Bistro La Viola

Bistro La Viola
253 South 16th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

This “bring your own wine,” cash only restaurant in downtown Philadelphia is a great place to dine if you like a cozy atmosphere and some tasty veal. The dining room can only fit around 70 people and it gets very tight very quickly on busy evenings so go early. On nice days, one might be tempted to sit outside but there, one might be distracted and annoyed by the city traffic.

Start with the Grigliata Di Calamari (grilled calamari marinated in lemon juice, garlic and peppered extra virgin olive oil) and you’re on your way to a wonderful evening. The calamari is well grilled with some charcoal taste that is not overwhelming. They might add a bit more lemon though as the dish can verge into the too sweet category. The dish is not filling and leaves plenty of room for the Vitello Alla Viola (veal medallions with fresh mushrooms, garlic and prosciutto in a rich veal sauce). What can I say about this except that I am craving it now. The thinly cut veal is perfectly cooked and is juicy and tender. The sauce brings out the rich taste and the mushrooms compliment the dish perfectly.

The tables fill up quickly and since it is “family style,” you may end up with some happy couple sitting next to you as you are enjoying your food. A small price to pay though as the food is terrific and the waiters watch over you like hawks.

(Image by AG)

Kabul

Kabul
106 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
(Check out their website!)

This Afghan restaurant off of downtown Philadelphia came highly recommended to me. Having had a wonderful Afghan meals years ago, I was eager to see what Philadelphia had to offer. The restaurant was a bit dark for my taste (no pictures) but it probably looks fine during daylight hours. I was told that they had good appetizers but, not being all that hungry, opted to wait for the main dish. I had the Bandenjan Chalaw, which is a dish of lamb cooked with eggplant in a tomato sauce with onions and various spices.

The dish itself was great and the taste was pretty good although I expected more of a dance for my taste buds. Now, the dish is hot and you wouldn’t want to eat it alone but I was expecting more of a complicated taste what with all the spices and all. The rice was a bit dry though and wouldn’t have been great if I hadn’t needed it to sooth my burning tongue. As it was, I consumed all the rice with the dish. Not too much of a feat though, given that the dish was not all large and I though they had just brought out a sauce container before realizing that that was what I had ordered. Given the quantity, $15 seems a bit steep.

For dessert we had the Firnee, which is an Afghan pudding with pistachios and almonds. I wasn’t impressed with this dish. I’m not sure what it was. The texture was OK but the taste just didn’t feel right. It was a bit too strong, I’d say where a good pudding’s flavor should be more subtle. Still, my dining companion loved it so that’s a positive endorsement there.

I’ll give Kabul another try probably but my first impression wasn’t entirely positive.

L’Osteria Ristorante

L’Osteria Ristorante
104 Salem St.
Boston, MA 02113
(Check out their website!)

In the North End and in the mood for some excellent seafood pasta? Why not try this little place, which boasts a fine menu and delicious food? Here’s a picture of the Brodetto di Pesce, which is basically a mix of seafood (mussels, scallops, clams, shrimp, calamari, schrod) over linguini, all mixed in a very light tomato sauce. It’s a real job to work through the mound of seafood and the taste makes every bite worthwhile. The dish comes in at almost $24 but is worth it if you’re willing to splurge a little. Add a bit of wine and you’ll probably pat yourself on the back for having ordered some good food and drink.

(Images by AG)

Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks

Starbucks
Your Local Street Corner
Anywhere, USA
(Visit their website!)

I generally do not like large stores like Starbucks but hats off to them for this fantastic drink! I looked in disgust at one as a travel companion ordered it and sipped it with joy after having bashed Starbucks herself. Since it was a particularly cold day and I was curious about the drink, I had just a taste and I was hooked. My travel companion had added a few pumps of Chai to her drink but subsequent orders that I placed were without this additional flavor. I also did away with the caramel as that just makes it too sweet. Check, it out, with the caramel and no whipped cream, this drink brings in 310 calories! I don’t know if my subtraction of the caramel helps much but I think it tastes better that way anyway. So, cheers to this terrific winter drink!

(Image by MB)

Mediterranean Grill

Mediterranean Grill
10 School Street
Freeport, Maine
(Visit their website and check out the full menu!)

This is the best restaurant in Freeport. Go to L. L. Bean or wherever you want in this shopping paradise but be sure not to scarf down too much of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream because you’re going to miss out on a real treat. Whenever I’m in the area, I just have to drop by the Mediterranean Grill. The owners are really friendly and I think they also own the famous “China Rose” restaurants in both Freeport and Brunswick. This expansion into Mediterranean cuisine allows them to demonstrate a whole new range of tastes for the hungry shopper.

Definitely start your meal off with the Sigara Borek. This is a terrific dish with meat, cheese, and parsley wrapped in fillo dough and fried to perfection. It is served with a Caesar dressing-like sauce that compliments the dish. Flakey and crunchy, the Sigara Borek is so good you’ll want it to be your main dish. But there are better treats in store.

My all-time favorite is the Shepard Sautéed. Tender, bite-sized chunks of lamb stir fried with mixed vegetables including zucchini and potatoes served over some buttered rice just make the meal complete. Though the portion is pretty large and you’ll probably have leftovers, you end up wishing you could eat more and more of this delicious meal. I highly recommend it.

The specials vary but these guys know how to do lamb just right so you probably can’t go wrong with any of their dishes if you just want to spin the wheel and see what special treats the chefs have come up with that day.

End the meal with a wonderful custard and some Turkish tea. The custard is a favorite of mine but it’s always a race to see if there is any left by the time I’m done with the main course. Reserve a slice early on and you might just be lucky enough to have this wonderful, tender, and not too sweet custard as your dessert (topped with chocolate sauce!). The tea comes in cute little glass cups and finishes off the meal perfectly. I can’t praise this restaurant enough. Well worth the price and, with a cozy and stylish atmosphere, this place is just a great place to dine.

(Images by AG)

John Harvard's

John Harvard’s
33 Dunster Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(Try this or other locations!)

This is one of my favorite spots in Harvard Square. Though I did not try one, I am told that their beers, which they brew themselves, are very good. JH’s is a special spot since it is also where I first had a “fuzzy navel,” which, apparently some places like Typhoon can screw up rather badly.

The drinks may be fine but JH’s also has some excellent food. The mushroom Swiss burger was one of my regular dishes. The fries are a great treat though they are not entirely healthy for you. The dish I most often get, however, is probably the sesame shrimp salad. This dish comes with greens, tomatoes, a fine Hoisin vinaigrette and fried wontons. The grilled shrimp comes on a skewer and is mighty tasty though you are constantly thinking that the dish is a bit overpriced. Come to think of it, is there a salad anywhere that isn’t overpriced?

The grilled meatloaf is also very good. With a hint of sweetness and a dash of the red wine sauce, this is a fine meal but you better be hungry. The garlic mashed potatoes are not particularly special and they can weigh you down afterwards.

Sorry, no pictures from JH’s as it is a bit dark inside. It is a pub so expect it to be loud, particularly after work.

Metropolitan Bakery and Cafe

Metropolitan Bakery & Cafe
4013 Walnut St.
Phildalphia, PA
(Check out their website!)

this chain of Pennsylvania bakeries is a fine establishment if you want a good pastry, cup of coffee, or a sandwich. I'm not sure if each of the branches has a different menu but the one I tried in University City was pretty good. The menus are not extensive but they offer a pretty good selection. They do breakfast bagels and toast and salads but I was in the mood for lunch. I ordered the roast beef panini and this came with grilled onions, smoked Gouda, and Dijon mustard. A fresh mixed green salad came on the side with balsamic vinaigrette. All items tasted very good.

My dining companion had the roasted red peppers panini and this was served the marinated artichokes, goat cheese, and black olive tepenade. Generally I don't care for goat cheese but the mix of flavors really blended well. She also had the lemon vinaigrette on her salad and that had a zesty taste to it as well.

One complaint though. The panini were too crispy for my taste. Though my dining comrade tells me that the panini was well done as it wasn't greasy, I have to disagree. The crispy bread did a number on the inside of my mouth and I'm still feeling the scratches.