Boston Eats

C says, I have been fortunate enough to be in Boston for a few days, unfortunately without H. So, I am diverting from our usual format to give a short run-down of where I’ve eaten. H says, not that she stopped telling me about all the delicious food she was eating while I was at work. It’s like water torture for me. I love Boston.

Legal seafoods: http://www.legalseafoods.com/ (various locations) 

You can’t throw a rock in Boston without hitting Legal Seafoods, but this is an iconic, quality chain. It was my first stop in Boston. I had a cup of clam chowder and the mussels, and on the subsequent visit, the lobster bisque. The bisque was divine--it edges out the chowder for yumminess--but is extremely rich. The mussels were nothing short of AMAZING. Nicely spicy, perfectly sauced, and some nice, crusty rolls to go with. The appetizer portion is quite generous, and the combo of that and the chowder had me stuffed. I was tempted to try the lobster roll, but when lobster is  $3-$5/lb up here, the cheapest in years, your “market price” of $23.95 does not seem like a good deal! That price was not completely out of line with other places, though you can even get a lobster roll at chains like Panera and Au Bon Pain up here. H says, much like a BMW, you are paying a bit of a premium to eat at Legal Seafood, but there is no denying the quality.

Boston Chowda Co: http://www.bostonchowda.com/

Voted the best clam chowda in Boston, so I had to try  them out. The chowder was absolutely delish, very affordable, and narrowly edges out Legal for tastiness. I got the lobster roll combo, which was a lobster roll, chowder, and a drink for $16.95. The lobster roll is the mayo-style lobster salad on a traditional top-split bun that has been grilled. Tasty, but again, very rich.

Sweet Cupcakes: http://www.sweetcupcakes.com/

I stopped in for a small cupcake (about $1.75). I got the chocolate with chocolate frosting. The frosting was not overly sweet, but there was so much of it--probably as much frosting as cake, which is  not my ideal ratio. Not bad, but n ot mind-blowing. Sucre at home in  NOLA is my benchmark for cupcakes, and they didn‘t make the grade. An affordable sweet treat, though. i ,will say that the cupcake I had at a conference function at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel was better.

Towne: http://towneboston.com/

I went to Towne for a conference-related function, so I didn’t order off of the menu, but the food they catered for the event was delicious (mostly antipasto, and a really tasty Israeli cous cous and calamari salad, thin crust Margherita pizza, etc.)

Teuscher Chocolates: http://www.teuscherboston.com/

Two pieces cost me almost $4. I had the caramel truffle and some sort of nougat concoction. They were tasty, but did not live up to the 3 pieces I picked up from the Lindt store, which were  also cheaper. It was an  interesting little shop, but I’d recommend heading to Lindt instead!

Skipjack’s: https://www.skipjacks.com/
I had the cioppino, which was delish! Shrimp,calamari, mussels, and scallops in a lobster-tomato broth with a piece of garlic toast. I would have liked more bread, but it was very good. My friend had the seafood Cobb salad, which was huge, with shrimp, smoked salmon, and lobster salad on it. He said it was great. H says, Oh, god why aren’t I in Boston too :(...most fantastic city on the East Coast.

House of Siam: http://houseofsiamboston.com/

I was excited to go eat some Thai because I love it and H never wants to go with me. I stumbled upon this place, so I decided to go in, since they were prominently advertising multiple awards for being the best Thai in Boston. The restaurant was cute and each table had a vase with 3 fresh roses, which was a sweet touch. I got the pad thai, because I usually like to test out a Thai place on that basic, popular dish. It was a big portion, came quickly,and was pretty tasty.Not the best I’ve ever had, but I was satisfied. However, shortly after leaving the restaurant I broke out in hives all over my face and shoulders! I don’t have any food allergies that I know of, so it was very strange. I have to assume it was the food , though because I don’t think I encountered anything else in  the meantime. So, I don’t think I’d go back, just to be safe.  H says, ok might leave that off my list...

Adolfo's

611 Frenchmen Street  New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 948-3800    No website!
(Sorry again for the lack of photos--we'll update the next time we eat here.) 


