I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

Dining Out

True Southern Hospitality at M3 with Boston Brunchers

 

I’ve been lucky to have quite a few meals recently that afterwards have stuck with me and I have not been able to stop thinking about. One is the tacos, queso, and agua frescas that we had from TacoDeli when I was visiting Austin. Thankfully, I’ve had another much closer experience that has been really memorable. I went to M3 in Somerville with Boston Brunchers. We had a fantastic time and had to practically be rolled out of there. Check out their brunch menu and you’ll see what I’m talking about!

M3 means ‘meat and three‘ which is a play on Southern restaurants that has customers pick out a meal and 3 of the available daily sides. This place serves up your favorite Southern favorites that can’t be missed. M3 is nicely decorated with fun light fixtures, chalk board walls, and pictures of Elvis. It was a nice place that I could sit and really enjoy anothe brunch or dinner. I know the next time that I go for brunch I have to try their shrimp and grits.

One of the really cool things that M3 does is that they make their own pickles. Their pickled vegetables were featured in several of their dishes, as well as their bloody mary’s. I like that they take the time to make their own pickles.

We started with watermelon salad (7). This was a great start as it was light, fresh, and showcased some great picked fruit and vegetables. I had never had pickled watermelon before so it was nice to try something new. I liked that it had the flavors of a pickling solution but it was still pretty light incomparison to the natural sweet flavor of the watermelon.

Then chicken and biscuits (7) came. We each had a chicken and biscuit to ourselves, which was great as sharing is not an option with this. The biscuit was buttery, soft, and flaky, then it was topped with a fried piece of chicken breast, and then covered in a sausage gravy. I loved everything about this. Our table felt this was a bit salty but really good. I prefered it salty but someone might not like that.

This was my first time trying scotch eggs (6). It was really good but it will probably be my last as I just don’t like hardboiled eggs. Kind of a major problem for scotch eggs as they are hardboiled eggs, just coated and fried.

And then the shared plates began with the chicken and waffles (11). This was the one dish that everyone commented on. The chicken and waffles were great but it just seemed to miss the mark, at least in what we were expecting. The waffle was fantastic but the chicken has us wasnting something more. The waffle was soft, fluffy, and sweet and served with some sour cherries. The chicken was tender and coated well but we were disapointed that it was a sweet coating. We were expecting a savory coating as it was paired with the sweet waffle- a little ying and yang action. Had the chicken had a salty coating this would have been a huge winner in my book. I would get this again, but I would just need some hot sauce on the side.

The food kept coming with blueberry pancakes (8). I don’t love pancakes so this was not for me. I felt the pancakes were a little dense but it was nice to have the blueberries and blueberry syrup on top to enjoy with them. There was a lemon flavored butter that was the highlight of the dish.

The last thing to grace our table was the cinnamon bran french toast (9). It was such a beauty. Thick cut french toast that was coated in bran and then drowned in maserated fruit and syrup. Then it was topped with some chocolate dipped bacon. Holy cow. Crazy. I could see myself going back and getting this as I loved the flavor and texture of the french toast. I feel like I need to coat all french toast in cereal now.

I managed to somehow haul myself out of my seat to head home. Then I spent the rest of the day thinking about the brunch and telling myself I could not possibly be hungry ever again. ha!

M3

382 Highland Avenue

Somerville, MA

617-718-6666

*While I did receive this complimentary brunch provided by The Farm School these opinions are entirely my own.

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Monday Munchies: Brutole Restaurant- Danvers, MA

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

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We recently went to Brutole Restaurant in Danvers, MA and had such a fantastic time. The service was spot on and the food was fantastic and really enjoyable. I am so thankful for the groupon that we had as it introduced us to a great place that is a short drive away from our new home.

As soon as we sat down our waiter placed this basket of bread in front of us. Then he placed a mound of grated cheese on a saucer and then drowned it on oil. Thankfully I have a bit of restraint, or I would have eaten 3 basket fulls of this bread with this dipping oil. Carb coma bliss.

