Tag: island creek oyster bar

Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2013 in Boston
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine this New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place!

This is an outdated post. Click below for the link to:

Where to Dine on New Year's Eve 2015 & New Year's Day Brunch 2016

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
- Are you looking for a place to ring in 2014 with a happy crowd?
- Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
- Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
- Is a walk to view the ice sculptures and skating on the Frog Pond more yours style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.

We always recommend Hamersley's Bistro as a perfect place to enjoy a meal on a special occasion. It's been one of the few exceptions to our stay-at-home rule. This year, they're planning a four-course prix fixe menu with a champagne toast if you're there at midnight.

Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's celebrations at area restaurants.

You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day.

And, here are a few suggestions published by Boston's great food sites last year: We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.
- 12.27.12: Eater Boston has added its Map of What to do on New Year's Eve.
- 12.28.12: Grub Street Boston put up their, "Grub Guide: Where to Get Dreamy Takeout on New Year's Eve," some good choices there.
There are also restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputation on high quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
- Island Creek Oyster Bar is serving its regular menu and, for that kindness, we've put them at the top of this list.
- Eastern Standard, next door, is doing the same. Regular menu, great wine list, craft cocktails.
- Grotto on Beacon Hill, Kitchen in the South End, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
- Brasserie JO has a special menu but alway provides great food in a relaxed atmosphere, and their desserts are a party in themselves.
- La Morra in Brookline – chef Josh Ziskin says he saves some of his most prized dishes just for this evening. He's serving a four-course Italian dinner with a glass of Prosecco for toasting.
Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

To be notified of updates to this post, sign-on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on Twitter for updates.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Photo: iStockphoto.com

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
December 17, 2013
Father’s Day Dining 2013 In & Around Boston

Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Unlike many special occasion days, more restaurants are featuring their regular menus for Dad with a few specials added in some places.

Here’s a link to our ” Dining around Boston on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 post.

Would your Dad love to get his hands into some great BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q?

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 Chef’s has a special list from their members. (They will keep adding information to this list as the day draws near.)

Watch this space for updates with links as other reliable sources post their Father’s Day choices. Follow us on Twitter for update alerts.

Updates:

06.05.13 Just had word from Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge that they will host a Father’s Day Barbecue in their outdoor grill garden.

Our picks: We looked at our selections from last year and think they all still stand.

On chowhound, one contributor said that, “Island Creek is the one to beat these days…” We agree. In our opinion, Island Creek Oyster Bar sets the standard for relaxed, comfortable dining with outstanding food and great cocktail and wine programs. We haven’t given them nearly as much coverage as we should, considering how much we like the place. Here’s a post from their early days, and they continue to set the bar high. So, if you want a table there, call right now.

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 any one 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!)

And, if you’re going to Dad’s house, consider ordering take out from Sweet Cheeks. We had our first take out from there recently and were very pleased. Ask Dad to turn on his oven for a quick reheat the right way and arrive with great food in hand.

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 Seasons 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 16th. 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 South End Formaggio 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:

Patio Season Launched At Coppa

Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

Coppa- A First Look

And, if you’re thinking of adventure and the South End, how about a guided tour of the food trucks gathered at the SOWA Open Market each Sunday. No resevations needed! Check out:

SOWA Market: Where to Find Food Trucks!

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: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Related articles

Patio Season Launched At Coppa

It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!

Father’s Day Appetizers

June 4, 2013
Father’s Day Dining 2013 In & Around Boston

Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Unlike many special occasion days, more restaurants are featuring their regular menus for Dad with a few specials added in some places.

Here’s a link to our ” Dining around Boston on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 post.

Would your Dad love to get his hands into some great BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q?

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 Chef’s has a special list from their members. (They will keep adding information to this list as the day draws near.)

Watch this space for updates with links as other reliable sources post their Father’s Day choices. Follow us on Twitter for update alerts.

Updates:

06.05.13 Just had word from Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge that they will host a Father’s Day Barbecue in their outdoor grill garden.

Our picks: We looked at our selections from last year and think they all still stand.

