I have much reverence for the culinary contributions of the people and traditions that are at the root of Southern cuisine. Southern food is a wonderful mélange of many cultures. Native American, African, European and West Indies. Domestic workers who cooked for their own families and for their white employers developed many of the recipes that the world now identifies as Southern.
It is also a cuisine that is forever evolving. If you travel to the South, you’ll discover just how different Southern cuisine is in each locale. North Carolina, Kentucky, Florida and Georgia have varying interpretations on Southern classics. The culinary influence of the South has extended far north of the Mason-Dixon line in an Ottawa restaurant called Union Local 613.
Union Local 613 bills itself as a brotherhood of growers, cookers and eaters, providing a Canadian take on Southern hospitality. It’s clear that they have a vision and they are sticking to it. The chefs at Union Local 613 are true nonconformists. While they pay homage to traditional Southern cuisine, they are unafraid to exploit combinations that are less obvious of the region. To a purist, it may seem like culinary radicalism.
Hickory smoked hog jowl, Granny Smith apples, celery, toasted walnuts and horseradish dressing. BBQ foie gras torchon, black pepper biscuits and strawberry ketchup. Roasted carrot and parsley salad, Feta, cashews, cumin vinaigrette. This restaurant is courageous with ingredients, and their dishes are more artfully executed and more technically masterful than anywhere else in the city, in my opinion.
Eating there is also a hell of a lot of fun. This, as far as I can tell, is the only place in town where one might find cat head biscuits and gravy, a spicy catfish po’boy and fried pickle spears. Though the menu is always changing, I would expect that classics like shrimp and grits, mac n’ cheese, collards, red velvet cake, fried chicken and cornbread will persist as maintains.
The seating is predominantly communal. Sharing a dinning space is not every one’s preference, but in this restaurant, it works. A nod to Southern neighbourliness. The service is friendly without being overzealous. They seem to love what they do and are proud of the restaurant’s offerings. They care about food and go to great lengths to make sure that you have a good dining experience. When I expressed an interest in the boiled peanuts, the server brought out the cookbook to show me the recipe. When I assaulted them with questions about the restaurant, they invited me to the kitchen and introduced me to the chef. Although the rest of my dinner party raved about the mac n’ cheese, I was less enthused about the flavour combo of macaroni with cauliflower and remained mute. But when the server observed that I had not consumed my serving, she excised the offending dish off my bill. “Why pay for something you didn’t enjoy?” she surmised. I was flabbergasted. Their commitment to hospitality and passion for preserving the culinary traditions of the Southern food that I revere has made me a patron for life.
Union Local 613, 315 Somerset St. W., Ottawa, ON
Sweet Tea
Buttermilk fried yard bird and pepper vinegar, fried green tomatoes and mac’n cheese
Cracker crusted Louisiana catfish, pecan puree, wilted frisée and lemon, and cheddar and roasted garlic hominy grits
A closer look at the cheddar & roasted garlic hominy grits.Yummm!
Baby back ribs hover between tender and taut; thinly sliced brisket retains its juiciness; crisp chicken skin yields to plump, smoky meat; and pulled pork is consistently moist. – See more at: http://www.atlantamagazine.com/50bestrestaurants/story.aspx?ID=15341 Baby back ribs hover between tender and taut; thinly sliced brisket retains its juiciness; crisp chicken skin yields to plump, smoky meat; and pulled pork is consistently moist.
Clover is my go-to place for breakfast when I am in Boston. And the Harvard Square location is my favorite. It doesn’t matter where I am staying in the city, HSQ Clover is where I need to go for breakfast. It’s fast food done right. It’s vegetarian. There are no freezers. They cut up the food as close as they can to when we’re going to eat (e.g., tomatoes are cut when you order). Everything is done in an open kitchen visible to the customers. 100% of what they hand us is compostable. The menu changes daily. If you can’t already tell, I’m nuts about this place. You should definitely check it out when you’re in town.
On this occasion, I had the oatmeal with fruit compote with a hibiscus green tea. If you’re in for lunch, I highly recommend the chickpea fritter.
