Amada- Phila

I have seriously been dying to try Jose Garces's tapas restaurant, Amada, for the longest time now. Having spent a semester studying (and mostly eating or taking siestas) in Spain, the bar's been set rather high. Reading the reviews on Yelp, I knew I had to get the crab-stuffed peppers that so many reviewers raved about. And trust me, I had every intention of ordering it but when the server made his way over to take my order, I had totally forgotten to do so. Oh well, I guess this means I'll have an excuse to revisit soon.

The waiter suggested that we order four or five tapas a person but I'd say three tapas each is more than enough unless you're absolutely starving (in that case, Amada is probably not a good choice).

Chips and Tuna Dip

This little snack was gratis (free) and therefore that much better. The chips were fresh and crunchy and the tuna dip was marvelous. It was really creamy and tasty.

 

Pulpo a La Gallega (Spanish Octopus)

I almost always order grilled octopus when it's offered on the menus of Spanish or Italian restaurants. The dish looks really spicy but trust me, it wasn't. Octopus is definitely one of those tricky foods that can easily overcook but if prepared properly, tastes great. The skin had just a slight crisp and the inside was meaty but not chewy. Even the slices of potato were cooked well.

Aged Manchego with Truffled Lavender Honey

Given that my dad is a beekeeper and bottles his own honey every year, I think I know my honey business inside and out. OK, just kidding, I'm not that much of an expert but I've definitely sampled a wide variety of honey in the past. More viscous than most, this lavender honey was thankfully not cloyingly sweet and the truffle was distinctly present. The flavor or scent of truffles is one that's hard to describe but easy to detect. As for the cheese, the crunchy manchego, though not overly sharp, paired well with the sweetness of the honey.

Datiles con Almendras- Bacon Wrapped Dates with Almonds and Cabrales
I highly recommend this tapa as it was easily my favorite (or second favorite) dish of the night. A perfectly toasted nut encased in a sweet date wrapped in a savory skin of bacon made for a perfect bite of sweet and salty. Then there's the cheese sauce that adds an element of richness, as well as moisture to offset the dryness of the meat. I wished all of the other tapas were this good.

 

Alcachofas y Setas- Artichoke, Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffles, Manchego Flatbread

Since when did pizzettes become a part of Spanish cuisine, I'm not entirely sure but they were offered on the menu so we sampled two. I naturally favored the shortribs flatbread pictured below because I'd choose meat over veggies any day of the week but this one wasn't bad. However, at $14 a pop, I was expecting something spectacular but that was sadly not the case. This flatbread in entirety was about the size of ONE regular slice of pizza. So with that in mind, I wouldn't recommend ordering any of the flatbreads unless you were looking for a tiny slice of overpriced pizza (call it what you will).

Costillas de Ternera- Beef Shortribs, Horseradish, Parmesan, Bacon Flatbread
As explained above, these flatbreads are good, but not great and definitely way overpriced. I will admit that the beef was extremely moist and flavorful not to mention tender and easy to eat. The crust is crisp and the flatbread wasn't greasy but these are all aspects that should come standard with any good pizza so I can't give these guys too much praise.

Albondigas- Lamb Meatballs, Shaved Manchego
Our waiter, in his NOT-so-infinite wisdom, suggested this dish to us and it was unfortunately a horrible choice. I found the sauce far too salty and my dinner guest didn't enjoy the meatballs too much. I don't really know how the Spanish preparation of meatballs differ from the Italian ways (if there's any difference at all) but they tasted like your average run of the mill meatballs. After nibbling on one of these, I had to send this selection back.

Crema Catalana- Vanila Custard, Caramel Veil, Ginger and Pine Nut
We ordered this dessert thinking it sounded and hopefully would taste similar to a creme brulee but such was not the case. I had just a tiny bite of this dessert as it was rather small to begin with but I wasn't a huge fan. The "veil" is a thin film of gelatin of sorts and the custard was similar in texture to a semifreddo. I'm unsure as to why the pine nuts were paired with this ginger sauce (or vice versa) but that's beyond me.

 

Lemon Torta- Blueberry Jam, Lemon Confit, Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream

The blueberry ice cream (hiding in the back to the right) was almost half melted by the time it was served. NOT COOL. Literally. I was expecting the cake itself to pack a little more tartness but it was definitely on the sweeter side. In terms of texture, the cake is neither airy nor dense, something in between. It wasn't a bad end to the entire meal but I'd certainly try a different dessert next time.

Ambiance: 4 out of 5

Service: 3.5 out of 5

Food: 3.5 out of 5

Verdict: Not that I was disappointed (OK, I was slightly disappointed) with Amada but for the prices they charge for these tapas, I was expecting far better.

http://www.amadarestaurant.com/menu.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/amada-philadelphia

Barbuzzo (revisited)- Phila

Several months back when I started this blog, Barbuzzo was one of the first restaurants that I wrote a post about. I'm unsure why it's classified as Mediterranean cuisine when it's clearly Italian fare but perhaps there's quite a bit of overlap between the two. They've updated the menu with a few specials but the offerings have remained the same for the most part. The only thing annoying about this place is the wait. If you don't make a reservation, you can be sure to take a place in line so just make sure to call ahead.

