Taipei Gourmet Lexington

Ewa opened Taipei Gourmet in Lexington back in '12 after having worked at the nearby Formosa Taipei. The excellent chef is a former colleague that has been with her from the start. I can't believe that I have been going here for almost 10 years, but time flies when you eat well.

This location has seen several restaurants come and go before this one. I'm so happy that she's surviving and managed to ride out the Covid-19 disaster. They have been a favorite of mine since they opened, and I probably visited every other week for the longest time. The food is excellent, and they will do spicy if asked. The waitress has been with them for a long time.

The place seems popular with both people who like Chinese/American and people who appreciate Chinese food. They also have a fairly extensive lunch menu that is very reasonably priced. The highlights here are definitely the Taiwanese dishes and the dumplings.

The default eating utensils are a fork, and despite my pleadings that chopsticks should be the default, nothing has changed. Starting with chopsticks makes it look like the restaurant is catering to Chinese customers, and you can expect authentic Chinese food.

Paying with cash gives you a 10% discount. She also has a portable CC machine now, so your CC can be run at the table. This should really be done in every restaurant and has been the norm in Europe for a long time.

Ewa went from closed to takeout only to dine-in, takeout only, and now take out and dining on the patio. She's serving inside on the weekend as well as outside.

You now get a disposable plastic table covering when dining inside. It used to be white linen table cloths during the week, but not on the weekends. Maybe because they serve Taiwanese Dim-Sum (Dian Xin) then. Pleading for linen napkins fell on deaf ears.

This picture of the interior is from pre-Covid because it is in a bit of shambles now due to the current seating restrictions. It's a big square room that you really can't do much with. The one good thing is that there are lots of windows, and adding curtains helped.

Spicy Noodle Soup with Pork ($8.84) enjoyed outside. It was really spicy today with sliced Bird's eye chilies floating around. The baby bok-choy was tender and cooked perfectly, and look at that dark and rich broth! It tasted as good as it looked. The noodles are excellent and cooked perfectly. I haven't had this for a year since I wasn't sure if the noodles would travel or just turn to mush. I finished all of it, and I'm now really stuffed! Not that I'm complaining.

Da-Lu Mien ($9.54) is described as Noodles Soup with Seafood. The soup is thick and really palatable, and there was plenty of shrimp and pork on top of the noodles. The whole thing is delicious. There was plenty of thick noodles in the soup. Today Ewa asked if I wanted it spicy, and I said yes. The dish went from a pleasant soup to an excellent soup with the change to spicy. If a dish is marked as spicy, I usually ask for it extra spicy. It never occurred to me to ask for a non-spicy dish to be made spicy.

The soup dumplings are listed on the menu as Steamed Mini Juicy Buns ($8.24), aka Xiao Long Bao. You get 8 small dumplings with perfect skins and filled with delicious pork and soup. The thin skin was tender but strong enough to hold the soup, and this time it was plenty of soup inside. Black vinegar with ginger is served on the side. There are two ways of eating these. 1. Plop the whole thing into your mouth, and get 3rd-degree burns. 2. Put the dumpling in the spoon, and carefully nibble one corner open, and slurp up the soup. Then add some ginger vinegar to it and enjoy the rest of the dumpling.

This common Taiwanese appetizer, Salt and Pepper Chicken ($7.84) started out as being prepared on the bone. That was fine with me, but apparently not with the rest of the customers since it quickly morphed into a new and improved version without bones. This was a big improvement since the previous version was mostly bones. Now you get a heap of tender and juicy fried dark meat chicken with fried basil and sliced bird's eye chilies scattered in there. A really well-executed dish now.

Now fully open again, but the white tablecloths are still missing!

I haven't had the Fried Pork Chop over Rice plate ($9.04) for a long time. The big and tender pork chop on the bone was perfectly fried. Why do I have to go to a Taiwanese restaurant to get a properly cooked pork chop? This is a classic Taiwanese rice dish, and you get chopped mustard greens, pickled daikon, bok choy, and a tea egg. The egg was delicious and was not overcooked. Underneath the pork chop, there is some braised pork. The pork was very tender, but the last time there was a lot more gravy.

