Restaurants Archives - Page 4 of 27

Restaurants

A whirlwind tour of great Sicilian wines

Posted on February 10, 2023February 10, 2023 by David

The continuing reorganization of Sicily's wine regions, as reflected in the map above (courtesy of De Long), has brought considerable focus to what used to be a free-for-all. More than 60 varietals grow on the island, and more than two dozen are autochthonous — varieties that either originated in Sicily or have been grown here since the Phoenicians introduced advanced viticulture 3,000 years ago. I had a chance to taste some modern twists on that grand tradition when Roberto Magnisi, production director of the Duca di Salaparuta group of wineries (duca.it/en), recently came to Boston. He brought outstanding wines from two of his company's properties for a tasting luncheon at Contessa (contessaristorante.com). His group coalesced in 2001 when the Sicilian regional government sold Duca di...Read More

Pharm Table restaurant makes healthy eating fun

Posted on January 6, 2023December 30, 2022 by Pat

Say “Texas” and most people think “beef.” So the quality of the beef that I enjoyed in San Antonio was in line with my expectations, even at the iconic fast-food joint Whataburger (see previous post). But Pharm Table restaurant (611 S Presa St., Suite 106; (210) 802-1860; pharmtable.com) was a delightful revelation. Chef Elizabeth Johnson is on a mission to surprise diners in this beef-centric state with plant-forward dishes that are delicious, satisfying, and fun to eat. That's not to say that Johnson doesn't take healthy eating seriously. Her plant-forward cuisine is informed by research from the Harvard School of Public Health, among other institutions, and by the principles of Ayurvedic eating. “I realized that it was my calling to bring vegetables and plants back...Read More

What a burger! Like the name says…

Posted on January 2, 2023December 21, 2022 by Pat

My friend Patti was incredulous when I told her that I had never eaten a Whataburger. For the uninitiated, that's the signature burger of the chain of the same name. It launched in Texas in 1950. As far as Patti is concerned, few, if any, burgers rival a Whataburger. She was born and raised in Texas, so I might have written off her enthusiasm as local pride. But we share a taste for really good hamburgers, so I was eager to give Whataburger a try when we visited San Antonio. From one burger stand in Corpus Christi, Whataburger now has outposts in 14 states, but none in New England. Transplanted Texans like Patti, who now lives in Whataburger-free Kentucky, often make the orange and white...Read More

Pearl dining stretches from south Texas to the eastern Med

Posted on December 26, 2022December 21, 2022 by Pat

I'm not about to leave New England for San Antonio, Texas. But I have to admit that the apartments springing up in the Pearl neighborhood are sure tempting. It would be a kick to be part of the revitalization and rejuvenation of the Pearl Brewing Company complex that operated here until 1999. And I'd never go hungry. There's a farmer's market every Saturday (above) and enough restaurants, cafes, and bars that I could eat somewhere different once a day for almost a month. Ladino carries the torch for Sephardic cuisine Instead, I settled for an evening of tasting at two of Pearl's newest eateries, both opened in September. My friend Patti and I were especially curious about Ladino (200 E Grayson St. #100; 210-325-6007; ladionsatx.com)....Read More

Mei Mei chef Irene Li is double awesome herself

Posted on November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 by Pat and David

For our readers not from the Greater Boston area, Irene Li and her siblings are the force behind the Mei Mei food truck and (now closed) Mei Mei Dumpling House (meimeidumplings.com). They're also the authors of one of the best cookbooks to hit the shelves just before the pandemic shut down the world. It's called Double Awesome Chinese Food: Irresistible and Totally Achievable Recipes from Our Chinese-American Kitchen. The ‶double awesome″ refers to Mei Mei's signature scallion pancake sandwich. Two flaky scallion pancakes spread with a little basil pesto enclose some cheddar cheese and two oozing eggs. The Double Awesome comes with spicy ketchup on the side for dipping. The name says it all. Part of what we love about the dish is that it...Read More

What to eat at the Málaga airport (AGP)

Posted on October 26, 2022October 20, 2022 by Pat and David

Many of Spain's leading chefs have a way of remembering their roots — and wanting to appeal to a wider audience. It could be a financial stretch to feast at the French dining room Babette or the grill house Leña, both at Puente Romana resort in Marbella. But you can at least get a taste of star chef Dani García's cuisine at the airport. BiBo Dani García (+34 607 528 879) is open every day from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. in the passenger-only zone of the first floor departures area at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP). We've been following García since his first high profile job leading the kitchen at Tragabuches in Ronda. That was literally decades ago, but he's always remained a champion...Read More

Chiringuitos champion fresh fish of the Costa del Sol

Posted on October 19, 2022October 14, 2022 by Pat and David

We sing the song of chiringuitos. They are the kitchens of summer along the Costa del Sol. When the sun shines and Spaniards and tourists alike bask in the light, chiringuitos are ready to feed you at the end of day. Historically, a chiringuito was a casual beach bar, maybe even a makeshift operation. But from Marbella east to Málaga, they have evolved into permanent structures that line the beach. One of our favorites in Torremolinos is Restaurante Los Pescadores Playa (Paseo Marítimo Bajondillo, R5, Torremolinos; +34 95 205 83 37; lospescadoresplaya.es). The photo at the top of the post shows a slice of the indoor dining room at the midday meal on a Sunday. When we're looking for a good restaurant for dinner, we...Read More

The elegant simplicity of fish on a stick

Posted on October 14, 2022October 14, 2022 by Pat and David

We spent a good part of last month in Spain working on a book update. That's our excuse for the lapse in posting here. This trip involved an extended stay in Málaga. It was the perfect time to get reacquainted with the fish of the Costa del Sol — and with the delights of eating on the beach. The photo above shows the espartero of Restaurante Andrés Maricuchi (Paseo Marítimo el Pedregal, 14, Málaga; +34 952 20 06 12; andresmaricuchi.com). He's broiling fish on a stake against wood coals burning in a rowboat filled with sand on Pedregalejo beach. To be specific, he's broiling sardines because that's we ordered just minutes before. Maricuchi is one of a long line of beach restaurants in this former...Read More

Banks Fish House throws some kind of birthday party

Posted on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 by Pat and David

It's been a harrowing couple of years in the restaurant trade here in Greater Boston. As we've been watching this summer on Hulu's ‶The Bear,″ small restaurants struggle to keep their heads above water in the best of times. During pandemic shutdowns, the waves got too choppy and many of them sank. One such casualty was the Post 390 chop house in Boston, a friendly spot with a great wine list and bar program that lasted for a decade. But last summer, the owners gave the space new life by opening The Banks Fish House (406 Stuart St, Boston, 617-399-0015, thebanksboston.com). For us, it became the new upscale answer to the question we receive most from out-of-towners: Where do I go for good fish in...Read More

Noodling around with fideuà in Gandía

Posted on June 18, 2022June 16, 2022 by Pat and David

While we were living in Valencia, we took advantage of the cercanías (essentially the regional commuter rail) to explore beyond the metropolis. One Costa Blanca city on our bucket list (and on the train line) was Gandía. The big attraction is the ducal palace of the Borja family, who rose to fame (or infamy) when they changed the spelling to Borgia and took over the papacy. The Palau Ducal (Carrer del Duc Alfons el Vell, 1, Gandía; +34 962 871 465; palauducal.com) is a sprawling Gothic fortified palace complex where Sant Francesc de Borja was born in 1510. He later became one of the most important figures in the history of the Society of Jesus. Thanks to the stewardship of the Jesuits, the building is...Read More