Sapporo Ramen

          Sapporo ramen is located in the Japanese food court in the porter exchange building at Lesley College. I tried it once about a year ago, and have since tried to go back a few times but they’ve always been closed (they seem to close earlier than the rest of the food court). I recently tried again, walking in around 8:30 on a Friday and not only were they open but there was a small line. It wasn’t so bad, and we ended up being seated in about ten minutes.

          I ordered the spicy miso ramen, which I had been craving since my first visit. It was just as good as I remembered, it had a great flavor and really wasn’t spicy at all. It came loaded with ground pork, noodles, corn, and green vegetables. I tried a few bites of the hot and sour ramen, which was surprisingly spicier than mine. It had more of a peppery flavor than the typical Asian spice, and came with noodles, pork, and tofu. It was also very good but I preferred the spicy miso.

 

          We also shared an order of pork gyoza and pork buns (we intended them to be an appetizer, but they ended up coming out after the soup). The gyoza was good, but I would've liked them a little crispier. The pork buns were like little sandwiches, the pork was delicious, very tender and topped with some cucumber and hoisin sauce.

          The meal was just as good as I remembered and so far my favorite in the food court, although I have made it my goal to try all of them.

The Taco Truck

          After hearing about it on facebook and twitter for the past month or so, I spotted the taco truck in Copley Square the other day and decided to give it a try.

         At first I thought the prices were a little high, $4-$5 each, but then I realized that was the price for two tacos (about the same as the New Haven taco places and the authentic restaurants in East Boston). I was a little disappointed they wouldn’t let me order one each of chicken, barbacoa (beef), and carnitas (pork) but I went with the barbacoa and the carnitas and decided I would just have to go back for the chicken.

          While I was waiting for my tacos (they’re all cooked fresh to order) I read the takeout menu and side of the truck, and was surprised to learn that all of the meats are vegetarian fed with no antibiotics or hormones. This is impressive, given that the prices aren’t much higher than competitors who certainly don’t use the same quality ingredients or have the commitment to sustainability.

          When my tacos were ready I ate them right there while they were hot, and they were delicious. Both the carnitas and the barbacoa were cooked perfectly and very flavorful. The barbacoa, which was a little bit spicier, was my favorite.

Barbacoa

Carnitas

          This was a quick, cheap, and tasty meal and if I spot the truck again I will definitely try the chicken tacos (and possibly some of the other options). I’ve also heard they plan to open a brick and mortar location at some point, when they do I plan to check it out!

 

04.28.2012 Final Update to the $33 Challenge

          After one full week, I called it quits and went grocery shopping. I was missing protein, and getting tired of the frozen and processed foods. During the week, I cooked 12 meals, which averaged to $2.75 per meal. I ate several meals at friends’ houses, and went out for a couple of dinners but only spent a total of $40 at restaurants / bars.

          Since the tacos I posted about earlier this week, most of my meals included leftovers and more of the same. I did come up with two creative and tasty dinners similar to meals I’ve previously posted: mac and cheese and turkey meatball and tortellini soup.

Truffle Mac and Cheese with Chicken Sausage:

1. Prepare a box of Annie’s shells and white cheddar according to the directions
2. Brown two pieces of chicken apple sausage
3. Mix sausage into the mac and cheese
4. Stir in truffle salt to taste
5. Pour into a casserole dish, sprinkle parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on top
6. Bake for 20 minutes

Curried Turkey Meatball and Tortellini Soup:

1. Heat a package of chicken broth and 12 turkey meatballs over medium heat (covered)
2. Cook tortellini according to instructions
3. Stir in curry powder to taste
4. Add tortellini to broth and meatballs

          The challenge didn’t go quite as well as I’d hoped, but I think I was a little unrealistic about the sustainability and number of meals I'd get out of this. I did, however, come up with a few good recipes and prove to myself I could eat for less than $75 in a week. A huge improvement from the days when I ate out three meals a day and went to places like L’Espalier on a whim… progress takes baby steps and in the past year, I’ve come a long way!

04-21-2012 Update on the $33 Challenge

          It’s been two days since I challenged myself to cook more, and see how many meals I can make with a $33 bag of groceries and some other basics I had on hand. So far, I’ve cooked four meals at home, starting my total count at four and the cost per meal at $8.25. I know I can do much better, but $8.25 per meal would be cheap if I dined out for three meals a day (and this used to be the norm).

          The first meal that wasn’t at home was a build your own pizza night with some friends. I considered this to be in the spirit of the challenge, despite not being cooked in my home. The second was a beer and light lunch while watching the Bruins game. This was not at all within the rules of the challenge, but I don’t plan to give up my social life completely. I expect to have at least a few meals out; I’ll track these along with the meals I cook, and days before I need groceries (not counting the milk I bought today with $2 in CVS rewards).

