Estragon

          Estragon in the South End is a great spot for tapas, I've been going for years and I'm not sure why I've never written about them before! 

          In my most recent visit I tried a mix of old favorites: the tortilla, garlic shrimp, and braised beef cheeks along with two dishes I'd never tried: piquillo peppers stuffed with braised goat and grilled Spanish octopus.

          

          The classics were just as good as always; the beef cheeks incredibly tender and the tortilla a very generous portion and perfect balance of egg and potato. I also enjoyed the new dishes, especially goat stuffed piquillos. The meat was incredibly tender and topped with a balsamic glaze that brought out the sweetness in the peppers.

          Estragon also has a great wine list with plenty of bottles at price points that pair well with the food. It's a place I know I can always go for a reliably good meal.          

Pasta Beach

          I recently tried Pasta Beach for the first time when I happened to walk by it; it's right on the water near the Boston Harbor hotel. The menu consists mainly of pastas and pizzas, all of which are available gluten free!

          I tried the pasta carbonara which was prepared traditionally with egg, parmesan, fresh cracked pepper and tons of crisp pancetta. It was delicious and the serving was huge! I ended up taking half to go and it made for an excellent lunch the next day.

          The fiance ordered a pizza with sausage and mozzarella, which he also enjoyed.

          The service at the bar was excellent, and at around $60 the meal was very affordable. If you haven't tried Pasta Beach, I definitely recommend checking it out!

Bogie's Place

          Bogie's Place is a speakeasy tucked inside the back of JM Curley, a tiny high end steakhouse hidden behind a curtain in back of the bar. I tried it for dinner this week with a friend, when we took advantage of a Gilt City Deal they're currently offering: $150 for a three course dinner for two with wine pairings.
           I started with a half dozen of the oyster's for the night. They were pump, briny, and incredibly fresh. I enjoyed them with just a hint of the house made mignonette.

          My friend ordered the wedge salad which looked amazing topped with tons of crispy bacon!



          We both ordered New York strips, which were huge! I didn't think I'd even come close to eating it all, but somehow I finished the entire thing. It came with just a hint of balsamic glaze on the plate which added the perfect amount of contrasting sweetness.



          For dessert we shared the vanilla mousse topped with chocolate covered strawberries. The mousse was rich, creamy and flavorful. I would come back just for this dessert!

           If you want to check out Bogie's Place using the Gilt City Deal  and it's your first time, use either of my referral links for an additional discount!

Dig Inn

          Dig Inn is a New York restaurant that recently opened a new location in Boston on Boylston Street. The concept is casual, you order at a counter and build your own bowl with combos of grains, veggies, proteins, and more. All of the ingredients are healthy, fresh, and seasonal.

          I went in for lunch on Saturday, and was excited to see that they still had breakfast available in addition to the lunch and dinner entrees.



          I decided to try the five hour egg in a glass, which came with a poached egg served over mashed sweet potatoes, leeks, bacon, and gruyere.



          This was the best breakfast I've had in awhile, and at just under $5 extremely affordable! I definitely plan to go back in and try the lunch and dinner menu soon!

Bisq

          Bisq is a tapas restaurant in Cambridge from the same owners as Bergamont, and has been on my list to try since they opened. I finally made it in this past week when I took advantage of a Gilt City Deal they're currently offering. The deal included half a dozen oysters (broiled or raw), four small plates, and two glasses of wine. The fiance and I went in planning to use the Gilt voucher and add a few more plates, but the portions were generous and so filling that was all we needed!

          We started with the broiled oysters which were done simply with some butter and spices. These had a little bit of heat to them, and were delicious!

          The next dish was the shrimp toast served with a New Orleans style creole BBQ. I'd heard great things about this dish beforehand and knew it was something I definitely wanted to try. It more than lived up to the hype; the toast was crunchy with tons of shrimp, and I loved the sauce. I would go back just for this dish.

            Next was the potato gnocchi with lemon, ricotta, and peas. This dish was surprisingly light and I loved the contrast of the fresh lemon and peas with the seared gnocchi.

           The pan seared bass with lemon butter sauce, fresh veggies, and potatoes was also incredibly fresh and flavorful. The bass was served with perfectly crisp skin and still light and flaky.

          Our final course of the night was Korean short ribs with spicy peppers; they were a perfect ending to a fantastic meal. 

          In addition to the Gilt City Deal Bisq is also offering a Groupon deal $60 for a six course meal for two. If it's your first time using either, use either of my referral links for an additional discount! 

The Perfect Portion Cookbook Review

          I recently tried out some recipes in the new The Perfect Portion Cookbook, from Happy Days’ TV star and director Anson Williams. The book includes 150 guilt-free comfort food recipes and a 100 calorie counting system to help you portion each one according to your diet. There are even example meal plans for various calorie needs at the end of the book!

          The book was developed in collaboration with co-writers Bob Warden a New York Times best-selling cookbook author and Mona Dolgovma top nutritionist, and was inspired by Anson Williams’ own challenge to remain healthy, fit and energetic at the age of 65.


          I've tried three recipes so far including the Chicken and Dumplings, chicken piccata, and chicken salad. The instructions were very easy to follow, and I loved how the authors came up with ways to lighten up classic comfort dishes by making minor substitutions like using yogurt in place of most of the mayonnaise in the chicken salad.

Chicken and dumplings

Chicken piccata

Chicken salad

          I also really like how each can be portioned in 100 calorie increments, and the meal plans that show you can eat the foods you enjoy and still be healthy and lose weight!

The Perfect Portion Cookbook is available on Amazon for $29.95 and includes the following:

•  150 simple and enjoyable recipes
•  7 days of perfect portion meal planning
•  10 recipe chapters, spanning breakfast and casseroles to seasonal favorites and desserts
•  10 secrets to staying fit and healthy, including exercises that burn 100 calories
•  Tips for 100-calorie smart snacks

Munch Mobile Kitchen

          Munch Mobile Kitchen is a food truck that serves an eclectic mix of fusion street food; everything from tostadas to bao, to hot dogs. The toppings are interesting, with the goal of elevating classic street food and the presentation is excellent.

          The truck stops at my office once a week, and I recently tried them for the first time after hearing great things from my coworkers. I was tempted by the pork tostada (below), which everyone raves about but ended up going with the bao.

           

          The bao came stuffed with tons of tender boar meat, and was topped with a spicy aioli and fresh cilantro. They were delicious and I would definitely order them again!

          Munch Mobile Kitchen posts their schedule online; if you see them around town they're definitely worth checking out!