back in beantown

My one request from myself to myself was to get a lobster roll. 

Multiple people had recommended Alive and Kicking, which I most certainly was not after eating this sammich.

It's deceptively modest. Barely dressed lobster smushed between two slices of white bread all toasted in butter like a grilled cheese. Except that the lobster is spilling over. So unfussy in its execution, and I loved it more for that. Admittedly I did walk over 40min to get it, and I was charmed by its converted house-like storefront, tucked in a neighborhood behind some fences and boats that I almost didn't find it. But still my favorite lobster 'roll' in recent memory.

I didn't realize how hyped this place was until several people mentioned it to be later. Toro, a new tapas place in South End, was recommended by another food person so it had to be good or at least interesting. We ate roasted bone marrow, street corn, octopus (not pictured), and my favorite uni sammich (also not pictured) shielded under an umbrella from a summer rain storm. I was drenched by the time I power walked back home, but the uni sammich with miso and mustard seed still lives in my memory. Could've done without the corn though.

Found a random Brazilian bakery in Sommerville before going kayaking in the oily murky Mystic River. They didn't have gougeres left but they did have these giant puffs that I assume are variations of gougeres. One is filled with guava paste and one is filled with cheese, and they were dense and pretty dry, and I'm pretty sure I was meant to wait til I could toast em up in a oven and wash them down with coffee before digging in. 

I ended up at Tradesman while wandering around in North End because they had a picture of a Fruity Pebbles croissant. Said croissant was not there that day *sobbing emoji* so I went with this butterscotch scone which was pretty indulgent and satisfying just the same. But I maybe was not as happy as this review I happened to see from one Anthony Ramirez that made me chuckle:

I'm a traveler by heart, eater by stomach and drinker of coffee by none. However, I decided to drink some coffee after hearing a bridesmaid cry about how it's not going to be her turn next door most of the night. I tried their Macchiato. I felt like I've unlocked a part of my life I never knew existed. I feel like I'm somewhere between Cloud 9 and the sweet salvation of eternal life. My wife deeply expressed her praise to this little shop for their ability to wow us with their coffee. Furthermore, if you're here on the weekend and you have the grace to try their Birthday Cake Croissant, do it. You'll thank you and understand what true happiness is. 

Well damn, now I have to go back.

Little Donkey was another one of those place names I had heard thrown around during my Boston visits. I'm usually hesitant of 'global' food establishments, but their menu was super fun and interesting and they serve one of their cocktails in a grapefruit - who doesn't love that.

This braised duck mole [Oaxacan mole negra, radish, sesame], I would take 100 more times.

I love masa too much to not enjoy almost every pupusa I put in my mouth. This one with stracciatella, spring pea, spicy slaw, and tomatillo salsa is no different. I'm also a sucker for tomatillo salsa and spring pea. And slaw. Okay really this dish was just already set up for success for me.

Truly order the BLT lettuce wraps. It seems unassuming and blase at first mention, but 1. sometimes I really deeply crave a BLT (+avo) sammich, and 2. it's got fucking lamb bacon. And the tomato jam + pimento cheese additions were just *chef's kiss*. If ever bacon could feel light, it's in BLT format.

Razor clam ceviche [aguachile, celtuce pico de gallo, shrimp chip] caught my attention in the raw bar choices. Also razor clams are meatier and chewier than regular clams.

The first meal I needed after a red eye touchdown + full work day was a fucking burger. I may have mentioned before that since living in California, my burger consumption had gone way down and has largely been reduced to travel food. Which is fine because if you're asking me to pay more than $10 for a burger it better be loaded with prosciutto, goat cheese, candied walnuts, fig jam, and mixed greens like this one. And come with a side of fried potatoes and baked beans (lol so Boston). The menu at Boston Burger Company is some heavy reading material and I really deliberated for some minutes about the level to which I wanted to abuse my body that evening. Anyways, you'd also be happy to know I finished this entire thing and my glass of beer. And then I had to gingerly wipe my hands clean with about 16 napkins and slowly trudge home in the pouring rain because I couldn't possibly walk any faster.