Josephs Pasta and Sauce at Home

So my last meal of August was at home tonight, my mom and I decided to get some Josephs Egg Fettuccine and some meat sauce, as well as a little arabachi sauce and make a absurdly good pasta dinner.  This may be my new favorite home cooked meal.  Firstly, Josephs makes thier pasta fresh and on location so this is really...well fresh, really high quality pasta, and the same goes for thier sauce.  What we do is we mix half meat sauce, half arabacia sauce and it combined it makes for a completely unbeatable, immensley flavorful sauce for any pasta. 

Anyway, Alex came over and fortunatley brought a bottle of French wine, so the meal was complete.  It was a great bottle of wine too, from the Wine Sense store in downtown Andover.  The pasta was great as I expected, cooked perfectly Al Dente by my mom, and as I mentioned this combination of the two sauces is unbeatable, its so good and the arabachia sauce adds a whole new dimension of flavor to your traditional mundane meat sauce!  We also have a little tomato and fresh Mozzarella (also from Josephs) with a bit of Olive oil on it and some fresh Italian bread that was right out of the oven when I bought it just a few hours before consuming. 

Good bye August, hello September - I will be going back to school soon, so we'll see how I do with keeping up on posting and I'll do my best to throw in something else besides the dining hall everyday!

Mootones Sushi - $10.65

Another man date with TC today, this time we decided to continue our experimentation with more quality lunch establishments.  Ty made the superb suggestion we grab some sushi so we hit up Mootones in Andover.  I ordered the L7, which was a luncheon combo that included 6 pieces of spicy tuna maki, 6 pieces of california maki, and 6 pieces of sweet potato maki, as well as a bowl of white rice (substituted instead of a salad) and a bowl of miso soup.  All for $10.65 (including tax).  Pretty damn good right?  Well it was, especially the spicy tuna maki and sweet potato maki, they were fantastic.  The tuna was very fresh I could tell by the color and the spicy sauce they used was great, although I am pretty sure all sushi places use the same recipe now..... The sweet potato maki was great, it was just like tempora but in maki form, and they were fresh and crunchy and when dipped in soy sauce really soaked up that flavor too.  The california maki was also good, but just didnt stand out as compared to the other too.  The miso soup was also delicious, and white rice is white rice.

A word to the wise, try to get the luncheon special unless you MUST have something else.  Tyler ordered 2x Andover Maki 16 pieces in total, and while it was really good (yes Tyler let me have one, a 1 for 1 trade, for one of my Spicy Tuna Maki's) it was 3 times as expensive!!!  Anyway, I do recommend the Andover Maki if you got the cash!

Bertucci's White Pizza ~$10

Lunch on Monday with TC.  Decided we needed a change from the normal Chipolte or Harrisons runs so we hit up Bertucci's in downtown Andover.  Bertucci's was testing out a few items from thier new fall menu, so I went with that and ordered up thier new White Pizza with prosciutto.  Firstly, we were served some bread, and some olive oil dip.  Bertucci's makes one hell of an olive oil dip, then spice it up nice and throw in a healthy portion of cheese, so each bite of bread is super flavorful.  Then our meals came, my Pizza at first looked dissapointing as it was sort of "blah" looking.  However, I should not have worried.  The pizza was covered in carmalized onions and the prosciutto was cooked almost like bacon and super tasty.  It was one of the most interesting pizza's I have ever had because of those carmelized onions, they are such a unique flavor for a pizza I was really impressed by how well it "worked."  In any event, the pizza was great, except for the crust which was to hard.  However for just around $10 dollars, it was a huge step up for TC and I in the lunch quality department.

Hard Rock Orlando

Becca and I went out Friday night to the Hard Rock for dinner (followed by a movie).  We got a really good package deal, $21.95 for both.  Anyway I ordered up the Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwhich.  It came out hot, and smothered in cheese and honey mustard.  The chicken was great, there was no fatty pieces and it was a whole breast.  The tomato and lettuce were good additions and added a little extra subtance to the sandwhich plus it made me feel like it was slightly healthier for me.  It was a pretty solidy sized sandwhich too which was good.  The fries were pretty standard, nothing special there.  The coleslaw was not good at all - I think being used to really good quality coleslaw up here in New England has sort of jaded my opinion of other places coleslaw.  In any event, the meal on a whole was great. 

