Delux Redux

I love Delux Café. An unpretentious gem of a dive bar and restaurant located in the otherwise fairly self important food district of the South End. Yup, my hood. The food hood.

Anyways, Delux is superb. The dark interior is comprised of high windows and wood paneling, with most of the light coming from Christmas lights that give you the feeling that someone put them up years ago for the festivities and just decided not to take them down (same with the mini Xmas tree that sits at the end of the bar and the 3 foot tall Santa statue that greets you at the restrooms). A shrine to Elvis, record murals and old art adorn the walls while classics, oldies and the right dose of Johnny Cash play in the background. A full bar (it's CASH ONLY people - again CASH ONLY), two choices of house wine and a slew of beers make this the best watering hole in the South End.



But let's talk about what people might not know Delux for - the food.

The seasonal menu include choices like fresh Atlantic cod, made-to-order fresh fried tortilla chips and mango salsa, veggies and basmati rice and black bean for sides and seafood paella. All the food is made by one cook in a teeny station in the back. Granted, this increases the wait time a bit, but hey, let's not forget you're in a bar here. Order another round and your food'll be up in no time.

About a month ago, I was at the bar when a stranger next to me ordered the cheeseburger (a new summer addition to the menu!). Since then, I've been craving it. And let me tell you, it was worth pining over for a month when I went back this week.

A friend and I started with the warm chévre, shaved apple and beets and arugula salad. Fresh and delicious. We moved on to split the pork enchiladas and the wanted cheeseburger. The enchiladas are one of the most popular items on the menu and for good reason. The burger. Was. Amazing. It's sure to be a staple for me this summer.

I could go on and on about Delux. But really the take away is: go there. It's a gem.

-xo-

eb

It's pork ya dork!

I usually am not a fan of rice. But Delux's basmati is always spot on in flavor and moisture.

 Sliced taters make for fresh fries. The aged cheddar, grilled onions, watercress and dijon mustard give this burger the right amount of bite. NOM. 

Happy 2013

Here's a new year and new adventures. 2012 brought lots of big changes for me - namely moving to a city where I didn't know a soul. I've had a freaking fun time exploring and getting to know new people. Two of my favorite things. Here's to more of the same in 2013. 

- xo - 

eb

Sparkle shorts + Fernet = a fun New Years/nasty hangover on Jan 1

A monster for y'all.

The PB&B - Peanut Butter and Burger

So I know that I mentioned the East Coast phenomenon - the peanut butter burger - in my Pittsburgh post. But I wanted to write a follow up to prove that this wonderful/bizarre thing was not just a fluke. 

Enter Bukowski's Tavern, a great dive bar located miraculously close to my office. It's a great find and does well to satisfy my cravings for a sweaty small bar that seemed to be on every corner in SF (oh, my wonderful Black Horse...). 

Anyways, my friend from SF, the wonderful and talented Mark Himmselbach stopped by Boston for a beer (read: meeting in Cambridge). We stopped by Bukowski's for some local brews and he spotted the peanut butter burger on the menu. We added bacon and let's just say we were completely surprised at how good it was. 

I'm all for interesting concoction. PB&B for all. 

xo, 

eb

Boom! Sam's in Seaport

Last night a friend and I stopped by a great place in the Seaport called Sam's. Summer is officially on its way in New England, so I've been trying to figure out the best places to enjoy eats and drinks en plein air.

Sam's sits on the harbor in a fantastically designed space. It's small an compact, but very open and airy. If you found yourself here on a chilly day, eating inside would be just as enjoyable. The view of the harbor is wonderful. Outside, there's patio room to stand and have drinks or eat at one of the many tables.

My friend and I actually ended up eating at the bar. We opted to share the cheese plate, along with a couple of salads: a quinoa, arugula, grapefruit and feta salad and asparagus with tea egg and Serano ham. All washed down with some Rose. Yum.

Sam's sits next to the ICA, which hosts evening events. Last night's event went out with a bang with a surprise 10 minute long surprise firework show over the harbor. We had front row seats. So fun. The fireworks got me on the mood for the 4th. Can't wait to see what this historic city has in store.

I can't wait to go back on a sunny day for the views, atmosphere and eats.

xo,
eb

What a Weeekend

Phew. That was fun.

The weekend was nonstop. It started with wine and cheese at the Top of the Hub and ended with Betty Draper (errr Francis?) shocking the world. Back away from the Bugles.

Annnnyways. Lots to share, some will be detailed in upcoming posts. The Hub has great views - it's a restaurant that sits 52 stories above the rest of Boston. On Saturday and Sunday, I spent a lot of time finishing unpacking and getting the room all settled (my workspace is finally coming together - having a desk again will ensure more frequent posts). Attended a dinner party in a South End loft. Hosted a brunch for my newfound Boston friends. Heck, I even experienced a power outage in Target, which I've concluded would be a great place to be at in an Apocalypse Now type of situation (tents, food, paper towels, Missoni, Michael Starks - everything you could ever need!). I tweeted as much as the panic amongst Target shoppers rose, and guess what?! Trend-hunter/blog NOTCOT RETWEETED ME. Wow (yea, fully aware I'm a huge nerd).

