Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Khao Hom Billerica

Khao Hom Thai & Pho in Billerica has been open for about a year and I just recently heard rave reviews of their food. A Google translation of the name gets me "eat home". Not sure if that's correct, "Home cooking" maybe? The link to GrubHub currently displays lunch dishes, but that might change at dinner time. This is stupid since I can't check out the lunch dishes until lunch time. On Wednesdays in February they have an all-day special of Chicken Pad That for $4.95.



They are located in a small plaza on Rte 129 in what look like a mostly residential area. Plenty of parking. It took less than 20 minutes for me to get here.



The inside was very spartan, but the heat was on, and the place was spotless.



I had to start with the classic Tom Yum Soup ($4.95) with chicken. "Lemongrass, kalfir leaves, lime juice, onion. tomato, scallion, cilantro and spicy dressing. Hot and spicy". The soup was excellent with a really nice balance between the classic Thai flavors of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, creamy and hot. This was one flavorful soup with enough chicken to make it a meal in itself. The chicken was NOT dry, and that doesn't happen too often in Thai restaurants.



It turned out that the Khao Soi is only served in dinner size. "Egg noodles in a curry sauce with pickle green mustard, red onion, cilantro, on topped of crispy egg noodle". The nice lady (owner?) behind the counter had the kitchen make me a lunch sized portion since it was my first time here. How nice was that? The dinner price was not very expensive. Again I picked chicken as my protein and it was plenty of chicken and it was not dry. You mix everything together, and of course the crispy noodles get soggy, but they are only there for decoration anyway. This was another super tasty and well-balanced dish. A really super blend of spices with some heat. I would say below medium and she said mild, but at least I have a reference now. I'm looking forward to going back and try something medium. This is the most flavorful Thai food I had in a long time, and it's good enough that it's detour-worthy.



The condiment trays. I have never seen fish sauce offered, without asking for it.

Address 258 Salem Rd, Billerica, MA 01821
Phone 978-362-8269

Monday, January 29, 2018

Tavern in the Square Burlington

I signed up for the loyalty program a Tavern in the Square in Burlington, but too late to get a free app during my birthday month. They did, however, send me a $10 off voucher, good for only three days. Update: 02/01/18 I just got notified of a free birthday appetizer.



I have never been to any of their locations. They have a dedicated parking area. I think the sign needs some maintenance.



Big bar with lots of high tops, and bar seating.


This is the more formal dining area.



I picked the 3S Rib Platter (18) with grilled street corn, garlic mashed, slaw, house pickles. The 3S stands for Sweet, Sticky and Spicy. They missed the spicy part. The ribs were really tasty with a bit of bark, but they were dry, and there was a lot of end pieces that are mostly collagen. They still tasted really good. No smoke flavor at all, but they don't claim to be BBQ ribs. The grilled street corn was really good and well seasoned. Only a few grill marks on the bottom. The mash was outstandingly good and tasty. Not sure why they serve mash with ribs? Fries that could be picked up would have been more appropriate. The slaw was interesting and on the tangy side. It also had sliced onions in it. Unfortunately, it was really big rings, so you ended up with really onionly bites.



There is an "outside" seating area for when the weather is warmer. My leftovers were nicely packaged in a recyclable container, but not all the ribs made it, and the slaw was also missing.

Address 1 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803
Phone number (781) 272-9000

Tavern in the Square Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Sichuan Gourmet Framingham

There is an enormous pothole just before the turn in into Sichuan Gourmet in Framingham.


This is the Fish Fillet with Black Pepper ($14.95) from the specials board, not to be confused with the Chefs Specials menu. This dish needs some color, the red chili slices don't really do it. There was silken tofu in there, but also a lot of the fish fillets. The fish was, of course, cooked perfectly, and the sauce was spicy with a very clean taste of black peppercorns. Another really enjoyable dish.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Margaritas Lexington

I felt like some non-authentic Mexican today, and since Margaritas has put a $10 birthday credit on my card, I headed out to their Lexington location for lunch today.


Today I got seated in the dining room, and the chips were warm and fresh. Their salsa is OK, a bit spicy but very tomatoey. It also ha fairly big chunks of onion in it.


A bit of a splurge with the From the Sea Combo (3) ($13.95?). "An Original Fish Taco, a Fish Taco del Mar and a Fried Shrimp Taco". I also added rice and beans for $2.95. The tacos were good sized. The fish taco del mar (left) had a good sized and nicely cooked piece of crispy fish. I also like avocado. The original fish taco was about half the size and really crispy. The shrimp taco (middle) had three decent sized shrimps. The picante sauce was actually spicy. The rice was ignored but the chunky refried beans got devoured. They were excellent and spicy, and I don't remember that from previous visits. I must say that they do like their raw onions in this place, they are everywhere.

