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Lunch from a food truck: Clover Food Lab
Food trucks are all the rage in LA, Portland, and NYC; Chicago is also making a strong presence. Clover Food Lab has two trucks in the Boston area: one in Kendall Square near MIT and another in Dewey Square near South Station. The Clover trucks make fresh, seasonal foods on the cheap. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available; specials are announced via Twitter, but unlike other cities, the trucks stay in one location…no need to chase the trucks down the street!
I visited the Clover truck at Dewey Square. Arriving a bit after the lunch crowd, the special sandwich of the day, the basil sandwich, was sold-out. I decided to try the Chickpea Sandwich, Rosemary Fries, and a Tarragon Lemonade. This meal cost $10 and worth every cent. The sandwich had a homemade wheat pita, pickled carrots/red onion/red cabbage, cucumber, tomato, chickpea fritters, and homemade tahini sauce. Delicious, fresh, crunchy, and filling. The fries were freshly cut potatoes with a heavy sprinkling of rosemary. The tarragon lemonade was refreshing albeit the anise flavor — it might not be a flavor that all customers might like, but I would order it again.
Clover “brews” coffee to order in single serve drip filters and uses beans roasted in the New England area. Be sure to check out the trucks the next time you want a quick, affordable, and tasty meal.
Clover Food Lab
@cloverDWY (truck near South Station)
@cloverswa (SOWA market on Sundays)
@cloverfoodtruck (truck in Cambridge/MIT)
Deep Dish Pizza in San Francisco
Deep dish pizza in San Francisco? Who knew! Located in the Mission District, Little Star Pizza is a casual restaurant serving pizza, salads, appetizers, and beers. The dining room had an exposed brick wall with different pieces of art. We arrived at 6 p.m. and a small crowd of diners were already seated and enjoying their meals. The bar area seemed like a good place to either wait for a table or for ordering a pizza to go.
My family and I split the mixed salad with mixed lettuces, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, Gorgonzola cheese and chopped walnuts with a vinaigrette dressing. The salad was large enough to share among four people. We ordered two pizzas: one was deep dish with mushrooms, onions, black olives, red bell pepper, garlic and roasted zucchini. The veggies didn’t drown in the sauce or cheese; the cornmeal crust was probably just an inch or inch and a half thick. In comparison to Chicago-style deep dish, this pizza was much easier to eat and enjoy. The second was a buffalo chicken pizza with blue cheese, carrots, and radishes. It was considered the pizza of the day, and it did not disappoint. If I lived in the Bay Area, I could easily eat that pizza once a week – the crust was cracker-like and crispy. The chicken was coated with just enough hot sauce and blue cheese, but the heat wasn’t dialed up too much. At the end of the meal, there was not a slice of pizza left!
Details:
Little Star Pizza
http://littlestarpizza.com/index.html
Mission District: 400 Valencia
Other locations:
Albany: 1175 Solano
Western Addition: 846 Divisadero
Always in search of a good latte or cappuccino, I struck espresso gold at Blue Bottle Coffee’s Mint Plaza location in San Francisco. Located just a block or two south of Market Street and across the street from Nordstrom, Blue Bottle is tucked in a small corner building. Look for the line of eager coffee fans. Each customer’s order is taken one at a time and made one at a time. I wouldn’t recommend going if you are on a deadline .. Starbucks is probably close by. Breakfast and lunch are served during the weekdays, and brunch is available on weekends. Breakfast items include Greek yogurt & berries, steel cut oatmeal, poached eggs, and delicious cinnamon rolls/brioche/olive oil shortbread. While the cafe is known for it’s espresso, there is also a very cool & very science-y looking siphon bar that has limited hours each day.
One breakfast visit prompted me to order a latte with Clover milk, a fruit & yogurt parfait, and a fennel & Parmesan cheese brioche. The parfait is not a regular breakfast item, so if it is featured on the cute tray by the sweets, get one. A glass jar is filled with locally made yogurt that is topped with macerated berries. Technically, I could have kept the jar as a “souvenir” but I decided to return it for the BB folks to reuse it. The brioche was savory, salty, and downright delicious. Fennel and Parmesan make a good flavor match. The latte was creamy and didn’t require any sugar … although I peeked into the sugar/cream caddies placed around the cafe.