We had a hard time picking out our appetizer. We eventually decided on the Mediterranean Spinach and Artichoke Dip that is served with Brutole tortilla chips ($10). This appetizer was served very hot so that cheese was melted perfectly. We felt that the dominate flavors were spinach and feta and that artichoke was missing from the dip. This did not make it bad it just was not as advertised. I think that if this was put under a broiler we would have loved it even more. We had half of this wrapped up to-go and it was still really great the next night.

For my entree I had the Lobster Mac & Cheese appetizer. As soon as I read it I knew I had to have it. I have no resistance against large chunks of lobster meat tossed together with a mascarpone cheese lobster velute and elbow macaroni. Plus on top of that there was a drizzle of truffle oil. It was the perfect pick for just $15.

I loved this as it was really loaded with large chunks of lobster and it was the perfect portion that did not leave me stuffed at the end and feeling ill from over indulging on rich food.

Price picked the fettucini pasta dish that had large gulf shrimp, tomatoes, basil, and baby spinach ($29). A very generous serving was placed in front of him and I was jealous. There were 8 large gulf shrimp nestled under that pasta. Eight large shrimp! I feel that if I get any dish with seafood that the seafood is that after thought and there are 3-4. Very impressive. Price also had half of this wrapped up with some extra bread and it enjoyed it for lunch the next day. 

 

We split the creme brulee ($10) for dessert. It was a generous portion so it was perfect for 2 people. The custard was rich and creamy and had a nice thick layer of caramelized sugar on top. Perfect crack when our spoons broke through.

 

Brutole is not visible from Rt. 1 so I don’t think many people know about it or consider it as Rt. 1 is jam packed with restaurants. I think that it also doesn’t help them that several lights on the exterior are out. I think that if they liven up the exterior then people would feel more welcomed to come inside to see a great space and to enjoy a great meal.

We know that we will be back to enjoy that fantastic food and try one of their great sounding cocktails. I think we’ll grab a seat at the bar and try one of their grilled pizzas and a cocktail next time. That cocktail list has my name all of it!

Brutole Restaurant

65 Newbury Street

Danvers, MA 01923

(978) 777-6633

Monday Munchies: Doug’s Fish Fry- Skaneateles, NY

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

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So I skipped last scheduled installment of  Monday Munchies as I was having a blast with S’mores week. But I swear that this postponement is worth it as I am sharing with you a great place that serves fresh seafood in a great town nestled in the Finger Lakes of New York. I was introduced to Doug’s Fish Fry over 7 years ago when I went back to visit Pricer’s family for the first time. Since then I have been hooked on going there for lunch or dinner.

 

 

Doug’s is a Skaneateles, NY staple as it opened 30 years ago in 1982. Since then they have expanded their restaurant in size and to a Cortland, NY location. The Skaneateles location is really quaint with wood paneling and hand painted murals on the walls. The lines get long and the dining room gets busy but that just goes to show how great it is. Thankfully, they serve quickly so the lines move fast. Also, if you just want some ice cream you can go up to the side window to order.

 

I suggest eating at Doug’s, but if you can’t then you can get your order to go and walk down to the park along Skaneateles Lake. They wrap up your order in large sheets of wax paper. Take the bundle with you, pop a squat (who gets that?), and enjoy your dinner along with the view. The lake is always enjoyable and I highly suggest sitting along the waterfront and taking a walk down the jetty.

Their fish sandwich plate is always a favorite of ours. Also the shrimp and scallops plate are some of my favorites on the menu as well. The fish is always fresh as it gets shipped in all the time. I love that they only serve the best… the best seafood, the best fries, the best cole slaw. Basically, I just love it all. The fries are great with a dash of vinegar or with some tartar sauce. The coleslaw that they serve is great as well. We often get large to go orders of the cole slaw to go with BBQ’s at home as well.