For desert I got a caramel cheesecake.  It came in a small glass, and at first I was concerned that it would not be enough for me, but it was RICH and THICK and very very filling.  The caramel flavor melded with the cheesecake sublimely.  The only thing I wish was different about it was I wish they put the crunchy biscuit part on the top of the desert, instead of on the bottom.  Why?  Well I did not even know it was there, and thats one of my favorite parts of cheesecake, until I had already eaten all the cheesecake parts, well anyway it was still quite good.

Another Free Breakfast

Well I got my picture order fubared a bit, so here we go back in time.  Breakfast again at the resort.  I won't go to in depth here suffice it to say the strawberries were delicious again, the muffin was awesome hot and soft.  The French Toast was as good as it was before - and topped with the same thick quality syrup. The cheese was also good. The potatoes were crispy and really nice.  However, The ham in the middle was gross, and the pancake was as hard as a rock so it was unedible.  Oh well, it was free, and most of the breakfast was good so I won't complain to much.  Oh yea, the Orange juice was also delicious, Florida Orange juice definatley seems to be better!

On the way home: Airport Rueben $7.21

Heading home through Orlando International airport we had an hour or so to kill, and I had not eaten anything all day so I found a nice sandwhich shop and ordered up the Rueben. It was loaded with sauerkraut and cheese, on top of a hearty portion corned beef.  It was, for airport food surprisingly good and very filling.  It came with a piquel too and I love piquels so that was a plus.  For just over 7 bucks, it was well worth it and filled me up for our flight home.

Bamboo Grille: Turkey Club

Saturday night in Orlando Becca and I were completely beat tired from the past few days activities and decided to just stay in and watch some T.V and such.  However, I had to eat of course.  I ordered up the Turkey Club from the Resorts Bamboo Grille resturant and got it to go.  This was a really good meal, four large quarters of Turkey Club, that is Turkey (duh), Swiss Cheese, Tomato, Bacon and crunchy bread with mayo in it.  It was fresh, and flavorful and very filling.  It came with fries covered in seasoning, that were nice and crunchy.  To drink, a Sierra Mist from the vending machine.

Three Brooksticks Again

Sorry but the point of this trip was to see the World of Harry Potter, so forgive me for eating lunch at the same place two days in a row but it was nesscary to fully experience the uniqueness and awesomeness of Harry Potter.  Today at the Three Broomsticks, I went with a more traditional English meal: Fish and Chips.  Battered, and fried the fish (North Atlantic Cod) was really good.  I usually avoid white fish, so the fact that I enjoyed these speaks volume about thier quality.  I squeezed a little lemon juice on them, and dipped them into tartar sauce as well, and that really brought the flavors together and made it significantly more enjoyable than eating it plain. It came with another side of steak fries, which were very tasty and crispy. I washed it down with another frozen butterbeer (see previous entry), which was as amazing as the first I had. 

Orlando Day 3: More Breakfast!

So another morning at the DoubleTree, another free "bomb" breakfast.  Yes being "bomb" is good.  Check this one out, I mixed it up a little and went with some pieces of French Toast, topped with fresh strawberries.  However, the sasauge was too good to pass up, and comon what is a breakfast without a burrito. Again it was delicious, strawberriers were perfectly ripe, the maple syrup thick, and the sausage as it was last time plump and juicy with just that hint of spice that tied it all together.  This mornings Breakfast burrito was also quite good, though not as spectacular as the previous morning because the eggs inside were not as fresh, I assume this burrito had been sitting out longer than the last one had.

Three Broomsticks - Butterbeer and Turkey Leg

Alright, I am very excited about this post.  Naturally Becca and I went to Orlando so we could go to the Harry Potter Theme park.  Well, suffice it to say it was awesome, but one of the coolest parts was the village they created "Hogsmead", was EXACTLY like the books/movies.  I mean as soon as you walked into the village you really feel as if you've entered the world of Harry Potter.  Anyway, they even have the Three Broomsticks, any HP fans will recognize this as a fairly frequented eatery Harry and his gang visit.  So we had to have lunch there too.  It was basically an english pub, serving up an assortment of English meals but with one very awesome twist.  First of all, no coke products here, only drinks that would be served in "The real Three Broomsticks" so your choices were things like Cider, Pumpkin Juice and best of all.... BUTTERBEER! 

