If you like Uno's you will love this Uno's

Uno Chicago Grill

1230 Commonwealth Ave.

Allston, Ma 02134

I say this often but since I have been writing this blog, I have realized a lot of things about my eating habits. For example, I eat at a lot more chain restaurants than I would have guessed.

I don't always like writing about the food at these places because #1 I think most people have visited them and #2 a lot of them have similar menus, or approaches to their menus. Places like Fridays, Applebees, Unos or Ruby Tuesday's consistently add and remove items from their menus, and they seem to always go with some old time favorite's ie. nachos, boneless wings, and artichoke dip, and then they add what's "in" ie. sliders in all flavors and small desserts.

In a way, they are operating like the fashion industry. There are the classics, and then there are the trends.

Since all the menus in these places are the same, I started to think, why do I choose one over another? Last night for example, Lou and I drove to our favorite Pizzeria Uno on the corner of Commonwealth Ave, and Harvard Ave in Allston. We like this one because the service always seems a little bit better, and they have a really cool staircase in the middle which descends into a lower area with great booths and a bar.

This has always been our pick for the Unos to go to, but last night it seemed even a little bit better. When we walked in, there was a manager at the host stand who helped to greet us. Everyone seemed a bit more friendly than usual. The place seemed a bit more cleaner, the booths seemed to have been redone, and were there more televisions?

We got sat in our favorite place downstairs, and the hostess let us pick any booth. After we were sat she introduced herself and the manager, Jackie. When our server arrived he too introduced himself, Matt and then the bartender as well, saying they would both be taking care of our table. All these introductions and formality made me have to ask, was this place under new management?

Yes, the server said, and her name was Jackie ( manager at the host stand) Apparently Jackie had been managing their location in Harvard Square but had been transferred to this location, and this server loved working for her, so moved over as well. He may have just said that, but it seemed pretty genuine. I figured he was her spy. All good restaurant managers usually have one or too making it seem they have eyes in the back of their head.

Our meal was great that night, there is a 4-7 and after 10 pm menu where you can get apps for $2.99 a pop, saving a lot of money. They are paired down versions of the full plates, but still fairly generous. There are also some great new menu items, like the pork sliders, and the mushroom flatbread pizza. We even got drinks at the server's suggestion, which we never do, but in honor of the horrendous weather we've been having, we each got a dark and stormy. Ginger beer, with dark and light rums.

Lou and I go to this Uno's about 3 or 4 times a year. As I said at the beginning we have always liked it, the service it good, the food is consistent, but somehow this new manager Jackie has made it even better.

It's a Restaurant People, It's All About the Food!

The late 90's was a time of abundance for everyone. People were making millions in the stock market, all businesses were booming, and it was a hey day for the "theme" restaurant.

Anyone who knows me, knows I started my career in the restaurant business and did a 5 year stint at Jekyll and Hyde, in NYC, so I know a little bit about what I am talking about.

One of the first theme restaurants was The Hard Rock Cafe. Centered around Rock and Roll and with units throughout the world in tourist heavy areas. The Hard Rock is still going strong. One of the strongest players of the theme restaurant heyday was The Rainforest Cafe. The buzz around this place was insane. Sitting in a fake jungle with fake animals you could enjoy average food surrounded by other parents with screaming kids. Fun! Other theme restaurants of the time were The Motown Cafe, The Harley Davidson Cafe, Mars 2112, Jillian, Dave and Busters, WWF, ESPN Zone and Planet Hollywood. These places were 25000+ square foot properties with some type of additional entertainment. Whether it be games, or music, or bowling, hollywood memorabilia, or a trip to Mars, each restaurant had some form of additional

entertainment, but like the Rainforest Cafe, the food was usually average and never the primary focus. Today you can still see some of these restaurants but many of their properties have closed, and it begs the question.. Will people keep coming year after year when you are serving average food because you've got some added entertainment?

Enter the Cheesecake Factory. In the late 90's I would say the Cheesecake Factory was just like all the other mega-themed restaurants. It was huge, it was centered around Cheesecake, sure they didn't have entertainment, but it looked the same to me. We even used to go into Cheesecake Factory to see what they did differently, and who we could recruit from their staff. It seems obvious, but the big difference between Cheesecake Factory and all those others, is, they focus on the food, and not how they can wow their guests with a plastic elephant in the corner.