Whatever you do don’t miss out on a sundae from Doug’s. I can’t resist their ice cream and sundaes. It just has this incredible hold on me. They sell pre-made sundaes that are really good but I suggest that you get a sundae made to order to the hot fudge is hot and makes your ice cream soupy in the best sort of way possible. I was once to excited to order a sundae that I ordered a large and once I saw it being assembled I had to cancel our 2nd sundae. They are so large that they are the perfect size to share. But I wouldn’t blame you if you kept it all just for yourself! 🙂

Doug’s Fish Fry

8 Jordan Street

Skaneateles, NY 13152

(315) 685-3288

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict @ Christie’s, Newport RI

When Price and I were wandering around Newport we spotted a pretty nonchalant sign for brunch but there was something that caught my attention on it. Their Bacon Bloody Mary. Yuu had me at bacon. So we hop, skipped, and jumped into Christie’s for brunch. Obviously I got Eggs Benedict! I can’t pass up an opportunity to enjoy it! And enjoy it I did, just like the rest of our meal!

 

Bacon Bloody Mary – so completely bacony. I love bloody mary’s so I love trying different kinds. Our awesome waitress told us that they make their own bacon infused vodka. I like their dedication to making the best- like making a bacon salt mixture to use on the rim on the glass. As a bloody mary lover I really liked this because it was a great balance of tomato, vodka, and seasonings. However, I don’t like smokey bacon and this was made with a smokey bacon so I didn’t love it. ($10)

 

Tomato Bruchetta – Such a great starter. Simple, fresh, flavorful. The tomato bruchetta was fresh and lightly dressed so the tomatoes were really on show instead of being overpowered with garlic, oil, and S&P. The mozzarella was milky and very soft. The greens on top was a nice change from the typical basil. ($4)

Christie’s Burger- Price had the burger and really enjoyed it. It stood tall on a cutting board with a burger, lettuce, tomato, and a tempura onion ring. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare. The fries that accompanied the burger reminded me of fries that I used to get at the beach growing up. The reminded me of summer. ($12)

 

Crab Cakes and Poached Eggs– This is such a great version of Eggs Benedict with it’s large crab cakes, poached eggs, and a tomato hollandaise sauce. The crab cake base was very good with tender, moist crab cakes that were not stuffed with filled. The crab cake was full of crab and tender vegetables like red pepper. The crab cake was seasoned well that it was good alone. I would have preferred for a bit more larger pieces of crab- maybe this was just mixed too much? The eggs were oozey and delightful. The tomato hollandaise sauce was like a typical hollandaise sauce but with a punch of extra flavor. The slight tint from the tomato made the sauce more orange than yellow, which went to well with the green from the herbs in the sauce. The biggest disappointment was the hash-browns. They were so crispy but under-salted so very bland. ($12)

The service here was fantastic from the moment we walked in. Our waitress was kind, informative, and attentive. The place was pretty quiet which is disappointing since we had great food, drink, and service so I hope that people take a step off the street to get into Christie’s. Enjoy the deck and have fun!

Rating

Crab cake– 34 pts

Poached Egg– 25 pts

Hollandaise Sauce– 25 pts

Hash-brown and Greens– 6 points

Total: 90/100

Christie’s

351 Thames Street

Newport, Rhode Island 02840

401-846-8018

Monday Munchies: Bob’s Clam Hut- Kittery, ME

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

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Our yearly trip to ‘gma’s house at Maine’ ends with a meal Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine. And not ones to break tradition, we stopped off there today for our late lunch/early dinner.

The menu is large but easy to navigate. Basically, just about everything is fried, but everything is fresh. Don’t let the price’s intimidate you as they are really large portions. The dinner we get always end up being 2 meals. I don’t think it would hurt to share or to order 1 less meal if you are a large party.

Besides the great food one of the things I really love about Bob’s is it’s green initiative. They serve their food and drinks in green containers and even collect rain water for their landscaping. Please just sort your trash in the correct containers for their composting, trash, and recycling!

 

A ‘Bob & Betty’ dinner with butterflied shrimp and chicken fingers. Several pieces of chicken fingers and several pieces of butterflied shrimp accompany a large serving of fries, cole slaw, and a roll.

A ‘Bob & Betty’ with scallops and clam strips. I often go to a lobster roll but after eating more than my fill of delicious lobster this long weekend I decided to go with a dinner of scallops of clams strips. I do enjoy whole belly clams but I figured Price would be more likely to try the clam strips… ‘they taste like calamari, I swear’. The scallops are cut in half and are perfect size for dipping into a container of cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. Yum!

