A Casual New York Weekend

You may be wondering why a title like "Casual New York Weekend" is followed by a photo of the opulent grand ballroom at the historic Waldorf Astoria.

I guess it's a bit incongruous for me say any trip is "casual" when Bryan has to bring his tux and I have to find some pretty dress. But really, that was as fancy as it got. After all, the whole ballroom thing was the "required" part of the trip. You see, I was in New York for business, attending a work dinner in that huge ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria. That part is the same every year.

In the past, we often made it a habit to check out the fine dining that this city has to offer.

But this time was different.

Perhaps it was because I had just spent over a week eating (and cooking!) like crazy in Thailand. Or maybe I was still "recovering" from the extended tasting menus from my Las Vegas trip earlier. Whatever the reason, I really just didn't feel like eating any loooong tasting menus.*

So we went a different route. We sought out some more casual places. We had "home-cooked" dinner at a cousin's home. We even managed to squeeze in a few old favorites.

We did fun things like visit the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), where they were temporarily exhibiting one of only four versions of "The Scream" by Edvard Munch. This pastel that you see behind me was sold in May of 2012 for just shy of $120 million USD. It set a world record for the most expensive painting ever sold at an auction.

It was temporarily on display at MoMA between October 2012 and April 2013.

We finally got to try this very popular Asian fusion spot famous for its Packman-shaped tempura and ghost shrimp dumplings.

We found a spicy and authentic Sichuan restaurant that was conveniently close to Penn Station. In fact, we showed up with our luggage before heading back to Boston via the Acela train.

This meal is technically not part of the same weekend trip, but we had stopped in New York for one night before heading off to Thailand (overnight flight connection). We went into the city just for dinner at this farm-to-table restaurant that's connected to a home good store.

We had some of the best salumi we've ever had at this quaint salumeria on the Upper West Side.

We couldn't leave New York without visiting one of our all-time favorite Italian spots. This ricotta salad with pea shoots and snap peas was phenomenal.

With the death of H&H, our old go-to place for bagels, we queued up at Ess-a-Bagel and tried a lovely smoked whitefish bagel sandwich. Yum!

And of course, sometimes nothing beats sharing a hearty, warm hot pot in the comfort of an inviting home with good friends.

Stay tuned for specific posts on many of the above restaurants!

*OK, I do confess that I did try (and failed) to get a reservation at Brooklyn Fare, but that's probably the only long tasting menu that's on my "totally wish I could try" list at the moment in New York.

Napa Valley Adventures (& a little bit of SF)

I first got to experience California's breathtaking wine country when I traveled there three years ago to cover the S. Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition. I've been so lucky to be able to go back every year since that first time, and every time, I discover something new.

This past March, between the craziness of covering the Mystery Basket Competition and the Finals, Bryan and I had some time to get away and enjoy some other parts of Napa Valley.

We tried some fantastic meals (there seems to be an endless supply of really good food in this area!), visited some awe-inspiring vineyards, and even tried our hands at making our own wine blends.

Here's a sneak preview of upcoming posts from our next trip series on Napa Valley.

After landing in San Francisco and before heading up to Napa Valley, we enjoyed a lovely tasting of seasonal, local, freshly foraged ingredients at a two-Michelin star restaurant in the city.
In Yountville, we finally got to try brunch at Thomas Keller's more casual restaurant, sampling some of the best biscuits I've ever had.
A delightful sampling of dishes from a French-trained Japanese chef (alumnus of Spago) at a one-Star Michelin restaurant in St. Helena.

Food is art at this French one-star Michelin restaurant, the only restaurant in Napa Valley inside of a winery!

A solid Italian experience from a celebrity chef who has hosted several shows on the Food Network and was second place in Top Chef Masters.

I had a chance to make my own "Insignia" blend by pipetting various ratios of component wines.
One of the coolest wineries we visited - it's housed entirely inside a cave in a mountainside and has its own waterfall to keep the humidity constant!


Chandon Winery, Yountville CA

 We tasted wines at several other wineries, all unique in their own special way.

Stay tuned as we continue the Napa Valley Adventure Series throughout the next several weeks. Enjoy!

My Favorite Date Restaurants

This post was originally published February 8, 2011. I have since updated it with new insights I've gained this year, just in time for Valentine's Day!

Picking a good date restaurant can be tricky.