On chowhound, one contributor said that, “Island Creek is the one to beat these days…” We agree. In our opinion, Island Creek Oyster Bar sets the standard for relaxed, comfortable dining with outstanding food and great cocktail and wine programs. We haven’t given them nearly as much coverage as we should, considering how much we like the place. Here’s a post from their early days, and they continue to set the bar high. So, if you want a table there, call right now.

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 any one 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!)

And, if you’re going to Dad’s house, consider ordering take out from Sweet Cheeks. We had our first take out from there recently and were very pleased. Ask Dad to turn on his oven for a quick reheat the right way and arrive with great food in hand.

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 Seasons 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 16th. 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 South End Formaggio 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:

Patio Season Launched At Coppa

Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

Coppa- A First Look

And, if you’re thinking of adventure and the South End, how about a guided tour of the food trucks gathered at the SOWA Open Market each Sunday. No resevations needed! Check out:

SOWA Market: Where to Find Food Trucks!

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: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Related articles

Patio Season Launched At Coppa

It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!

Father’s Day Appetizers

June 4, 2013
Father’s Day Dining 2013 In & Around Boston

Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Dad to a meal out on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Unlike many special occasion days, more restaurants are featuring their regular menus for Dad with a few specials added in some places.

Here’s a link to our ” Dining around Boston on Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 post.

Would your Dad love to get his hands into some great BBQ at Sweet Cheeks Q?

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 Chef’s has a special list from their members. (They will keep adding information to this list as the day draws near.)

Watch this space for updates with links as other reliable sources post their Father’s Day choices. Follow us on Twitter for update alerts.

Updates:

06.05.13 Just had word from Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge that they will host a Father’s Day Barbecue in their outdoor grill garden.

Our picks: We looked at our selections from last year and think they all still stand.

On chowhound, one contributor said that, “Island Creek is the one to beat these days…” We agree. In our opinion, Island Creek Oyster Bar sets the standard for relaxed, comfortable dining with outstanding food and great cocktail and wine programs. We haven’t given them nearly as much coverage as we should, considering how much we like the place. Here’s a post from their early days, and they continue to set the bar high. So, if you want a table there, call right now.

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 any one 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!)

And, if you’re going to Dad’s house, consider ordering take out from Sweet Cheeks. We had our first take out from there recently and were very pleased. Ask Dad to turn on his oven for a quick reheat the right way and arrive with great food in hand.

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 Seasons 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 16th. 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 South End Formaggio 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:

Patio Season Launched At Coppa

Friday Lunch at Coppa, an Italian Seduction

Coppa Italian Grinder: A Best Bite

Coppa- A First Look

And, if you’re thinking of adventure and the South End, how about a guided tour of the food trucks gathered at the SOWA Open Market each Sunday. No resevations needed! Check out:

SOWA Market: Where to Find Food Trucks!

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: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Related articles

Patio Season Launched At Coppa

It’s Boston Pops Season, Where to Dine and Park!

Father’s Day Appetizers

June 4, 2013
Toast April with Nino Franco Prosecco – an 11% Sparkler!

Another month means another sparkling toast from us to the future. This time, we raise a glass of Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Not only does this wonderful Italian sparkler add light and life to our day, but it also does it with a low 11% alcohol so that we can have a glass for lunch and then go back to work.

(Note: We're not recommending that you drink and drive or do critical tasks after a glass of wine. We walk to our home office and only operate keyboards and cameras.)

This wine is 100% Glera, the traditional grape for Prosecco. In fact, the grape was called Prosecco for most of its history until recently. According to Wikipedia, the book "Il roccolo Ditirambo," written by Aureliano Acanti in 1754 says, "And now I would like to wet my mouth with that Prosecco with its apple bouquet."

This sparkler is also a great value when you can find it around the $15.99 price at retail. We bought ours at Bauer Wine & Spirits on Newbury Street.

It is straw colored with persistent bubbles and a crisp, pleasant flavor and, yes, an apple note that makes you understand how a host in the Veneto or Friuli regions of Italy might greet evey guest with a glass of this as a sparkling welcome.

You'll also find it on wine lists across the area. While it is about to rotate off the list at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square, we did enjoy a glass for lunch last week and could return to work and accomplish something post Nino! (Island Creek also has a reserve offering from Nino Franco on the current list that you may want to try.)

