Review: Donna's Restaurant in East Boston

Donna's Restaurant in East Boston has the best chocolate chip pancakes ever. It's no secret I love all things breakfast, so let's start things out right:

I usually wait until I take a photo to eat. Clearly, I couldn't wait. These bad boys came with my two eggs, bacon, home fries and toast ($9.79) - Breakfast Special 7B.

I love these pancakes because at Donna's they use the small chocolate chips. These are awesome because the chocolate gets a thin crispy crust on the outside but maintains its gooey center. And, the chocolate to pancake ratio is spot on. Best. Pancakes. Ever. #awesome

Here is the rest of my breakfast that day:

Breakfast Special 7B (comes with chocolate chip pancakes above).

Donna's is absolutely one of my favorite breakfast places ever. I will drive 45 minutes from my home in Rhode Island for this place. I can't remember all the prices but everything is basically under $10. 

The atmosphere of this place is also amazing. It's a diner geared towards families. Every time I go, the place is packed with families. Plus, there are murals on the walls running the gamut from kids movies to dinosaurs. Check it out:

This place is a family affair. Here is Donna (on the right) with her mother (left):

And this is what the joint looks like from the outside:

Now, let's get back to the food. Everything is very basic, nothing fancy. Just well made comfort food in great atmosphere. The eggs are always on point, the breads are always fresh and everything is made to order. I did find it a bit odd though that the waffles were made with pancake batter. It wasn't bad, just more dense than fluffy - something I look forward to in a waffle. 

Same thing with the Eggs Benedict: simple with no frills. Good Benedict sauce, nice thick piece of Canadian bacon, eggs perfectly poached and the English muffin nicely grilled. A bit too much Benedict sauce, but I would rather have more than less. 

You know what was really good? The corned beef hash. I love a good hash and I loved this one because it is exactly what you want and expect when having a hash craving. Simple and to the point with exactly the right texture: crispy bits with soft bits mixed in.

I now make sure to give Donna a hug every time I leave. I've been going here for over five years and I can say that every time I eat here, I leave satisfied. I've never had a bad meal. I've never been served by someone with a bad attitude. And every time I come to Donna's, Donna comes to my table, asks me how I am and makes sure that I am taken care of. This is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. I am taken care of in every way I can think of here, and I can't wait to come back.

Me and Donna. I love this woman so hard!

Restaurant Review: T's Restaurant

I think it's fair to say that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.  I have my usual breakfast spots but I have to share this one with you: T's Restaurant.  There are three locations: Cranston, East Greenwich and Narragansett.  I've been to Cranston and East Greenwich and I have to say that there is absolute consistency between the two.  I am assuming that the Narragansett location also falls in line.

Back to the breakfast, I die for Eggs Benedict. What can I say?  It's my Achilles heel.  Here is a prime example:

T's Traditional Eggs Benedict

The T's Traditional Eggs Benedict ($9.49) hits the spot for me.  It is a bit on the sweet side.  The Canadian bacon is very thinly sliced and a tad sweet, which makes me grateful for the savory hollandaise sauce.  It is creamy and delicious.  It's sprinkled with a bit of paprika - but I can't really taste that.  I have to say, every time I have the Eggs Benedict, which is at least ten times, the eggs are perfectly poached to my liking.  The whites are cooked through with a nice runny yolk.  The home fries are also top notch -  crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  

And you can't go wrong with the coffee.  There is always some seasonal bean they are brewing hot and fresh.  

One awesome thing is how considerate they are of food allergies.  I was recently at the East Greenwich location with a friend and they are super considerate of dietary restrictions.  I am lactose intolerant and my friend is gluten-free.  They had gluten-free toast, used a separate toaster and cleaned down the grill specifically to avoid any cross-contamination.  Alright, nice touches.  Success is in the details.

Here is my friend's dish with the gluten-free toast (#7 Two Farm Fresh Grade AA Eggs with sausage, an extra egg and the apples with cinnamon, $7.99),

Eggs, sausage, cinnamon apples and gluten-free taost

Now, let's talk about their pancakes:

Seasonal Pumpkin Pancakes

These are the seasonal Pumpkin Pancakes.  For the love of God, eat these.  They come around but once a year, in the fall, they come with pumpkin butter and are the nectar of the gods.  There are no words... just eat them.  

