Mystery Meet #10: Tres Gatos

Back in July and August you may (or may not, it seems like ages ago) recall I attended Mystery Meet events at restaurants that earned high praise on my end; Ten Tables and Myers + Chang, respectively. The first of their kind in a series of purchase-tickets-in-advance-to-a-secret-location-dinner, the Mystery Meets continued every second Tuesday of the month, with other plans of mine sadly interfering until eventually Mystery Meets happened to fall of my calendars radar all together. With a new clue posted each week, I had a pretty good idea that this months location was one dinner I did not want to miss out on.
Hint #1: Jacki & Meesh from Just Add Cheese will host this affair.
Hint #2: Where? "Let's get together and feel alright."

Hint #3: Gaudi approved.

Hint #4: Despite where this restaurant opened this year, the concept is anything but plain.

Hint #5: Garfield, Sylvester and Puss 'n Boots.

The Reveal:

Tres Gatos is a full service tapas bar, book and music store founded on the belief that sharing good food, music and books is essential to a happy life. Who wouldn't agree?! Located at 470 Center Street in Jamaica Plain, it is just a 15 minute walk from the orange line (Stonybrook) through a picturesque neighborhood. I was greeted by a multi-level gray blue house with an under construction stone patio.I have a feeling that upon completion his will be a lovely outdoor dining space. I paid the book and music store a visit first, checking out the vast selection of old vinyl records and new paperback books amongst crisp wood shelves and brightly painted blue walls. It was a most enjoyable start to the evening.Tres Gatos means three cats en Español, and clue #5 makes a whole lot more sense now. The restaurant actually shut its doors tonight on Mystery Meets behalf; given the cozy intimate size and the number of tickets sold.The space is refined Spanish chic with tasteful decor everywhere you look and charming tables filling the cozy nooks; from corner banquettes backed by a landscaped mural on one end to high tables perched in the wide arched windows on the other. Split by a black lacquered wood bar, I thought the transformation of the interior into a living room esque vibe worked really well. A distinctive collage of Spanish liquor bottle lables caught my eye next to the fireplace. The opposite room boasts an 8 person chefs table across from a tiny open kitchen. Painted in bright complimentary colors, the orange wall meets blue table was strikingly gorgeous, the beauty only enhanced by prominent light fixtures and terra cotta sculpted wall art. Small standing counters located in each room tie the space together evoking the style of a traditional tapas bar.Speaking of tiny open kitchen, the first course is plated and looks just about ready to serve.In the meantime I mingled amongst other diners in the bar, sipping a light bodied slightly mineraly rosé whose name escapes me.After a warm welcome from our hosts, Jacki and Meesh, and an introduction by chef Marco Sanchez, we took our seats at one of the various locations and browsed the four course menu, which came at a fixed price of $42 including tax and gratuity. Drinks were extra and they also offered a full wine pairing for $24. I opted out of the wine pairing since I continued to sip my rosé and also enjoyed a glass of red over the course of the meal.The first plate was a trio of inventively paired Tapas. I was rather impressed and I might go so far as to call it my favorite dish of the evening.The simplicity of the mildly sharp breakfast radish with Moses Sleeper cheese and cervil awoke the palate with grace. Moses Sleeper is super creamy Camembert-style cows milk cheese from Vermont.The pork stuffed cerignola olive draped in anchovy was a fantastic creation. The melding of a briny duo of flavors with tender pork was unusual and captivating.The final bite of a thinly sliced crostini retained a light crunch while maintaining a soft bread like texture touting a bite of firm buttery manchego cheese topped with paper thin piparras.The second course of Gambas a la Plancha boasted two perfectly cooked prawns, the juicy morsels retained a welcome amount of slightly sweet and citrusy flavors. A deep and vibrant green, the cilantro coulis deserves some serious praise. However there wasn't nearly enough to do about it - I wanted to drink the plate or have more components to run through it in all its cilantro flavored glory.I can't say that all the elements in the next plate of Fideos were cooked as perfectly, but overall I still enjoy this traditional Spanish noodle dish. It came with with piquillo peppers in a thin yet flavorful red sauce. The chorizo was rather dense, almost to the point of being hard. The texture was similar to that of a thick slice of pepperoni. I definitely wasn't expecting this texture profile but I embraced it. The mussels did not appear to fully cook. Two were slightly cracked where I could pry them open with some force, and even though I know you're not supposed to, I really wanted to eat them! The body was somewhat mangled and defeated by the time I got to it. The plump juicy mussels I truly craved were a miss. Other diners plates had some similar mussel opening issues. And unfortunately, my plate only saw one, maybe two small bites of chicken.

For dessert we were served a plate of Queso, the selection of cheeses impressive as was the thoughtful pairing of a sweet element, but the portion was minuscule and it truly left me wanting more. Perhaps if the later courses had filled me up this plate would have been the perfect digestif, but for some reason tonight my ravenous appetite was not appeased.

At twelve o'clock we have Torta de la Serna a sheeps milk from Spain; served with quince. To the right is Cheverin a goats milk from Belguim displaying a funky richness and a thick rind served with fig. Lastly the Manchego Curado another sheeps milk from Spain; coagulated with thissel giving it a grassy earthy taste served with honeycomb.