          I started out the first day by cooking two meals from ingredients I had on hand in my kitchen. Breakfast was a veggie scramble, I sautéed mushrooms and onions in a frying pan with some cooking spray, added one scrambled egg and egg white, and sprinkled the whole thing with some parmesan cheese. The scramble is my lazy version of an omelet; it doesn’t look quite as nice, but tastes just as good and doesn’t require any special folding and flipping skills (something I’ve never quite mastered)!

          While breakfast was cooking, I started some white bean soup from a mix I had (add water and boil for fifteen minutes). I’m good about eating breakfast at home every day, but I have a lot of trouble with lunch. I don’t like most cold sandwiches, and have an aversion to salad greens once they’ve been in my fridge for more than a day or two. Consequently, I eat lunch at one of the takeout places near work most weekdays. When I was thinking about this challenge and planning my meals, it occurred to me that I have plenty of time to boil some pasta or couscous in the morning, and could reheat it later for lunch. The soup was quick and easy, and I portioned it into three containers for three days lunch.

          Day two was another breakfast scramble, this time with some chicken sausage. I noticed the sausage wouldn’t be good for much longer, and I made a mental note to include it in more meals sooner rather than later. The most creative meal was dinner on day two: curried chicken and couscous tacos. I made one package of near east instant couscous (the Mediterranean Curry flavor) according to the directions on the box. While this was cooking, I heated up the precooked sliced chicken in a skillet with the spicy curry rub. When both the chicken and the couscous were done, I heated some corn tortillas in the skillet and assembled my tacos. They were delicious and had a little bit of a kick to them. They were so quick and easy, I could definitely see myself making this dish again (and maybe add some vegetables if I’m planning them in advance).

The $33 Challenge

          Yesterday I bought one bag of groceries from Whole Foods for $33. In an effort to save money and eat healthy, I’m trying to cook more at home. In order to continue to have material for my blog, I decided to turn this into a challenge and write about it. I do have a backlog of restaurants to write about and I’m not going to stop going out entirely, so the $33 challenge posts will be mixed in with the standard restaurant and wine posts.

         The challenge is to see how many meals I can eat for $33 dollars. I’m allowing myself to use anything from the bag of groceries, anything on hand in my kitchen right now, and I’m counting meals based on the actual number of meals I get out of it rather than the number of unique dishes. For example, if I make a dinner one night and eat the leftovers for lunch two days in a row it will count as three meals.

The $33 bag of groceries included the following:

· One container of chicken broth
· One container of vegetable broth
· One package of precooked grilled chicken strips
· One can of white beans
· One can of lentils
· Three boxes of seasoned couscous
· One container of spicy curry rub
· One jar of balsamic vinegar
· One container of shredded parmesan cheese

Items on hand in my kitchen include:

· Eggs
· Egg whites
· Mushrooms
· Onion
· Frozen spinach
· Dried pasta
· Chicken sausage
· Misc. spices and seasonings (basics plus truffle salt and taco seasoning)
· Milk
· Butter
· Olive Oil
· Frozen turkey meatballs
· Frozen veggie burgers
· Frozen multigrain waffles
· Multi grain English muffins
· Soft corn tortillas
· Frozen polenta

Some possible meals I’ve come up with include:

· Turkey meatball and tortellini soup
· Curried chicken soup
· Curried lentil soup
· White bean, pasta, and vegetable soup
· Curried lentils and couscous
· White bean and parmesan couscous
· Pasta with chicken sausage and veggies
· Truffled pasta with mushrooms and spinach
· Polenta with truffle and parmesan cheese
· Chicken fajitas
· Bean and vegetable fajitas
· Vegetable omelets
· Chicken Sausage omelets

          The plan is to report back regularly on how many meals I’ve eaten with items from the list, and post about the interesting recipes I’ve come up with (if I eat a veggie burger or frozen waffles without doing anything creative I won’t post about it). Has anyone ever tried anything similar? Please comment with recipe ideas or if you want to share a related story!

Hei La Moon

Hei La Moon is a Cantonese restaurant located near South Station, just outside of Chinatown. They serve dim sum and dinner, although I’ve only tried them for dim sum – a traditional Chinese brunch, typically served family style, with many shared small dishes. I’ve also heard dim sum described as Chinese tapas. Severs come around with carts of food, you choose the dishes you want, and they stamp your bill which is totaled at the end and usually very cheap ($3-$4 per dish). The language barrier means you don’t always know exactly what you’re getting, but I enjoy this and think of it as part of the experience. I could however, see this as difficult for vegetarians or less adventurous eaters. 

