Food

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It may be Wednesday, but I am still thinking about an amazing weekend spent with my husband, eating, relaxing, getting massages, and running errands. Friday night wine and pizza with friends was the perfect way to get into weekend relaxation mode, and Saturday was a day just for us.

We got a late start; I did some work and blogging while he caught up on sleep, and then it was off to West Marine to pick up some boat stuff before a visit to the Hingham Shipyard, one of those places we keep ending up at. It’s a great place to wander around, and I have to admit, we are both pretty much obsessed with checking out boats. I was also really excited to see island roses in bloom. Gorgeous.

We had a quick late lunch at Wahlburger’s (no Donnie or Mark sightings, unfortunately!) and then headed off to Elements for blissful massages.

island rose

A post-marathon massage was just what the doctor ordered, and once we were nice and relaxed, we headed to Milton for an early dinner at 88 Wharf. We were both really excited to check out 88 Wharf as it is right on the river and offers some very pretty views.

Milton Yacht Club

We arrived at lowest tide, hence all of the mud. As we ate, we watched the water creep back in.

Milton Yacht Club

88  Wharf has a great patio space overlooking the river, but it was a chilly night, and we opted to sit inside. I definitely want to visit again to dine on the patio. The one downside of 88 Wharf, to us, was the interior décor. We found it to be a little corporate and cold, lacking character for a restaurant with such nice views. That was our only complaint.

88 Wharf patio

The cocktail list was a challenge; there were too many cocktails I wanted to try. I decided to go with the Blood Orange Cosmo, and it was tart and refreshing.

blood orange cosmo

We skipped appetizers and went straight to dinner. I try not to order chicken when we go out because I can make it so easily at home, but this one was stuffed with Italian kale and soppresatta, resting on a parsnip puree, and served with a mustard jus. I pretty much wanted to lick the plate at the end of my meal. I am obsessed with kale lately and try to eat it whenever I can. I started eating a lot of it leading up to the marathon, and I swear it made me more energetic.

The chicken was really tender, and the stuffing was amazing. The parsnip puree was perfectly creamy; I am sure it was not fat-free, but it was a fun way to eat this root veggie. And the mustard jus just added tons of flavor to everything.

stuffed chicken

My husband had the flatiron steak and ate every bite of it. We agreed that 88 Wharf’s chef is doing everything right.

After dinner we took a little stroll along the water and then made an early night of it by heading home to watch a movie.

88 Wharf   We love exploring Dorchester’s neighboring towns, and Milton is definitely adorable. And speaking of adorable, I know not everyone is a cat-lover, but here’s a little Scout cuteness for you.

Scout

Yes, I did put a plastic box on our dining chairs so she can get a better view out of the skylight.

It’s nice to be recapping my weekend with another one just a couple of days away! How is your week going?

Tags: Dining out, Food, Milton, Restaurants

Last Wednesday evening I attended a media dinner at Bond at The Langham Hotel in Boston. I’ve been to The Langham many times for their chocolate bar in addition to attending a Boston Brunchers brunch there and a media preview of brunch and the chocolate bar, but I had never even stepped inside Bond.

Wow.

My photos are all awful (I will learn to take a good photo someday!), but Bond is gorgeous.  High ceilings, chandeliers, leather chairs, a stunning bar, and jazz music on Wednesdays all add to the swanky feel of the lounge.

Bond at The Langham

A creative cocktail list features cocktails all named within a financial theme; it makes sense since the building was once the Federal Reserve Bank.

Derby Debt

Since it was almost Derby Day, I had the Derby Debt, Bond’s version of the mint julep. It was delicious. . . and strong! Then the food started coming. I loved almost everything, and though I left before dessert (To get a ride home, I will always skip dessert if it means avoiding the MBTA!), I left stuffed.

Vietnamese Fresh Rolls

{Vietnamese Fresh Rolls – Shrimp, Chicken, and Spicy Peanut Sauce}

Delicate and flavorful, these were a healthy, fresh way to start.

Stracchino Cheese and Heirloom Tomatoes

{Stracchino Cheese and Heirloom Tomatoes – Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic}

Surprise! These tomatoes were stuffed with a creamy cheese. I am definitely stealing this idea for summer.

Crispy Point Judith Calamari

{Crispy Point Judith Calamari – Sweet Chili, Black Sesame, and Cilantro}

This was definitely a favorite. The fried, but not greasy, calamari was spicy and sweet. It was a great twist on a New England classic.

Grilled Baby Corn

{Grilled Baby Corn with Esplette – Cotija Cheese, Aioli, Lime}

This was my least favorite dish of the night. It probably would have been delicious with real-sized corn; I just didn’t love the flavor of the baby corn.

