If you live in the Boston, you have probably heard of EVOO restaurant in Somerville. It is classified as an "eclectic and creative" restaurant that seems to be focused on interesting combinations (like nectarines with thyme and garlic flan) and organic ingredients.
The starters (Fried oysters with apple bacon salsa, Rabbit confit salad) were actually quite good. I was pleasantly surprised that the confit salad actually worked because I was wary of the rosemary dressing working with the port-soaked dried cherries. The wine list had some interesting choices, but for the most part it was "adequate". We stuck to wines by the glass. We had a French Sauvignon Blanc that worked great with the oyster dish. I had a glass of a Cote du Rhone that was good, but not memorable. The Lady had a California Pilot Noir that also pretty decent.
The Main entrées were a mixed bag. My lady got the "Duck, duck, goose", and I got the "Lamb two ways".
The Duck dish was very well executed. Consisting of Goose breast, Confit of duck and foie gras with lentils, haricot-verts, escarole and a sherry-ginger sauce. It was very delicious!
My dish, on the other hand, was disappointing. It was supposed to be a southwest-inspired dish consisting of ribs with adobo sauce, and a lamb empanada. The Adobo ribs were cooked more in the style of a lamb chop. They were also a little too fatty, and to put the nail in the coffin, the adobo sauce tasted more like BBQ than a southwest flavor. Not at all what I had hoped :(
The waiter was very courteous and friendly, but the overall pace of the place is very slow. The Kitchen seems a bit small, so I don't know if that is the root of the cause, but I would hope that they get it sorted out. Looking online for opinions, These things seems like common issues among consumers.
While I don't dislike the place, there are so many other great places in the city that supersede it. I think if wind up returning to the place, I would probably stick with the Duck dish, or something a little more traditional. There are so many good restaurants in the Boston area these days, so I don't think I will be making it back here any time soon.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
A nice summer meal
My lady and I have this very good friend that just came back from visiting family in England. We try to help her our with her ongoing love/hate relationship my her motorcycles (yes, more than one...), and in return she gets us all kinds of good stuff when she travels. Nice deal if you ask me :) This last time, it was no different. She bought me a bottle of one of my favorite scotch whiskies: Isle of Jura Superstition, and some organic Stilton cheese.
I figured the proper thing to do was to make some accoutrement for steak, so we made a blue cheese butter sauce to go with our Rib-eye steaks. It was phenomenal (yes, heart attack on a plate, but oh-so-delicious). we also made Prosciutto-wrapped figs with stilton, and those never disappoint either. We had it with an old standby on the lower price scale: 2003 Chateau Greysac Medoc. I think it is a very good bargain at around 20 dollars. I find it very well rounded with good tannin structure and a perfect finish. I was quite surprised when I discovered it that is was so accesible. I really should have bought a case!
The previous night we tried a new wine: Two Hands Brave Faces. This is a new-world style wine with lots of fruit, full-on attach at the front of the palate, and a deep purple color. I'm not the biggest fan of new-world style wines (I did not care for a bottle of Quintessa I had in California), but I am amenable to the Rhone blends made in the new world style. It is more than the Greysac at mid 30's, but definitely worth a try if you like that style.
My lady was "complaining" that I have a pile of Nicolas Potel wines I haven't touched. I keep telling her that those babies are for long term study! :) I tried finding some of his 2005 Clos St. Denis, but they're almost impossible to get, and the prices are prohibitive. I don't clear that kind of cash.
Later,
I figured the proper thing to do was to make some accoutrement for steak, so we made a blue cheese butter sauce to go with our Rib-eye steaks. It was phenomenal (yes, heart attack on a plate, but oh-so-delicious). we also made Prosciutto-wrapped figs with stilton, and those never disappoint either. We had it with an old standby on the lower price scale: 2003 Chateau Greysac Medoc. I think it is a very good bargain at around 20 dollars. I find it very well rounded with good tannin structure and a perfect finish. I was quite surprised when I discovered it that is was so accesible. I really should have bought a case!
The previous night we tried a new wine: Two Hands Brave Faces. This is a new-world style wine with lots of fruit, full-on attach at the front of the palate, and a deep purple color. I'm not the biggest fan of new-world style wines (I did not care for a bottle of Quintessa I had in California), but I am amenable to the Rhone blends made in the new world style. It is more than the Greysac at mid 30's, but definitely worth a try if you like that style.
