Miracle of Science

Overview: We ended up at Miracle of Science by accident, but it must have been fate. Our plan was to go to the CBC pumpkin beerfest but at 6pm the line was wrapped around the block. With some quick thinking and step by step directions courtesy of a Blackberry, we found our selves at the casual Central Square bar.

The menu at Miracle of Science is very simple. They serve burgers, chicken sandwiches, skewers and quesadillas. The menu obviously doesn't change often because it is written on the chalk board as an effigy of the periodic table of elements. The beer list is also small but well thought out and made up of beers from local breweries.

Medium Dead:  The server warned us that the burgers tend to be on the red side which was fine with me. I ordered the basic burger rare with cheddar and mayo. The first impression was pretty disappointing as the patty was thin with an undersized piece of cheese melted in the middle. The roll was also huge and untoasted. I am glad we eat with our mouths and not our eyes because the taste outshines the presentation. The roll is a big soft bakery roll with a nice crusty outside. The burger was cooked perfectly despite being thin and was surprisingly juicy.  The roasted potatoes and savory tomato chutney are a nice change from the norm.

Medium Well: After my dreadful experience at RF O'Sullivans, I have taken on a new practice of ordering my burger "with the slightest trace of pink" instead of relying on the ambiguous terms of Medium or Medium-Well. I am glad I let the waitress translate my request into chef-speak (she encouraged me to order medium-well), because it came out, sure enough, with the slightest trace of pink. I ordered the Ronie, which had jalapenos inside the burger and was topped with pepper jack cheese. It was good, but not good enough to keep my interest after more than a few bites. A few weeks from now, I probably won't remember anything distinguishing about this burger. What I will not forget however, is the quesadilla. It's such a simple quesadilla - cheese, tortilla, tomato salsa - but yet another example of how high-quality low-quantity ingredients always prevail. Two lightly grilled flour tortillas were filled with a mild-flavored cheese, and a bowl of garden salsa topped with a dollop of sour cream was served on the side. When spooned on top of the quesadilla, the salsa completed a pairing that would make even Rick Bayless proud.

The Verdict: The choices are limited but the food is good.  Check out Miracle of Science because they understand what they do well and stick to it.

RF O'Sullivan's

Overview: Since we started this blog we have been asked the same question over and over.  "Have you been to R.F. O'Sullivan?"  That was quickly followed by, "You have to go they have the best burgers."  Now that we live in Cambridge we decided to finally go over and see what all the hype was about.


Medium Dead:  I would like to say that I was disappointed by the burger at R.F. O'Sullivan's, but it was exactly what I expected.  The burger was an overcooked crispy charred meatball.  I am glad we went for one reason, now when everyone asks if we have had the amazing R.F. O'Sullivan burger we can say: "Yes! and it sucked."  In my experience any restaurant that has a whole menu devoted to burgers can't really figure out how to make 1 good burger so they make many all covered up with different combinations of toppings.  I had the bacon cheese burger with cheddar ordered medium rare, I was afraid to order it fully rare because of how thick it was.  In retrospect I should have ordered it rare, because their idea of medium rare is a mostly gray center with a slight amount of pink.  The meal wasn't a total loss because the onion rings are actually really good, very thick and battery piping hot right out of the kitchen.

Medium Well:  Had I known this is what Mike expected, I would not have agreed to go.  I found the no-frills atmosphere to be suiting for a casual Friday night burger, but the burgers were sadly disappointing.  As my name suggests, I like my burgers cooked through more than any normal person, however this was well beyond the acceptable cooking point for any piece of meat.  My first (and only) bite of the burger patty tasted of nothing but charcoal and smoke.  I was also confused since the couple next to us had two burgers that were about as rare as they come.  I agree that I probably had it coming to me since I ordered my "Paddy-O Melt" medium well, but what was it about Mike's order that said "medium, with an extra coating of carcinogens, please."  My hair is going to smell like charred meat for weeks.

The Verdict:  Regardless of what Boston.com readers say, RF O'Sullivans is not even close to the #2 burger in Boston.