We're on the hunt for more wines in the 12% alcohol or less category. We'll also be posing this topic to some of our wine mentors and reporting back on their recommendations.

If you find a good one, let us know.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible



Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Related articles

March Sparkles with Argyle's 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It's a Sure Thing!

February Sparkles with a Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé

Nino Franco Grave di Stecca

Primo Franco

Wine Tasting – The Exciting Wines of Southern Italy

April 1, 2013
Toast April with Nino Franco Prosecco – an 11% Sparkler!

Another month means another sparkling toast from us to the future. This time, we raise a glass of Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Not only does this wonderful Italian sparkler add light and life to our day, but it also does it with a low 11% alcohol so that we can have a glass for lunch and then go back to work.

(Note: We're not recommending that you drink and drive or do critical tasks after a glass of wine. We walk to our home office and only operate keyboards and cameras.)

This wine is 100% Glera, the traditional grape for Prosecco. In fact, the grape was called Prosecco for most of its history until recently. According to Wikipedia, the book "Il roccolo Ditirambo," written by Aureliano Acanti in 1754 says, "And now I would like to wet my mouth with that Prosecco with its apple bouquet."

This sparkler is also a great value when you can find it around the $15.99 price at retail. We bought ours at Bauer Wine & Spirits on Newbury Street.

It is straw colored with persistent bubbles and a crisp, pleasant flavor and, yes, an apple note that makes you understand how a host in the Veneto or Friuli regions of Italy might greet evey guest with a glass of this as a sparkling welcome.

You'll also find it on wine lists across the area. While it is about to rotate off the list at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square, we did enjoy a glass for lunch last week and could return to work and accomplish something post Nino! (Island Creek also has a reserve offering from Nino Franco on the current list that you may want to try.)

We're on the hunt for more wines in the 12% alcohol or less category. We'll also be posing this topic to some of our wine mentors and reporting back on their recommendations.

If you find a good one, let us know.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible



Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Related articles

March Sparkles with Argyle's 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It's a Sure Thing!

February Sparkles with a Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé

Nino Franco Grave di Stecca

Primo Franco

Wine Tasting – The Exciting Wines of Southern Italy

April 1, 2013
Toast April with Nino Franco Prosecco – an 11% Sparkler!

Another month means another sparkling toast from us to the future. This time, we raise a glass of Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Not only does this wonderful Italian sparkler add light and life to our day, but it also does it with a low 11% alcohol so that we can have a glass for lunch and then go back to work.

(Note: We're not recommending that you drink and drive or do critical tasks after a glass of wine. We walk to our home office and only operate keyboards and cameras.)

This wine is 100% Glera, the traditional grape for Prosecco. In fact, the grape was called Prosecco for most of its history until recently. According to Wikipedia, the book "Il roccolo Ditirambo," written by Aureliano Acanti in 1754 says, "And now I would like to wet my mouth with that Prosecco with its apple bouquet."

This sparkler is also a great value when you can find it around the $15.99 price at retail. We bought ours at Bauer Wine & Spirits on Newbury Street.

It is straw colored with persistent bubbles and a crisp, pleasant flavor and, yes, an apple note that makes you understand how a host in the Veneto or Friuli regions of Italy might greet evey guest with a glass of this as a sparkling welcome.

You'll also find it on wine lists across the area. While it is about to rotate off the list at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square, we did enjoy a glass for lunch last week and could return to work and accomplish something post Nino! (Island Creek also has a reserve offering from Nino Franco on the current list that you may want to try.)

We're on the hunt for more wines in the 12% alcohol or less category. We'll also be posing this topic to some of our wine mentors and reporting back on their recommendations.

If you find a good one, let us know.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible



Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Related articles

March Sparkles with Argyle's 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It's a Sure Thing!

February Sparkles with a Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé

Nino Franco Grave di Stecca

Primo Franco

Wine Tasting – The Exciting Wines of Southern Italy

April 1, 2013
Seafood Feast for Christmas Eve

Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Link in details below.

While you may think of lobster as summer fare, around our house it's a Christmas Eve tradition. Think about it, the reason Maine Lobster is so good is those freezing cold waters that make swimming from Maine’s ocean beaches a shocking experience. This time of year, water temperatures drop throughout our area and lobsters have better flavor.