Overall Ratings (H in orange, C in purple) 
Food: B+/A-
Ambiance: A/A-
Service: B-/B
Drinks: B
Overall Experience: B+/A-

H says, Adolfo’s is my favorite place for a night out when friends are in town. It is not too expensive but the food is great and the decor is cozy, just the way I like it. It is a bit hot in the summer but not too bad as you can wear a t-shirt and shorts and be fine. The best part is it is located on Frenchmen St, which means you can leave dinner and go catch some live music and drinks after without having to drive or take a cab. So if you have friends in town that have never been to New Orleans, go here your first night, just make sure you show up by 6 or there won’t be any tables left. Cash only, but don’t worry, they have an ATM in the restaurant. 


C says, This is another restaurant that I had heard a lot about but never tried til I went with H. It's located above the Apple Barrel on Frenchmen, and it is tiny. No reservations, cash only. The food is good and the prices are reasonable. (Entrees range from $13.25-$25.50, with most under $20.) The food is Creole Italian/Seafood, and I'd recommend the fish. They change what is available depending upon what's fresh, and then you just pick your sauce. Yum! 
Overall thoughts from H: 
First thing's first, make sure you go to Adolfo’s and not the Apple Barrel. The restaurant is above the bar and accessed by the small staircase on the side. Don’t get spooked; just walk up the stairs and through the door. It is a very small place with a tiny kitchen. The floor is crooked and everything looks like it is from the 80’s or 90’s but I just love it. [C says, I'd say the decor's older-looking than that, but it may just be that the building is so old.] Reminds me of the great family restaurants in Boston.

The drinks list is not extensive but their wine is good and they usually have a discount on the red wine at the tables, which is normally a Chianti. The menu is long but the jist of it is this: skip the pasta dishes, all the fish dishes come with a side salad or pasta. Order the fish. First they will tell you which fish they have in stock for the day, then figure out which sauce you want. Make sure you order the mussels appetizer and ASK for the white wine sauce. It is not on the menu but if you ask they will make it and it is amazing. [C says, We love the mussels here, and whenever we eat mussels elsewhere, we see how they measure up. Sorry, Tempt, not even in the ballpark!] They also sometimes have a rack of lamb which is amazing. It depends on what you feel.

Now there if there is one bad thing you can say about Adolfo’s, it is the service. The waiter knows me by face but has still gotten my pasta order wrong every time I order. I am not sure at this point if he is playing with me or what, but at this point it is just something C and I laugh about every time I order. [C says, The pasta that comes with the fish is served on the side and comes with red sauce, but H always requests alfredo instead, and the waiter always brings him the red anyway. We did have a different, younger waiter last time and had no such problem. Otherwise the service is good, and any little quirks just seem fitting with the atmosphere and worth a giggle.]

For my meal, I went with the Grouper with the shrimp and crawfish sauce. It is a large portion. Very delicious but very big. The desserts are not great, but most of the time you won’t have any room anyways. [C says, H thinks any place that puts raisins in bread pudding does not have good desserts, even though that is traditional! Take this warning with a grain of salt.] My suggestion would be to skip dessert and walk down to any of the local bars to grab a drink and listen to some music. It’s a great way to finish a great meal.


C says, H always gets the pasta with his fish, but I always opt for the salad. If you like salad, I'd urge you in that direction--you're going to have more than enough food and their house dressing is a creamy creole-mustard concoction--it's really yummy. I've had drum and grouper here, as well as one of the pasta dishes, and the fish is the way to go in my opinion. I especially like the crabmeat sauce (Fish Cruz), but you can get the fish with ocean sauce: they cover half the fish with the crabmeat sauce and half with the shrimp and crawfish sauce. That way you can try H's fave and my fave at once! I have never had room for dessert here, so I can't even tell you what they serve or if it is any good. If you get the mussels first, followed by the fish, you won't have room for dessert either and may even take some food home.

G.W. Fins

808 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
504-581-FINS   http://gwfins.com
 
(I promise we'll work on getting photos of the food, but we haven't been to GW since before we got the idea for this blog! the photos featured here are from the restaurant's Facebook page.)

