Saturday, May 31, 2014

PHU KET Wakefield

I decided to give PHU KET in Wakefield another chance on the salmon since the menu now states that it's grilled. Regardless how I ordered it before it was always overcooked. The new menu on the website contains malware according to Avast.



Classic Hot Salmon from the Special Lunch Plate section, marked as three peppers in the menu and ordered extra spicy and medium rare. The waitress even come back and confirmed medium rare and it was also written on my bill as such. It was a nice piece of salmon but was it medium rare? Not even close. Some parts in the middle was nice and moist but overall it was a miss. I don't think it was grilled either, looked more like griddled since the outside was hard and dry. It was spicy even if it wasn't what I would call three peppers spicy, at the most two. I'm now giving up on ordering salmon here and I'm not to happy about the new lunch boxes either.



They are getting ready to serve in the outside seating area, wish the weather would cooperate with this.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Strip T's Watertown

Finally a really nice day for a top down drive so it was all back roads to Strip T's in Watertown. It's a hike but with the top down and blue skies, who cares?



This is the famous Moxie Wings! Yes, like in the old soda. They were outstandingly good, excellent char and fall apart tender and so juicy and SO STICKY! it was a mess to eat but with something this good, who cares?



You get to choose one side and I already had the fried Japanese sweet potato wedges so it was time to try the Gravy Fries. This is as close to a good poutine you can get without actually calling it a poutine. Didn't have cheese curds (I think) but a very similar cheese, fries was top notch, cooked perfectly and seasoned well, the gravy was tasty and there was even a hint of heat in there. The fries alone would have made a good lunch. Busy busy today with a ton of takeout orders, as well as all the tables, being fully occupied. The staff here is really nice and super friendly.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Golden Ginger Wilmington

I haven't been back to Golden Ginger in Wilmington since 2012, but the hostess still remembered my name.



It's set back from Rte 38 by quite a bit and is located between an auto parts store and a Dollar Tree store. Doesn't look like much but the interior is quite nice and there is also some window seating.



Choice of three bowls of soup and I usually stick with the Hot & Sour. It's OK but despite having chili flecks in it, it was still fairly bland and lacked complexity.



After my Chicken Curry fiasco last week I wanted a proper chicken curry for lunch. Unfortunately, they are overcooking the wings again but the skin was crispy even if the inside was a bit dry. The Chicken Curry was nice with a nice curry flavor and lots of chicken. There is also water chestnuts in there and they give it a nice crunch. Inexpensive and not bad, service is always prompt and courteous.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Pho & Spice Waltham

I usually have the Pho at Pho & Spice in Waltham but decided to try something else today for lunch. It's Memorial day today so parking on Moody Street was easy.



Chili Duck was my choice and I wasn't too impressed. It was supposed to be two chili spicy, but there was hardly and heat so it turned out to be a bit on the sweet side. A couple of pieces of duck was fine the rest was really dry. I should have stuck to the Pho. 



I think they managed to stick some more tables in here since I was here last. The staff was sitting at a table and loudly counting coins.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Pennypacker's Somerville

The have operated two food trucks but now Pennypacker's has a B&M store in Somerville unfortunately in Magoun Square where parking during the week can be tricky but it's usually easier on a weekend and I had no problem finding a space when I went for lunch today.



Small space with only a few tables but it was nice and bright inside with an open kitchen.



The menu changes daily and they post the menu on Facebook every day but there is one thing that's constant and that's the Porchetta Sandwich. Today it was Porchetta Agrodolce and this was some sandwich! Tender pork belly rolled up and slow roasted with a very nice sauce on fresh french bread and it had the proper crackling included. This was soo good, people have complained about it being salty but this was perfectly seasoned. My glass of water was served in a nice blue Mason jar with ice. The picture doesn't make the sandwich justice, it was so much better than what it looks like here.

Pennypacker's on Urbanspoon

Saturday, May 24, 2014

PHU KET Wakefield

Saturday lunch at PHU KET in Wakefield and again I was the only customer.



The lunch boxes now come with vegetable soup and that turned out to be mushrooms, carrot and Napa cabbage in a mild broth. It was nice, the cabbage gave it a bit of crunch but I think I like the old tofu soup better.



I believe that the Siam Seafood lunchbox is new. Shrimp(1), Scallops(1), Mussels(1), Squid, squash, mushrooms, red peppers and string beans(none) in a spicy chili sauce is how the menu describes it. In addition there were cashews in there, not mentioned on the menu so beware if you are allergic. I asked for it extra spicy and it was, so that was nice. The dressing for the salad is now a heavier peanut based dressing and again I liked the old lighter one better. The crispy spring rolls have shrunk quite a bit compared to before.

Friday, May 23, 2014

99 Restaurant Woburn

I have been on a Lobster Roll roll lately so I decided to try the much-advertised roll at the 99 Restaurant in Woburn.