Barbuzzo "Pig Popocorn"

To be quite frank, I had no idea what I was ordering when I selected the pig popcorn. For some strange reason, I thought I was getting caramel popcorn or something of the likes although the description which read "with apple cider vinegar powder, espelette chile & horseradish aioli" made no mention of the word caramel or anything sweet. I was surprised, but pleasantly, when I realized that "pig popcorn" was in fact fried pork rinds or chicharrones. Pork rinds was in fact one of my all-time favorite snacks of the past (back when I could inhale an entire bag of them without blinking an eye or giving a crap as to how many calories I just consumed). The pork rinds were freshly fried and still crackling when served. The aioli was perfect, creamy and smooth. The popcorn itself was fantastic as the apple cider vinegar powder added a touch of acidity while the chile powder kicked it up a notch without overdoing it.

Grilled Spanish Octopus and Calamari
We also ordered the octopus to share. The flavors of this dish were complex and delicious but the texture of the grilled octopus was rather off-putting. For the highlights, the oranges added a hint of sweetness to an overall salty dish created by the pancetta. There was also just a bit of acidity on the plate, perhaps a pickled vegetable of sorts? The drizzle of sauce tied the dish together and gave a bit of moisture to the plate without drowning the grilled octopus or making it soggy. As for the downfalls, the calamari was a tad undercooked, which may be fine for many people but not for me. And lastly, the texture of the grilled octopus was strangely reminiscent of mozzarella string cheese. It wasn't rubbery so much as it was sort of spongy for some reason.

Pork Two Ways- Pork Belly and Chorizo

This dish was one of the specials for the night. It looked so promising and so palatable but when I tasted it, it was seriously salty beyond belief. My dinner guest who ordered the raviolis below also found her dish to be unbelievably salty and sent her plate back. I wanted to do the same but I felt bad because I had already eaten a couple clams haha. So I sucked it up and finished my entree.

I was secretly hoping for a hunk of succulent, juicy, moist pork but instead I got this strange looking, pancetta-like, sliced round of pork belly. The pork itself was a bit dried though not inedible. The addition of salt sprinkled on top was not just unnecessary, but unbearable as the broth/ sauce itself was already incredibly salty. As for the clams (and the corn and tomatoes I guess), they were probably the only elements of the dish that I didn't complain about.

Sweetbread Ravioli

Sweetbread, if you don't know, is not bread that is sweet. It's in fact, "the thymus glands of veal, young beef, lamb and pork." Sounds appetizing right? I know. As yucky as that may sound, the people at Barbuzzo somehow made the sweetbread into a delicious filling for the raviolis. I guess I got a far better bite than my dinner guest as she mentioned her bite was beyond salty and had to send back the plate, exchanging it for the gnocchi below.

 

Pan-Seared Gnocchi

As full as I was from my own entree, I still took a bite of this dish. The gnocchi itself was phenomenal. These little dough balls were soft on the inside while just slightly crispy on the outside. Again, the sauce was quite salty but it wasn't as extreme as the ravioli dish. Additionally, they went a little crazy with the oil as you may (or may not) be able to see the layer of fat floating atop the sauce.

Ambience: 3.5 out of 5

Service: 4 out of 5

Food: 3.5 out of 5

Verdict: The sauces and flavors in every dish were great, if only they'd practice moderation with the usage of salt.

http://www.barbuzzo.com/barbuzzo/#

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

Figs- Boston

 

Ah, Charles Street in Boston during the summer. Quaint, romantic, artsy. The perfect place to grab a slice of pizza and get your palms read, no? Well that's exactly what we did, lol. Not unlike Boston's North End, this little neighborhood street is jam packed with fine eateries and bakeries. Serving up affordable Italian pastas and pizzas, Figs, according to my friend always requires a wait. Inside the tiny, romantically-lit space, which houses approximately 25 or so guests, conversations and a lively level of noise flows. But you would think that with its abundance of customers and business booming, the owners could afford to turn on the air conditioner, especially on a humid and hot day as such. Inside such a cramped space with so many people, the environment felt rather hellish and uncomfortable.

Caramelized Onion Focaccia

This free bread was so dense that I almost ruined my appetite by eating just two pieces. Though it was moist, fresh and gratifying (we were both famished), the focaccia was so greasy that I had absolute no use for the olive oil.

 

We ordered one pizza but divided it in half by selecting two types. It was only the two of us girls eating so we had a ton left over so I would recommend just getting one pizza to share between 3-4 people depending on how hungry you're feeling.

