Tag: cocktails

TOWNSMAN

town2

TOWNSMAN

120 Kingston Street, Boston (Chinatown)

It has been, tragically, months since the BCC met on official terms, although quite a number of “off-the-record” outings occurred since our last review. Blame it on family, blame it on work, blame it on those three-day weekends people bizarrely insist on spending somewhere other than downtown—whatever the reason, it was a long, damnably dry summer.

So boy did we need a cocktail.

On September 29, BCC members met at Townsman, desperate for a raised glass and a means of evading reality for an hour or two. This just-over-a-year-old self-appointed “brasserie” sparkles with newness still. The warm orange interior and welcoming open kitchen can’t offset the mainstream feel of the decor. Paired with the high ceilings and overly formal hostesses, the entrance feels cold, although it admittedly warmed up as the streets darkened outside and the bar filled up with the convivial suits who worked within walking distance.

Our round wooden table by the extra-large windows felt very private, despite the restaurant’s growing crowd, and its shape and location made for easy conversation and a certain seated comfort we haven’t always found with a larger group. Our first round of cocktails were admittedly a resounding success. The Countess was what we think of as the perfect hostess: tart with a delicious bite, and persuasive enough to get us all to lean in for a sip. The Lion’s Tail brazenly mated allspice and bourbon with laudable results, and the 2015 Ernesto Picollo “Gavi” was the perfect measure of cool and dry that promised to pair well, wherever our appetites took us. And the Notch Pilsner, a group favorite, made a not unwelcome appearance with its balance and fair allotment of alcohol for a “school night.”

The hearty brown bread and YUM spiced butter danced on our table only long enough to cue salivation. Our hopes were high following this rustic teaser, but the charcuterie could have done us better. The Lomo and Bresaola were tasty treats tucked in the midst of mini biscuits (okay, points to the house), fried pickles (weren’t amazing), and rather meek portions of our chosen cheeses (Oma and Twig Tomme). Perhaps we are gluttonous in our sisterhood, but we might argue the want for a bit more on a platter such as this.

For dinner we went with the usual BCC share, ordering a smattering (albeit a significant one) of wildly varying dishes and sharing them in order to experience and dissect the flavors to our savage hearts’ content. Our choices came out fairly quickly and we thought well-timed, overall, with a nice flow in terms of entrance and exit…but sadly, we can’t say we were huge fans of much that made up our decadent food parade.

The Fish Cakes with chorizo and sweet chilies were unremarkable, and the Fried Dumplings (highly anticipated) left us with a single impression: fried. The Moules Frites and Cottage Fries were completely forgettable. Except that they didn’t come with a spoon (with which to indulge in the juice, of course…) The special menu item of Buckwheat Pancakes with Snails was different, but not ooh-la-la, and the Seared Cape Scallops were an epic fail—undercooked and gelatinous to the point of major turnoff.

The Deviled Eggs with Fried Capers were a right touch in the midst of other fumbles: almost soft boiled with fabulous texture, they were delicately seasoned to the point of delish. The Pear Sausage also pleased, with long, strong flavors and size that mattered in a night of small plates. We also were fascinated by the Crispy Shishito Peppers that came alive before our eyes (you’ll just have to order them to see what we mean) and an addictive quality that left us concerned for potential withdrawal the next day. But Shishito Peppers does not a dinner make.

The service at Townsman was a little like spending all day at the beach…for a while, the water was very close and it took very little effort to cool down, chill out, and enjoy ourselves, but then the tide went out and well…it took ages to get our third round of drinks. The backwaiters get props for a well-choreographed performance of serving, clearing, and resetting—there was a legion of them, and they really were very good. But that blank spot in the middle left us frustrated and wondering if Townsman wanted us like we thought it did, or if it was perfectly okay never seeing us again.

And dessert? Cheese ice cream tempted no one. But the Bailey’s substitute fed the sweet tooth so all was forgiven. This time.

fullsizerender-jpg2

cock-rating-3-25

by Categories: Date Night, Good Drinks, Good for Groups, Small PlatesTags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

BUKOWSKI TAVERN & UNI

Uni

BUKOWSKI TAVERN & UNI

50 Dalton Street / 370 Commonwealth (Boston)

Admittedly, only three members bellied up to Bukowski’s bar prior to the May BCC #BosCock meeting, but it still rates a mention in our review because…well…it’s Bukowski’s. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways: a fine array of brews, from cask to can; the wheel that you spin, joyfully and without hesitation; the tunes you may not have heard before, but hope to hear again; the bartenders, who would never call themselves mixologists; the White Trash Cheese Dip, just because; and the fact that it is cash only (really, that is a selling point). And why was it the pitch-perfect pitstop prior to the centerpiece of our evening (a meal down the street and around the corner)? Because it stands unapologetically on the other side of the bridge.

