James Hook and Co Visited 9/28/2018 4 Forks

James Hook and Co  15-17 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02110

I was in Boston for a partner event and of course you can't go to Boston without getting a lobster roll.  It was a bit challenging because I was really only there for 24 hours and most of the time I was at a partner sponsored event so there wasn't much time to skip out to eat.  But Farzana and I managed to squeeze in 1 lobster roll in the morning before our 12pm flight.  Yes,  I had lobster at 10am but it was definitely worth it. 

We calculated that if we made it to James Hook right when it opened at 10am and ordered right away, we could still make it to the airport in time for our flight.  If I had more time (and if it wasn't before lunch time),  I would definitely have stayed longer and ordered a lot more food.  It's not really a restaurant but more of a seafood market that serves up a few eat-in dishes.  I could spend all day eating lobster, shrimp, chowder, clams and everything else they had there but I was on a mission for the lobster roll.  It's $20 and it's extremely  simple - huge chunks of lobster lightly dressed with mayo and nothing else.  It's served in a hot dog bun - not a potato bun which I docked .5 fork for (personal preference) but overall it was a really solid and tasty roll.   You could definitely taste the fresh lobster meat and it was a good mix of tail and claw. 

When we started to leave at 11am, it was already starting to get busy.  For this price point and for the other variety of food, I could definitely see myself coming here fairly often if I lived in the area. 

Photo Credit:  Yelp

1 Week in Amsterdam 9/15-9/22/2018 Part 3 - 4.5 Forks

Bird Thais  Zeedijk 72-74, 1012 BA Amsterdam                                                                      4.5 Forks

Who knew there would be delicious Thai food in the middle of the Red Light District?  But there is!  This place was super crowded with tourists and locals alike but it's definitely worth waiting for - especially if you've been eating kind of mediocre Dutch food for the past few days.   My usual go to food when I get home from any work or personal trip is a visit to my local Thai place, so this was a nice early detour to get some much needed Asian flavors and spices into my system.

The menu is extremely extensive and has all the usual suspects but they also have a lot of unique dishes too.  I opted to go for a red curry with squid (16 euros) and Farzana got a lychee curry.  We started with some fish cakes for the table, which were super tasty and some chicken thighs wrapped in bamboo leaves which were great too.  My squid curry was excellent - spicy but not to the point where you can't taste anything.  The squid was also prepared nicely and had a nice bite to it.  The usual blandness of the squid absorbed all the flavors of the red curry really well.  I tried the lychee curry and you know what?  It was actually really tasty - it was the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness.  I wonder why more places don't play with these two flavors more?

Sadly the only bummer of the night was that they ran out of mango sticky rice for dessert.  I saw another table get it and it looked amazing.  Waa Waa.  This place was definitely a great find and highly recommended if you're looking for a reprise from the chicken and potatoes that you usually find in Dutch restaurants.

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Water and Brood  Nieuwe Kerkstraat 84, 1018 EC Amsterdam                                                3 Forks

I'll give this place props and say that it's super cute and very Instagram worthy - which seems to be very important to restaurants these days.  It looks like the kind of place where a lot of students go to hang out or study but it is tiny so I wouldn't recommend going relax and chill out with a cup of coffee.  The staff is incredibly sweet here so the only bummer is that the dish that I ordered wasn't especially delicious (although now I see that they have taken it off the menu on their website, so maybe they knew that too). 

The menu is a combination of sandwiches, burgers and all day brunch-y food like omelet's and breakfast burritos.  For some reason, the Philly Cheesesteak was calling my name. I know, how good could a traditional American sandwich be in Amsterdam but I had to try it out. 