Our Lobsters will come from James Hook & Company (below) on the Waterfront.

Do you have a traditional Christmas Eve meal? Please share it with us and our readers in the comments or via Twitter.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

For many Italian families, the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia di Natale, is a tradition. And, because preparing this meal at home can be daunting for the cook, it’s a good time to invite guests who will bring a dish or help in the kitchen – especially if your family’s version actually calls for 9, 11, or 13 fishes.

(Update 12.20.12 @ 5:12 pm) Just found this coversation over on Chowhound's Boston Board about other places doing the Feast with some reviews on past feasts. Feast of the Seven Fishes on Chowhound

Get the Salt Cod Early

One element of most traditional Christmas Eve feasts is salt cod or baccalà. This is the one product you need to buy right away. Soaking it, to rehydrate and remove the salt, can be a long process and is best begun at least a couple of days before you plan to use it.

We’ve purchased excellent salt cod from Salumeria Italiana in the North End. Baccalà is one of those products you want to buy from a trusted specialty shop or fishmonger. There's a very wide range of salt cod quality and if this is for a special occasion, why not buy from someone who's made sure you will have the best.

There was a discussion with Boston Chowhounds about a good place to buy salt cod, earlier this year. Lots of good advice there.

Join a Restaurant Feast

For the non-cooks, there are area restaurants serving their versions of the feast this year. Grotto in Beacon Hill has had rave reviews of their special feast menu in past years. Sister restaurant Marliave is also joining in the feasting with their own version.

Other places for fish feasting are Dante in Cambridge, Davio’s in the Theatre District, and Legal Harborside out in the Seaport area. The North End’s Neptune Oyster is doing it tonight (12.20.12) for those who have to be elsewhere on Christmas Eve. For all these places, reservations are recommended.

Upddate 12.20.12 one of our favorite places, Coppa has added a feast and they are doing prixe fixe or a la carte.

Make Up Your Own

You might decide to have your own taylor made seafood feast during the holidays. You can buy and cook your favorite fish or dine out choosing the menu items that appeal to you. Another option is meeting up with friends at a great seafood restaurant like Island Creek Oyster Bar and sharing a bunch of items that appeal to the group. That could help nudge you out of your seafood comfort zone.

The nice thing about menus for this holiday is that they are less prescribed, letting you start your own traditions. Let us know what you decide to create for your own Chistmas eve menu.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Used under this creative commons license.

Crab photo: © 2012 Penny Cherubino James Hook photo: © 2008 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining in Boston 2012

Christmas in Italy

One fish, two fish: Seven fishes for Christmas

December 20, 2012
Seafood Feast for Christmas Eve

Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Link in details below.

While you may think of lobster as summer fare, around our house it's a Christmas Eve tradition. Think about it, the reason Maine Lobster is so good is those freezing cold waters that make swimming from Maine’s ocean beaches a shocking experience. This time of year, water temperatures drop throughout our area and lobsters have better flavor.

Our Lobsters will come from James Hook & Company (below) on the Waterfront.

Do you have a traditional Christmas Eve meal? Please share it with us and our readers in the comments or via Twitter.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

For many Italian families, the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia di Natale, is a tradition. And, because preparing this meal at home can be daunting for the cook, it’s a good time to invite guests who will bring a dish or help in the kitchen – especially if your family’s version actually calls for 9, 11, or 13 fishes.

(Update 12.20.12 @ 5:12 pm) Just found this coversation over on Chowhound's Boston Board about other places doing the Feast with some reviews on past feasts. Feast of the Seven Fishes on Chowhound

Get the Salt Cod Early

One element of most traditional Christmas Eve feasts is salt cod or baccalà. This is the one product you need to buy right away. Soaking it, to rehydrate and remove the salt, can be a long process and is best begun at least a couple of days before you plan to use it.

We’ve purchased excellent salt cod from Salumeria Italiana in the North End. Baccalà is one of those products you want to buy from a trusted specialty shop or fishmonger. There's a very wide range of salt cod quality and if this is for a special occasion, why not buy from someone who's made sure you will have the best.

There was a discussion with Boston Chowhounds about a good place to buy salt cod, earlier this year. Lots of good advice there.

