When visiting New York City recently, we got an opportunity to head to Momofuku Noodle Bar in the Village, which after going through the cookbook, was a big draw for me. Going in, I knew that the two dishes I was going to have the most difficult time choosing between would be the Momofuku Ramen (which I did end up ordering) and this dish below: Ginger Scallion Noodles.

The dish is totally simple to prepare, really not much effort, but the flavors are complex and delicious.  The base of the dish is the Ginger Scallion Sauce, which for the most part is just that, minced ginger and scallions along with some soy, vinegar and grapeseed oil.  It’s less sauce and more of a rub or condiment.  Whatever it is, you’ll love it, trust me.  As David Chang of Momofuku says:

“Improvise to your needs, but know that you need ginger scallion sauce on your noodles, in your fridge, and in your life.”

Here’s how to pull it together – first for the Ginger Scallion Sauce.  Make this first, as it gets better with age:

• 2.5 cups scallions.  Basically 2 standard bunches finely diced
• 1/2 cup finely diced ginger
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil – make sure you use grapeseed, don’t substitute here!
• 1.5 tsp. light soy sauce (I used the low sodium version).
• 3/4 tsp. Sherry vinegar
• large pinch kosher salt (3/4 tsp. or so)

Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, then set aside to rest, letting the flavors blend together.  Let this mixture sit for at least 15 minutes or up to a day or two in the fridge.

Quick Pickle Cucumbers:

• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. organic sugar
• A bunch of thinly sliced cucumber slices – standard cukes were cool with us.

Combine all ingredients thoroughly with your hands and let marinate for 5-10 minutes before using.

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower:

• 1 medium head of cauliflower – broken down and sliced into small florets.
• Grapeseed oil
• Kosher salt to season

Get the oil ripping hot in your pan, then add the cauliflower (careful, the oil may splatter!!) cut side down and toss letting all sides caramelize before seasoning to taste with salt and removing from the pan.

Ginger Scallion Noodle Dish: (for 3-4 people)

• All 3 condiments from above
• 1 package of store-bought ramen noodles (around a 1 lb package, like standard pasta)

Boil the noodles for just a few minutes in unsalted water, breaking them apart the best you can.  Keep in mind these ramen noodles cook MUCH faster than their Italian counterparts, so don’t overcook them!!

Drain the noodles and place in a large bowl.  Toss in the sauce and the rest of the ingredients/condiments, along with anything else to your liking!  Serve and enjoy once well combined.

This was my favorite mezze from Oleana in Cambridge, MA the first time I visited, and to say the least I’ve been back a few times.  Reason being?  This is perhaps the perfect accompaniment for some delicious and soft foccacia or other warm bread.  There are lots of feta dip recipes out there, but this one is truly unique.  The reason for that is the abundance of 3 types of chili peppers which blend together to give this appetizer a rich, spicy and smoke flavor.

Two of these chilis are somewhat exotic, but if you’re attempting to make this dish, don’t substitute!  Trust me, I tried this and it didn’t come out nearly as good.  The 2 keys to this dish are Aleppo and Urfa chilis, both of Turkish origin and both delicious.  The Aleppo is sort of like the ancho chili – it’s got a certain sweetness to is also, with some smoky undertones.  The Urfa is a bit spicier – akin to red chili flakes but with a totally different consistency.  I also use Paquillo peppers in this dish instead of the roasted red peppers that the recipe calls for. Use what ever you like, but these Paquillos have been a common staple in the fridge at casa Mott lately.

This is also a good party appetizer and has such unique flavors to it that you’re likely to have some takers.  Enjoy and please try out Oleana or Sofra if you’re in the Boston area!!  Here’s the recipe:

• Around 2 cups of Sheep’s milk feta cheese (or other feta, but the sheep’s milk variety is preferred) – crumbled
• 5 Paquillo peppers (find them at most grocery stores). You can also use roasted red peppers here.
• Medium handful of Aleppo chilis (around 2 tsp.) – Buy them here
• 1.5 tsp. Urfa chilis – Buy them here

• 1 tsp. smoked paprika (or more if you like your dip smokier)
• Lemon juice to taste – start with 1-2 Tbsp. though
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Some good bread of your choice – good sourdough or focaccia is recommended!