After I got my water and popcorn the waitress decided to leave the two extra menus on the table, maybe she expected me to have visitors show up later?



The Colossal Lobster Roll comes with Fries and Slaw, both sides was fine. The fries are OK and the slaw was light and fresh. The lobster roll was as advertised "piled high" with lobster meat, again all claw and knuckle but that was expected. The reason it was piled high? See picture below.



The whole roll was filled with lettuce and I'm trying to find out how much actual lobster meat the roll contains. The roll was nicely toasted and fresh. Considering the amount of lobster, I think that $15.99 might be on the high side even if you got two sides. It should probably be called a lettuce roll with lobster.

Update. According to the restaurant, there is 6.0 to 6.5 oz of lobster in the sandwich.
Update II. Ordered another one as take out and put the lobster meat on the scale. 



Yup, 4.6 oz. When I sent this picture as a reply to the 99 I never heard anything back. Considering that you get 4 oz, no sides at the D'Angelo next door, for half the price, this is overpriced.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Szechuan's Dumpling Arlington

I'm usually lucky when selecting lunch dishes, but today I really got a dud at Szechuan's Dumpling in Arlington. Worst ever.



The pork bone soup was today augmented with tofu skin. Not much of an improvement.



Curry Chicken. How can this go so wrong? Does it look gloppy? It was REALLY thick and gloppy with not much of a curry taste at all. I must say that the chicken, and it was a good amount of chicken, was really nice cooked dark meat but it also had potatoes in it. POTATOES! In a chicken curry! They were nicely cooked and I like potatoes but not in my chicken curry.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Taipei Gourmet Lexington

I can always find something good at Taipei Gourmet in Lexington and today's drive there was very pleasant and it's finally getting warm enough for top-down driving.



Spicy Noodles Soup with Pork is my standby here and it's really nice and now seriously spicy. Look at the sliced Thai Bird Eye chili in there. Nice chewy noodles and a good amount of tender pork and today I finished all of it.



They have put up curtains and sun shades, the place did get hot in the summer and it's more secluded now but I liked the old open look.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Thai E-sarn Cuisine Arlington

Sunday lunch at Thai E-sarn Cuisine in Arlington again but it's time to try some new stuff. I was the only customer again apart from a couple of takeout orders.



Thai Wings comes with sweet and sour sauce. The wings were really tasty and despite the cut they were still moist and juicy. Seven wings for $5.95 is not bad at all.



The Larb salad was a buck more but a very decent size portion. You have a choice of chicken or pork and this is with pork. There is also red onions, scallions, mint leaves and ground toasted rice seasoned with a spicy lime dressing. It's marked a two chilies on the menu but comes out as American spicy as the waitress explained, but I got a bowl of ground chili? to spice it up. That powder was seriously spicy, a small amount went a long way. This is the first time I have had Larb salad so I have no point of reference but I liked the complexity and the lime dressing added some tartness.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

D'Angelo Woburn

Not a place that I frequent often, like never, but D'Angelo in Woburn has one good thing and having been bombarded with ads I had to pay them a visit.



The Lobster roll! A good amount of lobster (1/4 lbs) on lettuce in a toasted bun. Only claw and knuckle meat but that was expected and the "toasted bun" was cold with some faint toast marks, but overall I'm pretty happy with this for just over $11 with tax. Served with a fork and that was a good idea.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Bonefish Grill Burlington

Went back to Bonefish Grill in Burlington for another lunch on warm but overcast Friday. As a plus, there is free parking here but it can be tough to find a space if you are late.



They have some cheapish lunch special combos, this is the two taco one that comes either with your choice of salad or soup. Caesar salad was my choice and it was fine, dressing was quite mild and for the tacos I went with the Filet Mignon and the beef come out rare as ordered. I must admit that I was quite happy with this for lunch especially for less than $9. As usual the place was bustling at lunchtime.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Taqueria el Amigo Waltham

Taqueria el Amigo in Waltham is another place that I don't go to enough. Hole in the wall taqueria with some of the best Mexican street food in the Boston area.



They have table service with a whopping 16 seats. Seats not tables. The chips are just OK, but the salsa is fantastic but not for the faint of hearts.



Four tacos Al Pastor (chili and pork) decorated with some minced onion and a slice of avocado. Double wrapped of course. They were so tasty and flavorful and even if it doesn't look like a big meal they don't skimp of the filling so this makes for a good meal.



Small? Yes and they get busy even at lunch and are also doing a ton of takeout. Closed on Tuesdays.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Pasha Arlington

I can't believe I haven't been back to Pasha in Arlington for such a long time, but there are so many excellent restaurants around for lunch. I'm really lucky to live in an area with such a wide variety of cuisines available.



