Category Archives: Restaurants
Restaurant Review: AKA Bistro
Yesterday was my birthday. To celebrate, we went out for a nice dinner. Sometimes we go to somewhere we’ve been before, but sometimes we try somewhere new. This year I was in the mood for somewhere new. It was a weeknight, so I really didn’t want to drive into Boston, so I tried to find somewhere in the nearby suburbs. I struck gold with my choice!
We went to AKA Bistro in Lincoln. A restaurant in Lincoln, you say? Besides the fact that it is probably the only restaurant in Lincoln, it was a hidden gem. With bistro in its name, of course, the menu is French, but they offer an extensive Japanese menu as well. We stuck with the French menu last night.
Our meal was GREAT! The food was solid French bistro, but imaginative at the same time. To start, Howard ordered a beet salad with goat cheese. It had tiny roasted baby beets. At first, he couldn’t find the goat cheese, but it was sandwiched inside a beet ravioli made, not of pasta, but of thinly shaved beet. I ordered an endive, blue cheese, and walnut salad. It was not quite as creative, but the flavors were what I was after on a cold evening.
The main course (Howard’s actually) was the star. He ordered duck confit with potatoes roasted in duck fat. There is no question that it was rich, but it was “too die for”. Typically, we switch plates during the meal, but we both really wanted this one. When it was time to trade back, I tried to play the “it’s my birthday” card. But Howard countered with the “I’ve got the car keys” card. I begrudgingly gave him back the plate, but my fork continued to visit.
I had ordered the scallops with fennel and carrot puree. I feel like I’m giving the scallops short shrift after gushing about the duck confit. The scallops were really good. It was a much lighter choice. The scallops were extremely fresh and cooked perfectly. I liked the whimsicality of the carrot puree which was arranged on the plate in the shape of two carrots. Very cute!
It was a birthday dinner, so we had to order dessert. We couldn’t agree on something to share, so we each ordered our own. Howard had the chocolate mousse. The mousse was made from 60 and 70% chocolate. It was rich but good, even though I’m not a chocoholic. I ordered spiced apple crepes, particularly because it was unusual.
The best part of dessert was the tea. Howard likes to order green tea for dessert, but only if it’s Japanese. He doesn’t care for the Chinese style. Because AKA Bistro is also a Japanese restaurant, they had not just sencha, but also genmaicha, which is sencha with toasted brown rice. The restaurant brewed an excellent pot of genmaicha which complemented dessert nicely.
Our waitress was delightful. She answered our many questions, supplying information about the farms that supplied different ingredients, the cooking process, the ingredients, and the restaurant.
Finding this restaurant was a happy accident. While we pulled out all the stops and enjoyed a special occasion dinner with a bottle of wine and lots of courses, we could have had a much simpler meal as well. I can’t wait to go back.
Restaurant Review: Summer, Winter
As unlikely as it might sound, my favorite upscale suburban restaurant is in a hotel, an extremely stereotypical suburban hotel, at that. As a general rule, I tend to avoid hotel restaurants, but, believe it or not, the restaurant at the Burlington Marriott is really something special. It’s called Summer Winter, and it is run by Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, the creators of Arrows in Ogunguit, Maine.
These guys promote the locally sourced ingredient philosophy. You can see that in the menu and, of course, when you eat the food. Peek through the windows at the balcony that rings the dining room where you’ll see greenhouses filled with freshly growing greens and pots of tomatoes and other vegetables. While you wait for your meal to be prepared and served, it’s worth taking a stroll through the garden, weather permitting.
We don’t eat at Summer Winter frequently, but each time we do, I make a mental note not to wait too long to go back. This visit was prompted by an email promoting their Friday Night “Date Night” where they offer a three-course fixed price menu. The menu was appealing, so we made reservations.
The meal started with the largest bowl of soup I’ve ever been served in a restaurant. The word “Tremendous” comes to mine. It was butternut squash soup laced with maple syrup with a spicy chile relish, sort of like Srichacha sauce. The relish sunk to the bottom, so it provided hidden bursts of surprise heat as we ate. It was delicious, and as we’ve just entered squash season, I want to try to make something similar at home. The portion was large, and we were sort of full after the first course.
The only actual choice in the menu was for our main course. Howard picked one, I picked the other, and we traded plates for a while. He chose grilled trout with a red curry sauce and an Asian noodle salad on the side. It was a winner. I chose the braised short rib, which melted off the bone. It was served in a large bowl with the braising juices, with jasmine rice on the side. The meat was tender and tasty, though it felt awkward to be eat the meat and rice from separate dishes. I wasn’t exactly sure how I was expected to combine the parts of the meal.
Both were great meals, though I had a slight preference for Howard’s trout. Maybe it’s also because I LOVE trout, and we’ve been having a hard time finding fresh trout to cook at home. We’ve been told it isn’t a popular fish. I can’t imagine why; it’s one of my favorites.
Dessert screamed Howard’s name. It was a plate of chocolate truffles, six different flavors, for each of us. We were stuffed, so took most of them home in the little Chinese take out box they were served with. What a nice after-dinner treat on Saturday.
The Summer Winter menu also has a large section of what appear to be tapas-like “Small Bites”. One of these evenings when we want to go out, I hope I’ll remember that a few of those with a glass of wine would make a nice outing.
A Plateful of Happiness 