For those of you who have been here awhile, you may remember Monsoon Café’s origins as an artsy second-story Thai restaurant above the current Downtown Grille.* There were funkily painted chairs and wall-hangings, a couple of intimately capacious seating areas, and an appealing and unusual menu. I don’t know exactly when it moved from that privileged evening-on-the-town location to the decidedly less savory house on the corner of 2nd and Market (@Echangy?), but I thought I heard the death knell approaching. Fortunately, I was wrong. Not only has Monsoon survived, it recently spruced up its menu and interior space, and has got it going on pretty much for… Read More
Posts Tagged Neighborhood: Downtown
Monsoon Siam 
Dec 10
Tempo Restaurant & Bar
Oct 26
Newcomer restaurant Tempo (in the challenged 5th Street space that was home to Ventana) was much anticipated as we watched renovations and preparations for months. While its opening may have been overshadowed by the Commonwealth phenom, our initial meals suggest it’s a promising addition to the downtown dining scene and worth a visit.
You’ll first notice the decor, which people seem to love or hate. It’s like upscale Parisian bordello meets nouveau riche in the mountains. There’s paisley silk and cow print and even an enormous water buffalo head reigning over the bar. It’s a little too busy for my tastes, but I can appreciate that it doesn’t look like most other minimal brick interiors these days.
I’m not sure who this Phil guy is, but I’d like to congratulate him on his excellent taste in pork platters. I’ve had his highly recommended “Phil’s Fave Porko Platter” at Mono Loco in heavy dinner rotation lately.
Even beyond the porko platter, Mono Loco has stepped it up in the past year to become one of my favorite dinner and drinks spots. Their food has been quite good (particularly any specials) during all our visits and their bar scene has become one of the most fun in town. But it’s Phil’s Platter that keeps drawing me back with its crispy pork and crispy plantains over rice and beans, topped off with pico… Read More
Positively 4th Street
Jun 13
A chalkboard outside of Positively 4th Street reads “Best Burger in Town”. If you’re going to make that proclamation only 10 yards from the entrance to a Five Guys, you had better be legit, right? Hamburgers occupy a special spot in the hearts of American diners. A well-constructed, perfectly cooked hamburger is a thing of beauty and is not to be messed with.
Upon settling in and evaluating the bill of fare at Positively 4th St, my hopes were high. The menu reads incredibly well (especially the burgers). Each selection is American comfort food at heart, but with a creative twist that entices and… Read More
We just returned from an amazing trip to Ireland, a country that deserves a much better food reputation than it has. Who wouldn’t love a place where every restaurant has, on average, ten different potato dishes? I’m hoping we helped with the country’s economic recovery through our food and drink bill, but I think it will be awhile before I can order lamb, duck, or Guinness.
For my own Ireland recovery, I’m turning to a summer salad regimen for the foreseeable future. The timing is great as I just discovered my new favorite lunch order: Eppie’s Curry Chicken Salad. I’m averaging two a week and I can’t get enough. You can order the curry chicken as a sandwich as… Read More
My recent Food Finds have not been a study in dietary restraint: biscuits and gravy, ice cream, chorizo burrito, cookies, you get the clogged artery picture. The only salad that’s earned Food Find status included fried food, cheese, and buttermilk. So I’m grateful that the Tea Bazaar has provided a find that’s good for overall health in addition to taste buds.
The Tea Bazaar’s signature salad is full of delicious and unexpected surprises. It starts with an overflowing plate of fresh produce with mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Golden raisins and candied walnuts add a touch of sweetness, and the entire thing is topped off with paper-thin pear slices and creamy feta cheese… Read More
It’s almost impossible for me to pass up brats when I see them on a menu or in a cart, especially at sporting events or anytime in the month of October. But I wasn’t sure I had ordered wisely (sorry, Snooki) when I saw these two meat-pops land under my nose.
How mistaken I was. Not only was it a wise decision but it was real smart too. Beer-soaked sausage with sweet braised onions atop a couple of stripes of mustard on a potato roll, with kettle chips on the side? Huzzah! Great texture, strong beer flavor, extra soft roll, everything just right.
For all you sausage-eating types… Read More
Brookville
Aug 25
There’s an exciting restaurant newcomer in town that’s upped the ante on the local food scene. We’ve only had one meal at Brookville, but it was a delicious, memorable dinner that celebrated the best this season and area has to offer.
Brookville is located in the former Upstairs/Al Dente space above Escafé. It’s more out of the way than other mall spots that easily attract passersby, so I hope the spot won’t be tough for them. It’s a welcoming space that was far too empty for the delicious meal we were about to have. The entry room includes a large bar, exposed brick walls, bookshelves filled with cookbooks to thumb through, and a communal table… Read More
The Downtown Hotdog Company
Aug 15
Ah, the hot dog. Baseball and barbecue staple, street minute-meal for the suddenly starved. Proud poster child of American no-nonsense-ness, butt of mystery meat and wiener jokes.
Or so it was. The arrival of The Downtown Hotdog Company, along with such international crazes as Japadog, heralds a new era of thinking about and eating hot dogs. No longer content to be monopolized by Oscar Meyer or confined to white buns, Heinz ketchup, French’s mustard, and maybe some diced onions or pickle relish, the noble wiener is going gourmet.
At the Downtown Hotdog Company, you can pick from a dozen arrangements – including such stand-outs as “The Dragon” with… Read More
Sweet Frog
Aug 9
There have been signs that I’m rapidly developing a problem. It started out innocently enough when I heard that Sweet Frog, the new self-serve yogurt place on the downtown mall, was about to open. I began thinking about it an awful lot, thanks to a pre-existing addiction to Pinkberry, the original California-based yogurt trend. After its opening last week, I grew slightly concerned when I visited Sweet Frog three times in 38 hours. And I was downright embarrassed when I ate it so quickly last night that I developed the hiccups. So I may have a problem – but it’s a delicious one.
Sweet Frog (next door to Escafé) has ten yogurt… Read More
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