Smith & Wollensky

To celebrate the historical inauguration of our new president, Bryan and I decided to go to Smith and Wollensky to celebrate. We've both been to S&W's before for restaurant week and both had good meals so we were anxious to return for some good steak.

Smith and Wollensky is located inside an old castle structure in downtown Boston that used to serve as an armory as well as a medical hospital before it was refurbished for the 21st century. The atmosphere is very nice, a gentleman's club feel with oak booths and dim lighting (not sure if I would consider it romantic, but it's cool nonetheless).

Our reservations were for 6pm, and when we arrived, we were taken right away to our seats. Flipping through the menu we both decided on ordering some wine. I ordered a glass of the St. Michelle Riesling (which I enjoyed a lot) and Bryan ordered a glass of Syrah (the brand escapes me) which he thought was too "hot" (a wine term meaning the wine has an excess of alcohol). After receiving our wine and looking through the menu, we were handed another menu for a prix-fixe 3-course meal for $50. It was being offered due to the recession, and we opted for it since it was such a good deal (compared to the other steep prices on the menu). Bryan started with the Wedge salad. He enjoyed it, commenting that the tomatoes were relatively more fresh than usual for this time of year. The best part were the chunks of bacon covering the wedge. I started off with the split pea soup. I've had it before and it is good, not stellar but good. I would recommend getting some crushed pepper on it when they offer it. We also were given bread and fresh butter. Bryan and I thought the bread was excellent. It was a small pan of pull-apart yeast rolls covered in sea salt and rosemary; they were truly delicious. I don't know if this is a new addition to the restaurant but during restaurant week we were never served it.

For our main course, we both chose the Filet Mignon. I've had the filet there two other times and both times, it was good. Last night however, it was not. At a high-end steak house, you normally would not use the words "horrible" to describe any type of meat but that's exactly what both of our filets were. First, the cut of meat was not good. We couldn't cut through the filet without hitting a tendon or some white gristle. The meat was too charred on top and way too chewy. A good filet mignon should practically cut itself and melt in your mouth, I struggled with a steak knife to cut through my meat as did Bryan. The meat was not flavorful and quite bland. We asked the waiter about the cut of meat since neither of us had filet mignon with white tendons in it. The waiter asked the chef who said that it was the same cut of meat given to people who ordered off the regular menu (a thought that did go through our heads but never expressed to the waiter) and if we weren't happy with the cut, we could send it back. Neither of us did because, quite honestly, if everyone got the same cut, what was the point? Normally a regular filet costs about 40 dollars. Based on this experience, I would never pay that amount for a filet there. I should mention that we also ordered a "side for two" of the Truffle Mac & Cheese. It was good, but how can anyone mess up mac & cheese covered in truffle oil?

For dessert, Bryan ordered the Crème Brûlée, which was very good (second best thing we had-- first was the bread), and I ordered the chocolate cake, which was too dry and crumbly for my liking.

Overall, based on last night's experience alone, I would not return to Smith and Wollensky. I've had many better meals at Capital Grille and Fleming's to risk getting another horrible one at S&W. Again, We have been there in the past and have had decent meals so perhaps this was just an off night? My official recommendation though is to not take the risk and get a great meal at Fleming's right across the way.

Old Stone Steakhouse

It is always fun to celebrate birthdays. One of my friends has a birthday a couple of weeks before mine so each year we try to go to lunch and enjoy each other's company and good food.

Today, we chose the Old Stone Steakhouse on Main Street in Historic Downtown Belmont for our luncheon celebration. We invited her mother and a mutual friend to share in the fun.

The two birthday girls had the Salmon and Poached Pear Salad @ $10.95.
4 oz. grilled salmon, fresh cut mixed greens, grape tomatoes, poached pear, sun dried cranberries, crushed walnuts and Danish Bleu Cheese crumbles. Served with the House Sherry Vinaigrette.

Her mother had the French Onion Burger @ $8.95.
The burger, a generous size, was served on a Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise and provolone. She chose the mixed, fresh vegetables as her side. The vegetables were sautéed in butter. The chef has mastered the technique of caramelized onions, giving the burger a very distinct character. Her comment was that it was the best burger she has ever had!