Perhaps it was the omission of a bread course, or maybe the fact that I ate four tapas plates over the course of 2 hours that left my appetite at bay. Heck maybe it speaks to just how much I enjoyed the dishes I ate - I wanted more of them!

The tapas at Tres Gatos are first and foremost a true delight for the sense of smell. From the moment they are placed in front of you the aromatics work their magic something special. I thought they nailed bold flavor profiles and I was constantly tasting something innovative. I'm still captivated by the thought of a pork stuffed olive. Prawns were sufficiently more stimulating than your standard body of shrimp and that cilantro coulis was fantastic. The Spanish noodles were fun, despite not nailing the execution of certain elements.

Mystery Meet has seen much success since its inception ten months ago and they continue to fulfill a goal of scoping out new and exciting restaurants in different areas of the city. A commendable job to the ladies of Just Add Cheese for gathering us all to experience the neighborhood comforts of Boston's newest - make that only tapas bar, book and music store.

Mystery Meet #2: Myers + Chang

After a successful inaugural event held last month at Ten Tables in Cambridge, I was on board for whatever the August Mystery Meet had in store. I checked the website each week in anticipation of a new hint to be posted. It was not until hint #4 that I was pretty sure I solved the mystery of the restaurants location, where I would be dining on Tuesday August 10th with the company of like-minded passionate foodies and bloggers.

Hint #1: It's located South of the Charles River

Hint #2: It's family style dining.

Hint #3: The chef was really on top of her Stuff this summer

Hint#4: The chef ran every Boston marathon from 1991 to 2006

Hint #5: The owners, both Harvard grads, met while working together at Rialto

The Reveal

I had never been to Myers+Chang, but not unlike Ten Tables, it has generated an overwhelmingly positive citywide and blogwide buzz. (I can't help it that I'm bias going into these events!) To be honest, I should have solved the mystery given hint #3. Cleaning my apartment the other day revealed the Food Issue of Stuff Magazine with the lovely Joanne Chang gracing the cover. You know her name, her restaurant, her bakeries, but what you might not know is Chef Chang started out her career in this city as a management consultant. She graduated Harvard with honors, her degrees in Applied Mathematics and Economics. I wonder if she could have imagined then that her decision to follow a passion for cooking and baking would have propelled her into the spotlight, eventually achieving a celebrity chef status among Bostonians. Working with her partner Christopher Myers the duo brought Myers+Chang to life in 2008. It came from a place of genuine inspiration and the concept is completely unlike any restaurant to ever hit the Boston dining scene. The vibe at Myers+Chang is hip, fun and funky. It is their interpretation of an indie diner complete with stylish decor, retro Asian artifacts and even newspapers of the orient acting as placemats.

Lizzy and I arrived at 1145 Washington Street a few minutes after 7:30 where we were seated at the end of a long table already full of attendees. I spotted Seth Ressler, the brains behind the operation, in a sea of unfamiliar faces. It was an ah-ha moment after the gal sitting next to me, Bianca from Confessions of a Chocoholic and I recognized each other. I quickly became friendly with Bianca and some of the others - Cynthia from Wicked Tasty Harvest, Jen from Beantown Baker, Emily from Angry Little Chemist and Ken from East Cambridge. (Just your average foodie, no blog.) There were a ton of bloggers in the mix that I was not able to meet this time around - but it's tough to get acquainted when you're at a table seating twenty!

The place setting presented us with menus tailored to the event. This small touch immediately caught my attention and made me feel welcome. Tonight we would be served 8 family style courses plus dessert at a fixed price of $35. Right away I was handed a drink menu and chose the Coco-Lime Cooler ($9). Appropriately served in a fun ceramic coconut, the rich sweet nuttiness of the coconut rum contrasted beautifully with the tart refreshing limeade and ginger syrup. The drinks flavors made me feel like I should be sipping it on a beach off the coast of Thailand. Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers focus is Taiwanese soul food and Southeast Asian street food, with specialties ranging from Chinese, to Thai, to Vietnamese. Their passion is evident in each dish, whether it is a new innovation that pays homage to the flavors of the region, or a fun creative interpretation of a classic. They strive to use fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. Dinner tonight was uninhibited, and in the best sense of the word - overwhelming. I have never been treated to such exquisite upscale Asian food. Why did I wait so long to come here again?! The first course was savored slowly, but after that it seemed a new dish was placed next to me just as I had put the camera down to eat the previous. Disclaimer from the menu: [To ensure your food comes to you as fresh as possible, dishes may arrive at your table at different times. Please enjoy this traditional Chinese family style of eating and sharing!] Enjoy it I did! I was able to contain my excitement and experience the food to the fullest, in all of its freshness and deliciousness. Feast your eyes on the eight courses (in order of appearance) that changed how I will view "American" Chinese food forever more:

I will sincerely try to be brief with my dish recaps, but with so many to go through, it proves challenging! *Prices below reflect the standard dinner menu.*