Our approach to Uni involved dodging post-work-Wellies and raincoats as we squinted unhappily through the rather unwelcome drizzle. But then, before us, stood the elaborately decorated door that indicated our destination had been reached. We all immediately loved the vibe: take sexy hotel lounge, add a dose of sweet 90s hiphop, and shake that thang with potent and colorful drinks. We joined those of our group who had already set up shop, beginning with cocktails at the bar. And here, yes, we had a mixologist who took himself as seriously as I suppose you should when you wield eyedroppers and measuring cups more often than you tug on tap handles. But to be fair, perhaps the title was well earned…he produced a FABULOUS beverage.

Every once in a while you get a drink that, well, is the reason why we drink. These cocktails were, in a word, delicious. Favorites included the El Diablo (tequila, cassis, lime, ginger, soda) which meant El Dangerouso since it went down VERY easily. BCC members characterized it as “refreshing,” “spicy,” “sweet,” “perfect.” The Mint Julep was served in a bodacious silver shaker with a tantalizing glaze of frost and a “HELLO” giant sprig of mint—a bold choice that seemed open to being shared, and we passed it along from member to member throughout the pre-dinner portion of the night. We also sampled a wondrous concoction, complete with hibiscus garnish—the Tropical Itch started delightfully sweet with a bitter/sour and dry finish.  Each sip was like a first kiss that gets serious. (And who doesn’t like that?)

We could have sat at the bar for another hour clucking like chickens, but our half-moon-shaped banquette nested our group nicely in a corner with a view of the rest of the dining room and a misty Mass Ave. The hostess was quite eager to seat us and very friendly—but BCC members found our server less than helpful. He looked stunned when we asked him to tell us a bit about several items on the menu, and frankly, he seemed annoyed by our presence most of the evening. If you have ever been on a blind date where one side or the other doesn’t “get” what he or she expected, well, it was a lot like that: he kept his contributions to a minimum, as if hoping that our time together would end sooner if he gave us the cold shoulder. Unfortunately for him, we were all in to see it through all the way to dessert. (After all, we were paying.)

We tamed our drink habits a tad at the table, with a misordered Gewurztraminer  that was presumed a match for spicy menu items, but went way too far down the spiral to sweet, a perfectly nice Chardonnay that was priced perfectly outrageously, and a martini that was less than impressive (ordered multiple olives, got one; ordered extra dirty, wasn’t—had to order a side of olive juice).

Each member ordered two to three dishes to share, as is our custom. The Uni menu is certainly extensive, overwhelmingly so. Where to go? Cold? Hot? Sushi? Not? We started with Brussels Sprouts that amounted to charred goodness, mixed with bright dill and other herbs.  An interesting flavor (“like potato chips you just can’t stop eating,” admitted one member, her mouth full). We’ll substitute grilled Brussels Sprouts for lame old Lays any day of the week.

The Spicy Tuna Roll lived up to its name. We agreed it was one of the best we’ve ever had, scantily dressed in a spicy sauce that had a serious kick and a lasting heat. Spoiler alert: It is served with a side of onions disguised as pickled ginger, which took a few of us by surprise as we chomped down. The Wagyu Beef Dumplings (cheddar dashi, braised lettuce) were fairly forgettable and a mystery dish with a heavy tomato-based sauce that we all agreed was not worth the presumed calories. The Asian Cheesy Corn with shrimp crackers got a nod, but thumbs down on the Japanese Milk Bread, which impressed no one. The group collectively enjoyed the Chang Mai Duck Carnitas (green papaya salsa, scallion pancake, cucumber), our official acknowledgment of Cinco de Mayo, Japanese-BosCock style.

The star centerfold of the evening was the Green Curry Crab Fried Rice (burdock root, egg, sesame), and it even came as a hefty portion that enabled us all to sample a sizeable several bites. Full of bold flavor with a lively kick and superb balance. Highly recommended.

We sampled all three desserts, including a “milky cereal” that L.L himself would be proud of. Want it straight? We’d save dessert for home if dining here. But there’s no reason you shouldn’t get in the mood at Uni first.

