Cambridge Haunts

Chinatown can be a bit intimidating.  The myriad of streets over lapping each other in a haphazard fashion, all lined with bustling restaurants adorned with colorful awnings decorated with their names, menus in the windows listing their fare in both English as well as Chinese, or Cantonese. But how do you tell which is good and which is better passed by?  Even more so, once you’re seated, how do you know what to order? Some spots make it easy on their clientele.  Gourmet Dumpling House is widely regarded as one of the best places in Chinatown, and here I let the name guide me when ordering - their dumplings are out of this world.  They specialize in a variety of types of dumplings, steamed to pan fried, with vegetarian fillings to meat fillings, however, I have to guide you to the Juicy Dumplings.  Often called Soup Dumplings, these little steamed pockets of perfection contain either crab meat and pork or just pork with a healthy addition of broth.  One does need to take some care when eating these treasures, as the broth can make for a messier experience, but the combination of the dumpling with the filling and the soup makes a perfect bite every time. Perhaps you’re more of a Steamed Pork Bun fan?  A sandwich of sorts with a “bun” so pillowy soft that it feels like a cloud encompassing artfully seasoned pork, sometimes accomplanied by veggies or a spicy mayo, and sometimes served clean, as is.  Mei Sum is the go to spot for these, with very honorable mentions at Chau Chow City and China Pearl. Looking for a good first date spot?  Head to The Q Restaurant for their Mongolian Hot Pot.  Hot Pot allows diners to choose their broths, their vegetables, their meats and create their own unique dinners right at their own table.   Differing a bit from the standard fare, Hot Pot is incredibly interactive, fun for a group or to help smooth out any awkward corners in the dating world. Chinatown is a large section in the city and is comprised of much more than just the restaurants listed here.  It’s streets contain many markets, pharmacies and the like all stocked with imported goods from China, each with their own unique feel.  If you are interested in learning more, there are phenomenal tours offered through Boston Food Tours that will guide you through the neighborhood and offer answers to all those questions you have. No matter what you’re looking for, I urge you to get out and explore the great Chinatown, treasures are sure to be found. Hungry for more? Explore all of our Boston restaurant deals.

Trade, a restaurant from Chef Jody Adams of Rialto fame, is my one of my favorite restaurants in Boston, and a place I find myself again and again. Living in the Leather District, it is also luckily (and dangerously!) close to home, and when we get home to find the fridge bare we often take the short walk to Congress Street. Because we have tried the menu so many times, I’d like to share some of what I’ve found to be the best dishes on the menu. The space, by Fort Point Channel at the intersection of Congress Street and Atlantic Avenue, is airy and industrial, with lots of warm wood and exposed brick. The long bar area is a favorite of the after-work crowd, and is often filled with people from downtown looking for a drink before heading home. And with good reason: the drinks are delicious, especially their gingery cockney mule. As great as the bar scene is, it is so worthwhile to stay for dinner. The menu is served in the bar area as well as a more formal seating area at the front of the restaurant. While there are larger entrees on the menu (between $22 and $28), sharing the small plates ($7 to $15 each) is a delicious way to try several dishes. In line with the aim of using fresh local ingredients, the menu shifts with the seasons to feature the best produce available. There is always a crudo, and it has been delicious every time I have tried it. One memorable version featured fluke in a delicate coconut broth. The current menu includes a tuna crudo with wasabi, radish, chilli, and yuzu – yum! A perennial favorite of mine and a constant on the menu is the black bean enchilada with Taza mole, cabbage, and avocado. It is cooked in a small cast iron skillet in the huge pizza oven, which also crisps up several varieties of flatbreads. Another favorite is the crispy potatoes with paprika and cumin, simple but oh-so satisfying. Vegetables really shine, including avocado served with an addictive green mango-tamarind-peanut chutney, Brussels sprouts with harissa and dukkah, and gingered beets in a grainy mustard vinagrette. The menu often features burrata, a fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream. A version we tried recently paired a zingy quince jam and toasted nuts with the rich cheese, for a perfect decadent forkful. While there are several interesting deserts on the menu, we always come back to the baked Alaska. The flavor of ice cream or sorbet changes with the seasons, but the meringue shell is always crisped beautifully in the hot pizza oven. It has consistently been a perfect ending to some of my favorite meals in Boston. If you try Trade, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  