My lady was "complaining" that I have a pile of Nicolas Potel wines I haven't touched. I keep telling her that those babies are for long term study! :) I tried finding some of his 2005 Clos St. Denis, but they're almost impossible to get, and the prices are prohibitive. I don't clear that kind of cash.
Later,
Monday, July 7, 2008
The (short) disadvantage with motorcycle gear
While I really can't complain much about my height, I find that sometimes it is a bit painful being shorter than the average American male. Demographically, it is changing, but sometimes you cannot escape it. This is very true in the world of protective motorcycle gear.
I was looking around for a decent pair or riding overpants. Preferably leather. I discover than Icon is now selling these really nice leather overpants that also have the ability to attach to my riding jackets (both Icon). I get really excited and start looking for a pair, only to be disappointed with the fact that they come only in tall and taller size! And, as you can imagine, leather pants are not the kind of product you can take to the corner shop to be "taken in" :)
There are some short inseam offerings from other companies like Joe Rocket, but the issue is that you have to compromise. You cannot get exactly what you like from these places. And I'm not dissing JR. Their stuff is pretty good. It is the fact that I can't get what I actually want. You can, of course, have someplace live Vanson or Dainese custom-make you a pair, but we all know that's not going to be cheap! The one thing that doesn't make much sense is that there are a very large number of riders that are below the 34" inseam that a lot of vendors put out in the US market, so I don't think sales numbers would be the problem.
I wound up getting a pair of Joe Rocket overpants. So far, I have mixed feelings about them. For one thing, the inseam still seems a bit large when walking (they're fine when I'm on the riding position), and they seem a little too baggy. I should expect this with overpants, but to me, they still feel like they're too big. I had somewhat similr issues with my first jacket, but I find it easier to deal with longer and normal sleeves than it is to walk with long pants... :)
It's part of the game. I just have to accept it, or pay through the roof for custom fitted equipment.
Later,
I was looking around for a decent pair or riding overpants. Preferably leather. I discover than Icon is now selling these really nice leather overpants that also have the ability to attach to my riding jackets (both Icon). I get really excited and start looking for a pair, only to be disappointed with the fact that they come only in tall and taller size! And, as you can imagine, leather pants are not the kind of product you can take to the corner shop to be "taken in" :)
There are some short inseam offerings from other companies like Joe Rocket, but the issue is that you have to compromise. You cannot get exactly what you like from these places. And I'm not dissing JR. Their stuff is pretty good. It is the fact that I can't get what I actually want. You can, of course, have someplace live Vanson or Dainese custom-make you a pair, but we all know that's not going to be cheap! The one thing that doesn't make much sense is that there are a very large number of riders that are below the 34" inseam that a lot of vendors put out in the US market, so I don't think sales numbers would be the problem.
I wound up getting a pair of Joe Rocket overpants. So far, I have mixed feelings about them. For one thing, the inseam still seems a bit large when walking (they're fine when I'm on the riding position), and they seem a little too baggy. I should expect this with overpants, but to me, they still feel like they're too big. I had somewhat similr issues with my first jacket, but I find it easier to deal with longer and normal sleeves than it is to walk with long pants... :)
It's part of the game. I just have to accept it, or pay through the roof for custom fitted equipment.
Later,
Monday, June 30, 2008
SD: Part 2
I'm back from San Diego, and I already miss it. I can understand the allure of the place with the picture perfect weather patterns and the never-ending activities. I just wish I could make it work for me in a permanent way :)
We went to the restaurant at Del Coronado (the wrong one), and it was pretty good. We had plans to go to the 1500 restaurant, and instead went to the one next door! Newbie mistake, I suppose... I stayed with the restaurant week menu this time because it seemed pretty good. My one disappointment was that my steak was overcooked. This seems to be a prevalent issue with the restaurants in the area, not just this one. They offered a Kobe beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and Gorgonzola butter. I ordered it medium-rare, and I got it medium-well. I asked the waiter if I had mistakenly ordered like I got it and he said no. I ate it anyway because it was good, but I was still disappointed.
