Food

November 5, 2021 0

Korean-Chinese Classics Come to Allston

Seoul Jangteo (Jangteo meaning “market”) opened up last year in the former Bukkyeong space in bustling Allston, filling in the void to bring Korean-Chinese food to the Boston area. After hearing from a close Korean friend that the chef had worked at the Seoul Chosun Hotel, and receiving the recommendation from other friends over time, I figured it was time I go there, too. The must-eat dish is Jajungmyun (자장면) or Jjajangmyun (짜장면) (The National Institute of Korean Language on […]

October 22, 2021 0

Spirits high among the clouds

by Anna Ing

Earlier this year, Clouds and Spirits opened up in the former Cuchi Cuchi space near Central Square. Initially “Clouds” was supposed to have rotating chefs, but that concept changed to have only executive chef and co-owner Katie Cheung in the helm. Chef Katie Cheung brings her extensive experience to the kitchen, her skills honed by working at Radius, Menton, Oishii and Kamakura to create a seasonal menu based on New American and Asian cuisine with touches that honor her Korean […]

October 22, 2021 0

For the love of lard

by Richard Auffrey

Generations of cooks, prior to 1960, cooked with lard, which is basically pork fat that has been rendered down to a liquid. It used to be a common ingredient in many households until it was demonized, labeled as unhealthy. Nowadays, it is starting to make a comeback, albeit slowly and more education is still necessary. Science has helped to rehabilitate lard in the United States, having shown that lard contains less saturated fat than butter, and thus, when used in […]

October 8, 2021 0

Double Chin Brings Double the Flavor

by Anna Ing

Double Chin, owned by sisters Emily and Gloria Chin, is a staple restaurant located in the heart of Boston’s Chinatown. Happy to see that it was still a thriving business post-Pandemic, I revisited them to check out their extensive menu, which now features new additions for tasting. Double Chin’s kitchen offers modern Hong Kong cuisine with a twist. The generously huge plate of Surf N’ Turf, which goes for $26, was a great Chinese appetizer to start with (popular in […]

October 8, 2021 0

Ganbei! Baijiu Cocktails are Here

by Richard Auffrey

As I’ve said often, Baijiu, the famed Chinese spirit, is the Durian fruit of the spirits world — both having a reputation, primarily with non-Asians, of possessing a foul aroma and taste. However, both are misunderstood, and Baijiu itself comes in a variety of flavor profiles, including plenty which would appeal to almost any American consumer. It is the most popular spirit in the world, with the top five most valuable spirit brands in the world all being Baijiu distilleries. The sixth spot […]

September 17, 2021 0

Sounds of udon at Tsurutontan

by Anna Ing

Tsurutontan is a Japanese udon restaurant chain where the founder opened his first restaurant in Osaka, Japan in 1979. Then, in 1989, the first TsuruTonTan-Noodle Craftsman’s Hospitality restaurant opened up after the founder did extensive research on various styles of udon noodles. Their first international location outside of Japan was opened in 2016 in New York City. Now, they have expanded their locations to include Boston, another Manhattan location, and one in Hawaii. According to their website, the restaurant name […]

September 17, 2021 0

Balut brings business to Cavendish Game Birds

by Richard Auffrey

On a recent journey to southern Vermont, I visited Cavendish Game Birds to tour the facility and learn more about their captivating success story during this pandemic. Cavendish was established in 1988 by Bill Thompson, a chef who initially started raising pheasants, selling them to local restaurants. His brother, Rick, was convinced to join his brother’s endeavor, and in 1998, they purchased a 75-acre farm in Springfield, Vermont. They started selling other game birds as well, from quail to ducks. Over the […]

September 3, 2021 0

Cajun comfort comes to South End: Bootleg Special

by Anna Ing

High School friends and co-owners Chris Young and Stephen Chan opened their South End eatery Bootleg Special, a southern crawfish joint with a nod to the French Quarter. We went there to check out their dine-in only weekend brunch, available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 2:30pm. Located at the edge of South End by Mass Pike, upon entry you see a large, deep dining room. The setup transports you into a New Orleans-like space with chandeliers and a […]

September 3, 2021 0

The first Chinese restaurants in Cambridge

by Richard Auffrey

The first Chinese restaurants in Boston’s Chinatown appeared during the 1880s, but when did the first Chinese restaurant appear across the river, in Cambridge? It appears their first Chinese restaurant was not established until June 1902, with the opening of the Harvard Chinese Restaurant. It was located at 527 Massachusetts Avenue, on the second floor of the building, and employed only three people: a Chinese cook and two Chinese waiters. The Cambridge Chronicle, June 28, 1902, noted that it possessed two dining […]

August 20, 2021 0

Café Phinista review

by Anna Ing

Owners Yeanie Bach and Phi Pham started out with a dream: to share the beauty of Vietnamese coffee with Boston by doing a few area pop ups, before finding their dream home in Fenway last summer to open Café Phinista. A month earlier they also opened a bánh mì shop, Bánh mì oi, in West Roxbury. At Café Phinista, they only use coffee beans in their Vietnamese Coffee from a farm in Vietnam (they are the world’s second largest grower […]

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