Chickie's and Pete's- Phila

Why did I not know about Chickie's and Pete's earlier? I was clearly missing out on something since I'm told that this bar is as much a part of iconic Philadelphia as Pat's and Geno's steaks (I'm hoping to get around to reviewing both places sometime this summer). To show you just how little I know about sports, the day I visited Chickie's was the day I saw the Phillies Stadium for the first time even though I've lived in PA for over 7 years. Apparently their world famous crab fries are served during the games and that's how this sports bar has become so well-known in the city.

Crabfries with Cheese Sauce

The first thing our waitress asked was "would you guys like me to get you started with a couple orders of crabfries?" Why yes! After all, these highly talked up fries are the only reason why I ever agreed to dine at a sports bar being the clueless person I am when it comes to sports of any type. I used to live in Baltimore, MD, as a child and so I'm a huge fan of Old Bay seasoning. These fries are to die for and the cheese sauce on the side is that icing on the cake. Creamy, smooth and cheesy, it's a perfect condiment to go alongside fries that pack a bit of a kick.

Chickie's Riverboat Clams

Served on a fun but rather useless sizzling plate, these clams were a sad disappointment. The flavor of the shellfish was masked under the heavy veil of bread crumbs that lacked seasoning itself. Not to mention, the clams were quite scrawny and dried out.

Mussels in White Sauce

It may look like the sauce was packed with flavor and while there was indeed a ton of garlic and herbs, the sauce would have benefited from a dash of salt since it was actually quite bland. However, the portion was large and the mussels were meaty.

Lobster Cheesesteak

I didn't order this monstrosity of a cheesesteak but I couldn't help taking a picture of this drool-worthy creation. How can one go wrong with an original Philly cheesesteak topped with large chunks of lobster meat, all smothered in melted cheese? You can't!

Ambiance: 3 out 5
Service: 3.5 out of 5
Food: 3 out of 5 (I would give the fries alone a 4 out of 5).
Verdict: There's a reason why the crabfries are famous but not so much the remaining menu offerings. Skip on the rest but the crabfries come highly recommended.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/chickies-and-petes-philadelphia

Neptune Oyster- Boston

On an early afternoon, we paid a visit to Neptune Oyster in the North End and thank goodness we arrived just after they opened because the place filled up in no time. I had a sudden desire to come here after hearing great reviews from a couple friends and so I decided that although I wouldn't be able to touch half the menu (the raw bar), I would go and try out their famed lobster roll. And just to show you the extent of this menu item's popularity, everyone sitting at the table to my left ordered the rolls, everyone sitting at the table to my right likewise ordered the rolls. I think it's safe to claim that 8 out of 10 diners ordered these rolls and I don't blame them!

Maine Lobster Roll (served hot with butter)
Call me indulgent, actually, just call me gluttonous. The lobster roll is available hot or cold but I couldn't imagine any person in their right might electing the cold version when you could have a hot roll drenched in butter. Let's start with the bread- fresh, soft, and of course buttery. The lobster is extremely tender and sweet. As you can tell, the restaurant is super generous with the amount of meat they pile on. In fact, the roll was so overstuffed with chunks of lobster meat just falling off that I was forced to put it down and eat it like a civilized person using a fork and knife.

Now, if I had to criticize, I did wish that the lobster had some seasoning to it or even just a dash of salt for taste because aside from the butter, there was nothing else to flavor the meat. On the contrary, the fries had way too much salt (if  you can tell from the photo above). And at the risk of sounding like a crazed person, I actually wished that they would've added a little more butter to the lobster meat because the roll soaks up quite a bit of the delicious grease and the lobster meat was left a little naked. Lastly, I understand that this menu item is extremely popular and so the kitchen probably prepares several at a time or even preps them ahead of time and therefore, the roll could have been served a little hotter since it was just barely warm.

Overall though, the portions were huge, the ingredients were beyond fresh and the price a tad steep ($25) but so worth it!

Another shot of the succulent lobster meat sitting on top of a beautifully buttered roll.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/neptune-oyster-boston

Paparazzi-Boston

Located right on Newbury St., Paparazzi Trattoria and Bar offers your typical Italian fare consisting of pastas, soups, salads, and gourmet pizzas. It's reminiscent of Stephanie's on Newbury but Paparazzi is a little less expensive. The welcoming atmosphere lends itself to a large range of customers. You can spot people from all ages, from little kids dining with their parents, to young professionals enjoying a drink, all the way up to elderly couples enjoying a nice meal together. I loved all of the festive wreaths and poinsettia flowers the restaurants put up for the holiday times.

Agnolotti All' Aragosta
these lobster and ricotta filled raviolis were definitely filling. the part i enjoyed most about the dish would probably be the cream sauce infused with hints of basil, which was light and not too heavy.  like the pasta shell, which was a little hard, the lobster filling felt dry and the meat did not taste fresh. my guess is they used frozen lobster.