Our other friend ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad @$8.95.
Fresh cut mixed greens, grape tomatoes, sun dried cranberries, shredded carrots, and all topped with buffalo chicken strips and Bleu Cheese crumbles. Served with homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing.
The weather was a perfect Fall day. We sat on the patio and our experience was a very pleasant one.

The service was above average and the food was delicious. We certainly recommend having a nice, upscale lunch at a reasonable price.

The Butcher Shop

Join me as I begin a new column on Les Gourmands: REVEALED! A weekly inside look at my adventures at restaurants and eateries throughout Boston.

Our first restaurant is Barbara Lynch's shop/wine bar/bistro, The Butcher Shop. I had always wanted to go into this place while simultaneously being so intimidated to step foot inside it. I had previously conquered Lynch's flagship, No. 9 Park, with a nine course meal paired with delicious wines. While the price could be considered slightly intimidating, No. 9 Park offered a more enjoyable atmosphere and experience than Aujourd'hui (Boston's other exquiste French restaurant). So, despite already eating at the more serious of her restaurants, I don't know why I still remained scared to step into Butcher Shop---perhaps it is the size of the place and the way it is set up. There are windows on two sides and you can see tons of people always standing or sitting right up against the windows. Plus, I always wondered, what do you do when you go inside?....there is no host station, what will I do? (not to create another tangent, but I am also intimated by B&G Oysters, another Barbara Lynch restaurant!)

Finally putting the fear aside I made plans to go The Butcher Shop (being invited to meet someone there for a drink made the idea of going inside much easier...however we decided to meet there--now what? do I wait outside or go in? eeeek!). I planned to be late--very late by my standards, however, it seemed my dining companion had simliar ideas and was not waiting for me outside as I had hoped. So, taking a deep breath, I decided to step inside. My fears of not knowing what to do were put to rest immediately as I was greeted as soon as I walked in. While I waited, they suggested I have a drink over at the butcher block--this was getting fun already! When I moved into my apartment in Beacon Hill, I wanted to have a big butcher block that could serve as a counter (since there was limited space) but also as a serving table where 2 or more could sit or stand around and have drinks or dinner. Real butcher's blocks are more expensive than I wanted, so I settled for a tall dining bar with a butcher block-type top to it---but this restaurant had the real deal and I loved it!

The walls were filled with that day's specials written in chalk and behind where I was standing was a huge refrigerator full of excellent meats (it is a real shop--you can buy cuts of meat there). All of this really added to the feel of the place--I didn't realize this butcher block part of the restaurant even existed because from Tremont Street all you can really see is the bar at the front. So I had a glass of wine while I waited--the wine list was very European (I had know idea what I was looking through since I really only know things about California wines), but I had a lot of time to thumb through the selections since Ryan thought we were meeting a half an hour after I did. Once he finally got there, the butcher (yes, there is a real-live butcher there) enjoyed overhearing the conversation that we had about Ryan's lateness while he (the butcher, not Ryan) chopped different meats and wrapped them--it was actually fascinating to watch.

The wine was delicious and we had a little bread to nibble on. We did not, however, stay there for dinner. I am seriously looking forward to returning there both for drinks around the butcher block and to actually sit for dinner! I definitely recommend you take the plunge and venture in--the entire staff was very friendly to me (even while I was just standing alone waiting). Barbara Lynch is 2 for 2 in my book--I look forward to B&G!

The Butcher Shop
552 Tremont Street
617.423.4800
thebutchershopboston.com

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse

One of my favorite steak houses in Boston’s is Fleming’s. The first time I went to Fleming’s, I was incredibly impressed with their quality, cut and taste of meat. It was no surprise that when I saw Fleming’s had a restaurant week menu, I called up my friends and headed out there as soon as possible.

