Boston100 Blog
Friday, May 30, 2008
Boston100 Blog discontinued
The blogger portion of Boston100.net has been discontinued indefinitely. A revamped Boston100 will launch by June 1, 2008.
- posted by Mike Andrews @ 4:49 PM 3 comments
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Hiatus
Our apologies that updates to Boston100 and the Boston100 Blog have been a little slow in the past few months - unfortunately updates will be continue to be a little slow this Spring, as we have a new addition to the Boston100 family that is taking up all of our attention!
- posted by Mike Andrews @ 5:59 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Fred & Steve's Steakhouse
This past Saturday I headed over to Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse with 17 other guys for a bachelor party. Fred & Steve’s is located in Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI, and is operated by former Patriots and current WEEI radio personalities Fred Smerlas and Steve DeOssie. I gotta say, we all had a fantastic experience. We were treated to a private room overlooking the casino floor, with comfortable chairs and enough room for 16-18 big guys. The room and the dining room are decorated with cherry wood tones and red highlights, complemented by some classic – but not obtrusive - football memorabilia. Our menu selections were pre-fixed because of our large group, but the menu generally offers a wide array of options. Every item we ordered was a hit with the crowd, from the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, to the Caesar Salad, the Sweet Potato side, and the Creamed Corn. Our entrees were the Fillet Mignon, Bake-Stuffed Shrimp, and Grilled Chicken, with most opting for the fillet. The kitchen managed to prepare each entree to our respective likings, without a single complaint from the rowdy crowd. The steaks were also very high quality, as you’d expect in a top notch steak house. We were all actually too full for dessert, but the few bites for chocolate cake were delectable. All in all, the service was good, the pricing was very reasonable compared to other quotes we received for large groups, and the service was excellent. Steve DeOssie even stopped in to say high, and we all congratulated him on his son’s recent Super Bowl victory. The only one complaint is the Maitre D’ had a little bit of an attitude when we arrived with two extra people, after the event planner had previously told us that wouldn’t be a problem. It didn’t end up being an issue, and we all had a great night. I’ve been to a lot of bachelor parties in my day, and I’d highly recommend this place if you’re planning one in the area.- posted by Mike Andrews @ 7:34 AM 1 comments
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Sorellina
Boston100 returned to Sorellina this weekend. It was our first time out in a few months after being blessed with a new baby this past holiday season. The dinner was worth the wait. The service and the ambiance were superb. As was the wine - a 2004 Ethers Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa. A silky smooth Cab with hints of Mocha and berries. The first course also thoroughly impressed - the Insalata salad was a generous serving, topped with a delightful portion of goat cheese, and the tuna was accompanied by a divine tangy mustard sauce. For our entrees, we went with the Filet Mignon and the Veal Milanese. Both were prepared and flavored perfectly. To top off our meal, we went with the Chocolate Arancini and the Ciambelle (sugar and cinnamon spiced doughnuts). Again, both were delightful, giving Sorellina a 6-out-of-6 on each of our courses. The only negative we could find may be the price - while perhaps deservedly so, Sorellina is now one of the top few most expensive restaurants in the city. But when you haven't been out of the house in a few months, its sometimes feels nice to splurge. - posted by Mike Andrews @ 10:47 AM 0 comments
Monday, December 31, 2007
Aujourd'hui
Last week we returned to Aujourd'hui four years after our initial visit in December 2003, at which time we considered this Four Seasons establishment to be one of the top two restaurants in the city. While we were pleased with our experience, we found it didn't live up to the expectations set from our first visit. Since out last visit, the dining room underwent a slight renovation - patrons now enter through a modern bar into a more open and modern dining room, which maintains its upscale decor. While Aujourd'hui changed chefs, the diversity of the French menu remained delightful. Our meals also impressed, but perhaps not as much as our first visit. The Gnocchi appetizer peaked our interest for the next course, while the Goat Cheese Salad was good but not outstanding. We found the same for the Beef Tenderloin and the Lobster entrees - both were top notch - prepared perfectly and flavored very well. However, they just missed the "wow" factor we were expecting. Last, the dessert actually fell flat. The Chocolate Soufflé didn't match the original and the Tarte Tartin was below par. Despite those minor letdowns, we'd still give high grades for service and ambiance. Just keep in mind that the price tag is one of the highest in the city. - posted by Mike Andrews @ 11:53 AM 1 comments
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Tresca
We attended Tresca with a large group as part of a work holiday party, so we weren't able to really get the full personal experience. Nevertheless, we came away impressed with this North End Italian establishment. The dining room and the lobby are rustic and classical, creating a warm and comforting dining ambiance. The upstairs room was boisterous, filled with several large groups holding their respective year end celebrations. The menu offered several pasta, steak, and seafood options - nothing too fancy - several options sounded especially palatable. We went for the Insalate de Aragosta - a tasty lobster appetizer, and the Insalata di Barbabietole, a goat cheese and beet salad. Both were very good, leaving us wanting for the next course. We did not personally select the wines, but several (likely expensive) options circled the table and each thoroughly impressed. For our entrees, we went for the 18-oz. Delmonico Rib-Eye and the Rigatoni Bolognese. The steak was succulently prepared in a Sangiovese wine and gorgonzola cheese reduction, cooked to a perfect medium rare. The Rigatoni was very good, but not overly impressive. For dessert, we opted for the Tiramisu, stylishly served in a Martini glass. A light pistachio sauce gave the dessert a unique and intriguing flare. Service was excellent for a group of approximately fifteen, keeping the meal well-paced and each of the guests satisfied. As we weren't footing the bill, we didn't pay particular attention to the prices, but they appeared to be in line with other top line expensive North End restaurants. The one negative was the lack of valet parking - we were told that there was a validated parking garage around the corner, but the foot traffic and the snow made the roads more difficult to navigate than usual. We ended up parking over a half mile away. Overall, we were generally pleased with out visit, and will make sure to return soon for a more personal visit.- posted by Mike Andrews @ 11:50 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Rocca
Rocca is a posh Italian establishment located is the SoWa district of the South End. The ambiance is modern and sophisticated; patrons enter into a high-ceiling lounge, and eventually are led upstairs to a open dining room designed in earthy tones and decor. The menu serves up Italian cuisine with a contemporary flare, and also offers several traditional selections. We started with a Green Salad, which was average and perhaps a little on the boring side, and the Anti Pasti, which was top quality, but lacking in portions of meat (while being overly generous with the potions of pickled vegetables). Though the appetizers were mediocre, the entrees truly impressed. The Rigatoni Baked in a Pot was divine -- a hearty portion of pasta served with veal in a spicy tomato base. The Veal Milanese was also spectacular -- a thinly sliced veal chop topped with marinated tomatoes and fresh parmesan shavings -- a novel take on veal parmesan. We split our dessert, the Apple Crostada, which was tasty but nothing to write home about . Service was very good, as our sever was friendly, polite, and timed the meal well, but at times was too soft-spoken and hard to hear. Pricing was very reasonable, the entire three course meal and two glasses of wine ran under $100 before tip. Perhaps the best part of all has yet to be mentioned - the free adjacent parking lot. This is truly a unique offering, especially for an upscale restaurant in Boston proper. We almost felt like we were getting away with something by actually parking in a free lot. Overall, we'd recommend Rocca for the fine entrees, the reasonable pricing, the hip atmosphere, and the free parking. - posted by Mike Andrews @ 11:04 PM 0 comments