I was in a meeting at work once and after a 3 day long seminar on Customer Service on "What the Customer wants" I heard the leader of the seminar say, "When people call support, they want to be helped!" How mind shattering! Was he kidding me? but then I thought about my own career when I was younger and I realized sometimes my focus wasn't always on the basics either. When people go to a restaurant, they want to eat good food.

Lou and I went to the Cheesecake Factory last weekend at the Atrium in Chestnut Hill. This place is always hopping, and always has a wait, so when we saw two seats at the bar open, we snagged them.

Our bartender/server was Brian, and he was on top of the service. He greeted us right away and set out place settings. I love that they place a napkin down as a place mat when they know you are going to eat. They also have very comfortable chairs at the bar. Bars aren't always conducive to eating, but this one is.

I decided on the Luau Salad as my meal and Lou went for the Catfish special. The Luau Salad has an Asian inspired feel with julienne vegetables, and crispy wontons, macadamia nuts and sesame seeds topped with sliced chicken breast.The portions are always huge at the Cheesecake Factory, so if for some strange reason you haven't been there, keep that in mind when ordering.

The Catfish special came with a crispy pecan crust and mixed vegetables that similar to a hot corn salsa.

Both our meals were excellent. I get the Luau Salad often when I visit the Cheesecake Factory, and it hit me while I was there. Out of all the mega restaurants, this place is always extremely consistent with the food. It's not easy to do when you've got 150 locations nationwide, and 8 in the Boston area alone. What is interesting about the Cheesecake Factory, is they had humble beginnings. Originally it was a Cheesecake business run by the Evelyn and Oscar Overton. Their son David is who turned the family business into a restaurant. Intuitively he knew what was most important, good, fresh food.

Lou and I finished our meal that night with a slice of Red Velvet Cheesecake. It is one of the Cheesecake Factory's newest flavors and it is a keeper.

I don't really like writing reviews on chain restaurants. I feel like most people have been to the majority of them. Especially when it is a place like Cheesecake Factory, but it is nice to know this place had humble beginnings and for the most part stay true to those in their service and food preparation.

Also I mentioned our bartender earlier in my review, Brian. I need to give this guy a shout out on the service. He was on top of it, pleasant, and was working the service bar the entire time. He also totally up-sold us on the delicious red velvet cheesecake.

Breaking Bread with Friends and Family

I need to give a shout out to everyone who cooked for Lou and I over the holiday season. We have a lot of great friends and family who took the time to cook us wonderful meals. Nothing can compare to sitting down at a table, having good conversation, and breaking bread with the people you love. Especially when the meal is home cooked. So turn off the TV people! Invite some friends over and have a home cooked meal!!!!

Dana- We will be your guinea pigs for new recipes anytime. The crepes were tres bon!

Mom- You give me a run for the money in the best paella contest. We will have to battle it out Bobby Flay, throw down style in the summer!

Galen and Chris- Who knew adding a Italian bread crumbs to catfish could create such a taste sensation? You two always feed us well and we are grateful!

Gaby- Here's to our last meal of 2009 and helping us ring in the new year. The salmon, rosemary potatoes, salad and peas with portabellos were outstanding. Being able to watch you prepare it with such obvious care was a bonus. Like my own live food network show.

May the new year bring you and yours many occasions to break bread together.

All Chinese food is not created equal

Golden Temple

1651 Beacon Street

Brookline, Ma 02445

617-277-9722

Menu: Upscale Chinese

Atmosphere: Sophisticated, Fun, Intimate, great for celebrations, special family dinners

Kid Friendly: Sure if your kids eat chinese

Prices: Expensive so you might want to wait for a special occasion, but worth every penny.

I don't know where the tradition of getting Chinese food for Christmas Eve and or New's Year's Eve came from, but I think it is one of the better ones.

This year, I mentioned, my parents came to Boston to experience Christmas with Lou and I. We followed tradition by going to church on Christmas Eve and then heading to Golden Temple in Brookline for Chinese.