FullSizeRender

cock-rating-4.25

by Categories: Date Night, Good Drinks, Small PlatesTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hojoko & Tiger Mama

TM

Hojoko & TigerMama

1271 Boylston / 1363 Boylston (Fenway)

It’s been a while since we linked the words Crazy-Sexy-Cool together in a single sentence, and with full-on props to TLC’s humble beginnings, we’re going to go ahead and attach all three adjectives to the March ’16 BCC meeting. In honor of the holiday that happened to bedazzle our date of choice, we did indeed go out for drinks, but we turned the leprechaun on his head in our choice of venue, beginning our night by sidling up to the Fenway’s Verb Hotel bar rather than the generally prescribed South Boston pub.

Hojoko is a “Japanese tavern” with hipster kitch, tripping on bright colors and Hello Kitty, but in a way that titillates rather than annoys. The gregarious bartenders gave us a shock when—in a city where haughty “mixologists” rarely deign to acknowledge your physical presence, never mind smile and make idle conversation—they joyfully (yes, really) welcomed us to their not uncrowded establishment and gave us the inside scoop on ordering unusual drinks in fun, tiki-style glassware. Combining a certain amount of showmanship with (OMG!) laughing and (NO way!) the occasional friendly gambit not only indicated they were having a good time behind the bar and cared that you had chosen to spend a few hours in their company, but they might actually be fun to hang out with in general. This old-fashioned kind of barkeep-flirtation was the perfect way to set up a long night in each others’ company.

We loved the design of the drink menu and the nice array of cocktails, beers, and sake, while admiring the brightly colored drinks prepped for the masses in serving tanks—complete with floating toys inside. Some favorites concocted by our bearded, tattooed man ‘o the hour included a tasty but VERY strong MaiTai (honestly, pretty safe to say all drinks were strong), a Dark&Stormy with a badass bite, a sweet and pretty Pina Colada with a bar-side toasted marshmallow, and spicy frozen daquiri topped with Nerds that was not only enjoyable because Nerds rock, but also because it deserves accolades for accessing that hard-to-reach place that gets you all warm and tingly while making you shiver uncontrollably at the same time (oh, baby, yeah!). Overall? Hojoko is a one of those great dates that deliver: cute, fun, engaging, with one hell of a “Oh, no reason” kiss. An A+ for after-work drinks for all you crazy-sexy-cool kids who are looking for a good time, sans pretension.

A short and admittedly cocktail-chatty amble down Boylston brought us to our culinary complement to our early St. Patty’s Day drinks: We stayed true to the Asian theme with TigerMama, although the restaurant hosted a far more sophisticated feel than Hojoko. The vertical garden, neon lights, and wooden lanterns provided ambiance that geared us up rather than tuned us down. A Vietnamese street gone Hollywood. Not a huge space, and perhaps a tad overcrowded by encroaching palm branches that while providing privacy, table to table, interfered with some necessary transit to and from the kitchen (and for us) the ladies’ room.

Although we had a reservation, we had to wait at the hostess station for five minutes or so without anyone informing us that they were setting up our table. While, in our Hojoko-cocktail-fueled state, we were perfectly happy to entertain ourselves with the mosaic-mirrored baby elephant at the door, we would have liked a more organized greeting and better service at the front of the house. The table we eventually sat at wasn’t ideal, either, with two members on  endcaps that, when combined with the stop-and-go traffic patterns caused by the overeager greenery, made them feel a bit like speed bumps on a busy Cambridge side street.

But awkward beginnings can be overcome, and our pleasant, bright, and attentive server was immediately on-hand and happy to bring us beverages as we considered the night’s food options. One member went for cocktails and wasn’t overly impressed, but TigerMama has a pretty decent list of beer and wine to choose from, including traditional offerings and tasty pairings that weren’t meant to be the highlight of the meal as much as to highlight the meal itself.

The menu, as so many are these days, is designed to be shared plates, building from smaller and lighter fare to heavier dishes. Apps are usefully classified as “Cold & Fresh” and “Crispy & Spicy” so you can address the particular needs of your palate appropriately. The Bun Cha Hanoi (crispy pork rolls, sour broth, grilled pork patties, lettuce, and herbs) had potential to be a delightfully tasty dish, but the server who dropped this dish at our table failed to explain how to eat it (the lettuce wraps were buried under the pile of fresh herbs), so we picked at it in semi-confusion and sacrificed the unique combination of tastes for inept sampling. The Southern-Style Pork Laap (lime-spiked hand ground pork, thai chili, mint) was SUPER SPICY and the wok-roasted okra was Tasty with a capital “T.” The texture (tricky with okra) was fabulous and while it again brought the heat, it wasn’t over the top. A great dish for sharing and just gazing at, if you’re a fan of vegetarian-variety eye candy. The Short Rib Rendang was a tender, delicious, coconuty treat that again won admiration for presentation.