Christopher's

Overview: On our first trip to Christopher's in Porter Square we immediately dubbed it our new "Harry's". Harry's was our go to bar in Brighton, now that we live in Cambridge we had to find a new spot. They have a constantly rotating selection of beers on draught, many of which are seasonal and hard to find. There is always a great selection of bitter ales to suit Mike's unusual taste for beer.

Medium Dead: During my first visit I just about strained my neck watching burgers fly out of the kitchen in every direction, so I was very excited to eat the burger this weekend. Christopher's has an entire page on the menu dedicated to "Burgahs", but there was little doubt that I would order the English burger. My favorite burgers are simple: burger, cheese, bacon, tomato and red onion. The English burger fits this definition exactly. I was a little skeptical that it was served on an English Muffin, but instead of a flimsy Thomas's English Muffin, I was surprised with a thick Wolferman's original English Muffin. This burger is a great bar burger. Christopher's uses naturally raised Coleman beef and marinates the burger in ale before grilling it exactly how I wanted it. I order my burgers rare and I am usually a little disappointed when its closer to medium rare or worse. Not so at Christopher's; the burger came out with a perfect red center. I know its cooked perfectly when Heather is afraid to take bite. The English burger is rounded out with thick applewood smoked bacon and melted cheddar. I also added a healthy smear of mayo. The excellent burger sealed Christopher's fate as my new "regular" bar.

Medium Well: Although Christopher's has an extensive list of burgers to choose from, it seems as though the one they are most proud of is their homemade veggie burger. I love veggie burgers, sometimes more than a regular burger, but I have had very bad experiences when ordering one in a restuarant. They are often disappointing, a token item added to appease vegetarians, with toppings haphazardly chosen because they seem like earth-loving favorites. When the toppings aren't off, the spices are usually too strong, as though the chef decided the natural taste needed to be covered up. I am happy to say that Christophers has done none of this, and offers a good, yet not exceptional, vegetarian burger. The pesto and roasted peppers compliment the whole grain and vegetable taste, and the side salad made with field greens, tomatoes and kalamata olive is a pleasing side. This is not my favorite vegetarian burger, but just like everything else at Christopher's, it makes for a fine choice.

The Verdict: The food is reasonably priced and the beer list is extensive, making Christopher's the ideal spot to launch a night out or grab a quick meal with friends.

Washington Square Tavern

Overview:  Washington Square Tavern sits right off of Beacon St on Washington St in Brookline.  The restaurant was unexpectedly busy for a Tuesday night.  The bar was crowded and the small dining room looked very full, but there was one intimate table in the corner left for us.  The dining room is painted in gold and decorated with vintage Le Tour photos framed along the walls.

Dinner at Washington Square Tavern was another one of those "its good, but..." experiences.  The food was very good, but it was overshadowed by some negatives.  The Tavern broke the cardinal rule of restaurants...Don't forget the appetizers.  Shortly after ordering, our burgers arrived and we were both wondering what happened to the cod fritters.  When we alerted the food runner of the mistake, the fritters appeared table side in minutes.  Thank goodness because they were excellent.  The smoked cod gives them a very rustic flavor, and made a great side dish for the burgers too.

We both ordered the burger with cheddar; rare and medium well.  Heather's first reaction was "thats a lot of meat!"  Really thats what she said.  The truffled fries were crispy, but with the slightest flavor of truffle. 

The highlight was the Porkslap Ale, not only for the great name and equally as creative can design, but because its actually a great tasting beer.  I was disappointed when the waiter brought over the bright orange 12oz can, but quickly got over it when I tasted the fantasic bitter flavor.

Overall the burger was great and despite the negatives we would go back.

Deep Ellum

Overview: Deep Ellum opened in 2007 on Cambridge street, offering Allston residents an eclectic atmosphere where hipster staff donning plaid long sleeve wovens and shaggy hair serve craft beer and cultured classics. Although the food is anything but an after thought, Deep Ellum’s focus is placed squarely on their offering of libations. The beer menu, which is three times the length of the food menu, features cask, organic and craft ales and lagers. The cocktail menu features gin, rye, and bourbon recipes made with housemade bitters.








