Q Restaurant -Boston, Mass

http://www.thequsa.com/

Q is located just a two minute walk from the Boston Opera House and the Paramount Theater on Washington St. in Bostons Theater/Chinatown district. The main reason that people love Q is the Chinese Hot Pot. This a little more upscale then most places in Chinatown so its a great place to go before taking in a show.
Its a fun experience of you are one of those that likes to play with your food. Simone was under the weather so also a big pot of boiling broth was just what the doctor ordered. There are many different choices on the menu for your hot pot, but if you would rather not cook your own food then the Q has got you covered. Sushi and other popular Asian dishes are also available.



For our hot pot broth we went with a combo pot. One side Miso Broth and one side Basic Broth. Both are mild and very well flavored with vegetables and herbs. For our vegetables, we went with a veggie platter assortment, a wild mushroom assortment, and Chinese broccoli. For the meat, thin sliced Lamb and Sirloin, and for the starch, Udon Noodles. The Broth came out within two minutes of ordering, and the meats and veggies within another minute. This was quick service at its best. The broth quickly started boiling. Simone seemed a little confused and gave away our hot pot rookie status by asking for a fork to accompany our chopsticks so the waiter graciously explained the Hot Pot process to us.













Basically just drop your vegetables into the broth of your choice and cook them for as long as you desire, then at the last minute add the noodles and meat and cook for about ten seconds and at that point you are good to go. Scoop it all out into your bowl, add your condiments of choice, more broth if you want, and enjoy. The great thing about it , the more you cook, the better the broth gets as it absorbs the different flavors. And if you don't like the food well its kinda your own fault...you're then one that cooked it. That being said, our food was great ( because I cooked it). I'm not much of a soup guy but at least for one meal I changed my mind. Hot Pots can be a great meal on a cold night or just something if you want a healthier, fresh option when you go out to eat.

When we fished with our meal we had some Ginger Coconut Ice cream for Desert. It was cooling and smooth and hit the spot. Overall the Q was a bunch (or should I say bowl) of fun. They do not take reservations so go on a weekday or plan on arriving early or waiting. If you do need to wait they actually give you an I-Pod with games on it to keep you amused. This is definitely a strong four to five star meal and a place I would return to again.

Moody's Diner-Waldoboro Maine

http://www.moodysdiner.com/

Moody's Diner is located along Coastal Route 1 in Waldoboro, Maine. It is well known in these parts, mostly for the pie and (of course) seafood. Obviously we know which one I wasn't going to eat. I rolled in to the Diner at 4:00pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon. At this time of the day you would expect the place to be virtually empty, but to my surprise it was almost full. This was a good sign. On this outing, I was a party of one so I had no trouble finding a spot in a booth. Moody's is pretty large and also includes a motel (kinda) and a gift shop.  All that its missing is a laundry mat and gas station. Sometime soon I'm sure they will put one of these in, after all this is in Maine. So onto the menu.  I was really craving meatloaf in some form, and Mac and Cheese, however it was no where to be found ( no meatloaf in a diner..really?)  I then noticed a seldom seen in this century menu item called Chicken Croquettes with Gravy..and decided to go with those.  They came with the option of two or three and your choice of potato, vegetable, roll or biscuit.  I choose to go with a biscuit to start and then fries and coleslaw with the meal. While waiting for my meal I noticed a TV behind the register. Oddly, it was only playing advertisements for the diner itself. I thought this was a little pointless. Why advertise the place when I'm already here ? All I really wanted to see was some sports.

My biscuit arrived quickly and It was great. Warm throughout, flaky, buttery and light. One of the best I have ever had and I could have eaten a dozen of these if I was allowed. It was truly the best part of my meal. It didn't take me long to finish it off and soon behind it came the Croquettes. For those not from the 1950's a Chicken Croquette is basically every thing you would find on a roasted chicken dinner plate (Chicken, stuffing, potatoes, gravy) combined , breaded and fried to a golden brown. These were a bit bigger then golf balls and were very tasty and well seasoned..however they were only luke warm in the middle so that was disappointing.  The gravy worked well with the Croquettes and also helped to warm them a bit more. The fries although not homemade were good and crispy and worked well to mop up the extra gravy. The coleslaw was very good, and not overly creamy.  I finished most of my plate but saved some room for the famous pie. Moody's has about 10 or so kinds of pie... I had my heart set on a slice of pecan...once again my heart was broken. A diner with no pecan pie or meatloaf...not good.  So choice number two was a peanut butter cream pie, and I have to say this was also very good.

