Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Boston’s Fish House: Relaxed Atmosphere, bring your Grandma

Standing tall on 16yrs of history, Boston’s Fish Market has been on fringe of Winter Park in a modest strip mall for quite some time. I frequent this mall because of the Aldi in it, but it never occurred to me why there was a constant wave of retirees going back and forth from the parking lot across from the restaurant. Or maybe it was the kidney dialysis center? Or the hopping Jeremiah’s Italian Ice that Boston’s Fish is in between? Whatever the reason I joined the torrent of humans last night.

The weird thing about this place is that you order at the counter FIRST, PAY, and THEN get seated while a server waits on you. Weird. Whatever. Let’s dive in anyway… Boston’s Chowder served over Buttermilk Biscuit $5.25, ¼ lb of Chilled Maine Lobster Salad Sandwich $12.95, Broiled Chicken Breast Fillet with a Ritz Cracker Topping $10.25, and Fried Onion Nuggets and Fettuccini Alfredo as side items.

With the submission of money, I was seated and things rolled out pretty smoothly. In retrospect, I suppose pre-ordering this way keeps the business (especially the kitchen) running smoothly and probably works best for Boston’s. The chowder was thick and gloppy.
The flavor was smooth and starchy. And the biscuit only made things doughier. The small bits of clams were on the lesser-than-generous side but at $5.25 the portion size was decent. However, the bowl that it came in bothered me a bit- it was fire engine red and reminded me that other restaurants use these types of bowls for their salad dressings on buffet counters. No matter how dishwasher-friendly a bowl may be, I think presentation is an important part of the dining experience. I wasn’t expecting fancy, but c’mon…

The Lobster Salad Sandwich was creamy, smooth and packed with lobster chunks. I especially liked the toasted sliced bread folded in half- it gave more attention to the lobster meat that my mouth deserved.
The sandwich worked well in a formulaic way of tastefulology: mayo creaminess + soft meatiness + crispy oily-toastyness = busy mouth.

The Broiled Chicken was quite good.
A light Ritz Cracker topping played well with the chicken. Apparently, this topping is what Boston’s is famous for. Simplicity was the name of the game for this dish and it definitely threw it out of the ballpark.

The sides were… well, sides. Nothing really memorable. The Fettuccini Alfredo was something you’d expect from a Fish House rather than an authentic Italian joint. Using the core of an onion as a fried nugget made for a soft, nuttier taste. But they didn’t end up in my doggy bag.

IN A NUTSHELL: With the rising cost of seafood, this joint still sustains semi-reasonable price points. The portion sizes are not over-the-top, but will satiate you. Service is pleasant and non-intrusive (exhibit A: Diane, our waitress). Presentation of the food would really help this place, but I think their focus is on getting the food out just they want it rather than all the frills and hoops that some other restaurants make you go through.
Boston's Fish House on Urbanspoon

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Patrick's St Patrick's Day


It’s fortunate to have really good friends that are really good cooks. Patrick is known in my circle to host great gatherings accompanied with delicious food.

For St Patrick’s Day, Patrick created a sumptuous meal of Dubliner’s Cheese Soup, Corned Beef, Red Cabbage with Bleu Cheese, and Red-skin Mashed Potatoes.






To end things, a key lime pie (nothing ‘green’ or Irish about it except for the decorative accessory on top of it) was served with coffee.

I did want to mention the soup since it was so tasty and oh so apropos- Dubliner’s Cheese and with Guinness Beer married so well into the soup that it was flawless.

Patrick, if you’re reading this, it was well worth the 2 hours that you slaved over the stove for just for this soup. Great and delicious things develop slow and low!

I didn’t expect a sit-down meal. But I ended up taking leftovers home with me- after I helped with the dishes :)

Tibby’s New Orlean’s Kitchen: Great Service, Wonderful Beignets

Tibby’s has all the décor and ambiance that fits into the New Orleans scene. Heck, my beer was even served in a frosted sundae mug resembling a Chalice.
What was really remarkable was the attentive service. Zero waiting time- the hostess immediately greeted us and took us to an available booth. Almost-zero service time- the hostess left, and a server arrived on her dust to take our drink order. And to top if off, zero ‘and how’s everything?’ time once the first spoon landed in our mouths. Peculiar, but it beats the opposite. I felt that they really wanted you to enjoy the meal.

So, for lunch fare: Fried Pickles ($5) as an appetizer, a bowl of Chicken Andouille File Gumbo ($8), and a Side n’ Half ($6.50) for half an Eggplant Po Boy and a side of Andouille Cheddar Grits. Miller Lite was on draft for $4.

The food was standard and typical of the flavors of Louisiana but lacked a certain ‘oomph’ factor. For example, I didn’t see any Okra in the Gumbo- it would’ve added a hearty flavor.
The Eggplant Po Boy reminded me of Eggplant Parmesan in a sandwich- thin sections of crispy breaded eggplant with a marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Even Tibby’s Hot Sauce was a little on the milder side with more mustard hits than cayenne, and a clandestine twist of horseradish.
Delicious but, in my opinion, toned way down on some promising flavor profiles. I suppose that the middle-road appeals to a broader audience, but Tibby’s risks to become just another restaurant rather than stand out of the pack with their Big Easy menu.

There was one notable exception- the Beignets. A single order ($2.25) got us 3 medium-sized ones. They were searing hot, and fabulously crafted into cocoons flaky layers.
My tongue was taken aback to how delicious these were after a rather standard meal. The generous dusting of confectioners sugar atop the beignets didn’t make the dish overly sweet either. A must try for dessert.

IN A NUTSHELL: Beignets are the keyword for this joint. I’d like to see more striking flavors but this place is good for a broad audience who’s in for a dine-n-dash. The ambiance is friendly and the service is on point (thank you Front-of-House Manager, whoever you are).
Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen on Urbanspoon

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