Before I get into Golden Temple, I have to give a shout out to the guy who sang at Mass Christmas Eve. I don't know what his name is, but he was unbelievable, so good in fact, Lou wanted to ask why he wasn't signed yet. So if you're reading this guy who sang at St. Bridget's 4 pm Christmas Eve Mass, go after that record deal!

Now back to the food. Ever since I can remember, my dad has questioned, why pay more money for Chinese food at one place as compared to another? Isn't it all just the same? I agreed with him for years until I went to the Temple.

Golden Temple has been in Brookline for years. From their website, I can't tell how long it has been around, but Lou says he remembers going when he was young, so lets say at least 20? When you walk into the building you would never think it has been there as long as it has. The dining areas and bar are always maintained beautifully. All tables, chairs, bathrooms are up to date. If someone told me this was a new place, I wouldn't question it.

The main dining room is a work of art. When I sit in it, I feel like I am inside a beautifully carved, Asian inspired ship. It doesn't look like a ship, but the influence is definitely in the design. If this is your first time at Golden Temple, ask to sit in this main section. The second dining room as the bar in it. It has a double duty, dining room by day. E Room by night. The E Room it transforms into has a DJ, and small dance floor. This room also has the ship influence in the form of large round areas on the wall and a half circle shape. It has higher ceilings, and movable tables so the feeling is not quite as intimate as the other side, but the architecture is equally as stunning.

When you go to Golden Temple, it would be a poor decision not to start with one of their libations. Their Mai Tai's are the best I've ever had, and if you like something with a bit more juice but the same bang, try the Goombay Splash. One of these and you will ask your date why he/she is talking so funny. They also offer the "No Whammy" versions of their drinks. My mom got a really tasty fruity concoction that she loved. Sorry Golden Temple, I can't remember the name!

I have to admit, this trip to the Temple with my parents was a long time coming. Lou and I go there a few times a year, and every time we say we've got to bring my parents there. Mainly we wanted to debunk my dad's Chinese food theory, and it looks like we were successful.

This trip we got:

Crab Rangoons, only rangoons I have ever tasted with REAL crab in them.

Pork Pot stickers steamed. Six come to an order, and they are perfect everytime.

The Scallion Pancake, okay JP Seafood wins hands down for this, but Golden Temple's is a close second.

General Tso's Chicken, big pieces of tenderly juicy chicken. Best General I have had.

Vegetable Tempura, theirs is always light and fried perfectly with a good array of veggies, and my mom had us try ,

Gai Kew With Shrimp. This dish was Shrimp and Chicken sautéed with shittake mushcrooms, snow peas and Chinese Vegetables in a light oyster sauce. This is definitely a dish we will be ordering again.

So what really sets Golden Temple apart? To sum it up I would say a commitment to excellence. The ingredients they use are always fresh. The food comes out within minutes of ordering it. We've never ordered a dish we didn't love, and duck sauce, soy sauce, and hot mustard are served plentifully on the table in a fueng shui array of bowls. The wait staff is on top of every detail at your table, from filling up water glasses to changing out dishes between courses. The dining area is a work of art to sit in and even the glassware is beautiful. Is it a little more expensive? Yes, but it is worth every penny.

Don't wait for the eve of your next holiday to enjoy Golden Temple, it's open all year!

Is she really going to talk about the golden arches???

When I started writing this blog it was with the intention to write about every place I ate for a year. You realize a lot about your eating habits when you go on a quest like this. I have to be honest about where I am eating!!! I think there may be a few foodies out there who are appalled that I do still have the occassional McDonald's hamburger. I was debating whether to write about it at all. I mean reviewing someplace like McDonald's seems ridiculous. Who hasn't been to a McDonald's? But, I have decided I need to stay true to my original mission of writing about every place I go.

You know what's on the menu at McDonald's but have you ever been to the one at 870 Mass. Ave late night? Come on all you party goers raise your hand. I know you have been there, and some of you have been in my car. My point is, this place can be rocking after 1 am, and the people working there handle it in stride. Especially when 3 out of 4 people in most cars are probably drunk, excluding the driver of course. Let's drink responsibly.