About an inch of peanut butter mousse is topped with about another inch of whipped cream all in a nice flaky pie crust. A good way to end the meal. To be honest I was hoping to be amazed with Moody's, however I was somewhat let down. Yes, it was good.. but for all the press it gets I was kind of expecting more.  The prices are also great ( my meal came to just $12.50) . So if you happen to be driving by and are looking to save a little cash and still get a good meal stop in, just don't set your expectations to high. 3.5 stars.

Po' Boys & Pickles-Portland Maine

http://www.poboysandpickles.com/menu.html

Who doesn't love a good sandwich ? Satisfying and filling a sandwich is the ultimate comfort food. And one of the Kings of sandwiches is the New Orleans Po' Boy. On 1124 Forest Avenue in Portland Maine there is small joint that strives to give you this taste of the Bayou, and its called (of course) Po'Boys and Pickles.




Simone and I went to Po' Boys and Pickles after we had an afternoon of rock wall climbing and we had built a pretty good appetite. This sandwich shop did not let us down. At Po'Boys the service is part counter and part waited table service.  When you walk in you walk up to the counter, check the menu board and give them your order. You then find your seat and they find you when the food is ready.



There are many sandwich options, all of them unique with toppings. All sandwiches come with sliced pickles on the side. The pickles are made in house and are delicious (this coming from me who doesn't normally enjoy them). Have them on there own, or as my wife did, stuff them into the sandwich. There also many options for sides to go with your sandwich. Fries, Rings, Slaw, Fried Pickles, etc..

For our orders, Simone decided on the Dirty Bird ( because she like the way the name rolled off her tongue)
and I went with the Reggie Loaf ( because I like Reggie?) We also choose to have a side of Gravy Fries and also some house made Praline Crusted Bacon (hell yea). In reverse order, the sandwiches arrived first, then the fries and then the bacon. I figured this must be what its like being in the French Quarters of New Orleans. The sandwiches were large and stuffed full.


Simone's Dirty Bird had seasoned roasted chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomato with pickled garlic mayo. There was more perfectly crisp Bacon in this sandwich then on most truckers breakfast plates which was fine because it tasted so good. The roasted chicken was also moist and the garlic mayo was actually very mild and added to the sandwich instead of overpowering it.




The Reggie Loaf consisted of two 1/2 inch slices of house meatloaf, topped with gravy, french fries, lettuce, tomato and Horseradish mayo. The meatloaf was moist and perfectly seasoned, the fries were still crispy in the sandwich even when drizzled with the gravy, and the Horseradish mayo had just enough kick but was not overpowering. Again, another great Sandwich. The bread roll on both our sandwiches was also surprisingly light and airy on the inside and nice and crusty on the outside. A sandwich is only as good as the bread its served on and this bread was perfect to soak up all the juices from the sandwiches



On the side, our Gravy Fries were crispy ( at least at the top of the bowl) and the gravy flavorful. We finished off the entire bowl.






The Praline Bacon ( which I also suggest adding to your sandwich) was decadently sweet with half melted crumbles of brown sugar coating it. Some peaces could have been crispier but that didn't stop me from finishing it all. Amazingly, we finished our entire meal but left no room for dessert. Maybe next time. Po' Boys and Pickles was a great find, and a very satisfying and filling meal.  4 Stars.

Byrnes Irish Pub-Brunswick, ME

 http://byrnesirishpub.com/


Bynres Irish Pub is located at 16 Station Street in Brunswick, Maine (there is also another Location in Bath, ME). My GPS didn't actually recognize the street so if you happen to have the same mentally retarded GPS, then just follow the signs to the train station which is off from Maine Street and that's were you can find Bynres. 


The wife and I arrived at about 6:30 on a Monday night and there were only about 4 couples and some folks at the bar. This concerned me, usually at this time of night a place should be packed full and also being located 2 minutes from a local college I would expect it to be busier. However the place was very clean and we were waited on within a few minutes of seating ourselves. Bynres is decorated with an obvious Irish and local sports teams theme and its fun to sit back and take a look at the memorabilia on the walls while chugging your beer.