I had the lamb wrap with tender char-grilled lamb with a small salad and coated french fries. This is an improvement over the frozen crinkle cut fries they had previously, but I really would like to see some homemade fries. The wrap is excellent and really tasty. The salad dressing was again very tart.



Interior is very nice and not as dark as it appears here and the place got quite busy at lunch today.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

MuLan Waltham

I have been thinking about the noodle soup I didn't have the last time I was here so I decided to remedial that for today's lunch at MuLan in Waltham. An accident forced me into a serious detour but by a miracle I ended up back on track again.



When ordering the Pork Chop Noodle soup the first thing to arrive is a plate of pork chops and this would be enough for a lunch alone. Now these are "Chinese" pork chops meaning it is neck chops and that's good, more flavor and fat.



Then the humongous bowl of noodles with a marinated egg, pork and greenery arrives. Look at the rich color of that broth, delicious! The place was packed today since its Mothers Day and that was expected. The other news of the day is that everything has gone up a dollar including the lunch specials. Portions here are so huge that it doesn't really matter, you get two meals out of the lunch portions and you also get the pickled cabbage and peanuts.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

PHU KET Wakefield

We are finally getting some days when I can actually have the top down without getting frostbite so it was a nice drive to PHU KET in Wakefield today for lunch. The menu has changed, fewer lunchboxes but they added lunch plates that are in the $8-$9 range. There is also a mix and match both for curries and Thai stir fries. The excellent chicken wing app is also gone. Closed for lunch on Sundays.



Spicy Scallops lunch plate ordered extra spicy and boy, did I get that! Sea scallops with onions, peppers, carrots, baby corn, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and basil leaves. Did I mention spicy? This was a really good amount of heat for when you order extra spicy so I was very happy.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Sakura Winchester

I had my heart set on Sushi today so despite the day being overcast/rainy I headed over to Sakura in Winchester. They were doing a brisk business at lunchtime today, but the service was still fine despite Jay being the only waiter.



Decided to try something different so in addition to the tempura shrimp and scallops I also ordered a bowl of noodle dumpling soup. The soup was fine, didn't realize how big it was. The shrimp and scallops were excellent.



On to the good stuff. I added spicy and crispy salmon maki to the standard tuna and salmon nigiri. Flying fish eggs, crab and avocado nigiri rounded out the plate. What can I say, I like avocado. All you can eat freshly made sushi plus the hot items for $14.95 is a pretty good deal. Wish I could eat more!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Adega Woburn

Adega Woburn was closed and dark when I tried to go for lunch on a Wednesday but was open today. No sign anywhere announcing the hours but they are closed on Mondays and open at 4:00 on Tuesdays.



They finally have a sign outside, this place wasn't very obvious previously.



Sticker Shock! The prices have gone up significantly, the pork dish I had previously was $9.95 but is now $14 just a dollar less than the dinner price. In Woburn? Don't think so. This is the Pan Seared Bifana (pork) Sandwich ($9) with baby greens and Portuguese fries. The pork was delicious and tender but the salad dressing was mostly salt and the unsalted fries was a soggy mess. 



They have a nice bar seating and now there is three two tops next to the window and the rest of the tables are also looking more organized. I wasn't really surprised to see only one other customer in there.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Szechuan's Dumpling Arlington

I wanted some porky goodness today from Szechuan's Dumpling in Arlington, but the question was what dish? Maybe the Pork Leg Noodle Soup (really pork feet as expected) or perhaps the excellent but seriously misnamed Braised Pork Chop with Spinach or the old standby, Twice Cooked Pork.



Whatever it's gonna be it does include a soup and today's soup was again the Pork Bone Soup with some crunchy sprouts. Not very exciting.



My final choice was the twice cooked pork, excellent rendition with pork belly and crunchy cabbage, hot peppers and some extra chili oil. A good amount of pork belly for $7.25.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Thai E-sarn Cuisine Arlington

Went back to Thai E-sarn Cuisine in Arlington for some Sunday lunch.



Not a very exciting salad but the lettuce was fresh and the dressing OK.



Hot Shrimp was marked as three peppers and I asked them to make it three peppers but it still come out at about two. Still spicy but not as hot as it could be. I never learn, when you order anything with shrimp you get a minimal amount of protein but the shrimp was cooked really well and everything was tasty. Not a bad lunch and the parking is free.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Strega Prime Woburn

I decided it was time to try the burger at Strega Prime in Woburn to see what a 12 oz burger for $14 would look like.



I choose to sit at the bar and you quickly get an enormous warm popover with whipped butter.



And here somewhere is the 12 oz burger ordered medium rare and that's how it arrived. Lettuce, tomato and cheese is hiding below the lettuce as was the sliced raw onion I asked for instead of the sauteed onion. The Parmesan crusted thin fries were also excellent and there was a good amount of them. The burger was good and it was some decent quality meat and it was tasty. There was also a pickle hiding in the back.