The preparation here is extremely easy, but will definitely help with the addition of a food processor.  If you don’t have one, you should try to get one, it’s one of the most indispensable kitchen items in our house and gets used almost everyday.  And yes, I still use the Cuisinart from my Mom that she purchased in like 1985 and it still works great.

Add the crumbled feta and the peppers (Aleppo, Urfa and Paprika) to a large mixing bowl and gently mix them together.  Add the mixture to the food processor along with the lemon juice.  Whip the mixture together and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the mixture is spinning.

Once it’s well combined, transfer the feta to a bowl and let it chill in the fridge to harden and rest together for a while before serving.  Enjoy!

While driving through New York state last night, we stopped in Binghamton’s South Bridge Business District for a delightful dinner at The Whole In The Wall Restaurant. We found it using my favorite roadtrip tool Eat Well Guide and were intrigued by the online reviews, especially about the garlic ball.

According to this cozy, down to earth restaurant’s menu, they strive to “serve the highest quality all natural food in a unique and offbeat way.” We could tell right away that the establishment has been pretty sucessful living up to this mission as evidenced by the memorbilia left behind by various pleased customers like Bob Dylan, Phish and REM and the mail order business they now have selling their eclectic pestos (like sundried tomato and ramp flavors), and the fact that the restaurant has been going strong in the same quaint location for 30 years now.

The decor made me smile, earthy and funky but very clean and spacious at the same time. Our waitresses were attentive and friendly. Opening the menu, I kept smiling, with so many vegetables and locally sourced ingredients, organic free range grass fed beef and even brown rice at no surcharge!

We started out with the sundried pesto cheese spread with crackers, Jamacian ginger lemonade and a side salad with the homemade sesame-yogurt dressing.

Old-timey music eminated from an upright piano played by an old man with a calm soothing voice, hitting our ears at just the right volume. We shared a bowl of the famous creamy mushroom soup. After one bite, we knew why this soup is so popular. It is so thick, gravy-like and full of umami. I usually try to figure out what is in awesome flavors are when I find something so delicious as this, but we just decided to enjoy it and not bother thinking about it so much.

Next came the garlic ball. This is no wimpy garlic bread. It is essentially a dense homemade whole wheat roll drenched in garlic butter with parsley. It is chewy, salty, garlicy, gooey, hot and needs to be eaten with a fork and knife. I could understand how someone could not like it – but for garlic lovers like us it was an excellent choice.

Our main dishes – rigatoni with red pepper pesto and lasagna with sauteed bell peppers, zuccini, eggplant, cheddar and creamy butternut squash sauce – were both cooked just right and tasted like they were made with fresh ingredients.

The Whole in the Wall is a golden arrow in the road trip food quiver. I will drool in my sleep looking forward to the next chance I have to stop in Binghamton to enjoy another bowl of their mushroom soup.

While driving through Cleveland on a road trip last weekend, we stopped for dinner in the historic Ohio City neighborhood. We decided to try the first brew pub in Ohio, Great Lakes Brewing Company.We checked out the whole operation – an elegant upstairs bar, dining rooms indoors that had the brew tanks encased in glass, outdoor patios decorated with kegs and flowers, a gift shop, and a basement area reminiscent of European cellar pubs.

We were seated in the dining room near the brew tanks and were presented with a delicious menu with a full selection of beer from light lagers to dark stouts including an organic German ale. We were especially interested in the Cellar Dweller Organic Ale because of our interest in maintaining the viability of agriculture into the future (and to avoid supporting use of petrochemicals because of carbon footprint and effects on our health). They ran out of Cellar Dwellar so we tried the Commodore Perry IPA and the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. Both were well crafted, satisfying, flavorful beers.

