The Terrace @ Aragosta

I hope everyone had wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! Mine was pretty tame and thankfully felt as long as it was. There was some major relaxation happening (spa day! + reading in the park), just a hint of productivity (loads of laundry + a few errands) coupled with some amazing eats (Backyard BBQ, dinner at Citizen Public House) but best of all, here in New England we were finally able to welcome summer weather. I'll have a post up in a few days, but for now enjoy my recap of last weeks patio party....On Wednesday evening I visited one of Boston's newest waterfront dining destinations, Aragosta Bar & Bistro located in The Fairmont Battery Wharf. Aragosta replaces the former hotel restaurant Sensing, completely revitalizing the outdoor space with tables overlooking picturesque Boston Harbor and plush couches surrounding cozy firepits. Deep brown wicker patio furniture combined with rust colored umbrellas and fabrics set the scene as bloggers trickled into a private tasting of Chef David Daniels contemporary Italian cuisine and specialty Italian themed cocktails. Making a lasting first impression is an especially inventive cocktail, starting off sweet and finishing with a punch the Yellow Pepper Limoncello Sour pairs the classic Italian liquor with vodka, agave nectar, lemon juice and fresh chive. Also up for sampling was their well poured Moscow Mule starring Grey Goose Vodka with pureed ginger, freshly squeezed lime juice and club soda. More traditional is the Mule, great for those who can appreciate a strong bite from the fresh ginger. Platters of Hand Crafted Salumi, Caponata, Hot Cherry Peppers & Crusty Bread were waiting for us upon arrival. Along with some loaves of soft and chewy bread accompanied by olives in olive oil. I didn't hesitate to dig right in. Shortly after, the Tartufo Fries cooked in duck fat and truffle oil swept us off our feet. The Lobster & Truffle Crostini with a white bean puree is definitely an appetizer I would recommend, boasting thick chunks of succulent lobster accented by luxurious earthy truffle in every bite. The sweet velvety Lobster Bisque was inviting and comforting, even when sipped on a warm summer evening. Aragosta is Italian for lobster and living up to its namesake it certainly was. The Sautéed Calamari Salad served with baby arugula, San Marzano tomato, balsamic and an olive tapenade would be an excellent start to a summer meal, the variety of flavors in this dish highlighting the cool toothsome squid. The evening only went uphill from here. Our waitress was more than happy to take additional drink orders, so a few of us chose the intriguing Settana Cinque described on the menu as the Italian version of the “French 75”; a cocktail that “hits with remarkable precision”, it combines Aperol liquor shaken with freshly squeezed lemon juice and adds Prosecco for a burst of bubbly finish.Somehow I missed sampling the Braised Veal & Pancetta Meatballs with soft polenta and arugula, but they sure looked good. Once the appetizer bites were through, plate after plate of small entree portions were delivered. We ooed and aahed our way through the delectable homemade pasta courses and stuffed ourselves even more with a heartier New England seafood dish and a Pork entree after that. I couldn't believe how much food we tasted! Pappardelle Bolognese, Veal Cheek & Ox Tail Ragu, Porcini Powder. The thick coils of pappardelle pasta were exquisite, the flavorful ragu of shredded veal cheek and ox tail accompanied a melty hunk of brie cheese. This felt like a winter time entree to me, probably because I always crave a thick hearty Bolognese when it's cold out. That's not to discourage if you were in the mood, the components still hold up on a warm summer evening, easily. Orecchiette, Broccoli Rabe, Pancetta, Capers, Preserved Lemon. Now this is one that beckons summer on a patio to me, definitely the pasta entree I am craving the most and would order upon my return. Bursting with salty, lemony flavors, those little pockets of perfectly shaped orecchiette delicately cradled the pancetta and capers, the crisp broccoli rabe rounding out the dish. Gnocchi, Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Rosemary Citrus Jus, Asparagus. A thoughtful pairing is gnocchi with lamb and asparagus, as opposed to just plain old gnocchi, this dish steps it up. The dense cushions of potato pasta get coated in a thick creamy cheese sauce and a dusting of breadcrumbs, while the entire dish relishes the potent rosemary citrus jus. Lobster Ravioli, Wilted Pea Greens, Fennel Pollen, Cauliflower – Truffle. (Well, there was Cauliflower accompanying this ravioli at one point!) There's that heavenly lobster and truffle combination again. The lobster filling was good but I'd personally go for the Crostini appetizer or the bisque over this to get my lobster fix. However, the menu should only benefit from this dressed up Italian staple as it is a dish that has lasting mass appeal. Seared Tuna, Roasted Fennel, Marcona Almonds, Golden Raisin Puree. Each piece of sushi grade tuna came perfectly seared on the edges. When paired with bites of the candied marcona almonds, sweet golden raisin puree as well the contrasting bite of fennel, it worked well. For typical tuna lovers, this is definitely an interesting maybe even risky combination at face value. PT Farms Pork Chop, Fontina, Pancetta, Algre Dolce Peppers. A well cooked pork chop coated in glistening, melted fontina cheese? With more of that intensely firm and salty pancetta? I could eat a dish like this any night, truly satisfying and immensely flavorful. Somewhere in between all this I ordered a glass of Prosecco, happily sipping it in the comfy confines of the terrace couches with good company, as the sun went down and the cooler night air set in. The tasting wrapped up with a Marscapone Ice Cream and what I think was a golden raisin filled tart dusted with powdered sugar. The ice cream stole the show. Each dish with its own unique flair offered a beautiful presentation using fresh seasonal ingredients. I would also like to note that while this tasting was complimentary, the price points clock in with first courses between $10-15, pasta entrees start at $17 and seafood entrees average around $30.It's not often that the North End sees a new restaurant opening, much less a waterfront destination. Seems the new spots are always popping up in Cambridge, or Back Bay, the South End, or Liberty Wharf (everywhere but here, basically) so we deserve this one! I have a strong inclination to return to the Terrace already! Sipping cocktails and watching the sunset over the harbor never really gets old. Visit Aragosta just steps from The North End's Hanover Street at Three Battery Wharf. Special thanks to Suzanne Wentz, the Regional Director of PR at Fairmont for the generous invitation and for putting together such a fantastic event.

