Addis Red Sea- Boston

The month of May has been a lazy one seeing that I only made one post, which was hardly a post and more of an update. But the month of June will be packed with entries to make up for a lackluster May.

I'm starting off June with Addis Red Sea, an interesting little find in Boston's South End. Though I'm far from an expert in Ethiopian cuisine, this restaurant carries with it a truly authentic vibe in terms of both decor and flavors. The arrangement of the furniture and accessories can be quite random, but everything from the wooden animal carvings down to the trinkets and jewelry displayed in glass cabinets at least appeared to all be Ethiopian.The staff was very warm and welcoming not to mention attentive as they checked on us frequently and refilled my glass of water the moment I took a sip. Dining with a fellow blogger, Julie, the two of us adored the unconventional Ethiopian tables (known as a mesob) on which our food was served. And though I can be quite clumsy at times, I thankfully did not knock over the lidded basket table.

All photos below credited to Julie. Thanks!

 

Spiced Ground Beef Sambusa

Described as a pastry filled with ground beef, cumin, garlic and onion, this appetizer is rather similar to a fried wonton or a samosa. The filling was a touch dry but very flavorful indeed. Because the inside was dry, I wished it came with some sort of dipping sauce.

Gored Gored- Cubed Beef with Onion and Ginger Roots

Non-spicy food lovers, don't let the color of the sauce intimidate you. Although the beef appears to be bathing in a pool of red hot chili oil, the sauce was actually quite mild and not too spicy. The meat was sadly too chewy and not nearly as flavorful as the lamb entree present in the background. I hate to say this but the beef was comparable to strips or chunks of "steak" used in fajitas.

Both entrees were served over this spongy white bread, or "pancake" if you will, called injera. The bread was extremely moist and very fun to each with.

Yebeg Wot- Lamb Simmered in Red Pepper Sauce

Unfortunately, the camera didn't want to cooperate and so we don't have a clear picture of the second entree we ordered which is pictured in the background. Spiced with ginger root, garlic and cardamom, the lamb entree was far more flavorful and bold as compared to the gored gored. The spices present were not unlike the herbs and spices commonly found in Indian cooking. The lamb was not only delicious but also very fork-tender and pulled apart easily.

Ambiance: 3.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Food: 3.5 out of 5
Verdict: Tired of the usual Italian, French, Japanese fares and whatnot? Try Addis Red Sea for a change of pace.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/addis-red-sea-boston

EVOO- Cambridge

Frequently switching up the offerings on their "home-grown" menu, EVOO (or extra virgin olive oil) prides itself on freshness by using local ingredients that reflect the seasons. The restaurant was just opening when we arrived for an early lunch around 11:30am. The dining area glows with earthy but saturated tones such as warm browns, deep reds and oranges. The waitress served up a basket of freshly baked bread that was still warm from the kitchen. Since we were right in Kendall Square, we opted for just the 2-course meal over the 3-course and headed over to one of my favorite bakeries, Flour, for dessert after.

Cornmeal Crusted Fried Oyster

This was a great starter. The oysters were freshly fried and very crispy. I appreciated the light coating of batter and not the heavy cakey mess that I often find on fried items. The fresh, meaty oysters sat on top of a bed of apple-bacon salsa. The apple was tart and crunchy and worked really well in contrasting the creaminess from the goat cheese fondue. And not that additional seasoning was needed but the bacon bits added a little more salt to the dish (one can never have too much bacon). They were quite generous with the portion.

Shaved Lamb on Baguette

After such a great appetizer, the entree really underwhelmed. To begin, I ordered the habanero coleslaw as my side but was served fries by accident, but I didn't mind too terribly much. The sandwich included roasted red peppers, arugula, tomatoes, pickles and some sort of mayo or cream sauce. The lamb itself was tender and soft but really (and I mean REALLY) lacked seasoning. In fact, the sandwich as a whole was extremely bland and I really wished they'd use a more flavorful spread or sauce for the bread.

 

Parsley and Garlic Studded Beef Tenderloin

Ordered by my lunch date, this entree was far more exciting than mine. The beef was served with a fried ball of creamy whipped potatoes (sort of like a croquette) and doused in a delicious mushroom sauce. The meat was lean but tender and quite tasty. They could have withheld the unnecessary salad on top though.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/evoo-cambridge

Petit Robert- Boston

Petit Robert is this cute little french restaurant located right in Kenmore Square, Boston. They were featured on buywithme.com several weeks back and I purchased a "$25 for $50 worth of food" coupon. The food is not super expensive and the portions are definitely generous. The ambiance is pretty casual and you don't need to break your bank eating french food.

Moules Marinieres
the sauce was great for dipping the piping hot but amazingly fresh baguette. (the bread was so hot that i burned my fingers while tearing a piece haha)

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille
the plating is pretty messy here, which is obviously a big no no. but the food itself was really good. the ratatouille was super flavorful and the lamb was tender. the potatoes, however, felt a little underdone.

Gateau Robert au Chocolat
i'm not a fan of this cake. it wasn't moist enough and definitely felt dry. perhaps it was left over from the past day. it's suppose to be their specialty but there is honestly nothing special about this mediocre dessert.