The best part about this restaurant is their commitment to sustainability. We were impressed wiht the variety of regional and locally sourced ingredients and sustainable seafood selections on the menu. This is the kind of business that I seek out and want to support, as where the food comes from is equally important to me as the taste. The food did taste pretty good by the way. We started out with the mussels steamed in Great Lakes’ own Dortmunder Gold Lager, garlic with butter, bell peppers and lemon. It was served with fresh hearty warm whole wheat bread for dipping in the broth. Next we ate the chopped Greek salad that was standard, but refreshing and hit the spot. We also tried the Lake Erie Perch with sauteed pea pods in lemon basil sauce. It had a light, tender buttery texture with more flavor than a typical white fish.

Next time I’m in Cleveland I am definitely going to make time to stop in for another scrumptious meal at Great Lakes Brewing Company!

Had the opportunity to visit the great city of New York this past weekend and make it a point to hit up Momofuku for lunch on the Sunday we were there.  I’ll start by admitting that I’ve been really into the Momofuku cookbook.  I haven’t yet made many recipes from it just yet besides the Momofuku chicken wings, but that will change, especially after making my first trip to Noodle Bar.  If you haven’t heard of Momofuku, it’s the restaurant group started by David Chang in New York and has been wildly successful since its inception.  If you want to read more, see here and here.

What everyone usually talk about is the pork buns, which have been replicated here in Boston by chef Phillip Tang at East by Northeast in Cambridge (yes, they’re delicious here too).  Also, Momofuku Noodle Bar especially is famous for its Ramen noodles, and no, we’re not talking about some garbage 50 cent Top Ramen package with the foil flavor packet.  I made another point of ordering the Momofuku ramen too – which was truly delicious – served with shredded pork shoulder, two slices of slow cooked pork belly, bamboo shoots, slow poached egg and minced scallions and I haven’t even started talking about the noodles.  A decadent, insanely comforting and delicious dish.

We started out with a pork bun each, which actually surprised me a little due to how much pork is actually in these things.  I was expecting them to be a little bit smaller, but I’m not complaining.  The other thing that’s nice about these is the buns themselves.  For some reason when I was thinking about ‘steamed bread’, I wasn’t really that excited about this – I mean c’mon, steamed bread?  Sounds sort of damp and soggy, but trust me it isn’t.  The buns are a really good consistency, topped with Hoisin sauce, a few cucumbers and then folded over around a major league slice of tender pork belly.  Everything perfect besides the fact that I wanted my pork belly crisped up a bit.  No complaints though, these things killed it.  We also sampled the chicken wings, which were smoky and good – the XO vinaigrette was much better than the one I made in the recipe above.

There were 7 f us eating and 4 ordered the Momofuku Ramen – me included.  Others in our party ordered the ginger-scallion noodles, which were my second favorite dish here – topped with the famous ginger-scallion sauce that coats the noodles perfectly.  The best part about both of these dishes though was the noodles themselves.  They are a recipe that I really want to not only make but master and make often.  We also ordered a small pot of kimchi which paired with all of the noodle dishes really well.

Another element that I thought was really interesting about the cookbook was the slow poached egg, which was also included right in the middle of the ramen bowl.  The yolk of the egg was perfectly runny and when mixed into the broth added an awesome richness.  Our other 2 friends went out on a limb and ordered a special of the daily menu – a spicy lamb ramen with wide rice noodles, which was good, but didn’t hold a chance against the signature ramen dish.

Though the restaurant was damn busy (we made a point of getting there right at opening) – it’s not big and filled up in literally 15 minutes after opening at 12 noon on a Sunday, Momofuku did live up to the hype that we’d heard about: excellent food, just really comforting Asian cuisine and attentive service.  I will do my best to make it to Ssam Bar and Ko before too long, as I’m interested in what else Chef Chang has to offer.

