Puritan and Company - Farm to Table in Inman Square

It would be an understatement to say people were excited when word got out that Will Gilson of Garden at the Cellar-fame was opening a new restaurant called Puritan & Company in Inman Square.  With Gilson's farm-to-table experience, you knew the menu was going to be creative food sourced locally.  I must say, this post has been a long time coming (it has been sitting in draft form for a couple of months) which is why the food is a bit out of season!  Nick and I met a friend there on a weekday night, and thank goodness we had reservations because the place was packed.

Wine and Beer

Diving straight in, we did a nice sampling of the menu from the raw bar, the fresh rolls, and the radishes in a "pumpernickel soil."  I have to say, the soil dish was just too bizarre for me.  From the description to the execution - it made be giggle.  

Raw Oysters!

Pumpernickel Soil

Rolls!

For the main dish, surprise surprise, I got the lamb - a lamb chop and lamb sausage to be specific (sorry about the blurry photo).  The meat was so tasty and cooked perfectly.  This dish was definitely cool and interesting - totally unexpected!  My favorite dish of the evening.

A look inside the lamb...

Other dishes our table had were tasty, but had a lot going on in them....

Clam Chowder

After the table-side pour...

Fish Dish

Broccoli Salad

For dessert we decided to share two plates because we could not make up our minds!  Again, the dishes were super creative and delicious, but complex.  I would recommend saving room for dessert.

The food at Puritan and Company was definitely delicious.  At times it felt like the menu was trying to be a bit too serious (such as with the soil above), but that wouldn't stop me from going back again to try some new seasonal dishes.  Each plate we were served was executed perfectly, and though the menu can be a tad bit intimidating, I think it can still be a fun ride!

Shake Shack - New York Burgers in the 'Burbs

Shake Shack is a burger joint that conjures up delicious memories for many people.  Found originally in New York, tourists and city dwellers alike flocked to its various locations to indulge in the burgers and shakes.  When rumors started to spread that Shake Shack was moving to the Boston area people got excited.  When the rumors were confirmed and the doors of the Chestnut Hill location opened, there were lines of people willing to wait over an hour to taste what Shake Shack had to offer.

Single Shake Shack Burger

Antelope Island - Wilderness in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, as the name implies, is right next to the Great Salt Lake, an odd lake in that it is filled with salt water.  Along the north side of the lake is Antelope_Island, a small National Park that is only accessible by a causeway and is home to herds of bison, antelope and coyotes.  When we got there I thought the only bison I would see would be the plastic one in the photo below - how wrong I was!  The ground was completely snow covered and a similar color to the snow and the rocks, making it a bit difficult to spot the animals, but we found them.  I will say, our friend Noah had a telescopic lens and his photos are light years better, but for now you are stuck with mine!

Welcome to Antelope Island

Temple Square, Salt Lake City

Switching gears a bit, we are heading back to when the ground was covered in snow and Nick and I were visiting Salt Lake!  After spending two great days skiing Solitude and Snowbird we decided to explore the sites around Salt Lake.  The center of the city is dominated by Temple Square, an area owned by the Mormon Church that houses the impressive Salt Lake Temple.  While non-mormons are not allowed in some of the buildings, we were more than welcome to tour the beautiful park.  It was cold (freezing, in fact!) so it was a quick visit, but we were able to take in the beautiful architecture and snap some great photos (of course!).

Union Square Donuts - YES, They Are That Good!

News of Union Square Donuts at first was quiet, but it spread quickly.  The tales of their donuts traveled quickly, and soon people were waking up early on weekends to ensure they would be able to taste the fabled maple bacon donut.  I am not usually one to seek out donuts, but after reading so many rave reviews I knew I could not hold out any longer.  So before our trip north to Crane Beach, we decided to stop by and see what Union Square Donuts was all about.  The verdict - amazing!

Maple Bacon Donut - enough said

The first thing you should know: these donuts are not your typical cake donuts - rather they are the yeast type, which are way better (in my humble opinion).  I walked into the small storefront on Somerville Avenue and contemplated the 6 varieties.  Rather than having to choose, I just got one of each - WAY easier!

Pho Pasteur - Vietnamese Pho

After seeing a movie over on Tremont Street downtown, Nick and I were looking for a quick bite to eat.  Since we regularly go to jm Curley after a movie, we decided to expand our horizons and try our luck in Chinatown (and something beyond Gourmet Dumpling House, even though it's delicious!)  After wandering around a bit we happened upon Pho Pasteur, a traditional Vietnamese restaurant that we had heard about a few times before.  This seemed like the perfect time to give it a shot.

Pho Pasteur

Even though it was 10PM the place was busy, but we were sat straight away and started to review the lengthy menu.  To begin we ordered some fresh chicken spring rolls with lettuce, basil and vermicelli served with a peanut hoisin sauce.   These were so light tasting, and the hoisin sauce was so much better than I have had in ages - I definitely need to learn how to make this, since store bought just isn't this good!