That first time to Fleming’s, I had the Filet Mignon. It was delicious, the best filet mignon I’ve ever had. Better then Capital Grille, better then Burton’s, better than Smith and Wollensky’s, the filet melted in my mouth and left a wonderful taste of seasonings behind. For dessert, I (reluctantly) had their molten cake. (I say reluctantly because I wasn't a big fan of the molten.) I’ve had it at cheap-eat joints and never have been impressed and have even had it at Finale in Boston and was not too thrilled with it. I always thought that the mythical molten just wasn’t my thing. The Fleming’s molten proved me wrong. After the first bite, I realized that THIS is what a molten cake is supposed to taste like. Warm, rich, a liquid center without being gross, the Fleming molten cake was one of my favorite restaurant desserts ever.

For restaurant week, the menu consisted of a few different options. A NY strip broiled at 1600 degrees caught most of our eyes right away while Bryan and Bob opted for the Salmon. For an appetizer, I had the peach soup. I never have had peach soup before and it sounded intriguing. It was served in a thick, tall, martini glass. It was pretty good but also pretty weird. The consistency was the exact same as yogurt with bits of peach and and it didn’t seem much like a soup at all. Perhaps a mismarketed mismatch? I’m glad I tried it but I wouldn’t get it again.

At this point, it would be good to note that I elected to try the wine flight. The Fleming’s wine flight lets you personally mix and match any three wines from the menu (that are sold by the glass) and pay about 1/3 the price. I chose three wines to match my courses. For the peach soup I chose a champagne, a cabernet sauvignon for my NY strip, and a French Alscatian sweet wine for my turtle pie dessert. The waiter commented that it was the most interesting flight he’s seen anyone order (I think he was mocking me) but I felt that the choices were suited to the dishes flavors. Below are the names of the wines:

1. Gloria Ferrer Champagne, California
2. St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignaun, California
3. Domaines Schlumberger, France

The flight came with the wine glasses about 1/3 full (it should be noted the glasses are a decent size and so each pairing lasted me through to the next course) and cost me around 15 bucks total. The St. Supery glass alone would have cost me 17 dollars so it was indeed a great bargain. Fleming’s also writes the name of the wines down for you to bring home in case you want to research your picks (which of course, I did).

Onto my main course. The NY strip was fantastic. I ordered it medium rare and got exactly that. I know Adam was excited when he ordered it rare and it came rare. Too many times, chefs overcook meat these days! The meat was tender and juicy with a wonderful buttery herb sauce basted on top. The filet came with mashed potatoes (these were wonderful as well) and green beans (a bit undercooked). Plenty of food.

For dessert, I had the turtle pie. It was good, nothing too special. Definitely, no molten cake. It had a lot of nuts in it which I enjoyed but Marco thought there was too many. It was supposed to come with some sort of chantilly cream but our waiter (who, I am guessing, was disenchanted with us for ordering off the restaurant week menu) never brought it.

I do think it’s important to mention that a top quality restaurant should never lack in service, style, or flavor during restaurant week, even though the meals are reduced prices. A top quality restaurant should always be...well, top quality no matter how much the costumer is spending. While the food at Fleming’s certainly demonstrated this, our waiter did not. I’ve experienced good service at Fleming’s so I am going to chalk up this waiter’s poor service to maybe a bad day.

Bryan describes his meal as follows: I started out with the wedge. I've been craving a wedge ever since Restaurant Week started. I know, it's probably the cheapest possible thing a restaurant can make, but I just wanted one! It was good. They gave us a nice amount of delicious blue cheese, and the grape tomatoes were nice and sweet.


Despite the server's recommending the steak or the pork chop for mains, I went with the salmon, which was served Oscar-style. I'd never had anything Oscar style before, and thought this would be a good opportunity to try it. I love crab, and I love hollandaise sauce. I must say, though, that it was a bit much; It was delicious but extremely rich. The salmon filet itself was nice. There were a few bites that were quite salty, but I think that's because they salted the outside unevenly since the dish as a whole was not too salty.


The sides that came "family style" were also very good. The mashed potatoes were fantastic. They were topped with peppercorn butter, and were just delicious. The green beans weren't much to write about.


My dessert was decadent: the turtle pie. Rich and gooey with a nice addition of walnuts, it hit the spot. It would have been nice to have some of the crème chantilly; but, as Peter said, our waiter didn't think he needed to bring us any. Nevertheless, the dessert was delicious.