Bianco Pizza

This side of the pie consists of mozzarella, sweet onions, tomatoes and arugula leaves drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I favor white pizzas over pizzas with tomato sauce for some reason. Made just how I like it, the crust is extremely thin and crispy. The ingredients are very fresh and the pizza overall was very flavorful and cheesy. Unfortunately, Figs could really learn to cut back on the oil as I found the bottom of the crust to be overly greasy.

 

Roasted Pulled Chicken Pizza

Come on over to this side of the pie where we have gruyere cheese, basil oil, caramelized onion, chicken and even scallions. I loved all of the ingredients except for the raw scallions of which I'm never a fan. The meat was tender and surprisingly not dried out by the oven heat. The pesto was bold and flavorful while the onions were sweet. Again, the pizza itself tasted great but the crust was far too oily.

Ambiance: 2.5 out of 5 (I would have given a 3.5 out of 5 had it not been for the lack of air conditioning inside the restaurant)

Service: 3.5 out of 5

Food: 3.5 out of 5

Verdict: Gourmet pizza without the gourmet price tag.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/figs-boston

Saus- Boston

With just two items, Belgian style fries and waffles, offered on the menu, Saus is a simple, no frills operation located just a short walk away from Boston's bustling Government Center.

Belgian Style Fries
So how exactly are Belgian fries any different, if at all, from the traditional French fries that we're accustomed to? The answer lies in the outside skin or "shell" of the fry. Belgian fries possess a harder shell which translates into a crispier and crunchier fry. But the real magic of Saus is not so much the fries as it is the various dipping sauces that are available to accompany the lonely and naked sticks of potato. If you don't already know by now, I am in fact a bacon lover and so I naturally selected the bacon parm dipping sauce. The dip was served warm and the cheese was delicious. I will have to go back and try all of the rest! (and I need to try the poutine as well).

Salted Caramel Waffle
The only other menu offering is waffles. I ordered the salted caramel waffle which tasted just as delicious as I had imagined it to. The fresh waffle was warm and the caramel was gooey, sweet and just a tad bit salty. I love sweet and savory combos.

Ambiance: 3 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Food: 4 out of 5
Verdict: Saus needs to expand into food trucks and feed the mass of drunk people with its fries and delicious dipping sauces.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/saus-boston

Haru- Boston

With such a prime location in Boston's coveted Back Bay, I was surprised to walk into Haru for lunch on a weekday to find the entire dining floor empty less for one woman dining alone. Perhaps this place picks up the pace during their dinner service because it's a great establishment for dates, business dinners and whatnot. The interior is clean and relatively minimal though upscale. Our friendly waitress was such a joker and when asked where the restroom was located inside the restaurant, she facetiously responded with something along the lines of "there's no bathroom here, but I think there's one across the street that you could run over and use really quickly." I love servers who aren't afraid to kid around and have a little fun with the customers.

Rock Shrimp Tempura

Served extremely fresh with a crispy batter and a tangy, yet creamy spicy sauce, this appetizer was definitely one of the best tempuras I've had in a long while. The coating, as mentioned was crisp and thankfully neither heavy nor greasy. As for the inside, the shrimp was succulent and meaty. Additionally, the portion was generous and there was more than enough to share, although it's so yummy you may not want to.

 

Super Dynamite Roll

Encased in a light crunchy shell, the dynamite roll consists of eel and asparagus dressed in a spicy mayo/ sriracha sauce. Haru definitely has their coating down pat since the tempura on this roll was just as marvelous as the tempura coating on the rock shrimp appetizer pictured above. The eel was sweet and extremely fresh. The mayo gives the roll a much welcomed hint of heat.

 

Lobster Roll

How can you go wrong with lobster? Evidently, you can. I was looking forward to this roll the most and it was unfortunately a big letdown. The lobster meat itself was not only bland but also scrawny and not very fresh. Lettuce, avocado and mango are the remaining ingredients that compose the roll but we all know that lettuce adds as much flavor as water in terms of taste. Overall, this roll could have definitely used a sauce or some mayonnaise to enhance the flavors.

Dragon Roll (Pictured in Background)

We obviously ordered way too much food but for the last roll, we selected the dragon roll which is pretty standard in many Japanese restaurants. The roll consists of eel, avocado and kani (crab). Drawing from the sweet, delicate flavors of the crab while adding a bit of salt from with the drizzle of sauce on top, the dragon roll is a perfect balance of the two tastes.

Boston Uncommon Roll

How come all of the prettiest rolls are always the ones I can't eat? Though I didn't touch this raw roll, I couldn't help snapping a few photos. According to my lunch date, the Boston Uncommon Roll is just as fresh and as delicious as it is pleasing to the eyes. The gold paper, although it contributes nothing in terms of flavor, gives the roll that extra pizazz to catch your attention.

Ambiance: 4.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Food: 4 out of 5
Verdict: Though a touch pricey, Haru delivers some whimsically-named but highly fresh, quality rolls.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/haru-boston

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