Car Accident after delicious Duck

I had quite the traumatic experience last nite.. on my way back from a delicious fun night at Harvard Sq with an old friend…..

But before I get into that…. back to my story. I got in a hit & run just like 10-15 minutes away from my house.  Witnesses behind me said they saw a hit and run… I just heard a boom, freaked out, swerved, hit the curb and mailbox.  Entire right side TOTALED.. windshield shattered… front right part of car GONE… front right tire FLEW off, back right tire flattened… and it just looks horrible.

The tire that flew off

Fucked up

Bye bye my baby…

No worries I passed all the sobriety tests [def wasn't drunk] just had to deal with insurance and police reports, ugh.  A bit sore and possibly bruised from the seatbelt… neck is sore… but other than mental distress I think I’m OKAY right now.. just want to keep on sleeping.. woke up super late today to file insurance report and then made some scrambled eggs and had it with a whole avocado with chulula hot sauce.

Bye bye my baby red Matrix XS. I did love you so.

Altho I am annoyed and kinda glad my airbags DIDN’T GO OFF.  And to the guys who came and helped me and was my witness.. thanks thanks so much for being amazing and sweet.

[https://socialcam.com/v/PoC7cW7h?autostart=true]

So I guess onto the good parts…

Old friend showed up late…..  so I had was at Chameleon myself.

I got a touch up on my ankle… and a new addition to my collection.. actually dedicated to my mother. There’s a little story behind it… my mom, when I was little, used to ask me all the time “How much d you love me?” and I’d open my arms as wide as I could and say.. “for infinity…” :]

If you ever want a tatt at Harvard Sq’s Chameleon ask for Rueben.. he’s my man!!! He’s the shit!!! :]

Anyways finally met up with my friend for a few drinks before dinner…. got him the most awesome book “How to tell if your car is plotting to kill you”… [he has two cats] thanks to Oatmeal.  A few Garden Saison beers at John Harvard’s Brewery

And then a delicious dinner at Upstairs on the Square

Dinner time… with bubbles..

He got the grilled salmon on top of pearl onions and saurkraut and broccoli….

My roast duck with blood orange and other yummy flavors…. so fatty meaty and delicious. JUICY TO THE CORE!!!

Dessert was a Napoleon… with the most amazing chocolate chip vanilla bean ice cream.  The Napoleon definitely wasn’t what I expected, more cake than flakey. No flake at all.

And then a champagned induced addition….

Snack Time at LA Burdick

And after the sammy and the pizza…

In front of me….

Raspberry Tart & The BurdickLayers of japonaise biscuit and rum ganache

I had the Americano. W had the Chai Latte. Both Amazing. AND both… were amazing, so were our desserts :] Good choices W :] TEEHEEHEE.. altho I was distracted by the FOB Girl and Parsian Guy couple next to us the whole time… His Raspberry Tart had the most AMAAAAAAAAZiNG Whipped Creme EVER!

Snack Time – A slice of Pizza at Otto

So Mario Batali was NOT so happy about Otto in Boston…because of HIS Otto… Meh, SERIOUSLY?! It’s a coinkidink, NOT a rip. This place was pretty good. W told me about it while we walked over to eat some.  He got pepperoni was was…. SOOOO greeeeasyyy it was dripping all over his plate. BUT. My Cauliflower and Mushroom was DELICIOUS. NOT greasy.  Great bubbles on the thin thin crust and I sprinkled it with hot red chilli flakes. OH JOY.  Great snack after my…. huge sammy :]

BTW, be warned.  W got their lemonade.  It was watered down and with no sugar. I loved the no sugar part but the watered down part I could not deal with.

Don’t worry, we ate more….

Only at Cardullo’s in Harvard Sq – Sandwich = Perfection

“Lets get Pho…”
“Now I want a Burger…”

“Actually let’s just go to Cardullo’s first…”

A Mexican Coke & Sparkling Grapefruit Juice later…

W got a Rueben

Corned beef, swiss cheese and sauerkraut with Thousand Island dressing on marble rye, toasted

He loved it.