As people who claim to know anything about Italian cooking, it is not hard to imagine how we ended up in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy on our trip after loving the food and culture in the Amalfi Coast and the Tuscan wineries and restaurants. The Emila-Romagna is an area many famous Italian chefs, including Mario Batali, herald as one of the food capitals of the world.  The Emilia-Romagna, a rather wealthy area of Italy, is home to Bologna, a city that is responsible for both Bolognese sauce, which Italians call ragu, and to the cold cut that shares its name, which Italians call mortadella.  West of Bologna you will find Parma, home to the famous Parmigiana Reggiano cheese and to Prosciutto de Parma.  Between these two cities lies Modena, the birthplace of Balsamic vinegar.  With all of these culinary highlights, it is a wonder we didn’t spend our whole trip here!

Of all of the wonderful offerings of this region, I intend to dedicate the remainder of this post to just one room, in a tiny osteria in the city of Modena, hidden in the back of a little market, containing only four beautifully set tables, in which Adrian and I were served what must be the best meal we have ever eaten.  We would have never in a million years found this jewel of a restaurant had we not been led there by Mario Batali’s online guide to traveling in Italy.  His praise for the restaurant claims that if you are to travel to any one place in Italy, “it must be here.”  High marks from an iron chef who has made his career studying and preparing authentic Italian cuisine.  So we heeded his advice, and we went there.  And “there” was the highlight of our whole trip.

The market that sits in front of this hidden restaurant is called Macelleria de Guisseppe Guisti.  It is a small little market with an amazing selection of cured meats, cheeses, and jarred goods, as well as a nice variety of balsamicos. There is also a cafe next door, but don’t mistake this for the real jewel, which we only found when Adrian questioned the man servicing the meat counter about “l’hosteria?”.  The man replied, “si, si” and shuffled us behind the counter, through swinging doors and a dim hallway into a room that couldn’t have been more than ten meters in width and length.  It contained only four tables, two of which were occupied.  He seated us, and we smiled at each other victoriously, glad we hadn’t had much of a breakfast.

Our waitress, who we soon learned was the great, if not the great-great granddaughter of Guisseppe himself, spoke enough English to give us some insight into the menu and to recommend a local Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine, served chilled, that locals drink with everything.

Our plan of attack, since it was around one in the afternoon, was to just go for a big lunch and not have to eat for the rest of the day, if ever!  So we decided on sharing an antipasti, each ordering a primi piatti, and splitting a secondi.   For the first course we decided on a seasonal dish, a zucchini blossom, stuffed with simple risotto, dipped in a batter, fried to perfection, and drizzled (of course) with an aged balsamic vinegar.  It was absolutely divine.    The risotto stuffing was perfectly al dente and undoubtedly seasoned with Parmigiana, and the flavor of the zucchini blossom was the star of the dish.

For our pasta course, we went with one seasonal and one very traditional dish.  The waitress told us that they had “special” fresh ricotta, so I ordered the tortelloni with ricotta, spinach, and lemon zest that was lightly sauced with butter.  The dish was so fresh, and if you can imagine anything tossed in butter tasting light, that is the only way I can describe it.  The fresh pasta that encased the tortelloni was perfectly thin and cooked to perfection.

Adrian went with a regional specialty for his primi – Pappardelle con Guanciale, or thick cut pasta with the cured cheeks of the pig.  Again, the pasta was so perfect, it was almost the star of the dish, were it not for the unbelievable, rich and slow sauce.  We both reluctantly switched plates to sample each other’s, only to become increasingly confused about which dish to fight for.  Either one of these dishes would have certainly been the best pasta we had ever had.

For our secondi course, we opted for their house made sausage, which the waitress assured us was their specialty.  We decided to trust her on that, wisely.  The sausage was formed in perfect disc-shaped patties, coated in a light breading, and deep fried until it had a perfect golden crust to encase the savory juices within.  The sausages were accompanied by a perfect zabaglione, which is an incredibly light custard made with whipped egg yolks, sugar, and Lambrusco wine.  Having a sweet accompaniment to such a savory dish was surprising at first, but when we tasted them together, it was indescribably delicious.  Who ever thought of that should be knighted.

To finish the meal, we couldn’t pass on their homemade ice cream drizzled with a reserve aged balsamic vinegar, an absolute treat, after which we expected to have to request a wheel barrel to tote us out to the street.  Remarkably, though, we felt wonderful, which is a testament to the perfect portion sizes and simplicity of the food we had just eaten.  Or perhaps it was the ease on our wallet that left us feeling so great – the whole meal cost less than sixty Euros.