I love the North End area in Boston.  Sure, tourist flock there, the streets are always jammed, and it’s tough to find a table at the restaurants most nights, but the North End is special.  It’s sometimes referred to as Little Italy, referencing the fact that it is inhabited largely by Italian Americans and the neighborhood is strongly influenced by their presence.  However the beauty of the North End, to me, lies in its history.  Birthed as a unique community in 1646, the North End has been welcoming residents since, housing the famed Paul Revere in its midst.  Almost fittingly, in the 1800’s, the North End became the first home for waves of immigrants beginning with the Irish, and when they moved on, Eastern European Jews and then the Italians.  The Italians stayed for the long haul, opening markets and restaurants, but if you look carefully, evidence of their predecessors still exist in former Temples and meeting spaces. Of course, exploring all of that history is bound to build up an appetite.  Luckily, the area is chock full of tasty bites just ripe for the picking, the trick is finding the ones without crazy lines.  Hidden throughout the area there are little gems where incredible food is found. My first pick is Monica’s Mercato located on Salem Street.  Recently expanded, Monica’s is the place to stop by for everything from specialty cured meats, imported cheeses, olives, fresh breads, as well as made to order sandwiches, and ready prepared meats and vegetables for a quick take home dinner.  Monica’s is designed as the ultimate market, with every inch of their space reserved for their authentic Italian products, and leaving no room for a table and chairs.  Their staff is friendly and helpful, ready to answer your questions and guide you to the best fit for your needs.  Also, they sell wine and beer. A quick walk down Salem Street will bring you to my other favorite market in the North End- Polcari’s Coffee.  While they serve deli meats and similar, Polcari’s transports me back in time to what I picture a dry good store in colonial times would be like.  Containers of coffee beans, teas, beans, unique spices, and candies burst out of this small space.  Here is where I know I can find fresh citron from my mom’s Easter bread.  Pounds of good almond paste are ready for baking, and items like Saffron and real Cinnamon are found plentiful.  When I’m looking to prepare a recipe my ancestors have passed down, this is my go to spot for the ingredients I need for it. Just off of Hanover Street, the often jam packed main drag, lies one of my very favorite North End full service restaurants, Gennaro’s 5 North Square.  Just steps from Paul Revere’s home sits this two story eatery whose executive chef hails direct from Italy and has made extreme efforts to ensure that the product she serves is as authentic as possible.  She found a cheese maker who emigrated from Italy a few years ago to supply the mozzarella for the restaurant.  She has worked with a local bakery to ensure that the bread baskets Gennaro’s serves before a meal are made in the style of her ancestors.  Her restaurant is like sitting in your Italian grandmother’s kitchen, where the food is warm and comforting, unique to your family and expertly prepared.  This is the spot for classic Italian American cooking. When most people think of the North End, they don’t normally think of sports bars.  Somehow the two rarely go hand in hand- unless, of course, you know about my favorite sports bar in the city- the Waterfront Café on Commercial Street.  Doesn’t sound right does it?  A Café?  In the North End?  This little restaurant has TV’s a plenty, mounting several to a single wall, with local sports paraphernalia providing relief in between.  The food is solid pub fair, with piping hot pizza, an Italian Sub to write home about and trusty buffalo wings.  The staff is what shines here above all.  A true neighborhood spot, they know their regulars - greeting you with your preferred drink as you walk in.  Their allegiance is to the local teams, so don’t go rebel rousing there, but instead enjoy their incredible hospitality, and their trusty pub grub. The North End will delight you no matter where you go.  Cobbled streets, infinite charm and more restaurants than you can imagine, the neighborhood is favorite among locals and visitors alike.  Just remember, step off the main drag and wander through the neighborhood- you’ll find a bounty of fantastic spots without the crowds!