The Amazing "Italian Flag" Sandwich

Ok, so these sandwiches are a total addiction. You will love them too!!

Ciabatta rolls

olive oil

balsamico

fresh basil

italian seasoning

prosciutto, speck, etc as desired

Buffala Mozzarella

roasted red peppers

tomato

pepper

Heat up the ciabatta rolls, drizzle on the olive oil and vinegar. It really makes it better if you spring for imported buffalo mozzarella.

presto!

Alibi @ The Liberty Hotel

So Saturday night we got our shi-shi on at a Boston bar. It was Ryan's 10 year high school reunion, so my plan was to a) look like a hottie and b) get really, really drunk. Let's just say, mission(s) accomplished. The Liberty Hotel, ironically, opened in what used to be a jail- and the architecture hints playfully at its origins. "Alibi" is dark and dungeon-y, with arrest photos of famous folks hanging on the walls. The drinks were NOT cheap, and we dropped some dough, but they have a nice wine selection and mixed a good cocktail. Don't go by the picture above, they practically had the lights off inside. The hotel itself deserves mention, there is a second bar upstairs, and a restaurant named clink, which looked great. I'd come back for dinner and another round!

Bartley's Burger Cottage

Bartley's Burger Cottage

OH yes. Great burgers in many styles. Awesome french fries and onion rings. Lime Rickeys. Such an amazing greasy spoon! Closes relatively early and is packed at prime hours, so beware. I wanted to hit this place up after an evening of drinking, and was crushed to discover that they close around 8... tragedy. The burgers are huge, juicy, and come with a ton of different fixings, all named after famous world and boston personalities, many of whom have visited and left memorabilia behind. I'd say it is a not-to-be-missed cambridge classic!!

Around Cambridge: Bars

So I have been making the bar rounds near Harvard, and wanted to share my finds:

Grendel's Den

This average looking pub has an amazing secret: 1/2 price menu from 5-7 every day, and 7-9 pm thursday-saturday. Yep, EVERYTHING is 1/2 price with a drink. College wallets dream!! The food is not fantastic, but it's solid. The wine selection is atrocious, but beer and their margaritas are just find options. Also has seating right on the square in summer, so a great spot to people watch!

Tommy Doyle's

Great irish bar with some solid traditional food, featuring traditional music as well... Gets insanely packed on thursday and friday nights so be forewarned. Has 3 floors of bars, so explore!

Queenshead Pub

The Harvard bar, located underneath memorial hall. Has a great english pub feel, free pool and darts, and cheap wine and beer. You have to be a Harvard student or know one to get in, so makes friends with the locals!

John Harvard's

I say it's just a bar. Reminds me of TGIF decor inside...

Charlie's Beer Garden

Great in summer for outdoor drinking and dining.

Allen & Delancey and 'inoteca

So it's been a while since I've properly got my food on. Alas, grad school has sent me into a bit of hibernation. But last night I got a chance to check out Allen & Delancey on the LES. We'd heard it was very romantic, which it was, although for us old farts the music was too loud and totally incongruous with the scene. Sorta hipster rock tracks? There are candles everywhere and library books and black and white photos. Very tiny, so be prepared to get bumped on your way in and out. We had a drink at the bar before sitting down, and my prosecco was not properly chilled- which might sound totally snobby, but folks, at $12 a glass, the least they could do is keep it nice and cold! The menu is quite small, featuring about 4 appetizers and entrees to choose from, but a nice variation in proteins. We shared a salad that had a great tart vinaigrette and some awesome tomatoes, not sure what had been done to them, but I think they had cooked them just enough to soften the skins. Ryan had the beef- he reported that it was well cooked, but a little under-seasoned, and was room temperature when he got it. I had the chicken roulade which was very savory- the chicken was extremely tender and the liver mousse was nice and salty. The chicken was in a very vegetably broth, and the combo reminded me of flavors I had last year at Blue Hill. Overall, I was a little disappointed. The dining room was very noisy, both from music and nearby tables, and the food was good but clearly had some service issues. I was also a little surprised by the mixed crowd- if you would have blidnfolded me I would have thought I was in the mid 50's and not the LES, judging by the number of patrons sporting white hair for the evening.

After dinner we took a spin around the block and came across a cute little wine bar, 'inoteca.

We were too full to sample the cuisine, but we did try several of their wines. The imported cheeses looked great, as did their paninis. Nice casual crowd, and we were lucky to get a seat at the window table. Some fun people watching on Saturday night! I'd definitely go back and check out the food!

Le Veau D'or & Flute

To celebrate my trip home to NYC, Ry and I went to a New York Institution- Le Veau D'or. Started in 1937 and still open, and with original decor, it is like walking onto a movie set. The original owner is still alive and greets you at the door dressed in an impeccable suit and waist coat. His daughter now does the majority of hostessing, and with only 14 tables, every diner receives some personal attention.

As for the wine list, classically french with one bottle representing each region, with a slight emphasis on Bordeaux. We ordered the chateauneuf-du-pape, from the Rhone. I had the endive salad and ryan had the mussels as an appetizer, and then had the steak au poive and rack of lamb for our entrees. The lamb is carved tableside, a great touch, and the food is classic. Recently featured thanks to Julie and Julia, this restaurant is one of few where traditional preparations and sauces are proudly on display. There is nothing nouveau happening here, and that was just fine! I loved the au poive, which was spicy but not biting, and the frites were skinny and delicious. Ryan noted the traditional preparation of the lamb, which came quite rare, so if you prefer your meet cooked, order it medium for sure.

For dessert, we tried the peach melba and the "floating island". Really light, and really tasty. An egg meringue in a vanilla cream with toasted almonds, I really enjoyed every bite.

Following dinner we headed downtown to "flute", New York's champagne bar.

Loved the scene, dark and with plenty of tables for two. We tried two different champagne tasting flights, and had several glasses to boot. My only drawback was that drinks here cost as much as dinner. Definitely a great "classic" new york date!!

"Viennese Risotto"

So my friend Barbara taught me how to make a yummy risotto this past spring while I was visiting Vienna. So there is nothing inherently Austrian about these flavors, but memories of where I learned to make them, hence the title. What you put in the risotto can vary greatly, but how you make it is key. Risotto is a cooking process, and if not followed, you just have a rice dish instead, lol.

Asparagus (peas, celery, carrot, whatever veggies are on hand!)

Spinach

mushrooms

white or red onion

garlic

1/4 stick butter (or olive oil)

white wine

Feta cheese, crumbled

pecroino or parmesan, grated

1-2 cups arborio rice

2-3 cups chicken stock (2 cubes bouillon and 2 cups boiling water)

sprinkle of lemon

italian seasoning (basil, thyme, marjoram)

salt & pepper

1. Brown the onion and garlic in the butter over med/low heat. Add in the rice, cook for a few minutes in the butter, and then add in some white wine. Allow the rice to absorb all the wine.

2. Start to slowly mix in the boiling chicken stock. As the stock is absorbed, continuously stir the rice, making sure to get to the bottom of the pan.

2. Continue adding in stock, along with vegetables and seasonings. Once all the stock is absorbed, mix in a generous portion of feta cheese/ pecorino/parmesan. Taste risotto, you want the rice al dente, but not crispy, and creamy, but not mushy. Don't stop stirring, and do not allow rice to stick and burn on bottom of pan. More wine or stock can be added if needed to expand the rice. If not creamy enough, more feta can be added. A sprinkle of fresh lemon can also add a nice flavor.

3. Serve! I sometimes like to add in some chicken as well, or with ham on the side.