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

No. 9 Park- Boston

I must have passed by this place a dozen times but never realized it existed until my recent dinner here. Aptly named No. 9 Park, the restaurant is a stone's throw away from iconic Bostonian landmarks such as the State House and the Boston Commons. Inside, the atmosphere is dim and cozy with bountiful slabs of mirrors decorating the walls. We were seated in one of the comfy, sofa-style corner seats. The rest of the dining space is populated with wooden tables covered in white tablecloth. The decor in general is rather minimal, yet refined and our waitstaff was formal but very welcoming and friendly.

 

Grilled Calamari Confit

What a tiny appetizer and it wasn't even that good. The plate consisted of a couple (there was literally only 2) of PEI mussels, cubed chorizo bits, almonds and of course, calamari. The calamari was far too overcooked. It was like they prepared the dish at the beginning of the night and had it sit under a heat lamp until they served it up to me. The mussels were scrawny and likewise, the chorizo was dried out. I had such high expectations for this place and so far, they've disappointed.

Crispy Pork Belly

For my entree, I revisited one of my good ol' friends, the pork belly. The green is a sweet pea veloute, the white is a sauce gribiche (which is a mayo-like eggy sauce) and the dark brown is a "bacon jam." The veloute was smooth, velvety and flavorful. Then, there was that odd "bacon jam," which was reminiscent of sa-cha sauce in terms of look and texture. As for the the pork belly, the skin was in dire need of a sear because it looked like a sad block of rubber. But once I tasted the meat, all complaints of mine flew out the window. Although the pork lacked that crispy skin on top, man did it make up for itself in terms of flavor. It was extremely savory, fatty (and I say that with all the best in mind), tender and luscious. YUM!!

Ginger Parfait

Finishing off a heavy meal, I opted for the palate-cleansing ginger parfait. The block of parfait along with the small mint leaves really delivered a blast of freshness. Also present, the citric component from the blood oranges and the tart clear gel underneath, really cut through some of the sweetness from the ice cream and the little sliver of moist cake.

Petit Fours

The little Boston cream square was really good but the yellow colored lychee jelly square was just too sweet to finish.
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What my dinner date ordered:

Mixed Organic Lettuce

Clearly, my dinner date was far more health conscious than I. The bibb lettuce, as always, was very soft and buttery. The salad had a touch too much salt sprinkled on top. As for the dressing, it was creamy but light. My favorite part (though you can't really see it) was the chevre cheese, which was extremely fresh and had a texture identical to silken tofu.

Roasted Scottish Salmon

The fish was roasted to a perfect medium, leaving the inside moist and delicate. The skin was seasoned well and very crispy. Underneath the salmon is a bit of lentils, cauliflower puree and some beef jus (or juice/ sauce). I must say the lentils were a little undercooked.

Brown Butter Financier

Somebody explain the arrangement or presentation of this dessert please!! I'm telling you right now, this was how the financier was served. Perhaps I'm just not sophisticated enough to understand the plating of this dish but it seriously looks like someone just ripped through it. I wanted to like the cake but I didn't. It was unfortunately rather dry and hard around the edges. Even the center of the cake was far from moist. In fact, the little caramelized banana slices on the side outshone the star of this plate.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/no-9-park-boston

Gary Danko- San Francisco

Where do I begin? I don't think I've ever come across a restaurant on Yelp with more reviews than this place right here (over 2,400 entries!!). Not even the super touristy eateries rack up this many reviews. And the most insane part? Gary Danko maintains a stellar 4.5 stars, not an easy feat! The space inside is relatively small and the windows are tinted super dark so you can't see the outside. I guess this aids in creating that dim, romantic ambiance despite the time of day but I much prefer bright, open spaces with ample amounts of light or at least a place with windows and a nice view. Besides, places with no windows (or super dark windows in this case) remind me too much of casinos. You never know what time it is.

I'll get to the food in a second but what absolutely wowed me about the establishment was hands down, the service and staff. Never have I ever (...sounds like I'm playing a drinking game) had such an impeccable dinner service. Their top-notch staff was knowledgeable and polite beyond belief. They were gracious and attentive but not overbearing or annoying. My glass of water was always filled and the waiters came around to clean off any crumbs on the table after each course. I seriously cannot say enough great things about the service.

So I started off with the dungeness crab salad (too bad I don't have a picture). The crab meat was served cold, which is unfortunately, not to my liking. But even so, I appreciated the large, luscious pieces of fresh crab claw. The crab was served over a bed of couscous and there was a bit of acidity from the yuzu (a type of citrus fruit), which refreshingly countered the sweetness of the crab meat.

Roasted Pork Belly and Tenderloin

For my second course, I selected the pork. To my dismay, I cannot say that this is the best pork belly I've had thus far (the best yet is credited to the wild boar belly at Perilla in NY). Food is as much about taste as it is about temperature. Therefore, I wished that the pork belly was served hotter and crispier since it was only warm. Pork belly cooked well has a nice sear on the outside creating that crispy outer skin while sealing in the juices from the fat. Unfortunately, the pork belly here felt a bit dry and the outside lacked that crunch that I was looking for. But not to fear, the tenderloin redeems the dish with its moisture and all-around tenderness.

Creme Fraiche Cheesecake
Finishing off the meal, I went ahead and ordered this super dense and moist cheesecake. The texture was very smooth and velvety. The pecans were candied and toasted to absolute perfection (I could easily snack on a whole plate of them). The sorbet was a balanced, sour counterpoint to the rest of the creaminess and richness on the plate. The delicate lace tuile atop the cheesecake was also very good and delightfully crispy.

Petit Fours
So I thought I was done my meal until they brought over this complimentary sampler of mini desserts. But seeing that I was already stuffed beyond capacity, we had these petite desserts packed. I tried them the next day and the little lemon pomegranate tart was by far the favorite. It was the perfect bite of sweet and sour.

In addition, they gifted another parting dessert, which was a delicious carrot cake and if I remember correctly, even when I ate it the next morning, it was still extremely moist and pillow soft.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/gary-danko-san-francisco