Missing something good in your life? Find it at Tango…

Let me just set the stage here for a moment…J and I decided to go out for a nice, romantic dinner to celebrate our anniversary. We decided to think outside the Beantown-box and headed out to Arlington.

Bad directions and about an hour later, we were a bit frazzled when we finally arrived at Tango…not the greatest opening for a romantic evening. We were warmly greeted at the door and seated right away. I don’t pretend to know what Argentinean décor looks like, but it didn’t take us long to realize we were in the midst of authenticity. Within minutes, any agitation from getting lost was relieved…primarily by Gabriel, our server.

We confessed to being first-timers and he walked us through the menu. Argentina is apparently very well known for their beef, and I’d say at least half the menu consisted of it. Normally, I’m not a heavy red meat kinda girl, but when in Rome Argentina, as they say… We started with some bread with chimichurri sauce (already on our table). The sauce has a vinegar and soybean oil base, with some spices thrown in, and it was delicious! Gabriel recommended the empanadas as an appetizer and we happily polished off one beef, and one chicken (though he recommends the ham & cheese) - $2.75 each. Based on just the bread and apps, J and I were getting really excited about dinner…

By the way…around this time a guitarist and a singer filled the room with some beautiful music – I highly recommend going on a Wednesday night between 7 and 10, as that’s their performance time…we just got lucky! More good news - we found out Tango is expanding. They started out in one tiny storefront, and are working on moving into a 3rd at this point! Good news for food lovers everywhere.

We decided to share a couple meals, each coming with two sides. We got the Medallon Roquefort (filet mignon, grilled and topped with Roquefort cheese ~ $30) and the Milanesa a la Napolitana (filet of beef breaded, fried, and prepared with red sauce and cheese ~ $20). For sides, we ordered Puré Porteño (mashed squash and sweet potato), mixed veggies, mashed potatoes, and rice. For wine, Gabriel suggested Malbec, a native Argentinean grape, to go with the Milanesa and the Cabernet Sauvignon (also an Argentinean variety) to go with the filet.

I’m really at a loss of words to describe how good everything was. Some highlights…the filet was perfect…melt in your mouth good – the cheese was rich and delicious. J loved the Milanesa and its similarity to veal parm. Our favorite side was the Puré Porteño – apparently lots of butter and cream does the trick! Normally I wouldn’t go into so much detail on the sides, but the veggies were cooked perfectly, potatoes were smooth and creamy, and the rice was flavorful! Perhaps the best part was the wine…I may have to go find a bottle of the Malbec…it was very smooth, but had rich flavor (good if you’re the Merlot type). The cabernet went beautifully with the filet.

Apparently I’m not capable of giving “highlights” when everything is delicious… No need to give an “overall” opinion here, since I have nothing negative to say, except that I selfishly want Tango to move closer to my apartment so I get there faster and more frequently (though, it really isn’t that hard to get to if you have better directions…). Go for a romantic night out, go with a group…just GO! You’ll love it.

Chau!
A very happy Little B :)

Border Cafe may be the place to beat...

Since announcing my quest for the best Mexican food in the city, numerous people have recommended checking out Border Café in Harvard Square. It immediately scored points with me just for being super conveniently located, and I was anxious to try what everyone had been raving about.

I met up with Packie, DD, and Jensky around 6:30 and there was still plenty of room in the restaurant so we got a table downstairs right away. Apparently they don’t take reservations, and I did notice that the place filled up while we were there, so unless you want to wait in line, I would try to get there by 7.

It’s actually a really big restaurant, with some funky art smattering the walls, and a fun “margaritaville” style vibe. Definitely the kind of place you head to with a big group for a night of Mexican madness.

First things first, the service was excellent. DD and Jensky were the first two there and already had chips & salsa, waters, and margaritas by the time Packie and I showed up. Moments after joining them, we had the same. This is going to sound picky, but the free salsa at the beginning left something to be desired, chips were delish though. As per usual, we ordered some guac (homemade) right off the bat. I have to say…it was really good! Nice consistency, lots of garlic and other spices…maybe could have used a little more tomato and onion...but maybe I’m just looking for flaws. Overall, I give it an 8.5.