Then there are the Buttermilk Pancakes:

Buttermilk pancakes, sausages, home fries and eggs

This is the #1 Two Buttermilk Pancakes with eggs, sausage and home fries ($8.29).  

Here's the thing.  I ask for my eggs poached, they come perfectly poached.  I ask for them over medium, they come to me over medium.  My friend wanted them sunny side up... you get the point.  You know how hard it is to get good eggs?  You'd be surprised.  They say you can judge a chef by their eggs.  Well, T's... A+.

I've also had lunch here and, of course, it was great.  T's is like kicked up diner food that's solid, consistent and just darn tasty.  

Restaurant Review: The Wurst Window/Kitchen at Chez Pascal

Give me your wurst... please.  And by wurst, I mean Chez Pascal's house-made sausages, cured meats and other pork delights.  The restaurant gets whole pigs from a farm in New Hampshire then does the majority of the butchering in-house.  

What is the Wurst Window/Kitchen?  It is the outdoor (Window) versus indoor (Kitchen) component to a specialty dining experience at Chez Pascal in Providence.  Within the same building lies an upscale French restaurant (Chez Pascal) and a more approachable and low key dining experience (Wurst Window/Kitchen).  One walks into the restaurant and past the bar to the Wurst Kitchen where you can be seated at unique high top tables or at the bar where you can watch the chefs with their wurst.  Or, if you are dining outside or on the go, stop by the Wurst Window where you can order your wurst right there, street side.  Got it?

Now, I hope you can appreciate how difficult it can be for a young woman to write a blog about sausages and pork products with a straight face while attempting to not dip into innuendo sentence after sentence.  I will do my best, but I promise nothing.

I've been coming to the Wurst Window/Kitchen for sometime, and it is about time that I shared my love of these sausages with you.

So, to start with, take a look at these sausages, they are the absolute in wurst:

Beer Bratwurst, Jagerwurst and Bacon-wrapped Pork Meatloaf Sandwich

At the top of the photo is the Beer Bratwurst ($3.50) with beer onions, sea salty feta cheese and house mustard.  The bottom wurst is the same without the feta, because I am lactose challenged... yay.  The sausage is juicy, not fatty; the onions are super tasty and savory and the dijon is just slightly sweet and spicy.

Second from the top is the Jagerwurst ($3.50) with braised red cabbage, pistachios and apple dijon.  Pistachios in sausage you say?  I do say.  What an interesting textural experience.  I don't find that it adds much flavor, but it is pretty and fun to eat.  Again, the braised red cabbage is nicely and slightly sweet along with the apple dijon.

Another Jagerwurst, close up.  Shame you can't see the pistachios in it.

Third one down is actually a Bacon-wrapped Pork Meatloaf sandwich with coleslaw and a spicy fig compote.  It's all quality stuff and you can actually taste all of the individual components as they blend together to create the dish.  But as you can guess, I find it just a touch sweet, but still good.

Pictured below is an appetizer of house-made wieners with fig compote with cole slaw:

Wurst Kitchen specialty of weiners with fig compote and house-made cole slaw.

I find that the sausages are just a touch on the sweet side, and that doesn't bother me.  I also find the dijon a bit on the sweet side and that also doesn't bother me.  You know what I love about the experience of these sausages?  The meat to bun ratio is spot on.  Also, the buns are always lightly grilled with just a hint of butter or oily goodness.  Whichever it is, I don't care, because I like it.  That's right, I like how the buns and the sausages work together...

One thing I'd like to mention, although many of these sausage dishes stay relatively the same, many of the topping are based on seasonality, in-house creativity and of course availability.  What is available one week or month could be slightly or entirely different on your next visit.   

Take these for example:

Chorizo sausage and Pickled Green Tomato and Baked Bean sausage

One day, I went with a friend to the Wurst Kitchen and we couldn't decide which sausage we wanted.  So, we split two sausages.  Just a couple of girls who can't decide on which sausage they want.  Anywho, the one on the left is the Chorizo ($3.50) with potatoes and typically comes with feta.  But we've gone over this.  The chorizo had a nice spice to it and the potatoes added a nice textural and starchy component.  

The one on the right, I can't remember the names but it has pickled green tomatoes, feta and baked beans.  A nice combination of sweet, tangy and savory from the baked beans.  

