August has been full of many adventures for us here at LB Food Review, but we are recharged and ready to give you the skinny on great places to eat. For starters I wanted to fill you all in on the delicious trip to Boston that I took with my buddies Boobs and J-Bro. While we were there we attended a good friend’s wedding, walked the Freedom Trail, checked out the observation deck of the Prudential building, and watched the Red Sox play the Blue Jays from atop the Green Monster, and all while exploring the good eats of the city.
After a long red-eye flight from SoCal and a little help from Google maps on the iPhone, we eventually figured out the public transportation and made it to our hotel around 10AM, which is prime breakfast time in my book. Never one to be shy, I asked the receptionist and she recommended that we try a place called Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe (map/info). The place consists of little more than a counter and five or six shared tables. According to the signage they are famous for their Turkey Hash, so I ordered it up with some over-easy eggs and rye toast. The owner, named Chris, was working the grill, and dished up a large portion of the ground turkey, veggies, and potatoes. Boobs ordered a grinder and it was also very delicious with a large portion of meat and veggies on a fresh roll. I was a big enough fan of Charlie’s that we ended up there again the next morning, this time trying a large omelet with bacon, tomato, and cheese. I definitely recommend that you make a stop here if you are in Boston; it was a staple for Nomar Garciaparra when he was on the Sox.
Few things are better than a nice walk after a big meal, and as it was our first day in Boston we could think of no better place to stroll than the Freedom Trail, a red line running down the sidewalk connecting many of the pertinent places that played a role in our fight for freedom from the tyranny of the British. This walk happens to take you through the North End, which is one of my favorite places to visit. It is the Italian section of the city, with more fantastic restaurants, markets, bars, and pastry shops then you can imagine. I had been to a great little market there years ago and was very excited when we found it with the sign proclaiming “Boston’s Best Italian Grocery”. This place is wonderful with its small space packed with just about anything Italian you could think of including all kinds of fresh cheese, meat, and bread that they are happy to slice, package, and serve up to you on the spot. We ordered up a half pound of 23 year aged prosciutto and ¼ pound of some great provolone, rolled them together and sat in heaven for a minute as we consumed some of the best prosciutto I have ever had. Then we were back on the Trail, seeing the sights as we worked off more food.
To finish up the day we needed to have dinner, so Boobs, Vivian and I wandered until we stumbled upon Post 390. This was an upscale restaurant and bar that called itself an urban tavern, and the food was definitely on the high end. I had Brick Chicken and Рmuch like the dish that is served at the At Last Caf̩ Рit was tender and juicy, served with potatoes and veggies. Boobs had the meatloaf and it came with a unique twist: this meatloaf was stuffed with ham and fontina cheese, and it was a true delight. Last but not at all least, Vivian had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. There is not much to say besides bravo. The food, wine, cocktails, and service were all first class. I will make a trip back as soon as I can.
Stay Tuned for Part II of Adventures of a Foodie: Boston…