This enormous mural installation was posted in Harvard Square near the Coop in order to bring attention to homelessness. 60 3-by-4.5 foot photographs and one 15-by-17 foot photograph cover the entire Palmer Street building in Harvard Square. The installation, called “I am…. More Than Just Homeless,” is a dramatic testament to the strength, resilience, and survival skills of these vulnerable youth. Anthony Pira partnered with Youth On Fire, a drop-in center for homeless youth ages 17-24 in Harvard Square, to present the images in this second public art installation in collaboration with the Outside In Project national campaign “Creating Art to End Homelessness.”
I had heard about this place that served the best lobster sandwiches in New England. Not lobster “rolls,” but “sandwiches.” I took the T to Central Square and then walked for what seemed liked decades. It didn’t help that I wasn’t familiar with the area and that in typical Boston fashion, squares turned into circles, streets were in illogical order and signs were often missing. Definitely not a place you would suddenly stumble upon. Did I mention that it was also raining? Finally, FINALLY, I arrived at my destination, Alive & Kicking Lobsters.
By the time I arrived, I was parched, starving, and I JUST WANTED SOME FREAKING LOBSTERS!!!! And that’s exactly what I got. A generous portion of lobster smushed between two slices of warm and toasty bread. And for $13.95, the price was right. Oh yeah. They even have their own line of drinks. Ginger Ale, Birch Beer, Iced Tea, Root Beer, Lemonade, Diet Root Beer, Cream Soda, Black Cherry, Raspberry Lime, Grape Soda, Water, Sarsaparrilla. I had the orange soda. Quite refreshing after such a long trek. I would definitely recommend this place. But suggest using a GPS to find your way.
I visited Boston on Memorial Day weekend. Volunteers planted an estimated 30,000 flags representing the service men and women from Massachusetts who have died in the line of duty since World War I. The sea of flags were quite stunning yet very sobering.
Another sad moment was when I visited the Boston Bombings makeshift memorial near Trinity Church. Although right in the middle of a busy city, the site was eerily silent. Not much more to say other than I do hope that my favorite city recovers from this tragic event. Its people are so kind, resilient and truly Boston Strong.
Visiting my friend and going to Fenway are the chief reasons why I come to Boston. The concourse at the ballpark has a wide variety of offerings but I like to stay with the tried and true. Fenway Franks and peanuts. This is baseball after all!
What a find! A Red Sox sandwhich container!!!!
Joanne Chang is a Boston celebrity. An honors graduate of Harvard with a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics, Joanne left a career as a management consultant to enter the world of professional cooking. In 2000, she opened Flour, a bakery and café, in Boston’s South End. Flour features breakfast pastries, breads, cakes, cookies, and tarts as well as sandwiches, soups, and salads.
Flour has been featured in Gourmet, Food&Wine, Bon Appetit, the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Lucky Magazine, Inc. Magazine, and Boston Magazine and has received numerous Best of Boston awards. Flour was also featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network in which Joanne’s sticky buns won over Chef Flay’s. I visited the newly opened Back Bay location and feasted on the lemon-raspberry cake (lemon pound cake brushed with lemon syrup, filled with lemon curd, crushed raspberries and buttercream). Ms. Chang has built an empire in Boston and certainly does not need endorsement from little ole me, nevertheless I urge you to visit Flour as soon as you can and you’ll see why in 2012 it was voted as Best Bakery and received runner-up status for Best Reason to Cheat on Your Diet. Although I would have given it first place!
Pizza is always on my mind. I had heard about Otto’s greatness but in all my visits to Boston, I had never feasted upon “the pie” for myself. I chose to remedy this situation. I picked the Coolidge Corner location and dined on suggestions from the server. Margherita and Baby spinach, chicken and asiago. Delish. Otto is noted for combining unique toppings. Try the Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Cranberry or the Apple, Bacon and Red Onion or maybe even the Mashed Potato, Bacon and Scallion. Opt for pizza topped with three-cheese tortellini or maybe even pulled-pork and mango. With these wonderful creative pies, it’s easy to see why Otto was recently chosen by the Boston Globe as one of the 10 best pizza shops in New England.
My pal and I made our way to Inman Square to a local sandwich shop deserving of its name, All-Star Sandwich bar. The wild colors, the people, the friendly wait staff and the chaos from the kitchen somehow brings this place together and makes it very unique. It’s exciting and welcoming all at the same time. All-Star runs seven different specials for every day of the week, specific to that day.