The moment my life on Twitter was legitimized. Thanks @notcot 

Sprinkle some sushi at Oishii and a glass of wine at the Beehive to the sound of a live jazz band, and I'd say I had a fairly full two days

Now I'm ready for a nap. But I guess a good nights sleep will have to do.

xo,
eb

Boston's South End for the Top of the Hub. Look! That's my hood!

City lights.

Loft dinner. (Exposed brick! So East Coast)

Back at it...

Nom: Island Creek Oyster Bar

I made a friend the first day of work. She's great. Mostly because she's sweet, friendly and outgoing.

And of course, because she insisted on introducing me to Island Creek Oyster Bar. Her main squeeze is one of the main men there and at Island Creek Oysters, which is the farm of all those famous and delicious little oysters. I'm all about meeting people who love food as much as I do.

ICOB (we'll call it as the locals do) is fantastic. ICOB, as you can guess, is a seafood lover's - aka my - dream. Not only that, but the design of the place kills it. Big and airy, it's grounded in the sea. It uses crushed oyster shells as glorified wallpaper, lighting fixtures that suggest oyster cages and reclaimed wood slats as window decor. Concrete, shells, glass, beach wood - sleek, smooth, rough, expected, unexpected! All in one. Love.

Loved the design of the menus.

Enough about the fluffy (err... my favorite) part, let's get down to business. We started with rosé and oysters. Three local (including their own) and one West Coast. I really enjoyed the Sunken Meadow from Eastham, Mass (not Eastoyster? Anyone? Is this thing on?) Amazing. Great. Fresh. Good. I don't know much about the words you use to describe oyster, I just know I like 'em. 

Next came the Oyster Slider (not to be confused with an oyster shooter). Here's what you should know: it's fried crispy and served with a chile lime aioli. Ok, you only kind of need to know that. What you really need to know is that they make their own bread. So that unsuspecting brioche bun? Yea. That thing? That's where the goodness is. Makes me want to go back tomorrow and try that Lobster Roll served on the same type of bread. Gawd, I love a brioche. 

We kept the rest of the meal simple with cauliflower, beets and their buttermilk biscuits (those babies are drizzled with honey and rosemary - done). A local New England cheese and some Pinot Noir to top off the meal and I was a happy girl (and it wasn't just the oysters talking). 

A fun fact about ICOB? The owner is Garrett Harker (the owner of ICOB neighbor and Balthazar-ish Eastern Standard and the "G" in yet-to-be-reviewed South End prize and my neighbor, B & G Oysters). And he is a San Francisco fan. We got to talking and he said that ICOB is based off this little place off Polk Street - know it? That's right, this winner of a restaurant was created to bring a little bit of Swan Oyster Depot magic to the streets of Boston. 

We're gonna get along just fine, ICOB, just fine...

xo, 

eb

P.S. March is Munch Madness in Boston. Read: the best of the city's restaurants get bracketed out and voted on till there is one champion. Fun, right? But oh! the drama! ICOB and Eastern Standard are "playing" against each other right now in the Sweet Sixteen. Who will make it to the Final Four? Eeks!

Check out the bracket here.

Nom: The Franklin Cafe

Right around the corner from me is The Franklin Cafe. 
This was the destination for my first Friday night dinner.

The Franklin Cafe

Easy, lowly lit, this place is a go-to. The interior is soft and welcoming, with great globe light fixtures, large comfortable booths, high-backed barstools at the bar and plenty of room for standing and socializing between the two. The crowd last night was laid back and casual, most likely prepping for today's big festivities of St. Patrick's Day (as soon as I get organized around here, I'm headed out to see what that's all about. Expect a post tomorrow). Although, a note on fashion, I did see a grown man in a full grey sweatsuit. No one gave it a second thought... Hmmm...

Annnnways.

The food is simple and good. This place is definitely a bar, too. But the good news is, I can't tell if it's a bar first and restaurant second, or vice versa. Both the drinks and food are on equal playing fields. We opted to split a few plates. Garlic grilled calamari served with basil and baby white beans, skillet roasted mussels served simply with melted butter and homemade pumpkin ravioli served with browned sage butter. The seafood did not disappoint, the calamari had a really great grilled flavor and texture and was really refreshed by the basil. The mussels were mussels. Simple with the butter. Good. The density of the homemade ravioli was fantastic. It could have used a little more spunk in the flavor, an extra kick. But overall, the sage and roasted pine nuts served it well.

Nom...

I had a glass of Prosecco to start and followed with a Maple Manhattan. The cocktail was less sweeter than I had expected, which was great. I'll go back for that drink on a fall afternoon.

It was a long dinner, so I finished the evening with a nightcap of Markers and ginger. And a word to the less wise, the pours in Boston are bigger than they are in San Francisco. I'm used to a cocktail coming in lowball glass. A short one. Here, they come in tall ones. Highballs. When I questioned the bartender about the size of the glass, whether this was mistakenly a double, he answered, simply, that "No, Bostonians just like to get drunk."

Ok, then. Good to know.

And now, I'm off to see those Bostonians do just that on my first Boston St. Patty's Day.

Erin go bragh, all! and Ireland Forever!

xo,

eb