The last time Lou and I went to this McDonald's, the girl working the drive thru window was so efficient I made Lou tip her. After that, I think he has taken notice of just how hard some of the workers in places like McDonald's or Burger King work.

Think about it for a second. Why do people at Starbucks have a tip jar out? Why do we feel obligated to tip the Dunkin Donuts workers? and Why would we never think of tipping a McDonald's or Burger King employee?

You may have heard the word TIPS is an acronym. To Ensure Prompt Service, but if you look up the etymology of the word, it was first used to describe softly touching someone. It gained popularity amongst thieves who were handing over goods to one another such as small sums of money, and it eventually became widely used as the act of paying for a small service rendered.

I am not saying we need to start tipping all McDonald's and Burger King employees, but I am saying lets be thoughtful in the tips we give. Take notice of that person working behind the counter next time you order from them. Are they particularly efficient? Are they extra friendly? Did they anticipate you needed something and hand it to you before you could ask? Maybe that is the person you should be tipping. Besides that, you all know McDonald's has the best fries!!!!

Gourmet Hot Chocolate

I know I have been giving a lot of shout out's lately, but this product is deserving.


At the Christmas Festival last weekend at the World Trade Center, Seaport District, Boston, I stumbled upon this gourmet hot chocolate, Ron and Frank's. This team was smart because they had coffee urns with samplings of every hot chocolate they make. Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Malt, Mint Chocolate, Peanut butter, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, the list continues. What hooked me in, is the samplings were made with just water and their mix. I don't think I have ever had a hot chocolate made with water which tasted this good. I got the Chocolate Malt. Shout out to Ron and Frank for the best Hot Chocolate made with water!

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's
http://www.traderjoes.com/

I know a lot of people have heard of Trader Joe's and shopped at Trader Joe's. They seem to be popping up all over the place lately.

I had to take the time to give them a shout out today because of the excellent service I received.

I was shopping in the store when I received a call from someone in customer service. They had found the reciept for my wedding band! I finally decided to get it sized correctly after a year and 4 months of marriage. The man on the other side of the line said, I found a receipt that I think belongs to you and it looks important. Thank you Trader Joe's not just for the great products you sell at reasonable prices, but for hiring a staff that is willing to go above and beyond.

Stay tuned for my post about pumpkin pancakes. I picked up the mix at Trader Joe's!

Boss of the Sauce

This is a shout out to our neighbor Valerie Shea. For all the amazing food smells wafting out of your house into the hallway for the last 5 years. For always sending a little something upstairs to us whether it be cupcakes delivered by your adorable kids, butternut squash soup, or that amazing sauce with meatballs and sausage, and for not ever asking me why I set the fire alarm off so much when I cook. We want you to know how much we appreciate it. Thanks for another great meal!!!

This One Is For Lou

This is a shout out to my poptart, reeses puff, burger king loving husband. For making the best egg sandwiches in the microwave, and bringing home dinner from Cosi and Boloco as your way of cooking. Don't ever change.

Atlantic Beer Garden

Atlantic Beer Garden

146 Seaport Boulevard

Boston, Ma 02210

617-357-8000

http://www.atlanticbeergarden.com/

Menu: Upscale bar food

Kid Friendly: Weekend days, or weekdays, nights seem to be older crowd/

Prices: Average for the area portions are large for what you pay

Atmosphere: Typical sports bar. Waitstaff where's local football, baseball, basketball jersey's Very Loud.

When the weather starts to get cold, but the sun is shining, I have this desire to go for long walks and shop. Today was one of those days. Lou and I took a walk over to the Seaport District to hit up the Christmas Festival at the World Trade Center. He wasn't too thrilled about going, but once he was there, he thought it was a pretty cool event. As craft like festivals go, I think this event has some of the better items to choose from. My favorite buy was wind chimes made out of a Jaegermeister bottle for my brother on law. Red neck wind chimes. Who could ask for more? Here's a shout out to the woman who makes them. The Crafty Peddler http://www.uniqueglasschimes.com/.

