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On our quest to find a better lobster roll than the one we had at Luke's, our journey brought us to Island Creek Oyster Bar near Fenway. It was tough making a reservation for 8 people, but we did it, albeit eating at 5:30pm! No matter, we ended our Freedom Trail festivities early and headed back to the hotel for some rest before dinner. It was easy as taking the Green Line out to Kenmore and walking across the street. Still not sure if we enjoyed the NYC subway more or the T in Boston...
Getting down to business, Viv and I started out with both the Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque. A touch on the watery side, the clam chowder still ate creamy enough. Packed with tender bits of potato and slightly chewy fresh clams, the broth was somewhat briny. We weren't really sure of the bits of still-crunchy onions though as it took away from the rest of the softer ingredients. As for the bisque, it was smooth and creamy with the essence of lobster. There was a subtle hint of wine while the whole thing was sweet with only a mild saltiness (which is a good thing). I thought there could've been a few more chunks of buttery lobster though.
Continuing with the appies, we tried the Salmon Tartare served with various chips. We found the salmon to be buttery with a slight chew being fresh and bright. It was mixed with a good amount of sesame oil which made it aromatic and flavourful. The hard crunch of the kettle chips ensured that it was both a good textural contrast and held up to the wet ingredients. We only got 6 oysters as there was too much food already (don't they have a smaller plate???). They consisted of Island Creeks, Aunt Dolly and East Beach. We found them expertly-shucked, sweet and lightly briny. Since I requested more creamy oysters, these were exactly that.
For our entrees, we went straight for their Lobster Roll. It was substantial in size and stuffed with plenty of lobster. It was lightly dressed and hence, there was a certain saltiness to it. Furthermore, the bits of onion added a crunch (which I didn't find necessary). There was also a slight background tang. I found the roll to be on the denser side and aggressively toasted. This was totally different than Luke's and hard to compare. We also got the Lobster Roe Noodles with oyster mushrooms, beef and large chunks of fresh lobster. I found the noodles to be al dente and dressed in a considerable amount of oil This was necessary to distribute the roe flavour. It did eat heavy though, especially with the addition of beef.
My son didn't stray too far from his self-imposed dietary restrictions and got the Colorado Angus Burger prepared medium-rare. It was done just right in that respect where the meat was not as juicy as it appeared since it was rather lean. There was a nice meaty texture with the accompanying beefy flavors while the outside was seared well. I found the bun rather hard and dense though. My daughter ended up with the kid's Fish & Chips which was rather large (we wondered what the adult size would be like). The thick cut fries were somewhat crispy while totally soft and potatoey inside. The fish was flaky and moist while the batter was slightly thick, yet crunchy. Not sure about the tartar sauce as it was tangy, but missing the bits of pickle and onions.
Costanza also shared a lobster roll with Elaine, but also got the Seared Monkfish which was done beautifully. The outside was crispy and well-seasoned where the inside was flaky and almost buttery. Not bad for a fairly firm and not usually fatty fish. We loved the addition of clams as they added an added component of seafoodiness to the broth underneath. Costanza's son had the Fish Sandwich served with Old Bay fries. The fish was on point much like the ones in the fish and chips. The bun was airier and softer than the burger which worked well with the delicate fish. Tossed in Old Bay seasoning the fries were nicely spiced and flavourful. Although on the pricier side, the meal at Island Creek Oyster Bar was solid and well-prepared. As for the best lobster roll, Neptune was definitely next up.
The Good:
- Nice dining space
- Solid eats
- Fresh seafood
The Bad:
- On the pricier side
- Both of the signature lobster items were good, but not great
Sometimes, being known as a "foodie", "food person" and/or "food connoisseur" does have its disadvantages. Other than the possible weight gain, possible health problems and dwindling savings, there is "judgement". Ah yes, the "why the heck would you eat/or visit THAT place???". C'mon, one can enjoy food without being a food snob right? So when I'm on vacation, I'm going to unapologetically visit touristy places because I want to. Therefore, when we were in Boston's North End, we did exactly that and followed the lemmings into Mike's Pastry.
When at Mike's Pastry, one must get the Lobster Tail aka La Sfogliatella in Italy. To be clear, the lobster tail pastry is unique to the States as the one in Italy is smaller and not necessarily filled with cream. As much as I've been told that Modern Pastry has a better version, I just had to have the most well-known one. So how was it? Well, the thing was really large and filled to the brim with sweet fresh white cream. I found the pastry itself more dense that I would've expected with only some layers being crisp. It was still good, but after a few bites, I had to pass it off as it was too much for one person.