 

Whether you are spending your day shopping at the outlets in Kittery or just passing through Maine on 95, you have to stop by Bob’s Clam Hut for a great New England experience.

Bob’s Clam Hut

315 US Route 1

Kittery, Maine 03904

 207-439-4233

Hash Benedict @ Deluxe Town Diner, Watertown MA

As much as I reviewed the Hash Benedict at Deluxe Station Diner I am sharing with you my thoughts about the Hash Benedict from the Deluxe Town Diner, the sister restaurant of DSD. For the most part these diners’ menus are similar but our heart belongs to Deluxe Town Diner. Years and Years ago I was addicted to watching ‘The Best Of…” on Food Network. ‘The Best of…‘ was a toned down version of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It was hosted by Marc Silverstein and Jill Cordes and I loved watching it to learn about different places that had great food.* They featured the Deluxe Town Diner since they are so well known for their pancakes. We went the next day.

Since out first time going we have been countless times to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our favorite is breakfast is the menu is so vast

 

 

 

While both Hast Benedict from Deluxe Town and Deluxe Station were awesome, the Deluxe Town Diner is the winner. The hash was on point again with large chunks of fresh corned beef. The egg was cooked better resulting in a perfectly poached egg- set whites and a super bright runny yolk. The hollandiase sauce was velvety and so rich. Perfect indulgent brunch item to carry you through the day (of errands!).

As much as I love the eggs benny on top of the hash the real star of the show is their corned beef hash. It is such a good quality and so fresh. I love that their hash is not just meat and potatoes but there are vegetables, like carrots, in there too. It seems like a great compliment to the potatoes and the salty meat. Lastly, I love that they take the time to shred the corned beef instad of just chopping it up. Shredding it is best as it naturally breaks apart along the gaining in the meat.  (If you also really enjoy hash you should check out this Boston Globe article. yum!)

Rating

English muffin– 20/20 pts

Corned Beef Hash– 20/20 pts

Poached Egg– 25/25 pts

Hollandaise Sauce– 18/20 pts

Side– 9/10pts

Total: 92/100

Deluxe Town Diner

627 Mount Auburn St

Watertown, MA 02472

617.926.8400

*At least I think that is the show I was watching! It has been 7 years so my mind could be playing tricks on me!

Our Cruise Dining- Carnival Cruise 4 night New England/Canada Cruise

Did you know that avg cruise passenger gains one and 1/2 pounds PER DAY? 

Yep! Well that is what Cruise Director Josh said during an info session on Friday morning on our first day Fun Day at Sea. Umm, excuse me? 1 1/2 pounds is 5,250 calories. An extra 5,250 a day! How the hell is that possible?!?! As I sat there in stunned disbelief I started to consider that on a cruise people would eat larger, more indulgent meals, eat more often, and drink a lot of high caloric alcoholic drinks. Well that made me immediately want to die. It actually was good to hear that as it made more much more aware of what I was ordering and made me (try to stick to) the 3 bite rule for desserts.

Here is a little run down on the meals we had in the main dining rooms. There were plenty of amazing food that we enjoyed from the buffets and serving stations for other meals but I didn’t bring my camera around for everything. I do really suggest going to the Mongolian BBQ (Stir Fry) station because that was so good… glass noodles with shrimp. yum!

 

For sit down meals in the main dining rooms there was a menu that had the standard menu items (left page) and the specials of the day (right page).

-Thursday Dinner-

Cream of Sun-Dried Tomato Soup. Must make this at home

Grilled Flat Iron Steak- Price didn’t get to eat this tonight, he had a horrible headache and went to bed. I was tempted to eat 2 dinners, but I didn’t. I swear!

Steamed fish on a bed of tomatoes & onions, a teeny tiny portion of mac & cheese, and steamed, glazed carrots. Everything about this was perfect

-Friday Lunch-

The weather was crappy and it was the first day at sea so we decided to have a long lunch in the dining room instead of the various stations on the lido deck.