We tried out some mainstays from the menu. The Veggie Cubano (Grilled eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, roasted peppers, portabelo mushrooms, jack cheese, Swiss cheese, with cilantro aioli and Dijon mustard pressed on French bread) and the classic Reuben (Corned beef with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and russian dressing on rye). The Cubano was perfect. It’s hard to make a veggie sandwich that’s not mushy or watery. Not in this case. All of the ingredients blended in perfect unison. The Reuben was, well, classic. Great tasting corned beef with just the right amount of dressing on nicely toasted bread.
It’s a fun place with delicious food. And I will be returning. Often. If only to try out one of the special sandwiches that’s right in my wheelhouse. Buttermilk fried chicken, braised collard greens, country gravy and cheddar cheese. That sounds crazy good, no?
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I visited for the first time, the Christian Science Center. Check out my pics from a beautiful sunny day in Boston 😉
And with that it was time to bid adieu to my fav city. But not without a clam roll and some chowder from an old mainstay, Legal Seafoods. Boston I miss you already. I’ll see you in September! Stay #bostonstrong! Go Red Sox!!!!
New England native Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote, “I have an affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighborhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets.” Although I can’t be absolutely certain, I suspect that he could have been rhapsodizing about Boston, a city that he and I both share a great affection for.
Boston is like a second home to me. I love its people, its buildings and I love riding the T. Boston is where I sleep the best. It’s where I’m happiest and feel safest. It’s where my beloved Red Sox play and best of all, it’s where I have the coolest dinning experiences. Check out some of the haunts I frequented during my latest visit.
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After months away from the city, I crave pizza. And I always run to Upper Crust, a pizzeria offering a Neapolitan-style, thin crust pizza. There are various locations throughout the greater Boston area. The Beacon Hill restautrant has community tables, where customers share the dining space. Over the years, it has been awarded the titles of “Best Gourmet Pizza” and “Boston’s Best Pizza”from local media. And it’s my personal favourite.
My next stop was John F. Kennedy’s first home out in Brookline. It was the first day of tours after being closed for winter. JFK lived in the Beals street house from birth through his toddler years. The first floor contains the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The dining room is set up as it was for a typical meal in the Kennedy household. You’ll notice the kids’ table on the left. The tour guide noted that the dining room is where Papa Joseph would quiz the kids on current events. They were expected to be able to debate and discuss, even at a young age. This is where it all began!
The tour guide played us a recording of family matriarch Rose Kennedy narrating the goings-on in the kitchen. The kitchen is set up as it would have been around 1917.
After the tour, I headed to Kupel’s bakery to pick up some bagels and some iced tea. Kupel’s is listed by epicurious.com as one of the best bagel shops in America. I have to agree. The bagels were soft and chewy. IMHO, they were the best bagels I have ever tasted.
While walking up Harvard Ave. in Brookline, I spotted Dorado’s. I remembered it being listed as one of the best taco restaurants in Boston. This place serves high-quality, authentic mexican food. I ordered shrimp tacos (chipotle marinated and beer battered shrimp, jicama, pineapple salsa, Baja crema). Simply amazing and delicious. They crunchiness of the battered shrimp and jicama combined with the freshness of the pineapple salsa and the tang of Baja crema made this a perfect taco. When you’re in Boston next, skip the many Mexican chain restaurants and head to Dorado’s. Next time I am there, I want to try the cemitas, a popular sandwich from the south-central Mexican state of Puebla.
My last stop for the day was Saus, a truly great eatery near Faneuil Hall devoted to Belgian-style frites and waffles. The website states that they believe in the power of the condiment. And they’re not kidding. Saus has over 15 unique dipping sauces on the menu, not including the homemade mayo, ketchup, and gravy. I availed myself of some fries with truffle ketchup and a Belgian waffle with some homemade Nutella. After a long day of touring the city, a meal at Saus was truly satisfying.
This blog entry is as much about friendship as it is about food. I have been blessed with some of the most supportive and lovesome friends. Forever there to help, to lean on and to let me be me. Elbert Hubbard once said, “The friend is the person who knows all about you, and still likes you.” And for that I am ever so grateful. And tis no better way to give thanks to my inner circle of most beloved than with the annual Southern Dinner.
For me, life without fried chicken would be an unworthy existence. I’m confident that I was raised as a southern boy in a previous life. And I find solace in the fact that this type of food provides the ultimate comfort, to me and to my pals.
