Sweet Cheeks Q (A Review)

Amy writes...

Did your 4th of July BBQ make you hungry for more? If so, keep reading. It all started when J wanted to take me out to a schmancy dinner in Boston for my 40th birthday. Due to the busy-ness of the school year, April and May were chock full of nonsense. So we decided to go a week after school got out, and we made it an overnight. Foodies that we are, a good chunk of the 36 hours centered around food, right from the get-go. This is the story of amazing meal number one - barbecue.

Shortly after we got off the turnpike, J, who had recently had a college reunion, took me on a driving tour of the Fenway area so I could see how much things have changed. That's about when we decided we were hungry for lunch and absolutely had to check out Sweet Cheeks Q. Sweet Cheeks Q is a real Texas BBQ joint owned by Tiffani Faison (of Top Chef Season One fame), that offers a unique and sorely needed type of cuisine right near the Green Monster. Their meats are all-natural (including Berkshire pork and locally sourced beef), and they utilize local farms as much as possible.

The decor is simple, homey and fun - sauces, napkins and flatware in old coffee cans sit atop glossy picnic tables. The space is bright and open, with enough light that you can almost imagine you're eating in the good ole' outdoors.  The lunch menu is straightforward (and reasonably priced!) as well, focusing on "trays" that are served with hot or cold "scoops," and sandwiches, with a few other tidbits thrown in for good measure. It didn't take long for us to choose what we wanted - for me, the pork belly tray; for J, a pulled pork sandwich.

Our waitress was young and friendly, attentive and welcoming. When we mentioned we were fans of "Tiff," she let us in on the secret - Tiff was there at that very moment - and said she'd ask her to come visit our table. Chef groupie that I am, I got all verklempt!

"The House Bill 819" - tea-infused Berkshire Mountain corn whiskey

with lemon-mint simple syrup

We enjoyed our drinky-drinks (it was big girl lunch, after all) and anxiously waited for Tiffani to visit and for the deliciousness to arrive. Our trays came first. I had ordered the Berkshire pork belly with a hot scoop of mac-n-cheese. While the fat on the pork was not quite crispy enough for my taste, OMG was the the flavor ever there and more. Smoky and meaty and incredibly good, I coudn't possibly eat it all in one sitting (at least not along with the creamy mac, pickles, Texas-sized white bread, salt and pepper potatoes appetizer, and a few tastes of J's lunch), so I insisted on taking the leftovers. Once we got to the hotel, poor J had to create a makeshift refrigerator out of some ice and a hotel shoe-shine bag for me.

J had better luck finishing her Berkshire pulled pork sandwich, which was slathered with crunchy/creamy slaw and served on grilled, buttered Texas toast. The pork was so tender and juicy, if she weren't so careful, she would have dribbled it all over herself. The "heirloom bbq beans" she got for her side dish were perfectly cooked, sweet and smoky. Although we barely had room for them, the salt and pepper potatoes were crispy fried bites of heaven, like the simplest but most delicious potato skins you've ever had. And although neither pork dish really needed them because the Texas-style dry rub was so awesome, we tasted all three of the housemade sauces - one sweet and smoky (the sweet bbq), one tangy and vinegary (the Carolina), and one sweet/hot and peppery (the cilantro habanero) - and liked them all.

When Tiffani visited, she was kind and hospitable, graciously chatting and accepting my business card as if she hasn't gotten a million of them from foodies all over the place. We so appreciated her taking the time to come out and see us and making us feel special. 

To sum up, every bite was as good as, if not better than, the last. Drinks were strong (in a good way), food was plentiful and comforting, service was awesome, and we met Tiffani!!! As far as I'm concerned, this lunch ranks in my personal Top 3 of all barbecue experiences. I will be back. Chris has got to eat here...and so should you!

Thank you, J, for dinner, a couple of these photos, and everything else, most importantly, your friendship.

To check out J's blog, go here.

Delectible Dim Sum from Winsor Dim Sum Cafe, Boston

Both of us spent at least part of our college years in Boston, but in very different parts of the city. While Amy studied classical languages on the tree-lined campus of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, a swanky suburb, Chris spent his days walking the city streets at urban-set Northeastern. Amy secretly longed to venture into Chinatown to taste dim sum on a Saturday afternoon but never dared; it was on the border of what was still referred to as the "Combat Zone" and "too dangerous" for a college co-ed. That area of the city was where Chris felt most at home. So maybe opposites attract after all.

Steamed Pork and Peanuts Dumpling -

Soft, elastic dough wrapped around minced pork,

boiled peanuts and vegetables.

A nice variety of textures and flavors.

The Combat Zone is no more. Like New York's famed 42nd Street, this area of Boston has been scrubbed and dusted. It's not uncommon to see vacationing families walking down Kneeland for inexpensive souvenirs or a taste of the exotic. We saw plenty walk past as we stopped at a place more popular with the locals than the tourists - Winsor Dim Sum Cafe on Tyler Street.

Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf Packets -

Sticky white rice with bits of roast pork

steamed inside lotus leaf for smoky flavor.

This narrow second-floor eatery was packed with diners (a good sign!) but the wait was minimal, about 10 minutes. Rather than the typical dim sum set-up (food carts being wheeled past tables), Winsor does dim sum and other Chinese specialties to order.

Easy ordering via check-list.

As we sat, we were given a laminated menu with about 40 pictures, a two-page listing of each of those items as well as a few additional offerings, and a red pen. Soon after, we were served a pot of steaming jasmine tea, and we settled in to make our choices.

Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce -

Most likely braised, then fried, these had a gummy

but tender consistency and

sweet flavor.

If you read the first paragraph above, you probably won't be surprised to find that Chris's choices were, shall we say, more adventurous than Amy's. We'll let you guess who chose what. 