 

My California roll sushi and Price’s Mongolia Hot Pot. We both loved our appetizers. The sushi roll was made with real crab, none of that imitation junk!

Shrimp and crap sandwich. Not what I expected but it was good. I did find that all of their tomatoes were not a great quality and/or under ripe and didn’t eat any on the cruise.

Creme Caramel. ‘nuf said

-Friday Dinner-

 

Must hydrate after an afternoon lying out by the Azure Lido (adult only) Pool. We split a bottle of wine for dinner. (Maybe that’s why I fell asleep during the show that night!)

Stuffed mushroom starter. This was very light and so good! Mushrooms stuffed with spinach and topped with some cheese. 

Broiled lobster and shrimp with mashed potatoes and broccoli. I heard some people swapping out the shrimp to get some steak instead- wow!

 

Melty chocolate cake and a carmel apple napoleon. The chocolate cake was insanely rich and the portion was insanely large. I honestly think they should make it half the size, which is what we had and that was pushing it. The napoleon was great and will be easily recreated at home.

-Saturday Breakfast-

Just as the woman next to Price said ‘No, thank you. It’s too early for a drink.’ I ordered one for us. That is just how we roll. It was 8.10 in the morning.

Worst eggs benedict that I have ever had. I had a side of hash. I ignored at as well as I was so turned off from the meal in general. At least that meant I had room for a great lunch in Saint John.

-Saturday Dinner-

ah-MAH-zing french onion soup

Penne with shrimp, scallops, calamari, and mussels. This reminded me of penne al la vodka, but with very fresh sea food.

 

We always ordered different desserts so we could always have a taste of each other’s. We shared the date and fig cinnamon cake with rum raisin ice cream and a diet lemon cake.

-Sunday Dinner-

 

My starter: Maryland crab cake | Price’s starter: small portion of the grilled chicken breast over pasta with a mushroom cream sauce

I did not like this as it had olives- which the menu did not say. I picked out all the olives but I could not get past it to enjoy it.

Orange souffle with a vanilla cream sauce. This was the after pic. 

I give a lot of credit to the chefs and staff on board for preparing and serving such wonderful dishes. I’m proud of myself when I can cook for a party but I can’t imagine cooking for THOUSANDS of people. Amazing job.

Monday Munchies: The Tip Tap Room- Boston, MA

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

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When I heard that Chef Brain Poe was opening a restaurant near my office I was so enthusiastic. I have loved Poe’s cuisine ever since I tried the revamped Rattlesnake menu when he took over as chef there a few years ago. Since then we have celebrated many birthdays and happy events around his food so knowing I could have it much more often was so exciting.

The concept behind The Tip Tap Room is to serve great ‘tips’ while enjoying a refreshing ‘tap’. Steak tips seem to be served in just about every pub in the Boston area, which is what inspired Chef Poe to open a restaurant that focused on innovative tips like steak, swordfish, and various game meats. And to wash it all down there are plenty of taps on hand.

Price and I went on opening day to enjoy lunch there (to celebrate the opening and his arrival back from a long weekend away in Vegas) and we have been back recently for dinner as well. Here are some of the things we’ve had at The Tip Tap Room…

Rock Shrimp- Kataifi & nori fried shrimp, cucumber salad, chile ginger sauce $11.75

This alone is the reason why I would go back again and again. The shredded phylo dough that coats the shrimp stays so crunchy, even as it is in the chile ginger sauce.

Rock Shrimp Salad – Katafi & nori fried shrimp, cucumber salad, chile ginger sauce

As I told Chef Poe during my first visit I think that the Rock Shrimp Appetizer would make a great salad, which is exactly why I had it for dinner. The chile ginger sauce made for a great dressing on the salad. I would have preferred for the cucumber in the appetizer to have been in the salad but it was still a great meal.

Steak Tips- House marinade, horseradish mashed potatoes, cherry pepper & watercress slaw, bordelaise $13.75

The thing I could do without for this dish is the watercress. I don’t like it so it just was pushed aside. Everything else about this is a perfect 10.