I’ve never had dim sum outside of Boston, which I’ve heard doesn’t compare to NY or San Francisco, but Hei La Moon is by far the best I've had. The food is always fresh and high quality, and even when the line is out the door, I’ve never had to wait more than ten minutes for a table.  It does get crowded during peak hours, but the place is huge and they do their best to keep the line moving. They seat smaller parties together at large tables, and the carts go by quickly. I’ve had to flag down my favorite carts and have seen people get up from their tables and find specific carts, but I also see this as part of the experience. 

The options are standard dim sum fare including several types of dumplings (most with pork or shrimp), steamed and baked buns (pork, chicken, and shrimp), tofu rolls, shrimp rolls, chicken feet, rice wrapped in banana leaves,  crispy noodles, spare ribs, steamed greens, etc.  My favorites are the fried taro and shrimp dumplings, shrimp rolls, and pork buns. The pork buns are the best I’ve had, both the steamed and baked are light and fluffy, and stuffed with tons of roast pork.

Pork and Chive Dumpling

Fried Taro and Shrimp

Pork and Shrimp Dumpling

One of my friends introduced me to this place several years ago, and although I have tried others since, Hei La Moon has remained my favorite. I’ve brought several friends in over the years, and they’ve also agreed it’s the best in Boston. It’s a fun alternative to typical Sunday brunch, and the perfect meal after a Saturday night out!

Taiwan Cafe

I decided to try Taiwan Café after reading the reviews on Yelp. The ratings were high, so I was expecting it to be good but this is the first new restaurant in a while that’s blown me away. It’s a tiny place on a side street in Chinatown without much else around, and is very easy to miss. When I walked in, I saw the door and windows were covered with awards and thought that was a great sign. I was so busy looking at these that I failed to notice the large sign that said cash only, which meant a run to the ATM later!

                The menu was large with a ton of options that looked good and when we finally decided, the server commented that we had chosen some of her favorites. We started with the Chilean sea bass soup, expecting it to be an appetizer-sized portion. What came out was a huge bowl and after eating two bowls each we took the rest to go, (I had another two bowls for dinner the next night). It was a clear broth, with large chunks of fish (obviously fresh, some had little bones), tofu, mustard greens, and egg whites (similar to egg drop or Italian wedding soup). 

                Next were the juicy dumplings, which were made to order and took fifteen minutes to prepare (we were warned in advance). They were filled with more soup then any I’ve had, and stuffed full of pork and crab meat. Wanting to have room for the remaining two courses, we ate only a couple of these and took the rest to go. They heated up really well in the microwave the next day, I used my quick steam method – place them in a bowl with a damp paper towel and cook for 45 seconds.  

                The third course was the beer-braised duck, which was so tender even the bones were falling apart. This was served chopped and still on the bone, in a sizzling bowl with the broth and vegetables. It came with a side of white rice, which was nice, a lot of my favorite restaurants in Chinatown charge extra for rice. 

                The final course was the braised pork, cooked in a rock sugar sauce, served with baby bok choy and buns. This was carved tableside, and the server explained that the pork and bok Choy was supposed to be stuffed inside the buns almost like an Asian style taco. 

                I left feeling completely stuffed, and didn’t even eat half of the food we ordered. I ate the leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day and still have some in my fridge! The total came to $58, which was food for six meals and two twenty ounce beers. There were so many things on the menu I’m excited to go back and try, and now that I know how  big the portions are I’m sure I could eat for ½ the price and still have leftovers.

Product Review: Trader Joe's Wild Pacific Salmon (Cooked)

Whoever coined the phrase “Good, fast, cheap - pick two) obviously never shopped at Trader Joe’s! The meal I just prepared featuring the precooked, wild pacific salmon took ten minutes, cost about ten dollars (for 2-3 servings), tasted great, and came to only 400 calories per serving.

            Besides the salmon, the dish included instant basmati rice, frozen asparagus spears, and soy sauce and making it was this simple:

1. Start defrosting the asparagus in the microwave for two minutes
2. Heat up salmon in a frying pan on medium-high
3. Remove asparagus and microwave instant rice for 90 seconds
4. Chop asparagus
5. Add asparagus and rice in the pan
6. Toss with soy sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes

The end result was a delicious and healthy salmon stir-fry. Like any frozen or instant food, it wasn’t as good as if it was fresh but it was pretty tasty. The salmon was slightly drier than I would have liked, but I didn’t follow the cooking instructions and can’t be sure if it was the salmon or if I overcooked it. If I had the time I would probably do everything fresh, but on a night after work and the gym when I’m too hungry to wait it’s a great meal!

New Haven Taco Trucks

New Haven CT is known for some famous pizza places (which of course I've tried) but I prefer the taco trucks – a somewhat hidden gem popular with the locals and area college students, and a location just off the highway on Long Wharf that makes them a great spot for drivers passing through on the way to NY/NJ.  I have been twice now, and tried a sampling of tacos and empanadas from each of the trucks. Everything was delicious and fresh, and by far the most authentic Mexican food I’ve had in the northeast.

