Tag: Select Oyster Bar

Toasting November with a Special Wine: Guy Larmandier, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs in a Special Place

November is a month to give thanks, so we are going to toast it with a Champagne: Guy Larmandier, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs at Select Oyster Bar.

We recently had another reason to celebrate, so we shared a half bottle of Guy Larmandier Blanc de Blancs over lunch. It reminded us that this is one of the few all Chardonnay Champagnes that we have on our favorites list. It's from one of our favorite importers, Neal Rosenthal. And, it made the beautifully curated wine list at one of our favorite places, Select Oyster Bar. That certainly qualified it for a place in this year of favorites.

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! This year we have selected a favorite wine for our monthly toast.

We hope you'll join our Sparkling Resolution. You don't have to buy a bottle. You can go to your favorite place with a good wine list and enjoy a glass of sparkle over lunch or dinner or share a bottle or half bottle as we will today.

We'll toast all the people along the way, from grapevine to glass, who dedicate themselves to bringing great wine our way!

Related Posts:

Here's the original post on this wine.

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino

November 1, 2018
Make Room for More Plants on Your Plate

Is a large piece of meat the centerpiece of your plate? Is eating the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables a chore for you? Maybe it’s time to make room for more plants on your personal menu. With so many people opting for alternatives to the meat-heavy American diet, it’s becoming easier to enjoy healthier produce-heavy recipes at home and away.

Chefs Leading the Way

For inspiration on the creative use of fruits and vegetables in main courses, I look at menus at small, local restaurants where a chef is creating new recipes to tempt diners. One great example is a lobster salad that has been on the menu the last few months at Select Oyster Bar (shown in the photos above).

Like many New Englanders, I love lobster. But for me a whole lobster meal or hot buttery lobster roll has to be an occasional treat. The lobster salad that Chef Michael Serpa created is something that I’m comfortable eating more often. He has loaded it with vegetables; dressed it with a light, zingy dressing; and used a generous amount of lobster as a part of a more complex and, in the end, more interesting dish.

Chef Jody Adams’ new restaurant Porto in the Prudential Center complex tempted me with a meatless meal made up of a wonderful salad and delightful pasta dish. Adding figs, pecorino cheese, and crispy, thin croutons to an arugula salad made it fun, filling, and delicious. That and a plate of pasta (campanelle with feta, soft herbs, pine nuts, and tomato) were all I needed for Sunday brunch. I didn’t realize, until I looked back on it, that I had selected a meatless meal.

Meat as a Condiment in Ethnic Favorites

If you are looking to boost your veggie intake, think about some of your favorite ethnic meals, especially from places where those dishes are less Americanized. A takeout order from a more traditional Chinese restaurant like Gourmet Dumpling in Chinatown or their sister restaurant Dumpling Palace on Massachusetts Avenue can easily be vegetable-forward.

I usually add an all-vegetable dish like sautéed string beans to our order. But many of the dishes that do include meat use that protein as a condiment rather than as the majority of the meal. With a more traditional, less Chinese/American approach, even a dish like Kung Pao Chicken has more vegetables than meat in these hands.

Think of your favorite noodle and rice dishes like the Bun Thit Nuong from Pho Basil shown above. How much meat vs rice or noodles do they contain?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)

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April 26, 2017
Make Room for More Plants on Your Plate

Is a large piece of meat the centerpiece of your plate? Is eating the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables a chore for you? Maybe it’s time to make room for more plants on your personal menu. With so many people opting for alternatives to the meat-heavy American diet, it’s becoming easier to enjoy healthier produce-heavy recipes at home and away.

Chefs Leading the Way

For inspiration on the creative use of fruits and vegetables in main courses, I look at menus at small, local restaurants where a chef is creating new recipes to tempt diners. One great example is a lobster salad that has been on the menu the last few months at Select Oyster Bar (shown in the photos above).