Join a Restaurant Feast

For the non-cooks, there are area restaurants serving their versions of the feast this year. Grotto in Beacon Hill has had rave reviews of their special feast menu in past years. Sister restaurant Marliave is also joining in the feasting with their own version.

Other places for fish feasting are Dante in Cambridge, Davio’s in the Theatre District, and Legal Harborside out in the Seaport area. The North End’s Neptune Oyster is doing it tonight (12.20.12) for those who have to be elsewhere on Christmas Eve. For all these places, reservations are recommended.

Upddate 12.20.12 one of our favorite places, Coppa has added a feast and they are doing prixe fixe or a la carte.

Make Up Your Own

You might decide to have your own taylor made seafood feast during the holidays. You can buy and cook your favorite fish or dine out choosing the menu items that appeal to you. Another option is meeting up with friends at a great seafood restaurant like Island Creek Oyster Bar and sharing a bunch of items that appeal to the group. That could help nudge you out of your seafood comfort zone.

The nice thing about menus for this holiday is that they are less prescribed, letting you start your own traditions. Let us know what you decide to create for your own Chistmas eve menu.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Used under this creative commons license.

Crab photo: © 2012 Penny Cherubino James Hook photo: © 2008 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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December 20, 2012
Seafood Feast for Christmas Eve

Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Link in details below.

While you may think of lobster as summer fare, around our house it's a Christmas Eve tradition. Think about it, the reason Maine Lobster is so good is those freezing cold waters that make swimming from Maine’s ocean beaches a shocking experience. This time of year, water temperatures drop throughout our area and lobsters have better flavor.

Our Lobsters will come from James Hook & Company (below) on the Waterfront.

Do you have a traditional Christmas Eve meal? Please share it with us and our readers in the comments or via Twitter.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

For many Italian families, the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia di Natale, is a tradition. And, because preparing this meal at home can be daunting for the cook, it’s a good time to invite guests who will bring a dish or help in the kitchen – especially if your family’s version actually calls for 9, 11, or 13 fishes.

(Update 12.20.12 @ 5:12 pm) Just found this coversation over on Chowhound's Boston Board about other places doing the Feast with some reviews on past feasts. Feast of the Seven Fishes on Chowhound

Get the Salt Cod Early

One element of most traditional Christmas Eve feasts is salt cod or baccalà. This is the one product you need to buy right away. Soaking it, to rehydrate and remove the salt, can be a long process and is best begun at least a couple of days before you plan to use it.

We’ve purchased excellent salt cod from Salumeria Italiana in the North End. Baccalà is one of those products you want to buy from a trusted specialty shop or fishmonger. There's a very wide range of salt cod quality and if this is for a special occasion, why not buy from someone who's made sure you will have the best.

There was a discussion with Boston Chowhounds about a good place to buy salt cod, earlier this year. Lots of good advice there.

Join a Restaurant Feast

For the non-cooks, there are area restaurants serving their versions of the feast this year. Grotto in Beacon Hill has had rave reviews of their special feast menu in past years. Sister restaurant Marliave is also joining in the feasting with their own version.

Other places for fish feasting are Dante in Cambridge, Davio’s in the Theatre District, and Legal Harborside out in the Seaport area. The North End’s Neptune Oyster is doing it tonight (12.20.12) for those who have to be elsewhere on Christmas Eve. For all these places, reservations are recommended.

Upddate 12.20.12 one of our favorite places, Coppa has added a feast and they are doing prixe fixe or a la carte.

Make Up Your Own

You might decide to have your own taylor made seafood feast during the holidays. You can buy and cook your favorite fish or dine out choosing the menu items that appeal to you. Another option is meeting up with friends at a great seafood restaurant like Island Creek Oyster Bar and sharing a bunch of items that appeal to the group. That could help nudge you out of your seafood comfort zone.

The nice thing about menus for this holiday is that they are less prescribed, letting you start your own traditions. Let us know what you decide to create for your own Chistmas eve menu.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Used under this creative commons license.

Crab photo: © 2012 Penny Cherubino James Hook photo: © 2008 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining in Boston 2012

Christmas in Italy

One fish, two fish: Seven fishes for Christmas

December 20, 2012