I got the Hearty Harvard – per usual I couldn’t choose so I asked behind the counter what was his fav. One guy said this, the other said ‘Not making one…’

Smoked turkey [You could also choose it with roast beef or corned beef] and cole slaw with Thousand Island dressing on a baguette

The bread was crunchy AND fluffy on the outside. OMG the bread was soooo fresh and delicious….. I haven’t had mayo-based cole-slaw in ages but it paired SOOOO well with the drier THICK layer of turkey, fluffy bread, crunchy flakey crust and then YES, the Thousand Island dressing :]

W was such a sweetie and gave his half of sandwich t the sweetest homeless guy sitting near us. OMG. WHAT A SWEATHEART. Afterwards we wandered into the BEST. STORE. EVER. Blank Ink.

AHH such a good start to wandering around Harvard Sq…… no worries we ate a few times more in the next two hours :]

“The Indian Food is throwing me off…” – Brunch at Taj Cafe & the Butterfly Garden

Me and W had brunch at the Taj Cafe and seeing the menu completely threw me off. I’m a HUUUUUGE savory brunch person…. eggs are a must.. but then seeing the yummy lunch and indian lunch items along with the normal brunch menu freaked me out. UM UM UM. A bellini first please. W already knew what he wanted. DAMN I was thinking of going Indian…….. EGGS? Boring….  I almost got a boring omelette or benedict.. OKAY FINE.  Get the thing I crave all the time and rarely get anymore. Waffles.

Waffles. They’ll always remind me of visiting daddy for dinner at MIT.  DIY waffles COVERED in super syrupy sugary blueberries…. always a good memory of 5th grade.  Waffles it is.

For some weird reason I thought he was gonna get the Butter Chicken Masala but I SWEAR this is totally the

Chicken Biryani

Chicken & Saffron Rice cooked encaserole, yogurt & blend of spices

I blame the heat, the sun, the sun IN my eyes, the heat on my back, switching seats, etc… and probably a few bellinis on me NOT knowing what he got BUT that it was delicious. NOM! I stole a few bites of everything :]

And then I got the, yes, Waffles

Belgian Waffle with Berries and Honey Cream

Fluffy, light and decadent. Need I say more?

And of course more bellinis and a side of bacon. W got a delicious Mango Lassi to go with the Indian theme. MMMM…

And then we went to the Museum of Science…

BUTTERFLY GARDEN!!!

They landed on HIM but not ME! WTF?!

W with the Best couple ever

Heh.

BBest bag ever…

After more randomness at the Museum of Science *LOVE* Lightening Room, Body Exhibit, etc etc….. OOOO and I ALSO LOVE THE NEW FOOD ONE…

I need this book *hint hint*

We also got a lot of…. Space Ice Cream MMMMMMMM……

Balling out at Craigie on Main, 8 Course Tasting

You guys may know by know that one of my favorite restaurants in the area is Craigie on Main.  Not really in Boston, Cambridge near MIT but still :] I still say I live in Boston even tho I live in the woods hahahah….

BTW on the way  I witnessed a crazy car crash RIGHT in front of us.  Our taxi was getting onto Storrow Drive and there was a car in front of us who got smacked COMPLETELY in the front half and 90degree’d blocking one of the exists.  HOLY CRAP.  It was so loud and I screamed haha.  Thankfully no one was, at least not obviously, hurt but it was CRAZY and mad damage to one of the cars. YIKES.  Our cabbie kept complaining about it too hahaha… “Night driving is bad for people who don’t know their way around here” lol…. YIKES.

…but yes back to the point. The topic.  The main reason why I’m blogging here this afternoon and procrastinating at work [shhh!!! Hi Boss!!] What can I say about Craigie that I haven’t yet before? It never fails to disappoint, and plus I love pig.  They have the most amazing pig tails and pig’s head :] YUM

LOVE the atmosphere…

LOVE the open kitchen

Source

hipster bartenders with the pornstaches kinda freaked me out a bit… not gonna lie… *cough

Just LOVE LOVE LOVE everything :]

So what we get drunk?
So what we smoke weed?
We’re just having fun
We don’t care who sees
So what we go out?
That’s how its supposed to be
Living young and wild and free

So why not go all out after a huge brunch and eat a 8+ Course Tasting meal :] And perhaps get a little drunk…. and minus the weed [altho it'd probably help with the consuming of all this food yeah? HA!]