Behold this year’s feast which consisted of fried green tomatoes, followed by fried chicken, mac n’ cheese, salad, whipped sweet potatoes with pecan topping and for desert, a lemon layer cake.
I could barely make out what she was saying. ”You’re party has already been seated,” the hostess pointing toward the general vicinity of a table occupied by my patiently waiting friends. No, it wasn’t yet time for me to get fitted for hearing aids. I had just walked into a Chinese restaurant.
Anyone who’s ever stepped foot inside a busy Asian dinning establishment knows that fireworks, shuttle launches and rock concerts have nothing on the auditory levels of a Chinese restaurant. Dishes clang, children whirl about, food sizzles and conversations occur at such a high decibel level that it’s possible to scream and not be heard. If a tree fell in a Chinese restaurant, would anybody hear it? No. No they wouldn’t. But that’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes dinner in a thundering environment is in order. As was the case with my recent visit to Yangtze Dinning Lounge.
As enticing plates of Fried Lobster and Steamed Pickerel whizzed by our table, we settled into the tried and true: Straw Mushroom Egg Soup, Springs Rolls, Kulu Chicken, Thai Basil Beef and Kung Po Shrimp. At Yangtze’s, even the basics are fantastically prepared. It may not be the ultimate location for intimate conversation, but Yangtze’s is a great place to eat. For all it’s loudeness, it’s the perfect establishment to bring your kids. They can hoot, holler and run around and no one will even notice. Heck, you can hoot, holler and run around and no one will even notice. Welcome to Yangtze’s!
The part of Las Vegas in this blog post in being played by Windsor.
I’ve never been to Las Vegas. No bachelor parties, no Siegfried & Roy, no gentlemen’s clubs, no Liberace museum. The closest I’ve ever been to Vegas is Windsor. I know. It’s a little sad. But I was travelling to Windsor to see my nephew get married and as a result, I got to experience a little slice of Vegas at the posh Caesars Hotel.
Not sure how Roman General Julius Caesar would feel about having a hotel/casino named after him, in Windsor no less. Although the hotel is without reproach, the two restaurants I dined at, Taza Mediterranean Grill and Artist Cafe, are worthy of a civil war. Caesar would not have been impressed. Those two restaurants are not terrible but certainly not worthy of such a world-class hotel. The shawarma meal at Taza was pretty bland and the meat was dry. Breakfast wasn’t much better. There is a breakfast buffet at Artist Cafe that was similarly unimpressive. The long lines to enter the restaurant wasn’t indicative of the great food, there is just no where else to go. I didn’t get to Neros Steakhouse which I hear is incredible. Next time.
Throughout the years I’ve stayed in many, many hotels. Caesar’s Windsor is by far the best. Amazing facilities, great service and wonderful entertainment all under one enormous roof. I do think that they need to improve the dining establishments. It will not, however, get in the way of a return trip. I can’t wait to go back. And I still have my hopes up for Vegas. But in the meantime, Caesars Windsor is a great stand-in!
Did you know that goat is one of the most widely-consumed meat on the planet? It is. And if you live in Ottawa I found the perfect place to get your goat on. It’s called Fishy’s Tropical Grill. Tucked away in the corner of a generic strip mall on Montreal Road in Vanier, Fishy’s is a Caribbean/Jamaican restaurant serving traditional Island food. Curry goat, fried dumplings, ackee, salt fish and more. And Fishy’s just also happens to be a Halal restaurant. Check it out. Friendly service and scrumptious food await you!
Fishy’s famous roti with island veggies and plantain. Delicious!
I visit Toronto three or four times a year, mostly when my beloved Red Sox are in town. This time around, we took in a couple games, went to TIFF, did some shopping, eating and spent time with family. Having taken pics aplenty, I thought I’d change things up and subject you to a photo collage from my T.O. getaway. Hope it’s not too painful!
TIFF Bell Lightbox
Best Screenplay and Best Picture Oscars for “Crash” on display at TIFF
Waiting among the masses to get into the theatre
Under the Winter Garden Theatre lights
My ticket for “Song for Marion”
Choice balcony seats
“Song for Marion” star Christopher Eccleston speaks at TIFF
The roof is open
The view from the cheap seats
The view from our seats
Yum! Popcorn
Doh! Dropped popcorn on the floor
The CN Tower looms above
Waiting in line to buy terrible food at the concessions stands. No Fenway Franks or Boston Chowdah in sight.