 

Butterbeer came in two different ways, you could either get it cold, or frozen.  I opted for Frozen, which is came basically like a slushly, only the most delicious slushy ever.  The drink itself must be a mix of Iced Tea, Cream Soda, Caramel, and butterscoth, and the white froth on top, well I don't even know what that was but it was amazing.  We got them in souvineir mugs which were more expensive, but for the rest of our time in Orlando we got discounted refills!  If anyone knows where I can get more Butterbeer, please let me know!

 

For my first meal at the Three Brooksticks, I decided to pull a Hagrid and went with just a Turkey Leg.  This was a monster Turkey Leg mind you, right on the bone, smothered in a rub/sauce that very tasty and it fell off the bone easily so I assume it was cooked pretty well.  Although it was very good, and certainly reminded me of something very Harry Potterish, I wasn't thrilled by the overall flavor the Turkey Leg once I got past the skin and the sauce it was in.  It came with a side of fries that were pretty standard.  All for around $17 dollars, clearly a "tourist price" but I'd say worth it if only for the experience / butterbeer.

Orlando Day 2: Free Breakfast!

Part of the deal with staying at the DoubleTree Resort in Orlando was we got free breakfast.  Now I was expecting that typical, econo lodge style continental breakfast that allows you to choose between, bacon, sausage and eggs and if your lucky a croissant for breakfast.  I was pleasantly surprised then we as we walked into the Bamboo Grille for our first breakfast at the resort.  There was  HUGE spread of food, from all different sorts of pastries, to scrambled eggs, pancakes, waffles, meats and cheeses, breakfast burittos, sausage, bacon, beans, muffins, hash browns, potatoes the list goes on and on.  They even had a cook preparing made to order omelets.

Anyway I dived into the mix, and picked out 2 breakfast burritos, which were stuffed with eggs, some meat a little cheese and spices.  I threw some salsa on top because well, they are burritos; gotta have it!  Picked up three of the juciest looking sausages, took entirely way to many scrambled eggs, and scooped up a big spoonful of really tasty looked browned potatoes.  It was great! I am not even a breakfast fan and I was loving it.  The sausages were perfect, a little spicey but not overpowering and really plump.  The potatoes might of been the best part of the meal, they too had a touch of spice and were nice and crispy.  The eggs, were a tad on the soupy side but still very enjoyable, and those breakfast burritos were just icing on the cake.  With the salsa on them, it was perfect.  Needless to say I put way to much on my plate and was completely full, nearly bursting by the time I was finished.  Was it worth it?  Yes!

Orlando Day One: Ciao Italia

For Dinner, Becca and I walked across the street to a little Italian place called Ciao Italia, the concierge at the Hotel recommended.  On the outside the place sort of looked like a dive, but inside it was actually significantly fancier than I thought it would be.  Anyway, I got this delicious Tagliatelle dish, which is basically Fetachini but slightly wider I guess.  It came in a creamy pesto sauce, with chicken, artichokes and tomatoes.  I have really been getting into artichokes lately, they add a totally new flavor to dishes that seems to go well with anything and this dish was no exception.  The chicken bits were pretty small, but cooked perfectly moist and flavorful.  It was very filling, so I could not finish all of it unfortunatley, and had to take some back to the room. The atmosphere of the resturant was upscale, and although our waiter was very friendly even talking to me about his home in Italy and my recent trip there he was a bit slow, and it took a while to get his attention when we needed him. Other than that it was really quite good though,

Orlando Day One: Double Tree BBQ

Alright, day one in Orlando at the Double Tree Resort. Becca and I first went to the pool after we checked in to immediately get some sun. This pool had a nice little pool side bar so we went ahead and tried it out.  I got the BBQ chicken sandwich, it came in a cone shaped serving platter sitting in top of a pile of crispy and delicious fries.

The sandwich itself was huge, way larger than expected, super fresh and HOT and totally smothered in sauce.  It was vastly superior than what I was expecting, flavorful, and packed with meat that was lean and cooked right.  I washed it down with 8 dollar pina colada, that was sort of the opposite experience, while not terrible it was small, and just very plain.