Steak Tip Burger – Lettuce, tomato, veal demi, A1 aioli, Russian dressing, brioche bun, served with fries $10.95

Price really enjoyed the Steak Tip Burger for dinner. Instead of having fries with his burger he had a side of creamed corn mashed potatoes. (Our friend has goat cheese mashed potatoes which I snagged a bite of and thought was luscious and addicting.) Price asked for Medium but the burger was way underdone, but was still okay for him since I serve them ‘moo-ing’ at home. We did tell Chef Poe this later on to keep him informed on what is going on in his kitchen when he is not there.

Peach Tip Cobbler –Peaches, cobbler, peach and strawberry ice cream $6.95

shhh don’t tell… I don’t like cobblers like this. I much prefer cobblers with biscuits on top. But Price and I easily shared this since the fresh fruit and ice cream made this a perfect summer time dessert.

I suggest swinging by The Tip Tap Room for a great meal and a refreshing beer. When you go it is must that you sit by the opened garage door style windows to enjoy people watching on the warm summer breeze.

The Tip Tap Room

138 Cambridge Street

Boston, MA 02134

(857) 263-7614

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive. 

Best Pancakes Ever- Polly’s Pancake Parlor

We don’t typically have pancakes at home. I tend to burn them or ruin them in the flip. Plus I tend to enjoy waffles more. Mitch Hedberg and I would have been best brunch friends as we share similar views on pancakes and waffles.

That being said Polly’s Pancake Parlor is the only place that I LOVE for pancakes. We typically only go there when we are camping in the Whites, as a 2 1/2 hour drive just for breakfast is a little tough. So while we were in the area to see the sunrise at Mt. Washington, Price planned on us going there to have breakfast. sweet!

While they have a large menu we each go to the pancake sampler when we are there. Price went with plain blueberry, whole wheat walnut, and cornmeal coconut with a side of bacon.

 

I had cornmeal (no add-in’s), whole wheat blueberry, and plain chocolate chip with a side of sausage. nom nom nom!!!

They bring the pancakes out in 2 batches so that by the time you are nearing the finish line your pancakes are not cold!! The pancakes are so good and are such a treat but they still got the best of me and I left defeated- ha!

 

This cat found Price and had some fun running around after him as he was making a call. Clearly the cat knew Price is highly allergic and knew it would be much appreciated to rub its body all over him.

Well, obviously…

Polly’s Pancake Parlor

672 Route 117 (Sugar Hill Rd.)

Sugar Hill, NH 03586

603.823.8849

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive. 

Filet Mignon Eggs Benedict @ Cafe Mirage, Port Chester NY

In the past my mom has ventured up to Boston to spend mother’s day up here but for the most recent one Price and I went back to G-town to spend the weekend there. It was a whirlwind weekend, as per usual, because my nephews were also performing in a local performance of Beauty in the Beast. So Saturday quickly became Sunday and we found ourselves at Cafe Mirage in Port Chester, NY.

I had called all around for Mother’s Day brunch reservations and thankfully we got one at Cafe Mirage. They don’t normally do brunch so I don’t think a lot of people thought of them  for the typical M.D. brunch. We were able to get a table for right when they opened. Score! I was so glad that I thought about Cafe Mirage because it is one of my favorite places in the area. We’ve gone there to celebrate my birthday in the past as well as just go out for a great meal.

My mom and I both ordered the Filet Mignon Eggs Benedict that Chef Dave Haggerty created for the brunch. As soon as I saw that as an option I knew I would have to have it!!! (Price had the Chicken and Waffles and loved it.) And I was so happy that I made that decision when it was brought out to us. The pieces of filet mignon sat on toasted cutouts of hearty multi-grain toast and on that set two perfectly poached eggs and a spicy hollandaise sauce. The eggs has to have been so fresh since the yolks were so bright. The hollandaise was also very bright, but it was studded with fresh peppers and tiny piece of vibrant green chives.

Hello lover…

Each steak medallion was rather large and carefully seasoned. But in general the steak really spoke for itself, which I really appreciated. I had ordered it medium-rare and it came out medium but it was still so very good. I guess it was good that it came out medium anyway as the foundation of the eggs benedict was a piece of toasted multi-grain bread. It  was nicely toasted and tasted really good. I would have enjoyed it more on a sandwich (oh my gawd thinking about a chicken salad on that… drool!)  more than the eggs benedict. I just think that it did not stand up to the steak juices and hollandaise very well, but that is just me.