The steak wasn't thin stripes like in a traditional Philly way, but more like chopped up cubes of meat  and there wasn't enough melted cheese to it.  On top of that, the bread was med and dry.  Overall, I took a risk and that risk didn't pay off.  I took a small bite out of Farzana's omelet and it was pretty tasty - so I guess the lesson to be learned here is that you should stick to the basics in a cafe in Amsterdam and leave the cheesesteaks to the guys in Philly.  Total bill:  30 euros

Photo Credit:  Yelp

1 Week in Amsterdam 9/15-9/22/2018 Part 2 3-4 Forks

Kantjil and de Tijger    Spuistraat 291-293, 1012 VS Amsterdam                                               3 Forks

One thing I didn't really realize about Amsterdam before I started going for work was the plethora of Indonesian restaurants.  It's not the type of SE Asian cuisine that you see a lot of globally - it's usually more Thai or Vietnamese.  But since it used to be a Dutch colony it all makes sense now.  I haven't really eaten Indonesian food since I was in Bali but there's only so much Dutch food I can take.

I hadn't seen Vik in a really long time and through the power of social media I found out he was in Amsterdam at the same time.  We picked a local Indonesian place that was near my office and met up for lunch.  We split the lunch Rijsttafel - which is basically a sampling of a bunch of different small dishes for 2 people (17 euros each).  It's a great deal and it allows you to sample a little bit of everything.  It included white rice, chicken satay with peanut sauce, beef cooked in a "spicy" coconut sauce, green beans in black sauce, steamed vegetables with "spicy" peanut sauce and shrimp crackers.  I put the word spicy in quotations because none of it was spicy at all.  Most of the food was simple but tasty but we both commented on how it could have used more flavoring and heat to it.  I wasn't sure if they dumbed it down for us or if it was not spicy in general but it was definitely missing something to it.

While there wasn't anything specifically to complain about the food, it reminded me of why Indonesian food isn't the most popular.   It just doesn't pack the same flavor punch as the other SE Asian cuisines but if you're tired of meat and fries, it's worth checking out while you're in Amsterdam.

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Restaurant de Utrechtsedwarstafel   Utrechtsedwarsstraat 107-109 1017 WD Amsterdam      3.5 Forks

Yes, that is quite the Dutch restaurant name.  I feel kind of bad that all my reviews lately have been pretty lukewarm but that's kind of the way things have been in Amsterdam food-wise this 2nd go round.  While I love the city and think it has a lot to offer, only on very rare instances have I been absolutely blown away by the food here.  Most of my experiences on this 2nd trip were honestly adequate at best. 

We came here for a partner dinner and we pretty much took up the entire space.  It's quite cozy and seemed like it was family run - the owner clearly took a lot of pride in the food and wine. 

It was a pre-fixe meal given how many people there were, so I didn't get to choose my meal but most of dishes that came out were dishes that I probably would have ordered anyways:  duck rillette (quite good and the best part of the meal),  sliced tuna steak with beefsteak tomatoes (well balanced) and veal cheeks with kale (cheeks were too thinly sliced).   The food itself wasn't bad but what was not great and brought the rating down was the wine.   I felt so bad because the owner was clearly super proud of his collection and brought out this one red that was just so funky that none of us could put it down. My client, who isn't shy about things, made a clear icky face while drinking it.  They ended the meal with a meringue dessert that was a good palate cleanser but also not anything super creative.

This place is definitely a bit more local and off the beaten path, which I totally appreciate.  Maybe it's all these pre-fix meals I've been having with large groups that skews the experience but it's still didn't feel up to the level of food I am normally used to in NYC.

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Tujuh Maret  Utrechtsestraat 73, 1017 VJ Amsterdam                                                                 4 Forks

This isn't a normal place I would give 4 forks too but I feel like I've been super harsh lately and needed to give some love.  Comparing this place to the other Indonesian restaurant, I definitely enjoyed this meal more.   