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Depot Pizza

Dinner tonight was some fine Depot Pizza.  I am not going to lie, I actually had the peperonni but ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture and by the time I was done all that was left was 2 slices of cheese, hence the picture.  Anyway, the pepperoni can't be THAT much different that the cheese right?  So the Pizza at Depot is delicious, its crust is a mix between soft, and crunchy; I know what the hell does that mean right?  Well just try it its good.  They use some really good quality Mozzarella cheese, but I am pretty sure they use more than one cheese because theres some different coloration.  Also they aren't as greesey as some pizza's, don't get me wrong its greesey but not as bad as say Spinners Pizza in Ballardvale.  Pepperoni's (which you can't see) are pretty standard, but definatley add a dimension of flavor that should not be missed. 

Rainy Day at Chipotle

Another pretty standard run to Chipotle today.  I got the Barbacoa Burrito again since the lady at the counter said it the freshest of the meats at the time; the rest of the meats looked pretty po-donk.  With rice, black beans, mild and hot salsa and some cheese on it.  I like getting the mild salsa now too because it adds some chunks of tomatoes instead of just a soupy, hot sauce.  I actually ordered a glass of tap water but just filled it up with sprite so that was free.  Total was under $9.00, pretty good.

Home Cooked Lemon Pepper Chicken

Delicious home cooked meal, courtesey of my Mom.  Lemon Pepper Chicken from Butcher Boy, some soft french bread, green beans and a small side salad.  Butcher Boy Lemon Pepper is a classic, a staple of thier existence.  It comes pre-packaged and sauteed, so you just throw it on the grill / stove and cook it up.  It's almost always pretty damn good.  The French bread was good for bulk filler.  I hate green beans but forced them down because its healthy.  The side Salad was scrumptous thanks in part to the dressing which was some sort of oakey, sugery, mapley deliciousness.

Butcher Boy 92% Lean Sirloin Burgers

Made myself some burgers tonight on the George Foreman grill.   However, these weren't just any burgers, they were Butcher Boy (North Andover MA) Sirloin Burgers.  1/2 lb, slabs of meat that basically look like Filet Mingons in a burger shape, red, juicy and waiting to be consumed.  Decided to George Foreman them instead of using the grill because they were frozen and the Foreman does a better job I find of cooking frozen food evenly without searing etc.  Anyway, they blow away the Market Basket 1/4lb burgers you can get in both flavor and quality.  Unlike the Market Basket burgers these were not just oily greese balls with a little meat mixed in that shrink up to the size of a quarter when cooked.  No, these remained large, remained juicy, remained delicious. Threw them on some pretty standard buns - nothing special about them at all; they just fufilled thier function of buns.

Only downside was I did not have any american cheese, so I could not make cheeseburgers out of them.  Instead I had to cut up some sharp cheese on the side.  Glass of Lemonaide to go along with it.  Perfect summer time dinner. 

For the record, the George Foreman Grill is a must have for any kitchen.  This is what I have and its great
Check it Out Here.

Hometown Seafood Lobster Roll Combo

Took the short 2 minute drive to Hometown Seafood in Andover today, because I was craving a delicious lobster roll.  I was not dissapointed.  What I love about the Hometown SeaFood lobster roll, is that it is a roll with lobster in it, and thats it! No lettuce, bits of celery, or other filler.  Just 100% fresh, Lobster in a soft hot dog roll.  Not to mention they fill the roll with only the best parts of the Lobster, big chunks of claw pieces that practically melt in your mouth, its a Lobster lovers dream come true. 

The combo deal comes with a small Clam Chowder cup as well, which is equally as well prepared, filled with clam, and potatoes and just the right consistency for Chowder, creamy and delicious.  Of course you get the usual sides, little clam crackers for your soup and a bag of Wise potato chips.  I washed it all down with a Minute Made lemon aid.   At $19.08 it's pricey, but absolutely worth it!

Harrisons Round Two

Ran up to Harrisons in North Andover yesterday with Levine (with Charlotte) and TC.  As promised this time I sampled the Large Roast Beef, which comes on an onion roll, and as always was fantastically delicious.  Infact I think this was sandwhich was better than the one I got last time, it was fresher, the beef was lean with no fatty portions, the bun soft and the onion flavoring on the bun was not overpowering .  Plus I got heavy sauce this time, and Harrions Roast Beef sauce is frickin rediculous so it just made my day.  Crushed it with a large fries and a coke.  Mmmmmmmm!

