Where the F*** have we been?

Most of you probably haven't noticed our absence, but the loyal few of you are probably wondering what happened to us.  We appreciate your concern, and are happy to let you know that we are safe.  We have a million excuses for why we haven't written recently; among them are wedding planning, triathlon training and Angry Birds.  The simple truth is that we have been uninspired to write.  Although we have been going out to eat less often, we have eaten some decent burgers including Flat Patties, Back Bay Social Club, and 5 Napkin Burger. 

They were all very good.  We just weren't up to writing about any of them. 

Recently though we have been reinvigorated.  Why you ask?  We discovered fire. 

A little over a month ago we bought a grill.  Not just any grill - a shiny new Webber charcoal grill.  Since then we have been grilling instead of going out.  We have grilled everything: beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, fruit, pizza and even lettuce.  I don't know if I will ever go out again.

On our first date we started with the basics - burgers and corn - and in the process may have found the best burger in Boston.  Well at least we think so.  Our house burger is made with only the best ingredients.  We use 85% lean pasture-raised ground beef, perfectly ripened avocados, bright red juicy tomatoes, uber melty orange cheddar (nothing fancy) and the secret ingredient ... a fresh baked burger bun from Hi-Rise Bakery. 

The chef is obviously quite talented, as my burger was cooked perfectly.  As a side note, a burger doesn't have to be rare to be juicy.  The high heat of the grill seared the juices in without leaving a crispy outer shell.  The patty was then moved to lower heat at the right time to finish cooking and to let the cheese melt around the burger.   After a quick toast of the bun, the burger was served with a side of homemade coleslaw.  I don't know if it was because I grilled it myself, but this was one of the most satisfying burgers I have ever eaten.

We followed this up with grilled white peaches topped with Heather's homemade vanilla ice cream.  It was only her first attempt at making ice cream and I think she has mastered it.  Homemade ice cream is softer than your normal store bought variety because it only contains a few simple ingredients and leaves out the gums and thickeners needed to make it last longer in the freezer case.

For our second date we had surf and turf. The surf was shrimp marinated in garlic and olive oil then sprinkled with smoked sweet paprika.  The turf was a grass fed dry aged ribeye seasoned simply with salt and pepper.  The knock out  dish was the duck fat roasted brussels sprouts prepared on the grill.  Cast iron is remarkably versatile and perfect for use over an open fire.  Just two tablespoons of rendered duck fat in the hot pan and the Brussels sprouts and shallots caramelized beautifully while we seared the steak over the coals. 

Once the steak was off the heat and resting we threw some mesquite chips on the coals and grilled the shrimp.  The quick smoke gave the shrimp and intriguing flavor, but a bit too much paprika over powered the flavor.  We weren't left too disappointed however, as the steak was perfect and the crispy Brussels sprouts were ridiculous.

 As you can see we have been very busy.  We continue to grill a few times weekly and hopefully will have more posts soon.  We also promise to begin eating out again and posting our adventures as we search for the area's best cheeseburgers.  Again sorry for the long delay, we hope this holds you over for a little while.

Foundry on Elm

Overview: Foundry on Elm opened last year in Davis Square.  It is one of the few upscale bars in the area, but there is quite a demand because on a Friday night the bar is packed with groups of young professionals.  The restaurant has a familiar feel to it, almost too familiar.  The space looks nearly identical to Eastern Standard in Kenmore.  Classic cocktail menu...check, long dark wood bar with indirect lighting...check, the red leather booths with high top tables...check.  Even the menu looks eerily similar.  It is as though they picked up Eastern Standard and moved it across town,but along the way attracted a clientele 15 years younger from ES.  The similarities were so hard to ingnore that that we asked the waitress if they were affiliated; she must get this a lot because she replied with an emphatic "No!".  There are a few things that set Foundry apart from Eastern Standard.  First the prices are better; dinner for two with drinks for about $40 each can't be had at Eastern Standard.  Second the beer menu at Foundry is much better; they have over 20 beers on tap with rotating selections and a number of other craft beers in bottles.  Third as crowded as it was, we didn't have to wait for our reserved table.

Medium Well: I should have gotten the Spatezel. Or maybe we should have gone to Eastern Standard. Either would have been a much better decision than ordering the burger, which disappointed me not once, but twice in one night. During the Burger Sutra era, I have developed a particular expectation for how my burger should be cooked - slightly pink on the inside and cooked (not, ahem, charred) on the outside. Of this, I am sure many of you are well aware, as you have read my laments when a chef does not get it right. Foundry on Elm not only failed to cook my burger appropriately, but may be the reason I never order a burger again.