Well, we can't have one item and call it a day right? So we let the kiddies choose a few more goodies. My son made a real good choice with the Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cannoli. We thought this was much more memorable than the lobster tail as the cannoli itself was crisp and fairly light. The creamy ricotta filling was lightly chocolatey and only semi-sweet. There was so much of it, it was overflowing out the two ends. The chocolate chips added a nice crunch as well as more flavour and sweetness.
My daughter insisted on the Chocolate Fudge Cake which looked really heavy. However, it ate much lighter than it appeared. The cake portion was fluffy and only semi-sweet, hence we could taste the chocolate. The icing portion was naturally sweeter, but not as much as one would think. I hate things that are too sweet, so this actually worked for me. Even with this small sample size, it was pretty clear to me that the lobster tail is indeed a tourist trap in itself. At least I got to try it! The other 2 items were actually quite good!
The Good:
- You can tell people you had a lobster tail at Mike's Pastry
- Solid cannolis
- Good pit stop if you are doing the Freedom Trail
The Bad:
- Super busy
- Lobster Tail somewhat of a letdown
One of the things we had planned to do while in Boston was the popular Freedom Trail. It consists of significant historical sights and spots along a 2.5 mile stretch of Downtown Boston. It is marked by a narrow brick line along the sidewalks it snakes down. So it was only natural to eat lunch somewhere along the trail right? That brought us to Sam LaGrassa's (self-proclaimed world's #1 sandwiches). Featured on the Food Network, the place sports fresh made-to-order sammies with house-made ingredients.
With that in mind, Viv decided to try their Pastrami Corned Beef Combo as an unofficial comparison to the one we had at Carnegie Deli (yes, different city, we know). Well, the one here won hands down. The meats were better prepared in our opinion as the corned beef was buttery soft and well-spiced while the pastrami was even more flavourful. The addition of Swiss Cheese, Russian dressing and tangy coleslaw added extra layers of Earthiness, salt, creaminess and zip. On the other hand, the whole thing was wet which made the bottom slice of light rye disintegrate. My son opted for the Chicken Parmigiana with marinara sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. This was decent with a soft chicken breast (a little too soft and the coating was mushy) smothered in a tangy sauce. I would've liked to see more basil though.
For Costanza, he had the Triple Club featuring turkey, ham and Black Angus roast beef with bacon, Russian dressing, provolone, lettuce and tomato. This was a massive offering which featured tender and meaty turkey, sweet and salty ham and tender buttery medium-rare roast beef. Again, this ate a bit wet, but was good nonetheless. For myself, I went for the Cuban with herb-crusted roast pork and honey glazed ham with chipotle mayo, monterey jack cheese and dill pickles grilled on an Italian Sesame Roll. This was very substantial as the amount of meat was impressive. I found the pork super tender and well-spiced and the amount of pickles really made them impactful. The whole thing was not an actual Cubano, but was pretty good still.
Costanza's son tried to finish the Roast Beef Blues with horse radish, caramelized onions and crumbled blue cheese dressing. He thought there was a touch too many onions as to which I completely agreed. However, the onions were appealingly sweet while the blue cheese added a nice sharp creaminess. Again, the roast beef was on point being medium-rare and tender. So we were not sure that these were necessarily the best sammies we've ever had, but they were still very good. Considering the price point and the massive portions, Sam LaGrassa's would be on my list of Freedom Trail lunch break options.
The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Large portions
- Tasty
The Bad:
- Some sandwiches were too wet
- Gets busy, may have a hard time finding a seat
Being located close to Boston's Chinatown while we were staying at the Hyatt Regency, it meant cheap breakfast! For those who know, I'm referring to Chinese Bakery staples such as BBQ Pork Buns, Pineapple Buns and the sort. Rather than spending $3.00 at McD's for a breakfast sammie or splurging on a gourmet one at Mike & Patty's for $4.50+, one can dine for $1.00. Sure, it really isn't a one-to-one comparison, but hey, it does the job! Hence, Costanza and I took the short stroll down to Bao Bao Bakery for some cheap eats.
