Sunday Brunch at The Gallows

The Gallows is at once thought provoking, unconventional and quirky meets welcoming, comfortable and exciting. The versatile feats are present among every aspect of the experience, from the food and the cocktails to the ambiance, decor points and even the staff. Whats makes this spot a neighborhood hangout, one I'd surely frequent if I lived in the South End, is its simple and straightforward presentation, void of any pretension. The unusual decor is subtle, if you didn't look up as you entered the vestibule you'd miss the mounted dinosaur head flanked by a swarm of bats. Same goes for the porcelin hand display parading overhead at the bar. Fists and wrists tied to thick knotted twine loosely carrying gold orbes front well appointed shelving where a single black crow (mascot?) sits mounted in the center. The mod lighting is the opposite of subtle, funky firecracker fixtures explode over the dim lit dining room and translucent globes shine down on the bar area. Following suit are some seriously awesome breakfast cocktails; simple in execution but ever-so-inventive, Adam and I had two rounds each and then proceeded to recreated them at home that afternoon! The Tounge Terror ($9) does just that. A glorified greyhound, in this reinvented classic zippy vodka and tangy grapefruit mingle with the added flair of cumin and a photogenic lime garnish. The extremely tart citrus fruit and powerful, aromatic spice combo indeed wreak subtle havoc on the tongue. The Brass Monkey ($6) combining Pabst Blue Ribbon on draft and thirst quenching orange juice - this "poor man's mimosa" is surprisingly good. With its light body and carbonation on the heavy side, PBR gets the job done for less. It paired perfectly with Adam's Sunnyside Burger ($15) of which I did get to sample a bite of the runny egg, bacon and American cheese goodness over a juicy flat patty. I ate lots of his lightly crisped fries dipped in excess egg yolk and almost wished I'd ordered the Sunrise Poutine ($15). Almost. I was persuaded by the Fried Chicken and Waffles ($14), and when I questioned the bartender she recommends them without a moments hesitation. The food comes out in no time. Surprise! Golden brown Chinese chicken fingers meet a similarly colored fluffy homemade waffle in this fun, kitschy brunch dish. I have a special affection for Chinese chicken fingers, (I would never order Chinese takeout without them!) so I thought this was really cool. They were exceedingly tastier and more refined than my takeout, though! Cradling crunchy walnuts in its defined squares and piled with sticky caramelized apples, the waffle base loaded with contrasting textures keeps each bite interesting. Warm syrup was drizzled with restraint, achieving an ideal balance of sweet to the savory. (Mostly sweet, a little savory.)Definitely make it a point to get here for Sunday brunch! (Served from 10:30 - 2:30.) We were well attended and felt content to linger at the bar; with the sun streaming in from the windows overlooking Washington Street, it was bright and relaxing. Upon exiting, the host bid a cheerful goodbye as the dimly lit dining room beckoned me back for dinner.

The Latest from Saus: Frikandel

I am pretty positive my love for Saus has not gone unnoticed, but allow me to remind you just how much this Belgian street food cafe has won my affections with their authentic frites, leige waffles and poutine.

{Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3}

The was no doubting that the latest addition to their menu - a deep fried Dutch burger-sausage served on a grilled bun called Frikandel would impress with a similar level of authenticity and deliciousness.This 'sandwich' differs from the traditional version eaten on the streets of The Netherlands, Belguim and Northern France because it uses a homemade blend of ground beef, pork and spices as opposed to a processed meat mixture. In a blogger taste test / feedback forum last Monday evening, the Frikandel ($6.95) was an immediate hit. We were lucky enough to sample all four styles offered, compliments of the owners. It was a Frickandellen feast! Here is a preview of what to expect next time you stroll (or stumble) into this Faneuil Hall mainstay. The most traditional among the bunch is the Speciaal Frikandel. The toasted bun gets rubbed with house made mayo and the sausage is topped with chopped onions, more mayo and curry ketchup saus. The Spicy Frickandel is layered with jalepeno peppers and then drizzled with ole chipotle saus for a double dose of spice. Ole chipotle is one of my favorite signature sauces so it was no surprise I adored this version of frikandel. Overall it was generously spicy, not unbearably so. Loaded up with another beloved ingredient is the Cheesy Frikandel. This one layers on the cheddar cheese and coats the sausage completely in cheddar Duvel saus. Last up is the Burger-style Frikandel which pops with flavor from chopped onions, chopped pickles and the latest kitchen concoction - Andalouse Saus. Andalouse is an onion, red and green pepper, lemon and tomato paste infused mayo. I though the juicy pickles in this version were a welcome contrast. We were also treated to a side of frites with additional Andalouse for dipping and following the meal, a leige waffle and one of every sweet saus (salted caramel, lemon cream, berry berry and nutella) for dessert! Providing more sustenance to the menu at the urging of the public is a dutch sausage-snack that some say is better than the original. Next time you venture in to get your french fry and waffle fix, be sure and add a Frikandel to your order!