The next day, we decided to skip a big dinner and head over to a wine bar in the same hotel called ENO. There are a few locations scattered around the country. The wine flights and the cheese flights were very well executed. The wine list was better than I've seen in other places, but a little too focused on the local wines. The selection of imported wines was pretty good, but the french side seemed focused on the usual suspects (really high-end items and the brand names everyone knows). I guess it is what sells, right?
The cheese side was one where I felt good that they stayed local. I tried this beautiful Gorgonzola from Oregon that was a great match for the wines and the membrillo (quince paste). I also tried an aged Jack that tasted like a young Parmesan. I also found a local farm-aged cheddar that rivalled the stuff from England. In all, a very good experience.
The other west coast peeve I have (first being the inability to cook meat properly) is the lack of selection in wines. I managed to talk to a few vendors in the area, and a few things seem to cause the problem (at least in the SoCal area):
- Plenty of California wines available
- The added cost of shipping to the west coast
- The high demand in the east coast
So I guess I'm part of the problem :)
One thing I really wanted to do but was impractical (this time) was to rent a motorcycle and ride through the coastal highway. I would have loved that very much. The problem was that I could not find a local rental place that had sport bikes. You could find a Harley pretty much down the street, but that's not what I wanted to ride. There is one popular place that delivers, but it is not worth it for just one day. Maybe next time I can arrange the transportation based on the bike :)
These things are 'solvable', so if that's all I have to complain about Southern Cal, I guess that's a good thing. I also tried my exit strategy as an early relocation option, but it failed.
I can't wait for my next trip! I hope it happens more than 8 years apart...
Later,
We went to the restaurant at Del Coronado (the wrong one), and it was pretty good. We had plans to go to the 1500 restaurant, and instead went to the one next door! Newbie mistake, I suppose... I stayed with the restaurant week menu this time because it seemed pretty good. My one disappointment was that my steak was overcooked. This seems to be a prevalent issue with the restaurants in the area, not just this one. They offered a Kobe beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and Gorgonzola butter. I ordered it medium-rare, and I got it medium-well. I asked the waiter if I had mistakenly ordered like I got it and he said no. I ate it anyway because it was good, but I was still disappointed.
The next day, we decided to skip a big dinner and head over to a wine bar in the same hotel called ENO. There are a few locations scattered around the country. The wine flights and the cheese flights were very well executed. The wine list was better than I've seen in other places, but a little too focused on the local wines. The selection of imported wines was pretty good, but the french side seemed focused on the usual suspects (really high-end items and the brand names everyone knows). I guess it is what sells, right?
The cheese side was one where I felt good that they stayed local. I tried this beautiful Gorgonzola from Oregon that was a great match for the wines and the membrillo (quince paste). I also tried an aged Jack that tasted like a young Parmesan. I also found a local farm-aged cheddar that rivalled the stuff from England. In all, a very good experience.
The other west coast peeve I have (first being the inability to cook meat properly) is the lack of selection in wines. I managed to talk to a few vendors in the area, and a few things seem to cause the problem (at least in the SoCal area):
- Plenty of California wines available
- The added cost of shipping to the west coast
- The high demand in the east coast
So I guess I'm part of the problem :)
One thing I really wanted to do but was impractical (this time) was to rent a motorcycle and ride through the coastal highway. I would have loved that very much. The problem was that I could not find a local rental place that had sport bikes. You could find a Harley pretty much down the street, but that's not what I wanted to ride. There is one popular place that delivers, but it is not worth it for just one day. Maybe next time I can arrange the transportation based on the bike :)
These things are 'solvable', so if that's all I have to complain about Southern Cal, I guess that's a good thing. I also tried my exit strategy as an early relocation option, but it failed.
I can't wait for my next trip! I hope it happens more than 8 years apart...
Later,
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
San Diego: Rekindling of an old flame
My lady and I are in San Diego on a 50/50 (B/P) trip. it has been a long while since we've been to SoCal, and we almost forgot how much we like this place.
We're lucky enough to be right in the heart of downtown in a nice waterfront hotel that's minutes from everything. To make things even better, it's restaurant week!
So far, we have sampled a small amount of places like Nobu at the hard rock hotel, Frank's mexican food joint on Fifth, and a corner diner on G street next to a mall. we also checked out a local pancake place called Richard ... pancake house. the place has lines that reach around the corner, even on weekdays. it's a small place, but they don't skimp on the portions. the pancakes were good, but I liked ones from the diner to be better IMO. the corned beef hash (guilty pleasure) was different than what I'm used to, and didn't kill my stomach as usual. They blended everything more, and I think that made a big difference.