We left through the back door, which puts you at the very end of a long alley.  Just outside the door, accross the alley, there was a wine store that carried an innumerable collection of Italian wines.  The lights were low and no one was presently in the wine shop, but the door was open nonetheless, despite the fortune of wines within.  Only in Italy!  We were pleased at the opportunity to just snap a few photos and let the high from that most incredible meal carry us back to our hotel in Bologna.

There are not many places in the world that I’ve seen like Toscana (Tuscany to us North Americans).  Especially in the summertime, when man, that Tuscan sun is intense – the movie didn’t lie about that one.

So after an amazing few days down on the Amalfi Coast, Aimee and I made our way via rental car (a little go-cart-esque Fiat) from Sorrento up the A1 highway to the hills of Tuscany.  Along the way, we stopped in Montepulciano quickly, took some pics and (not surprisingly) bought a bottle of Brunello wine – really great stuff.

Tuscany is the home of wine in Italy for the most part – the place where Chianti comes from, the pinnacle of the ancient Sangiovese grape, which is responsible for the makeup of the region’s most popular wine, Chianti Classico.  Chianti, as we learned at the Castello Fonterutolli outside of Castellina, MUST contain no less than 80% of Sangiovese grape – other than that it’s up to the vintner, many use Cabernet Sauvignon to complement.

We spent out time between the town of Siena – an awesomely ancient city (like going back to the middle ages in terms of the architecture, art and just the feel of the city).  In terms of food, we really enjoyed Siena as well, tasting probably what was the second best meal of our time in Italy, on Aimee’s birthday at the Antica Osteria da Divo, a fantastic little restaurant that we literally stumbled upon after a rather embarrassing incident driving through the mainly pedestrian streets of the Siena town center.  The restaurant was perfectly suited for Siena, with terra cotta floors and high, wood beamed ceilings.  The only light came from candles on the tables and around the room.

It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get some pictures of this food, as it really was delicious.  We started with Crispy Herb Scented Anchovies with Eggplant Cake and Basil Sauce, then sampled some of the regional specialties.  In Tuscany, they’re famous for their use of wild boar, which we sampled in the Pici with Wild Boar Ragu.  Pici is a hand rolled, or “pinched”, pasta that is shorter and much thicker than spaghetti.  We also ordered a risotto dish with zucchini and zucchini flowers served in a hollow wheel of pecorino cheese.  When they scooped the risotto out of the cheese, the dish was delightfully rich and creamy – a nice touch!   Since we had just been in Montepulciano, and we were planning to head to Chianti in the next couple of days, we decided to order a Brunello to sip throughout the meal.  Delicious all around for sure.

In Tuscany, Aimee and I also fell head over heels in love with perhaps our favorite ingredient in all of Italy this time of year – the tomato.  Bruschetta you see was in full bloom there, and we took full advantage in Tuscany.  Perhaps the second best Bruschetta we sampled in Italy was at a cafe right on the Siena’s main square the Piazza di Campo.  So simple and delicious – something that we’ve already re-created here at home for dinner.  Just toast up some crusty bread, rub the surface with a garlic clove, and top it with tomatoes tossed in a little olive oil, salt, and dried oregano.  That’s it.  But believe me, that is enough.  In the heat of July, bruschetta is a perfect snack.

Other highlights of Tuscany besides the wine and the food was the coffee – especially at the famous Siena roaster Nannini, which roasts their own coffee and offers homemade gelato and around 1,000 different types of pastries and biscotti.  It offers very few tables, but there is a long espresso bar at which you can stand and sip your cappuccino or espresso and nibble on your pastry.

We also sampled some of the traditional dishes of Italy in Tuscany, such as Pesto Genovese, Fagiuoli all‘Uccelletto – the traditional Tuscan white beans in a simple tomato sauce.  Panzanella, a salad made with bread, cucumbers, and tomatoes, is also a regional specialty during the summertime, but the authentic version unfortunately falls a little short of the american adaptation.