We walked in right at noon and the place was just being set up for the lunch hour.  There was literally one man doing everything - and when I say everything I mean everything.  From taking the chairs down, to taking our order, cooking the food and then finally serving us.  It was kind of crazy and as much as we complained about the slow service, it was very understandable.  A few people actually did walk out because they couldn't take it.  But once we finally ordered, the food came out relatively quickly.  I got a hard boiled egg in a sweet soy sauce as an appetizer, split the shrimp skewers that came with the same sweet sauce and then got as my entree chicken in a coconut sauce with green beans and fried noodles.  Similar to the other Indonesian restaurant, the dish was too mild but it still had better flavor to it, which is why I'm not going to ding it as much.  It honestly felt like I was eating in someone's living room (in a good way) and it was just nice to eat some white rice and Asian food for a change.

Photo Credit: Yelp

1 Week in Amsterdam 9/15-9/22/2018 Part 1 3.5-4 Forks

Omelegg Nieuwebrugsteeg 24, 1012 AH Amsterdam                                                              3.5 Forks

Another work week means another week back in Amsterdam (there are definitely worse places to be).  I had heard about this place from co-workers and didn't get to try it out last time, so I figured I would make a pit stop this go around.  It's exactly what you would expect from a place called Omelegg - it's a cute cozy brunch spot serving mostly students and young folks.  Also as you would expect, the menu is pretty focused on eggs.  It's actually a pretty impressive and extensive menu of omelets (some combinations I've never heard of before) and if you like breakfast food, this is definitely the place to go.

I kept it simple and got the Popeye with egg whites.  Not surprisingly, this was filled with spinach, mushroom, onion, farmer's cheese and oregano (7.95 euros).  All the ingredients were sauteed nicely, especially the onions.  It was served with toast and a small salad.  The food was totally fine and comforting.  It's a cute place to have breakfast and the service was surprisingly fast for Amsterdam.  If you're in the mood for a good old fashion egg breakfast, I would definitely recommend this place but it's also not going to be a life changing meal by any stretch. 

Restaurant Red   Keizersgracht 594, 1017 EN Amsterdam                                                          4 Forks

Do you like steak? Do you like lobster? Do you like french fries?  Who doesn't?  You can get all of this at Restaurant Red for a very reasonable price.  

This place was also recommended by one of the managers on my team - she said it's one of her go-to's in Amsterdam because it's near the office and in budget.  The prices are all very reasonable with a steak costing 22 euros, lobster for 30 euros or you can get both for 36 euros (you don't get a full lobster with the surf and turf - just half).  That's pretty much all they have on the menu except for a few small starters like steak tartare and caviar.  I felt like it was my duty to get the surf and turf but at the price point I wasn't expecting much.  The steak was surprisingly good - very juicy and nicely cooked.  It was a bit on the small side but enough for 1.  The lobster was only half and it was kind of skinny - with the claw being pretty non-existent.  Maine lobster this was not.  I actually don't like it when they cut the lobster length wise because you don't get the same feel from the tail that way.  The dish also comes with steak fries (my favorite part of Dutch meals) in case you're still hungry.  They were a bit dry, so I had to dunk them in mayo to keep them moist. 

The atmosphere is super dark and sexy and with the jet lag were were all about to fall asleep in our food.  But if you can stay awake, it's worth checking out if you're in the mood for meat and seafood. 

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Zuivere Koffie  Utrechtsestraat 39, 1017 VH Amsterdam                                                            4 Forks

This is one of those reviews where if I had written about it after my first experience I would have given it 3 forks.  But after having been there a few times afterwards, I've started to warm up to this place.  You just never know when you are going to catch a restaurant at a bad moment. 

So my first experience was bad only because of the super rude service - which I later learned is really just the Dutch way.  I know they are direct which I like in the business world but in cases like in the service industry, I prefer for them to be more warm and fuzzy.  I had ordered the 2 fried eggs on toast with roast beef (it's really prosciutto) and arugula but instead the waitress brought out another dish with fried eggs on it - it was fine, just not what I had ordered.  I told her that wasn't what I ordered and she was extremely adamant that I was wrong.  WTF? How did I not know what I ordered? After going back and forth unnecessarily several times, she brought me my food but I was so annoyed. Luckily, the food was quite delicious.  It's 2 perfectly fried eggs with cheese, thin slices of prosciutto and some salad on top.  The eggs were beautiful - they were these dark orange yolks and looked very organic/farm to table instead of the bright yellow yolks you see at home sometimes.   The orange juice there is also amazing - it's the freshest juice I've ever had.  You feel as if you're drinking 3 whole fresh oranges.