Ready to gooooo gooogooooo?!… We started off with some drinks while they set up the table.  I requested a nice big corner table and we got one :] Yay! So comfy!  We did have amazingly amusing neighbors.. including a poor guy who looked like he was trying to get laid but was doing a total womp womp job. Also he inhaled the hard rolls in like 4 bites smothered in butter.. over and over again LOL, and then the long table of  loud Japs.  OMG. LOUD!  THE TEETH! HAHAHA… OH the stories I could tell about it, but onwards to more interesting things and the reason why you’re here.

Seafood Amuse Trio

I remember getting a seafood trio the first time I ever ate here so I was excited to get delicious little bites again. I LOVE restaurants that constantly change their menu and work with what they got and what’s in season. YUM. Fresh and delicious.

Squid Noodles, Nuon Cham, Toasted Garlic

I LOOOVE raw squid, these were SO good!  From the crunchy strong garlic on top to the fish sauce OMG.. it was like a little bite of Thai heaven. Happy dance in my mouth and into my belly.

Foie de Lotte [Monkfish Liver], Miso-Mustard Vinaigrette, American Sturgeon Roe

It was super creamy but all I tasted was the roe :[   They were running around in my mouth and I was busy catching them between my teeth to pop them. Salty roe taste but no monkfish liver :[ But like I said, super creamy aside from the eggs hehe.

Smoked Scottish Salmon, Buttermilk Vinaigrette

Very delicious. I love smoked fish!!!

Crispy Fried Nove Scotia Smelts
Preserved Lemon, Pickled Peppers, Squid Ink Anchoïade

I adore fried smelts. The last time I had them were when they were a special at Legal's.. [ugh they SO need to put it permanently on their menu! ADORE!] But this was to another level. Screw the forks and knives we dug in with our fingers.  Bones and all [obviously] It was delicious. And the squid ink?! Freaking amazing!  This dish was SOOO major!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I could’ve eaten a bucket full of this.. and you could dunk my shoe in that squid ink and I’d devour it.

Dayboat Cod à la Plancha
Cumin and Daikon Salad, Savory Carrot Ju

Soft flakey cod with a nice skin – a light delicious carrot jus and I LOVED the sunflower seeds. For some weird reason, sunflower seeds always remind me of the salad bar at Sizzler when I was like 4 hahaha. Is that weird? Sunflower seeds and bacon bits. OH SIZZLER lol. Do they even exist anymore? Why am I going off in so many tangents today? Maybe I am high.. HA! Kidding… but yes this fish is SOOO GOOD. Cod is always a good go-to fish if you want a nice tender mild not too fishy fish.  The salad had some nice acidity to it so I was eating it all together. MMMM and sunflower seeds. Yep, I’m back on them seeds…

Spice-Crusted Baquetta Grouper Kama
Lemon Vinegar, Tuscan Olive Oil

This was amazing!!!! You know Hamachi Kamas right? If you don’t you are a BAD READER OF MY BLOG!  I eat them at least once a week… hahaha.. but this is Baquetta Grouper… and was very similar to Hamachi, Yellowtail.  Oily, almost fatty like texture, SOOOOO tender,  so meaty, so fresh with the most amazing crust.  The crust was some of the best part :] Hahaha. I was fed the most amazing juicy delicious meaty bite with crust and meat and fat and all; YAY #spoilt

Haha on a side note, I’m one of those people that if you feed me I will eat. Bites wiggling in front of my mouth and I will CHOMP at it, no matter HOW full I am… usually even if I don’t REALLY want it… unless it’s absolutely revolting, I will ingest. One day I’m gonna be 600lbs and rolling around, until then, I will eat til I burst!

House-Made Rye Flower Casarecce
Venison and Arugula Ragoût

They make amazing fresh pastas here.. and Venison!!! YAYYY as soon as I heard venison my heart, and tummy skipped a beat. This could’ve also been my downfall to getting so full.  INHALED. Like, literally, I ate it so fast I barely breathed. SO good..  tender venison, a great sauce, beautifully made and cooked pasta… the slight bitterness of the wilted arugula, the fresh sprouts on top. OH ME OH MY!  The textures were beyond amazing.  I love with my mouth and senses feel a million things at the same time.