Rather than making the dish with fresh baked crusty croutons, as we often see Giada prepare it on the Food Network, the serve it with mushed up day old bread, sparingly incorporate peeled and chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, and dress it with little more than olive oil.  It is served chilled and lacks much acidity.  This is one dish we tried that we definitely prefer to eat at home.

All in all, Toscana’s stunning scenery and rich history make for a memorable experience.  We’ll certainly be back.  For now, off to Bologna, Modena and Emilia-Romagna!!

So with a few days of married life under our belts, Aimee and I set off to Italia – a place we’ve long looked forward to traveling together for the sights, architecture, art, bot mostly the food and wine.  Our first stop on the trip was the Amalfi coast, where after loads of recommendations, we decided to stay in Positano, a town literally built into a 3-4K foot mountain with views right down to the Mediterranean and cool shops and restaurants throughout.

In terms of the food, we figured two things: first, we’re on the water, so the seafood must be delicious.  Second, we’re near Napoli (Naples), the home and origin of pizza, so we thought that sampling a few of these local delicacies was a good idea.  We really had no idea about which restaurants were which, but we tried to stick by our guns and find places that were more like holes in the wall instead of fancy places looking for Michelin stars.

Our first night in Italy, quite tired from a red eye flight and the day of traveling that followed, we struck out and found a restaurant called ‘Ristorante Il Capitano’, situated on a corner of a steep Positano street, just overlooking the harbor and water. Quite a setting, and they complimented it with a duo Lute and Guitar player for a small charge (something that every restaurant in Italy does I’ve learned).

Our meal started with perhaps my favorite dish of the trip so far: Thinly sliced fried Zucchini, dressed with salt, vinegar and olive oil.  Imagine something like a plate of small potato chips, but instead of potatoes, they’re zucchini instead.  Delicious, and something that I’ll try to reproduce for sure.  We then ate a pasta dish made from homemade squid ink pasta served with small fishes and tomatoes.  Delicious, and the pasta, albeit not the best made pasta I’ve ever had, was flavored with the quid ink and insanely good.  We then shared a pizzetta with some salumi and simple fresh tomatoes from San Marzano, which I later learned are grown in the area on the southern slope of Mount Vesuvius, just outside of Napoli.

This pizza really changed my idea of pizza totally around, and not just on the pizza front – on all food in general.  The food here in Italy is SO SIMPLE.  These people who cook here (basically everyone) don’t try to do too much.  It’s a lesson I needed to come here to learn – less is more.  For example, the tomato sauce they use for the pizzas in Napoli: it’s literally just pureed tomatoes – possibly a touch of garlic, but that’s basically it, and that’s all it needs to be.

Our eating experiences in Positano continued at the Saraceno D’Oro, right down the street from our hotel.  We ate simple things here as well, such as simple spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, bruschetta con tomate (best bruschetta I’ve had BY FAR) and the best thing (again) was the pizza – this time with Fungi Porcini, fresh porcini – tasting almost as delicious as if there were actual truffles on the pizza.  The bruschetta was made by the way the restaurant prepared the bread – it was baked fresh, then simply toasted to perfection (not just thrown in the toaster – it was golden brown throughout) then rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, before the tomatoes went on.

In terms of drinks, the Amalfi coast is known for it’s citrus groves, mostly lemons – so you can imagine it’s the home of limoncello.  What I was surprised by is that every little gift shop and bar in Positano and Amalfi makes their own version of the stuff.  We tried a couple different samples, and liked them all, especially at the Saraceno D’Oro where they gave us free samples after our meal.

As we drove out of the south of Italy, through Sorrento, Napoli and the surrounding coast, we were more than content and happy we had gone there and experienced the culture, views and of course of the food of the Amalfi coast – it’s qite a place.  Oh, and if you’re considering coming here and also potentially Cinque Terre, take it from me (I’ve been to both places) go to the Amalfi Coast, it’s much bigger and more dramatic.  Don’t forget you’re in the home of pizza!