We started our meal with a creation called Cashelmole from the appetizer menu. Half Guacamole, Half Salsa and Laced with huge hunks of Cashel Bleu Cheese, this was served with perfectly crispy toasted Pita Bread wedges. The dip started with the flavor of a creamy cool avocado and cheese but finishes with a fiery hotness that hits you in the back of the throat. It is great, and we finished the entire bowl.  It is also offered on almost all the sandwiches for a small added charge.


As we finished our appetizer the meal arrived right on time. Simone had ordered the Americanized Shepherds Pie. I ordered a Karls Irish Pastrami Burger, one of the house specialties. The restaurant gives the option of also upgrading your sandwich with a pretzel bun so I went ahead and did that also.




My burger was excellent. Cooked perfectly medium well, it was juicy yet still dead.  The burger sat on top of a bed of cool Cole slaw and was topped with a generous portion of flavorful grilled pastrami and melted Swiss which was then drizzled with Thousand Island Dressing.  Half Reuben, half burger and completely good.




Simones Shepherds Pie was unfortunately a disappointment. The menu says ground beef and pork simmered in Guinness Onion Gravy which sounds excellent but we both found this to be very bland. The gravy tasted like water and the mashed potatoes that topped of the pie also tasted like they had been blended in the same water. After adding lots of salt and pepper the dish was a bit better but still sub par for an Irish Pub that should specialize in dishes such as this. So overall, regarding the food I will refer to the timeless recording artist Meatloaf (which is also one of my favorite foods), "Don't be sad cause two out of three ain't bad".  Two very good dishes, one below average equals out to 3.5 stars for me.  We will probably be back but not for the Shepard's Pie.

Julian Serrano- Aria Resort, Las Vegas

http://www.arialasvegas.com/dining/julian-serrano.aspx

Julian Serrano is located just inside the casino entrance to Aria resort at The City Center on the Vegas Strip. It is an upscale fine dining restaurant that features Spanish tapas (or sharing plates). Simone and I arrived in our finest t-shirts, shorts and sneakers. Although not exactly dressed for a formal dinner, I let the hostess know I had made a reservation and we were quickly escorted past the rich and almost famous to the corner table at the far end of the dining room. Reservations are an absolute necessity if you plan to get a table at this restaurant

( especially when dressed like a tourist from Maine).

After being seated, our very formal waiter quickly offered us a very expensive wine menu and so we decided to get a diet soda and water ( from the tap). We looked over the menu and decided that we wanted to try the Paella as our entree that we would share. The Paella takes at least 35 minutes to prepare so we placed our order before deciding on our smaller tapas plates. First up we decided on a plate of marinated olives. When they arrived we realized that they were not pitted, so we had fun seeing who could make the biggest mess while trying to get the pits out. The waiter seemed amused by this. The olives were very good and were marinated in roasted garlic and baby onions.

For our second tapas we decided to get more adventurous and ordered the Albondigas, which were mini Meatballs cooked in a Tomato and Sherry Sauce. They were some of the most tender meatballs I have ever eaten and they just melted in the mouth. The sauce was mild and light with a nice hint of sherry and also included some roasted baby potatoes.

Our last tapas choice was the new age Egg Potato & Morcilla dish. The dish was a combination of sauteed Wild Mushrooms and Blood Sausage with a soft poached egg, atop a pool of Potato Foam topped with Manchego Cheese Air. This dish was truly memorable and one of the most unique things I have ever eaten. The richness of the sausage and egg combined magicaly with the smokey earthiness of the mushrooms and the potato foam and Manchego air melted away to create a creamy sauce for it all. This dish was a real culinary adventure.

Our Valencia Paella was ready and came to the table piping hot and served in the cast iron pan it was cooked in. It was a delicious combination of baked Saffron laced Spanish rice with house made Chorizo sausage, sauteed Rabbit and tender grilled Chicken topped of with roasted Haricot Verde Green Beans.

We managed to finish off the rather large Paella meal, and then wrapped things up with a dessert tapas of Almond Sponge Cake with Homemade Almond Ice Cream. It was super dense, super moist and super good.

 

Our entire meal and experience at Julian Serrano was one that I will not soon forget. It was creative, unique and prepared perfectly. I would recommend this to anyone that doesn't mind shelling out a few extra bucks to have the perfect culinary adventure. And next time I'll even wear pants. 5 stars.