I ordered my mushroom cheeseburger medium, expecting it to come out slightly pinker than I like, but willing to make the sacrifice in hopes of avoiding the taste of burnt beef. What did I get? Rare. R-A-R-E. Not only was it rare in comparison to my expectations, but it was rare compared to Mike's rare bacon cheddar burger. The waitress, who could not have been kinder or more attentive, insisted on having a new burger prepared for me. Fifteen minutes later, burger number two arrived, medium on the inside but crispy as ever on the outside. What is the deal? I admit my expectations may be high and a tad unreasonable, but I also know a properly cooked, medium to medium well burger can be made by everyday chefs, because Mike does it every time he is at a grill. If Mike can do it, why can't Foundry? The biggest dissapointment about Foundry on Elm is that I wanted it to be good. Really, really good. But truth be told, it wasn't anything more than a mediocre restaurant with a stolen identity.

To be fair, Foundry wasn't all bad as the atmosphere was enjoyable (albeit stolen from Eastern Standard) and the gravy fries were delicious. I don't know whether I'd go back, because although I would like to try an entree, I am haunted by the memory of the Scallops our neighbor ordered, which smelled errily like the inside of an old tuna can.

Medium Dead: After a long burgerless winter we were looking for a restaurant that would pull us out of hibernation and get us excited for burgers again. While Foundry didn't blow us away it was a good burger. I like choices and Foundry offers just enough choices of toppings and cheese. Sometimes I like to be traditional so I ordered mine with bacon and cheddar. The bacon was thick and chewey which is actually how I like it. The melted cheddar wrapped around the burger like a blanket. My roll was a large white bakery roll lightly grilled and soft in the middle. So far we are off to a good start. The burger however was a little over cooked for my tastes. Despite being "overcooked"- in quotes because I like mine rare so medium rare is considered overcooked- it wasn't dry and had decent seasoning though a little too salty. Equally as important as the burger are the sides served with it, I give foundry an A on sides. The big dill pickle spears are housemade and taste very fresh. The french fries are thin and fried to a dark golden color and very crispy. Foundry might not be the best burger in Boston, but it surpasses most bar burgers.

The Verdict: We came to Foundry on Elm hoping for a burger to break us out of winter blues. Heather found disappointment, Mike found a familiar bar burger, and we both found very good poutine.

Island Creek Oyster Bar

Overview: Island Creek Oyster Bar recently opened in the space vacated by Great Bay in Kenmore Square. The restaurant was founded by Skip Bennett of Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury, Jeremy Sewall, and restaurateur Garrett Harker.  The management tag team of Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, formerlly of Craigie on Main, and Bob McCoy of Eastern Standard also means the cocktail list is top notch.  The dinning room is innovatively decorated themed after the oyster farm that shares its name; the back wall is adorned with crates of oyster shells and the side wall has a curious upside down picture of the shore.

Medium Dead:  The burger at Island Creek Oyster Bar is a well thought out and executed burger.  Just from looking at it you can tell this isn't just an obligatory burger for the seafood averse.  Island Creek Oyster Bar actually wants you to come in and order the burger, albeit with a dozen oysters on the side.  The presentation is fun with the fries served in an aluminum pail lined with paper baring the restaurants logo. The burger has a great grilled crust but has no crunchy bits and was cooked with a perfect red rare center. Paired with the fresh onion roll to soak up all the flavor there wasn't a bit of left over juice on my plate. The burger is the perfect size -- not an overbearing monstrosity but also not a minuscule slider. I finished everything plus oysters and didn't feel like I needed to be rolled home.  The fries were the best I have had in some time.  Every one of them was golden brown and exceptionally crispy; like they were fried individually until each was perfect.  The side of house made pickled vegetables is a perfect accompaniment to the burger, cutting through the bite of the sharp cheddar. Its been a while since we have had a burger and this was a great slump buster.

Medium Well:  Hello Dear Friend, we meet again. I have to apologize for my long hiatus, and explain that it was partly due to my desire to avoid the fate of third season Adam Richman (I love you burgers, but you're unhealthy) and partly due to the burger boredom I had fallen into. After consuming many restaurant burgers that were nothing more than, well, blase, I quite frankly became sick of cheeseburgers. Alas, an oyster bar, yes an oyster bar, has saved me from the slums of the anti-burger community. Served on a tender poppy seeded roll that was topped with caramelized onions, my medium-well burger came out of the kitchen smelling of sharp Grafton cheddar (and not of *ahem* burnt meat).  The presentation was far superior to even the best pub burgers and right on par with what you would expect from a top restaurant in Boston.  These factors in combination with superior service and excellent drink options put Island Creek Oyster Bar on the list of our favorites. 

The Verdict:  We came to Island Creek on a whim after indecisively walking around deciding where to eat, but left with a new favorite restaurant in Kenmore Square.