Next Stop: Tuscany: Siena and Chianti!

Aimee and I decided to try a new spot in Inman Square this evening that had some really high praise associated with it from the Boston Globe – including comparisons to the heralded Momofuku in Manhattan.  The place had a rather interesting name “East by Northeast” (EXNE…just like the annual South by Southwest conference in Austin!), but the menu on the website looked really interesting and delicious – a sort of China meets France feel.  It definitely didn’t disappoint.

East by Northeast is only 8 weeks old, but the chef has already established some really excellent dishes as well as specials that we found amazing at their best and pretty good at their worst.  This place is really almost like a Chinese Tapas sort of menu, with small plates being the theme – each around $10 or less for the most part.  The chef recommends around 3 dishes I’ll review all of the dishes we tried here, in the order of our favorites to our least favorites:

1. Home made Thick Cut Noodles with Pork Ragout and Chili Vinegar (topped with a poached egg) – This was our consensus best dish of the evening.  The noodles were divine, thick cut and really good all around, and the ragout was seasoned really well and perfectly cooked.  One of the great things about ExNE’s (as they call themselves) noodle dishes is that you can add a delicious poached egg to any of these dishes.  I highly recommend doing this, especially on this dish.  The side of this dish was a small amount of chili vinegar that we (on our server’s recommendation) poured on top of the dish.  The vinegar mixed with the egg yolk and created a pretty amazing taste and texture throughout the dish.

2. Crispy Pork Belly, Mantou Bread, Daikon and Sweet Bean Paste (with Pickled Onion) – This was likely my favorite of the night…ok, ok, I admit – I’m a sucker for pork belly (who isn’t).  This version of the meat was braised first, then sliced thinly and cooked until crispy.  Served on some house made Mantou bread (which is a sort of Chinese dumpling-like roll) and topped with some pickled onion and some sweet bean paste.  This was really, really tasty – like a little slider.  The pork was moist and insanely delicious.  I’d come back and order 2-3 of these for myself anytime.

3. Mapo Tofu, Spicy Veal Sauce and Smoked Silken Tofu – As you can see from the picture, the presentation of this dish was a little bit surprising to me, almost like a sort of tofu steak, topped with the veal sauce that was actually really spicy (not too spicy though).  But from what the presentation lacked, the dish made up for in flavor, which it was big on.  There was also some delicious dabs of sauce on the plate that seemed like it was made out of parsley or spinach – it was very green.  The combination of the spicy veal and smooth tofu with a little of that smoky flavor is what made this dish for me.

4. Pork Dumplings with Butternut Squash, Five Spice-Pork Jus – Though I am partial to Mary Chung‘s amazing house made pot stickers, these dumplings were a welcome start to our meal for sure.  Reading the menu, I was mostly expecting to see the butternut squash incorporated inside of the dumplings, but it was actually more of a puree that was served underneath the dumplings, along with the jus.  The mixture of these two garnishes was excellent, and overshadowed the dumplings themselves, which I’d have to call rather average.  Delicious and innovative nonetheless.
5. Salad of Napa Cabbage, Honey, Rice Vinegar and Grapefruit – This salad was fresh an really delicious.  I was a little skeptical of the raw cabbage at first, but I’m glad we ordered it in the end.  The combination of the bitter grapefruit, tart but smooth vinegar and the tender cabbage was divine.  Balanced with the honey, this dish was a winner for sure, something I’d be happy to order again.  We shared this, but I also could have eaten one of these small salads on my own.
6. Crispy Bun Duo – Pulled Pork and Smoked Pork Confit – A rather interesting presentation, this small dish was one part mini-slider that included the smoked pork confit, and another part pulled pork, encapsulated in a delicious dough and cooked until the sides were rather crisp.  This was a really nice pair, but the flavors weren’t as memorable as some of the other dishes we tasted.
7. House Made Lamb Sausage, Short Rice Noodles, Carrots, Parsnips – This was our least favorite of all the dishes we tasted at ExNE.  I think part of the reason was the noodles themselves – rather short and shaped like small, thick cylinders.  I found them to be rather gummy in the middle, and not particularly enjoyable to eat.  The sauce in the dish seemed to be seasoned with curry powder and cumin and was good, not great.  The lamb sausage was delicious, but in the whole dish we only found 3 pieces of sausage.  Probably wouldn’t order this one again, but it was interesting to try in any case.