Medium Well: Deep Ellum's food is much, well, better than I had expected for an Allston restaurant. A fair amount of the menu is made in house from scratch, and everything we ate was delicious. For a starter, we ordered the house Charcuterie plate with housemade pates, terrines and cured meats. I ordered the meatloaf sandwich, which is a combination of baked pork and beef, and topped pepper jack cheese. As a girl who has a taste for wine, vodka drinks, and bud light golden wheat I was lost in the beer menu and made Mike decide which beer I should order. He chose the organic Pinkus because it is large, has a funny name and is organic... In retrospect, I suppose I could have made that decision.

Medium Dead: There is a burger on the menu but on this particular night I ordered the Best Wurst Plate because all of the sausage is made in house and changes constantly. The wurst plate featured two spicy pork and garlic sausages served over rice and beans. There is no mistaking homemade sausage because the casing has a great snap and, at least at Deep Ellum, the pork filling tastes so fresh. The sausage was primarily garlicy but with a subtle spicy flavor that got more intense with every bite. The creamy rice and black beans were a perfect accompaniment to offset the spicyness.

The Verdict: With excellent food and appealing drink options, Deep Ellum is a pleasant surprise that is worthy enough of becoming a Friday night hangout.

The Regal Beagle

Overview:  Owned by the same proprietors as Church in Fenway, The Regal Beagle is a fairly young restaurant that opened in Coolidge Corner this past November.  Thank goodness The Beagle did open, because Coolidge Corner was starving for a food-centric bistro (unless you count Friendly's Express). The menu is simple, yet offers enough options for the meat cravers, comfort-food seekers, or farm-fresh produce lovers. The Regal Beagle might be our new favorite "every night" restaurant.  The prices are reasonable, the drink list is decent, and the food is exceptional. 

Medium Dead: Both times we've been to The Beagle we came in for the appetizer special advertised on Twitter (@beaglebrookline), and both times the appetizer special was sold out.  We had to settle for the crab rangoon empanadas...again.  There are worse problems to have; because these are simultaneously the best crab rangoons and best empanadas I have ever had.  They have a soft chewy crust and are filled with silky crabby cream cheese.

I also ordered the burger both times I visited, and I have not been disappointed.  When they put the burger in front of you the first thing you smell is butter from the peppery brioche roll.  The Regal burger has more grilled flavor than any other burger in the city.  You can literally taste the grill marks in every bite.  The bread and butter pickles are also a nice touch.

Medium Well:  The last time we went to the Regal Beagle was on a random Thursday night, which directly (yet pleasantly) broke our "eat healthy during the week, indulge on the weekend" rule.  The Regal Beagle has plenty of entree options that appeal to me, but both times I have ordered the mac and cheese. (Yeah, i know.  Big surprise.)  Unlike most restaurant versions of mac and cheese that combine countless types of gourmet cheeses, the Regal's recipe is basic but so, so, very good.  The sauce of smoked mozzarella, cheddar and garlic is creamy enough to slide on the palate, but thick enough to smoother the tender macaroni and ensure each bite is full of cheese flavor.  The oh-so-buttery Ritz cracker topping is by far the best crust I have had on macaroni and cheese.  Trina's uses the same crust on their version, but fails to deliver the same crisp texture and rich flavor. 

My only qualm with the Beagle is that the appetizer specials sound so freaken good, yet we can't seem to get there in time to order them.  Do delicious, farm-fresh specials really need to be for early bird diners only? 

The Verdict:  Come here any night of the week to try the nightly specials (if you can get them in time) or just because you are out of food.

Mays Fusion & Cuisine

Overview: May's Fusion and Cuisine (formerly May's Cafe) is a small Taiwanese restaurant on Glenville Ave, a residential street in Allston. May's specializes in cooking healthy Taiwanese home style dishes, and with less than a dozen tables, it has a very intimate feel. The few times we have visited its been very quiet, which is not surprising because May's is difficult to find.

