Why yes, there are things happening this weekend that don’t relate to Halloween. Two cool picks that piqued my interest? The Boston Vegetarian Food Festival (Saturday & Sunday) will assemble natural food providers, speakers, chefs, and exhibitors offering food samples, demos, learning opportunities, and a children's activity center. And on Sunday, Design Hive is calling all vintage vixens to Cambridge to stock up on vintage clothing, accessories, and home furnishings from local sellers.
Earlier this month Jon and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary, an event that served as the impetus for finally booking a sitter after what’s seemed like about 8 years. And the outing – to luscious Cuchi Cuchi in Cambridge – was just what the doctor ordered after a crazy spring, during which I realized I was taking care of everything around me except my marriage.
If you love fine fare and are looking to reconnect with your partner or head out for a festive evening with friends, definitely visit Cuchi Cuchi. Glamourously designed in vivid colors and vintage décor, and with a staff outfitted in saucy retro attire that immediately made me want to hit the nearby Garment District for a fabulous feathered hat, Cuchi Cuchi immediately transports via their aesthetics.
Their food and drink then follow through to deliver the complete experience. Similar in concept to Dali Restaurant’s tapas, but different in that the menu is international, Cuchi Cuchi’s “straight-up” or “small plates” are meant to be ordered in multiples and shared. Particular favorites from our meal included the fried artichoke hearts (delicately crispy on the outside and oozing with gorgonzola, pistachios, and basil; I would knock back a dozen of those suckers if I thought it would be remotely reasonable for my health…), seafood-filled avocado (a refreshing combination of lobster, shrimp, scallops, octopus, crabmeat, and salsa in an avocado half), and the duck a l'orange crepes (subtle at first taste, then deliciously rich with a fresh citrus and fennel edge). We also were completely satisfied by offerings from the full bar and dessert menu (specifically, their tiramisu and chocolate cake).
In a nutshell, the evening was decadent and lovely, save the irony of a couple and their screaming toddler being seated right behind me about 10 minutes into the meal. Devoted readers will know that I’m all about introducing kids to restaurants, but I think the venue ought to be fair to where a kid is at developmentally. Meaning, I considered the toddler’s screeches (escalated when one parent put a hand over the kid’s mouth to try to get him to be quiet) completely age appropriate - just not appropriate for a notably romantic, special occasion restaurant like Cuchi Cuchi.
On the other hand, as someone who is notoriously lame about hiring sitters, maybe this was that couple’s romantic evening out. And ultimately, the staff handled the situation beautifully, offering kind words to the couple and distraction to the child. And as the cocktails settled in and the happy din of the restaurant escalated, the truth was, the grown-ups all became just as noisy as the child.
Cuchi Cuchi, 795 Main Street, Cambridge; Tel: 617-864-2929
Regular readers may know that Jon and I have developed skepticism about the ability to have a relaxed meal out with a busy two-year-old in establishments other than cafes or diners. But last night we tried again, and Laurel rewarded us by being an angelic dinner companion for nearly an hour and a half at Tamarind House in Porter Square.
It’s possible that the 15-minute post-nap tantrum over Laurel’s distaste for wearing pants depleted her crazy mojo reserve; or perhaps she’s just growing into a more mature dining out buddy. Those possibilities aside, a few other factors no doubt helped the cause. We hope these "dining dos" will prove useful for your future family dining:
1) Dine early to facilitate quick service. We were seated shortly after 5:30pm; appetizers arrived minutes after we ordered them, thus quickly engaging Laurel in her beloved dumplings. 2) Booths rock. In addition to serving to sequester Laurel (she can’t resist climbing up and down repeatedly on regular chairs), these particular booths were high backed, so Laurel wasn’t tempted to play with the people sitting behind us (as in Know Your Limits). 3) Interesting décor helps. Tamarind House isn’t terribly ornate, but they do have some pretty colored lamps and other accoutrements that Laurel was excited to check out. We walked her around during the brief intervals while we were waiting for food to arrive to give her a break from sitting. 4) Mix it up. We ordered two appetizers and two entrees and the pacing and variety of the food worked beautifully. All told Laurel ate an astonishing pile of brown rice, spring rolls, dumplings (5 of them!), and baby corn. She was so content that we even stayed for dessert. And she was so chill after that that we even had time to stroll down the block to get mama a café au lait at Simon's before heading home.