Overall, our experience at East by Northeast was an enjoyable one.  We sat at the bar, and the servers were great at explaining and recommending.  We even got a view of the kitchen as the chefs were preparing everyone’s food.  Cool spot, I see good things ahead for these guys, and wish them the best of luck -

Service: 9/10

Food: 8.5/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Value: 7/10

Overall: 8.5/10 – great spot!

We’ve always been fans of this place that hides under the long line of buildings covering Beacon St. right near the St. Mary’s T stop in Brookline, MA. There are a few reasons why we really dig this post, but one of them has to be the authentic, rustic Oaxacan sauces and cabbage slaw – both the mole and mole verde are out of this world. The portions are also humongous, they provide you with ample (and free) fresh chips and restaurant style salsa. The service is good, never rushed but attentive. I’ve heard really good things about other Mexican restaurants in Boston, some of which I haven’t tried, but I’ll tell you that they will be hard pressed to top Sol Azteca in my book.

Aimee decided to hit up the old haunt on somewhat of a whim last week and were thoroughly rewarded.  We started out with a couple drinks – A nice 1800 Silver Margarita on the Rocks, exceptional as always (and not too sweet) which is how I like them, more on the tart side.  Aimee had a classic Dos Eqis (because she doesn’t usually drink beer, but when she does, she makes it a Dos Eqis, heh heh).  Out came the drinks along with the limitless and awesome fresh tortilla chips and fresh restaurant style salsa, which really are delicious.

We were hungry, but with the chips and salsa and knowing the our entree portions were going to be large and in charge, we opted only to share a soup for an appetizer.  One of the things that I would criticize Sol Azteca for is the rather crazy price for their guacamole, which at around $8 seems excessive.  I’ve actually ordered this before and the portion isn’t amazing either.  It’s barely enough for 4 to share.

Our soup though was really good – the Sopa De Nopal.  Made from a chicken broth with tomatillos or green tomatoes, the flavor was spot on.  The soup also included big chunks of cactus and avocado and the kicker?  Melted but intact medium chunks of cheese (likely queso fresco or jack).  Really hearty and a good way to start the meal on a cold day.

Next the main event – our ‘Combinacions Sol’, a great way to order, because the restaurant let’s you pick two of your favorite items (or 3 if you haven’t eaten for a week) off of the ‘Traditional Plats’ menu and pair them together.  I opted for the Enchiladas De Mole Verde (I opted for the cheese variety), which was excellent, though a little bit too cheesy.  The mole verde sauce was dynamite, using a combination of poblano peppers, pumpkin seeds and almonds.  I almost went with the traditional mole sauce, but Aimee ordered it so I was covered.  The mole verde was really, really good.  Better then I remembered.

Aimee and I both opted for Tostada’s in our combinacions.  Mine with beef and Aimee’s with Chicken.  If you have never experienced a really good tostada, I’d recommend it for sure.  Mine had ground beef mixed with a few small pieces of potato, topped with a crispy tortilla, beans, cheese lettuce and a few avocado slices.  Woah, damn good.  Mine was really tasty, though it tasted like it sat around for a few minutes, as the tortilla could have been a bit crispier.

The other piece of Aimee’s plate was her divine as always Enchiladas De Mole Poblanas – delicious rolled corn tortillas filled with chicken, topped with the traditional somewhat spicy and savory Mexican sauce made with bitter chocolate.  The dish is really excellent and tastes traditional.  A must if you haven’t had a good mole before.  Paired with the cabbage slaw, beans and rice, it’s an excellent dinner.  We rolled out literally stuffed, not able to finish our meals there was so much food.

We’re big fans of Sol Azteca and will definitely head back when our stomachs rumble enough to warrant it.  We recommend you do the same!