The Hawaii honeymoon food tour!

That's right...from marriage to honeymoon, we were off to Hawaii.  This was a great chance for us to get some good eats in and share with you all!

To inspiration on this food tour was inspired by Guy Fieri's "Diner's Drive-in's and Dive's" (DDD).  Hope you enjoy, we sure did love the food!

(Yes, I know this is delayed, but after eating all this food, talking about it made me want to go back for more, lol)

Old Mill at Ashton

We had a chance to go out to the Old Mill at Ashton with some friends.  I have been here before a while back.  The place is an old mill in Aston Station just west of the city that has been transformed into a micro brew pub.  The style inside is of a very European country-side style pub, and comes along with plenty of soccer(football) decor.  There was a small patio outback as well as a decent amount of seating within the main area.  We ordered some of the beers, while the boss and our friend ordered a cute flight that came in a mini-truck.  I thought this was a very nice touch!

For food specials, they had a cajun fish and chips which three of us ordered and there was the classic bangers and mash.  The food was very tasty.  The fish was very nicely battered with the cajun spice noticeable but not overpowering.  The bangers and mash was flavourful and was what you would expect for an english pub.

The beers were also brewed quite well.  I have been on a stout binge and was very satisfied with what they served as their stout.  The service was friendly, helpful, and with a smile.  If you are in the mood for some classic pub fare and good micro brew, I would very much recommend checking this place out.  We hope to be back soon!


Review (out of 5):
Food: * * * 1/2
Value: * * * 1/2
Atmosphere: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * *
Price: $7 - $20
Website: http://ashtonbrewpub.ca/

Sail Loft - Boston

Being in Boston, we had to try and get in some seafood.  We talked to the front desk to get more information on where to eat and he recommended a place down by the harbour called the Sail Loft.  Our only requirement was that it had to have some excellent chowder.

We cabbed it down to the harbour since we were hungry and when we got there, the place was packed tighter than a can of sardines.  (I'll try and keep the fish metaphors down, but I couldn't resist).  We were told that it get a table, it would be about 30 mins.  We put our names down as we already made it this far, and before long, we were told we could take a table near the front door.  The place was hopping, and small, so the volume of people talking and the music in the background was VERY loud.  After we got seated with out menu's, we ended up waiting 10 mins without any service.  We decided to flag someone down who told us that she was not our server, but she would find us ours.  After another 10 mins, one of the tables further away from the door and closer to where there seemed to have staff opened up, so we moved over there and we finally got some service.

We all ordered the chowder.  There were two sizes, mug and regular.  I was hungry so I went for the regular.  Do note that apparently the regular size is VERY BIG.  It can almost be a meal in itself.  I do have to say, that chowder was one of the better chowders I have every had.  It was rich and creamy, lots of ingredients, and best of all, lots of clams!  I was stuffed after just the chowder.  Too bad I also ordered fish and chips, the boss had the fish sandwich.  The fish sandwich was actually quite good.  The fish was battered well, the tartar sauce was tangy and everything held together well.  The fries on the other hand were a little on the soggy side.  Not very appetizing.  For my fish and chips, when it arrived, it looked great!  Even if I was full, it looked tasty.  When I took my first bite, there was a healthy portion of fish.  What was weird was with that perfect looking batter and great fish, there was not any flavour to be had.  NONE!  I could barley taste the fish.  The meal became an expensive tartar transportation vehicle.  My fries were also soggy but luckily, it did not matter, as I was full.  Also by this time, the place got busier so the bar decided to pump up the music louder.  My ears were ringing by the end of it.

The restaurant was decorated like an old wooden fishing ship, long and narrow, making it difficult to walk by to get to the small cramped washrooms.

The chowder was awesome, but between the horrible service, the mediocre food and the club pumping music and noise, we just will not be back.

Review (out of 5):
Food: * *
Value: * * 1/2
Atmosphere: *
Service: *
Price: $5 - $30
Website: Sail Loft Google Page

Beer Works - Boston

Waiting for our tour of Fenway Park, we saw and notices a big sign at one of the places just outside our gate that had the word "Beer".  On a hot sunny day, that caught our attention, so we went over to check it out.  Sure enough, it was a craft brewery local to Massachusetts.

