The Biltmore, New Upper Falls, Newton

Indulgent, decadent...downright sinful.  All of these are words I'd use to describe my dining experience at The Biltmore located in the Upper Falls area of Newton.  I headed over with a group of three other girls, and we were dead set on trying as much of their menu as possible.  

The Biltmore is billed as being a pub with American comfort food as their foremost offering- it has to be said-they take "comfort" to a whole different level.  We began our meal with two appetizers (as I said- indulgent) and settled on the Wrapped Scallops and the Crazy Delicious Pub Fries.  The scallops, wrapped in salty Prosciutto, resting in a pool of cider glaze and topped with apple butter and fried sage leaves were lovely.  The salt from the cured meat was well complimented by the sweetness from the glaze, and the flavorful apple butter worked really well with the large plump sea scallops.  The pub fries are where that word indulgent really comes into place.  Large, crisp waffle fries were mounded on to a plate topped with a mix of three cheeses (ricotta included), slivers of bacon and a fried egg.  The menu stated that gravy would also be present- but I didn't find any on our serving.  However, even without that added punch of gravy, these fries were basically insane.  The potatoes themselves were perfectly crisp and meaty, the cheese was a perfectly blend of salty, melty and creamy, the bacon smokey, and that egg...runny yolk, greasy whites, it was an egg to make breakfast jealous.  The combination was awesome-a perfect dish to sop up any beers you might be imbibing.

We decided to split our entrees, so we settled on their Chicken and Waffles, the Burger special which, for the evening hailed from Ireland with Irish Bacon and Irish cheese, the Smoked Duck Grilled Cheese, and the half rack of their Memphis Ribs.  What was I saying about decadent?  My favorite of the evening, hands down, was the Chicken and Waffles.  Crispy fried chicken, a golden brown Belgian Waffle, and a variety of sauces and spreads made every bite delicious.  Stacking together a warm piece of waffle, topped with apple flavored butter, a bit of hot sauce, chicken and then a drizzle of apple flavored maple syrup hit every taste bud. Sweet and savory, breakfast and dinner- it was every bit as delicious as I had hoped.  

I am pained to say I cannot give a great review of the burger, I was in charge of divvying that one out and somehow cut the quarters oddly and ended up with only a small piece of burger between my section of buns.  However, what I did have looked well cooked, and tasted fine.  Ill have to return (twist my arm).

The Smoked Duck Grilled Cheese was the down fall of the evening for me.  It was billed as Duck Confit with Fontina cheese, and a blue cheese mustard, served with apple butter, and apple slaw.  The sandwich was jam packed with well flavored duck, however the cheeses and mustard were barely present making it much more a duck sandwich rather than a grilled cheese.  Adding the apple butter mixed up the flavors a bit, but I was sad to be missing out on the tang of blue cheese, the heat of mustard and the creaminess of the Fontina. 

The Memphis Ribs, however, were fantastic.  Meaty and well flavored with a tasty barbecue sauce, the meat itself contained that wonderful sting of smoke from a good fire, and the barbecue sauce coated well without being overly messy.  These were served with the same apple slaw, baked beans and fries.  

Over all the fries that accompanied the meals were limp and greasy, not their best showing.  However, as we had polished off the plate of Pub Fries earlier- they were not missed.  

We finally, decided to end the evening on a sweet note.  To be honest- we were set to leave after our entrees, but then we remembered- the sinful dessert that we had read on the menu.  That item that couldn't be missed- a fried fluffer nutter.  When we saw it on the menu it was as though it was illuminated in light from heaven with angels flying around and harps playing...well and a little devil sitting in the corner with his little horns on and his pitchfork spouting fire.  It seemed too good, too exciting, too "bad" to miss.  And so it arrived, wedges of a fluffer nutter, stuffed with banana slices, battered and deep fried and then drizzled with raspberry sauce.  It appeared just as I imagine, fluff oozing out of the crisp exterior, but the result was lacking.  The crispy exterior had an odd flavor to it, as though this sweet dessert had been fried with the french fries, or had been dunked in oil that was a bit too old.  The peanut butter was delicious, but used too sparingly, and the fluff got a bit lost in the mix.   My piece didn't contain any bananas, so it felt as though I was simply eating fried bread.  Sinful yes, but the treat I was going for it was not.