Overall, our experience at Flemings was great. The food was very good (the steaks incredible) and the portions were good as well. No one left hungry. I’m excited to go again to try another wine flight (and another waiter) but next time, I’m sticking to the molten for dessert.

Mt. Fuji Restaurant

I write this review with a bit of hesitation. You see, Mt Fuji (in Hillburn, NY) is more than just a restaurant. It's an ESTABLISHMENT. Growing up in nearby northern Jersey, I knew of the mythical powers of Mt Fuji that draw many a man to drive up its steep hill to dine on its summit. And it was for this very reason that I suggested (or rather, DEMANDED) to eat at Mt. Fuji on a recent trip to Nyack, NY. Our friends in Nyack had never heard of it, and Mt. Fuji, for all parties involved, was a brand new experience.

Mt. Fuji is a hibachi restaurant located on top of a huge hill right off of Old Route 17. You can see the restaurant from far away due to it's perched location. At the base of the hill (or mountain) is a huge red gate that welcomes you into the magical dining experience.

As you drive up the steep road you can get glimpses of the restaurant that is designed to look like a traditional japanese...well, I don't know my architecture, but it looks Japanese....like picked-up-in-a-freak-Japanese-twister-flung-across-the-ocean-(dropping off Dorothy in Kansas)-Japanese house.

Once on top of the mountain, there is required valet parking to make your life easier. Before you walk in, take some time to get your photograph in front of the large warrior statue or perhaps the coy pond with waterfalls.

Your photo-op (trust me, bring a camera) won't stop there. Walking inside the lobby is just as... well, I don't have words to describe it so here are a few pictures:

Now don't let this decor fool you. Once you enter the actual dining room, the atmosphere is much more subdued and the views out the windows are pretty darn good for right off Route 17 (if you're from the area, you'll know what I mean). Most tables are teppan-yaki tables which will make for a wonderful dinner show.

Now, at Mt. Fuji, you can order other food besides hibachi style dishes such as sushi (our friend Bob did this). To do such a thing would be absolutely foolish. The best, most amazing, part about Mt. Fuji, what makes it so great, IS the hibachi. You have many different hibachi options to choose from (prices range from the mid 20's into the low 30's). I will describe what I got for $26.75, and trust me, it was plenty of food.

After you sit down with your party, a nice lady in a kimono comes by and gives everyone a hot towel to wash with (you're probably dirty....it's NY afterall). Then the food starts to come.

First course: a salad with ginger dressing. It's good but the best is yet to come.

Second course: Japanese Onion Soup. Delicious.

Third course: Shrimp. I don't like seafood but I heard it was good.

Fourth Course: (now this is where it gets good): As you begin to anticipate your main dish, a fine Japanese (of course) gentleman shuffles into the picture with a large wooden cart filled with food. He greets everyone hello with a smile and then begins to prep your (now very hot) tabletop with oil. He pours on vegetables and eggs (spinning them on his spatula) then noodles and spices, he laughs and jokes with you, he even sings Shakira. You are thoroughly entertained. He dishes out your fried rice, noodles, and vegetables. Then he begins to cook your meat. Another song, this time MC Hammer, and your meat is almost done.

You've had a drink or two...the drink waiter is encouraging sake bombs and the woman in the kimono is giggling at you silly Americans. It's at this point you realize that if the food stinks it would be okay because for 30 bucks you are getting a great show. But then, you bite into your banzai chicken and filet mignon and you realize...the food is good. Like, really good. Maybe it's the atmosphere, maybe it's one too many colorful drinks but the filet melts in your mouth, the chicken is perfectly marinated and delicious. Everything is perfect here at Mt. Fuji.

You've now finished up dinner, the tea (included in the price) is being served and suddenly, out of nowhere appears a huge dragon's head. It swoops down around the table and stands above our guest of honor screaming "Happy Birthday!". We're ALL screaming Happy Birthday! And that Dragon is milking the moment for all its worth. A candlestick comes out, wrapped in plastic flowers. The birthday boy makes a wish and dines on the healthier cantelope (apparently, the chocolate cake would be too rich). We pay the bill (very reasonable) and walk out of Mt. Fuji with satisfied bellies and memories that will last a lifetime.