Even though it was recommended that we get two to three dinner dishes each, members went for one apiece (note that the recommendation would have been way too much). It was, admittedly, hard to narrow it down as everything truly looked delicious, but the Sticky Lamb Ribs, Lamb Roti, and street noodles set off fireworks by turns, and the surprise of the night was the Pad Thai—a thoroughly unadventurous choice but we figured a good marker of the restaurant’s quality if it stood out from all the other PTs we’ve ordered over the years via Foodler. It was the dinner-and-a-movie dish of the night: when your date can blow you away in a totally mundane and obvious scenario, it is probably worth doing it again. Let’s just say we would have missed most of the movie—the Pad Thai was that good.

We almost didn’t get dessert because from the description on the menu, they looked pretty standard. Talk about a lesson in open-mindedness! These were two of the best-tasting creations we have—literally—ever tasted. The Milk Toast was sent from heaven…with wings of butter, condensed milk, and coconut cream. COME ON! And then there was the rich and luscious whipped coconut cream over tart mango and sweet coconut sticky rice—the perfect post-coital smoke following a spicy meal. We wanted to climb inside and bathe in this mixture like Roman gods.

With its raucous and off-beat beginning and divinely sweet and satisfying end, this night was damn close to 5-cockworthy. Crazy. Sexy. Cool.
IMG_5132

 

4.8

by Categories: Date Night, Good Drinks, Small PlatesTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

YVONNE’S

yvonnes465

Yvonne’s

2 Winter Place (Downtown Crossing)

Those of you who follow our imbibement-motivated wanderings through our delicious city and its surrounds may have wondered what happened to the December BCC meeting. Well, we were simply waiting to finally get a reservation at our most recent destination.

Yes, it takes a month. Well, for normal folk. And you kind of get why when you get there. Down a dark alley near Downtown Crossing, there glows a beacon: A dayglo sign with sexy script emerges from the wall high above, illuminating the crowd of expensive coats and unbelievably smooth hair below. They’ve made the play for that feel of exclusivity fairly well, opting for a doored lobby over a velvet rope. But the hosts number many and you can only hope that on your very best days in your hottest of hot pants you are maybe-sort-of-almost as attractive as they are.

The interior of Yvonne’s is a mashup of snobbish blue-blood wood paneling, dazzling candelabra, tawdry wall art, and visually appealing staff in snug white shirts and suspenders. You immediately feel like being naughty. And the cocktails encourage the instinct—the 1989 (yes, shoutout to TS) provided champagne infused with vodka, which sounds like a terrible idea if you think long enough about it. But Yvonne’s is a place where they try to make sure you DON’T think. At least not for too long, or for too hard.

The music is loud and clubby. Paired with the cocktails, you immediately get that buzzy happy feeling and really don’t mind that you can’t hear anything. The host who seated us had to ask thrice. But he was delightfully patient. Our waitress gave us a smiley 10-minute chat of which we only heard “takes 45 minutes” and then spent the time we might have been perusing our menus trying to decipher what that could have meant. The bar was backed up? The apps would be slow? The burlesque show that was most certainly going to begin on the big table next to us any moment now?

We ordered Yvonne’s “sharing plates” (aka Tapas/small plates) and honest-to-goodness they were freaking fantastic. The buttermilk hush puppies and crispy tater cubes vied for our attention, each delighting in their own way. The Kentucky prosciutto toast was generous with the carnivore in mind with a hidden spread of beer cheese and pickled onion that altogether made us go “OH!” We opted for a stone-fired pita upon recommendation of the waitress (or so we think), and the KFC (Korean fried chicken, kimchee, gruyere) was a fantastic combo with perfect balance—a feat not often accomplished on anything that resembles “personal pan land.” And oh god, the seared brussel sprouts! Our table believes that brussel sprouts get a bad rap, but in their Yvonne’s outfit, they had to be cute enough for the hatiest of haters. Pepper sauce, garlic walnuts, and feta were like pasties and panties that made the dish just delish. The only share we might not reshare were the chicken and quinoa meatballs. They drove us to our water glasses with their salty innards (a theme in this column, it would seem).

Our meal was well matched in our beverage selections, with a fabulous Gruner Veltliner and Bantam Rojo cider winning the raves. So why, you may ask in the midst of all this ra-ra-ra, doesn’t Yvonne’s get 5 Cocks, our much-sought-after prize that has not yet been awarded in all of our booze-soaked foodie adventures?