When we went in, our server was very knowledgeable and friendly.  We told him we were on a timeline, and he had no issues to make sure we were going to make our tour in time.  He also knew his beers on tap.  We each explained to him what beers we liked, and ask advice on what beers would be unique to this location.  They had on tap a couple different fruit beers.  There was two blueberry beers, which is apparently the beer they are most known for.  One of those blueberry beers was the original one they made, back by special request.(I can see why, this one was the better of the two)  There was also a watermelon beer that came with a big wedge of watermelon.  This was also a very light and excellent for a hot summer beer.  There was also a good selection of reds, browns, stouts, and pilsners.  All of the beers were excellent in flavour and each had its own identity and balance of flavours.

We did not have time to eat any meals, but we did get some quick munchies of pretzel balls, spicy peanuts, and potato sticks (Home made hickory sticks).  It was a good addition in having something salty with the beer.  The menu itself looked good if we had more time, with lots of selection of your typical pub fare.

The restaurant itself was open and spacious.  There was plenty of TVs with baseball on (it was next to Fenway), and had a "steel mill"/industrial vibe to it.  In the entry way were the big vats of beer they were brewing. 

The prices were a little high.  But that was expected due to the location by the stadium.  If we get a chance to be back in that area, I expect to be back to sample more beers and the menu!

Review (out of 5):

Food: N/A
Value: * * * 1/2
Atmosphere: * * * *
Service: * * * *
Price (dinner): $7 - $20
Website: http://www.beerworks.net/

Maria's Pastry Shop - Boston

One of the things that was told to me when I visit Boston, was to get a cannoli.  There are a few very old and very established Italian bakeries that remain in downtown Boston, still offering an authentic cannoli along with other Italian baking.  Maria's was one of those places that we decided to stop in.  They had regular and chocolate dipped, and we tried the base ricotta version and the more Americanized version with mascarpone.

The cannoli pastry was very flaky and fresh, while the insides were smooth, creamy but not too rich.  You can tell that the techniques are being passed down through the generations here.

The shop is a tiny little place, and it serves many other Italian desserts, along with gelatos.  The staff is very friendly and welcoming.  If you get a chance to drop in here, do so, it is worth the visit!

Review (out of 5):

Food: * * * *
Value: * * * *
Service: * * * *
Price: $5 - $20
Website: http://mariaspastry.com/

The Salty Pig - Boston

In out trip to Boston, our friend's job was to look up some places for us to visit for food to try out something that we can't get as much here at home.  He found a place called The Salty Pig.  This place serves a wide variety of salted and cured pig, on a personalized charcuterie board.  Sounded interesting, so we went to check it out.

The restaurant was located still in downtown Boston, so we were able to walk there with no problem.  The decor was very modern, factory, metallic like.  Very trendy, dark, and what was cool was that it had an open kitchen for us to look in and see how the chefs were working.

Ordering the food was simple, order a meat, then a cheese, then a spread.  We all tried different things.  I went with a pork paté, while the Boss went with a more smoked pig slices.  The side I had, which you can see in the picture is honeycomb.  Everything was served with a side of a very strong mustard, and crostini.

When the food arrived, it  looked great!  There was a healthy portion of each.  The flavours in the meats were excellent, well balanced, not too salty.  The paté was a big hit.  The honeycomb was new to me, and it was a very good experience.  I was expecting sweeter, but was very pleased with what it actually tasted like.  What was also a nice touch was the fact they use local seasonal ingredients.  There is something different quite often when you visit!

We were there until 8ish, and the place was still packed, including the patio.  The service was excellent, and prompt.  The food was not cheap, but the quality was very good.  For all my pork loving friends, this is a place that is worth the visit when you get a chance to visit Boston!

Review (out of 5):

Food: * * * *
Value: * * * 1/2
Atmosphere: * * * *
Service: * * * *
Price (dinner): $7 - $20
Website: http://www.thesaltypig.com/

Uno - New Hampshire

On our trip down to Boston, we visited a place that was at the New Hampshire outlet mall we were shopping at.  Hungry after a good haul shopping, we wanted to find someplace decent, but close for lunch.  In the parking lot was the place called Uno.  I had never heard of it, but some further research shows that this is a pretty decent size chain across the US.

We walk in, and for us, it felt like a combination of Kelsey's, crossed with a Chicago version of East Side's.  It was bright and had a buzz from the large number of people there eating.  We got seated pretty quick and took a look at the menu.  The menu has a huge selection, maybe a little too much, but I guess they want to cater to a larger audience.  The boss ordered the veggie black bean burger with the skinless bake on the side.  The veggie burger was actually quite flavourful.  I am not one who usually likes veggie burgers, but there was a good mix of spices and flavour in it.  The side was quite good, but I think because of how bad it is for you.  It is one of those guilty pleasure things.  Our friends ordered the steak and the avocado eggrolls.  Both of which were also very good.  The steak was cooked well, and marinated for extra flavour.  Since this restaurant is from Chicago, I had to have their deep dish pizza.  The pizza was good, the sauce had a good combination of spices, but I felt that it was lacking....cheese for a deep dish pizza.  The one other time I had a deep dish pizza was in Chicago, and that pizza was loaded, heavy and delicious.  I could only eat two slices.  This pizza, was good, but it just did not seem like a deep dish pizza.

The server we had was excellent.  She dropped by often to make sure we were happy with our food, and she had a huge smile on her face the entire time.  To be honest, it felt like she was too happy, and it was a little creepy.  I would still rather deal with that then a down-trodden server.

Overall, we had a good time there, the food was pretty good, the prices were reasonable, and the service was great.  I would have to classify this place as being better than Kelsey's on the quality and selection of food level in the "family sit down restaurant" chain category.  We were happy with the place and we would go back.

Review (out of 5):

Food: * * * 1/2
Value: * * * *  (we went for lunch)
Atmosphere: * * * *
Service: * * * *
Price (dinner): $7 - $20
Website: http://unos.com/

Play Food and Wine - Ottawa

We were in the market in the afternoon when we realized that, we had not gotten a chance to eat down here in a while.  Trying to think of where to go, I realized that one of the places I have been meaning to go and check out was the second restaurant opened by Chef Moffatt and Stephen Beckta called "Play Food and Wine".  The idea behind this local is to have some fun with food, serving tapas style courses.  It was later in the afternoon so getting a seat on a weekday was not to bad.  The decor was modern, bright and very colourful.  This suits well the idea behind the theme.

For lunch, they have an excellent price where you can get any two non-sharing plates for $20.  So, the boss and I got that deal each while also getting a sharing plate.  We are not down here enough, so we had a chance to splurge.  The menu has a very good selection of many different things, but at the same time showing some of the simplicity behind the plates.  Simple is good!  It was also a nice added touch where each of the savory and sweet plates also included a recommended wine paring.  We started with a mixed charcuterie plate.  I then ordered the hanger steak followed by the Pure's gelato.  The boss ordered the gnocchi followed by a cheese selection.  We were offered a plate of toasted bread with oil and balsamic vinegar to much on.  The bread was very nice, very airy with a nice crunch to it.  The bread was not heavy at all.  The charcuterie plate arrived with a nice big selection of different meats, spreads and pickled veggies.  Everything on the plate went well together.  The pickled cauliflower was better than expected.  I really enjoyed the thin slices of cow tongue, but the boss was not a big fan of the texture.  The mains arrived next, with the gnocchi and the hanger steak.  My steak was good almost perfectly, I think it was a little over cooked, but it was not by much.  The steak was still very tender, and marinated in a very delicious sauce while the fries were very fresh.  The gnocchi was something very exceptional for the boss.  Gnocchi is one of her favorite plates, and this dish became her new favorite version of gnocchi.  The pasta was cooked to perfection, and the mix of the mushrooms, pasta and greens together really worked well together.  She could not stop raving about this plate for the rest of the lunch.  We did order the wine paring that went with our courses, and the sommelier did an excellent job at selecting the wines for these plates.  Last came the last plates of cheeses and my gelato.  The cheese plate came with a generous portion of  breads and of the three cheese the boss chose.  There was a very good selection from the menu to choose from, and of the three the boss chose, they were all excellent.  My gelato came, and it was plated beautifully.  There was bright colours and the mixed fruit really brought out a the restaurant theme more.  The three different type of berry gelatos, with the associated fruits on top was excellent!  The flavours were not to over powering, and the gelato was not too sweet.

The service we had while we ate was excellent.  He was friendly, knowledgeable, yet not intrusive.  Plus, he smiled which if you read my previous posts, was a nice change to have again!

The only thing that I did notice, was the dust on the window sill.  We were sitting by the window, getting a nice view of the market, but all along the sill was a layer of dust, and what looked like dusty cob webs.  Everything else in the restaurant was clean, the bathrooms, the bar, but sadly, the window was dirty, and it was noticeable.

Overall, the service was great, the food was excellent, the place was bright, warm and welcoming.  Great job again Chef Moffatt and Stephen Beckta, we do plan on being back.

Review (out of 5):

Food: * * * * 1/2
Value: * * * * * (we went for lunch)
Atmosphere: * * * *
Service: * * * *
Price (dinner): $7 - $19
Website: http://www.playfood.ca/