The Biltmore is definitely creating some showstopping menu items.  Their fare is rich, it's comforting, and it's definitely warming.  Their menu does concentrate on the hearty meals, and offers little diversity for one seeking a lighter alternative. This can be ignored however, especially as we are in the season to "bulk up" for the winter months.      

51 Lincoln, Newton Highlands, Newton

Off Menu: Tagliatelle served with Fresh Lobster meat,
and Fiddlehead Ferns in a Prosecco sauce

There was a time when I spent a fair amount of time in the Newton Highlands area.  It is a beautiful village in Newton, full of adorable shops, cute bakeries, and gorgeous homes.  Much of my time while there however was spent in the much loved O'Hara's, a truly wonderful Irish pub.  Often I would pass by 51 Lincoln, opened about 4 1/2 years ago, and wonder.  Chic and clean looking from the outside -it appeared to be a lovely little restaurant, but often falling into the minority of the group I dined with, I didn't have the opportunity to experience it myself.  You can imagine my delight when I received an invitation to dine at 51 Lincoln and try out their spring menu. 

Out of the cold, the wind and the rain, myself and three other bloggers (Michelle, Jen and Lisa) emerged into the warm welcome of 51 Lincoln.  Once seated, we were greeted by Miguel Escobar, their Sommelier, who assisted in serving us wine for the evening.  We had the choice between Riesling, a light, often sweet, slightly effervescent white wine, and a medium bodied, fruity Bordeaux.  I selected the Bordeaux and was pleased with its versatility to the different dishes which we were served over the course of the evening. 

House cured head cheese

51 Lincoln boasts a true commitment to local, seasonal food, even installing a roof deck garden on their building, and partnering with local farmers, as well as a kind and knowledgeable staff.  Our server for the evening was amazingly helpful and knowledgeable of the menu, offering a detailed yet approachable description of each menu item when requested.  We were also greeted by  Chef De Cuisine Max Burns, who executed our meal for the evening, and ushered us through courses with ease. 

We started our meal with a charcuterie and cheese plate featuring house cured meats and locally sourced cheeses.  We were treated to October's Pork Salami, Maxwell's Head Cheese, and a black pepper Pork Jowel, paired with a beautiful blue cheese and a French goat cheese.  Though I don't normally mention the bread- this plate was served with crisped, buttered and warm crostini that I was completely addicted to. This was my first experience with Head Cheese and I found this to be light, smokey, salty and almost sweet in taste.  Its form, a thin slice, melted on the tongue.  The salami had been cured in October, and its depth of flavor was evident. Fennel shown through against the fatty meat, and when paired with a pickled onion the cleanliness of the meat was apparent.  The black pepper pork jowel was also delicious, a fair amount of spice against the indulgent cut, however I think that the salami might have shown it up just a bit.  Over all though these three meats were beautiful offerings of a house run curing, and made me want to continue my exploration.

We moved on, rather reluctantly, to our appetizer course, a dazzling array of their menu featuring a Caesar salad, pan seared watermelon steak (!), Tuna Tartar, and we were also treated to their own Rigatoni Bolognese.  We leaped for the watermelon steak first. Well touted before its arrival at our table, we learned that it is the creation of Executive Chef, and owner, Jeffrey Fournier and is a preparation like no other.  Watermelon is soaked in Sherry for three days, it is then roasted for three hours so it develops a char to the outside.  This is then pan seared and served with an Eggplant Chicharron.  Chicharron, in its normal definition, is pork rind, meant to add texture and flavor to a dish.  Here, in its vegetarian state, it had a beautiful charred flavor to it.  The watermelon, when tasted on it's own had a texture of Ahi Tuna, but a unique flavor.  Sherry was present, but not in the sharp form you might anticipate with soaked watermelon, it was mellow, lending sweetness, but not over powering.  The char was present, but again, its imparted flavor slight.  When paired with the Chicharron, this char came out further, and the result was meat like- as though you were eating a rare steak.  The final twist was with a French Feta which lent that wonderful saltiness that you love to taste in a good steak.  