Panera Bread - Turkey Artichoke

Stopped over at Panera Bread for dinner.  They were out of the ingrediants for the Frontega Chicken Sandwhich I usually get so I asked the waitress for her recommendation instead.  She suggested the Turkey Artichoke. 

Now traditionally I am not a big fan of Artichokes but it just so happens I had a artichoke dip a week or so ago that I really liked so I thought to hell with it I'll give it a try. The Sandwhich was served up with Mozzarella Cheese and Fresh Tomatos, on some really fresh Focaccia bread.  All in all it was a pleasant experience.  The turkey was smoked nicely and they really packed it in there too which was a welcome surprise because I was VERY hungry, and the artichokes added a little pop of flavor that was very enjoyable.  Of course I love all cheeses but Mozzarella is by far my favorite so that was a plus.  Potato Chips were all natural, crispy and delicious and I had a Sierra Mist to wash it all done.  I am usually a Frontega Chicken guy, but I could definatley see myself ordering the Turkey Artichoke again. Plus I got all of this for just $9.23, not a bad little dinner!

Symphony Sushi Tempora Bento - $8.95

So first of all, I head into school today for class hit no traffic along the way, then finally get the parking lot where I always park and it's completely full.  Normally this isn't the case and even if it is only takes a few minutes for a spot to open up.  Well 45 minutes into waiting I got hungry, and Symphony Sushi is only a couple hundred yards away so I decide I'll pass the time with thier Tempora Bento lunch Special only $8.95!

Well this lunch special or box whatever you want to call it has got to the best lunch deal around campus.  Firstly, its really an impressive array of food.  You get 5 pieces of bento, 2 of which are shrimp, 2 Gyoza, 2 California Rolls, Miso Soup, a cup of rice, some melon and grapes and a side salad.  So I started with the Miso Soup, which was fantasic, very flavorful and not to much salt.  It came with mini tofu's in it instead of big chunks and a little seaweed. Then I dug into the main platter.  The shrimp bento's were great, as were the gyoza and california rolls.  However, the vegetable bento was sort of a mixed decision.  The brocolli and zuchini must of been old, because they looked almost a little rotted and that kind of turned me off a bit.  The squash piece was good though so it wasn't a total loss for the veges.  I will add that I have had this special before and usually there is no problem with any of the vegetables.  Salad was good, that orange sauce they put on is really flavorful, I usually don't eat salad but with this dressing I devoured it all.  For $8.95 though, I don't think this deal can be beat, plus its fairly healthy compared to your alternatives in the area.

Anyway, I ate it in the car, and even after that no parking spot.  It took one and half hours just to get a spot.  Luckily I got to school real early today, and luckily Symphony Sushi was close by!

99 To Go: Honey BBQ Chicken Wrap

So I had a Honey BBQ Chicken Wrap from the 99 for dinner tonight, TO GO.  While the sandwhich was pretty enjoyable, the fries were not.  I think this is a factor of it being "To Go" though, the fries just get to soggy in transport and who wants mushy fries. 

The wrap itself was as flavorful and delicious as always, and with the extra Honey Mustard dip on the side it was even better.  Big chucks of chicken smothered in some real good Honey BBQ sauce, chopped tomato, cheese, and just the right amoung of lettuce. 

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Knockout at Coolidge Corner Clubhouse - Max Schmeling Style

So the big plan last night was head into Boston for a big night on the town with Alex Levine and Noah Wienert.  Unfortunatley we were all KO'd before the night even got started thanks to the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse and thier enourmously delicious portions of food. 

First of all props to Noah for the recommendation to go here; being a true Boston guy we put our faith in you for a good meal and you delivered.  Anyway, I really liked this place, it had a cool sports bar vibe, crossed with a pub like feel that gave it a really fun atmosphere.  Even the menu, was totally sports related and it was a nice change to see that not everything was baseball related.  Speaking of the Menu, it was one of those Holy Bibles of Menu's that never seems like its going to end.  The selection at this place is insane, but I quickly settled on "The Max Schmeling."  Hot Corned Beef, Sauerkraut and Swiss! Get realism, I could not pass it up. 