Deep Fried Shrimp Rolls -

A crisp wrapper surrounding a delicately poached shrimp

with fresh, crunchy celery in the middle.

This is fresh, hot, authentic dim sum served in a cozy setting by a friendly and welcoming staff. Bonus? Each order is a mere $3.15, and most orders include 3 to 5 pieces, making for an awesome yet cheap lunch in the city.

Baked Roast Pork Buns (served only on weekends) -

A particular favorite, with smoky-sweet

Chinese barbecued pork stuffed inside

steamed sweet bread.

A Spring Afternoon in Boston's North End

Tourists, locals and college students alike flock to the North End of Boston for great Italian food. However, a spot on Cooking Channel's Unique Eats seafood episode drew us past Bacco's and Al Dente and straight to Neptune Oyster for some amazing fresh seafood.

The plate glass window with Neptune's trident is the tell-tale sign that we've arrived at our desired location. The oyster shucker/tender of the raw bar inside that window, silently shucking briny oysters and clams, and arranging Jonah crab claws in a gorgeous pattern, tells us all we need to know. We step in the small doorway and out of the windy sunshine. The place is much smaller than we had anticipated, and crowded, even at the later-than-usual 2:00 lunch hour. Men in suits are lined up at the bar slurping their way through a choice of over a dozen different types of oysters, from both coasts.

The (only) server/host offers us a table as soon as one opens up. Friendly, accomodating and certainly enthusiastic, he makes our exquisite lunch all the more enjoyable with his affable nature. He pours water out of a large, wide-mouthed jar and gives us just enough time to peruse the menu. Chris is all about the oysters, and orders a surprisingly few six, two each of three types of Atlantics, to start. Succulent and perfectly shucked, they are served with (in the end unnecessary) mignonette and cocktail sauces. Amy, ever the meat lover, recalls the spot on t.v. and craves the "Neptunes on Piggyback" - described on the menu as "crispy oysters, Berkshire pig, golden raisin confiture, pistachio aioli" - a layered concoction that seems like it shouldn't work. But it sooooo does. The flavors are as layered as the dish, the textures balanced, and even though there are only two, Amy offers one to Chris and immediately wishes she hadn't.

For the main event, Amy wants lobster, and the hot buttered lobster roll with fries calls her name. The second-largest lobster roll she's ever seen (the first being a gluttonous 3-footer in Maine) arrives, accompanied by freshly cut, crispy, salty French fries. Chris chooses the "North End Cioppino," New England's answer to the San Francisco classic - a spicy fish stew made with grilled fish, huge shrimp, and plenty of clams and mussels, served over saffron rice. Chris asks for bread, server smiles and says, "Let me toast some up for you," and returns within minutes. We dig in and stop talking until we're done because everything is that good.

Once done, we pay and thank and return to join the throngs of people lining the sidewalks of the North End. Although we are satiated (read: stuffed), being who we are, food is not far from our minds. Next door (or maybe two doors down), we spot Lulu's Sweet Shoppe. Amy cries, "Cupcakes!!! Yay!!!" We each buy one; Amy's goes in a little box for later, Chris eats his right away (offering a little taste that Amy can't resist). Yummy stuff. We pass Modern Pastry. Since it's Holy Thursday, the line is half a block past the door. Good thing we got cupcakes because cannoli seem out of the question for now. Next stop? Salumeria Italiana, another tiny location crammed with locals stocking up for the holiday. But this time we'll wait, patiently. The speck, guanciale, 24-month aged prosciutto and amazing citrus oils are worth it.

Now we're stocked up as well, so we take the long way, walking through the neighborhood back to our car. The sun is shining, our bellies are full and we have treats for later.

Life is good.

Trot Trot to Boston: Lineage and Eastern Standard

Amy writes:

Last weekend, my fellow foodie friend Joanne and I took our annual overnight trip to Boston. Every year around the holidays, we put in for our single personal day of the year, attach it to a weekend, and enjoy two glorious days in Beantown. We shop, we drink, and of course, we eat. In fact, eating is usually the whole point of our jaunt, and this year, we happened to visit two restaurants that share one executive chef, Jeremy Sewall. 

We enjoyed Sunday brunch at Lineage in Coolidge Corner, Brookline. Lineage is owned by Chef Sewall and his pastry chef wife, Lisa. While sparsely decorated with a sophisticated and modern feel, the restaurant is warm and welcoming. The menu is printed daily and the focus is on seasonality. Here are some photos from our fabulous brunch which was accompanied by screwdrivers made with freshly squeezed orange juice and (relatively) local Ice Glen vodka from Berkshire Mountain Distillers. It was the perfect start to our trip.

Fish and chips made with halibut

Poached egg over Anson Mills polenta with spinach and bacon lardons

We chose Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square for a late lunch the following day. By chance, Chef Jeremy Sewall is the "Colaborating Executive Chef" at this gorgeous, high-ceilinged, spacious restaurant. The menu is a tribute to New England with plenty of seafood, comfort foods, and seasonal items. The food was as elegant as the space, and certainly deserving of all the accolades it has been getting. Again, let's allow the photos to do the talking.

Beet salad with bleu cheese souffle appetizer

(photo courtesy of Joanne)

Gouda mac-n-cheese with guanciale appetizer

(photo courtesy of Joanne)

Cavatelli with braised lamb and pecorino cheese

Beef brisket with mashed potatoes and green beans

Both Joanne and I agree that both of these restaurants are worthy of further exploration and we'd highly recommend either of them to friends and family (and readers!) alike. The food at both is spectacular, and had us talking (and thinking) about it for days on end. A trip to Boston could only be enhanced by a stop to one of talented Chef Sewall's eateries.