My second favorite of this round was the Tuna Tartar- a hearty preparation of Yellow Fin Tuna enhanced with cilantro, citrus, red onion and chili oil and served with house made salty potato chips.  I loved this dish.  The tuna was perfectly prepared, clean and meaty, with just the right amount of seasoning, further enhanced when eaten with one of the chips, its salt pulling out more of the flavor.  Now, the menu claimed that this was made with lime juice- but I swear I tasted orange...and it was a beautiful harmony.  

When I saw the Caesar Salad I can't say excitement was my first emotion- sure I love salad but with everything else in front of us- could it really compete?  I was wrong to doubt the almighty Caesar.  Romaine lettuce, simply dressed in house made dressing, sardine's artfully displayed pulling in the beauty of the Mediterranean.  The final piece to this salad was Fiore di Nonno Burrata cheese placed on a crouton.  Simple, elegant, and amazing.  

The Rigatoni Bolognese was another well executed dish.  One of the things that I love about a good Bolognese is how simple it is, but how deep the flavors layer.  In it's truest form Bolognese is a brown sauce made basically from meat and stock.  51 Lincoln uses this premise, adding only a hint of tomato for the acid, and adding a variety of meats to increase the depth of flavor.  This was one of the best Bologneses I've had.

It seemed impossible that we had entrees coming to us, but we did.  I chose the Long Island Duck Breast, cooked Medium Rare, and served with a parsnip and potato puree, sauteed chard and a rhubarb Bordelaise.  The duck, in a word, was phenomenal.  Perfectly cooked, the meat was tender, moist and flavorful and the external skin had been crisped to perfection and lightly salted, resulting in an experience that played with the taste buds rather than overwhelming them.  When dipped into the Bordelaise (a wine and stock based sauce) the sweetness of the sauce pulled out the sweetness of the meat and the result was fantastic.  Nearing fullness- I wanted to stop eating.  I cleaned my plate of the duck.  I felt that the chard, sauteed to a wonderful slightly crisp texture was a good accompaniment for the rich bird, though the highly pureed potatoes and parsnip were a bit texture lacking for me.  

We ended our meal with a variety of desserts, none of which I had room for, but all delicious enough that my fork wandered towards them time and again.  "Where's The Cake Lebowski" was a decadent white Kahlua Cake, layered with Kahlua enhanced cream and coconut and then showered with a sprinkle of cocoa powder.  The Mexican Chocolate Spiced Terrine, served with fresh orange segments and home made orange ice cream was far beyond "good".  I had to move it to the other side of the table to keep from eating the entire portion-in one bite.  The texture of the Terrine, almost pudding like, was the perfect vehicle for the deep chocolate and orange flavor combination, all wonderfully enhanced by a light sprinkle of salt across the top.  Finally they also served us their own homemade frozen custards and sorbets- Honey Lavender, Chocolate Walnut Espresso, Cinnamon Sorbet and Cranberry Sorbet.  Though I spent far too much time with the cake and the Terrine, these were each special in their own way, and are worth ordering far beyond my diligence here.

51 Lincoln beyond exceeded my expectations.  Each course, each plate, had unique twists and turns, but more importantly each was prepared with exceptional care, and excellence.  It was clear that the basic principles of cooking were regarded highly and served as a perfect jumping off point for their more creative touches. 

I was brought in to 51 Lincoln as part of a media dinner, however, as I watched the patrons around us it was clear that our experience, though more bountiful than the average table, was no better than others.  Every table was greeted with warm hospitality, and politeness.  Every diner seemed to savor each bite of food, and cherish ever flavor.  Every patron was having an enjoyable time, and 51 Lincoln played the perfect host.   I will return to 51 Lincoln- as soon as I possibly can.  

Please note- the wines enjoyed throughout our meal were:
2006 SELBACH Bernkasteler Kurustlay, Mosel Germany (Riesling)
2009 CHATEAU du PIN Bordeaux, France (Merlot)       

Charley's, Newton

There is just something about the very idea of a lovely hamburger that gets my heart pumping.  Picturing a thick mound of ground beef, artfully spiced with seasonings to enhance the true flavor of the beef, but not overshadow it, grilled til the inside is a perfect pink color...it may be one of my "perfect foods". I like then when they are grilled using gas or good old fashioned charcoal and they get all smokey, and I like when they are griddled on a flat top and a beautiful crust forms over the meat.  I like them with cheese, without cheese, with lots of toppings, and simply with just some lettuce, onion and tomato.  Honestly-I can't think of a burger I don't like.  So, on Saturday, when the mood struck for a burger, I jumped right on board.  As we were running some errands in the Chestnut Hill mall around dinner time, Charley's seemed like just as good a place as any to grab a quick dinner, and to indulge my burger craving.

I settled, almost immediately on their Au Poivre burger, described as being topped with caramelized onions and aged cheddar cheese.  I requested that it be served medium rare.  Au Poivre, in case you are curious, refers to the practice of dipping the formed burger patty into crushed black pepper, and cooking the burger encased in the pepper.  The result is a lovely spicy flavor on the outside, and a very satisfying textural crunch with each bite. 
Our waiter returned with the food, and he requested that we each cut into our burgers to be sure that they were cooked properly.  I am actually not a fan of this practice.  I understand the logic behind it- if the dish is improperly cooked than the kitchen can replace it.  However, that can take forever, and it can just be more of a hassle to ask them to recook the entire meal. Additionally, if only one person at the table has an issue, then the entire table has to either proceed with their meal, or wait.  I think its just messy.  Finally, I am just not that picky-especially when it comes to burgers :-).  As the case may be- I cut into mine, and it was over cooked.  The beautiful bright pink I was hoping to see in the middle was faded into just a thin line of "kinda pink" and the gray surrounding it was much too thick.  No bother, I decided to "muscle through".

The burger, was actually very tasty.  Served on a poppy seed bun, the bread was soft and fresh, perfect for soaking up the excess juice as it ran free.  The meat was flavorful, well complimented by the ground pepper corns, and thankfully not over salted.  The cheese was delicious- a perfect sharp contrast to the pepper and decadence of the burger, however it wasn't completely melted atop my piping hot burger.  Sadness for that, though it didn't affect the over all flavor.  Finally, the caramelized onions were just ok.  Many had not yet reached the "caramelized" stage and were left in a weird pale white, almost translucent, greasy limbo.  I missed out on the beautiful sweetness that onions turn into when left long enough, which I think would have paired perfectly with the spice of the pepper and the sharpness of the aged cheddar. Now that isn't to say that the burger as whole wasn't delicious, because it was, there were just some oddities as well.  

As for accompaniments, the burger was served with french fries (thick cut), two onion rings, and a pickle.  Thick cut french fries are not my favorite. I like a lot of crispness to my fries and these were much too soft for my taste.  The onion rings were delicious golden brown circles of deliciousness.  The pickle though- oh the pickle.  I am forever disappointed when served a poor pickle- a limp stalk, oddly tasting metallic, or some other terrible let down.  Charley's though, this was crisp and fresh tasting- almost a lovely little pallet cleanser.

Overall, I feel that the misses on my burger were probably just mistakes that I would hope wouldn't occur again, and the flavor of the burger far outweighed them.  I would definitely return to Charley's for another burger.

Out of curiosity- what is your position on the "please cut into your burger/steak to check if it's done to your liking" practice?