Ahhh...nothing like a few days away with friends do nothing but kick back, eat and do a little retail therapy--just a little.
One of the cool things about a city the size of Boston with its huge college population, is all the bookstores and all the great restaurants. With just a couple of days in town I managed to hit one of my favorite eateries--the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro (BHHB) in Boston and a new find (though not a new restaurant) Henrietta's Table in Cambridge.
The BHHB has fantastic food with a wall of windows facing Charles Street and a warm fireplace (not necessary on this trip) to greet you at the entrance. They specialize in that New American cuisine that I love so much and seek out local farmers whenever possible. The food is great--this is what they mean when they put beet salad on the menu:
That dollop of Farmers Cheese was awesome. This is close as I've come to having beets for dessert--scrumptious! But then, of course, I had to have dessert. Luckily, my good friend Steph helped me consume this huge and delicious blueberry confection:
For dinner on my last night there a good friend recommended what he surmised to be a "Jen-like" restaurant. He totally scored with taking us to Henrietta's Table in Cambridge. Now, I've passed this place countless times. It has been open for some nine years. It is right door from the Monastery I visit on a regular basis. How did it pass me by all this time? I don't know, but I assure you, it is a must visit.
Henrietta's Table is just across the lobby from Rialto--another fine restaurant on my long list of places to visit. But what makes Henrietta's Table my kind of place is its "Fresh from the farm and Honest to Goodness Home Cooking" as stated on its menu. They mean it and they come through. The food is great, the atmosphere--sophisticated country farmhouse style--is comfortable and the service was impeccable. But anytime I order a side of wilted greens and get a small pot full of chard and collards I'm in heaven. The smoked porkchop didn't hurt either. I LOVE this place. Extra touches such as farmer profiles on the menu and listings of locally sourced ingredients were really appreciated. For those of you in the Boston area who will be participating in the Eat Local Challenge--this is YOUR restaurant!
But now that I'm back in Syracuse it is time to get ready for the Eat Local Challenge which I'll be doing in May--and longer. In the days ahead I'll be posting more information about how I plan to participate. Check out that link above and get ready to join in!
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