Medium Dead: I first read about May's in the Boston Globe shortly after I moved into Brighton. I was enticed by the gyoza and scallion pancakes, but then forgot about it for about three years. I don't know how we forgot about May's, but our second trip was like discovering it again for the first time.

Medium Well: To compare May's to any other Chinese restaurant in the Allston/Brighton area is to compare a gourmet gastropub burger to a Big Mac. Rather than using sodium rich soy sauce to enhance the flavors of dishes, May's uses fresh, whole ingredients such as ginger, scallions and chili powder. The resulting combinations are absolutely delicious. For every reason I have avoided eating Chinese food (salt, grease, mystery meats), May's gave me even more reasons to eat it regularly. And since all of the dishes are cooked with a modest amount of oil, this was the first time I have ever felt good after eating Chinese food.

We started with the best scallion pancakes I have ever had. They are crispy and flaky, fried to a perfectly golden brown. The "young" scallions must be why they taste so good.

I am a sucker for dumplings so we had to try the pan fried gyoza. The gyoza taste so fresh; filled with pork and ginger served with spicy soy sauce. They are steamed and lightly fried so they aren't heavy or greasy.

The entree choices aren't diverse, but the few things they make they do well. The main features are noodle dishes and famous stir-fried rice with a few Chef's Specialty items. I went right for the May's Special Fried Rice; I can see why its the most popular menu item. The stir fry is a little spicy offset with sweet and sour Taiwanese sausage and shredded chicken and shrimp. The dish is so fresh tasting and very light on oil. May's is a step above the other Chinese food in the area.

The Verdict:  Eat at May's regularly and feel good about it!

Acadiana

Overview: Acadiana is a Louisiana inspired restaurant in Downtown DC, owned by Chef Jeff Tunks. Also see Ceiba and TenPenh.  Brunch at Acadiana is truly reminiscent of a Sunday morning meal in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

During our latest visit to DC we visited Acadiana for the infamous Eye-Opener Brunch. Acadiana's brunch is a simple Prix Fixe menu; you make one selection each from the appetizers, entrees and desserts. The Bloody Mary's and Mimosas are $0.25 each, and for an additional price there is unlimited raw bar.  With this amount of food and the incredible richness they should require you sign a waiver before eating.  My only complaint is that there we no veggies in the Bloody Mary.  Is it too much to ask for a celery stalk or some pickled green beans?

There were 6 of us at brunch which gave us an opportunity to try almost everything the menu had to offer.  Instead of describing all of the food we are posting a butter soaked montage of rich Cajun food.

Crab stuffed mushrooms:

Turtle soup:

Fried green tomatoes:

Broiled oysters:

Eggs Acadiana:

Eggs Sardou:

Pecan tart:

Vanilla bread pudding:

French market beignets:

The Verdict: The menu and flavors at Acadiana capture the essence of New Orleans cuisine, but don't plan on eating for a few days after.

Ten Tables

Overview: Ten tables is a small restaurant in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain. The dining room is small and meant to have the feel of a small dinner party. The dinner menu focuses on local, sustainable and affordable, while the bar menu focuses on snacks, bites and boards. The bar also features a great selection of local beer and craft cocktails.

Medium Dead: Every time I go to Ten Tables I sit progressively closer to the bathroom. Since I can't get any closer, next time I am going to request a private table in there. It is, after all, bigger than the bar area. Regardless of the proximity to the bathroom I really enjoy the food at Ten Tables and will continue to eat here. Our most recent adventure to Ten Tables was for the Monday burger special. A better deal than the half price burgers at Radius, Ten Tables serves the burger with potato salad and a beer for $15 every Monday night. The deal is so good its worth the drive from Brighton to JP.

The burger itself isn't the best burger in Boston, but its worth the price. The beef is humanely raised (I am convinced you can taste the difference) at Meyers Ranch, served on a sesame brioche bun with Farmhouse Cheddar, lettuce, A10 Sauce, bacon aioli, and pickles. The bacon aioli is great I just wish it was the dominant sauce on the burger. The A10 sauce (Ten Tables version of A1) is very good but its over powering. The bread and butter pickles make the difference on this burger they stand up to the sharp cheddar, juicy beef, enormous roll and strong barbecue sauce. I tasted them from the first bite. I love the potato salad too. The potatoes are cooked just right so they cooked through but still crisp. There is the perfect amount of mayo and the celery was big enough that I could eat around it.

