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Working from home means I don’t get out much these days. . . really. In the past few weeks I have ended up starting work days at 7 am and ending them when I go to bed, and I still have so much to do that I can’t even fathom running errands. Thankfully, events like the Langham Brunch and Chocolate Bar Preview give me the once-in-awhile opportunity to both get out and do some sort of work, at least on the blog side of things.

After the event at the Langham, as I walked to South Station, I really enjoyed taking in the warm night, the sights and sounds of the city, and snapped this photo of the moon, which reminded me of how the moon looks before it’s about to snow. Shudder.

Boston

While I was walking, I also received a phone call from my husband who was just finishing up a meeting at our boat club. He hadn’t had dinner and wanted to know if I wanted to grab a bite. I was definitely eager to extend the night out, and after he picked me up in South Boston, we proceeded to dbar, a neighborhood favorite.

Even after 8:00, dbar was pretty full of people having dinner and enjoying their fantastic cocktails at the bar. It always makes me happy to see Dorchester businesses full, and this was a good sign.

We had a hard time deciding what to order, as always. Chef Christopher Coombs has designed a menu full of fresh and innovative dishes that are comforting and satisfying. Our waitress recommended the tomato soup, so my husband decided to have that first. She brought two spoons, like she knew who she was dealing with. My poor husband never gets anything without me having “just a bite”. Smile

This soup, which featured rooftop grown ingredients, had a touch of crème fraiche in it, making it silky and smooth. It tasted amazing and had a texture that felt amazing. It would be the perfect winter night food and the cure for a sore throat. I hope this becomes a regular part of dbar’s menu.

tomato soup

While we had our soup, we also sipped on cocktails. My husband had a classic Dark and Stormy while I had the Grapes of Wrath white grape martini. I loved the flavors in this drink, and it was not sweet, perfect for me and for pairing with food.

dbar cocktails

For dinner I decided to mix it up and have something semi-healthy,  Asparagus, Farm Egg, Prosciutto  with Roasted Asparagus, Crispy egg, Laquercia Prosciutto Americano, arugula, & Wild Mushroom-Sherry vinaigrette. As you can see, they definitely didn’t hold back on the prosciutto! I shared most of the salty goodness with my husband and melted over the beautiful, soft in the middle farm egg. This plate was absolutely delightful, so earthy and filling.

 

dbar Boston

I don’t think I ever go to dbar without ordering their rosemary fries because they are so incredibly good. Crispy, salty, and with a hint of rosemary flavor, they are the perfect appetizer  or side, or even on their own if you just head to dbar for drinks.

dbar Boston

We lingered over our meal in this cozy neighborhood spot before heading home, totally relaxed after a crazy day.

I have written about dbar before, but I can’t help sharing another meal there. The service is always so friendly, the ambiance is comfortable, dimly lit, and laid back, and every single bite of food I have ever eaten there has been delicious. It is definitely worth the drive or T ride to head down to Dorchester to check it out. And, as I have mentioned in the past, their brunch is phenomenal, one of my favorite brunches in Boston, for sure.

I am loving Dorchester cuisine these days. In addition to dbar, we also ate at Savin Bar and Kitchen three times last week. I guess I didn’t do much cooking. . .

Savin is also very much worth the trip down here, and their menu just switched over to fall. Check it out if you get the chance!

 

Do you have any new or old neighborhood favorites?

Tags: Boston, cocktails, dbar, Dining out, dinner, Dorchester, Food

After a post on a Dorchester neighborhood gem, Banh Mi Ba Le, I received a few emails from people interested in exploring Boston’s largest neighborhood and asking if I would put together an itinerary.

The day I have outlined below highlights only a few of the fun things that are going on in Dorchester.

It is a Saturday, preferably a warm-ish one, and you are going to get started bright and early by taking the Red Line to JFK/UMASS station in Dorchester. Due to the nature of the day’s plans, you are best to not drive.

