preparation of the duck meat encased in a slender flaky shell was remarkable, its flavor profiles complimented by both a light, clean salad of fresh greens and cherry tomatoes and a heavenly mango chutney. La Dominga felt like the epitome of a local secret, exuding laid back charm with just a touch of hip minus any pretentions, I'd most certainly frequent this restaurant if I lived in Madrid. In fact, I'd frequent all three of these delicious destinations. Food (and wine!) this good is worthy of seconds.

Odyssey Cruisin'

I spent a fare share of time this past weekend aboard the Odyssey Boston, a luxury cruise vessel stationed at 60 Rowes Wharf behind the Boston Harbor Hotel, departing regularly for various mealtime harbor cruises and special occasion events.Friday evening was spent cruising the harbor for dinner and Sunday morning for brunch with the Boston Food Bloggers and the Boston Brunchers, respectively.

Friday was a gray drizzly evening as we boarded the ship and took our seats on the lower level among a crowd of diners surrounding elegantly set tables and a dance floor backed by a band set-up. Dinner aboard the Odyssey is priced at $90 which includes three courses and one alcoholic beverage. The ticket was comped on our behalf, but additional alcohol, tax and tip we covered ourselves. It was an evening of bubbly all the way, I began with a glass of Westport Rivers RJR Brut and moved on to sharing a bottle of Wycliff Sparking Wine ($28). We were instructed to order all three courses at once, understanding somewhat that the intentions of the waitstaff is to pace the meal to your parties liking. We ate our appetizer and dinner right away and then decided to hold off on the dessert course to head outdoors.

It was windy, can you tell? Not to mention foggy! The Boston Harbor skyline was still in view from a distance, glowing in the mist.

For my first course, the Carmelized Duck en Croute boasted an extensive menu listing of duck confit, forest mushrooms, sage and monterray jack cheese baked in a puff pastry, served over spaghetti squash with dried cherries, candied pecans and a drizzle of marsala wine demi glaze. This was certainly a lot of elements for one plate, not all of them working harmony. I felt the texture of the puff pastry could have been a little more crisp to balance with the soft confit. The dish was definitely on the sweet side, I wanted more flavor from the savory elements to balance the sweetness of the squash, dried cherries and candied pecans. Overall the appetizer was palatable, but could have used a little finesse. For the main course, my Bourbon and Peach-Glazed Pork Tenderloin was cooked perfectly. A seriously huge cut of pork, I was impressed at how juicy and tender it remained. The side elements of harvest green beans and sweet potato hash browns were delicious.My dessert was less impressive, the Raspberry Mousse Cup suffered from the lack of house-made whipped cream (as advertised.)If served as intended based on the menu description, I think the whipped cream would have balanced out the too thick mouse and overly powerful (perhaps even artificial?) raspberry flavors, but ultimately the dish lacked in execution. Service at dinner could have benefited from a little more focus - throughout the courses and on multiple occasions certain members of our party (myself included) were served the wrong dish. I was perplexed thinking we had a salad course and in actuality almost dug into someone else's food!

At brunch on Sunday we boarded the boat in similar fashion - (this time with a much bigger group!) and were seated on the opposite side of the same dining room which now included a buffet spread; breakfast on one side, lunch on the other and dessert (complete with a chocolate fountain!) in the middle. We started with cruise with mimosas - similar to dinner, this complimentary brunch included one drink and any additional cocktails I paid for.I wasn't feeling any of the lunch options (but heard they were great) and instead piled my plate with Wisconson Cheddar Scrambled Eggs, Hash brown potatoes with pepper and onion, Applewood smoked bacon and Turkey sausage. Additionally, the House-Griddled Belgian Waffles served with whipped cream and a berry sauce compote and the Strawberries and Cream French Toast saw their way onto my plates. The eggs, potatoes and waffles were delicious while the bacon and french toast let me down. It was mainly a textural thing - fluffy eggs and tender potatoes for the win; overcooked bacon and soggy french toast, not so much. In a nutshell - I was satisfied but not overly impressed with the food. Thankfully, service at brunch was attentive and friendly, prompting another cocktail or two starting with a Perfect Orange Martini ($14) a blend of Gin, OJ, Grand Mariner and sweet and dry vermouth. It was a pretty perfect breakfast cocktail indeed!Above with my brunch date, Megan taking advantage of the warm weather and gorgeous harbor views, an overpriced ice cold Corona ($7) in hand.

The dinner cruise ran three hours while the brunch cruise was two. I preferred the shorter time frame - three hours felt a little too long to be confined to the ship, but maybe that was a result of the rainy weather keeping us (mostly) limited to the indoor deck and the fact that we weren't feeling the dance floor scene. The weather on Sunday and the boat parade scene on the other hand could not be beat. The top deck of the boat was an ideal spot to relax.

There are no shortage of event opportunities presented to bloggers in this city - whether you're new to the scene or have been writing a blog for years! It is easy to become a part of either group, run by some fantastic local bloggers; Rachel (follow on Twitter @bostonfoodblogs) and Renee (follow on Twitter @bostonbrunchers.) I was happy to attend both events this weekend and discover what cruising aboard the Odyssey is all about!