Overall Ratings (H in orange, C in purple)
Food: A+/A
Ambiance: A+/A
Service: A/A
Drinks: A+
Overall Experience: A+/A

H says, Much like our Olympic athletes, GW gives it 110%! This wonderful restaurant is by far my favorite in New Orleans so far. The prices are a bit higher, but again, the service, the food, and the wine are all top-notch. If you want to go out for the evening and have an amazing meal in a great atmosphere, go here. If you don’t, go anyway--you will love it.

C says, H introduced me to GW Fins. Though I had heard about it (and had eaten their lobster po-boy at the Po-boy Festival: OMG), I had never been to the restaurant. It is a great place to go for a nice night out. Entrees range from $21-$38, with the majority just under $30, which is certainly not cheap, but not exorbitant for a special occasion by any means. The thing I like best is that they change their menu every day based on what is fresh, so you know you're getting the best fish. (There are a couple non-seafood entrees on the menu, but when you're at what has been dubbed the best seafood restaurant in New Orleans, get the fish!)
Overall thoughts from H:
First step, make a reservation. If you plan on eating in the dinning room anytime after 7pm, make a reservation and when you do, ask for a booth in the back. The back booths are perfectly lit and allow you to look out over the rest of the dinning room. It is, in one word, perfect. Dress is business casual. The first time I went, I wore a jacket and did not feel out of place, but just a collared shirt and slacks will work just as well. [C says, The back booths are really nice and cozy, and you'd probably be comfortable in anything from a sundress to a cocktail dress, depending on your mood!]

Once seated, you are presented with a menu which changes daily based on what fresh fish and foods they got in that day. They tend to stick to a few dishes, all of which are amazing but you will almost always see something new when you go. The wine list is amazing--a great selection by the glass and by the bottle. If you are unsure of what to get, ask the waiter when you order. I tend to stick with red wine regardless, but my Dad had a number of white wines which he enjoyed. [C says, Their signature dish is the "scalibut": halibut topped with sliced scallops and served with lobster risotto. Delish, if just a touch salty. But, everything I have had there has been good--you can't go wrong.]

Now, once you have ordered food and wine, they start bringing out biscuits. Warm and delicious with butter, if you finish these, they bring more, and more and more, until you stop eating them. Be careful or you will fill up on these and not want dessert. Trust me, wait, it will be worth it.

The last time I went, I had my favorite, Yellowfin Tuna served rare with light vegetables and sticky rice. This meal is to die for. The fish is perfect and the sides absolutely enhance the dish. If they have it on the menu and you enjoy tuna, get it. The servers will continually check on you throughout the meal to make sure you have everything you need. It is not overbearing and every time I was about to complain about something they would solve it before I said a word. The only reason I gave them an A instead of an A+ is that they don’t grovel over you the way they do at Commander's. Which is fine, but an A+ is for perfection, as as much as I love G.W. Fins, the restaurant isn’t really set up this way.

For dessert, I would recommend the bread pudding, as it is fantastic. Also, I believe all bread pudding should come with vanilla ice cream and they were happy to add this to my desert; making it absolutely perfect. Any of the other desserts are great as well, but the bread pudding is fantastic. [C says, the bread pudding is white chocolate bread pudding with dark chocolate chunks and caramel. It really is delicious.] Did it come through that I really enjoyed my experience at G.W. Fins? I absolutely plan on being back time and time again. Right now, actually they have a great summer special where you can get a 3 course meal for $35. That is well worth it as well, but if you want the full experience, I would go with it, it may be a bit more expensive but definitely worth it.

C says, The summer special is a great deal (my three courses were cheaper than H's wine!). It is only Sunday-Thursday, and the menu changes daily. Last time I had the crispy lobster appetizer, which is basically the lobster from the po-boy they make at the Po-Boy festival--yum!, then the flounder, and finally the chocolate cherry cake with butter pecan ice cream. The ice cream was splendid. I also have to give a shout out to the sizzling smoked oysters that are often available as an appetizer (H's dad would be so upset if we didn't mention them!)--they are really delicious, though they don't top Drago's charbroiled oysters for me. This is definitely H's favorite, and I love it, too. I'm happy to go whenever he wants!