Saturday in Witch City

On Saturday afternoon into the evening I met these two lovely ladies for some much needed drinks and catching up.Erin and Tricia are posing with the bronze Bewitched statue situated in downtown Salem. This picturesque coastal Massachusetts town is known as "Witch City" in light of the infamous Witchcraft trials of 1692. No stranger to this destination, I've visited multiple times since Tricia purchased her condo here about a year ago and Adam and I took a day trip way back in the Fall of 2008 to experience what Salem had to offer during Halloween Season. (Probably the most notorious time to visit!)This time it was all about catching up with the girls over some food and lots of drinks. All week I pictured basking in the sun on Pickering Wharf but some unfortunate dark clouds made their way in leading to torrential downpours that spoiled the sun drenched patio dreams.But at least not the patio dreams all together. At Captain's Waterfront Grill & Pub located at 94 Wharf Street I tried the Lobster Bisque ($5.59) and a plate of 6 Oysters on the Halfshell ($12.95) in between sipping some fun tropical drinks. I also photographed Tricia's Capt's Special Salad ($7.95) boasting a presentation of a thinly shaved cucumber slice wrapped around chopped salad greens with a side of steak tips. The lobster bisque was underwhelming; the broth lacked flavor and the essential chunks of fresh lobster were amiss. The oysters didn't live up to my expectations either; an unremarkable batch of this delicate sea creature appeared mangled and tattered. Perhaps a salad would have been my best bet! Noted. The beverages fared much better than the seafood, I sipped on a Coco Loco ($5.59) a tropical island inspired beverage made with a blend of dark rum, Malibu rum, vodka, creme de banana, coco lopez and pineapple juice. Next I enjoyed a Dark N Stormy ($5.25) a favorite mixture of Goslings Rum and ginger beer. Not wanting to venture out into the ongoing downpours - we avoided the rain with another round at the bar downstairs. This time I went all out and ordered a 20 oz version (the latter two drinks being the 10 oz.) or as the menu creatively labels them "Half Mast" and "Full Rig". Oh and I switched up my choice to a Down Island Iced Tea ($8.50) containing rum, vodka, tequila, triple sec and amaretto blended with sour mix and pineapple juice and a dark rum floater. YUM. Captain's Waterfront Grill proved a relaxing location to enjoy a light lunch on the second floor patio overlooking Pickering Wharf and an extended liquid lunch while waiting out the storm at the sprawling downstairs bar. While the seafood didn't truly live up to my expectations, perhaps they were just having an off day.

Back at Tricia's condo we enjoyed some beers - including her boyfriend Dave's homemade batch of Belgian wheat ale while we watched Country Strong. Our kind of movie - drama, good country music and easy to follow after an afternoon spent boozing! We did make it out that evening for some nightlife at Rockafellas, where I drank a Watermelon Margarita ($8) with a delightful sugared rim and we enjoyed the live band. That's three Saturday nights in a row I've been away - first Cape Cod, then Connecticut, now Salem..... I'm hoping to stick around next weekend because as much as I love to venture about New England I can't wait for one where I'm not packing and unpacking all over again. Plus, it's not long before my bags will really be packed for a 4-day, long weekend jaunt to New Orleans!

Have you traveled anywhere near or far lately? Any upcoming travel plans you are looking forward to?

Bistro 5: Heirloom Tomato Celebration

A few weeks ago, I received an invitation from Bistro 5 to attend a complimentary dinner on Tuesday night featuring an heirloom tomato tasting menu.  If you read my blog regularly, you'll know that I've been writing a lot about tomatoes lately.  In Massachusetts, tomatoes typically become ripe and in season starting in August through the early fall.  I've been lucky to indulge in so many great local tomatoes lately, both in my kitchen and in restaurants.  So when I got this invitation, I couldn't resist.

To be completely honest, I have never heard or been to Bistro 5 before.  It is located in Medford, just outside of the city, which isn't always the easiest for me to venture to without a car.  Luckily, Megan was also attending the dinner and offered to give a few of us a ride there.

We arrived at Bistro 5 a little after 7 PM and I was happy to see a lot of familiar faces from the food blogging community.  I perused the menu and was ecstatic to discover that each course would not only feature local heirloom tomatoes from Kimball Farm but that each dish would also include some type of basil from Soluna Garden Farm.  I think there is no better flavor combination than tomato with basil so this was a match made in heaven.

To begin the evening, Bistro 5's chef and owner, Vittorio Ettore, came out to tell us a little about his restaurant.

At Bistro 5, Chef Vittorio focuses on using seasonal ingredients for all of his Italian dishes.  Even though Chef Vittorio has been using local and seasonal ingredients since the restaurant first opened in 1999, people have only really been taking notice of this recently as the locavore movement has really been gaining popularity.

While Chef Vittorio spoke to us, we could see the kitchen was hard at work for the evening's meal and I couldn't wait to dig in.

To start, we munched on some beautiful focaccia bread.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover that everything on Bistro 5's menu is made in house, including this delicious focaccia bread!

This was accompanied by a delicious white bean spread and I seriously couldn't get enough of this puree.

Please pardon the photos.  The lighting was a bit dim in the restaurant, which can be a bit tricky to work with.  I started the evening out with my flash on but decided it was too harsh and switched to using just the restaurant's lighting.

Our first course was a Lobster Bisque, which using pineapple basil tomato to thicken up the lobster stock.  The lobster bisque contained chunks of lobster meat, and was topped with a brioche, delightful saffron bubbles and a chiffonade of citrusy lemon basil.  There was also a wine pairing with each dish and we started out with a sweet 2009 Domaine Felines Jourdan, Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc.

The bisque had a nice mellow tomato flavor that I couldn't get enough of.  I definitely used some of the focaccia to sop up every last drop from the bowl.

The second course used copia tomatoes for the EVOO Fried Green Tomatoes.

The panko-crusted fried green tomatoes were served with opal basil pesto and a thick slice of buffalo mozzarella was served "in carrozza" on top of the hot tomato.  This helped the mozzarella melt ever so slightly for a tender texture contrast to the crispy tomato.  This dish also had slivers of the fresh purple opal basil.  I really loved the 2008 Larochette Manciat, Macon Les Morizovittes, which was served with this dish.  Normally I don't enjoy chardonnay but this was unoaked and it went down so smoothly.

The third course was an Heirloom Tomato Risotto paired with a not-too-sweet 2008 Lancon, Domaine de la Solitude, Cotes du Rhone Rose.

The risotto used tomato juice from red brandywine tomatoes as a stock for the risotto.  The risotto was sprinkled with Spanish Leonora goat cheese, lime basil and a thin slice of crispy jamon serrano.  Chef Vittorio explained each course as it was served and I groaned aloud when he described the crispy jamon serrano.  I was seriously embarrassed by my obvious gluttony.

Our fourth course was our main course - Duck Confit Strudel.  This dish was definitely ambitious and I joked that this was the chef's "go big or go home" dish.  The duck confit strudel was encased in puff pastry and served with pickled ginger and Thai basil.  The strudel was served atop sweet and sour kuri squash, which had been tossed in both agave and sherry vinegar.  On the side was a smoked speckled roman tomato brulee which was caramelized with both sugar and Sicilian sea salt and served with a port poached seckle pear.

Wow.  Even though this dish had a lot of components, the tomato was the real star of the plate.  The duck wasn't as tender as I'd like it to be and a tad oversalty but the warm brulee was unlike anything I've ever tasted before.  The smokiness added such a depth to this dish and I was surprised that the brulee was successful as a savory dish, despite its sweet tomato ingredient.  I would eat this brulee every day if I could.  The duck confit strudel was paired with a 2008 Vignetti Zabu 'Il Passo', Nero d'Avola Blend, Sicily.

Our dessert course was an Organic Peach Tomato Napoleon layered with a tangy peach tomato yogurt gelato, cinnamon basil yogurt gelato, thin puff pastry, vanilla bean creme anglaise and pistachio-estevia pesto.

Just as successful as Chef Vittorio was in making the tomato brulee a savory dish, he was equally successful in translating the tomato into a dessert dish.  The tomato yogurt gelato was just a bit too tangy for my taste but still I enjoyed this dish immensely.  The dessert was perfectly paired with a sweet 2009 Sarocco, Moscato D'Asti, which was a perfect note to end the evening on.

I had such a wonderful evening and I am so glad that I got a chance to experience Chef Vittorio's truly creative vision in this tasting menu.  I was also thrilled to enjoy this evening with some good friends, and I even remembered to take a photo with Megan and Robin.

Thanks again to Bistro 5 for inviting me to such a wonderful evening.  I should mention that Bistro 5 will be offering a tomato tasting menu as an option every evening this month.  The menu items, however, will frequently change based on the chef's whim that day.  After September, Chef Vittorio will continue with his tasting menu but will use other local ingredients, such as winter's seasonal squash!

Bistro 5 is located at 5 Playstead Road, West Medford, MA.