Prices vary by truck, but most tacos are $1-$1.50 and other items including empanadas, quesadillas and burritos are in the $2-$7 range. The meat is cooked to order and choices include basics like steak, chicken, and pork as well as some more adventurous options like beef head, beef tongue, and conch.  Toppings also vary slightly by truck but the tacos are generally served on warm tortillas with chopped onions, cilantro, a side of fresh lime, and several different types of hot sauce (optional).

After trying the taco trucks the first time, I tried several Mexican places in Boston (high end, casual, even a food truck) and nothing compared. After a couple of months and trying them a second time, I've accepted the fact that I probably won't and decided to just make them a regular stop on anytime I drive from Boston to NY!

Snappy Sushi

I have always put sushi in Boston into three categories:

• High-end places like Oya and Oishii with ingredients like truffles, fois gras, and caviar

• The next level down/typical Back Bay sushi restaurant – I used to consider these over-priced, trendy, and all the same but have recently started to rethink this

• The smaller places with good quality sushi at a reasonable price

     

Snappy Sushi is one of my favorites in the third category. They have two locations (Newbury Street and Davis Square), and serve exclusively brown rice sushi. The Newbury Street location used to offer sushi by the piece for $1, and although the prices have increased, they are still very affordable.

The menu includes all of the basics (maki, nigiri, and sashimi) as well as some specialty rolls and appetizers. Some of my favorites include the tuna tartare (spicy tuna layered on top of fresh avocado and tempura flakes), avocado salad (mixed with crab, cucumber, fish roe, and spicy mayo), and the tuna gone wild roll (torched white tuna on top of an avocado / cucumber roll with flying fish roe and sauce similar to eel sauce). They will also torch any of their standard sushi on request, a preparation I had previously only seen at very high-end places. 

The Newbury Street location has been one of my regular spots for sushi for several years now (especially since they’ve expanded), but I just recently tried the Davis location for the first time. The menu seemed to be the same and I ordered some basic rolls along with the usual tuna tartare and was not disappointed. 

Tuna Tartare

Spicy Scallop Tempura and Tuna Avocado Rolls

Grafton Street

I went to Grafton Street in Harvard Square for drinks after work with some friends and expected a typical pub menu. When I arrived, I was surprised to see a good-sized list of wines by the glass including several American, French, Spanish, and Italian options. I also noticed an extensive beer list but didn’t pay much attention until I was already sipping my glass of montepulciano. When I looked more closely, I was excited to see the draft list included Rapscallion, a local beer and my current drink obsession which I've had a hard time finding. I made a mental note to return, since I  only planned to have one drink. 

My friends and I decided to share some apps and were equally impressed by the food menu, which included typical pub fare as well as some more gourmet options (pork belly, tuna tartare, truffle fries, duck breast, etc.) . We tried the braised pork belly with apples and cheddar polenta, and the cheese plate with apricot honey, walnuts, and toasted brioche. While the pork belly was not the best I’ve ever had (it lacked the crispy skin), it was very good especially for the price and bar location. 

Two apps for three people was a decent amount of food, but we were in the mood for dessert and decided to try the chocolate chip cookie sundae based on the bartender’s recommendation. It was huge, warm, and delicious, and I easily polished off half the cookie in minutes!  I’m not sure I’d make the trip to Harvard Square again solely based on the food (in all fairness it's sometimes hard to get me out of back bay), but if I was meeting friends in the area (or craving Rapscallion), I’d choose it over any other pub.

Mini Bar

     When I first moved to Back Bay earlier this year, my friend and I did a bar crawl one Friday night to check out of some of the spots in my neighborhood. We tried Champions (too crowded) and City Bar (too young) before finally settling on Mini Bar an upscale lounge in the Copley Square Hotel. We scored a spot on some comfy leather chairs and tried a few cocktails and apps. 

     I had a Prosecco split and truffle mac and cheese, my friend ordered truffle parmesan fries, and when everything came out we realized we could have easily split one app. The mac and cheese was my favorite, but they’ve since taken it off the menu (it changes regularly so I’m hoping it will be back). The cocktails ranged $9-$11 (average for the area) but the Prosecco was a great deal because it was a drink and half for the same price!

     While we were there, I noticed a special for $2 Kobe sliders 5-7 pm Mon – Thurs and decided I had to try them. I have since been back several times, and always order the sliders even if it’s after 7! They are some of the best I’ve had, juicy beef, sharp cheddar, spicy aioli, and buttery brioche rolls. I’ve brought several friends in to try them, and not one has been disappointed. 

     Mini Bar was my favorite bar / lounge the night of the bar crawl, and has remained a favorite after trying countless others over the past eight months. It has a great happy hour and late night scene, and I haven't tried them yet but I've heard they somtimes have chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday nights!