The margaritas were not too shabby either – good size, and great price (ranged from $6.50-$7.75). And of course, the most important test…I was feeling pretty good after two! Can’t beat that. I will say I found them a little sweet, which I originally blamed on the Contreau in my first one, but my second didn’t have any so I think their mix is on the sweeter side. But with size, price, and buzz-capability combined – these margs get an 8.5 as well.

Now on to the menu…I looked and looked, but where were the burritos?! Turns out, they offer an alternative called a “burro”, which is basically a big version of an enchilada. Smothered in cheesy goodness, and filled with chicken…there was nothing dry or un-tasty about this meal. The rice it came with was spiced up with some veggies and the girls agreed it was probably our favorite part! I will say that after a few bites, the enchilada sauce began to overtake the other flavors, but overall…very good! I give this pseudo-burrito meal an 8 (but at least one point of that is for the yummy rice). Couple of the girls tried the fajitas, which they both rated highly...but said they wished the onions had been cooked longer, and that they had been accompanied by some peppers.

Border Café did not disappoint. It’s definitely on the high end for Mexican food in the city with regard to taste…and didn’t break the bank either. I would definitely recommend this for a group night out - great vibe to get the party started!

¡Arriba!

Little B

PS - Per request, I’d also like to mention that the chairs are kind of weird and have a wooden slat that pushes your back forward a bit…it’s the little things worth mentioning, you know? So bring a pillow if you’re sensitive…

Via Matta when you're feeling classy...

Via Matta has been on my list of “someday” restaurants for a while now. It receives consistently good to great reviews on Yelp and is conveniently located downtown. Sadly though, it’s a bit off my dining price point for a standard night out. Last night, however, I had a date planned with my bestie (Packie) to go see Wicked (fantastic show, btw…definitely go if you haven’t!), so we decided to get all jazzed up and head out for a nice dinner before the show.

We made reservations for 5:30 – absolutely not needed on a Tuesday night, but if you’re registered with OpenTable.com, you make a reservation for everything. Reservations add up to free gift cards, and who doesn’t love that? We showed up at 5:26 since we came straight from work, and the hostess informed us that we were a bit early and the dining room wasn’t open yet. Seemed a little picky to me, but you don’t have to ask us twice to get a drink at the bar before dinner, so that’s just what we did.

Their cocktail list was unique and creative but nothing jumped out at us, so in the end we decided to spring for Cosmos…$12 each and delicious. Prices were as to be expected at this particular establishment.

The hostess came over mid-martini and told us our table was ready, so we carried our pretty pink drinks over and found our little table for two decorated with tealights (good spot for a little romance if you’re there on a date). They served us some delicious bread with olive oil while we decided on our meals. We ordered a bottle of the Salviano, Orvieto Classico ($36)…purely because it’s from a region of Italy I studied in during college and because Orvieto tends to put out nice wines. And it was nice, indeed!

We ordered the spicy calamari with tomatoes, olives and capers ($14). Also, delicious. And, being the classy place this is, they brought us our own little bowls of calamari instead of making us divvy it up from a shared plate. For dinner, I opted for the Chitarra (basically homemade spaghetti) with lobster, peas and spicy tomato sauce ($28). Again…fantastic. I wasn’t even terribly hungry going into dinner, and I polished off this entire meal. So very good. Packie had the Chicken alla Milanese with cherry tomatoes, arugula and red onion ($23). The meal was good, but to use her words, it was “nothing to write home about.”

Overall, it was a really nice dining experience. Like I said, you’re likely to drop a pretty penny in this place so make sure you like your date a lot if you’re planning on treating them to dinner here. But a great place for a relaxing, classy - even romantic evening.

Salute!
Little B

A+ brunch...head to Scups in the Harbor

Simply stated, I haven't had breakfast this good in this city...probably ever. Scups in the Harbor is a tiny hole in the wall place in East Boston just past Piers Park in the marina. But don't dis-count it just because you dont live in Eastie - there is a water taxi from the marina right to downtown Boston - easy peasy!

So there are literally 2 tables in the place - one really long bench, and a booth that could fit probably 8 people. There is also a counter with a couple stools...but that's pretty much it. Several picnic tables line the outside, and you dont get to hog a whole one if there are just two of you. J and I shared with two other couples. We made friends with some of them and they shared some of their other faves in the area, which we'll definitely be trying!

So the way this place works...is that you look up at this wall of colored sheets of paper with hand-written menu items on them, and place your order with a hostess standing in the doorframe between the tiny restaurant and the huge kitchen in the back. You wait for her to bring your drinks (lemonade+prosecco=super yummy sparkling lemonade)...then you head outside and make some friends (or not) while you wait for your food.

Everything is cooked to order so you have to be patient, because you're not going an omelet made with liquid eggs here. Though if you check the menu hard enough, you'll notice one colored sheet with a list of items you can get quickly if you're in a hurry.

I had apple cinnamon french toast and Millionaires Bacon, and J had "the Ultimate BLT." I was trying to sort out how to take some pictures on J's camera phone, and by the time I'd figured it out, half his sandwich was gone (for the record, this is an indication of how fast he ate the sandwich, not how technologically-inept I am). If you've never had pesto on a BLT, you're hardcore missing out. Everything we ate was unbelievable. Im not usually a huge fan of cooked, mushy fruit, but this was fantastic. Amazing fresh flavors, nice big dollop of whipped cream...I devoured it. Toppings change weekly apparently, but Scup's website say this dish "usually involves fruit and LOTS OF LOVE." So cute :) The website also describes the millionaire bacon as sweet and spicy, and unlike anything you've ever had...and its dead on. If you're a bacon lover (and who isnt?) this is a must-try - I honestly cant explain how delicious.

This is the kind of place other decent, trendy brunch places aspire to be. The difference is their food is flat out better. Their decorations include booeys, christmas ornaments, and pipes hanging across the ceiling. But honestly, with food like this...they could decorate with elmer's glue and I would still eat here. These people care about putting out a quality product, and it shows. Definitely worth a water taxi ride over here on a Sunday morning.

Two other things to note:

1 - If you have any extra used books around your apt - bring them over to donate...they have a bookshelf full of books you can buy one for $3 each - proceeds go to women and children's shelters in the area.

2 - Check their hours before you make the trip over to this little gem. They are open weeknights, and in the mornings on the weekend, but the hours are different every day so definitely look it up!

Im off to enjoy my food coma and the Pat's game :)

Little B

Jose's: Out of the Way, Yes. Cheap Margaritas, again...Yes.

So I think its about time to start my quest for the "Best of" in mexican food. My big 3 are always the same: Guac, Margaritas, and Burritos, baby. So some lady friends of mine (namely Jensky, Packie and DD) have agreed to help me in my search across the city, and we started where the deals led us: Jose's Mexican Restaurant near Porter Square in Cambridge.

If you haven't heard of it yet, check out http://www.buywithme.com/ref/KPEP44PZ. We got $40 worth of food and drink at Jose's for $20. Love me some coupons...but enough of that, on to the good stuff:

Guac: I'm a bit of a stickler here...but I must say, it was pretty good! Good sized portion and pretty good consistency (though I like a little more chunk). Could use a little more "sass" though - maybe some more garlic, salt, cumin? Just needed something to spunk up the blandness of avocado. But overall pretty darn good - I'd give it a 7 (out of 10).

Margaritas: We were originally going to order a pitcher of the "flor de jamaica" but the waitress was kind enough suggest we give it a taste first. Look at this cute little display (and no charge!). Turns out - not the best flavor.


So in the end we went with La Especial. A $30 pitcher went a long way: I'd say about 10-12 glasses? Not too shabby! Margs weren't tooo strong, but I'm gonna give some points here for quantity - sooo also 7.

Burritos: Ehhh, not the best. Shredded chicken was dry and I had to ask for some sour cream to fix up the consistency. I don't have much else to say here...4.

Other things to note - this place is probably only worth your trip if you live or work in the area. It's almost a mile walk from Porter Square, so head over if you have a car after work sometime and grab a pitcher of margaritas and some guac.

Also, want to give props to this place for their wait staff - our waitress was great with the margarita samples, snappy with the food, and when she screwed up our bill (swiped our cards for someone else's bill, then had to ask for them back to do it again), she offered us 20% off our bill to make up for the inconvenience. Her sincerity and responsiveness got her the total price of the bill anyway - since the 20% was obviously coming out of her tip otherwise.

Hasta luego,
Little B

Sushi Lovers head to Malden: All Seasons Table is Yummy

Let me start off by apologizing - I went to a Red Sox game yesterday and didn't want to carry my purse. So when 4 of us ended up in Malden eating beautiful platters (and a boat) of sushi, all I had with me was my clutch. Clutch = no camera. Sorry!

Sushi is all about presentation, and sadly, I can't show you, so you'll just have to go yourselves! All Seasons Table Restaurant in Malden (a quick walk from the T) was a great addition to my sushi repertoire in Boston. My roommate tells me there is usually no wait to get in, but as we went on a Saturday evening - 20 minutes at the bar before our table was ready wasn't so bad. I ordered a grey goose mai tai for $7.50 and it was delish. (They also had scorpions bowls but everyone else is classier than me and didn't want to swing for it - kidding...kinda). While at the bar, someone sat down at a piano and starting playing something jazzy. Throughout the evening, the piano was joined by a stand up bass, a trumpet, some soft drums, and a female vocalist. We all know how I feel about jazz. Automatic A!

The hostess showed us to the back of the restaurant where we had our own little private dining area with only one other table. We couldn't see the musicians, but I think it would have been a bit loud in the front of the restaurant, so I was happy as a clam back there.

My honey and I had some edamame and miso soup to start - pretty standard, but definitely good. Our friend's ordered the scallop scallion pancakes which they said were great. We decided to be all romatical and order the Chef's choice boat for two. For $47 we got 2 maki rolls, 8-10 pieces of sashimi, and about 8 pieces of sushi, and it included our miso soups ta boot! I'd say that's a great deal for sushi.

Now I know Malden is a little off the beaten path for many of you, but good sushi is good sushi. This place had ambiance, live music, fair prices, and most importantly - good quality fish. Besides, the orange line is speedy and can get you there in no time. And bring a date - this place has "love is in the air" written all over it...

Kampai! (that's "Cheers!" in Japanese)

Little B

Sidebar for the Win

Now that I've proven I am capable of enjoying a classy evening of jazz and wine...back to the usual. Sidebar is my #1 go-to dive for a few after work beers. Located in the middle of downtown crossing on Bromfield st, Sidebar is a little hole in the wall bar serving $7 pitchers of bud light and wicked cheap wings (they're good, too...).

What I like most about this little spot is that even with its great prices and fantastic locale, it seems to remain a bit of a secret. Maybe I shouldn't be opening my big mouth, eh? Who am I kidding, we're all friends here. Of course I want you there :) But in general, you'll always find a table big enough for your crew and within 5 minutes you'll have 3 pitchers and 50 wings in front of you for under $30. Hard to beat.

One thing to mention, Sidebar is definitely an opener...not so much a closer. The bar empties out pretty early in the night when the hustle and bustle of the work day gets too far gone. I don't recommend heading here for a late night drink, and for God's sake dont bring a date here. But when you've had a rough day at work and you're ready to let your hair down, head over to Sidebar. It won't disappoint.

Oh, and make sure you invite me, too...

Little B