All of the sausages come with a side of potato salad, which I'm not crazy about to be honest.  But it's just not my taste.  It's also not what I wanna eat with a sausage.  I want beans or French fries with my sausage, on the side, of course.

If you are starting to understand my palate you know that I have insatiable chocolate cravings, and after a nice savory meal I like some sweets.  Well, the Wurst Window/Kitchen has some creative and satisfying sweets:

Caramel and Chocolate Pudding with whipped cream

Welcome to the Caramel and Chocolate Pudding with whipped cream ($3.50).  The caramel is not overpowering, in fact, it's sugary sweetness seems a bit tamed by some nice heavy cream.  The chocolate pudding has a fantastic almost bittersweet chocolate flavor that is very rich and the whipped cream was clearly freshly made.  I actually didn't finish it all, which made for a nice mid-afternoon snack.

And:

Salty Chocolate Chip Cookie

Here is the Salty Chocolate Chip Cookie ($1.25), and only half of it.  I really do love the salty and sweet combination.  I'm not saying that this cookie was the size of my face, but it was close.  I just loved it dammit.  There were nice big pieces of what I think was semi-sweet chocolate and nice flecks of salt.  Yes... just yes.

Honestly, what you get for the price here is insane.  You get gourmet ingredients thoughtfully and lovingly prepared for a reasonable price.  The Wurst Window/Kitchen is definitely a specific craving I get from time to time, and I plan on satisfying that craving on many return visits.

Restaurant Review: Ball Square Cafe in Somerville, MA

There are a few things you should know about me: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I am always on the lookout for mouth-watering eggs benedict and chocolate chip pancakes.  Let me tell you about Ball Square Cafe in Somerville, MA.  They really hit the spot when it comes to my breakfast cravings and the quality is consistent.  I've been here twice already, and I foresee many more visits.

Let's start with one of my all-time favorite breakfast items:

Traditional Eggs Benedict ($11.95)

These Traditional Eggs Benedict are done just right.  The eggs are poached perfectly - nice runny yolks with the whites cooked through, two slices of thin Canadian bacon and grilled English muffins.  And the home fries are done to my liking as well - well done.  I love crispy home fries. And like I said earlier, both times I've had these bennys, they've consistently been done to my liking.  And to be honest, the touch of paprika on top adds a nice flavor to the hollandaise, which is thick and creamy.  A lot of other places where I've had bennys, the paprika seems like more of a garnish than actually adding any flavor.  My guess is that these have smoked paprika on them.  Like a boss!

I've also had the Florentino Eggs Benedict ($12.95):

Florentino Eggs Benedict

As you may notice in the photo, instead of home fries there is a crispy potato thing in the background.  That my friends is Omar's Home Fries (grilledmashed).  Imagine your favorite mashed potatoes in a thin layer then grilled on a flat top until both sides have a crispy crust.  It's worth a try.

The Florentino is nice and light and a perfect alternative to the savory bomb that is the Traditional benny.

Need something sweeter?  You're a human after my own heart.  How's this:

Caramelized Apple-Cinnamon French Toast

This my friends is the Caramelized Apple-Cinnamon French Toast ($9.95).  All the French toast is made with Challah bread... yum.  Notice how that whipped cream looks just a little more decadent than usual?  That's because it is homemade.  Plus, you can ask for real maple syrup or sugar-free maple syrup.  I thoroughly enjoyed ravaging this pile of deliciousness.  The apples were the perfect mix of some al dente and some soft.  I honestly don't remember adding much, if any, syrup to this.  Simply delicious.

Next:

Chocolate chip pancakes

Give me chocolate or give me death!  That may seem a bit extreme but don't ever get between a woman and her chocolate cravings.  You'll lose an appendage or something else you value.  These Chocolate Chip Pancakes are made with chocolate morsels mixed right into the batter.  They are buttery, eggy and with enough chocolate chips to satisfy my craving.  (To be honest it never really is satisfied.)  

In the background you can see a side of fruit.  That too is nice and fresh and satisfying.