We’re by no means setting this experience as the bar for future outings, but we are still relishing in the glow of having had a fun and relaxing outing as a family while enjoying real adult food and no dishes to clean up at home.
Tamarind House, 1790 Mass. Ave., Cambridge; Tel: 617-491-9940
I’m all for testing the waters at eateries that don’t necessarily promote themselves as kid friendly, but the truth is, kid friendly establishments just make life that much easier.
Jon and I first learned about Sweet Sue’s when it was an out-of-home operation selling baked goods at the Government Center farmer’s market. Last spring, Sweet Sue’s opened a bakery café in Arlington, where the vibe is cozy and warm (either due to the sunny space or the walk about coffee refills), decidedly family friendly (a kids table and toys are available, as is a real standing changing table in the bathroom), and brimming with treats. During the weekdays Sweet Sue’s serves breakfast and lunch; on Saturday they serve brunch. They also offer catering services.
Sweet Sue’s, 795 Mass. Ave., Arlington; Tel: 781-646-1118
You’d think I would have backed off coffee once Laurel started saying, “Mommy has coffee breath! Laurel has milk breath!” but old habits die hard. If you’re downtown in the beautiful weather today and looking for an independent fix, check out Flatblack Coffee Company. Possibly the only independent cafe in the financial district, this Australian-themed, Boston-based gourmet coffee company offers single country of origin coffees from around the world; most products are organically grown, shade grown, and fair trade.
You can purchase Flatblack’s products online or visit their locations in Boston (50 Broad Street; Tel: 617-951-1440) and Dorchester (1170 Washington Street; Tel: 617-298-1800).
It’s been far too long since Jon and I have connected downtown for lunch, but on Friday, he reminded me of our last lunch date by bringing home a marvelous taste of Sel de la Terre.
With a variety of menus available throughout the day (including a kid’s menu), Sel de la Terre offers French fare in a warmly appointed, casual brasserie atmosphere. The restaurant is lovely for sit down (the assiette de charcuterie with toasted brioche, mustard, and chutney first course is a must for anyone who enjoys pates and a variety of nibbles), and their entrance way boulangerie is a particular boon. To celebrate my finishing an important deadline on Friday, Jon picked up a couple of desserts for us to enjoy after Laurel was off to bed. Particularly divine was the chocolate mousse, constructed in a round mold on a thin layer of chocolate nut cake, with another layer of cake hidden inside the mousse.
Sel de la Terre, 255 State Street, Boston; Tel: 617-720-1300
Lunching with a fellow mama who had an infant in tow, I was pleasantly surprised by the baby-amenability of Grafton Street in Harvard Square. The restaurant is spacious enough to accommodate strollers (even the wide-girthed Bugaboo), the atmosphere is cool and calm, and the tables are spaced well enough such that nursing was a piece of cake. Oh yeah, and the food for the mamas was quite nice. The lunch menu offers a variety of salads, formal entrees, pizzas, and sandwiches ranging from $6.95 to $14.95.
Ah, the weekend. Perhaps you had the forethought to arrange a sitter. But if that was as far as you got, and you still don’t know where you and your love monkey are heading to, check out OpenTable online reservations. This online reservation system serves restaurants across the US and internationally; plug in your search neighborhood (e.g., Back Bay) and scope out reservation availability (and descriptions, reviews, ratings, and menus where available) for multiple restaurants at a time. No more individual phone calls!
Summer is more than half over but there’s still time catch one of the noontime performances of Club Passim’s Culture for Kids concert series at the Boston Children’s Museum. Today’s (July 28) show features Roots music; the August roster includes African drumming (Aug. 4), Latin rhythms (Aug. 11), Jazz (Aug. 18), and Folk (Aug. 25). All events are free for kids (8-12 years old); a $5 donation is suggested for adults.