You’d think in a place so sexy and decadent the desserts would seal the deal, but ours were a bust. We ordered one of each of their Tasty Treats (full disclosure, the small fare, not the main desserts) and found them all very pretty but when it came down to getting down…disappointing—lingerie full of ice cream. And they don’t have decaf.

It wasn’t just the shallow sweeties, really…the “scene” is intoxicating, indeed, but the tables are too close (even when the Secretary of State is sitting in one nearby), and it is like eating in the middle of a dance floor. You’re surrounded by beautiful people, and one might even kiss you or grab you on the bottom, and that feels great in the moment, but in the morning, you’ll likely wake up and realize you never DID catch his name. Do you go back to that dance floor and look for that happy place again? Sure you do. It will always be effing fun…but not quite the perfect night.

IMG_4243

 

GetInline

by Categories: Date Night, Good Drinks, Small PlatesTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

ALDEN & HARLOW

A&H

Alden & Harlow

40 Brattle Street (Harvard Square)

We began our fifth BCC meeting (October 2015) in suitably boozy fashion, greeting each other over tasty cocktails and beers at Noir (in The Charles Hotel). Our club has grown by two members since our last meeting, and so the pre-eat drinks made good sense as we made nice and discussed general rules of engagement. BCC digs Noir, although (note to self) the banquette near the front door is a poor choice on a cold autumn night.

We gathered forces and marched ’round the corner, right on time for our resi at Alden & Harlow. Alas, our date was late—the hostess assured us our table would be ready soon and invited us to have a drink at the bar. Plus: Drinks at the bar and a very pleasant and attentive bartender. Minus: It was quite a wait for our table…and then there were somewhat false promises made when we were rounded up from our belly-up positions (think: “I’ll make it up to you” but he never brings home flowers). We loved the wine list (quality + reasonable bottle prices = happy) but thought there could have been a few more fall-friendly, brown beer selections.

This restaurant has a good overall vibe although rather “typical hipster” (ie ’50s school honeycomb doors, industrial lighting, tiles). It was bustling enough to make us feel loved and popular without the too-much-too-soon feeling of the T at rush hour. Our waitress deserves commendation: she knowingly helped us with menu selection and deftly navigated our loud, crass conversation (a BCC requirement). One member was left without a plate for one course (sorry, there goes a quarter cock). But happily, the drinks kept flowing without anyone feeling rushed, pushed, assaulted, or ignored.

The food selection was quite nice, although laden on the meatier end of the scale. We applauded the opportunity to order off the Prix Fixe menu, as well as the regular menu. Are you ready for this? We somehow managed to consume several bowls of chips and 3-onion dip (freakin’ delicious) before inhaling chicken liver pate—a smooth, rich, mouthgasm with a strong kick of chili oil. Oh yes. The crispy baby bok choy, while interesting, had a strong charcoal taste that rather than lighting our fire just felt burnt. The Kentucky wonder bean succotash had a spot-on balance of flavors and textures, while we were split in opinions over the smoked steak tartare (some hungered for the heat while the Calabrian chili came on too strong for others). What made us melt? The chicken-fried local rabbit (dug the shaved celery in this dish—gave it a bright and light aside) and the roasted bone marrow (can’t ever have too much bone…or meat-butter) was a fun conversation starter (like we needed any help in that department), seeing as not everyone at the table had reveled in the marvels of marrow before. We were put off by the SINGLE egg raviolo (very soft and tasty…but oh-so-all-alone). And we may have hit our ceiling on pork belly—this was too fatty.

So where did A&H lose our interest? The “secret burger,” of which they only sell 30 a night. When asked why this was (a lack of burger-worthy bovines?), we were informed that the chef wants to encourage people to try other items on the menu and the burger is so popular, it overwhelms. Hmmm. A bit pretentious and a whole-lot gimmicky. When a restaurant sells small plates, you’d think they could just make the “secret burger” smaller, and everyone would be happy. Whatever it takes to get people frothing at the mouth, I guess, although we might suggest that the overall A&H experience is good enough to do away with this kind of semi-lame marketing ploy.

Speaking of frothing at the mouth, mid-meal we began to feel the sodium. And while our water glasses never ran dry, the salt in our bloodstreams most certainly was high. The very tasty ice cream with caramel helped soothe our palates, but it soured the kiss just long enough for us not to deem the night perfect. A good time, though. One worth having.

IMG_3382

cock-rating-3-751

by Categories: Date Night, Good for Groups, Meat Lovers, Small PlatesTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment