Seasons 52 Fresh Grill & Wine Bar: Healthy & Wine-centric

Burlington is becoming an attractive destination for restaurant chains, from Capital Grille to Bobby's Burger Palace. In the near future, places such as Bonefish Grill and Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House will open there. To me, chains can be a mixed bag, some which are good and others which offer bountiful portions of mediocre food. The latest chain restaurant to open in Burlington, having opened only yesterday, is Seasons 52, a "fresh...

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.**********************************************************1) On September 16, at 6:30pm, Legal Harborside will host a wine dinner with Italian winery, Altesino. Nestled away in the heart of Tuscany, Altesino’s production averages 220,000 bottles per year, and is recognized as one of the area’s most distinguished producers. Legal Harborside will team up with Altesino’s...

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Verlasso Salmon: A Seafood Watch "Good Alternative"

Do you avoid farmed salmon? Do you believe that farmed salmon is not sustainable? Maybe you need to reassess the situation.Wild or farmed salmon? That is often the dilemma. There have been numerous real problems with farmed salmon, so organizations like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch have generally labeled all farmed salmon as Avoid. However, I have previously criticized such watchdog organizations for making too broad an assessment which...

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Learning Risotto at Lucia Ristorante

"Risotto – when made correctly – speaks of Italy."--Lidia BastianichI've been pondering which risotto to make later this week, whether a traditional Risotto alla Milanese or something a bit more creative such as a Pear & Gorgonzola Risotto. Last week, I wrote about Risotto: Origins, Variations & Rice, giving some background and basics on this compelling Italian dish. In addition last week, I attended a Risotto cooking class, as a media guest,...

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Rant: Wineries, Don't Assume It's Brand Loyalty

A woman makes her weekly stop at a local wine store, buying the same wine every time, a Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio. Every time a man wants to splurge on a higher end wine, he buys a bottle of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon. To celebrate every special occasion, a woman purchases a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Many people might assume that these three examples are indicative of brand loyalty, customers who intentionally support and choose to make repeated purchases of a specific product. However, what if it isn't really brand loyalty that is leading...

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Red Arrow Diner: Quick Review

Yesterday, after a shopping visit to the Merrimack Premium Outlets in New Hampshire, I needed to find a place for a good lunch. Fortunately, earlier in the week, I received a recommendation from Marc of Boston's Hidden Restaurants to check out the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester, just north of the outlets. It turned out to be a fine recommendation and I must second his recommendation to anyone who finds themselves near Manchester.The...

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.**********************************************************1) After 28 years, Chef/Owner Steve DiFillippo is making his way back to his hometown with the opening of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in Lynnfield at the new Market Street Lynnfield shopping complex. Growing up in Lynnfield, DiFillippo’s passion for food began when he would rush home after long football...

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Risotto: Origins, Variations & Rice

"Rice is born in water and dies in wine."--Italian proverbRisotto (which means "little rice") is basically an Italian rice dish that has been cooked in a stock until it possesses a creamy consistency. It is a versatile dish, and can be prepared with many different, additional ingredients, from uni to mushrooms, peaches to tomatoes. Preparing risotto can take 25 minutes or more, and usually is said to require constant attention, continually stirring...

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Rant: Food Trucks Are So Yesterday

Food trucks have had their time in the spotlight, being the next big trend, but that was yesterday. Don't worry though as they are not going to suddenly vanish and new food trucks will still continue to make their debut. However, a new restaurant innovation is poised to take the country by storm and New York City may be leading the way. Will Boston wait to jump on this trend, or will it try to seize the initiative and capitalize on this new trend right now?About a week ago, Crain's New York Business posted an interesting article, Tiny restaurants...

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2 Gingers Irish Whiskey: A Whiskey For Women?

Demand for Irish whiskey has boomed over the last decade, outpacing many other liquor categories. For example, from 2010 to 2011, the volume of Irish whiskey grew nearly 24% and from 2011 to 2012, it grew about another 23%. Compare this to the 3% annual growth of the general spirit category. However, the Irish whiskey category is still relatively small, about 2.2 million cases, while the overall whiskey category is at about 50 million cases. Interestingly,...

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