Medium Well:  This burger tastes like a sloppy joe.  Sure the deal is compelling, but $15 can be better spent elsewhere.  Like at Aquataine... or Radius... or Garden at the Cellar.  If you do go to Ten Tables, go for one of the other weekly specials they offer.  On Wednesday's, Ten Tables offers three courses for $33, and on Tuesdays serves up four courses and four glasses of wine for $42. 

The Verdict: The burger is good but the local beer and cheese board are the reason enough to visit Ten Tables.

Blue Ridge

Overview: Blue Ridge, in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington DC, specializes in cuisine created with locally sourced seasonal ingredients. The decor is trendy farmhouse, the bartender is a hipster and the craft cocktails are strong.

Medium Well: I was eager to dine at Blue Ridge so I could support one of the few restaurants that thrives on local and sustainable ingredients. As much as I love to sink my teeth into a juicy burger on the weekends, I would much rather eat local, organic and sustainable foods every other day of the week. Why? Local, sustainable and organic food tastes better and does something that most people have forgotten that food is supposed to do - it nourishes your body. I truly believe baby carrots (they don't actually grow this small), winter tomatoes, Purdue chicken breasts and anything made by the fast food industry are to blame for the picky palettes and health problems in America. Don't believe me? I dare you to eat a tomato that was ripened by a Labor Day sun in your backyard and tell me it tastes the same as the garnish on your TGI Friday's burger. Even though the Blue Ridge burger is not nearly as good as the other burgers we had in DC, the high quality ingredients make it far superior to the sad examples of burgers served in most restaurants.

Medium Dead: I love that more and more restaurants are beginning to serve local sustainable produced food. This is the very reason we were so excited to eat at Blue Ridge. This is a great idea for a restaurant, but it fell short to my expectations. The pork rillettes were bland and tasted like chicken salad, the chicken liver mousse was too salty and the broiled oysters were cooked just a little too long.

In the end Blue Ridge wasn't my favorite meal of the weekend, but the burger was still excellent. The locally raised beef makes all the difference. There is a freshness in this beef you can't taste in factory produced beef that travels hundreds of miles to the kitchen.

The Verdict: At Blue Ridge the goods definitely out weigh the bad. The plate of local cheeses was absolutely incredible, and the brawn (head cheese) was speckled with chives and was the best thing we ate that night.

Ceiba

Overview: A few years ago, in small apartment in Brighton, Mike conceived of a culinary creation called the surf and turf burger -- a burger patty and crab cake on a roll. Mike was sure this would be a phenomenon. His enthusiasm convinced his CIA-trained roommate, who at the time was a chef in Dedham, to run it as a daily special at his restaurant. Instead of becoming the new hit, the burger flopped and no one -not a single customer- ordered it. Years later, this chef took the surf and turf idea, made it his own creation and served it to us at Ceiba, the contemporary Latin restaurant he works at in Washington DC. This is that burger's story.

Medium Dead: The Ceiba surf and turf burger is a creation so over indulgent any self respecting catholic should walk themselves directly to confession after eating it. Most gourmet burgers focus on artisanal cheese or fancy bread to differentiate the burger, but Chef Matt takes this one step farther. Stuffed inside this juicy patty is two ounces of lobster that is slowly poached in butter. The lobster lends delicate and subtle flavor to the burger but adds a sinful texture and amazing richness. If you think a burger can't possibly be any richer, you are wrong, since it is covered in a creamy huacaina sauce, topped with sliced avocado and placed on a bed of queso fresco.

Every ingredient is well thought out and individually enhances the meat without stealing the show. The lobster is more like a condiment than a main ingredient, which is perfect because at the end of the day a burger should always be about the beef.