Last but not least:

Mexican Omelet ($12.95)

Holy omelet Batman! This thing is no joke.  The Mexican Omelet has avocado, jalapenos, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and cheddar cheese topped with sour cream.  There's even a grilled corn muffin on the side, which I could have used just a tad more grilled, to really bring out more of that natural sweetness in the corn.  What's nice about the jalapenos, and the other veggies, is that they are grilled, which also brings out some of the natural sugars and takes some of the heat out.  And if you are a wimp like me when it comes to heat, you will appreciate it. 

Here are a couple more things about this place. Expect to wait in line on the weekends for sure, and possibly even on weekdays.  There is a self-serve coffee bar and I really like this.  It really gives it a homey feeling, and a plus: they have soy milk, which is great for me because I am dairy-challenged.  Another thing is Mike Moccia, the co-owner.  He is constantly walking around, making everyone feel at home and handing out fist bumps.  Check this guy out:

Co-owner Mike Moccia and myself

So, come here hungry, and leave happy.  That's what I intend to keep doing.

The Mecca of Buffets: The Buffet at the Bellagio, Las Vegas

What's happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  But I think that phrase is really designed for the amount of debauchery that occurs.  People go to Vegas for many reasons, bachelor and bachelorette parties, business expos, shows, clubs.  I don't think any of you would be surprised to know that I was extremely excited to see what the food scene had to offer.  Maybe it makes me sound like a 45-year-old man but I was really looking forward to trying one of their famous buffets.  I'm not normally one for buffets, but these were supposed to be different, especially the one at the Bellagio.  I love to travel; luckily I had a good excuse to be in Vegas - a romantic rendezvous never hurt the soul or the heart.  I came, I ate, I conquered.  Needless to say I spent three hours at the buffet.  If I'm going to do something, I am going to do it right.  In fact, we beat out three sets of seatings around us.  

To start with, this is an appropriate plate to arrange for yourself at the buffet.  It was my last plate of food, but this is how you do it right:

You know how you do it wrong?!  And I saw soooooooooooo many people doing this?  Get a giant plate of fruit or a salad.  You know what I have to say to that?  F*** you.  You come to the Buffet at the Bellagio and you eat fruit?!  Normally I'm not so judgemental (okay who am I kidding?) but seriously.  You have a ridiculous amount of good food options and you decide to eat like a bunny?!  I was so disappointed in so many people.  It got to a point where I was looking at people's plates, judging them for their selections and shaking my head.  I couldn't stand it.  Here are some of the stations you should avoid.  And it is not because they are bad.  Oh no.  It is very fresh don't get me wrong.  But seriously!  Salad and fruit?!?!  STOP IT!

If you come back to your table with these options you should be ashamed of yourself.  Here are some options you should consider.  And as a note, I went for brunch.  So, unfortunately, the giant crab legs I had heard so much about were only available during dinner service.  Oh well, guess I'll have to go back.

Griddle full of pancakes

Fluffy, delicious pancakes, perfect French toast, mini belgian waffles and red velevet waffles

Raspberry cheesecake and carrot cake

Spicy tuna wrap

Cheesecake with blueberries

Chocolate walnut brownies

Eclairs with chocolate filling and chocolate ganache glaze

Some other kind of pretty cheesecake (I guess cheesecake is a crowd pleaser considering how many different kinds there are)

Shrimp cocktail - fresh shrimp, cocktail sauce could use more zing

Breakfast sausage, apple blintzes and fruit sauces

Big ole pile of croissants

Chocolate croissants

Napoleans

Pork buns

Ponzu chicken with pineapple sauce 

Chinese broccoli, tofu pad thai and fried rice (all pretty bland)

Bagel and shmear station

Now, let me show you all the plates me and my man created over the course of three hours.

Plate 1:

Eggs benedict, apple blintz, chocolate croissant, breakfast sausage, thick-cut bacon

Sesame bagel with lox, tomato, dill tartar sauce, capers, lemon, two types of squid salad

The eggs benedict, like most of the food, was good.  Nothing really stood out as stellar but everything was adequate.   Think about the volume of food that is put out.  Some things are going to shine while others, although perfectly fine, are just, well, you know, nothing entirely exciting.  The apple blitz's pastry shell was soft and sweet as well as it's interior.  The apple filling was very sweet.  One was enough.  The chocolate croissant was more croissant than chocolate and I could not really taste the chocolate.  The best things on this plate were really the breakfast sausage and thick cut bacon.  The sausage was very juicy and well cooked and the bacon was everything I wanted in pork fat deliciousness.  