There's also a super cute cafe cat that hangs around the front tables.  She's super cute until she starts to step all over you and your food but if you nudge her away, she will generally comply. 

I've been here several times afterwards and while the service is still super slow, I've had different waitresses there each time and they're all been much nicer.  It's a convenient place for breakfast in the city centre if you're hotel doesn't serve it and it's one of the few places that opens before 9am, so you're able to get a good meal in and still get to the office at a reasonable hour. 

Photo Credit:  Yelp

72 Hours in Orlando Visited 9/10-9/13 3.5 Forks

Ocean Prime  7339 W Sand Lake Rd., Orlando, FL 32819

I'll keep this short and sweet because it's Orlando and let's be honest, there's not that much to write about here.  In fact, I'm not even going to review the other places I went to for dinner during the trip because that's how unmemorable they were and not worth my time.  Plus they were group dinners, so those are usually not indicative of the general experience. 

I had just gotten off the plane from Italy and turned around and headed straight to Orlando to meet my team for our annual America's meeting.  We were staying near Universal Studios and as I've mentioned before, most of the places in the city are big chains catered to tourists. 

Ocean Prime is also a big chain but it's slightly more upscale than a Margaritaville or TGI Fridays.  It's a steak and seafood house so they have a pretty decent line up of food options - steaks, sushi, crab cakes, etc.  I wasn't super hungry so I got the Cobb Salad ($22) while the rest of my team indulged in a 3 course meal for only $35, not bad and under budget!  The cobb salad was fine but it was mostly iceberg lettuce and the bacon was overly sweet but it had a decent line up of shellfish and other seafood.  I didn't try my team's 3 course meals but it included a steak which they all seemed to enjoy and the dessert was a huge hunk of chocolate cake.  

Overall, it was actually a slightly above average meal that you would expect from a larger chain restaurant.  I would gladly come here again vs. going to a Hooters any day of the week.  If you're tight for budget, the 3 course meal is definitely the way to go!  

Photo Credit:  Yelp

48 Hours in Varenna, Italy Visited 9/7-9/9/2018 3.5-4 Forks

Osteria Quarto Pass  Via XX Settembre 20, 23829 Varenna, Italy                                            3.5 Forks

If you've never been to Lake Como before, I can't high recommend it enough.  It is one of the most beautiful places I've been to in the world.  In terms of sheer natural beauty, there is nothing more spectacular than a view of the gorgeous lake on a clear sunny day where you can see across to the other cute towns.  Simply stunning.   I recommend staying away from the madness of Bellagio (way too many tourists and was my least favorite part of the region) and stay somewhere slightly less crowded like Varenna.  It was perfect there - a few shops and restaurants but overall super quiet.  The best part is that the train station is located in town, so it's easy to get back to Milan from here.

The only downside to Lake Como is that I would say the food scene is not as great as it is in other parts of Italy.  Let's face it, you're coming here for the scenery and not the food.  That being said, the food is decent, just not spectacular.  We went to this local joint our first night in Varenna as it was recommended by our Airbnb host.  It's a quaint neighborhood restaurant with a few local specials.  Every restaurant in town boasts about their "lake fish" entrees - I believe it's literally fish they pluck from the lake.   I'll be honest and as someone who loves fish, lake fish isn't the tastiest. 