Nobu was an odd experience. I'm used to California wait staff being laid back and a little slow compared to the people in the east coast. My waiter was a little loopy and more in pace with east coast guys, so we felt a little rushed (the place wasn't even 50% full). The food was mostly good. there were some rolls that seemed average like the spicy tuna roll, and others that were just perfect, like the yellowtail jalapeño roll. we also ordered their signature dish (black cod miso) and it was spot on. the waiter suggested the vegetarian version of the same dish, and that was disappointing. The eggplant lacked the saltiness of the cod, crucial to the balance of the dish.
We also visited the nine-ten restaurant in La Jolla to sample their restaurant week menu. I skipped the first course to get their truffle risotto appetizer, and it was a good choice. They did not skimp on the truffles, but the rice was a little under-cooked. the flavors were well balanced, however. It reminded me of a similar (but better) dish I had in Paris.
The second course was a braised short rib with baby vegetables that was well executed. It paired nicely with the California Pinot suggested by the staff. Although we're about to burst at this point, we decided to try a bite of the third course. I chose the lime semifreddo, and the picked the milkshake and beignets. it was so good, we managed to somehow make room for it :)
We have plans to visit the restaurant at El Coronado this thursday. I'll report on it later,
We're lucky enough to be right in the heart of downtown in a nice waterfront hotel that's minutes from everything. To make things even better, it's restaurant week!
So far, we have sampled a small amount of places like Nobu at the hard rock hotel, Frank's mexican food joint on Fifth, and a corner diner on G street next to a mall. we also checked out a local pancake place called Richard ... pancake house. the place has lines that reach around the corner, even on weekdays. it's a small place, but they don't skimp on the portions. the pancakes were good, but I liked ones from the diner to be better IMO. the corned beef hash (guilty pleasure) was different than what I'm used to, and didn't kill my stomach as usual. They blended everything more, and I think that made a big difference.
Nobu was an odd experience. I'm used to California wait staff being laid back and a little slow compared to the people in the east coast. My waiter was a little loopy and more in pace with east coast guys, so we felt a little rushed (the place wasn't even 50% full). The food was mostly good. there were some rolls that seemed average like the spicy tuna roll, and others that were just perfect, like the yellowtail jalapeño roll. we also ordered their signature dish (black cod miso) and it was spot on. the waiter suggested the vegetarian version of the same dish, and that was disappointing. The eggplant lacked the saltiness of the cod, crucial to the balance of the dish.
We also visited the nine-ten restaurant in La Jolla to sample their restaurant week menu. I skipped the first course to get their truffle risotto appetizer, and it was a good choice. They did not skimp on the truffles, but the rice was a little under-cooked. the flavors were well balanced, however. It reminded me of a similar (but better) dish I had in Paris.
The second course was a braised short rib with baby vegetables that was well executed. It paired nicely with the California Pinot suggested by the staff. Although we're about to burst at this point, we decided to try a bite of the third course. I chose the lime semifreddo, and the picked the milkshake and beignets. it was so good, we managed to somehow make room for it :)
We have plans to visit the restaurant at El Coronado this thursday. I'll report on it later,
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Craigie Street Bistrot
I'm venturing over to the place tonight with mixed feelings. Mainly because of the online reviews I have seen. They seem to be a little "bipolar" (I loved the place..., ...the place was horrible!), so that spooks me a little. I tend to be the "devil's advocate" so when I see a bad review, I always think that there's some level of truth to what I read. We have a late (9:30) reservation with some friends from Europe, so at least I know they're used to late dinners :)
The restaurant a few blocks away from Harvard Square in what is basically a neighborhood section in the basement of an apartment building. Think "Laundry room at a large college dorm" size. There is no room for a bar or anything else except less than 15 tables. There is also no parking. They have 3 spots allocated from the building parking lot (which is not much). Most of the street parking is permit only, but you can find some spots about a block away.