Like many New Englanders, I love lobster. But for me a whole lobster meal or hot buttery lobster roll has to be an occasional treat. The lobster salad that Chef Michael Serpa created is something that I’m comfortable eating more often. He has loaded it with vegetables; dressed it with a light, zingy dressing; and used a generous amount of lobster as a part of a more complex and, in the end, more interesting dish.

Chef Jody Adams’ new restaurant Porto in the Prudential Center complex tempted me with a meatless meal made up of a wonderful salad and delightful pasta dish. Adding figs, pecorino cheese, and crispy, thin croutons to an arugula salad made it fun, filling, and delicious. That and a plate of pasta (campanelle with feta, soft herbs, pine nuts, and tomato) were all I needed for Sunday brunch. I didn’t realize, until I looked back on it, that I had selected a meatless meal.

Meat as a Condiment in Ethnic Favorites

If you are looking to boost your veggie intake, think about some of your favorite ethnic meals, especially from places where those dishes are less Americanized. A takeout order from a more traditional Chinese restaurant like Gourmet Dumpling in Chinatown or their sister restaurant Dumpling Palace on Massachusetts Avenue can easily be vegetable-forward.

I usually add an all-vegetable dish like sautéed string beans to our order. But many of the dishes that do include meat use that protein as a condiment rather than as the majority of the meal. With a more traditional, less Chinese/American approach, even a dish like Kung Pao Chicken has more vegetables than meat in these hands.

Think of your favorite noodle and rice dishes like the Bun Thit Nuong from Pho Basil shown above. How much meat vs rice or noodles do they contain?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)

Related articles

Bun Thit Nuong: A Fresh, Cool Summer Dish from Vietnam

Coming Home with Full Bags from the Copley Farmers Market

April 26, 2017
Ordering Specials at Your Favorite Restaurants

Restaurants become favorites because they make us feel comfortable. We know we'll find foods we love on the menu and perhaps we go there with a particular dish in mind.

For Penny, it's often a craving for the Stoughton shrimp or Blue Prawns on the plancha that directs our feet to Select Oyster Bar.

While one dish (plus great service, a fabulous wine selection, and relaxed atmosphere) drew us to the door, we always look at the specials board and review the menu for new items.

This summer these "Sautéed Petite Clams with Spanish Chorizo, parsley, lemon, and toasted garlic" popped up on the menu. We are both so glad we ordered it and have since recommended it to friends.

That same day this "Corn and Lobster Chowder with Chorizo Oil" was on the specials board and we both considered it one of the best chowders we had ever spooned up.

Missing Old Favorites

Don't get us wrong. We are still going to order those favorite menu items. We'll never regret all the times we shared a dish of Hamersley's Roasted Chicken. (Here's the recipe if you are missing it too.)

But we also rejoice in memories of the first dish of skate we ever tasted at Hamersley's or the many other masterpieces that arrived in front of us from that kitchen.

So when you find yourself sitting in a familiar place with a well-known menu, don't set it aside and go with your usual. Ask your server what's on the specials list and if any new items have been added to the menu. You could end up with a spectacular seasonal dish like the Rainbow trout with fiddleheads and bacon (photo above) that we enjoyed at Select Oyster this past spring.

Things Also Change Without Warning!

Sometimes an old item has been given a new twist and you may want to know that before you order it. We recently ordered a favorite sandwich for take-out from a local spot we frequent regularly. It came slathered with mayo instead of with chipotle ketchup as it had been in the past. Now we order it, "the old way" and specify, "no mayo."

What's on your food lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Best Bite: Blue Prawns on the Plancha at Select Oyster Bar

July 27, 2016
Ordering Specials at Your Favorite Restaurants

Restaurants become favorites because they make us feel comfortable. We know we'll find foods we love on the menu and perhaps we go there with a particular dish in mind.

For Penny, it's often a craving for the Stoughton shrimp or Blue Prawns on the plancha that directs our feet to Select Oyster Bar.

While one dish (plus great service, a fabulous wine selection, and relaxed atmosphere) drew us to the door, we always look at the specials board and review the menu for new items.

This summer these "Sautéed Petite Clams with Spanish Chorizo, parsley, lemon, and toasted garlic" popped up on the menu. We are both so glad we ordered it and have since recommended it to friends.

That same day this "Corn and Lobster Chowder with Chorizo Oil" was on the specials board and we both considered it one of the best chowders we had ever spooned up.

Missing Old Favorites

Don't get us wrong. We are still going to order those favorite menu items. We'll never regret all the times we shared a dish of Hamersley's Roasted Chicken. (Here's the recipe if you are missing it too.)

But we also rejoice in memories of the first dish of skate we ever tasted at Hamersley's or the many other masterpieces that arrived in front of us from that kitchen.

So when you find yourself sitting in a familiar place with a well-known menu, don't set it aside and go with your usual. Ask your server what's on the specials list and if any new items have been added to the menu. You could end up with a spectacular seasonal dish like the Rainbow trout with fiddleheads and bacon (photo above) that we enjoyed at Select Oyster this past spring.

Things Also Change Without Warning!

Sometimes an old item has been given a new twist and you may want to know that before you order it. We recently ordered a favorite sandwich for take-out from a local spot we frequent regularly. It came slathered with mayo instead of with chipotle ketchup as it had been in the past. Now we order it, "the old way" and specify, "no mayo."

What's on your food lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Best Bite: Blue Prawns on the Plancha at Select Oyster Bar

July 27, 2016
Where to Dine on Father’s Day In & Around Boston 2016

Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, 2016.

For Father's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurant suggestions:

Open Table always does a great job guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list.

Boston Chefs has a special list from their members.

More ideas – last year Eater Boston prepared of list of places to consider.

Would your Dad love to get his hands on some great seafood offerings at Select Oyster Bar? (They do have a steak on the menu, if that would make it a good choice.)

Our Picks:

Select Oyster Bar is a great option this Father's Day. Here are a couple of links to some of the meals we've enjoyed there.

Blue Prawns on the Plancha at Select Oyster Bar

SELECT Oyster Bar: Our First Taste

Row 34 in the Fort Point Neighborhood. Wouldn't Dad love to slurp a few Island Creeks or Row 34 oysters? And match those beauties with the perfect brew from one of the taps or the current cask beer?

Here's more on what we've enjoyed at Row 34 …

Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on anyone with a preference for vegetarian fare. And remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!) Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:

Sweet Cheeks BBQ: A First Look

Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

Salt & Pepper Potatoes at Sweet Cheeks Q

Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

How about simple Italian-American food in a very comfortable setting. We suggest Artu in the North End or on Charles Street in Beacon Hill. Here's one of our favorite menu items.

If you'd like to treat Dad to something really special, consider the ultimate hamburger at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Season's Hotel. Lunch there for just the two of you, some quiet afternoon, could be a great IOU if you can't be together on the 21st. Here's what we wrote about that burger.

Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to Formaggio Kitchen South End across the street. We always do! And that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:

Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

Coppa- A First Look

Photo of Evelyn's Drive-In, Tiverton, Rhode Island courtesy of that great resource for finding all the dining traditions Boston and beyond has to offer, Hidden Boston.

Our final suggestion is a trip down memory lane. Take Dad someplace where he used to take you if you have an old favorite that survives to this day. For Penny, this might be Evelyn's Drive-In. For Ed, The Bubbling Brook in Westwood. This day would be about remembering and laughing as much as about the food.

And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn't shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.

Details:
Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino and Evelyn's courtesy of Hidden Boston.

Related articles

Patio & Picnic Season Means More Dining Out Options

Advent Artist on Beacon Hill

Where to Pick Up Great Food for Boston Summer 2014 Events

June 10, 2016
Where to Dine on Father’s Day In & Around Boston 2016

Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, 2016.

For Father's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurant suggestions:

Open Table always does a great job guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list.

Boston Chefs has a special list from their members.

More ideas – last year Eater Boston prepared of list of places to consider.

Would your Dad love to get his hands on some great seafood offerings at Select Oyster Bar? (They do have a steak on the menu, if that would make it a good choice.)

