Bianca "Confessions of a Chocoholic" G.'s Profile

It takes a lot to lure me away from my morning Starbucks habit, but Crema Cafe did it.

Everything I have ever had there is so good, I am tempted to return EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Every single morning, of every single day; everytime I pass by it; everytime I crave for something refreshing (red nectar, iced thai tea or the special with limeade); everytime I crave for a double chocolate croissant (which happens more often that I would like to admit); everytime I want a creamy, veggie-filled quiche, or tomato bisque, or a grilled Nutella and banana sandwich (yup, you read that right: nutella)

Except I don't really come back every single day because I can't afford it (it is a little pricey) and because it's not good to give in to every single craving. But I would if I could.

I have a sudden craving for the truffle fries. I don't know if it's the memories I associate with the Met Bar and Grill (fuel for shopping at the Natick mall) or the first burger I had there (turkey, juicy) that makes me want to go back again and again. Maybe it's the pasta specials (even if I'm partial to the available-everday mac and cheese). Or the drinks (I've never met a cocktail there that I didn't like). Or the truffle fries. It's definitely the truffle fries. And the drinks - blood orange cosmo, geisha, and sleeping beauty. I'll be back soon (shopping trip anyone?)

Finally got to dine at No. 9 Park a couple of nights ago and it was fan-freakin-tastic. Really, really good, especially - oh especially! - the foie gras. My friend joked that the whole table (all 5 of us ordered it) had a collective foie-gasm. Everything was perfect, down to the very last detail (even the butter served with the crusty bread was so gloriously rich and creamy). The cheese selection was amazing, and our charming server went through every cheese in detail. And I like the freebies that the chef sent our table (tuna tartare app, plus the salty chocolaty squares that came with the bill). The place was really cozy (a positive term for "really cramped") but the lighting was low and romantic and this would be a wonderful place for a big-splurge date night. No wonder this place received so many accolades (and can justify the sky high prices). Mouthwatering food, seductive plating, intimate setting, impeccable service. I'd love to go back!

Dear Tom Colicchio,

First off, let me admit that I am big fan of yours - because of Top Chef (of course), and because of that story that you saved someone's life with the Heimlich maneuver, and even because of that kinda-cute Diet Coke commercial (oh you and your kinda-sexy baldness and kinda-intriguing seriousness). But we ate at Craftsteak last weekend (we were in Foxwoods for the night) and I was kinda disappointed. Okay, I was pretty disappointed. I do want to give props to the big, sleek, sexy dining room and the impressive service (more on that later), but the food just wasn't that great :(

When we were presented with hot salted rolls in a mini iron skillet, I remembered Mooo - a top notch steak house in Boston that I didn't even love that much but I can't stop singing praises about their rolls. Unfortunately, your rolls weren't as good. We had a couple of drinks (my merlot was good and the boyfriend's cocktail was awesome) then had the grass-fed rib eye (after reading Michael Pollan, how can I possibly choose corn-fed over grass-fed?) and a caesar salad to share. Um, the caesar salad was not garlicky enough, could've used more parmesan crisps, and I think the white anchovies just didn't deliver the same salty flavor as regular anchovies (I know it's probably more expensive and more "gourmet" but I want salty anchovies on my caesar, please don't get mad at me).

And the rib eye? Meh. It was actually kinda stringy on some parts (isn't grass fed beef supposed to be more tender and richer?) and for the price ($55) we've had waaaay better steaks from KO Prime, Sorellina, Mistral, Abe & Louie's and even... Texas Roadhouse *gasp* Tthe dipping sauces (tamarind-based, horseradish cream, and chimichurri) were also pretty... blah.

Halfway through the meal we realized that the waiters actually forgot to bring us our oyster appetizers. When we told them that, they were very apologetic and offered to bring it out right then, but the boyfriend said we'll just eat them after the steak. And then, we suddenly had 3 or 4 waiters standing a few feet away, casually talking but really observing us, so that as soon as the boyfriend placed his fork down to signal "the end" of the steak course, VHOOOM the oysters appeared!! Funny, but appreciated. Thanks.

And even more appreciated? The dessert was on the house: a sweet, creamy maple creme anglaise and 2 oatmeal cookies. I actually was just going to give 2 stars but free dessert always gets me (I know, I'm easy).

That said, if you presented that whole meal at the chef's table on Top Chef, you definitely will not win. Maybe you won't be at the bottom 3 either, and you'll just luckily cruise on to the next challenge. Maybe we ordered the wrong things, maybe it was an off night, maybe I'm too picky, but really, I expected more from you.

PS - You're still my favorite judge on Top Chef.

I've been wanting to eat at Masa for a verrrrry long time but we are always discouraged by the parking situation at the South End (plus the fact that everytime I'm there I basically just want to go to Stella). One night, the boyfriend and I were on our way to Burlington for movie night and It was such a pleasant surprise to find Masa in the burbs.