Address 438 Bedford Rd, Lexington, MA 02420
Phone number (339) 970-2250

Friday, January 26, 2018

TWK Winchester

This month the Serenitee Group loaded a free entree and dessert onto my Reward card, good at any of their 10 restaurants because I have a birthday this month. The offer is good for a month with no restrictions.



I headed out to The Waterfield Kitchen in Winchester since I really like the place. I had it all planned and was going for the Filet Frites. An extra extra dry Tanqueray Martini was in order. It was very reasonably priced at $10.


It turns out that all the plates are gone from the lunch menu, and they are now concentrating on sandwiches, due to popular demand. No more BBQ items either. I decided to go with the CHIRASHI ($27). "Sashimi assortment with tobiko & seaweed salad, served on sushi rice". The fish was very fresh, and I really liked the tobiko. The rice was too cold and needed more seasoning.



VANILLA CRÈME BRÛLÉE Pecan brittle ($8). A smooth CRÈME BRÛLÉE with a crackly topping was very good.

Address 14 Thompson Street, Winchester, MA 01890
Phone number (781) 729-0204

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Not Your Average Joe's Burlington

I think I have been to a Not Your Average Joe's once, but it was soo long ago that I barely remember it. Since they were gracious enough to send me a birthday voucher for $15 off, with no restrictions, I headed off to their location in the nearby Wayside Commons in Burlington.


Since they are in the wayside commons, there is plenty of parking.


Plenty of bar seating, and booths at the windows. They got really busy at lunch today.



There are several dining areas, all separated.



Warm freshly baked Foccacia with a very tasty dipping oil arrives promptly. Linen napkins with very nicely cutlery.



I started out with the AHI TUNA WONTONS (13.29). "Choose from japanese chili-spiced crispy wontons or chilled cucumbers, topped with rare-seared sesame-crusted tuna, sweet soy, pickled ginger and wasabi aioli". Crispy wontons of course! This was excellent, and I really enjoyed the dish. The wontons were crispy but not very spicy, and the aioli was also mild. I really like pickled ginger, but I'm not sure what it does here. It's normally used to cleanse your palate between different pieces of Sushi.



Meatloaf or Jambalaya? My waitress recommended the meatloaf, so meatloaf it was. BBQ MEATLOAF (12.99). "Grilled meatloaf made with beef, pork, smoked mozzarella, veggies and herbs, with a tangy bbq gravy, mashed potatoes and herb-roasted carrots". The carrots were quickly exchanged for a very well seasoned spinach side. The mashed potatoes were good and made from real potatoes. The meatloaf was very tasty and light but had a glaze that you needed a very sharp knife to cut. The gravy was good, but a tangy bbq gravy it was not.



The exciting Wayside Commons. Not sure what will happen with the space that Bonefish Grill occupied next door.

Address 4c Wayside Rd, Burlington, MA 01803
Phone number (781) 505-1303

Not Your Average Joe's Burlington Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

TGI Fridays Danvers

I signed up for TGI Fridays rewards program because my birthday is coming up. They give you a free appetizer for signing up, so today I headed to their Danvers location. Didn't it use to be a TGIF on every corner? Not too many left now.



They are located out in the middle of nowhere on Rte 1. Why do I have a sense that they are about to drop the TGI part? Plenty of parking available.



There is a similar dining section behind me. This is about as busy as they got.



The big bar upstairs.



The app I had picked out wasn't on the menu anymore, so I settled on the LOADED CHICKEN NACHOS (12). The free appetizer was only good for $8. "Tortilla strips layered with shredded chipotle chicken, black beans, white poblano queso, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, Cotija cheese and cilantro". There was nothing "layered" since this was only a single layer. Not sure what the "loaded" meant since there wasn't much chicken present. The tortilla chips could have been fresher and the cheese was very mild. The pico de gallo seemed to be diced tomatoes. It was also barely lukewarm. Yes, you get rolled silverware, but the waitress offered more napkins.



I went for the more expensive Lunch Pairing (9) and picked JACK SLIDERS. "Fresh USDA Choice beef burgers topped with Jack Daniel’s® glaze, cola onions, white cheddar cheese and spicy mayo made with Tabasco® Chipotle Pepper Sauce". I didn't notice any glaze and if there was any pepper sauce present, it was so mild that it wasn't noticeable. The burgers were dry, and I'm not sure how they cooked the patties since they had a crust on the rim as well. Putting sliced jalapenos on top improved the slider immensely. The unsalted fries were not bad at all.