Our Picks:

Select Oyster Bar is a great option this Father's Day. Here are a couple of links to some of the meals we've enjoyed there.

Blue Prawns on the Plancha at Select Oyster Bar

SELECT Oyster Bar: Our First Taste

Row 34 in the Fort Point Neighborhood. Wouldn't Dad love to slurp a few Island Creeks or Row 34 oysters? And match those beauties with the perfect brew from one of the taps or the current cask beer?

Here's more on what we've enjoyed at Row 34 …

Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on anyone with a preference for vegetarian fare. And remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!) Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:

Sweet Cheeks BBQ: A First Look

Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

Salt & Pepper Potatoes at Sweet Cheeks Q

Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

How about simple Italian-American food in a very comfortable setting. We suggest Artu in the North End or on Charles Street in Beacon Hill. Here's one of our favorite menu items.

If you'd like to treat Dad to something really special, consider the ultimate hamburger at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Season's Hotel. Lunch there for just the two of you, some quiet afternoon, could be a great IOU if you can't be together on the 21st. Here's what we wrote about that burger.

Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to Formaggio Kitchen South End across the street. We always do! And that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:

Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

Coppa- A First Look

Photo of Evelyn's Drive-In, Tiverton, Rhode Island courtesy of that great resource for finding all the dining traditions Boston and beyond has to offer, Hidden Boston.

Our final suggestion is a trip down memory lane. Take Dad someplace where he used to take you if you have an old favorite that survives to this day. For Penny, this might be Evelyn's Drive-In. For Ed, The Bubbling Brook in Westwood. This day would be about remembering and laughing as much as about the food.

And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn't shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.

Details:
Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino and Evelyn's courtesy of Hidden Boston.

Related articles

Patio & Picnic Season Means More Dining Out Options

Advent Artist on Beacon Hill

Where to Pick Up Great Food for Boston Summer 2014 Events

June 10, 2016
Poured from On High, Txakoli Rose Is a Great Seaside or Seafood Wine

We are welcoming May with a slightly effervescent bottle of Txakoli Rosé. April was a rosy month for us. Txakoli Rosé returned to the wine list at Select Oyster Bar. We enjoyed it there, both before and after our vacation in Provincetown.

On our first day in Ptown, we asked our trusted, local wine merchants at Perry's Wine & Liquors if they had Txakoli. "It's coming in tomorrow," was the reply. We returned the next day to stock up for our own enjoyment and for any guests who happened to join us for a glass of wine and bit of cheese. (Some neighbors from Boston were in town during our stay and we may have added them to the list of fans of the Basque wines.)

Perry's was carrying the Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli Rose. We paired its casual sparkle with a variety of foods from Spanish cheese to lobster and scallops, throughout our days by the sea.

We loved and agree with the description of this wine from PJ Wine in NYC …

"Txakoli rose is like salted watermelon juice. It's like the ocean air drifting through a raspberry bush. It's like… well, it's like heaven. For summer drinking, for salty fried things, for any grilled thing from the sea with olive oil and salt, the straight Txomin Txakoli is one of our favorite drinks. In rose form, it's even better! Think of the refreshing San Sebastian elixir with cranberry tartness in place of the limes. Not sure who wouldn't like this wine, it's that good and refreshing. With just a tiny spritz of bubbles it's also an ideal aperitif, so go ahead and drink this all year long. – PJ"

Back in Boston, we slipped into a couple of bar seats at Select Oyster to enjoy Chef Michael Serpa's selection, UlaciaTxakolina Rose. On this visit, we matched it with shared plates of Gloucester Swordfish, Scallops Ceviche, and a side of Avocado Toast – another delicious combination.

Perhaps it's that the sea air is so close to where the grapes for this wine are grown. Or maybe it's the crisp flavor and low alcohol (11%) that make this gem a perfect match for spring, summer, and the best of living near the Atlantic Ocean. All we know is that we've become devoted Txakoli fans.