Medium Well: I did not expect to like this burger. My knowledge of the original surf and turf burger's failure, paired with my indifference for lobster led me to believe that I would be writing a "nice try, but bad burger" review. This will not be one of those reviews. Matt has created one of the most gratifying synergism's the culinary world has yet to know. It is a prime example of how unrelated ingredients from various cuisines can create a combination so emphatically spectacular that you wonder how your palate lived without it before. If publicized correctly, this burger can kick mini-burgers to the curb and become the upscale restaurant industry's new trend.

Bonus Bites: Ceiba is famous for their ceviche and no meal here is complete without ordering it. We had a sampling of the Peruvian Classico ceviche, Yucatan shrimp ceviche cocktail and the yellowfin tuna ceviche. Even better than the ceviche was the lesser known tiradito which was sliced sea bass cooked in fresh lime juice with red grapefruit, radish and jalapenos.

The Verdict: Go to Ceiba and have the surf and turf burger. You won't find it on the menu but if you ask nicely you might just be lucky enough to have one of the best burgers in DC.

Radius

Overview: Out of all the burgers in Boston, none has received more attention than the Radius burger. Time and time again, this burger tops the list of Boston foodies, and in 2008, it was the winner at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival Burger Bash. So if it is so highly acclaimed, why did it take so long for us to try it? At a steep $19, this burger required a special occasion, at at last one came: a Radius special of half price burgers at the bar.

Medium Well: Although I was willing to knock the hype, I must acknowledge that the Radius burger is one of the best gourmet burgers in the country. I wouldn't recommend paying full price for it, but if you are able to catch a half-price Saturday, it is well worth it. When comparing this burger with others we have recently had, I couldn't ignore the similarities between this burger and Garden at the Cellar. True, they are made with different ingredients, served in much different atmospheres, and do not taste anything alike (I did say similarities, right?), however they both are prepared with the same, invaluable equation that results in a good burger. (The best quality ingredients available + a chef/cook who knows what he/she is doing = A Good Burger). So which is better? It depends on your personal preference. Horseradish or aioli? Crispy onions or arugula? Try both and let us know what you think.

Medium Dead: The cheeseburger at Radius was voted #1 in Boston by Boston Magazine and because of that it has been at the top of my list since we started this blog. Everything that comes out of Michael Schlow's kitchen is gold, and this burger is no exception. The first and most distinct flavor is the onions, then subtly the creamy horseradish flavor melts in, and finally you are hit with an explosion of perfectly seasoned seared beef. Describing this burger makes me sound like a wine snob describing all of the phantom flavors in a Chardonnay. The Radius burger is absolutely on par with the other gourmet burgers from the Boston celebrity chef Rat Pack.

Boston Magazine also voted the fries at radius the best in the city, but I disagree with this assessment. Don't get me wrong the fries are great. Every shoe string fry is perfectly crispy with flakes of fresh chive, but Garden at the Cellar's truffle fries would win in a fight any day of the week.

Bonus Bites: Before the burger we shared the crab meat gyoza as an appetizer. The pan fried dumplings were full of fresh crab meat and served on mango and jicama salsa with with avocado spread. The mix of flavor was excellent and reminiscent of a California roll. From the photo, you can tell we were so excited to dig in we forgot to take the picture.

After dinner we shared the Boston creme donuts. Warm sugar covered donut holes, fresh vanilla cream and dark chocolate ganache served side by side. Heather loved these because they weren't covered in chocolate. I loved them because they paired well with the espresso.

The Verdict: I am not sure if the Radius burger is the best in the city, but the quality and flavor ensure that it is in the playoffs every year.

Garden at the Cellar

Overview: Garden at the Cellar is a gastropub on Mass ave in Cambridge, just outside of Harvard Square. Garden's claim is food that pays homage to the bounty of gardens, local farms and environmentally responsible products. They have a classic cocktail menu, a somewhat decent beer selection, and a menu so unique we could come back many times and never order the same thing. One look at the Boycott Restaurant Week menu and we knew this place was special.