You want the ambiance to be pleasant, nice . . maybe even a bit fancy. Yet, the last thing you want is a pretentious, stuffy environment that makes you feel uncomfortable. You want to be able to sit back, relax, and really enjoy the evening.

Of course, it goes without saying that the food must be excellent. And, preferably the prices would be reasonably, although we may be willing to splurge on special occasions.

I've lived in Boston for 17 years and I've been with Bryan for about 15 years. Needless to say, we've been on a lot of dates in Boston, and definitely have tried a number of places in the greater Boston area.

Here are some of our favorite special occasion / date places (I've thrown in a couple from New York, California, and Las Vegas as well just for fun!).
The North End
 
Hand made Ravioli from Mamma Maria

We always love going to the North End. The neighborhood itself is fun to explore; it's bursting at the seams with fantastic food; and (if the weather's nice), you can take a lovely romantic stroll all the way back to Cambridge through Faneuil Hall, the Public Garden, Back Bay, and the bridge overlooking the Charles River.

Because I love to walk, a night out in the North End is one of my favorite ways to spend an evening. For a romantic night out, I love the ambiance at Mamma Maria, a quaint multi-level townhouse overlooking North Square. Mare, an Italian place specializing in seafood, is also very nice with huge windows facing out into the North End. Try the langoustine if you go there; it's absolutely delicious. Prezza and Monica's Vinoteca are also great choices, with Prezza being a bit smaller, quieter, and more intimate.

Rack of Lamb and Grilled Langoustine from Mare

Though it's not Italian, I also love Neptune Oyster. It's tricky for a date because you can't make reservations and it gets quite crowded. Nevertheless, I love the tiny, intimate atmosphere, and the food is absolutely outstanding. Taranta, a Southern Italian / Peruvian restaurant also in the neighborhood, was ranked the most romantic restaurant in Boston by Yelp last year.

My favorite thing to do at the end of the night in the North End is to forgo dessert at the restaurant and instead opt for a nice cappuccino and a small pastry at one of the local cafes (e.g., Cafe Vittoria). Finally, stop by Mike's or Modern Pastry and pick up some cannolis to take back with you. If you still have room, you can always enjoy one on the road as you take your time meandering  slowly throughout the Boston neighborhoods nearby (the waterfront, Faneuil Hall, Chinatown, just to name a few).


Cambridge / Somerville

Ragout of wild mushrooms, Farm fresh egg from Craigie On Main's Ultimate Chef's Tasting

There are so many good restaurants in Cambridge / Somerville that it's hard to just pick a few. Craigie On Main is one of my favorites and we've celebrated many special occasions there in the past, like our anniversary, Bryan's birthday, and my birthday. I highly recommend the Ultimate Craigie Experience. Just make sure you call ahead and tell them you want to have that particular tasting! You might even score ringside seats, the ones that give you a firsthand view of the action inside the kitchen!

Bergamot is another one of my favorites. Keith Pooler is inventive and is always changing up the menu. You never know what to expect! The service is excellent and the prices are very very reasonable considering the quality of the food that comes out of that kitchen!

Ten Tables and Salts are two very small, intimate places that serve high quality food. Ever since moving to the northern side of Harvard Square, Ten Tables has become our favorite place in the neighborhood to visit. The food is fantastic, the staff is super nice, and the prices are very, very reasonable.

Bondir is another fabulous option. The first time I visited, I fell in love with the warm, inviting ambiance inside this tiny little restaurant. There's a huge roaring fireplace that just beckons you to come inside - super romantic! The chef-owner, Jason Bond, comes from Beacon Hill Bistro and creates a new menu every single day.

Finally, there's a little gem call T.W. Food in North Cambridge just a little off the beaten track. The ambiance is super warm and intimate, and the food is fantastic.

Littleneck Claims and Andouille Sausage from Rialto

If you're in the mood for Italian, Rialto has excellent food in a very traditional upscale environment. If you want more old world Italian charm, then Gran Gusto in North Cambridge is perfect for that. For something a bit unique, try Oleana, which serves farm fresh dishes with a Mediterranean twist. Upstairs on the Square is also another solid, traditional upscale restaurant overlooking Harvard Square. If you don't mind something a little unconventional, I think Hungry Mother (Southern American/French cuisine) serves some of the best food in Cambridge.

Finally, if you want something just a little different, try Muqueca (Brazilian), Atasca (Portuguese), or the Helmand (Afghan). All of these are excellent ethnic restaurants that are really nice and just a bit more reasonably priced than your typical European or new American restaurant.