We've even purchased the special stoppers (traditional Spanish escanciadors) that aerate the wine as it's poured into a glass from on high. Above is Elisha behind the bar at Select doing the Basque high pour for us.

By the way, Elisha did ask if we preferred it served in wine glasses or in the traditional tumblers used in the Basque region for both the wines of Txakolina and the area's famous ciders. This is an easygoing, fun wine perfect for summer on the roof deck, patio, or a chair by the sea. Those places can be windy and have you clinging to your stemware. So relax, hold a Txakoli on high, pour it splashing into a tumbler, and join our Sparkling Resolution as we toast May and look forward to the warmer days of summer 2016!

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, today's post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Michael Serpa Selects Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736 as Our Sparkler for June 2015

Sherry, A Trending Drink and a Great Book

May 1, 2016
Boston Needs a Toast Truck!

We've been talking toast around here because that's one of the things we've been seeing and hearing more about the past few months. It's also something we'd like to see more food folks explore.

If you know someone who has been itching to start a food truck, tell them it's time Boston had a "Toast Truck." Other cities have toast trucks and we think Boston's turn is overdue.

Great Bread is the start of any great toast, so we think the Toast Truck should partner with a great bakery like Clear Flour or Iggy's. Many of the great toast meals we create begin with bread from one of those places.

Select Oyster Bar's Black Mission Fig Tartinettes with Smoked Rhode Island Bluefish. (More photos here.)

Maybe the toast truck could follow the lead of Parish Cafe and feature menu items created or inspired by the great chefs around Boston. Michael Serpa from Select Oyster Bar should be one of the first to be asked.

How many slices?

One great thing about a toast meal is that you can have as many slices as fit your appetite. If you want to snack on a single slice of Banana and nutmeg on toast, you can order one slice. If you're training for a marathon and just did a long run, you can order two or three!

Photo from Wikipedia post on toasters

One reason we often have something on toast is because it's quick – and quick is essential to food truck success. With one of those classic diner conveyor toasters on board, a crew could create traditional "toaster" toast in a jiffy. They could also broil, fry, grill, or oven-toast.

Even the logo and graphics would be easy since most food trucks are already shaped like toasters.

Yes, we think a Toast Truck could be a hit. What would you like to see offered by a Boston Toast Truck?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Bun Thit Nuong: A Fresh, Cool Summer Dish from Vietnam

Michael Serpa Selects Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736 as Our Sparkler for June 2015

January 21, 2016
Boston Needs a Toast Truck!

We've been talking toast around here because that's one of the things we've been seeing and hearing more about the past few months. It's also something we'd like to see more food folks explore.

If you know someone who has been itching to start a food truck, tell them it's time Boston had a "Toast Truck." Other cities have toast trucks and we think Boston's turn is overdue.

Great Bread is the start of any great toast, so we think the Toast Truck should partner with a great bakery like Clear Flour or Iggy's. Many of the great toast meals we create begin with bread from one of those places.

Select Oyster Bar's Black Mission Fig Tartinettes with Smoked Rhode Island Bluefish. (More photos here.)

Maybe the toast truck could follow the lead of Parish Cafe and feature menu items created or inspired by the great chefs around Boston. Michael Serpa from Select Oyster Bar should be one of the first to be asked.

How many slices?

One great thing about a toast meal is that you can have as many slices as fit your appetite. If you want to snack on a single slice of Banana and nutmeg on toast, you can order one slice. If you're training for a marathon and just did a long run, you can order two or three!

Photo from Wikipedia post on toasters

One reason we often have something on toast is because it's quick – and quick is essential to food truck success. With one of those classic diner conveyor toasters on board, a crew could create traditional "toaster" toast in a jiffy. They could also broil, fry, grill, or oven-toast.

Even the logo and graphics would be easy since most food trucks are already shaped like toasters.

Yes, we think a Toast Truck could be a hit. What would you like to see offered by a Boston Toast Truck?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Bun Thit Nuong: A Fresh, Cool Summer Dish from Vietnam

Michael Serpa Selects Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736 as Our Sparkler for June 2015

January 21, 2016