The eggs benedict did not come with a side but the meal itself was more than enough. Hello!?! Steak!!! But that made me even more glad that I did order a bloody mary. Our waitress told us that co-owner Katy is a pro at making bloody mary’s and that were in luck that she was there to make it for us. Thankfully it did live up to the hype! Plenty of horseradish and lemon, and just a tiny bit of pepper.

Rating

Multi Grain Toast– 12 pts

Filet Mignon– 18 pts

Poached Egg– 25 pts

Hollandaise Sauce– 25 pts

Bloody Mary– 9 points

Total: 89/100

While Cafe Mirage does not always serve brunch you should still give them a try for lunch and dinner. Some of my favorite dishes are the Bangkok Mussels, Old School Chopped Salad, and Coconut Curry Shrimp. They have a great selection of dishes you can try out. Give them a call when the next holiday approaches and see what they have up their sleeve for brunch.

Cafe Mirage

531 North Main St

Port Chester, New York 10573

914.937.3497

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive. 

Hash Benedict @ Deluxe Station Diner, Newton MA

Recently, Price and I went to Deluxe Station Dinner in Newton, MA for an early morning weekend breakfast. We had been to their sister restaurant, Deluxe Town Diner, in Watertown, MA more times than we can remember. And we would always pass by Deluxe Station as we took the train everyday so we finally made plans to stop in one day for breakfast.

   

 The diner is located at the Newton Centre T stop on the D-line (Green Line). The building is charming inside and out. The diner is located inside the old train station. It is filled with fun accents and interesting artwork.

We settled into a booth together as a friendly waitress gave us some menus. We had checked out the breakfast menu before going so we knew what we were getting but it was nice to take a peak again. We enjoyed some coffee before placing our orders. Price ordered the Deluxe Colossal Hungry Person Special and I ordered the Hash Benedict, natch.

 

Hash Benedict – Two Poached Eggs and Homemade Corned Beef Hash over English Muffin with Hollandaise Sauce and Homefries or Salad… $12.50

My love of Eggs Benedict was satisfied during our visit. The large plate it barely visible with the combination of Hash Benedict and home fries piled high. The eggs are layered with English Muffin, Corned Beef, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. They use the hearty English Muffins from Wolferman’s so the stand up well to the flavors stacked up high on there. I was so excited for this when it was placed down in front of me. I was eager to dive right in.

I loved the combination of each bite. The Hollandaise was very good as it was light, lemony, and very buttery. The color is always so inviting. The Hollandaise was a little lumpy so it was a bit disappointing.

  

The corned beef hash was flavorful, tender, and piled high. I would have prefered it to have been on the griddle a bit longer as I love crunchy edges on corned beef.

 

The eggs were cooked perfectly. The poached eggs were neatly trimmed, the whites were set, and the yolk was warm and runny. Once you pierce the egg the yolk cascades down the corned beef and onto the English Muffin.

A generious portion of home fries were plated along side the eggs benedict. The home fries are simple without adornment with veggies (onions, peppers), but are seasoned well with are fresh herbs.

I highly suggest visiting the Deluxe Station Diner when you crave a great breakfast. If you love corned beef hash or eggs  benny as much as I do then you should really order this. You might want to take a nap afterwards but it will be worth it. 🙂

Rating

English muffin– 20 pts

Corned Beef Hash– 20 pts

Poached Egg– 25 pts

Hollandaise Sauce– 15 pts

Side– 9 points

Total: 89/100

Deluxe Station Diner

70 Union Street

Newton, MA 02459

617. 244.2550

@dluxstation

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The Farm School Brunch with Boston Brunchers

I recently attended a brunch provided The Farm School of Athol with a group Boston Brunchers. Since Athol is nearly 2 hours away from Boston, the brunch was hosted by one of their supporters in Cambridge. It was so nice of the family to welcome the group of us into their lovely home.