Boston

Maine Lobster, "Pain Perdu", Grilled Local Romaine, Dill from Menton

Barabara Lynch is sort of an icon in Boston and has some of the finest restaurants in New England. Her newest venture, Menton, aims to bring Boston's haute cuisine to a whole new level. Menton has excellent service - the type you would find in a multi-star Michelin restaurant - paired with really really good food. If you can, try booking a special meal at the Chef's Table, a unique and intimate experience that's different from eating in the normal dining room.

No. 9 Park was Barbara Lynch's flagship restaurant (before she opened Menton) and is a solid choice as well. We went there for our wedding anniversary in 2009. The service is top-notch and the food is very good. If you go, you must try her signature dish: the prune stuffed gnocchi with fois gras. Incroyable!

If you're a steak lover, Bryan thinks Grill 23 has the best steak in Boston. If you love Japanese food, O Ya has a fantastic tasting menu that's wonderfully creative, exquisitely executed, and absolutely delicious. Bryan thinks O Ya has the best food in Boston, period. Oishii Boston is another solid choice for Japanese (especially if you don't feel like shelling out $100+ for a tasting menu).

A special Valentine's Day post-dinner treat at Clio

For Valentine's Day in 2010, Bryan and I tried Ken Oringer's Clio for the first time. We liked some dishes better than others, though overall we had a very enjoyable time there. Last year, we checked out a few places over Valentine's weekend, like Oishii Boston (just 'cuz I love sushi) and a pop up restaurant at the Taza Chocolate Factory, prepared by Will Gilson, formerly from Garden At the Cellar.

New York, Las Vegas, and Napa Valley

The French Laundry, Yountville, California

California
You can't beat a trip to Napa Valley when "romantic" comes to mind - rolling hills, beautiful vineyards and some of the best restaurants in the world. Thomas Keller's The French Laundry is iconic - a gorgeous, quaint farm house serving some of the most exquisite food around. I also love Redd, a more reasonably priced but perfectly enjoyable restaurant just down tbe street in Yountville. If you're in southern California, Melisse is an excellent option, having one of the most extensive bread collections I've ever seen (second only to Joel Robuchon in Vegas), not to mention fantastic food in a warm, comfortable atmosphere.

We tried Jose Andres' Saam inside of his flagship Los Angeles restaurant Bazaar this past winter. A mixture of molecular gastronomy, bold Spanish flavors, and traditional French technique, the tasting menu at Saam showcases some of Andres' favorite dishes from all his restaurants (post coming soon).

For Sushi, try Sushi Zo, an omakase only no menu sort of restaurant. The fish is excellent and the atmosphere is very authentic. It's one of closest experiences I've had to a Japanese sushi omakase here in the US (post coming soon).

Joel Robuchon, Mansion in Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the land of excess, over-indulgence, and opulence, and Joel Robuchon definitely delivers! My dinner at Joel Robuchon (both the four course and the Menu Degustation) were, by far, the most over-the-top meals I'd ever had - everything from plush velvet pillows and pearls to gold in my food and a crazy display of bread and mignardises (see above). It's a little insane, but definitely a unique experience! We also tried an excellent French meal at Picasso last January, along with some crazy good 90-day dry aged steak at Carnevino ("best steak I've ever had" according to Bryan).

If you're into really good pasta, definitely check out Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's B&B Ristorante. The service is good, the tasting menus are fun, and the pasta is some of the best we've ever had. For a bit more traditional, old world Italian, you can't beat Raos or  Il Mulino , which have all around good, solid food (even if the ambiance is a little bit more casual). Bryan and I both agreed this past January that Il Mulino is now our favorite Italian restaurant in Las Vegas (sorry Mario!).

Butter Poached Abalone from Daniel in New York City

New York
Oh New York! New York is still the mecca for food in the US. There are so many crazy good restaurants, where do I start? Well, there's Thomas Keller's flagship east coast restaurant, Per Se, which sits at the top of the Time Warner Building in Columbus Circle. Though we liked The French Laundry just a tad more, we still had a perfectly enjoyable meal here.

We celebrated my birthday at Daniel in 2009 and it still reigns as one of my favorite dining experiences of all time. The service is incredible - warm, friendly, yet super professional at the same time. The space is beautiful and the food is absolutely unforgettable. As a seafood lover, Le Bernardin is still my top choice in New York if we're just talking purely food. No one beats Eric Ripert when it comes to seafood . . . .