I started off with a basic beef tartare - it's was pretty good except there weren't any capers or raw egg with it.  It was very plain and simple but good enough.  Next I got the mixed grill of lake fish - it was a variety of different grilled fish fillets prepared a few different ways.  None of it was really mind blowing.  Kinney got the fish pasta and it is actually wasn't very good - I have never really been a huge fan of mixing fish and pasta but this one just had that extra fishy taste to it.  Others at the table got the special ravioli with ricotta cheese, which I was told was pretty good.  So while I would usually tell people to get the local delicacies, I'd maybe steer people away from the lake fish and stick with the pastas in Lake Como.  As with everything in Lake Como, prices are a bit higher than in other cities because of the high influx of tourists.  Total bill: $344 for 6 people with tax, tip and wine

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Hotel Restaurant Azalea   Via Portici S. Pietro, 1, 22019 Tremezzo CO, Italy                         3.5 Forks

The best thing about Lake Como is the ability to hop around the lake and visit a bunch of gorgeous villas.  I now know why so many people get married here and why George Clooney has a house here.  We decided to take a boat ride to the town of Tremezzo to visit one of the villas and then stopped by this place for a leisurely late lunch. 

There aren't a ton of places to eat in this area so when we spotted an outdoor restaurant with a lake view we were sold.  It's attached to a mid-scale hotel, so we weren't expecting great food.  It was just nice to sit outside and enjoy the scenery.  I was feeling like I needed something healthy so I got the shrimp salad but then for an entree all they really had were pastas and pizzas, so I went for the 4 cheese pizza.  I actually hadn't gotten pizza on this entire trip so I felt like it was ok to finally get it.  The shrimp salad felt like it was defrosted frozen shrimp and it came with strawberries and balsamic vinegar which was kind of a weird combination but it strangely worked for me.  The pizza was actually really tasty - nice thin crust and it was super super cheesy.   Yumm! Everyone else also got some kind of pizza and Will got the rabbit which he said was really good. 

The service was a bit off - although there was only 1 guy there so I did feel bad.  Several people came after us and even sat down with menus but then he told them that there was no more food? or that the kitchen was closed?  Either way, we got there in the knick of time.  Again, similar to our meal the night before, the food wasn't some culinary wonder but it did hit the spot after a long day wandering around the lake.  Total bill:  $186 for 6 people with tax, tip and wine

Photo Credit:  Discovercomo.com 

Hosteria del Platano  Via Statale 29, 23829 Fiumelatte, Italy                                                      4 Forks

This was the most surprising restaurant of the trip.  It was our last meal of the trip (sob!) and I'm not really sure how we even found this place but it was a bit of a hike outside of Varenna.  While it was beautiful to watch the sunset while we walked along the road, it was along the highway and it wasn't really the safest of walks but if you're in a group, it's not too bad.

The restaurant is in this random place off the road, not near anything.  We walked in and it felt kind of weird - there weren't a ton of people there and it didn't have this cute cozy feeling that we had in a lot of other places and at first glance the menu was less than inspiring.  But this is where looks can be deceiving because the food was excellent.   The clientele is definitely much more local and there wasn't a single American tourist in sight which is always a good sign (although there might have beens some European ones around). 

We started with a vegetable puff pastry, sort of like a spanakopita, that was a nice palate starter.  We then had the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta which was sadly kind of meh - it didn't have a ton of flavor to it.  Luckily the main entrees made up for the lack luster appetizers.  Despite proclaiming I was sick of pasta, I split the deer ragu pasta and it was fantastic.   The pasta was perfectly al dente and the deer was not gamey tasting at all.  For my other main, I got a beef fillet and it was perfectly pink and tasted fantastic as well.  In the end, you can never go wrong with a pasta and meat dish, even if they aren't the most creative of dishes.  The dessert here was also shockingly delicious.  We got a refreshing mango and blueberry gelato - two very unusual flavors but really good at the same time.   The cream brulee was also a nice end of the meal - a good glazed top and creamy sweet inside. 

The service was painfully slow but it was just 2 women managing the entire restaurant and they were incredibly nice and sweet to us, so it was hard to be mad at them.   While it wasn't a fancy blinged out way to end the trip, it was all about being with friends in a cozy environment that made it a great night and fitting way to end our trip.  Total bill: $342 for 6 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit: TripAdvisor