We didn't have high expectations since we hail from Vancouver, which boasts some of the best Chinese eats around. However, the buns from Bao Bao were actually quite serviceable. Starting with the BBQ Pork Bun, it was substantial in size and the bun itself was not dry, yet a little dense. It did have a touch of rebound to it though. There was very little in the way of filling which was lean and more savory than sweet. I ended up getting the Dried Pork Floss Bun which was actually quite good. I got the crispy version which was the case on the outside. The same dense bun was somewhat softened up by the sweet mayo concoction while the amount of pork floss added a balanced saltiness.
At first, I was not too anxious to pick up the Wiener Bun with corn, but it turned out to be okay. The dough density was actually lighter due to the shape of the bun. Each petal on the design featured a large section of meaty wiener (which seemed to be beef). In the middle, there was a mayo corn mix that made things a bit wet and sweet. On the topic of sweet, the Pineapple Custard Bun was as heavy as a brick. This was due in part to the same bun density as well as a sweet custard filling and substantial sugary topping. This was a sweet bun for sure and was rather cumbersome to eat.
Lastly, I decided to add a Deep Fried Glutinous Dumpling for kicks. Costanza wanted to avoid it since it tends to be pretty greasy. Yep and so it was as the napkin I was using to hold it became soaked with oil. I still enjoyed it though as the exterior was crispy while the layer of glutinous rice flour was somewhat thick. At the same time, it didn't eat heavy where the filling was a combination of ground pork and water-chestnuts. Okay, there were some shortcomings especially with the bun density, but for the price, these were some pretty solid buns (sorry for the pun).
The Good:
- Cheap
- I like big buns and cannot lie (and these were)
The Bad:
- A little dense
When we looked at the options for our journey from NYC to Boston, there were the usual forms including: rental car, bus and airplane. However, the last and least likely in our minds was Amtrak. After comparing time, comfort and price, we settled on taking the Northeast Regional up to Boston. It was particularly even more attractive since our hotel in NYC was a block away from Penn Station and our hotel in Boston was a short 8-minute walk from South Station. Arriving relaxed and refreshed, we quickly made our way for some lobster rolls at Luke's Lobster.
Yes, we were aware than they have locations everywhere including NYC (where we just arrived from). However, we saved our visit to the one in Boston on Exeter Street. Viv and I had only one thing on our minds and yes, it was kid-friendly... with Noah's Ark consisting one each of a Shrimp Roll, Crab Roll and Lobster Roll (split in half to share). Within the soft and nicely toasted buttered roll, the ingredients were plentiful and well-prepared. I found the crab to be fluffy and full of moisture (not wet though) which meant there were no dry pieces. There was a natural sweetness as well as an appealing brininess. As for the lobster, I got big chunks of meat that had a firm rebound while still buttery. Again, the meat was flavorful with a bounty of sweetness and a balancing amount of saltiness. We also got 4 Jonah Crab Claws which were sweet and bouncy in texture.
My son had the Shrimp Roll and it was bursting with filling. Unlike the version that contains mayo and some form of veg such as celery, this was all shrimp that was buttery and fresh. I liked natural sweetness aided by the sprinkle of seasoning on top. My daughter had to try the Clam Chowder and it was fantastic. Briny and full of clam juice, the broth was flavorful and sweet. It wasn't overly creamy, yet not light either. There was a tonne of ingredients including tender potatoes and tender clams.
I had the Lobster Bisque which was more like a chowder due to the thickness and lack of smooth texture. It was definitely lobster-tasting while trending towards the sweeter side. I was shocked at the amount of large lobster pieces in the bisque. They were buttery and nicely texture despite sitting in a broth. Okay, I realize that Luke's is a "chain" but like I've said before, chain restaurants aren't necessarily bad. This is the perfect example. I would have no problem visiting it over and over again in different cities.
The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- On point seafood
- Casual and accessible
The Bad:
- Prices are definitely cheaper than others, but the rolls are a bit small (even the full-sized ones)
The backup plan. The 2nd option. How about the "if it is convenient only" we will visit spot? Yes, Lady M Confections was definitely on our radar during our visit to NYC. However, it wasn't anything that we had a pressing need to try, even though many have said so. However, there we were at Rockerfeller Centre heading up to the Top of the Rock. Low and behold, there was a location of Lady M staring right at us. Costanza looked at me and I gave a return gaze. A quick simultaneous nod meant we were gonna get some cake!
Of course we had to go for the standard, hence we picked up the classic Mille Crepe. It which featured tender layers that were discernible from each other. Therefore, the cake ate as a whole, but not at the same time (if that makes any sense). In between, the cream was light and sweet with an aromatic floral quality. We thought the Passionfruit Mille Crepe was even better since the flavors were more impactful. Furthermore, the tangy sweetness added a nice zing to the mild-tasting cake. I'm not a big sweets guy, but I could've eaten a couple of these easy since they were pretty light.