Well . . . that is unless you want to talk sushi, in which case I highly recommend Sushi Yasuda. The ambiance is like a normal sushi restaurant (so none of the white glove service, etc), but the food is insanely good, and probably among the best sushi in the U.S.

Eleven Madison Park (which just got its third Michelin star!) is a gorgeous restaurant with absolutely incredible food. I've had the privilege of trying Daniel Humm's food twice, and both times I was blown away by his talent.

If you can score a reservation, Momofuku Ko is a fun and unique experience. David Chang is a genius when it comes to putting flavors together. The ambiance is casual (we wore jeans), but the experience is definitely special.

For a lovely, rustic Italian-based evening, our current favorites include Il Buco Alimentari and Torrisi.

Well, there you have it - my current ever changing list of good date restaurants. I know this list is a bit biased since I tend to eat most often in Cambridge and just a bit beyond. Also, when I travel I have only a few days, so I tend to seek out well-reviewed, well-known restaurants. However, I'm sure there are tons of excellent hidden finds out there.

I would love to hear what you think.

What are your favorite date restaurants?? 

THE LIST FROM THIS POST

The North End
Mamma Maria
Mare
Prezza
Monica's Vinoteca
Prezza
Neptune Oyster
Taranta
Mike's Pastry
Modern Pastry


Cambridge/Somerville
Bondir
Craigie On Main
Bergamot
Ten Tables
Salts
Rialto
Gran Gusto
Upstairs on the Square
Oleana
Muqueca
Atasca
Helmand

Boston
Menton
No. 9 Park
Grill 23
Oishii Boston
O Ya

California

The French Laundry

Redd

Melisse
Coi
Terra
Saam at Bazaar

Las Vegas

Joel Robuchon

B&B Ristorante
Picasso

Raos
Carnevino
Il Mulino

New York

Per Se
Daniel 

Le Bernardin
Sushi Yasuda
Eleven Madison Park
Momofuku Ko

Daisan Harumi

This is part 2 of my latest travel series: Post Quake Japan. Other posts in this series: Kago

Wasabi lured Bryan into liking Japanese cuisine.

Bryan was never a natural fan of Japanese food. Unlike me, who ate it voraciously growing up, Bryan was put off by many traditional Japanese flavors (think bonito, seaweed) and only grudgingly ate it.

Until he discovered wasabi.

Bryan has always loved anything spicy - everything from habaneros to horseradish. When he first started eating sushi, he consistently overwhelmed his tiny soy sauce tray with huge dollops of wasabi, mixing in bare minimum drops of soy sauce to form a super thick paste. I seriously doubt he could even tell what fish he was eating (though he totally claims he could). But hey, I was happy we could finally go out to eat Japanese.

More recently on a trip to Japan, we learned the intricacies about eating sushi and the role wasabi plays. Sushi chefs are quite particular about when to use wasabi, when not to use it, and how much to use. Our palates have gradually become more refined as we've learned the art of appreciating sushi in Japan.

With these newly acquired lessons in our heads, our first stop after landing in Japan was (of course) sushi. We made reservations at this tiny 8-seater restaurant in Shimbashi (not too far from the chicken sashimi place!) called Daisan Harumi. Daisan Harumi is super popular on Japanese forums and review sites because of its high quality of sushi and reasonable prices (at least when compared to high end sushi).

Better yet? They make some fine wasabi. According to the chef (mind you this is in Japanese so I can only hope I understood everything correctly), Hashido-san (one of the chefs) recently won 1st place in a prestigious wasabi contest.

fresh wasabi root
There's one thing you might not know about wasabi - "real" Japanese wasabi (wasabia japonica) is difficult to cultivate and very expensive. The roots can cost anywhere from $70 to $100 a pound, and they are in very high demand in Japan. It's also super difficult to find in the US. On this side of the world, "wasabi" is made from a mixture of normal horseradish (less than $1/lb!), mustard, and green food coloring. In Japan, they call this "western" wasabi seiyō wasabi.

At Daisan Harumi, not only did we get the opportunity to taste "real" wasabi, we had the privilege of watching them make it right in front of our eyes! The sushi chef cuts a portion of the root off, grates it, and then hands you the fresh, bright green paste immediately. You couldn't ask for fresher wasabi than that!

This was, of course, just the start of a fun and entertaining meal.Meet Chef Kazuo Nagayama, who has been making sushi for over 40 years. He's sort of a Jack of All Trades. He's into pottery, calligraphy, food, and writing, just to name a few. Much of the eclectic dishware at the sushi bar are handmade by Nagayama-san himself. Even the chopsticks wrappers are hand-folded out of traditional Japanese paper.

The menu changes daily (depending on what's fresh and available), and Chef Nagayama hand writes the menu with a paintbrush on sumi rice paper every day. It takes him over an hour to do this painstaking task, but the result is beautiful. Better yet, he gives you a gorgeous copy (that's also on the same rice paper) to take home with you.


Chef Nagayama has written various books, including a useful bilingual guide that describes all different types of fish. In fact, whenever we didn't understand the Japanese name for a particular fish, Chef Nagayama or one of his assistant would bring out the correct page from the book and set it on our table.

Sometimes, as in the case above, he had no book page, so he would have to hand write it. I actually can't read what he wrote - can anyone translate?

Our meal began with a warm, baked shin ika (young cuttlefish fish) with liver in the middle. It was hot, cooked, and quite fresh, with just a slightly rubbery texture. I'm not a huge fan of liver, so I only thought it was OK. We then had shishamo, the whole fried fish (including the head! - slightly squeamish but I got over it).

We ordered the omakase (let the chef decide!) with both sashimi and sushi. They always start with sashimi first. In this case (unlike the higher end places which literally give you one piece at a time), Chef Nagayama handed us a plate with various fresh slices - kawahagi with liver sauce (thread sail file fish); aji with ginger sauce (horse mackerel); ika (cuttlefish) and maguro (tuna) with wasabi.

The next item was one of my favorite items of the whole night. Nagayama's assistant briefly fired up a gorgeous cut of katsuo (bonito or skipjack tuna) on a skewer. This was insanely good. I loved the interplay between the slightly torched, salted edge and the tender, soft raw center. We dipped the slices first in ponzu sauce and then add lots of wasabi. According to the chef, the fattier the fish, the more wasabi one should add. In this case, since katsuo was a very fatty fish, we should add "many wasabi."

We had some lovely marinated kohada (gizzard shad) on skewers. These were tender and almost "popped" with juicy-ness when you bit into it.

These scary looking fried prawn "skins" weirded me out because the eyes were right there! Although it was delicate, crispy, and had a nice shrimp flavor, I was so squeamish that I probably didn't enjoy this as much as I might have had I not known what I was eating!

As the non-sushi part of the omakase came to a close, we had a sour ume (plum) soup (with a tiny shiso leaf and wasabi on top) to cleanse the palate.

Then the sushi started coming, one piece at a time. Anago (#1 - freshwater eel, also known as conger) was in season at the time. It was smooth,  melt-in-your-mouth soft, slightly sweet, and succulent. Chutoro (#4 - fatty tuna belly) was phenomenal, as always.

Daisan Harumi is supposedly famous for its amazing mackerel, and this beautiful slice of saba (#2 - mackerel), did not disappoint at all. It was perfectly vinegared, brushed ever-so-slightly with a kiss of soy sauce, and was melt-in-your mouth soft. Kuruma ebi (#3 - Japanese tiger prawn) was pretty good, although I remember telling Bryan that I though the one at Kyubey was much better (ahem, could that be because they freshly kill their shrimp?)

Abalone was sweet and tender with its characteristic rubbery texture.

The few times I tried geoduck in America, I did not love it because I thought it had some off flavor I really didn't like. Suprise! The geoduck in Japan (mirugai) was fresh, sweet, and did not have any hints of "off" flavors (upper left photo). The texture was a bit different than fish - a bit more firm, like squid. Shirokisu (Japanese whiting - bottom left) was clean tasting, and the uni (bottom right) was rich and creamy - not a hint of stinkyness.

Near the end of the meal, they brought out this gorgeous, steaming hot tamago (sweet egg).



Many think that one can judge how good a sushi restaurant by the quality of its tamago. The tamago here was fluffy, moist, sweet, and just slightly creamy. Although not as refined and delicate as the one at Sushi Kanesaka, it was nonetheless excellent, and I definitely enjoyed every bite of it.
We ended with a simple gelatin-based dessert that was a nice palate cleanser after such an intense meal!

You get many parting gifts. I already mentioned the handwritten menu and handmade chopsticks wrappers. Nakayama-san also gives all the ladies a pretty furoshiki, a wrapping cloth that can be used to carry your bento, wrap a gift, or even wear as a scarf! Isn't it pretty? :)


Thoughts
I can see why Daisan Harumi is popular. Chef Nagayama really cares about his craft, and his sushi and sashimi are excellent. My favorites? Definitely the torched katsuo, saba, and toro. There's a bit more liver than I'd personally prefer, so perhaps I would tell him next time if I ordered omakase again. Bryan thought the execution of the sushi was not at the same level as the top, high-end places. Nevertheless, the fish is super fresh; the atmosphere is cozy; and the eclectic touches from Nagayama-san make this restaurant really unique. The prices are quite good for the quality. If you really want a deal, come on Saturdays, when lunch and dinner are priced the same (around 4,000 yen for sashimi, for example). Kawashima-san, Nagayama's longtime assistant, will take good care of you.


Daisan Harumi
Nearest Subway Stop: Shimbashi
Lunch: 6000 - 7000 yen
Dinner: 15,000-20,000 yen
Mon-Fri 11:30am-1:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm;
Sat 11:30am-1:30pm, 5:30pm-9:00pm;
closed Sun
1-17-7 Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Scampo

There are at least two reasons to visit the Scampo if you're in Boston.

First, it's housed in the storied Liberty Hotel, a former prison that's rich with all sorts of history. The former Charles Street Jail housed prisoners from 1851 to 1990. The US district court ruled in 1973 that the jail violated the constitutional rights of the prisoners because of terrible overcrowding.

Massachusetts General Hospital now owns the property and opened a luxury hotel in the space in 2007. They have maintained some of the original architecture, so it's quite fascinating to see the former jail decked out in luxury finishes.

Of course, architecture and history alone would not be enough reason to visit a restaurant. The second reason to visit Scampo is that it's another restaurant by Lydia Shire, probably one of the most well known chefs in Boston. A driven woman who worked her way to the top during a time when male chefs dominated the industry, Lydia Shire continues to wow us with her current empire, which includes the venerated classic Locke-Ober, the trendy Towne Stove & Spirits (opened this past year), and Scampo - the ever so popular restaurant inside the Liberty Hotel.

It's hard not to be impressed by your surroundings right when you enter the Liberty Hotel. The high ceilings of the former jail fill you with a sense of wonder and fascination at the same time. Scampo is in the lower level of the Liberty Hotel, which also houses the new American restaurant Clink.

The space at Scampo is trendy, lively, yet cozy and warm at the same time. A huge open kitchen sits at the center of the restaurant. You can watch chefs preparing pizzas in the brick oven or baking their homemade naan.

The restaurant is decidedly Italian, although it draw influences from both the Mediterranean region as well as the Middle East.

For example, we enjoyed an interesting edamame (? or was it pea?) puree with Italian breadsticks. Naan-like bread is also cooked in tandoori ovens.
We started with this lovely lobster appetizer that came with fresh avocados, thinly sliced radishes, and a fried plantain chip on top.

Razor claims with house made gnocchi, potato chips, and basil were sweet, fresh, and perfectly seasoned.

Roasted Suckling Pig
A special only available on Fridays, the generous portion of the "roasted suckling pork" was juicy and had perfect crispy skin (not unlike Peking duck!). It was served with fresh handmade pasta (Bryan's favorite!) and asparagus.

For dessert we tried the "house made cookie plate - chef's whim" and the tiramisu. The cookies are great because you can easily take them home if you can't finish them. 
We definitely enjoyed our meal at Scampo. In fact, we could definitely see the resemblance between Scampo and Lydia Shire's other restaurant that we've tried, Towne Stove & Spirits. Everything we tried was solidly executed and had great flavors. Ingredients were top notch, and overall the meal was quite enjoyable.

The menu is quite interesting, and there are still so many things we haven't tried. For example, they have a mozzarella bar full of their house made mozzarellas. You can even try a mozzarella tasting where you sample burrata, buffalo, house made, and quark mozzarella. I'm so curious to try that. There are also many types of pizzas, including Lydia Shire's famous lobster pizza (named best pizza in Massachusetts by the Food Network).

All in all, Scampo has excellent food and a great atmosphere. I'm looking forward to my next visit, hopefully soon!

Scampo
215 Charles St
Boston, MA 02114