After all that shopping we worked up an appetite. Since we had walked to the Festival we figured we had been on our feet for about 3 hours so we opted for a close restaurant. The Atlantic Beer Garden. This restaurant opened about a year ago in the Seaport district where there used to be a Chinese restaurant for years. The location is at the top of the parking lot for Anthony's Pier 1. Although Anthony's has a huge parking lot, don't think you can park there for the Atlanic Beer Garden. There is a parking lot attendant in the paid lot next to Anthony's who is like the parking police. He will flag you down as soon as you try to pull the okey doke. Good thing we were walking today. We had been at the Beer Garden about a year ago when it first opened. We hit it up after work and there was a HUGE after work crowd. The acoustics aren't the best in the restaurant and that night it was extremely loud. Drunk people always get louder and louder, and when sports are involved it ups the ante. Surrounding the restaurant on ever wall, and every few feet are flat screen tv's to watch the games. Boston is a huge sports town. The one thing I can say is the guys who opened this restaurant made a wise choice of location and theme.

I never visited the chinese restaurant that was in this building previously, but I imagine these new owners were working with good bones. Across the back of the restaurant is a wall of glass doors that opens to a patio overlooking the harbor. There is a stairway inside that leads to a roof deck with great views of the Boston skyline, and in the front of the restaurant there is a patio for al fresco dining. The main room is very large, and with the back patio, the roof deck, and the front patio, it makes for a lot of dining space. The other thing that stands out to me about the Atlantic Beer Garden is there is no place in the Seaport with as laid back a vibe as this place to go after work and have a drink. It gives off a little more of a party atmosphere than other places in that area, and no other bar features sports. You would have to go fairly far into Southie to find another sports bar in the area, or brave the traffic and parking prices of Faneuil Hall. Parking in the Seaport District is only about $8 to $10 a day, when 1/2 a mile away in downtown Boston it is anywhere from $30 to $45 a day!

One of the reasons we chose the Beer Garden today of course was our tired legs and feet, but Lou also had a hankering for some good fish and chips, and we assumed they probably had that on the menu. We had been there once before, and most good pub like places in Boston have a fish and chips entree. We were right.

The restaurant was loud again just like I remembered it from our first visit. It wasn't AS loud, but the acoustics really are bad in the place. I wonder how it is when the back doors are opened. For drinks Lou went with our typical water, but I ventured out and got an unsweetened tea! Ooh so dangerous. I guess we just don' t want to waste calories drinking them. For lunch, Lou was hungry so we started off with some boneless buffalo chicken tenders. These got an A+ in my book. The tenders themselves were each a healthy portion. There were about 5 on the plate. The blue cheese was plentiful. The breading on the chicken tenders was light and not overpowering. The sauce wasn't too hot, and the carrot and celery sticks on the side were fresh and crisp. Chicken tenders are a staple on a lot of menus these days, but not every place pulls them off well.

For lunch I opted for the veggie panini. It had strips of eggplant, squash, zucchini, and even though the menu description didn't say it, I swear there were pickles in there. It said it was topped with a marinara sauce and mozzarella. I tasted the mozzarella, but if there was marinara sauce, it was very light. I didn't mind that much. The panini was good, the vegetables were a bit tough to bite through, especially the eggplant. I think it is just hard to to do eggplant on a sandwich like this. Lou got the fish and chips he had been craving. Both meals came with the choice of fries or curly fries. I got regular fries, Lou curly. The curly fries were $.95 extra which I think is wierd, but whatever. Honestly, I think all restaurants should offer something healthier from fries to choose from. I know you can often substitute, but I just don't think it should be the norm. The fries were nothing special. I am sure they get the typical Kraft foods frozen fries most restaurants get. The portions were very large. Lou really liked his fish and since it was so much, he brought half of it home to enjoy later.

The price for our meals was $35 for one ice-t, chicken tenders, fish and chips, and a panini. I would say that is about average for the area. The portions were well above average. The staff at the beer garden is always attentive and friendly. I remember on both visits seeing a manager actively involved in managing the front of the house of the restaurant. This is always a good sign of a well run place.

To sum it up, the Atlantic Beer Garden is what it is. A neighborhood sports bar, in a cool location with solid food, solid wait staff, and tv's galore. it is clean, the staff is friendly. A great place to hang out after work or have a casual weeknight dinner.