A captivating and memorable first course, the Thai Chicken Ginger Salad ($9) lends pungent flavors of fish sauce and cilantro which permeate the translucent, slippery rice vermicelli. The noodles sat over a bed of crisp butter lettuce topped with juicy lemongrass chicken. This salad set the stage for what was to be an incredible meal. The Tea Smoked Pork Spare Ribs ($14) proved to be my favorite dish of the evening. These fall off the bone tender sweet and sticky ribs with a texturally rich crunchy glaze atop them were absolutely phenomenal. My least favorite dish ended up being the Chicken and Rapini Stirfry ($13). I'm not sure if it was the way the broccoli rabe was prepared, (a vegetable I'm actually quite fond of) or the flavors of the potent chili oil, or perhaps a combination of the two. I don't think it was a bad dish by any means, but the extremely bitter taste encompassing the ingredients was unfavorable to my palate. White rice ($2) was a welcome side dish served somewhere in the midst of all this exotic and spicy food! I adore mussels, they are no stranger to this blog. However, Wok Roasted Mussels ($15) and I met for the first time tonight. A brilliant interpretation of a classic American seafood dish, the broth was bursting with bright lemongrass flavors. Certain bites proved incredibly spicy - there were definitely some unlisted spicy chilies hiding in that bowl, I swear it. The garlic toast piled on top was grilled perfectly crispy. Did I mention the fact that for the first time in my life, I was eating mussels with chopsticks?!I was overjoyed that I got to eat tofu last night. I don't prepare it at home and rarely order dishes with tofu as the star ingredient. The fresh flavors in the Vegetarian Tofu and Broccoli Chow Fun ($12) made with thick rice noodles and bathed in a light and slightly sweet sauce were a winning combination.How am I only halfway through the meal right now? Is anyone still reading, or did you just look at the pictures and scroll to leave a comment? (It is completely OK if you did...) The Tiger Tears ($11) which Lizzy is digging into above, were thin strips of grilled steak with stir fried bell peppers, served cold. I enjoyed the familiar flavors of lime and thai basil and the unfamiliarity of khao koor sprinkled on top. Khao koor is a Taiwanese powdered fried rice; a crunchy, toasty concoction that added a unique flavor and texture to the dish.The Lemony Shrimp Dumplings ($13) prepared potsticker style; steamed on one side and pan-fried on the other were just plain addictingly good. And last but not least, the Crispy Spring Rolls ($5) finished this marathon of food in second place. Stuffed with garlic chives, bamboo, carrots and shitake mushrooms, these were easily the best spring roll I've ever tasted. Not only was the exotic food awe-inspiring, but so was the Far-East decor. I only photographed one half of the restaurant, particularly the high tables, but the space also includes plenty of regular-level tables and a bar over looking the open kitchen. That's right, an open kitchen where we spotted Joanne Chang herself hard at work. She even came over to say hello. I was elated to say the least. She is just as adorable as she looks in this picture, in person. I forgot to turn my flash on for the first shot! I think that worked out favorably, because I'm secretly loving the shadows cast on us thanks to the dragon designs painted on the floor to ceiling glass walls.

You do not want to skip dessert here, that is for certain. This coming from the girl who sampled the entire "Sweet Endings" ($7 each) menu.

Above is a half eaten Chocolate and cocoa nib terrine with Vietnamese coffee sauce. I guess that's the name of the game when you're sharing family style. Certain desserts were passed from the opposite end of the 20 person table, which didn't make for lovely photos, but in the end, it's the taste that counts.

The Frozen vanilla bean parfait with fresh orange granita was served to our end of the table first! This dessert was incredibly refreshing, bursting with sweet orange iciness and creamy comforting vanilla.

The Coconut cream pie was also served in directly front of me. The luscious coconut filling is elevated by a creative, zesty lime whipped cream and a topping of crispy coconut shavings.The Banana creme caramel with black and white sesame brittle doesn't look like much, since it was mostly consumed by the time it got to my end of the table, but the few bites of cream caramel I had were luxurious.

I'm bummed the Lemon-ginger mousse coupe with homemade fortune cookie missed the camera. The chocolate fortune cookie balancing on the rim of the glass was quite amusing.I'd love to know the secret behind the "Ancient Chinese Secret" chocolate mousse. It achieved a perfectly smooth texture and a balanced, almost restrained sweetness. The homemade 5-spice marshmallows are thought provokingly good, adding a playful element to the presentation. It's going to be tough to top Myers+Chang at the September Mystery Meet that is for sure, unless the next restaurant is prepared to legit serve us every single item off their dessert menu. The service tonight was nothing short of excellent. Our waitress Lily, was a doll. As we exited the restaurant, each and every one of the staff members in our path stopped what they were doing, smiled warmly and bid us a genuine farewell. Myers+Chang clearly went above and beyond - from the welcoming hospitality to the inspiring and innovative work in the kitchen, I want to thank everyone who played a role in making the second Mystery Meet a wonderful and memorable event.

Thanks to Seth for taking into account the attendees constructive criticism after the premiere Mystery Meet. Having this dinner begin earlier in the evening, with an organized seating plan, and the request of separate tabs for each attendee were all welcome improvements. As of this morning the first clue to the September meet-up was posted. I'm looking forward to it already!