Crispy-Fried Pig’s Tails
Pickled Peanuts, Nuoc Cham, Cilantro

Honestly?! Is this old age?! A few years ago I downed 8 courses and then some.. two bottles of wine, last year I did the same thing and had pig’s head and etc… and now I’m ready to ass out head first in pillows after 2.5 glasses of champagne and wine and this course.  But I looooooove their pig tails.  It’s like chinese takeout in delicious gourmet fatty pig tail form.

Veal Four Ways 
Roasted Sirloin, Grilled Tongue, Braised Cheek & Sweetbreads
Kasha, Turnips, Bok Choy, Satsuma Tangerine, Pomegranate

I managed to down at least a bite or two of each taste before I called it quits.  A bit salty and heavy on the sauce for me but they were also super tender and quite delicious. MMMM sweetbreads!!!

Duck Fat Brussel Sprouts

I love duck fat. I love brussel sprouts.  And since we already had bone marrow earlier in the day and then there was my binging on delicious marrow the night before, we ordered the brussel sprouts.  They had amazing flavor and a great char, but I was kinda disappointed at how mushy they were :[ I like my brussel sprouts to still have a bite and a crunch to them.

The rest of the chops after they cut our pieces :]

Dessert Amuse:
Vermouth Jelly with Herb Granite
White Chocolate Crumbs

SOOO refreshing. It totally cleansed my palette and got me ready for dessert time!!! MMMM delicious!!!  All sorts of different textures – the cold granita, icy and herbal, the jiggly jelly and the chew of the white chocolate. Amazing.

Cajeta Crème Caramel
Candied Kumquats, Sweet Potato Croustillant

Creamy salty and a delicious sweet potato crisp on top that reminded me of thanksgiving.  Rich and delicious but also light and almost had a fluffy texture to it. Delicious.  Two bites and I was done.  Plus I was nibbling on the ice cream tart next to me ;]

Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream Tart
Bacon Chocolate Crust, Mexican Chocolate
So stuffed but I couldn’t resist and couldn’t stop licking. This was SO good, so much flavor… and while I didn’t get too much bacon this was ALL DELICIOUSNESS.  I’m such a sucker for ice cream, it was creamy, delicious, full of pecans and a bourbon taste to it. Amazing and not too sweet.  The crust was great as well… :] MMM CRUST! Best part of tarts and pies..hahahah

We both got teas and Craigie was going to give us a complimentary Whiskey tasting… which now that I think about it, would it have helped me digest better? Ah so worthless after all that food teehee.

Thanks W, mr Chefy Chef, for being a FAB foodie partner in crime this weekend – visit soon :] 

Amazing food, good company and fun times :] #foodcoma

Craving Indian from Tamarind Bay

This Saturday I met up with D for some much needed satisfying of our Indian Cravings.. after going thru a list of different Indian places around town to hit up we finally decided on Tamarind Bay in Harvard Sq.  I used to live there a few years back when I first graduated college so I drove over a little earlier than planned and shopped and explored my old neighborhood :]

Creepy doll person

Cutest Star Wars figurines :D

I ended up buying way too much stuff from my fav store there, Black Ink and got some cute stuff from Urban Outfitters.. so after putting all the heavy bags into my car I headed over to get some drinks….

Some bubbles and other drinks at OM before dinner – D arrived soon after me… the bar was SOOO hot and humid, worse than outside…. yick… so soon after a drink or two we headed over across the street to our destination….