Another morning I got a cappuccino and a bowl of granola. Like the latte, the cappuccino required no “extras” and was full of roasty notes. The granola wasn’t too sweet and was actually quite filling. I also purchased an olive oil shortbread for the plane ride home. It was far better than any bag of unsalted peanuts airlines could dish out.
Details:
Blue Bottle Coffee
http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/
66 Mint Plaza, San Francisco (plus other locations)
Weekend brunch
Breakfast & lunch weekdays only
A Beer & a Burger in Davis Square
On a warm Saturday afternoon, what is better than enjoying a late lunch of a burger and a beer? Boston Burger Company offers about 22 flavorful burger concoctions along with chicken sandwiches, 11 kinds of fries with various toppings (think nacho cheese, sweet potato, or garlic), wings, and salads. The friendly service, air conditioning, and the zero wait for a table were welcomed as a large art fair was in mid-swing just outside the restaurant’s door in Davis Square. The beer list is fairly standard with a mix of bottled imports & domestic brands.
Two burgers were ordered. First up was the Black & Bleu with a Cajun spice rub and bleu cheese. I liked the simplicity of the beef, bun, spice, and cheese. No extra toppings, like lettuce and tomato, to get in the way. The potato chips made for excellent delivery vehicles for the extra cheese that dripped off the burger. Salty and tangy are two descriptors that I like.
The Waikiki Beach Burger has grilled pineapple, ham, bacon, and teriyaki sauce. The fried egg is an optional add-on. This one had a great combination of sweetness from the pineapple and saltiness from the ham and bacon. Both burgers came with a side of cole slaw that looked soup-y and tasted watery. Not exactly an accompaniment I would rave about.
A non-food note to point out is the steep stairs to the restrooms – step carefully!
Boston Burger Company is worth checking especially for an easy going meal.
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Details:
Boston Burger Company
37 Davis Square
Somerville, MA
http://bostonburgerco.com/
Walking distance from the Davis T (Red Line)
Good Stuff Eatery in DC
Another burger, another city. Yet this place, Good Stuff Eatery, was different. Maybe it was because of the diverse menu of burger creations or that the owner is Spike Mendelsohn, a favorite from the Chicago season of Top Chef. Or that the restaurant practices smart sustainable actions and gives back to the community through a variety of charitable organizations. But, I really think that it comes down to the good food: burgers, fries, and shakes. Plus, the condiment bar with a variety of flavored mayos and mustards.
Hoping to capture the moment in this picture, I chose the blazin’ barn burger (pickled daikon radish, cilantro, mint, carrots, Thai basil, lettuce, and spicy mayo) and a small order of the village fries (fresh thyme, rosemary, and black pepper). The burger packed a mountain of flavor that was spicy yet clean at the same time; the beef was fresh and crumbly, not packed. The fries were hot, hand cut, and herb-a-licious. I actually wonder how long it takes a prep cook to chop the herbs each day; I got a peek at the container holding the herbs on the line, and the container was overflowing. The rest of the menu has traditional and not so traditional burgers (chicken can be substituted), wedge salads, and shakes. Go get in line now!
Details:
303 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20003
Tucked into the residential neighborhood of South End, a cafe and coffee shop called South End Buttery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. I visited the cafe on two separate occasions: once for an afternoon snack and another morning for breakfast. South End Buttery uses organic and locally produced ingredients as well as implementing environmentally focused processes (i.e. recycling, Dyson hand dryers, biodegradable packaging/paper products).
For my afternoon visit, I ordered a latte and cranberry orange scone. While a pretty standard order, I was impressed with the freshness of the scone and the creamy-ness of the latte. I sat at the marble counter which faces the large windows and got to people watch while enjoying these treats.
Wanting to return to try breakfast, I pondered all the choices: oatmeal, breakfast burrito, frittata, baked goods, bagels … but I decided on the country biscuit with scrambled eggs and aged cheddar cheese. I picked tomatoes instead of bacon (another option). As you can see in the picture, the biscuit was huge, but it was buttery and delicious. I would have liked the tomato slices to have been a little thinner, too. A little awkward to eat like a typical sandwich, I needed a knife and fork. None of these details really mattered because I made the right decision to eat this to kick start my day.
On another trip to Boston, I hope to check out South End Buttery’s dinner menu.
