Isabella's Restaurant

While we all lament the end of summer, it does have a pretty incredible silver lining- the start of “real” baseball time!  All summer teams all over the US have been battling for top spots in their leagues and now its crunch time.  September is notoriously the hottest time in baseball, when teams become great, or fall into oblivion.  The Boston Red Sox have done both over the years- risen to extreme greatness, poised for excellence during the October playoffs, and they fallen to depths of their league, their dreams of championship play dashed.  With it all on the line, the last two months of the season are critical, and here in Boston, that means our attendance to cheer on our boys is mandatory. The question then is, where do you eat before a game?  Sure there are the standard ballpark foods located just beyond those ticket checkers- the far too expensive hot dog passed to you by your less than compliant seat mates, the soggy burger….I like to opt for something truly tasty, and luckily, just outside the Park limits there are bountiful options. First on the list is so close to the park it’s actually basically inside it- you just don’t need a ticket to enter!  Bleacher Bar converted former batting cages located under the bleacher seats of the park and opened its doors as a restaurant in 2008.  Utility doors still in place, this space opens on to the field itself giving patrons an incredible view of the game while they dig into some serious eats.  How about a stacked high hot pastrami sandwich before a game?  Or a perfect club sandwich with crisp bacon?  Bleacher Bar is preparing simple classic foods, perfect for setting the base for a great evening of cheering and indulging in ball park beers. Next up, veers to south of the border charms, offering a true diversion from the classic baseball foods.  La Verdad, owned by famed Boston Restaurateur Ken Oringer, is a classic Taqueria, and is widely regarded as some of the best Mexican street food in Boston.  Their menu is plentiful with tacos, my favorites include their Carne Asada, which combines smoky grilled skirt steak with sweet caramelized onions, creamy guacamole and acidic salsa arbol, as well as their pork belly which layers the decadent meat over pureed garlic and avocado.  Their guacamole , rich and full of   spices, is served with thick, crisp and salty fresh chips.  La Verdad has long been a pre-game spot for me, there is something so right in tossing back a couple of tacos and a Pacifico before cheering on our boys of summer. Final on the list is the Lower Depths Tap Room.  Located a bit further away from the park, and therefore from the crowds, the Lower Depths sits on Commonwealth Ave.  Here, its hideaway below sidewalk level, the kitchen is preparing good, classic, comfort foods, including those famed Fenway Franks at much reduced prices, and has a beer list that far outnumbers the players on the teams.  I would definitely opt for a hot dog from the Lower Depths.  They use the same Kayem dogs from inside the park, but here they are toasting and buttering the classic roll, and you have your options of creative and delicious toppings.  We’re busting way past ketchup and relish here with beer cheese dip, bacon, sautéed mushrooms and onions…or you can opt for one of their signature dogs like the Boston Strangler which pairs Sautéed Onions and Mackin’ Cheese, or the Belgian which tops the plump hot dog with Garlic Mayo and Fries.  I personally love a good mix of crisp bacon and spicy ale mustard. No matter where you go ahead of game time this fall, Fenway is sure to deliver both in quality eats and excitement throughout.  That is one great way to end a beautiful summer.

The past few years, especially here in Boston, have seen the rise of the abnormal.  Menus throughout the city are now featuring dishes designed outside the “box”, incorporating proteins from exotic animals and using every edible piece of those animals.  The idea that is being utilized, to let nothing to go to waste, is not new. Countries all over the world have been making use of the “less desirable” cuts of meat (think tongue, brain, etc) for centuries, while the US remained largely mainstream.  However, as we began to look more at the idea of farm to table, the imaginations of our chefs opened up and started incorporating more nose to tail dishes, and exotic, unexpected meats on their menus. Trying some of these dishes can be incredibly intimidating at first.  Heart, tail, kangaroo…there are some very understandable nerves that may pop up when ordering.  Have no fear though, Boston’s chefs have been doing an incredible job of creating dishes that are both approachable and delicious. Barbara Lynch is widely known throughout the city for her incredible mastery of refined Italian and French cuisine.  She has a unique knack for blending both styles into artistic and beautiful dishes that are both simple and distinctive.  Her work at Sportello, located in the Seaport district combines her classic refinement with the comfort of a classic diner.  Here you’ll find true Italian dishes like gnocchi and agnoletti paired with more exotic accompaniments such as rabbit, or veal cheeks.  My favorite here though is a small plate featuring slices of toasted baguette, topped simply with lardo and candied walnuts.  Lardo is an incredible treat, richer than butter, harvested from pigs who feasted on apples and walnuts.  Sweet, nutty, and paired perfectly with the crunchy walnuts – it makes an incredible snack on its own or to awaken the palate before a big meal. Ken Oringer and Jaime Bissonette together run two of the most well known small plate restaurants in the city:  Toro, and Coppa, both with a concentration on preparing incredible dishes utilizing as much of each animal as possible.  My personal favorites are the Pig’s Tail at Coppa (Ossa di Maiale) and the Asado Huesos at Toro.  The pig’s tail combines the tail with other bones from the pig and roasts them with a mustard glaze.  The result is a deeply smoky, salty,  sweet and tangy dish that takes the best parts of ham and the best parts of bacon and marries them together.  The Asado Huesos concentrates on the insides of the bones, pairing the Marrow with a tart citrus and radish salad and a sweet oxtail marmalade.   A decadent dish, but when combined with the refreshing salad it has a perfectly “light” feeling. Of course we wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the king of the exotic meats, Brian Poe who runs the kitchen at the Tip Tap room.  First perusals of the menu show a concentration on classic menu items like steak tips or turkey tips and burgers, but if you look deeper, specifically at the specials board, the real beauty comes alive.  Chef Poe finds incredible proteins like Kangaroo, Yak and Wild Boar and creates classic dishes out of them.  Kangaroo burgers hit the spot frequently, and a Wild Boar Osso Bucco recently dominated my plate.  If you have a hankering to walk on the wild side, The Tip Tap Room is the place to do it, Chef Poe will gladly lead your way calmly and safely. Explore more Boston restaurants.

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.