Medium Well: It’s official. Garden at the Cellar earns the accolade for Unexpected Favorite of the Year. I have walked past Garden many times, and have thought little of it. If anything, the mundane appearance deterred me from wanting to dine there. I guess you shouldn’t judge a restaurant by its window sign, because this is one of the best meals I have had since starting this blog. Garden at the Cellar seems be one of few restaurants that knows a burger does not have to be charred on the outside to be cooked through on the inside. Unlike the dry, flavorless burgers that are often associated with medium burgers, this burger had clear, savory juices that trickeled from the center. The aioli and arugula added subtle complexities to even out the soft, buttery flavor of the brioche. The truffle fries are the second best fries that I have ever, EVER had in my life (second only to the Spotted Pig’s shoestring fries). One bite led me questioning why anyone would fry bland potatoes in any oil other than truffle oil.

The polenta fries are worth ordering if only for the housemade bleu cheese dressing. I have a particular affinity to restaurants that make their own condiments (see Craigie on Main), and Garden at the Cellar took it a step further by using my favorite local blue cheese (Great Hill Blue) as the main ingredient. Creamy and mild, the blue cheese dressing was the perfect accompainment for the golden crisped polenta sticks.

Medium Dead: As hard as I try, I have nothing sarcastic or negative to say about Garden at the Cellar. This is the type of restaurant I love to seek out. I knew I wanted the burger but choosing an appetizer was like choosing which friend I wanted to save in a fire. I couldn't decide between the foie gras and donuts, tater tots, charcuterie, polenta fries, cod cakes, and assiette of pork. Everything sounded so good I was contemplating which appetizer to order for dessert. This is why I need my hierarchy for ordering. Cured meats always win over duck liver.

In the end we decided on the polenta fries and charcuterie plate. Neither disappointed. The charcuteries were all housemade with the exception of the mortadella, which was local. The charcuterie at Garden rivals Coda in quality and uniqueness. The pork pate was wrapped in speck, the chorizo is made on premise, but the head cheese was the best. It was dry, sliced thin and tasted similar to rosemary ham. Every accompaniment was perfectly planned out. There were pickled shallots and okra, German mustard, and sweet cornichon pickles. On the side was a massive bowl of perfectly toasted crostini.

The burger at Garden is definitely the best burger I have had in 2010. The formula is so simple yet perfectly executed -- high quality local beef on warm buttery brioche topped with Vermont cheddar and aioli. The layer of peppery arugula under the burger adds a truly unique twist. As good as the burger was, it was nearly over shadowed by the fries. Lightly golden crispy fries tossed in rosemary and black truffle oil. These fries will undoubtedly be on my Top Ten of 2010 at the end of the year.

The Verdict: Garden at the Cellar might be the best gastropub in the city.

From Our Kitchen: Duck Dumplings in Two Styles

From Our Kitchen: This was our first attempt at no waste cooking. We made Asian duck dumplings in two styles -- Duck Dumpling Soup with home made duck stock and Pan-Fried Duck Dumplings.

We boned a fresh whole duck reserving the meat for the dumpling filling. We then roasted the bones and carcass for the stock.

Next we sauteed scallions, white onion, shitake mushrooms, garlic and carrot in a pan then added the roasted bones and water to the softened vegetables and simmered for 3 hours.

While the stock simmered on the stove, we ground the reserved duck meat and added toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, parsley, shitake mushrooms, ginger and garlic. We then placed a small amount into wonton wrappers, and formed into dumplings.

Finally, we added half of the dumplings to the finished duck stock with scallions, ginger, and garlic. We pan-fried the second half and served with dumpling sauce and plum sauce.

Within a couple of lazy Sunday hours, we turned a few simple and fresh ingredients into a wonderfully delicious and complex meal. As much as we love to eat out, sometimes the best dishes in Boston cannot compete with the feeling evoked by creating your own recipe and knowing where every ingredient on your plate came from. We made the purchase of a whole duck justifable by using every bit for this meal: the meat for the dumplings and the bones for the stock. We froze the skin and fat to render to fry potatoes and saved the liver to make a pate or mousse.