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/#

Sportello- Boston

Walking into Sportello's, I was a little confused by the setup of the restaurant to say the least. There's not much space and the quarters are tight. In one corner, it looks like a pastry bar or cafe. In another corner, it looks like a gourmet grocery shop selling fine pastas and jarred honey. Then there's the rest of the dining area which is set up countertop-style. As if this imbalanced arrangement of furniture wasn't strange enough, there's also huge white support beams in the middle of the restaurant. Two of the three of us had the misfortune of being seated right behind one of these columns which obstructed our view. We stared at this lovely white column for the duration of dinner. Given all of these aspects that Sportello failed in, I will credit them for having the open kitchen. It's always fun to be able to see how your food is being prepared. After dinner, the manager led us through the back entrance (through the kitchen of Sportello) downstairs into Drink where we enjoyed a few delicious cocktails.

Ricotta Spread with Olive Oil
The bread here is really good. It's extremely fresh and soft. The ricotta cheese with the olive oil was a great spread- creamy and smooth with just a dash of salt for seasoning.

Vongole Misto
We all shared this appetizer of assorted shellfish which consisted of snails, mussels, razor clams and purple potatoes. The mussels and clams were cooked just fine but the razor clams were terrifyingly raw and I could not stomach eating crude shellfish. This was sadly an unsuccessful start to the meal.

Pork Osso Buco
Chowing down on this pork reminded me so much of the monstrous turkey legs that they serve up at Disney World. If you know what I'm talking about, these turkey legs look more bats/ clubs than they do the bird. I am by all means a huge lover of meats but the size of this entree was a little ridiculous. My girlfriend comically pointed out, "I think you got full just looking at that huge hunk of meat." It was true and I ended up sharing at least half of it. In terms of the pork itself, it was rather dry on the outside but had a few succulent and moist pieces towards the middle. The meat was seasoned with just a bit of salt and thus could've really benefited from some herbs for flavoring. It also wouldn't have hurt them to add a little more jus to keep the meat moist. And lastly, I'm usually not big on sides but I would have really liked a little extra garnish besides the sour artichokes to take away some of the severity and heaviness of just pork.

It's been mentioned a few times that I start giving ratings so I guess I'll start with Sportello.

Ambiance: 3 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Food: 3 out of 5
Verdict: Its saving grace comes in the form of the bar downstairs, Drink. Otherwise, I have little to no reason to return.

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

75 Chestnut- Boston

Tucked away in the sleepy, residential streets of Beacon Hill, you might just walk right past 75 Chestnut if you're not actively on the lookout. Their menu may not be extensive but you can find all the American classics here, from salads and steaks to burgers and BLTs. The space inside is a touch tight but creates for a cozy and warm atmosphere. 

Roasted Garlic Bread with Marinara

We started with the "75 Chestnut Tower" which is a sampler consisting of three appetizers for sharing. The garlic bread was crispy and cheesy while the marinara was warm and great for dipping.

Fried Calamari

The second appetizer in the sampler was this fried calamari which tasted pretty standard. Seeing that there's not much worth noting here, let's move on.

Sweet Potato Ravioli
This last appetizer was easily my favorite of the three. The next time I go back, I would definitely want to order the entree version rather than just a teaser. The raviolis were filled with a savory, creamy sweet potato mash. The creamy tomato-based sauce was also great for spooning on top of the bread.

Boston Bibb Salad

Ordering salads at restaurants is pretty much unheard of from a girl like myself but on this rare occasion, I went with this leafy bed of greens over a greasy, heavy, delicious burger. I figured I already had enough unhealthy options with the selection of the sampler. Anyways, I'm all for simple and clean but this salad was honestly so plain that I could have easily made it at home. The dressing used was just a simple lemon vinaigrette and the salad consisted of some basic ingredients including goat cheese, dried cranberries, slices of apple, pecans, and of course, bibb lettuce. I enjoyed this variety of lettuce which was super soft and almost "buttery"? But the lettuce being of a tasty kind is unfortunately not something that I could credit the restaurant for.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/75-chestnut-boston

Sorellina- Boston

I dined here this past week and I must say the restaurant itself is beautiful. It's got the dim lighting for a romantic atmosphere but at the same time, has this modern vibe to the place as evidenced by the bar and fixtures as well as the black and white photography that decorates the walls. The center of the dining area is populated with sleek, white sofas and appropriately, there's that nice, relaxed lounge music playing in the background. As for service, our waiter, although he was polite and entertaining, did not come around to check on us enough. We actually had to wait for quite a while to get our hands on the dessert menu. Then there's the rest of the waitstaff. Not only do they look glum and unhappy, but also were downright rude and unwelcoming. But hey, the food held up its end of the bargain so I can't complain about that.