Yes, it's in a random strip mall in Woburn (so random there's even a Hallmark store beside it), but it has plenty of parking, and inside it actually really looks like it is transplanted straight from the South End: trendy decor, chic hostess and servers, well-dressed patrons, and more importantly: flavorful and beautiful food plus a long drink list!

The best part of the meal for me was the tapas - the tapas combo platter was a good deal (10 tapas for 10 bucks!) and they were delish. I loved the chorizo empanada and the chicken taquito. For our main courses, I had the roasted salmon with chipotle and horseradish crust (yum) and the boyfriend had the aged rib eye (and he was certainly happy with it). I also had the sangria margarita (interesting but I think I prefer just a regular sangria) and the boyfriend had a couple of manly drinks. To cap off our meal, we each ordered a banderita: a trio of shots (fresh lime juice, cazadores blanco, sangrita). It was very fun downing those little shotglasses in quick succession (yes, that's my idea of fun, don't judge me) and I highly recommend it ;)

Another highlight of our dinner at Masa was our server William. He was so fun and friendly - perfect service.

I did dock one star off my rating because as much as I loved the food and drinks and service and decor, at the end of the night we were still in Woburn...

Mambo King, you make my heart sing. You make everything groovy.

It was a sparkling lime-coconut martini, and it was love at first sip.

I don't care if I'm mixing references here; I don't care if you think I'm cheesy when I get tipsy; I don't care that my girl friend and I got strange looks from the other patrons when we decided to cocoon ourselves in a dark corner (there were lots of dark corners so note to self: come back with the bf); and frankly, after having the Mambo King, I don't care for any of the other martinis. And mind you, I tried a number of them at Flute (heehee): the Antoinette, the Sparkling Pomegranate Margarita, and the Black Pearl. All were good, but the Mambo King was really king (if that even makes sense)...

Flute is a really nice place midtown, it's one of the highlights of my NY weekend. Surprisingly not too crowded on a Saturday night (even at 1 am), perfect for girls' night or date night, sure to get you in a happy, laid-back, celebratory mood - enough to make you ramble about a certain coconut-y sparkling martini...

Dined here with my parents and the boyfriend last night and it was A.MA.ZING. The food (and service) was awesome, I loved it.

The meal was off to a great start with the amuse bouche, compliments of the chef.  It was a chilled peach soup that tickled my fancy, mostly because of the cute cup it came in and because I like saying and hearing other people say "amuse bouche"

We then proceeded to order a smorgasbord of food. The appetizers were superb (bone marrow, calves brain, soft-shell crab) and the prime rib was indeed special (the horseradish cream sauce was out of this world).  The caesar salad, wine, and spinach side dish were a bit more ordinary but I'm not complaining because we capped off the night with coffee and dessert - and who isn't happy ending a meal with creme brulee?

The whole meal and experience was really, really good. Loved the ambiance too.  Already planning to go back, and I hope there'll be another round of amuse bouche next time (yes, I said it again). But seriously, if you have a special occassion coming up (the prices are a little steep), or if you're craving for some serious meat and an edgy menu, go to KO Prime!

Oh Jose's -  I was gonna give you 4 stars for the food (my burrito in adobado sauce was delicious, but the boyfriend's tostada was mediocre) but when I factor in the pitcher of margarita that we split between the 2 of us (no, we're not alcoholics!), the tres leches cakes (so simple yet so good), the custom-levels of salsa (the hot was indeed hot), and the very cheerful and colorful atmosphere (service was awesome too), you get bumped up to 5 stars.  Congratulations, and you'll be seeing us again there soon.

Went there for Restaurant Week.
Caesar salad. Pork belly special. Creme brulee.
Thought I was in heaven.

I have been on the hunt for a new pair of eyeglasses for months, and I've been to five optical shops in Harvard Square already looking for the perfect pair. Before I went into Eye Q, every place had something wrong with it: dismissive employees, limited eye wear selections, and I even got this distinct feeling from one that I was being ripped off (shady deals with rocket-high prices). So when I stepped into doors of Eye Q and entered its clean, simple setup, I wasn't expecting much. However when, Tricia - super-friendly, non-pushy, giving her honest opinion Tricia - greeted me warmly, I had a good feeling that this might be the day when I find my coveted pair of perfect new specs.
True enough, I spent nearly an hour inside the store (but never felt rushed or pressured to buy anything), and ended up falling in love with not one but two pairs of eyeglasses! Of course, as it was the day after Christmas and my bank account was severely depleted from all the holiday shopping, I could only afford one. But oh what a gorgeous, face-framing, budget-friendly one it was! I am so happy with the service and the selections here, and I cannot wait to wear my new eyeglasses! Tricia predicted that I might just love them so much that I might start wearing my contacts less, and my glasses more. We'll see. But now I know that if I do need another new pair, I'll go straight to Eye Q and skip all the optical shops in the area.