Before we got to that though we ordered a half plate of Nacho's to split.  This was a true Nacho plate, with everything on it; Gauc, Salsa, Cheese, Sour Cream, Beans, Jalepenos.  What I really liked about it though was they melted cheese throughout the whole platter so you weren't stuck with just the top layer being cheesey. 

Shortly after our meals arrived, and no kidding this sandwhich was a knockout.  I ordered some sweet potato fries and a pickle on the side as well, both of which were really amazing.  The sweet potato fries might have been the best I ever had.  The Max Schmeling sandwhich was definatley the champion of the plate though.  A huge portion, of corned beef, just the right amount of kraut, and melted swiss.  The meat was cooked perfectly, it wasn't chewy or tough and even though I was completely full after just one half I had to finish the whole thing because it was so damn good. To top it off I had a Newcastle Brown Ale, which I have to admit seemed a little flat compared to most New Castles I've had, but it the rest of the meal was so good I'll forgive the CCC for that one.

The three of us split the bill, and it came out to around $34 bucks each w/ tip.  Considering the amount of food, the atmosphere, and the quality I would glady pay it again.  Unfortunatley after such a ginourmous meal, a serious food coma hit all of us and we were only able to drag ourselves to one dive bar (Connor Larkins) for 1 more beer each before we had to call it a night.  Was it worth it? I'd say - who needs to have a whole night on the town when you can just go to the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse!

Casa Blanca - Chicken Toastada and Enchilada

So headed over to Casa Blanca in Downtown Andover today with Tyler Carroll; heard a pretty hilarious story or two from the night before, well done Ty and then spent a good deal of the meal talking about our Droid X's.  Anyway, it was clearly chow time, and we rolled in looking to do some business.  We started off with some chips and queso.  They didn't last long, I have to say Casa Blanca makes some pretty good queso, and there chips are just perfectly salted and fresh.

Then we moved on to the main event.  I ordered a combo platter, sporting a always classic and delicious Chicken Enchilada, and something new; a Chicken Toastada.  I know it looks like a pile of shit, next to a pile of throwup, but it actually tastes pretty damn good.  The Enchilada has just the right amount of spice in it, and I love anything smothered in cheese, and the Toastada was basically just a chicken taco but on a flat piece of tortilla.  Even the refried beans were completely gone by the time I was done.  Only thing I did not touch was the rice, they were dry and completely devoid of flavor.  Tyler ended up with a Chicken Chimichonga - I assume he enjoyed it because he didn't offer me any, and ate the whole thing.  Anyway the total bill was around $24 dollars, pretty cheap considering the the amount of food, although we just got water for drinks.

ABP - Grilled Chicken Ceasar Wrap

So I arrived at school yesterday, and was supposed to go straight to the gym; but I just couldn't walk by Au Bon Pan without grabbing some food.  Hey I was hungry!  Anyway, I figured a little food before the gym would help me lift some more, right? Muscle food?

So I walked in and decided on the Grilled Chicken Ceasar Wrap, and added a Nantucket Nectar Half and Half to the mix, since that is my favorite drink, all in all $8.17 in the hole.  So the guy behind the counter starts making the sandwhich, and I notice he puts on way to little ceasar dressing so I ask him to put some more on.  Thank god I did that at least, the sandwhich ended up being basically a lettuce sandwhich.  Which would not of been so bad if it was the good parts of the lettuce, but I got a lot of those overly crunchy, "root" ish parts, which I do not like.  Furthermore, the "grilled chicken" was not even grilled.  It was only warmed up in some hot water.  Pretty disapointing to be honest, but I have to come to realize at ABP it's really hit or miss, you either get a great meal, or a dismal one.

The only part of this meal that saved me from complete misery was the Nantucket Nectar Half and Half - man they make some good juice! As for my workout....Well I don't think lettuce is a good muscle food....

Stetson West Stir Fry

Lunch today was a quick stop at one of the Northeastern dining halls. This particular hall has do it yourself stir fry. I threw a healthy portion of pineapple into a mix of onions, broccoli, red pepper and some sort of yellow vegetable, topping it off with some sesame sauce.  For meats I added some beef and chicken. I have to admit it came out pretty good with the pineapple adding some  pretty serious summer time flavor. Hey for a free meal at school its not to shabby, though I don't think I would go out of my way to have it.
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Chipotle - Barbacoa Burrito

I took a bite so you can see inside.