Tamarind Bay… I haven’t been here in two years and I remember it having the most delicious Tandoori Quail…

It’s one of my favorite Indian places in Boston…  and I’ve been to quite a few… altho there are some good ones near where I live… it’s kind of far away from normal civilization so I rarely tell people to drive all the way out here just for Indian.. PLUS I eat them all the time SOOOO.. it’s nice to change things up a bit :]

Some nice malbec we ordered…

Spicy Pickles and Sauces

The pickles were pretty…… NOT spicy but SUPER salty… it was like instant bloatation….. I felt bad saying anything bad about it to the waiter tho.. I was asking so many questions and talking so much to him I felt like I already gave him a headache hahahaha and he was SO nice especially when he offered the pickles LOL…

Shahi Naan – Coconut and other sweets in the bread :]

Soooo yummy :D

Bread Basket – Garlic Naan, Paratha, Roti

Lazaaz Tikka Masala
CHicken tikka masala garnished with capsicum, onions and tomatoes – extra spicy

&
Peshwari Chole
 Chickpeas cooked with ginger & onions in cilantro sauce

I asked for the chicken to be extra super spicy cuz I looooooove spicy food but it wasn’t at all :[ It had a small amount of heat but.. it was delicious anyways :]  The chickpeas were soooooo gooood… so addicted, and mixed together made an even yummier dish!!! NOM NOM NOM.. this paired with my favorite sweet shahi naan = joy joy….

Konkani Lobster
Lobster Tail pan seared served in Kokum Sauce

The lobster was really fresh and tender, and already chopped up for us.  The sauce was super creamy which I’m not a huge fan of usually… [dairy wise] but it was really good anyways … :D

We were there til quite late and the once super crowded restaurant started to wittle down… we decided on some dessert…. nice hot sticky balls.. yeah.. many jokes were made…

Julab Jamun

Not the best that I’ve had, the saue had a slight off-putting sour dairy taste to it… I also find Indian desserts usually to be way too sweet and overly floral tasting….

We each ate one ball.. well I ate like 3/4 of my ball and ended up playing with the leftovers.. haha

Dinner was delicious, so was the company and conversation :D Afterwards we headed over to John Harvard’s Brewery for more drinks and more talkage… somehow I made it home :] Good thing I cut myself off of alcohol around midnight hahaha…

Salts Makes Tummies Happy

Z was back in the Bean for Thanksgiving so we decided to let loose Saturday night and go all out and grab a bite [or two, or three] at Salts… we started off at M Bar at the Mandarin Hotel… the Monsieur is DELICIOUS if you’re into bubbly and vodka :] They also have great olives and almonds to snack on while you drink!! But onwards… usually I only come ’round here for Craigie… but today was all about Salts!!!!

The restaurant reminds me of a cute little home-turned restaurant in NYC or Europe. Definitely reminds me of a little farm restaurant. YUM!

Warm rolls.. still not sure why the look different… but both were good… 

Creamy delicious butter…

Amuse Bouche
Parsnip Soup

It actually just reminded me of pumpkin soup, it was good and warm in my belly tho – super creamy and was a super tease. SO HUNGRY SO HUNGRY….

I put my trust in Z for picking the wines for the night, we’re both big Spanish wine fans [bold & spicy] so that’s what we decided to drink….

Bottle #1

Nantucket Bay Scallops

Salts Farm Heirloom Turnips, Bartlett Pear, Foie Gras, Sichuan Peppercorn

One of the best dishes of the night…. perfectly cooked scallops – they were tiny but full of flavor, not overly salted [I don't like salting scallops since they're naturally already so salty]… Little bites of Foie really upped the dish. The radishes gave a great refreshing crunch to the dish… not sure what the cream was… creme fraiche?

Wild Japanese Hamachi
Salts Farm Radish, Heirloom Apple, Honey Soy Gelee, Petite Shiso Leaf

EDIBLE FLOWERS!!! Me thinks Salts like flower petals.. apples gave a nice crunch but I wasn’t obsessed with this dish. It was really fresh and not fishy at all… but sashimi dishes, to me, are getting played out… they all end up tasting pretty much the same. Of course, except for Black Bean Tuna at Toro haha…

Coriander Fried Veal Sweetbreads

Spiced Squab, Compressed Green Apple, Banana, Curry, Coconut

They cut the sweetbreads in half and then fried them – this is the first time I’ve ever had fried sweetbreads.. they were so light. Foam Foam Foam… hahaha… don’t really recall the creams and flavors, but LOVED the sweetbreads. SUPER creamy and delicious.

Bottle #2…

This stuff is SO good that I found some at a local wine shop and bought two bottles :]

 

Sturgeon

Heirloom Potato Gnocchi, Pickled Beets, Black Truffle “Caviar”, Dill Emulsion

Before I continue, Z picked this. Hahahaha.. it was okay. *meh face* It was a bit tough and overecooked?!.. the gnocchi was good though. I like gnocchi. Z likes gnocchi, we ate the gnocchi…

Roasted Local Cod

Petite Root Vegetables, Razor Clams, Ginger Lemon Grass Beurre Blanc

Wait… razor clams?!… I didn’t see razor clams.. I loved the carrot balls tho, those were a hoot.. I don’t know why I called them a hoot, but they were cute and even cuter in my belly. But wait, seriously? Razor clams?!… But the cod was great. I love things wrapped in lettuce and steamed.. don’t know why.

Whole Roasted Boneless Duck for Two
Lavender Honey Glazed, Roasted Pears, Heirloom Carrots, Petite Farm Turnips

I love that they take it out and cut it up tableside :] How AMAZING does this look?!.. FABULOUS!!!

His Plate:

Her Plate:

I look like a psychotic serial killer

I’m usually more of a crisp crisp duck skin girl [but sometimes the meat gets overcooked and dried out]  but this perfectly glazed duck was fatty, meaty and delicious…. It was LUSCIOUS!!! I DE-VOURED it… DEEEE-VOURED… Loved the veggies and adored that they had roasted pear in it as well.

Btw, there WAS bone.. helloooo?!?!.. LEGS?!?!.. I duno I just thought that was funny…

We were super full and ready for more drinking so we opted out of dessert [told you it was a trend] But they gave us a little something something anyways :]

A little ice cream some almonds, yum yum yum… creamy, crunchy and not too sweet :] Loves.

The staff at Salts were amazing and soooo friendly – the hostess is absolutely adorable. Definitely a go-to place if you want something delicious and homey <3

Salts
798 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139-3510
(617) 876-8444

I Love My Mommy & the Red Sox

Thanks Craigie on Main for another AMAZING time :]

After our last dinner at Craigie, I KNEW that I HAD to take my mom here for Mother’s Day… as soon as we got home I booked reservations for Mother’s Day!!!

They had a delicious prix fixe brunch prepared

Mommy and I picked the Fruit Salad

Evan’s Organic Yogurt

Mangoes, pears, grapes and mint :D SO GOOD. simple and fresh, just the way I love it!

Daddy and R both ordered the House-Made Doughtnut

Confiture de Lait

“Like a Dinner Party at Home with Close Friends..”

Welcome to the first Miss Tiffie & R [he's in green] reviewed blog entry :] ENJOY!!!

I’ve been waiting for the right time to go to Craigie on Main for awhile.. every time I think of it, it’s already booked for the weekend [boo] so thankfully I booked about 5 days ahead of time – and even then it was full til 9pm. Well, the ONLY opening was 9pm. Or 5pm [R got a reso for that time] — anyways. We decided to go to the 9pm since we wanted to go to Tea Time. After wanting everything and then some from the menu we decided that the best way to go this time was the Chef’s 10-Course tasting.. with additions of course [it's how we roll]

Eat out and feel at home. Chef Tony Maws - James Beard Nominee for Best Chef, Northeast – combines French-inspired “nose -to-tail refined rusticity” with a ”no exceptions” commitment to local, seasonal, & organic or natural ingredients.

I love everything about this place. The food, the atmosphere, the people… they cook sustainably and cook what they find that day that’s fresh – which is why their menu changes daily…. even their DRINKS are made from only the freshest in-season ingredient… so awesome :] I’m such a huge supporter of places like this…. [read more about them here] this place is easily one of my favorite places to go in Boston now :]

R: Into Craigie with a huge appetite (we spent a lot of energy shopping
after tea time). A restaurant with a menu changing daily and large
supporters of local farmers. We quickly scan the menu and see the
obvious items that pop out at us. Towards the bottom we see the 10
course chef’s choice tasting menu and decided we wanted to be
surprised. We had some additional items just make sure we covered all
our bases on our Craigie experience.

Montlouis Brut – Francois Chidaine

R: As always we like to start off with some bubbly to wake our taste buds
and get our appetites ready.