Brunch at Vee Vee

Raise of hands – how many of you Red Line-ers ever make it down to Jamaica Plain?

Almost no one? That’s what I thought. And it’s such a shame that so many of my fellow Cantabridgians and Somervillians (totally making up words now) never make it down to Jamaica Plain. It’s like Somerville’s sister city, or a mini Portland, Oregon, just south of Boston. Yes, it’s a bit of a trip, but so worth it. I love the vibe of the neighborhood, the bars, the galleries, and the friendly people.

Before traipsing about Arnold Arboretum last weekend, I stopped at Vee Vee for brunch. Vee Vee has a special place in my heart – I was introduced to a gallery owner through the restaurant’s manager, which led to my first art show in four years this past November. Obviously, these are some awesome people, and the food reflects their interest in all things good.

The brunch menu looks deceptively simplistic. Frittatas, french toast, an egg sandwich . . . But do not be fooled! That french toast? It’s crusted with granola and served with fruit and whipped cream. The egg sandwich? Forget the egg, there’s bacon, cheddar, avocado, and chipotle aioli getting cozy between the egg and the roll. And the fritattas. Ohh that heavenly mix of eggs, cheese, and whatever mix-ins the chef desires. Always be sure to check out the specials menu to see what special concoctions of awesomeness the chef has come up with that week.

specials menu

Trust me, the butter-poached lobster on a biscuit with and egg and chive creme-fraiche spread was a real contender. As was the meat frittata, made with chorizo, pulled roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and jack cheese. But I love my veggies, so I went with the veg fritatta: crimini mushrooms, kale, asparagus, herbs, and bel passe cheese.

It was a good decision.

fritatta

Yes, a good decision indeed.

fritatta

Alongside this ridiculously good fritatta is Vee Vee’s equally tasty fried potatoes, a salad of greens lightly dressed with vinaigrette, and a flaky, heavenly biscuit that I originally tried to ignore. I did not succeed though.

biscuit

I can’t resist a baked good that flaky or buttery. Especially with a smear of butter and jam. It’s just not happening.

Next time you want to change up your brunch routine, give Vee Vee a go. Or if you’re headed down to the First Thursday event on Centre street next week, stop by the restaurant for some local brews and bar bites. You won’t go wrong there either.

beer at Vee Vee

Volle Nolle – Sandwiches, Simply, in the North End

I could use some simplicity right now. I have dubbed June the busiest month of my life thus far – I’ve photographed mens’ accessories for The Knottery, shot headshots for the CEO and CTO of Nara (if you love food and restaurants, you need to check out this company!), and will be shooting my first wedding this Friday. Oh, and planning for two exhibitions, one in August, one in November. All in addition to working full-time and so on.

Oh yeah. Simplicity is what I want and need.

Food-wise this translates to eating out and eating simply. I was in the North End a few weeks back for a photo festival and overheard the organizer raving about Volle Nolle – specifically the pesto chicken sandwich. Me being me, I decided to give Volle Nolle a go, but did not order that sandwich. I’m a bit odd that way. Instead I went with the tuna sandwich, a take on tunafish salad with the twist of green beans added to the sandwich. Sounded good, looked good . . .

sandwich at Volle Nolle

interior of sandwich

but to be honest, it did not wow me. While the bread was crisp and warm, and the green beans added great crunch, something was missing. I think a touch more salt, a few slices of tomato, maybe even some olives would’ve done the trick. But a sandwich of mostly tuna salad just doesn’t taste like much.

I’m not deterred though. Some day soon, after another busy day, I’m going to go back for the pesto chicken. Or any of the other awesome sounding sandwiches, and I encourage you do to the same. Volle Nolle is a great option for when you’re in the North End and you don’t want to eat an ungodly amount of carbs or spend an ungodly amount of money. Doesn’t hurt that the interior is so damn cute either.

Volle Nolle

Drink – Good Cocktails, Great Bar Bites

Drink

I think I’m the odd (wo)man out in Boston – I’m not fervently in love with Drink. (Well, at least not for the drinks, but I’ll get to that later.) The concept – telling the bartender what flavor or ingredient you want profiled in the drink – is cool. But honestly, there are so many awesome cocktail bars in Boston with really inventive drinks that I’m just not going to be impressed by a standard cocktail.

Maybe it’s my love of citrus and champagne. Maybe these are not the ingredients that will launch a thousand flavorful cocktail odysseys. A French 75 or a similar iteration is a lovely drink, but when I can get something like the Blueberry Thrill at Eastern Standard (blueberry gin, cardamom, lemon) or the Americana at Saloon (bourbon, brown sugar, j. thomas bitters, sparkling wine), a French 75 just doesn’t impress.

But that’s what I basically ended up with for my first drink (on the left below). It was tasty and light, but not memorable. My friend did a better job of ordering, asking for something citrus-based with a kick of chili. Her drink was punchy but not too hot, with the citrus smoothing out the spicy edges.

Drink - Round 1

For my second drink, I decided to mix it up a bit. I asked for a cocktail made with beer, and the bartender delivered a Guinness-based drink sweetened with maple syrup. I’m not a huge fan of sugary drinks, so this one didn’t do it for me either, but it was certainly more interesting than my first drink.

Drink - Round 2

But honestly, I’m probably being picky. There are a lot of great things about Drink. For one, the vibe of the bar is excellent. It’s casual but elegant, and quite cozy. The crowd is mostly professionals, but the age range is large, so you won’t feel out of place here. There is a bit of a wait and seating (as in actual seats) is limited, but this is a great place to meet with friends after work and start your evening.