Homemade chowdah made with love by family member.
What more can a guy ask for? Makes me not miss Boston so much.
Chowing down on a Hero Burger at the Sherway Gardens food court
Once a year I like to feign that I am a real chef. Maybe Thomas Keller or possibly David Chang or perhaps even Daniel Humm. I spend a solitary night in this make believe world channeling their talent and artistry. Although I unabashedly admit that I do possess one minor ability. I have no fear in the kitchen. I am absent of any anxiety or worry of failing. While other areas of my life leave me hiding under the covers, I see the kitchen ripe for trial and experimentation. Not certain why I exude such culinary confidence but I don’t question it much. No thinking allowed, just doing. So with the help of some cookbooks to guide me and some close friends to come along for the ride, I attempt an annual fancy dinner party with the goal of honouring some of the great chefs and restaurants of our time.
First up, Duck Confit Croustades. This dish is from the Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook. A baguette smeared with dijon, topped with duck confit, fleur de sel, olive oil and parsley. Simple and delicious.
Croustades with duck confit
The next course was foie gras with a maple balsamic reduction. This recipe is by Daniel LaGarde, Chef
Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu. Foie gras (with black truffles) set on sautéed apples, strawberries, shallots and basil and served with a maple balsamic reduction. This was my favourite dish of the night.
Seared foie gras with black truffles and maple balsamic reduction
The third course was from the Eleven Madison Park cookbook. This restaurant currently sits at #10 on Restaurant Magazine’s list of best restaurants in the world. The recipe of Beet Salad with Chèvre Frais and Caraway was by far the most challenging dish of the night. It took a while to bring together the roasted beets, the goat cheese mousse, the caraway tuiles, the beet raspberry vinaigrette and the rye crumble, but it was certainly well worth the effort as my guests raved about this creation. The variety of textures and tastes made this dish unique and memorable.
Beet salad with chèvre frais and caraway
A side view of the beet salad
My second favourite chef of all time is Thomas Keller, he of French Laundry and Per Se fame (Julia Child is my favourite). I’ve turned to the The French Laundry Cookbook on numerous occasions and it has never let me down. For the the main course, the recipe I chose was the Butter-Poached Lobster with Creamy Lobster Broth and Mascarpone-Enriched Orzo. Some of the interesting features of this recipe included the lobster broth (made form scratch), the beurre monté (emulsified butter), the coral oil (canola oil infused with lobster roe) and the parmesan crisp (mine were a bit oversized but I have trouble resisting their appeal). I do hope that I was able to bring some French Laundry justice to this dish. My guests were rather pleased with the results.
Butter-poached lobster with creamy lobster broth and mascarpone-enriched orzo
A top view of the lobster
Dessert is my favourite part of the meal to eat but my least favourite to cook. Finding something to complement such a rich repast was not easy. I went with a recipe from LCBO’s Food & Drink magazine, Coconut Lime Mousse with Berries. It was a good counterpart to the other dishes and a bang-up way to end the meal.
Food & Drink’s Coconut Lime Mousse with Berries
Another year passes, another fancy dinner party is now under my belt. I am forever grateful to have friends that endure my culinary experiments. It could all go horribly wrong and yet they are forever willing to weather the gastronomic storm with me. The great chefs of our time are my inspiration. But the people in my life are truly what drive me to do better and be better.
I have a buddy that’s the coolest guy around. He’s also hilarious and extra kind. He and his wife both. And my buddy just happens to be a pro with the BBQ. You see, he owns a Weber so you know he’s serious. I am lucky enough to score an invite now and again to partake in his grilling extravaganzas. Yes, I am blessed.
Quite originally, he spiral-cuts the hot dogs. You heard me. Check out this video. The spiral-cut improves the wiener-eating experience by increasing the surface area of the frankfurter, thus resulting in a better grilled wiener and an extra tasty hot dog.
My hands are a bit shaky so the image below appears blurry. But there’s no mistaking that the hot dog was delicious.
The burgers looked like steaks on the grill and were juicy and delectable. The salad and the corn was just the right touch to finish off this meal. My friends really take care of me when I come over. I was stuffed. Oh, and if you haven’t already noticed, I like ketchup.
It’s late September and this might be the end of BBQ season for me. Unless I get a few more invites. Here’s hoping!