While brunch was being prepared we got to hear about The Farm school including their farming, animal husbandry, CSA,  and the programs they offer on their 130 acres, which is made of about 40 acres of open land and 90 acres of woods,

The Farm School has programs for visiting schools that allows them to hosts over 1,500 students every year. During their 3-day stays the students are “fully integrated into the farm operations, rising early for milking, tending to the garden, fields and forests, and helping to cook meals with the food they have harvested.” This allows them to learn about agriculture, sustainability, and themselves. Kids can also experience more through their  camp program by attending week long sessions throughout the summer.

As well as the short term programs, they have their own onsite school for middle school aged children called the Chicken Coop School. The total class is 10-14 students and has 2 teachers, which helps the kids excel with extra attention and a curriculum that allows for hands on learning with an emphasis on critical thinking.

I was starting to feel a little discouraged about all these great programs for school aged children. How can I go there? Well I soon found out that they offer year long Learn to Farm program for adults who hope to have their own farm one day. During the year you learn about everything ranging from marketing, farm animals, forestry, and homesteading. One of the courses is about beekeeping… sign me up!! 🙂

 

Aside from learning all about The Farm School, I carefully watched them prepare our brunch. They provide daily meals for hundreds of students and staff so preparing brunch of us must have been a piece of cake.

When brunch was ready to be served we each took a seat at a lovely decorated series of tables. The tables were covered in canvas table clothes and there was a runner that ran the entire way. Mason jars filled with stalks of yellow forsythia made the table beautiful, as well as filling the room with a light floral scent. Each place setting was marked with a flyer and a handmade napkin. We each we able to take the napkins. Such a cute gift!

 

Our first course plates were fresh cut tree trunks. This provided a rustic look to brunch as well as sustainable place setting. Also served on the tree trunk plates were breads provided from Iggy’s Bread.

We started with 2 versions of bacon. I only ate the strip of maple bacon. The maple syrup  glaze gave the piece of bacon a lovely sweet flavor. The baked on glaze also made the bacon extra crunchy, which I enjoyed since I don’t like very soft bacon. I gave my piece of thicker pork belly bacon to Price. While I am sure it was very good (he said it was) I knew I would not enjoy the texture of it (see above).

The main course was a poached egg on sliced pork schnitzel cutlets with sides of  spinach and potato hash. The eggs are farm fresh and their flavor and color were very intense. I had never seen such a yellow egg before! Besides my million photos I took before diving in, I had to tweet a photo as well since I was so impressed. I loved the poached egg on the pork schnitzel. The egg was covered in a silky Hollandaise sauce (my favorite thing ever!). The pork was very lean, seasoned well, and cooked perfectly. The cooked spinach was so sweet and tender. I wish all spinach was like that. I didn’t love the Adirondack potato hash because I think it was a little plain but the color was fun.

 

Throughout the brunch we were able to sip on coffee, iced tea, and peach bellinis. To sweeten the iced tea we could use ice cubes that had a bit of maple syrup in them. I didn’t notice much maple flavor in my tea but I thought it was a very creative to try it. I loved the peach bellini because the fruit puree was so fresh. I know I will have to try this at home one day!

To round out the brunch, we were served a maple bread pudding made from Iggy’s bread and the maple syrup tapped on the farm’s property. The bread pudding was naturally sweet and very moist. I am always in awe of a bread pudding that achieves the balance of golden brown crunchy top, cooked middle, and soft consistent texture.

Their 2012 veggie CSA has just begun to take sign ups. The 21-week program runs from June to October and offers different options and pick up locations in Cambridge, Watertown, and Orange. And if a weekend CSA is not for you then check them out at the Belmont Farmers’ Market. The weekly market is on Thursdays from 1-7 at the Belmont Center Parking Lot. There you can pick up there in-season produce as well as all-natural meats, free-range eggs, and flowers.

I enjoyed the food so much that I know I will make a point of stopping by their farmer’s market one day after work. I huge thank you to the staff that prepared the meal and our lovely hosts that welcomed us into their home.

*While I did receive this complimentary brunch provided by The Farm School these opinions are entirely my own.

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.