I hit Chipotle today for lunch. I still can't get over the fact theres a Chipotle 4 minutes away from where I am living now it's so great.

Anyway, I usually go for the traditional Steak Burrito,with hot sauce, black beans and cheese etc, but today I was feeling adventurous and went with the Barbacoa. I got the usual accoutrement; Black Beans, Cheese and Hot Sauce. I was debating the Guac, but decided against it an extra $1.50 just wasn't worth it to me today. Anyway with a Soda the whole meal was $8.77 not to bad. The flavor was great, and the Barbacoa fresh. Definatley an upgrade from standard Steak. The hot sauce makes you breathe a little heavier but its not too overpowering. I attempted adding a little Tabasco but that was a bit much. The Coca-Cola was well... Coca-Cola.

Belated Birthday Dessert - Grill 23

So my Birthday was actually a few weeks ago, but I think its worth going back and taking a look at the desert I devoured. Unfortunatley, the other courses consisting of a beef tartar for my appetizer and a 20oz New York Strip was so delicious I forgot to take a picture before I wolfed it down. Suffice it to say, the entire meal was fantastic. In any event, back to the desert. First of all, you'll notice the Happy Birthday bar in front. That is solid, totally edible milk chocolate, with white cholocate lettering. The chef through that in extra for me, because well, I'm awesome.

Anyway, the real desert is what sits just behind that bar. A Chocoloate, and Peanut Butter Cheesecake, topped with a solid milk chocolate bar with nuts on top. Say wow... I sure did. Firstly, I am a huge fan of cheesecake and peanut but interestingly not a huge fan of Chocolate so I was a little unsure of how this would go down at first. Well I was pleasantly surprised. I think most people already know that chocoloate and peanut butter go well together, but add in the soft cheesecake portion of this killer desert and you have yourself an orgy straight in your mouth. Litterally. Each flavor melded together sublimely, and as I enjoyed it I found myself closing my eyes and chewing very slowly to enjoy every moment. Unfortunatley for me I had to share.....

Harrisons Roast Beef

Harrisons Roast Beef, a staple of the Andover / North Andover dining scene. Well this particular trip was no exception. I ordered my usual, a Medium Beef, with sauce, cheese, onions and mayonase. Or as a true Harrisons veteran would say; Med Beef, Sauce, Cheese, Mayo, Onion. Suplemented my meal with a medium coke as well. Few minutes later I was chowing down on some roast beef that must be from heaven. The beef at Harrisons is slopped onto a hamburger bun (Medium) and covered in Harrisons signature spicey roast beef sauce. You have not tasted a roast beef sandwhich until you have tried it with whatever sauce harrisons uses. I have sampled many roast beef dives and Harrisons sauce is the best! It creates a foodgasm upon initial consumption everytime. Perfectly cooked, lean beef that has just the right color, a little red but not undercooked. Hey this time they even warmed up the bum a little, and that extra heat added a new dimension of enjoyment, pretty sure it made the whole meal taste a bit fresher. I eat here fairly regularly, so stay tuned for my next Harrisons "run" I'll be testing out the large beef which comes on an onion roll, and the fries!

Lobster-A-La-Ginsburg

So Friday night I head over to my girlfriend Becca's house. How could I pass up the chance to chow down on some fine Lobster! Anyway the Ginsburgs are expert Lobster makers and this meal was no exception. 4 - 1.5lb Lobsters fresh from Maine, cooked up LIVE via steaming in two seperate pots. With a side of corn on the cob from Whole Foods. Perfectly portioned, and just enough to fill me up. The lobster was cooked just right, and was almost melted in my mouth. I can't stand chewy lobster so this was an extra pleasant experience having it cooked so well. The flavor was great, having been caught earlier that day in Maine, it was a true fresh lobster and I could tell. The corn was sweet, and with a little butter on it was made even more delicicous. Only problem with this meal... The mess! Although the shell on this lobster was not particullary hard to break through, it was loaded with water and splashed all over the place. Oh well, it just made it a bit more exciting to eat. Well done Ginsburgs!

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