The most surprising one was the Checkered Cake as it looked more novelty than actual function. However, it was fluffy, light and only purposefully sweet with a gorgeous silky chocolate ganache on the outside. Once again, this was ate a lot lighter than most cakes we've had. On the other hand, we didn't like the Cheesecake as much as it was dense (not the problem, I love dense cheesecake and it is NYC!) and a bit dry. Hence, it was crumbly and stuck to the roof of my mouth. It was also too mildly flavored as it was more floral than cheesy. Okay, it turns out that Lady M should've been elevated to a destination rather than merely an afterthought. I need to put this on my list whenever I'm in a city that has a location.
The Good:
- Light and airy
- Sweet, but not terribly so
- Finely crafted
The Bad:
- Well, of course it ain't cheap
- Didn't like the texture of the cheesecake
Posts
On our quest to find a better lobster roll than the one we had at Luke's, our journey brought us to Island Creek Oyster Bar near Fenway. It was tough making a reservation for 8 people, but we did it, albeit eating at 5:30pm! No matter, we ended our Freedom Trail festivities early and headed back to the hotel for some rest before dinner. It was easy as taking the Green Line out to Kenmore and walking across the street. Still not sure if we enjoyed the NYC subway more or the T in Boston...
Getting down to business, Viv and I started out with both the Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque. A touch on the watery side, the clam chowder still ate creamy enough. Packed with tender bits of potato and slightly chewy fresh clams, the broth was somewhat briny. We weren't really sure of the bits of still-crunchy onions though as it took away from the rest of the softer ingredients. As for the bisque, it was smooth and creamy with the essence of lobster. There was a subtle hint of wine while the whole thing was sweet with only a mild saltiness (which is a good thing). I thought there could've been a few more chunks of buttery lobster though.
Continuing with the appies, we tried the Salmon Tartare served with various chips. We found the salmon to be buttery with a slight chew being fresh and bright. It was mixed with a good amount of sesame oil which made it aromatic and flavourful. The hard crunch of the kettle chips ensured that it was both a good textural contrast and held up to the wet ingredients. We only got 6 oysters as there was too much food already (don't they have a smaller plate???). They consisted of Island Creeks, Aunt Dolly and East Beach. We found them expertly-shucked, sweet and lightly briny. Since I requested more creamy oysters, these were exactly that.
For our entrees, we went straight for their Lobster Roll. It was substantial in size and stuffed with plenty of lobster. It was lightly dressed and hence, there was a certain saltiness to it. Furthermore, the bits of onion added a crunch (which I didn't find necessary). There was also a slight background tang. I found the roll to be on the denser side and aggressively toasted. This was totally different than Luke's and hard to compare. We also got the Lobster Roe Noodles with oyster mushrooms, beef and large chunks of fresh lobster. I found the noodles to be al dente and dressed in a considerable amount of oil This was necessary to distribute the roe flavour. It did eat heavy though, especially with the addition of beef.
My son didn't stray too far from his self-imposed dietary restrictions and got the Colorado Angus Burger prepared medium-rare. It was done just right in that respect where the meat was not as juicy as it appeared since it was rather lean. There was a nice meaty texture with the accompanying beefy flavors while the outside was seared well. I found the bun rather hard and dense though. My daughter ended up with the kid's Fish & Chips which was rather large (we wondered what the adult size would be like). The thick cut fries were somewhat crispy while totally soft and potatoey inside. The fish was flaky and moist while the batter was slightly thick, yet crunchy. Not sure about the tartar sauce as it was tangy, but missing the bits of pickle and onions.
Costanza also shared a lobster roll with Elaine, but also got the Seared Monkfish which was done beautifully. The outside was crispy and well-seasoned where the inside was flaky and almost buttery. Not bad for a fairly firm and not usually fatty fish. We loved the addition of clams as they added an added component of seafoodiness to the broth underneath. Costanza's son had the Fish Sandwich served with Old Bay fries. The fish was on point much like the ones in the fish and chips. The bun was airier and softer than the burger which worked well with the delicate fish. Tossed in Old Bay seasoning the fries were nicely spiced and flavourful. Although on the pricier side, the meal at Island Creek Oyster Bar was solid and well-prepared. As for the best lobster roll, Neptune was definitely next up.