And then there are the bar bites. This is a Barbara Lynch joint, so the food is unsurprisingly delicious. It’s a small menu of snacks and petite sandwiches that are realllllly good versions of typical bar snacks. I can swear by the tastiness of the fries from a previous trip, and the sweet pea hummus served with carrots, radishes, and flatbread looked divine. I went with the cornbread and cauliflower, and while the cauliflower was surprisingly raw, the thousand island dressing on the side was just what it needed to be tasty.

cauliflower

cornbread

And yes, the cornbread was in the shape of corn on the cob. You know you think it’s cute.

Has anyone had any mind-blowing experiences at Drink? Or found their new favorite cocktail? I’d love to hear about it!

Sunshine and Seafood at Legal Harborside

I don’t make it out to the Seaport District often as there are so many excellent options between Harvard Square (where I’m based) and South Station (where you can either catch a ride on the Silver Line or walk to the district). But, the weather is warmer, the days longer, and the views in the Seapot never gets old.

Boston Harbor

If you’ve never gone out to eat in the Seaport, aim for a warm, clear evening – many of the restaurants have outdoor dining options. The above picture is taken from the deck shared by Temazcal and Legal Harborside. Another view:

Temazcal

It’s worth making the trip out this area for sure.

I went to Legal Harborside last week with the intent of eating sushi and drinking a lovely beverage on its third floor roofdeck (is there anything as awesome as drinking on a roofdeck?), but even at 6 on a Thursday with all the students out of the city, it was so crowded that there were no seats. I’m going to give it another go sometime (sushi on a roofdeck overlooking the Harbor will happen, people), most likely at an off-hour or during lunch, and recommend you do the same. Thankfully, there are two other floors of dining options – the second offers high end dining, and the first floor offers the standard Legal Sea Foods menu. I went with the first floor as I just wanted some excellent seafood, and will save the fine dining for another time.

I still wanted to feel a little fancy though, so my friend and I started with oysters. I’ve never had them before and deferred to the waiter’s knowledge on what to order, as there were about 10 different kinds on the menu. Out of the three types we ordered, I like the Kusshi from British Columbia best – they’re small, so easy for an oyster novice. Kusshi is also pronounced like “cushy,” and that’s just fun to say.

oysters

Choosing an entree was not easy, as there are dinner-sized salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, and plates, with most skewing towards American or Italian in flavor. My dining comrade ordered the special of salmon with tomatoes, goat cheese, and pesto. It was a beautiful piece of fish, perfectly cooked, but make sure to order a side or an appetizer if you’re super hungry as it was basically just the fish.

salmon with pesto

I was torn between about five different things, and by process of wait-until-the-waiter-is-here decision making, I chose the baked stuffed artichoke appetizer. Don’t be fooled as I was though – just because these artichokes, stuffed with shrimp and scallops, are baked, does NOT mean they are healthy. Goodness no.

baked stuffed artichokes

baked artichokes

Healthy, no, but absurdly delicious? Oh yes. The stuffing-to-artichoke ratio is high, and the scallops and shrimp were bound with either cream or cheese or a combination of both. While the dish is listed as an appetizer, it also makes for the perfect small entree. I also can’t imagine sharing these with anyone – they’re that good.

It’s worth having a small entree here, as the dessert offerings are just as tempting as the rest of the menu; soft serve boardwalk custard, chocolate mocha cake, strawberry shortcake cheesecake, and the winner for my friend, key lime pie. The custard was pleasantly tart and creamy, the crust crumbly and buttery. Raspberry is a great flavor companion for lime, and the raspberry sauce drizzle was just enough to really set off the dish.

key lime pie

I decided to end my evening with a glass of rosé, which was light and refreshing.

rosé

Even more refreshing than the wine was the stroll along the water after dinner, which I suggest be a part of your next trip to the Seaport as well – a beautiful end to a delicious dinner.

boat in the harbor

Harbor at Dusk

Seaport District

sunset on the Harbor

Afternoon Pick-Me-Up at Crema Cafe

Crema Cafe is one of my favorite eateries in Harvard Square. The sandwiches are far more interesting than your standard Panera or Au Bon Pain offerings, and the soups, salads, and quiches are stellar. It’s a great place to take out-of-towners for lunch, linger over a warm bowl of soup on a rainy evening, or for an afternoon pick-me-up.

I stopped by last week for something icy and caffeinated to get me through the mid-afternoon slump. Crema doesn’t make the choice easy though:

Crema Cafe menu

And to confound matters, the cafe also has special coffee and tea offerings every day:

Crema's daily specials

While I was tempted by all of the specials, especially the strawberry limeade and basil lemonade, I went with an iced Americano. I’m an obsessive tea drinker, so when I get the rare coffee craving, I want it to be good. And Crema does coffee right. I could have drank the Americano without milk or sweetner, but sometimes you just want a little something extra.

iced Americano

And speaking of extra:

Crema cupcakes

If you prefer your pick-me-up in the form of sugar, Crema has a varied assortment of sweets that rival the best bakeries in the city. In addition to these mighty delicious cupcakes, the cafe also offers brownies, truffles, cookies, cakes, macaroons, and whoopie pies. Check out the food menu here for additional offerings, and make sure to swing by Crema at some point this summer. It’s hard to get a seat during the school year, but the city is empty of most students now, so it’s the perfect time to grab a bite or a beverage and enjoy the cafe.