ArtBar revisited

Two years ago I had dinner at ArtBar. You can read my review of that visit here. On that first visit I dined on the patio, which sits right on the Charles River, and it is easily one of the best outdoor dining spaces in the city. Since my first visit, there have been significant changes in the management of the restaurant, including a new chef and a new approach to the menu. I returned to ArtBar this year to sample some vegetarian offerings from their spring menu.

The meal started with a dish of a very good hummus and bread. Throughout the meal, I tried both regular and non-alcoholic cocktails created by bar manager Elizabeth Powell, my favorite being the Pressure, made with ginger, grapefruit shrub, agave, lime, honeycomb and CO2. Elizabeth makes her own syrups and infusions, lending fresh flavors to many of the cocktails. 

The Treats Truck Stop

Today I bring you a guest post from my best guest poster, my mom. You can check out her blog here. This past week marked the 5th birthday of one of our favorite spots, the Treats Truck. In honor of this milestone, my mom brings us a look at the newest addition to the Treats Truck family. 

Photos: Michael Ginsburg

The Treats Truck, a favorite movable place to find a sweet treat, now has its own bakery café, The Treats Truck Stop, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

The café is as bright and cheerful as Kim Ima, the founder of the Treats Truck. The front room is sunny and welcoming with retro Formica tables and sparkly seats.

Dondero Orchards

Strawberry season is upon us and I am doing my darnedest to enjoy it to the fullest. For me, that means going out and picking them as many times as possible. Some of my favorite places in Massachusetts to pick strawberries include Verrill Farm, Land’s Sake Farm, and Russell Orchards. Last weekend we were passing through Connecticut though and I decided to research some pick-your-own options there. There are several farms and orchards in the area, though Dondero Orchards in South Glastonbury, near Hartford, quickly stood out for one reason: cider doughnuts.

The orchard is located down a winding road, past charming houses and a few other farms. We pulled up to the old wooden building that houses the farm store. Inside were quarts of strawberries, baked goods and dozens of types of jam. My priority, though, was the doughnuts. I spotted a tray with two lone doughnuts remaining. I had intended to purchase more than two. I asked the girl at the checkout counter, “Are there more doughnuts by any chance.”
Her reply: “Not already made but I could go fry some up.”
Me: “…Are you serious???!!”
Her: “Yeah, it’ll be about ten minutes though.”
Me: “Take your time!! I’ll go pick some berries!”
So off we went to the fields while the doughnuts went into the fryer.  

Ariana Restaurant

Last weekend, shortly before dinnertime, Dave brought up a meal we had last year that we both thoroughly enjoyed, at The Helmand. We were both craving that sort of food but in these next two months, I am doing my best to try as many new places as possible and not do repeats of places I’ve already been. I set about trying to find if there was another Afghani restaurant in Boston. My search immediately brought me to Ariana Restaurant in Allston.

We arrived early on a drizzly evening and were seated next to the window, looking out on Brighton Avenue. Once seated, our server arrived with the same flatbread and three sauces we had at The Helmand. I found the bread here to be superior-chewier and less dry than The Helmand’s. The yogurt sauce and green sauce, a mix of cilantro, garlic, chiles, lemon juice and vinegar, are excellent.

S & I Thai

My tastes when it come to Thai food are fairly tame and I’m not ashamed to say it. I love pad thai. There are a few other dishes that I sometimes like to order at Thai restaurants, but nothing beats a really good plate of soft, eggy, peanut-dusted noodles. S & I Thai is regarded by many as some of the best, if not the best, Thai food in Boston. Diners flock there for authentic and more exotic Thai dishes, particularly very spicy ones. S & I is also known for having excellent pad thai. It had been a while since I was really impressed with a dish of pad thai, so I eagerly headed there to check it out.

Dave’s beverage of choice at Thai restaurants is a Thai iced tea. They tend to be at least $3 or $3.50 at most places. This one was $1.75 and it was huge. It usually arrives at your table already blended to a bright orange color, as seen below. This one was left unblended, which made for a beautiful presentation. It also allowed you to see the ratio of half-and-half to tea. Which as you can see, is quite high. And you could taste it. This was by far the richest Thai iced tea I’d ever had, almost like melted ice cream. I would highly recommend it, but for the sake of your arteries, split it with someone if you can.

The Publican

I’ll start out by saying that this, my final dinner in Chicago was an absolute delight and I highly recommend Publican. For our final night in Chicago, I had a list of some of the city’s top-rated restaurants that I was considering. Other than Rick Bayless’s restaurants, the only other spot I knew about prior to doing my research was Girl and the Goat. But even two months in advance, I couldn’t get a reservation there at a convenient time. The Publican came recommended by Emily and others. I liked what I saw of the menu and it was not too expensive.

The Publican is located in the West Loop neighborhood. Similar to Fort Point in Boston or the Meatpacking District in New York, this neighborhood was formerly home to warehouses, factories and wholesale markets, but in recent years has become populated with restaurants, art galleries, boutiques and condos. The particular street that Publican is on, West Fulton Market, still seemed relatively undeveloped though. Cobblestone streets added to the overall quaint feel.

Chicago Day 2: Floriole, Sweet Mandy B’s, and Farmhouse

On Sunday, Sean, Sarah and I headed to the charming and scenic neighborhood near DePaul University where two of the places on my list were located conveniently next to one another. Our first stop was Floriole, a two-story cafe and bakery that ended up far exceeding my expectations. Walking in the door, I immediately fell in love with the decor and open layout. Natural light floods the space and dozens of food items filled the counter, making for a colorful and lively display.

I spent several minutes ogling the pastries, but was able to divert my attention from them long enough to consider my savory options to start. There was an array of delicious-looking pizzettes and sandwiches and creative salads. But wanting to fully indulge in the sweets both at Floriole and our next stop, I kept my lunch dish small with the kohlrabi, lentil and apple salad, along with a kouign-amann, a pastry that masqueraded as a side dish.