JFK Library

Stop #1 – John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

From JFK/UMASS station, take the shuttle bus marked JFK straight to the     John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, open from 9-5 daily. The bus, which runs every 20 minutes, is free and will bring you straight to the museum. Looking back, I am now wondering why the bus driver made me pay $2 each way when I took the bus to Senator Kennedy’s wake. I do believe we were taken advantage of!

The JFK Library, due to its Dorchester location, is something that many Bostonians and tourists miss, and that is an incredibly unfortunate situation. It is incredibly informative, interactive, and moving, a step back in history to a different time and a chance to see an era that shaped America. You will get chills, I promise. And once you are done touring the museum, you are right on the water for some beautiful views.

From here, it is up to you whether you take the shuttle back to the station, or you may choose to stroll along the Harbor Walk. Either way, your next destination is breakfast and sport.

Irish breakfast

Stop #2 – The Banshee

The Banshee is our local pub and the place to sit over cups of tea, an Irish breakfast, and soccer or rugby. If you get there on a Saturday over the next few weeks to catch the 6 Nations Rugby tournament matches, you are in for quite the experience. It can be loud and crowded with people happily downing pints at 11 am, but hey, it’s 5:00 where the match is taking place. . . I find it to be a total blast and something I likely wouldn’t have done if I wasn’t married to my husband and/or living in Dorchester. The Banshee whips up a great Irish breakfast with a vegetarian option for those who cast off the blood pudding (ew!), but they also have all sorts of other breakfast items like veggie omelets. You should be able to find something to please everyone in your group with their diverse menu which has been updated in recent years from really basic pub grub to a slightly more upscale offering.

Sit back, watch a match or two, listen to music, and enjoy a pint. In fact, don’t leave The Banshee until you are hungry again.

Banh Mi Ba Le

banh mi

Stop #3 Lunch at Banh Mi Ba Le

I’ll share this gem again, just because for $3 you can get a filling, interesting, delicious lunch. Still full from breakfast? Share a veggie banh mi, or check out some of the fresh juices or sweets available at Banh Mi Ba Le. If the weather outside is nice, wander down the street while you eat, and check out more of the Vietnamese stores and restaurants that line Dorchester Ave.

Or better yet, head back toward the waterfront, via Savin Hill Ave, and have a walk and a picnic on the beach. Just beware of coyotes!

Stop # 4 Drinks and dinner at dbar

I have dined at Dorchester’s dbar a million times, and would you believe I don’t have any photos. And I know why. dbar is one of those places that is close enough and while really nice, also casual enough for last minute dinners or brunches (their brunch is SO good!), that we often go there when we REALLY need to get out of the house and drop everything for a couple of hours. Their staff has always been incredibly helpful, sweet, and welcoming. dbar has a killer list of fun, seasonal cocktails, great wines and beers, and some of my favorite food in Boston. Their fries are perfection, the day boat scallops the sweetest and freshest, and the three spreads they give you for the bread basket might have you making an entire meal out of bread.

When you finish up at dbar, you might just want to head back to The Banshee for some dancing, if the day has brought enough cocktails Smile Or, be adventurous and head further into Dorchester by taking the train to Ashmont for after dinner drinks by the Ashmont Grill’s outdoor fire.

If you are in the area on a Monday night, definitely check out Ashmont Grill’s weekly wine dinner, $35 for four courses with four glasses of wine. It is an exceptional deal and a ton of fun for groups. Just make a reservation!

So, there ya go, Dorchester in a day! This post doesn’t even touch on the Polish/Eastern European corner of my neighborhood, but I will save that for another day.

Writing this post REALLY made me look forward to spring events and weekend days of wandering.

Besides the warmer weather, what excited you about spring?

Dbar on Urbanspoon The Banshee on Urbanspoon

Tags: Boston, cocktails, dbar, Dorchester, Food, Harbor Walk, JFK Library, local travel, The Banshee, tourism

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