The second plate had highs and lows as well.  After assembling the bagel and lox, we really thought that the lox were made in house.  They were absolutely delicious and on par with some really great lox I've had in both Boston and New York.  Both squid salads were underwhelming, fresh, but boring.

Onto the next plates:

Pork gyuza, ponzu chicken skewer, tofu pad Thai and red velvet waffles with vanilla cream sauce

Man plate of meat and more protein

First round of bottomless champagne

I have to say, my Asian-inspired plate was pretty disappointing.  The pork bun was very soft. I think they typically have a little bit more of a crust on them. And the filling was okay.  The skewer had a gelatinous texture to the sauce and the pork gyoza was a little too pink in the center for my liking.  And to be honest, the pad Thai was dry and I could not find a single piece of tofu in it.  Normally I would have to explain why I was eating a red velvet waffle alongside Asian-inspired food but I'm at a buffet.  Anything goes.  The waffle was very good.  A little dense and cakey; I could see where they were going.  The vanilla cream sauce really brought it together.  

On my man's man plate of meat, meat and protein, I think he got everything he wanted in that plate.  Crispy bacon, two fresh eggs made at the omelette station (perfectly over medium), an amazing piece of prime rib from a carving station, a breakfast sausage and a biscuit.  I think this plate really highlights what was done really well at brunch.  It also says a little something about the stations.  Go to the stations.  Get food from the chefs who make items ready to order.  Some items just don't hold that well under the heat lamps, and that is something to keep in mind.  Perhaps the fattier items hold better, like the bacon and sausage.  Eggs and items prone to drying out, not so much.  

Now, let's talk about the bottomless champagne.  Get the champagne (it's actually prosecco).  It's an extra $10 a person and so worth it.  I definitely had at least five glasses.  Do it!

Plate 3:

Seafood-inspired plate with lox, shrimp cocktail, bluefin tuna, smoked trout, and another white fish from Hawaii

Hearty bread, dill tartar sauce, red onion and lox

More prime rib, eggs, pesto mashed potatoes, fresh bread

This round of seafood had highs and lows as well.  As I made my way through the food I am definitely learning that it is probably a good idea to avoid things that can dry out under a heat lamp.  For example, the bluefin tuna and other white fish were were very dry.  I discovered that I do not enjoy smoked trout, although I believe this is just a personal preference, and the lox was again really delicious.  I could eat the lox all day.  The shrimp cocktail was also very fresh and the cocktail sauce could use some horseradish to kick it up a notch.  

The next plate had more prime rib (as you are seeing we went back for things we really enjoyed).  Also, the pesto mashed potatoes were kind of ridiculously good.  A good concept executed really well.  

Plate 4:

No holds barred throwdown of flan, coffee tiramisu, chocolate walnut brownies, chocolate eclair, strawberries, carrot cake and more prosecco

Blueberry muffin, waffle, pancake, cheese blintz, French toast

This is how you end a buffet sitting.  The flan was really my favorite dessert item.  I've had a lot of flan and this was just wonderful.  It tasted like someone's grandmother was making it in the back.  Truly delicious.  The coffee tiramisu was really nice too.  I wasn't a huge fan of the brownie, I don't like nuts in my chocolate.  The eclair was a nice surprise seeing as it had a chocolate filling and the carrot cake was nice too.  See the strawberries on my plate?  This is the only acceptable way, in my opinion, to be eating fruit at a buffet.  It cleanses the palate and adds something to the experience.  I'm not at a buffet to eat healthy.  Please.

It may seem strange to be ending the meal with a plate full of breakfast but it really is just a different take on sweets.  I preferred to get traditional desserts while my man dove head first into the realm of breakfast sweets.  It was a beautiful plate I must say.  The muffin was gone before I even got to try it and to be honest, there isn't much either of us could complain about on this plate.  Sweet, fluffy and fresh.  The perfect end to a well spaced meal-a-thon.

I would absolutely recommend this buffet to anyone wanting to experience a Vegas buffet.  Aside from the food, our server was incredible.  Our glasses were always filled with prosecco or coffee and he was very attentive to all our needs.  I am definitely going to return to the Bellagio Buffet, but next time, for dinner.  Those crab legs have my name all over them!