I had to ask how you are supposed to eat the Porkchop with chopsticks? You pick the whole thing up and just bite off a chunk! If you only have chopsticks, this makes sense.

Not another picture of a Hot & Sour Soup! Well, this one deserves a picture since it's one of the best around, and it's a properly prepared hot and sour soup. It even has shitake mushrooms in it for more umami. I now ask them to hold my lunch order until I have finished the delicious soup.

One of my favorite lunch dishes is the Lunch Special Flounder Fish with Szechuan Sauce ($8.24) ordered extra spicy. Ordering extra spicy now gets me sliced bird-eyes chilis. The flounder is of good quality and always cooked perfectly. It's also a very decent-sized portion. There is absolutely nothing in the dish that has anything to do with Sichuan cooking. No Sichuan Peppercorns, or chili peppers, apart from the dried chili flakes.

You also get a crunchy vegetarian spring roll with your lunch. I usually leave it to the end and then use it to mop up the leftover sauce.

I now order my lunches with their vegetable fried rice that is excellent! I had no clue that this was an option until I ordered a lunch dish online. Unlike most fried rice, this one is light and easy on soy sauce and actually seasoned. Most restaurants serve fried rice that is heavy and gluggy and terrible.

Sichuan Peppercorns, btw, have nothing to do with peppercorns but are closely related to citrus. There are two more flounder dishes on the lunch menu, and they are both really delicious.

Didn't know what to expect the first time when ordering the Fried Chicken Leg over Rice ($9.04). I did expect a chicken leg still on the bone, but it was boneless. Ewa, the owner, told me that Americans don't like anything on the bone.

The chicken leg is still boneless with a crispy coating and was very nice and moist. You can't cook chicken better than this. I also got the same condiments as with the Fried Pork Chop above. The cooking liquid from the stewed pork soaks into the rice, making it doubly delicious.

Address 211 Mass Ave, Lexington, MA 02420 Phone number (781) 541-6999

To know what you’re going to draw, you have to begin drawing.
-- Picasso

The Irish Cottage Methuen

The Irish Cottage in Methuen moved awhile ago across the street to a bigger building that offers more parking. They used to have a weekend breakfast AYCE buffet that was wildly popular. Not surprisingly, it's currently on hold. They still serve breakfast Fri-Sun until 11:00. On those days, lunch starts at 12:00 and not a second earlier. They are open for dining in and also have a large covered dining area outside.

Anytime there is a question about Irish food, this the place that is mentioned most frequently. They do a Traditional Irish Breakfast as well as a Traditional Boiled dinner and Irish Bangers and Mashed. That should really be Mash. I had the Cottage Pie, and it was terrible, bland and bland with an enormous amount of unseasoned mash. Hopefully, it has improved since it couldn't get any worse.

They have a big parking lot, and there is also on-street parking.

This is their BIG outdoor seating, all covered. There is still available parking to the left. The closest dark area is where the rollup windows are in the second bar area.

When I arrived, the hostess asked if I wanted to sit in the bar or at a table. A table, please. She then proceeded to seat me at this table. This isn't in the bar?

I finally got a table that was not in the bar. The dining room is very nice with pleasant booths. Everything is in excellent shape, and the place is impeccably clean. They also have seating in the other bar that has roll-up windows. They now overlook the outside dining area.

Guinness French Onion Soup (6.00 on the menu, 6.50 on the check). "Guinness caramelized onions and sweet vermouth, oven baked croutons topped with cheese". Not sure what prompted me to order this, but I'm glad that I did since the soup was excellent. It was served piping hot with lots of melted cheese and a savory broth.

This was the reason for my first visit here a long time ago. Online listed as Corned Beef Reuben, on the menu called "Sligo Corned Beef Reuben" (13.00). "Slow Cooked, Hand Cut Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut and 1,000 Island Dressing on Thick Cut Rye". The original calls for Russian dressing that is less sweet. For my side, I picked Beer Battered Onion Rings that was a far cry for the soggy rings I got on a previous visit. I also asked for extra dressing on the side, and that was no problem. You never get enough dressing with your Reuben. The sauerkraut was mostly missing, but I got extra kraut on the side. The corned beef was thickly cut, and I guess that's what hand cut really means. The corned beef was tender and tasty, and the sauerkraut was good. The bread was nicely toasted. Biggest pickle ever!

The "Iasc" (Fresh Haddock) Sandwich (12.00). "Beer battered haddock on a sour dough roll with slaw, and lettuce". For my side, I picked the asparagus risotto. The fish was not beer-battered but had a nice light batter. A beer batter is normally way thicker than what this was. The fish was cooked perfectly and was moist and flaky. The bread was light, and the slaw was excellent. It had the right amount of dressing that was seasoned. The risotto was more like a rice pudding since the rice was way overcooked and had no texture left. It was creamy, but it was from the abundance of cheese and not from the starch. The tartar sauce was mostly mayo, but despite that, it was tasty. The pickle was much more enjoyable today since this time, it was really sharp.

I asked my excellent waitress what the difference is between the small nachos and the big ones? She indicated that the large was about twice the size of the small. Just a dollar more, so is there really a choice here?

Celtic Nachos (Small - 12| Large - 13). "Homemade Kettle Chips Smothered in Cheddar Cheese, Topped With Bacon Bits, Onions, Tomatoes, Jalapenos, and Salsa". Salsa on the side, please. I'm not even sure that salsa and nachos should be in the same sentence. Large, of course, since it's only a dollar more. The waitress did warn me that it was big and she was not wrong. I was a bit miffed that the chips weren't salted, but after thinking about it, the dish wouldn't be edible with that amount of salt involved. The chips were excellent, and all the promised toppings were present. It could have been more bacon, of course. The jalapenos look quite fierce, but they lose a lot of their heat after being warmed up. The nachos were well-engineered with cheese and toppings on all the layers. Much to my surprise, the salsa was actually a pleasant addition.

On every review of the nachos, they invariably get called Irish Nachos. Doesn't anybody read the actual menu? All Irish Nachos I have encountered have used potato vedges and not kettle chips. I still haven't met an Irish Nacho that I didn't like. I also liked the Celtic Nachos a lot.

I went on a Sunday, and the place was packed at noon. If you want a late breakfast, you have to get here at 10:30. That's way too early for my lunch, so the breakfast items I had my eyes on will not get reviewed. Excellent service today. My waitress gave me a container for the salsa without being asked.

Irish Bangers & Mashed (16.00) said the online menu. "Irish pork sausage and mashed, topped with Batchelors Irish baked beans". The real menu said, correctly, Banger & Mash. The mashed is the real deal since I found a golfball-sized potato chunk in it. The mash was bland and needed seasoning and cream and butter. The bangers had a nice crisp outside and were pleasant. Being Irish, they were very mild. The baked beans verged on being mushy, and the liquid was just a bit tomatoey. Overall, this was just about what I expected.

The service here has always been very professional and pleasant.

Address: 17 Branch St, Methuen, MA 01844 Phone: (978) 208-4347

If all I’d ever wanted to do was make money, I’d probably be really poor by now.

-- Brian Eno

Peshawri Kebabs Waltham

Peshawri Kebabs in Waltham opened at the beginning of the year and joins a sister restaurant in Worcester. Both restaurant's menu is inspired by cuisine from northwest Pakistan near the city of Peshawar (thus the name), but the menu also features other South Asian specialties.

There is free on-street parking around the corner and also a pay lot across from the free parking.

As you get closer to the register where you order, you can see the gigantic Naans. You order and pay, and then the food is brought out to your table. Lots of serving dishes can be seen on the wall. The takeout menu is excellent, with pictures of all the dishes. Anything tikka is in chunks, and kofta is ground meat cooked on spits. Chapli is flattened meats.

The inside is nicely decorated. This used to be a bar, and I don't think the inside has changed much. The place was impeccably clean.

This is #6 Beef Kofta Kebab ($12.95). "2 skewers kofta kebab with rice and salad". Two choices of rice, Biryani spice rice or Pulao white rice. Biryani, of course!

The food was served in a takeout container, and all the utensils were plastic. Napkins are the minuscule pullout ones. The kebabs were a generous size, and they were seasoned nicely. They were cooked on a very thick spit and were hollow on the inside. The kebabs had a nice char and were still tender. The rice was excellent, moist, and well seasoned. I wouldn't call the rice spicy, but it had a nice hint of heat. Much to my surprise, the kebabs were also spicy. The salad (cucumber, lettuce, and sliced carrots) looked better on their website, and the dressing was forgettable. The salad was fresh. Overall this was a pleasant dish, and I was happy with my lunch.

For $2.50 more, you can upgrade to a #18 that lets you add another skewer. There is a notable absence of lamb on the menu. The only available dish is the #9 Lamb Tikka Kebab, and one reviewer complained about very chewy lamb. Actually, they have a lamb chops (3) plate for $16.95.

Address: 603 Main St, Waltham, MA 02452 Phone: (781) 209-2600

Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment. -- Rumi

Neillio's Lexington

I have driven by Neillio's Gourmet Deli Lexington countless times and always was aware of their stellar reputation. Since I never did takeout for my lunches before Covid-19 happening, they didn't really interest me.

One good thing about Covid-19 is that I found a lot of really excellent takeout-only places.

Around Thanksgiving/Christmas, when people are asking where to get the best turkey/turkey dinners, Neillios is the most frequently recommended place. They roast their own turkeys, but unfortunately, only the crowns, so no dark meat available.

There is off-street parking in front of the well-maintained storefront.

Hot food in the back, and lots of cold items to the left. Everything is labeled and priced. Obviously, takeout only. The staff is exceedingly nice and friendly. The frozen section is to my right. It's a big section!

This is my first Pastrami sandwich ever, so the Thursday special at Neillio's "Pastrami Rachel with Swiss Cheese, Russian Dressing & Cole Slaw on Thick Cut Rye $10.95" was an obvious choice. I changed the slaw to sauerkraut and was changed a dollar more at the checkout and didn't notice. I thought the pastrami was good but have no previous experience, so more research is needed. The promised thick-cut rye was replaced with marble rye, which had no rye taste at all. It was plenty of pastrami and sauerkraut, and I ordered some dressing on the side since you never get enough. It was nicely heated in the panini press, and even the cheese was properly melted. A Reuben might be next. Update. Turns out that the prices online are off by a dollar.

The TooGoodToGo app was created to avoid food waste. This allows restaurants to sell leftover food at the end of the day for a reduced price. No more wasted food, and the buyer gets a good deal. Niellio's are participating, but their bags get snapped up quickly. You have no idea what will be in your bag!

Chicken Marsala with two sides was in my surprise bag reserved via the app. The app promised $15 worth of food for $4.99, and the dinners normally sell for $14.95, so this is a really excellent deal. The tender and tasty chicken was cooked as well as it could be and was almost pink inside. The mushrooms were super fresh. Could have used some more sauce. The rice and corn that I got as the two sides were a very generous amount.

Today's bounty consisted of four BIG Tandoori Drumies that were cooked nicely and properly seasoned. As for my sides, I got a tub of coleslaw which was excellent and wet, and also a Gourmet Penne Pasta Salad. I'm not much of a salad guy, but the pasta salad was excellent.

I really like this. Reserve a bag on Friday and then pick it up on Saturday for a surprise Saturday dinner. Not sure what the sandwich is called, but it was crispy chicken, lettuce, cheese, and tomato with a smear of BBQ sauce. I really don't get the sandwich concept. Dry bread, cold cheese, and dry chicken. Where's the attraction? The Southwest salad was wonderful and really delicious. The Mediterranean salad had a very nice texture but completely lacked seasoning. The chicken salad was tasty, but isn't a chicken salad supposed to be creamy? This one wasn't, so I added some mayo mixed with a little Grey Poupon mustard. I also got a whole Cranberry Orange Loaf. Turns out it wasn't really a loaf but a cake. That makes sense because it's made by Concord Teacakes. Guess it could be called a loaf if it's baked in a loaf pan. The loaf was excellent. I sliced it up and put the slices in the freezer.

The BBQ Baby Back Ribs are $9.99/lbs. You can also order them as a dinner for $15.95 with two sides. Not sure how many ribs you get with the dinner order. For 5 ribs, cut from the smaller end, I was charged $9.05. They also have Chinese ribs for the same price. The ribs looked good, but a dab of bbq sauce doesn't make them bbq. They were completely unseasoned. They also lacked smoke and were incredibly tough and chewy. I only managed to chow down two, and the others were thrown in the bin.

Corned Beef Reuben Panini (10.50). "Sauerkraut, Swiss & Russian". The corned beef was tasty and very tender, but it was pink instead of red. They were not very generous with the amount. The corned beef was sliced very thinly, so there was no texture left. The cheese was two very thinly cut slices, so the cheese taste was overwhelmed by the rest of the sandwich. It was a good amount of delicious sauerkraut. The Reuben was nicely heated up in the panini press. If you look at the right one, you can see some charcoaled bits left on top. I scraped most of it off before taking the picture. Of course I got extra dressing on the side since you never get enough.

Seems that the only things I have had good luck with here are the deals from TooGoodToGo. I'll try another one. And here it is.

The Friday Special is the Orange Chicken with two (generous) sides. Butternut Squash and mashed potatoes. The mashed is the real deal, even if it has the skins left in. I really don't like any orange vegetables, but that not their fault. The (white meat) orange chicken was a generous serving, but it was so dry that it was hard to cut. The butternut squash was actually quite pleasant after seasoning was added. This retails for $15, and they also threw in an (I think) greek salad, so it's a really excellent deal for $5. I'm not sure what the salad was, it wasn't greek, but it was nice and fresh. They do sell out quickly, but you still have at least a minute to finalize the deal. Start at 6:44.

Address: 53 Bedford St, Lexington, MA 02420 Phone: (781) 861-8466

A micromort is a one-in-a-million chance of death. Just being alive is about 24 micromorts per day skydiving is 8 micromorts per jump.

-- Matt Webb

Our Place Peabody

OUR PLACE Kitchen & Bar in Peabody opened recently on Rte 1 and is very easy to get to. From 128 NB, take the Rte 1 SB exit, make a U-turn onto the NB side, and you are there. They are in the same plaza as a Holiday Inn, and there is a big sign outside next to the road. A bit nerve-racking getting back onto Rte 1, but the exit to 128S is next door.

They have a big parking lot. Turns out that the owners are the same as Nick and Andy's in Danvers. I had high hopes for this place and even more so after I found out about this.

There is a big bar area just to the left of the entrance. I was pleased to see that open-wheel racing was on in the bar. I know it's voluntary, but none of the staff was wearing masks. In most places I have been to recently, the staff has all been masked.

The dining area is surprisingly big, and they were packed on a Saturday at lunchtime. They seemed to be fully staffed, but they also have closed Nick and Andy's temporarily. Even when they were packed, the noise level was not bad, unlike the other location that gets really loud. When the hostess(es?) were idle, they walked around refilling coffee cups. I really liked my little corner booth. There is a big open kitchen in the back.

"All Omelets are made with 4 Eggs and Served with Shredded Potatoes and Choice of Toast".

Here are the MEAT LOVERS (12). "Applewood Bacon, Ham, Sausage and Cheese." For my toast, I picked the marble rye that was nicely toasted and properly buttered all the way to the edges. I must say that the bread was fantastic and unbelievable light. I wish the bread choices were listed on the menu so that the waitress didn't have to recite them. I ordered the omelet wet, and it was. It was also loaded with meats. I really detest an overcooked omelet. Did you pay attention above? 4 eggs in the omelet. The shredded potatoes were fine, but I'm still of two minds about if I like them or not. Some bits are really crispy, and other bits verge on the uncooked. The silverware was of excellent quality. Do I have to say that there were leftovers? The service was quick and pleasant.

Address: 1A Newbury St, Peabody, MA 01960 Phone: (978) 817-2432

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
-- Francis Bacon

Herradura Vieja Chelmsford

Herradura Vieja in Chelmsford opened about two years ago in the Summer Street Crossing strip mall. This little strip mall is packed with restaurants, as is the mall across the street. I had never noticed this restaurant until fairly recently, but I'm not often in this area. Normally I go here to visit the excellent Sichuan Palace, which since April has a new owner.

They are close to the end of this strip mall. That probably explains why I haven't noticed them earlier. There is plenty of parking. Be aware when you park that the deli next door is wicked busy. I usually try to park away from the front of the deli.

The inside is quite pleasant, bright and impeccably clean. The furniture is in excellent condition. Through the opening, there is a big bar that was quite busy at lunchtime. There is another seating space like this to my left.

The tortilla chips arrive quickly and are really excellent, thin and crispy. The salsa had a good kick today. When I mentioned it to my waiter, he said that they always make the salsa the same way, and the heat level is conditional on the spiciness of the jalapenos.

Shown here is the Lunch Special Chori Pollo ($12.25). "Grilled chicken smothered with Mexican sausage and cheese dip, served with rice & beans". This is a favorite of mine, and it's really delicious. The refried beans have some texture left, and the rice is light and fluffy. The chicken is tender, and the chorizo and cheese fit really well in here. Three warm and lightly toasted fresh tortillas arrive wrapped in foil.

Lunch Special #4 ($9.95). "Chile relleno, taco, rice & beans". I like the soft taco with ground beef better than the taco with shredded chicken. The ground beef was seasoned nicely, and it was not greasy. The refried beans and the rice were cooked nicely and seasoned. The beans could do with some more salt, but I can fix that.

There are several ways this dish can go wrong, labeling it Chile Rellenos and only serve a single chile. Having too thick batter. Not properly remove the seeds. This place did everything right, not a single seed present and a very thin batter. You think all of this should be the default, but so many places fail miserably on this. The green tomatillo sauce was excellent, tart, and really delicious. I also got lucky and got a spicy chile. This is my favorite lunch dish here.

Lunch Special #1 is the same dish with a Guacamole salad added. The salad did not impress. It was just lettuce and tomato topped with a few slices of avocado.

Lunch Special #9 ($9.95). "Tamale, beef burrito & rice". I had a tamale a long time ago and failed to see what the attraction was. Since their other food is pretty good, I decided to try it again. The husk had already been removed. This time I actually enjoyed the tamale. The masa dough was light with a hint of cloves. The filling of shredded chicken with tomato was pretty unremarkable. I'm not sure if the scent of cloves comes from the dough or from the sauce.

But where is the Beef Burrito? Ground beef wrapped in a tortilla is the lunch version of a burrito I was told when asking where the burrito was. The tortilla was fresh, and the ground beef was pleasant, especially with the sauce and cheese on top. The rice is always good here, and the beef is never greasy.

Much to my surprise, Wikipedia agrees with them, apart from the sealed part. "A burrito is a dish in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine consisting of a flour tortilla wrapped into a sealed cylindrical shape around various ingredients".

If I tell you that I got a real menu on my visit today, you can figure out the time frame. They are very methodical in wiping down the menus after each use. All restaurants should do this, covid or no covid. If I get a menu and it's not spotless, the visit really starts out on the wrong foot.

How do you easily try as many different things as possible in one go? You get the Herradura Sampler ($13.95). "Wings, cheese quesadilla, chimichanga, taquitos & jalapeno poppers served with sour cream & guacamole". Hold the sour cream, please. The wings were cooked as well as is possible, crunchy and moist. Most of the time, the drummies are overcooked and dry, but these were perfect. The lightly toasted quesadilla was a fresh tortilla with a tasty cheese inside. The jalapeno poppers were excellent, even if they only had a strip of jalapeno inside. What should be crunchy on the rest was crunchy. The chicken fillings were still moist, but both the chicken and the beef fillings needed seasoning. The guacamole was more like a guacamole cream, but I'm happy with guacamole in any form.

Lunch Fajitas ($12.5). "Grilled red, green and yellow bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and your choice of protein. Spanish rice, friend beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream with 3 flour tortillas". As you can see, hold the sour cream didn't work this time. With steak, of course, medium! This might have been a mistake since the beef had been dead for a long time and then cooked to death once more, so it was dry and tough. I usually stay away from this dish since you often get overcooked and dry steak, and that proven to be true again. The veggies were fine even if they hadn't seen a grill, as was the smallish serving of rice and beans. After I separated the guacamole from the sour cream, it was also good. However, I lost most of the salad in the process. The tortillas were fresh and warm.

The service here has always been friendly and pleasant.

Address: 7 Summer St, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: (978) 455-3954

Great things are not done by impulse but by a series of small things brought together.
-- Vincent van Gogh