When we arrived, the maitre 'd was MIA for a little bit, but once he arrived, we were seated promptly. Our waitress was very pleasant, but she had a bit of habit of interrupting our conversation. I would not characterize her as rude, more like "on auto pilot" :)
We started with a bottle of Gosset Brut and two starters: Foie gras terrine and marinated Octopus. The champagne held its own against the octopus marinade. The Foie gras was not an issue since it goes very well with bubbly. It was my first time trying the Gosset, and I was very impressed with the balance of acidity and taste. The nose had just enough amount of yeast to be noticed, but not overpowering.
For the meals, all of us at the table picked one of:
For dessert, we had a mango and rhubarb dessert with a ginger ice cream that was lovely. The other guys has the chocolate profiteroles that I did not try, but looked very nice. We were having such a good time that we noticed that we were hanging out with the crew! We basically closed the place down, and they didn't throw us out.
I am somewhat relieved that I did not live one of the negative experiences I've read about online. I would characterize it as what I remember Hamersley's bistro in the early days, but in a smaller setting with slightly less trained staff. While the prices are typical French restaurant, they're not as evil as I had originally envisioned (cheaper than Hamersley's IMO). I would certainly go back.
Later,
The restaurant a few blocks away from Harvard Square in what is basically a neighborhood section in the basement of an apartment building. Think "Laundry room at a large college dorm" size. There is no room for a bar or anything else except less than 15 tables. There is also no parking. They have 3 spots allocated from the building parking lot (which is not much). Most of the street parking is permit only, but you can find some spots about a block away.
When we arrived, the maitre 'd was MIA for a little bit, but once he arrived, we were seated promptly. Our waitress was very pleasant, but she had a bit of habit of interrupting our conversation. I would not characterize her as rude, more like "on auto pilot" :)
We started with a bottle of Gosset Brut and two starters: Foie gras terrine and marinated Octopus. The champagne held its own against the octopus marinade. The Foie gras was not an issue since it goes very well with bubbly. It was my first time trying the Gosset, and I was very impressed with the balance of acidity and taste. The nose had just enough amount of yeast to be noticed, but not overpowering.
For the meals, all of us at the table picked one of:
- Pork three ways
- Hanger steak
- Seared scallops
For dessert, we had a mango and rhubarb dessert with a ginger ice cream that was lovely. The other guys has the chocolate profiteroles that I did not try, but looked very nice. We were having such a good time that we noticed that we were hanging out with the crew! We basically closed the place down, and they didn't throw us out.
I am somewhat relieved that I did not live one of the negative experiences I've read about online. I would characterize it as what I remember Hamersley's bistro in the early days, but in a smaller setting with slightly less trained staff. While the prices are typical French restaurant, they're not as evil as I had originally envisioned (cheaper than Hamersley's IMO). I would certainly go back.
Later,
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Virtualizing servers
I have decided that with the rising cost of everything, it is time to start reducing the amount of systems I have running in the house. The nature of my work requires me to have several systems for different purposes. On top of that, I have a MythTV system setup throughout the house, plus the personal systems for my lady and I. I think overall, there are at least 5 systems running 24/7 at any given time (which is a lot, to say the least). If I could reduce one or two of them, that would make a nice difference in power and noise.
I am trying to accomplish this using the VMware server product. I didn't look at Xen just because it seemed a lot easier to setup a VMware system, and the tools are more mature. Ironically, I found out that some people have been successful running MythTV backends inside of a Xen VM. Maybe if I'm ambitious enough...
I made up a linux VM to run FC8 that would replace the existing main server in the house. This server provides SSH, web, DHCP and DNS access to the house. The host system is on a fixed IP address, so that should be a problem.
As of today (May 10th), the work on it has been slow, but relatively painless. I need to take a VM snapshot of the base install and then continue migrating the stuff from the other server. I'm also trying to enable IPv6 on the linux systems I have just for the experience.
I am trying to accomplish this using the VMware server product. I didn't look at Xen just because it seemed a lot easier to setup a VMware system, and the tools are more mature. Ironically, I found out that some people have been successful running MythTV backends inside of a Xen VM. Maybe if I'm ambitious enough...
I made up a linux VM to run FC8 that would replace the existing main server in the house. This server provides SSH, web, DHCP and DNS access to the house. The host system is on a fixed IP address, so that should be a problem.
As of today (May 10th), the work on it has been slow, but relatively painless. I need to take a VM snapshot of the base install and then continue migrating the stuff from the other server. I'm also trying to enable IPv6 on the linux systems I have just for the experience.
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