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Feeding frenzy: July 29, 2008

by Louisa Kasdon | July 25, 2008
Speaking of loving Latin, some of my current favorites: the ribs and grilled corn at Olé Mexican Grill; turkey pastor at La Verdad; carne asada at La Casa de Pedro in Watertown; and the Latin Summer Series at Chez Henri, where every dish is not only flawless...

Spanish lessons

by Louisa Kasdon | July 25, 2008
Spain comes to Boston — and it’s not your father’s Latin food The South End keeps getting more interesting. Now there’s a corner of Harrison Avenue where Spanish is spoken with a Castilian lisp. The accent isn’t Cuban, Ecuadorian, Peruvian, or even Mexican...

Feeding Frenzy: Chowhound.com

by Louisa Kasdon | June 13, 2008
Are there real people behind the message boards? I was curious, so I sleuthed out Jacquilynne Schlesier, community manager for Chowhound.com. An avid Chowhound poster from Toronto, Schlesier was invited to work for the company full time based on her energetic...

Pho business: In the kitchen with Arnond Sreesuvan

by Louisa Kasdon | May 05, 2008
WATCHING PHO Republique chef Arnond "Arnold" Sreesuvan make the broth for his chicken pho is an awe-inspiring lesson in the rewards that come from exquisite focus and a near-religious devotion to culinary excellence. Over the course of an afternoon...

Feeding Frenzy: Beehive, West Side Lounge, Café Z, Lumière, and Craigie Street Bistrot

by Louisa Kasdon | April 23, 2008
ANOTHER SIGN of spring are softshell crabs, in season for about a month each year. As part of his "30 Days, 30 Ways" promotion, 51 Lincoln chef/owner Jeff Fournier will be preparing them a different way each night in May. >> Over at the...

Feeding Frenzy: Central 27, MKT, and Aura

by Louisa Kasdon | April 07, 2008
AFTER SIX years of toiling in basement kitchens at Saint and Domani, chef Rene Michelena is on top of the world - quite literally. He's moved up to a fourth-floor kitchen as executive chef at two new dining spots in the Financial District: Central...

Host of Opportunities: An open letter to a restaurant owner

by Louisa Kasdon | April 07, 2008
DEAR RESTAURANT OWNER: All we wanted was someone to welcome us. It was an early dinner at your chic new neighborhood bistro. We'd heard good things about the steak. We were psyched by the idea of great food so close to home. Here's our story....

Feeding frenzy: Sofra, Icelandic lamb, the Red Lion Inn, and more

by Louisa Kasdon | March 25, 2008
CONSTRUCTION has kicked off for Sofra, a new bakery and retail store on the Cambridge/Watertown line that’s owned by Oleana chef Ana Sortun and pastry meister Maura Kilpatrick. “Sofra is a hospitality word that works in Armenian, Arabic, and Lebanese...

In like a lamb: Exploring spring's signature meat

by Louisa Kasdon | March 24, 2008
IN THE MIDDLE of a rich lamb-shank dinner at Chez Henri, I began musing about lamb, the classic springtime dish made from little creatures that’ve recently been frolicking in fields of green alfalfa. Then I woke up. Most of the lamb I eat comes frozen...

Feeding Frenzy: Highland Kitchen, Neighborhood Nights at Nebo, The Butcher Shop, and the Beehive

by Louisa Kasdon | March 10, 2008
SPEAKING OF new neighborhood gastropubs, a near-perfect example is Highland Kitchen in Somerville. Chef Mark Romano was ready to be his own boss after five years at the Green Street Grill, so a year ago he set out to find a perfect roost. Romano took...

The Pioneer: Michael Leviton was a groundbreaker in Newton. Now he hopes to do it all over again in the Fort Point Channel.

by Louisa Kasdon | March 10, 2008
IT'S A week before Persephone is scheduled to open, and chef Michael Leviton is limping through the construction rubble of his edgy gastropub in Fort Point Channel. He's charged up, moving briskly around the space, and it takes a moment to notice...

Feeding Frenzy: Oceanaire, Chipotle Grill, and Z Square Cafe

by Louisa Kasdon | February 25, 2008
WE GENERALLY think of chain restaurants as yawns, except when they're truly excellent. Three recent arrivals are just that. First, the Oceanaire Seafood Room on Court Street is the newest in a chain of 16 upscale restaurants. (Other locations include...

Early Birds: Being among the first to eat at a new restaurant has plenty of drawbacks. So what attracts people as soon as the doors have opened?

by Louisa Kasdon | February 25, 2008
WHEN THE doors opened recently at Café Z and the Oceanaire Seafood Room, I was one of the first customers inside. Nearly alone in each dining room, I joyfully mused over the menus and watched the dishes come out of the kitchens, not minding at all that...

Feeding Frenzy: Boston Chocolate Trolley Tour, Excelsior

by Louisa Kasdon | February 06, 2008
FEBRUARY IS a month for eating large quantities of exquisite chocolate. Perfect time, then, for the Boston Chocolate Trolley Tour , offered from Old Town Trolley Tours at noon-ish every Saturday through April 26. Four stops of chocolate decadence are...

Isn't it Romantic? But what makes it so?

by Louisa Kasdon | February 06, 2008
FOR THE PAST week, I've been asking everyone I meet the same question: what makes a restaurant romantic? Why do some restaurants fan the flames while others are just food and fun? As it turns out, dinner romance is a topic that everyone feels competent...

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