The other half of my pairing was a Caesar Salad. "Romaine and kale, tossed in Caesar dressing. Topped with Parmesan and Romano cheeses, Asiago croutons and Parmesan crisps. Served with grilled lemon and a hot garlic breadstick". This is how the salad was described on the menu. Kale? There was no kale present. The dressing was very bland, and the cheeses were mostly absent. The croutons were rock hard. See any parmesan crisps? Me neither.



Do you want me to pack up your leftovers, asked the nice waitress? When I said yes, this is what happened.

Address 49 Newbury St, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone number (978) 777-7483

TGI Fridays Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Evviva Cucina Beverly

Evviva Cucina in North Beverly is part of a small chain that now has three locations.



They are in the same mall as Stop & Shop with plenty of parking.



The inside is bright, sleek and modern.



I got a hight top near the windows with a nice view of the big bar, the kitchen and the pizza making guy.



I started with a Caesar (8). "Romaine, Crouton, Grana Padano, Caesar Dressing". The cheese was very mild, and the dressing was also very very mild, but the romaine was fresh. The croutons were light but unseasoned. I was not happy when I saw what I got for eight dollars. When I got the bill, it turns out that this was a half order (4) that the menu failed to mention that it was available.



Farmhouse Balsamic Pizza (14). "BBQ Sauce, VT Cheddar, Roasted Chicken, Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Braised Leeks, Honey Mustard". This is the personal (9.5") and it had a nice thin crust on the bottom and a light outer crust. The chicken was tender and you can never go wrong with bacon. The bbq sauce was a tad sweet but very tasty. A really good pizza. The service was pleasant and friendly.

Address 45 Enon Street, Unit 1 Beverly, MA 01915
Phone number (978) 998-4950

Evviva Cucina Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Friday, January 19, 2018

Bonefish Grill Waltham

The Bonefish Grill in Waltham is the only remaining location in Mass. They sent me a Birthday voucher for a free Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer, and that is a really good dish.



There is plenty of parking, but the spaces are really really tight.



The website has a lunch menu, but when I got there, they only serve from the dinner menu, not even any lunch specials. You get a small loaf of warm and excellent bread, with an even better dipping oil. Linen napkins and your own water carafe. Update: After getting a call back from the manager, it turns out that they have 5 lunch combos, but didn't print them out.



Bang Bang Shrimp (11.10). "Crispy, tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce". This looks like a very generous portion, but the bowl is filled to the brim with lettuce. The Bang Bang shrimp are excellent.



I also ordered the Calamari (11.90) from the appetizer menu. "Flash-fried with peppers + sweet spicy Asian sauce". Again, there was a big heap of lettuce and crispy noodles underneath the calamari. The calamari was cooked perfectly and has a nice seasoned batter. The rings were full-sized, but the tentacles were tiny.

Address 99 3rd Avenue, Unit 3, Waltham, MA 02451
Phone number (781) 902-3121

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Joe Fish North Reading

On the few occasions that I go to a Walmart, I usually hit up Joe Fish in North Reading for lunch.



I don't get the name. Shouldn't it be Joe's Fish? Nobody inside had a clue either.



Part of the dining area.



The big bar area. There are more hightops at the far end.



Linen napkins with good silverware. You get a bucket with hot rolls and cold butter.



I picked the BAKED SCROD CASSEROLE (10.99). "Fresh scrod baked in casserole with lobster cream sauce, jack cheese and seasoned crumbs, served with rice pilaf". What's scrod? Could be any white fish since there is no fish called scrod. I had no problem getting fries instead of the rice pilaf. I also asked for and got the new Cajun Dusted Fries. The fries were excellent, cooked perfectly and salted just out of the fryer. They were also seasoned well. The casserole was piping hot and really tasty with a really good amount of fish that was still flaky. Could have done with a little more sauce, but I really enjoyed my lunch. My waitress took my order, got me the check, and that was it. No water refill, no how was the food.

Address 60 Main Street, North Reading, MA 01864
Phone number (978) 207-0357

Joe Fish Seafood Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Thwaites Market Methuen

I have heard good things about the pub pies at Thwaites Market in Methuen so since I was in the area today, I stopped by to check them out.



They aren't that far from Rte 28 and have parking on the side of the building.



All pub pies are $2.99 and they also have family sized pies. Today there was a tourtiere available. They also have Scotch Eggs available for the same price.



There was a better selection of hot pies than cold ones, but that makes sense since this is lunch time.



I picked a Frank and Beans, and a BBQ Chicken. The Frank and Beans were, well beans and franks and the beans weren't too sweet. The crust was very good, light and flaky on both pies. The BBQ Chicken was packed with chicken and just a little bit of bbq sauce. This one was really good, and I really liked it. Not bad at all, especially if you just want a light lunch.

Address 36 Railroad Avenue, Methuen, MA 01844
Phone number (978) 683-2429

Thwaites Market Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato