I met my friend, A, in Harvard Square at Grendel's Den, a divey bar with good beers (Long Trail!!) and some cheap but decent food. We made a stop after at People's Republic which is supposedly a communist bar, but they still charge $5 for a beer!!
That Saturday, J and D were in town and we had brunch at Sonsie, another Newbury spot, with really good Eggs Benedict. J and D made fun of my hot water and lemon, but I'm ok with being 80 years old. We got to sit near the open doors which was lovely; the one major problem was that the table was a very narrow oval so it was a little cramped with the three of us. Later that day, I wandered over to the North End to meet up with K and N. I stopped and bought some incredibly cheap fruit that I swear must have fallen off the back of the truck. Dinner was at La Galleria 33--bruschetta and homemade pappardelle with bolognese sauce and a lovely white wine which I have since forgotten, even though I kept the label some place--followed by Italian pastries and amazing lattes. Definitely will go back to this pastry place, Cafe Dello Sport. Sunday night was roommate night out and we ventured into Chinatown to have some hot pot at Shabu-Zen. First we had to confirm that there was no fish in any of the broths (allergies), then we had to figure out what types of broth to order. I had a fish plate--the best were the scallops and squid. We were given red bean soup for dessert which had actual beans and barley in it so it was more like a lunch. We weren't fans of that, but it was a fun time cooking our own food.
This past week was the Scooper Bowl, an all you can eat ice cream charity event which I was "forced" to attend twice. Thursday, A, E, and I sampled the food at Faneuil Hall where I had an enormous falafel wrap. It was good but too much lettuce prevented me from actually picking it up! We enjoyed a post-ice cream beer at The Enormous Room in Central Square where we were basically the only people there. It reminded me of the short-lived Red Derby in Adams Morgan (tear for its passing...) although the decor was more Arabian, with carpets and pillows on raised seating areas. Not actually super comfortable.
Friday, M, E and I ventured to the South End where we got a drink at the Beehive. I love the name of this place. It had a fun atmosphere and live jazz. We had dinner at B&G Oysters--sampling Wellfleet and two other types of oysters, then I had a lobster gnocchi.
The restaurant is a somewhat small space slightly below street level. Everyone there seemed slightly older than us, and the music was oddly pop-y which didn't quite fit the setting. A little too pricey for everyday but a good treat--and delicious seafood!