Details:
314 Shawmut Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
617.482.1015
Post 390: Lunch in the Back Bay
When in Rome ..err…Boston, fish should be eaten. I knew that I had to satisfy my craving for a fried fish sandwich and had Post 390 marked on my list of restaurants to check out. Post 390 is modern bar serving upscale American classics for lunch, dinner, and brunch on Sunday. Opened in October of 2009, the restaurant can be found in the Back Bay area directly across the street from the Prudential Center and nearby hotels. There are two levels marked by a pretty staircase: the main floor with the bar and seating area with floor to ceiling windows and a second floor for private events.
I arrived at Post 390 between lunch and dinner to find a limited bar menu. Having reviewed the menu online prior to my visit, I knew that my hope of a fish sandwich would be fulfilled. A fried haddock on brioche with Rhode Island tartar sauce and crispy fries was an effortless decision — I really liked the spear of peppers, black olive, and pickle. The haddock was fresh, crispy, and flaky on a toasted brioche bun. The fries were fairly standard, so I perked them put a bit with a squeeze of lemon that accompanied the fish.
I would definitely return to Post 390 for another meal to experience more of the menu.
Details:
Post 390
Boston, MA, 02116
Twitter: @Post390
New Epic Burger Opening
As mentioned in a previous post, A Tale of Two Burgers, Epic Burger opens a second location Monday, June 7th at North Avenue & Sheffield. Look for it near West Elm & Pottery Barn in the shopping center formerly occupied by Whole Foods.
The Lincoln Park location promises free parking and a BYOB option not available in the S. State Street outlet.
Details:
1000 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645
Big Star: Tacos, Whiskey, and Cash-Only
The former Pontiac Cafe got a new owner, a new look, and a new cuisine when Big Star moved into the Wicker Park/Bucktown ‘hood. Big Star joins the family of Paul Kahan’s powerhouse restaurants Avec, Blackbird, Publican, and Violet Hour. Known for serving tacos, whiskey shots, and accepting only cash, Big Star has a line of hungry diners from lunch time till the wee hours of the morning.
Sitting outside on a Friday in the summer is an easy way to enjoy the casual ambience of the restaurant — the music is a familiar yet a random mix of favorites, the staffers are friendly, and the food comes out fast (or at least it did for lunch).
The guacamole is seriously good: fresh, tangy, and served with crispy chips. In his early years, Kahan worked for Rick Bayless so his guac-making skills are dead on.
The list of tacos is short, but packed with flavors. I ordered the grilled chicken tostado with black beans, lettuce, and crema; the pastor taco with marinated pork, cilantro, and pineapple; and the fish tostado with grilled tilapia, cabbage, radishes, and avocado. Other menu items include a queso fundido, a pork belly taco, a roasted poblano taco, pinto beans, and a dulce de leche milkshake. There is a whiskey shot of the day for $3 in addition to margaritas, cocktails, and beers.
Go now before the patio is packed!
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Big Star
1531 N Damen near the North Avenue, Milwaukee, Damen intersection
open seven days a week from 1130 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Cupcakes on Wheels: Flirty Cupcakes
Need a sugar fix mid-afternoon? Have to take desserts to a party after work? Want to support Chicago’s food truck growth? Look no further than Flirty Cupcakes, a brand new business that sells cupcakes from a van and discloses its locations via Twitter & Facebook. Much like the food trucks in LA, New York, and Portland, Flirty Cupcakes sends update after update of street locations, tallies of cupcake flavors, and parking blunders.
I stumbled upon the van exactly one day prior to the official opening day; it was parked on Michigan Avenue between Lake & Randolph. The friendy ladies operating the van have a display of the day’s flavors as well as the menu painted on the side of the vehicle. Flavors “out of stock” are usually denoted with a bright post-it note. Cupcakes are made at Kitchen Chicago, a local shared use kitchen in the West Town neighborhood.
I tried the Plain Jane, a vanilla cupcake with Italian vanilla buttercream frosting. It was so delicious that I immediately wished I had bought more than one. The frosting had a very natural vanilla flavor with a hint of sweetness; the cake was fresh as if it was just baked. Can’t wait to discover the truck again, but keep tabs on Twitter and Facebook to find Flirty Cupcakes’ next location!
Details:
Twitter: @flirtycupcakes