Sweet Soy and Ginger Chicken Wings

{Sweet Soy and Ginger Chicken Wings}

These were sticky, sweet, and amazing. They reminded me a little of my mom’s BBQ chicken, but the presentation definitely fit the upscale lounge feel. The bone “handle” on each was perfectly clean which meant no sticky fingers as we ate the tender chicken.

Lobster and Chorizo Quesadilla

{Lobster and Chorizo Quesadilla – Queso Blanco and Sweet Corn}

You really can’t go wrong with smoky chorizo and perfectly cooked sweet lobster. Again, an upscale twist on a favorite type of food. I liked that the rolled up quesadillas were easy to eat and less messy than the regular version.

Flat Bread Pizza

{Flat Bread Pizza – Great Hill Blue, Grilled Stone Fruit, Pancetta, and Arugula}

I was almost too full to try this pizza, but it was one of the things we were looking forward to. I love blue cheese, fruit, and arugula, and adding them to a pizza with pancetta, well it was incredible. Salty, sweet, and gooey; I love that Bond’s menu really seems to be about flavorful contrasts and twists on comfort fare that fit really well into the atmosphere.

Dom Perignon Lounge

Before I left, I took a quick trip up to the Dom Perignon lounge, which sits above the dining rooms, looking out over everyone. Dom Perignon in a private lounge? Now you’re talking!

Dom Perignon Lounge Bond, The Langham Boston

Bond’s service was top notch, and my dining companions, Megan, Daisy, Lindsey, and Will, were fabulous. It was a great way to unwind after a very long Wednesday. As  I mentioned, they do have live music every Wednesday, making it feel a little like a weekend mid-week. Who doesn’t love that?

 

 

I enjoyed a complimentary dinner as a media guest of Bond. However, I was not required to write a post, and all opinions are my own.

Tags: blogger events, Bond, Boston, cocktails, dining, events, Food, hotels, Restaurants, The Langham

Wine Wednesday came a little early this week when I was asked to participate in a Tweet Chat on all things Rioja. I invited our friends over for Sunday night dinner, spent the day cleaning and making up some appetizers, and when it was time to chat, broke out the iPad for a little #RiojaBuzz. We were joined by the winemakers from the respective wineries and were able to ask questions of them. The chat was fast-moving but interesting, and we all enjoyed the wines.

Conde de Valdemar

Rioja

The Rioja, divided into three sub-regions, Alta, Alavesa, and Baja, all which have, as I learned on the chat have different seasons as far as harvest goes. I was .sent two different wines to taste (There were three, but I never received the third.) Both the wines were classified Crianza which means they were aged for at least two years, once of which has to be in oak. The first wine we tasted was the Ontañon Rioja Crianza 2008 which was a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha. Half our group liked the smokiness and spice of this wine. I could really taste the oak, but not in a bad way at all. It was balanced and had some nice fruit flavors.

I absolutely loved the second wine, the Conde de Valdemar Rioja Crianza 2007. A blend of Tempranillo and Mazuelo (Carignan). It also had a bit of smokiness, dried leaves, spice, and fruit. Someone on the Tweet Chat pointed out that Rioja wines are mysterious, and they kind of have that quality. They’re also a great value. The Conde de Valdemar retails for around $11.

Rioja

image

What do you pair with Rioja? I didn’t have much experience, so I just went with what I felt like making and what was easy to put out for a Sunday. One of our guests is a trained chef and the best hostess I know, so as always, I was a little nervous!

On the menu:

Sliced goat cheddar

Sliced sharp cheddar (I wanted to get Manchego but Roche Brothers had a terrible cheese selection.)

Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Jelly over baked brie (I didn’t do a puff pastry wrap, just baked a wedge of brie topped with jam at 350 for about 15 minutes until nice and gooey.)

Spicy turkey meatballs (store bought meatballs in a homemade spicy marinara, super easy)

Baguette slices and lots of different crackers

Amazing homemade calamari and sauce made by our friends

Lots of wine. Too much wine for a Sunday, but it made for a very fun and delicious evening.

Stonewall Kitchen

crackers for party

wine tasting setup

We ate and drank wine until 10:00 which is definitely wild and crazy for a Sunday night. Sometimes it just has to be done. Winking smile

My work week is crazy this week. I am basically jumping between 4-5 jobs every day all day and commuting into Boston for half days, then coming home at 6 and finishing the rest of my work. And I am determined to get in shape for summer, so there’s that. I have a bunch of way overdue doctor’s appointments scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, so I took a few hours off. I am actually looking forward to sitting in the waiting room and reading.

Do you watch Mad Men? I am finding this season boring, but lots of people on Twitter disagreed with me on Monday. I just can’t seem to get into it.

Tags: blogger events, events, Food, Rioja, Twitter, wine

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