Event: Bostoberfest 2016

I passed by Dewey Square today and the food trucks were MIA, displaced by wire fencing and the preparations for tomorrow's Bostoberfest on the Greenway.  According to a sign, tickets are still available at www.bostoberfest.com.

Have fun if you plan to join in!

Eat at Moyzilla for Jeremy

Admittedly, I don't go out for lunch that often.   And I surely do not visit the food trucks nearly as much as I would like.  But, I hope to stop by the Moyzilla food truck sometime between now and Tuesday the 2nd of August to order a Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki meal box with fried garlic aioli, currently called the Chiu-zilla meal box in honor of Jeremy Chiu - a member of the Moyzilla family who passed away recently.

According to the Moyzilla Facebook post:

"All the proceeds from the "Chiu-zilla" mealboxes (to get the full experience, ask for it with scallion rice and extra aioli, Jeremy wouldn't have it any other way) will go directly to Jeremy's family to help cover the cost of the funeral."

Now, if that isn't a good reason to go out for lunch, I don't know what is.

Close to Home

Close to Home

Sunday, September 8, 2013, 6pm

Classic Gin Rickey Cocktail

Cold River Gin, Freeport, Maine with Ginger Beer and Fresh Lime

Pan-Seared Bay of Fundy Diver Scallops

Freitas Farm Heirloom Tomato with Herb Butter Sauce

Sakonnet Gewurztraminer

Little Compton, Rhode Island

Berkshire Roast Pork Tenderloin

with Garlic Confit and Bacon
Connors Farm Roasted Radishes
and Marble Potatoes, Charred Onion Vinaigrette

Bedell Merlot

North Fork, Long Island, New York

Silverbrook Farm Kale and Raw Vegetable Salad

with Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese Dressing

Walpole Sweet Cream Ice Cream

Walpole, New Hampshire
Topped with Sapling Maple Liqueur
Brattleboro, Vermont

Original and Whole Wheat Parker House Rolls
with Vermont Creamery Butter with Celtic Sea Salt

- $49 per person, plus tax and gratuity -
Reservations required 617-725-1600

In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen

"In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen"

a Parker's Restaurant Private Event

Sunday, December 9, 2012, 6:30pm

Menu

Winter Creme Fraiche Baked Potato Soup

Grilled New York Strip Steak with Coupole and Fig Demi-Glaze

Greek Style Feta and Spinach Salad with Cucumber Dressing

Bijou Creme Brulee with Rhubarb Compote

Chateau Roumieu-Lacoste Sauternes 2009

Salted Vermont Cultured Butter

with Parker House Rolls

$49

Reservations Required.
Please call Parker's Restaurant at 617-725-1600.

Last Meal of the Titanic

100th Anniversary of the Titanic

Served April 14th, 2012

Hors D'oeuvres

Oyster à la Russe & Oyster Rockefeller

Ruinart, Blanc de Blancs

Potage

Consommé Olga

Manzanilla La Gitana

Bodegas Hidalgo, Jerez

Poisson

Salmon, Mousseline Sauce, Cucumber

Côte de Brouilly

Château Thivin, 2009

Entrée

Sauté of Chicken, Lyonnais

Relevé

Sirloin of Beef, Château Potatoes, Green Peas

Margaux, Cru Bourgeoios

Château Deyrem Valentin, 2009

Punch Romaine

Rôti

Roast Squab & Cress

Froid

Asparagus Vinaigrette

Pâté de Fois Gras

Château Roũmier-Lacoste

Sauternes, 2009

Entremets

Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly,

Chocolate & Vabukka Eclair,

French Vanilla Ice cream

Banyuls

M.Chapoutier, 2009

Reservations Required. Please call Parker's Restaurant at 617-725-1600. $95 per person; $155 per person with paired wines. Tax and gratuity additional.

Horseshoe Grille Small Plates Wine Dinner

I had the pleasure of attending the Horseshoe Grille Small Plates Wine Dinner on January 31, 2011 as a guest of the owner of the establishment – Mr. Pat Lee. He was a gracious and thoughtful host, having instructed his crew to provide the Wine Dinner attendees with a free drink at the bar while we waited for the beginning of our event, then taking it upon himself to personally escort us to our table!

At our booth, we were greeted by a basket filled with a variety of crusty rolls, served with a wonderful olive oil punched up with grated cheese and some fresh rosemary, and glasses of cool water with which to cleanse our palate between courses.

Our meal, which lasted about 2 ½ hours, consisted of 6 courses, each paired with a glass of wine from the Horseshoe Grille’s own stock, which meant that if we discovered a new favorite, we’d be able to easily return for a encore! Between courses, a representative of United Liquors introduced us to the next selection. Words were thrown around such as “unfiltered” and “wild yeast,” while I learned that old vines produced smaller grapes. My favorite quotes that night, however, came from the appreciative crowd: “Break out the credit cards!” and “Won’t last that long at my house!”

The first course was the fresh and fruity Caramelized Apple Salad mixed greens, blue cheese crumbles and an apple cider vinaigrette with Estancia Riesling, Monterey County (2008, $7 glass/$26). The Riesling went very well with this course, and tasted quite different when we sipped at it in comparison with the other white wine we later sampled.

The Macadamia Nut Crusted Tuna with baby bok choy & drizzled with wasabi citrus soy was served with Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, Russian River (2007, $60). The wasabi was mild and hardly evident; the bok choy was crisp with wilted edges belying the fact that they had been steamed. The nutty crusting did not add much to the experience, but the ingredients were of good quality.

We were warned of hot plates upon the arrival of the Lobster Mac and Cheese Sherry cream sauce and Fontina cheese with Ramey Chardonnay, Russian River (2007, $58). I have a thing for sherry, and the meaty lobster claw pieces were evident among the curly tubes of creamy pasta.

Unfortunately, the Beef Wellington with blue cheese smashed potatoes paired with Sterling Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (2005, $60) arrived just warm, which meant that the blue cheese hidden within the scoop of mashed potatoes was chunky, and the pastry had begun to get a bit soggy on the bottom. Otherwise, the pastry was well made, and the meat inside tender and well dressed with a mushroom sauce.

Finding room in my tummy for the Braised Lamb Cannelloni with a Malbec demi glace with Ruta 22 Malbec, Patagonia, Argentina (2009, $7/$26) was a bit of a challenge. The cannelloni was a bit thick, but the small pile of cubed vegetables added some nice acid to the tender strands of lamb. This was the first and only plate that I did not clean, after all, as it is well known, there is entirely a different stomach for dessert!

From the sound of the crowd, the Apple Tart with cinnamon gelato with Sandeman Tawny Port ($9) may have found a place in the next incarnation of the Horseshoe Grille’s menu. Thin slices of apple topped an almond filling within the crust. The port went really well with the tart, and I found myself wishing it hadn’t been the final drink of the night, as I was feeling the affects of the alcohol I had already ingested, and could not allow myself the pleasure of emptying the glass.

At $75 (tax & tip included) for 6 courses, the Small Plates Wine Dinner was actually a really good deal. They have these annually during the winter, while throwing other events throughout the year. It was well worth the trip up north!

Horseshoe Grille

226 Main St.

North Reading, MA 01864

(978) 664-3591

http://www.horseshoegrille.com/horseshoeGrille/