Wasabi (Natick)

A couple of weeks ago we were hanging out at the Natick Mall. While walking through the first level looking for a good place for a quick lunch we stumbled upon Wasabi, a modern Japanese cuisine sushi restaurant. The revolving belt carrying sushi and other delicious Japanese bites immediately caught our eye and we had to give it a try. 

Revolving belt 

Wasabi's system is relatively simple; costumers pick a color coded dish off the revolving belt, the color of the item designates the cost of each plate. The dishes run anywhere from $2.50 to $5.00, which makes Wasabi extremely affordable. The restaurant also offers a hot dinning menu. 

Revolving belt item prices based on plate color

We picked five items off the revolving belt; an avocado roll, a cucumber & avocado roll, a Philadelphia roll, a shrimp tempura roll, and a crunchy roll. The quality of the sushi was excellent and the service was good. This interactive dinning experience is fun for the entire family. Next time we are at the Natick Mall we will definitely be stopping by! 

Shrimp Tempura Roll

Philadelphia Roll

Crunchy Roll

Cucumber & Avocado Roll

Avocado Roll 

For more information on Wasabi please visit http://www.wasabisushi.com. 

Not Your Average Joe's (Randolph)

Last weekend we headed over to Not Your Average Joe's in Randolph, MA. We have been to Not Your Average Joe's once before and had a great experience. This time around we once again had a good time. This family friendly, comfort food restaurant delivers a reasonably priced, delicious meal! 

One of the best parts of dinning at Not Your Average Joe's is their bread basket. The thick pieces of focaccia bread are cake like and delicious when dipped in their parmesan, crushed red pepper, and olive oil mixture!

                 

James is a huge blueberry fan and Aida loves sangria! Therefore when we say Not Your Average Joe's Sparkling Blueberry Sangria, which is composed of Nantucket's blueberry vodka, brandy, blueberry juice, sparkling pinot grigio, muddled blueberries, and mint. The blueberry flavor was a bit lost among all the other ingredients, however the sangria had a refreshing quality perfect for a spring day! This is one of Not Your Average Joe's monthly specials, so come June it will be gone! 

As our first appetizer we ordered one of Not Your Average Joe's monthly special appetizers. These Pulled Pork Pretzel Bites are made of pretzel bread topped with pulled pork, house-made barbecue sauce, cole slaw, and crispy onion rings. These pretzel bites were not the highlight of our meal. The bread was soggy on the bottom and fell apart when picked up. Also, the entire dish was lacking in salt and bbq sauce. The crispy onion rings were delicious and the pulled pork was extremely tender.

As a second appetizer we ordered the Buffalo Caribbean Chicken Tenders which are hand breaded, tossed in a mango buffalo barbecue sauce, and served with a pineapple jalapeño salsa and blue cheese dip. As far as chicken tenders go, these were decent. However, we would have liked more mango flavor in the mango buffalo sauce. It's a great sharing portion but as a whole these chicken tenders were just ok. 

Next we ordered the Almond Crusted Goat Cheese Salad. This salad is composed of organic greens, raspberries, caramelized pecans, a raspberry vinaigrette, and goat cheese disk. This salad was delicious! All the ingredients worked in perfect harmony! The flavor of the cheese cut nicely through the acidity of the vinaigrette and the pecans added a much needed crunch. This was a well made salad that we would definitely order again! 

Last but not least we ordered the Tuscan Grilled Chicken Sandwich, with melted mozzarella, marinated tomatoes, grilled chicken, basil pesto aioli, and arugula on a ciabatta roll. The mozzarella cheese was perfectly melted! The chicken was juicy and well seasoned. The only downfall to this dish were the soggy french fries. However, the sandwich itself was a great way to end our meal! 

As a whole Not Your Average Joe's is a great restaurant for a family dinner night out or for a group of friends looking for good food, good prices, and great service! We really enjoyed our experience and would definitely consider returning! 

For more information on Not Your Average Joe's please visit http://www.notyouraveragejoes.com. 

The Barking Crab (Revisited)

Last Saturday we decided to give one of our old favorites a visit, The Barking Crab. Last time we dinned at The Barking Crab something was off and therefore we did not have the best experience. Warning, if you decide to re-read our first review please bear with us, it was only our second restaurant review! This time around, we are glad to say that The Barking Crab has turned it around and is back to being the great seafood restaurant we know and love. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was great, and the service was good!

To start out our meal we ordered a few Oysters on The Half Shell. These oysters were perfectly chilled and well cleaned. They were not gritty. It was a very refreshing way to start the meal! 

When dinning at The Barking Crab you must order their delicious New England Clam Chowder. This tub of creamy clam chowder is more than enough to split between two people for it is extremely filling. The chowder had nice chunks of potato and plenty of clams. It's not the best clam chowder we've had but it is definitely high on the list! 

Our last appetizer were The Barking Crab's "Barking" Crab Cakes. First of all, these crab cakes were all crab, there was very little fillers. They were well seasoned and had a good flavor. However, we did find the portion to be a bit small considering their $13 price tag. 

Last but not least we had the Fried Fish Sandwich, which  beer battered cod served with a side of tartar sauce and lemon. The beer battered cod was absolutely delicious! The whole dish was well made and properly seasoned.  Our only complaint would be the french fries accompanying the sandwich, they were soggy and cold. Aida loves a great fried fish sandwich and this one rose right to the top of her all-time favorite list!

We had a good experience this time around at The Barking Crab. Our server was attentive and informed us of the days specials and of some dishes that were unavailable. We suggest sitting on The Barking Crabs picnic style, "outdoor" patio for the cool atmosphere! This is not a romantic first date kinda place but it is definitely a great hang out spot for small groups of friends! 

To read our previous review on The Barking Crab please go to http://www.bostonfoodandlove.com/2012/03/barking-crab.html. 

For more information on The Barking Crab please visit http://www.barkingcrab.com. 

Baked Jalapeño Poppers

We love jalapeño poppers! So, we decided to put a healthy spin on the traditional fried version of this delicious appetizer. We substituted regular cream cheese with reduced fat cream cheese and added fresh herbs to lighten the filling. We also baked the jalapeño poppers instead of deep frying them. 

The result: a delicious, healthier version of a deep fried favorite! 

Ingredients:

Jalapeños (8)

1 cup of reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature 

1 cup of sharp shredded cheddar cheese 

Crushed Black Pepper
Fresh Cilantro
Liquid Smoke 

Salt 

Bread Crumbs 

2 eggs 

Baked Jalapeño Poppers:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Clean the jalapeño peppers 

         -Make an incision down the middle and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds

3. Put the peppers aside and make the cheese filling 

         -Using an electric mixer beat the reduced fat cream cheese in a large bowl until it becomes creamy

         -Add the cheddar cheese and mix again 

         -Add salt and black pepper to taste and mix 

         -Add Liquid Smoke to taste and mix 

         -Add finely chopped fresh cilantro and mix

4.  Stuf the jalapeño peppers with the cheese filling 

        -Scoop the filling into each pepper carefully using a small spoon 

        -Do not over stuff the peppers, make sure you can close the incision in each pepper 

5. Make an egg wash by betting two eggs together in a small bowl and add breadcrumbs to another bowl

6.  Dip each pepper in the egg wash and then roll them in the breadcrumbs 

          -Repeat this step two times

7. Place the jalapeño peppers in a greased baking pan 

8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden brown 

9. Enjoy! 

If you have any questions about this recipe please don't hesitate to contact us at bostonfoodandlove@gmail.com

         

Shake Shack (Chestnut Hill)

Last Monday James had the day off from work and forgot to eat lunch. So Aida decided to treat him to a burger at the newly opened, much talked about Shake Shack in Chestnut Hill. We went on a Monday at around 3pm, there was no line and plenty of open tables. However, we have driven by it when the line is out the door and wrapped around the corner....needless to say we go lucky! We loved the predominately wood decor. As far as "fast food" places go, Shake Shack was rather good! 

Now, we have a few fast burger joints around the Boston area, such as UBurger. As far as the quality of the food Shake Shack rose to the top of the list. Their burger meat did not have that processed, yucky  taste most fast food meats have, which is good considering we try to avoid fast food, especially those with drive-throughs, at all costs. The order, sit down, wait for buzzer to ring, pick up food, sit down, eat system makes it feel more like casual dinning and less like an actual fast food joint. 

James ordered a single patty Smoke Shack, which is a cheeseburger topped with ranch dressing, all- natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry peppers, and ShackSauce. This burger had a definite smoke flavor. However, there were just way to much of the chopped cherry peppers. The patty was juicy and the cheese was perfectly melted. Overall, a good, smokey burger!

Aida went with a straightforward single patty Hamburger, topped with onions, lettuce,

and a side of ShackSauce. The ShackSauce added a spicy kick to an other wise plain burger. The hamburger patty was thin yet surprisingly juicy. This was a tasty, well-prepared, simple hamburger!

We shared a side of Shake Shack's Fries, which are crinkle cut Yukon potatoes. There is not much to say about these fries except that they were deliciously crispy and great when dipped in a side of ShackSauce!

Last we had Shake Shacks Black & White Shake, which is a mixture of chocolate and vanilla. The shake had a balanced flavor, the chocolate did not overpower the vanilla. This particular Shake Shack only offers one size of shake. 

Overall, we really liked Shake Shack. It is the perfect place to grab a quick lunch and maybe a little something sweet. We recommend sitting in Shake Shacks large outdoor patio. Also, Shake Shack has a variety of offerings for our four legged friends. We would definitely give Shake Shack another try! 

For more information on Shake Shack please visit http://www.shakeshack.com. 

JM Curley

Last Saturday night we decied to go to JM Curley because several bloggers and journalistic publications said they served the best burger in Boston. We are not ashamed to say, we are burger lovers! James makes some amazing burgers and, not to brag, we haven't found one that beats his. However, we will say that JM Curley does serve a pretty great burger, in a gastropub like setting, with great service, and some other funky food! 

We were in a gastropub like place so why not try a cocktail! We had JM Curley's Dark & Stormy cocktail, which is composed of dark run, lime, ginger brew, and dark sugar rim. Keep in mind, cocktails are not our area of expertise. Yet, we really liked this one! The flavors went well together and the sugar rim added an unexpected sweetness to the drink. We would definitely order it again! 

We ordered a few of JM Curley's "snacks." The first was Curley's Cracka Jack..yes, that is how it's spelled....which consisted of caramel candied popcorn, dangerously delicious bacon, roasted peanuts, and a prize. The bacon added a nice saltniess which complimented the caramel candied popcorn perfectly. All the flavors of this dish worked harmoniously together! The caramel block was a fun twist on the traditional prize!

          

Our second "snack" were JM Curley's Fried Pickles, zesty-dill house pickles served with a creole mayo. You could tell everything was house made. The mayo had a sheen that normal, out-of-the-jar mayo does not. It also had a velvet like texture. The pickles were very well seasoned and the dill was not overpowering. Aida actually enjoyed them even thought she really dislikes pickles! A must have when eating at JM Curley!




As our first entree we ordered JM Curley's Double Down. Now, this dish is described fried chicken, with a curry mayo, micro cumin, pea shoots, mint, and a side of jmC hot sauce. Yet, when the dish hit the table we were forced do a double take...it looked more like two pieces of french toast than chicken! Confused by the appearance of the dish we ask the waiter if that was the correct dish, indeed it was. JM Curley grinds their chicken and turns it into two bread shaped pieces. The freshly ground chicken was very well seasoned. The fresh herbs added a nice freshness to an otherwise heavy plate. The jmC hot sauce cleverly comes served in a plastic dropper. The hot sauce was vinger based and had quite a kick to it! Overall this perplexing looking dish was borderline amazing! A great part of our meal!






Last but not least we had the much talked about, the piece of resistance...JM Curley's 9oz Natural Angus Burger, with cheddar cheese, griddled onions, pickles, pop's russian, and french fries. The burger was perfectly cooked to a medium with the cheese throughly melted over it. The fries were very well seasoned. We would have liked just a tad bit more of the griddled onions. As far as the best burger race in Boston, in our humble opinion, JM Curley's comes in a close second place!

We really enjoyed our experience at JM Curley. Our waiter was very accommodating and attentive. The atmosphere was laid back, with minimal decor, and exposed brick walls. We would recommend this restaurant to small groups of friends looking for good drinks, great food, and affordable prices. JM Curley does not take reservations so we recommend getting there early! A great Boston hangout spot! 

For more information on JM Curley please visit http://jmcurleyboston.com. 

Stephanie's on Newbury

To finish Aida's 22nd birthday celebration James made reservations at the well known Stephanie's on Newbury! We have probably walked by this restaurant a hundred times and always wondered what the food was like. Last Saturday we put an end to the mystery and walked in. The decor reminded us of a classic hotel restaurant; it is a bit dated. Our server was extremely welcoming and provided great service all through our visit. The food had great flavor! 

To start, our waiter brought us an assorted bread basket. It included a matzo like cracker, a scone like bread, a dinner roll, pumpernickel bread, and a biscuit. We thought the mix of breads was original and delicious! When the bread basket arrives proceed with caution, it may be tempting to eat all of the different breads...remember to leave room for the rest of the meal! 

It was a cold night so we ordered a bowl of New England Clam Chowder. The chowder had a deliciously creamy texture! It was well seasoned and had nice chucks of clam and potatoes. 

As an appetizer we ordered the Pan Sautéed Crab Cakes with jalapeño tartar sauce and a spicy aioli. The crab cakes were well made. They were all crab and very little filling. The jalapeño tartar sauce and spicy aioli gave them an unexpected kick of flavor! There was a small trace of fishy flavor to them but apart from that they were a good part of our meal! They were served with a side salad. We appreciate that Stephanie's on Newbury takes the time to dress their accompanying salads...it shows a lot of finesse!  

As our first entree we had Stephanie's on Newbury's Thai Style Chicken Salad, which is composed of slow roasted chicken, shredded romaine, napa cabbage, fresh vegetables, peanuts, lime chile dressing, and crispy wontons. This salad made us wish it were a warm summer day...it was very refreshing! The fresh flavors and crunch of the ingredients were a great combination! 

To finish our meal we had Stephanie's on Newbury's Oversized Stephi Burger, which consists of a ground sirloin patty, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, and sautéed mushrooms with a side of french fries. We must congratulate the grill cook at Stephanie's on Newbury for the cooking of the burger...it was cooked perfectly to a medium temperature. The bacon was crispy, the mushroom added an extra meatiness to the burger, and the cheddar cheese was perfectly melted. Overall this was a great tasting burger! 

Even though we were celebrating Aida's birthday we decided to skip dessert. The dessert choices looked great but we were just to full after our great meal. Stephanie's on Newbury delivered good food and great service! We would recommend it to small groups looking for a good place to eat on Boston's famous Newbury Street! 

For more information on Stephanie's on Newbury please visit http://www.stephaniesonnewbury.com/.