Polpo- Grilled Octopus

it's a little difficult, if not impossible, to see from this photo but underlying the grilled octopus is a bed of cous cous cooked in squid ink. the octopus itself had a wonderful char on the outside but thankfully, it wasn't overcooked as overcooking can oftentimes turn the octopus into a chewy, rubbery mess. i enjoyed the bit of heat from the spicy peppers and the cous cous was a good, mild balance to the seasoned octopus on top.

 

Maine Crab Risotto
this risotto was a little al dente but perhaps it's due to the fact that carnaroli rice was used as opposed to the more common arborio rice (i definitely had to look up the menu again to find out the rice type haha). carnaroli rice is a medium grain and is a little firmer in texture, while arborio rice is a short grain. either way, the risotto was still delicious and the creamy cheese sauce that it simmered in was absolutely delightful. the crab meat is broken up and cooked right into the rich, cheesy goodness.

Pan Seared Scallops
six plump, meaty scallops cooked to perfection with a nice sear on the outside, while retaining that softness on the inside. even more impressive than the scallops though, would definitely be the cream sauce underneath. i don't know what sauce they used and the menu doesn't say, but it was similar to a bearnaise or hollandaise. believe me when i say this remarkable sauce puts these scallops over the top. the cauliflower and what i think is sauteed diced onions also add quite a nice dimension to the plate in terms of texture.

Panna Cotta with Almond Milk Espuma

unfortunately, the dessert was probably the least exciting part of this meal. not that the panna cotta tasted bad, but it's not a "must-try" or "must eat" by any means. the cranberries gave that tart contrast to the smooth, silky custard. as for the foam, i could've definitely done without it because almond milk, itself, is pretty mild so i didn't pick up much flavor from it in foam form.

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

Melograno- Phila

if you're looking below already, NO i did not single handedly take down all three desserts. i definitely had help haha. anyways, Melograno, is a great restaurant for romantic dates or small intimate dinners with your friends. so with that known, who did i bring to this restaurant?...my entire family (a party of 8)!! i would not recommend others doing so as this place usually does not have enough room to accommodate large parties. but the service here was wonderful and i loved our server. she was knowledgeable about the menus and the daily specials, as well as attentive.

Quaglie Arrosto
these birds were so dainty and perfect that i almost felt bad eating them...well no, not really. rubbed with all sorts of herbs and stuffed with all types of goodies (dried fruits and nuts), these quails were pretty darn tasty and rather filling despite their small size. the mound of polenta was average but i did like the tart pomegranate sauce underlying the polenta. my only complaint is that the quails were a little difficult to eat as they are served whole so you do have to watch out for the little bones.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
hmm..if i can recall correctly, i did like this dessert although it wasn't unlike the panna cottas that i've ordered at a couple other places. bascially, it was good but not divine.

Budino
this was my first time ordering budino (which is italian for pudding if google serves me right). i was expecting something in a cup with a little more moisture or something more liquid but i got this cake-like dessert instead. although it was extremely moist and airy, it certainly was not pudding. the creme anglaise was rich and creamy but balanced by the tart raspberries. although the proof is not in this budino (corny, i know), i did find it likable.

Ginger Creme Brulee

out of the three desserts, i must say this creme brulee takes the cake (what is it with me and these ridiculous puns??!). but seriously, this creme brulee was reaaallyyy good!! ginger, having such a strong smell and flavor, can so easily overpower a dessert. thankfully, in this case, just the right amount was used. my favorite part of all creme brulees is the shell on top so i loved eating the little pieces of ginger-flavored "candy".

Barbuzzo- Phila

This place is always packed! The space is tiny so we were seated literally less than half a foot away from the next table. It's supposed to be a Mediterranean kitchen but at least half the menu was Italian.

Goat Cheese Board
i'd seriously be lying if i said i enjoyed all of the cheeses from this sampler. the verde cabra and blue were both way too sharp/ strong for my liking. the most enjoyed would easily be the young goat cheese (top right). it was airy, spreadable, and the drizzle of honey further sweetened the already creamy, light cheese. the marcona almonds (which i had mistaken for macadamia nuts) and the jams were all delicious complements to the cheeses.

Mia Pera Pizza
baked into this pizza is sweet bartlett pear, gorgonzola, walnuts, and prosciutto. the pie was topped off with a heaping of arugula and a light drizzle of saba (a grape reduction similar to balsamic vinegar). the saba can get messy because it runny and drips all over the place. they were pretty stingy with the walnuts. but overall, it was an enjoyable pizza as the gorgonzola was creamy and the crust was crisp and thin.

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.