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!

In A New York Minute

I adore New York City more each time I visit. We spent a lot of time wandering the streets of Chelsea, before and after Sleep No More.I definitely took some random photos on our walks. I had some fantastic eats in NYC and I had a lot of champagne based drinks over the course of the weekend. I also had a blast with my friends. Even thought the food and drink get all the attention in this post, the people were definitely the highlight of the weekend. Saturday afternoon upon arrival we wandered around Chelsea and into an eclectically decorated low key pub called Bunga's Den on 137 West 14th Street.Drink of choice: Sofia Coppola Mini Blanc de Blanc. Champagne in a can. With a straw. Brilliant.

Before the show we met up with more friends and commenced the evening with dinner and drinks at The Half King. Drink of Choice: Framboise LambicEffervescent Raspberry Beer in a Champagne glassThe Half King prides itself on serving pub food done right. The burgers are house made from scratch using top grade ground sirloin. Almost everyone at the table ordered a burger and was extremely pleased with it. I had the Mexican Burger ($14) pepper jack cheese, guacamole and salsa on a back yard style bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, a sour pickles and fries.

After the show we wandered into BillyMarks West located at 332 9th Avenue.Random posters line the walls and sports trophies fill the nooks behind the bar of this Manhattan dive, while a neon juke box and a dart board provide entertainment.

Drinks of choice: Miller High Life Bottles | White Russians

The Champagne of beers and the "Baileys substituted for milk" (amazing) White Russian. Once we tired of the crowd at BillyMarks we stumbled into O'Reilley's Pub at 54 West 34th Street. I drank another beer here. It was around 2:45am and I was feelin' it. Feeling ready for bed! Adam and I spent the night at our friends apartment in Hoboken. We took the 3:15am train home. The Path to be precise, just a short ride across the Hudson. Trains that run until 4am?! I feel spoiled.

Good Morning Hoboken, New JerseyThis marks my first visit here! A quick visit at that, we had brunch plans back in NYC.The line at the infamous bakery of TLC's Cake Boss extended across the street and down the block. Nuts! I had a serious juice craving ever since I woke up and two minutes later we walked right by: Don't you love it when the universe answers?It was mean to be. I ordered a Sunrise ($3.95) fresh squeezed orange, apple and carrot juices. Back across the river (shot taken from our friends 11th floor hotel room) we reconvened and set out for brunch.

Resto is a laid back neighborhood bistro specializing in approachable Belgian food with a New York influence. Located at 111 East 29th Street in Midtown East near The Flatiron District / Gramercy Park it was a leisurely walk from the hotel in Chelsea.We were greeted by a black iron window pained facade displaying through the glass some lush greenery of succulents and jade plants.The interior with weathered wood floors and a marble bar was a charming combination of both homey and modern. The space was packed. Luckily we had a 12pm reservation and were sat a few moments later. Resto's Bloody Marys are not to be missed. I highly recommend ordering one off the Bloody Success menu. I had a tough decision, but went with the Flemish Mary ($12).
First, can we talk about these garnishes? I'm convinced all BM's should come with a pickled anchovy wrapped around a caperberry. A jolt of saltiness that melted on your tongue, an anchovy never tasted so good. I wasn't sure how to go about eating that large hunk of fennel so I let it sit as a decoration as I sipped on my amazingly spicy and robustly flavored beauty of a drink. I wish I could say the BM was the highlight of brunch. But alas it was not. This was: And I'm now convinced all Eggs Benedict ($10) should be served over Lardon Leige Waffles. Best thing to happen to my favorite breakfast entree! Slightly sweet, mildly crispy on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, the traditional Belgian waffle cradled two perfectly poached eggs delicately coated in hollandaise. The Benedict was complimented by lightly dressed greens and thinly sliced homefried rounds mingling with caramelized onions.A plate of Beignets ($5) with chocolate sauce were ordered for the table. Yum! I was also enamored with the toast presentation. Well done.I'm starving and I want this plate of food so bad right now! I understand there are so many amazing places to brunch in NYC, but next time / if ever you're in the neighborhood, I'd highly recommend Resto!

And that wraps up my eats and drinks in New York City! Back in Boston this week I enjoyed a North End Restaurant Week dinner at Bricco and a visit to the new 5 Napkin Burger. Today I hope to break out the slow cooker and tomorrow I'm finally checking out Bergamot in Somerville. There's no shortage of good food around here, the only shortage these days is finding time to blog about it all.