Imari Fusion (or It Rains Fishes)

Imari Fusion, which is now called It Rains Fishes, in Winchester, MA was the focus of a recent Summer Friday outing. Lisa and I headed out to Winchester but were a bit confused trying to find the place. Imari changed both their name and their entrance. So we passed it completely until we realized we were really looking for It Rains Fishes. When that debacle was over, we found ourselves seated and in front of a very interesting menu which combined Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisines.

We started off with drinks. I had the most amazing Sparkling Limeade. It was the perfect combination of sour, sparkling and sweet. Yum! I made sure I left a lot so I could drink the rest for dessert.

Lisa had this beautiful Thai Iced Tea.

Lisa and I shared an appetizer of Steamed Dumplings with Shrimp and Pork filling. They were very tender and delicious when dipped in the soy sauce. Mmm...

We ordered two lunch combination boxes both of which came with a bowl of Miso soup. I didn't care for it. It was cloudy when stirred but all the grit sank to the bottom. I later found out that the grit was the miso paste. I also didn't like that there was only an insignificant amount of tofu, vegetables and scallions in the soup. So this was definitely a pass.

Lisa got the Bul Go Gee Combination box. She let me try some and the Bul Go Gee, a Korean Barbeque beef with a sweet marinade, was absolutely divine.

Each combination box came with a few California rolls, some dumplings (the same we had for an appetizer but fried), a salad, white rice, soy sauce and your choice of meat or vegetable. I got Vegetable Curry which was heavenly. Very spicy and sweet with lots of vegetables. I wish the vegetables were next to the white rice so I could mix them together! Otherwise this was an amazing box. I'd definitely get it again.

I wish my beau Carlos enjoyed Asian food as much as I do. He would love this place. But lucky for me, I have a good friend like Lisa who is as adventurous as me when it comes to eating out and different types of cuisine. 

Definitely try Imari Fusion/It Rains Fishes. I went here upon the recommendation of the Hidden Boston (Twitter/Facebook/Blog) who referred to it as a "hidden gem".

Treat Cupcake Bar

Treat Cupcake Bar in Needham, MA is true to it's name. Coming here was definitely a treat.

This place has been the buzz among food blogs and foodies and in the local news. The owner, David LaLiberte, had a career in Finance and decided to change gears and open up a cupcake shop. The shop has done so well that they've had to close early and once a week (normally they are open every day). They run out of cupcakes and just can't keep up with demand. If you are looking for something in part

The entrance and the interior are very retro yet modern. Their logo is the edge of a cupcake liner. Very cute. I wish they had a sign above the entrance calling out to people on the street because we almost drove right past the place!

The interior is very nice. There is an open kitchen in the back and you can see the bakers at work. There are two stations with registers in the middle. You can get pre-made cupcakes in different flavors with frostings. Or you can go to the make-your-own cupcake counter and pick your cake and frosting. You can add a variety of things to your frosting; everything from chocolate sprinkles to pop rocks. Lisa and I opted for pre-made chocolate cupcakes.

I had a chocolate cupcake with Oreo frosting. They also had a vanilla version with vanilla oreos. The cupcake was divine. Very rich chocolate cake, a light layer of chocolate ganache and a thick scoop of butter cream frosting with big chunks of Oreos mixed in. Each cupcake comes in it's own little pink tray with a liner, folded napkin and wooden spork. It's much easier eating the cupcake when you have a spork!

Lisa got a chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache and a big scoop of peanut butter buttercream frosting topped with a peanut butter cup. Heavenly!

The only thing about these cupcakes is that they are super rich. You can't eat more than one at any given time. In fact, I had a hard time eating the one I purchased so I took the rest home with me. Treat has a variety of very cute take-away containers including this adorable take-out box!

If you live in Massachusetts, you MUST make a special trip out to Treat Cupcake Bar. Heck if you live in anywhere in New England, head on over. You will NOT be disappointed.

Blue on Highland

Lisa and I went to Blue on Highland on Highland Ave in Needham, MA. We needed to have a light lunch before the main event, which was a trip to the famed Treat Cupcake bar which was right down the street. The decor of Blue on Highland was very chic and sparkly. The dining area is very open and it wasn't very busy during lunch time. They opened the front window panels because it was a hot summer day. This didn't really do much since the restaurant is so close to the street and the view is of a commuter rail station and a gas station. So we opted for a corner booth instead of a streetside/indoor table.

We started off with some iced teas. I liked this iced tea because it was heavy on lemon flavor. It proved to be a very refreshing drink for a hot day.

Lisa got a Turkey Meatloaf with Apricot Ketchup and Sweet Potato Fries. She let me taste some and I thought the meatloaf was very moist and tender. The apricot ketchup tasted more like a barbecue sauce to me. I don't care for sweet potato fries but these were excellent. Lisa wasn't totally enamored with the meatloaf considering a friend of hers made the most amazing meatloaf she's ever had and since then other meatloaves pale in comparison.

I really needed something light so I opted to go for a salad. But it had to be substantial to so I chose their Chicken Cobb Salad. I wasn't all to happy with it. The presentation was nice and the tomatoes, chicken, avocado and bacon were great but I really didn't like the blue cheese or the dressing. It was so-so.

I wouldn't recommend Blue on Highland as a destination. Don't go out of your way to eat there. But if you are in the Needham area and need a nice place for lunch stop by!

Vegetarian Portuguese Kale & Potato Soup ~ Caldo Verde

My friend Kate Gabrielle, over at Scathingly Brilliant, asked me recently for an idea of how to use kale. My favorite way to cook with kale is to make Caldo Verde, a Portuguese soup that is comprised of kale, potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots and chorizo sausage. Since Kate is a vegetarian, I adapted my recipe by taking out the chorizo, adding red kidney beans for protein and replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth. She made the soup and loved it.

So when my friend Kevin, who is also a vegetarian, mentioned that he is growing kale in his garden, I told him that he should try using some of that kale for a Vegetarian version of Caldo Verde. I promised him I would post the recipe and here it is! Enjoy.

Ingredients


1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
crushed red pepper flake to taste
a bunch of kale, shredded
6 cups of vegetable broth
1 15.5 oz can of Red Kidney beans

Chop your onion.

Slice your carrots.

Peel and chop your potatoes. Make sure you keep them in water so they don't start going brown.

Thinly shred your Kale. This is tricky. Make sure you refer my step-by-step instructions (complete with photos) here: Caldo Verde Recipe

Heat up some olive oil in a big soup pot. Add onions and cook until they start to get soft. Then add your carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add potatoes, crushed red pepper flake, and garlic. Stir.

Add 6 cups of broth and bring the pot to a boil. Then add all of your shredded kale and cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through. Stir occasionally. Add your red kidney beans last. Once they heat through, serve. You can crush the potatoes with a spoon to make the soup a bit thicker.

Enjoy while it's hot. Sorry for no picture of a bowl of soup. The whole pot was devoured pretty quickly.