Del Frisco's vs Ruth's Chris- an epic showdown

I'm not a fancy person, so the fact that I ate at Del Frisco's and Ruth's Chris in the same week is mind blowing. So instead of writing two separate reviews about how amazing each of these restaurants are, I thought I would make things interesting and see... which of these fancypants places is the top dog?

First- Ruth's Chris

In my typical beast mode self, I have been craving a fat and juicy steak for the past month. When it came time to pick a nice place for our anniversary dinner, I researched the best steakhouses in Boston. Abe &Louie's, Grill 23, Morton's and Ruth's all popped up as great choices. Instead of reading reviews and stressing over which was the very best, I just randomly picked one and made an online reservation. I mean you can't really go wrong...

Ruth's Chris is located on 45 School Street in downtown Boston, inside the old City Hall building. When we arrived inside, the host immediately walked us through the restaurant to our table. He walked us through several hallways, and by the old vault, which is now a private dining area! We were seated in one of the many side rooms with 10 tables of 2-4 peeps.
 

 

We each selected our meats and a few sides to split. I went with the 16oz Filet, while Jake chose the Cowboy Rib eye. For sides we went with the lobster mac and cheese and the creamed spinach. Our plates came out sizzling about 15 minutes later. My filet was cooked perfectly, tender on the inside with a bit of a crispy skin which gave it great flavor.

 

 

I am actually not a big fan of lobster mac and cheese in general. Mostly because I LOVE seafood and think adding cheese to it is the weirdest thing ever. I like my lobster dripping in butter, not soaking in a bowl full of cheese and noodles. But I have to say, this lobster mac and cheese was fantastic. The pasta was rich in flavor without being too cheesy, and most of the lobster was on top, so it still kept its fresh, organic flavor.

 

 

The creamed spinach was good, nothing out of this world. But I have to say, because the lobster mac was so good, I mostly focused my attention on that.

 

 

I know I wanted to get dessert, but before I even got a chance to look at the menu.. they brought out a free dessert for us! How precious! Bonus points!!

 

Next- Del Frisco's

 



 

I got the opportunity to go to Del Frisco's for a work dinner last night! I was so excited because I had never been there before, and had heard great things from family and friends. The restaurant had a completely different feel to it than Ruth's with big open spaces and a ton of light. It was surrounded in windows looking out on the seaport, which made me feel a lot more hip and cool. The hostess walked us to our private room with one long table for 15. The room was a good size for mingling, and really classly looking with its big chandeliers.

 

When we sat down for dinner we had a set menu to chose from with some great options! I chose the Del's salad and the 12 oz Filet (with my blog in mind so I could compare it to Ruth's), and the cheesecake. OOO boy what a great night of eating I had ahead of me! First they brought out some family style apps to share, which were all amazing!!! I especially liked the calamari!

 

Cheesesteak eggrolls-Sweet Chili & Mustard Sauce

 

Shanghai-Style Fried Calamari-Sweet Chili Glaze, Bean Sprouts, Cherry Peppers, Crushed Peanuts & Scallions

Shrimp Cocktail in 3 sauces-Remoulade · Italian Marinade · Cocktail


Next came the Del's salad, which might be the best salad I have ever said. Mostly because it had 2 strips of crispy bacon on top and the most yummy avocado ranch dressing ever.

This is the point where I started getting full, and I hadn't even gotten my steak yet...but that never stopped me before. Along came my filet topped with a seaport style sauce. This was served with family style potatoes and spinach.

 

 

 

And just when I thought I was ready to keel over and die, dessert came out. This cheesecake was so different than any I have had before. It was almost like a mousse, really light and airy, compared to the sometimes heavy and dense cheesecake. I could only take a few bites, but was utterly impressed!

 

 

I have done a lot of overeating in my lifetime, but I have to say this might have been the fullest I have ever been. Which is saying so much more than you will ever know.

 

Now- after braindumping all of this on you, I guess I have to decide which is better. This is much harder than I thought it would be because each restaurant has a completely different atmosphere. Ruth's is darker more romantic, and good for a date night out, while Del Friscos is a more modern place perfect for a fun night out with a small or large group.

 

I think the fairest way to determine the winner is is to break this down by a few comparable categories.

 

Best service: Del Friscos- they were overly attentive, always refilling my water and asking me to cut into my steak right when they put down the plate.

 

Best Filet: Ruth's- I really liked the taste of the steak better, with its slightly crispy crust. A bit more flavorful as well.

 

Best sides dishes/apps: Del Friscos- this is also not fair, because I got to try 5 side dishes (including apps), but I can't ignore how delish those apps were

 

Best dessert- Del Frisco's Cheesecake- so perfect and delicious

 

Favorite dish of both dinners: Ruth's Lobster Mac and cheese- I don't know why I just can't stop thinking about it

 

 

Ahh I can't think of any more categories!! I guess that means the winner is...

 

DEL FRISCO'S

 

I think this week is the best its ever going to get for me and I am more than okay with that. Back to the burgers and beer baby!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

The Biltmore Bar&Grill- 1205 Chestnut Street, Newton, MA

As you know, I love a good chain restaurant. But most times, the best food comes from a hidden gem, a dive, a place that's only form of advertisement is word of mouth. A friend recommended I try the Biltmore in Newton, and after browsing their menu online, I had to agree. I made a reservation for Friday night at 7:15 and stared at the mouthwatering menu while i waited three days for Friday to arrive.
 Yayy Friday came, and I'm so glad I made a reservation! It was PACKED with an hour wait for a table of two (cray, but always a good sign). Our reservation was for 7:15 and we got there right on time. Unfortunately, we ended up waiting about 20 minutes to get our table, which was a bit frustrating. But the hostess was so apologetic and had an ever-so-charming Irish brogue, so I wasn't getting too worked up over it.

 This Prohibition-era pub has tin ceilings, wood paneling and hardwood floors. Its farm style tables and cozy booths create a welcoming but laid back atmosphere that anyone can enjoy. The dining space is made of 2 open and connecting rooms, that could seat about 60 people. The tavern  is a separate space with a large bar, several high-top pub tables and offers a variety of craft beers and tasty snacks like mac and cheese fritters and fried pickles.

 We were seated in the dining area and were quickly greeted by our waitress. Since I had looked at the menu online for days, I knew exactly what I wanted. We ordered the pub fries for an appetizer, because they might be my favorite app of all time. While we were waiting for them, the restaurant manager came over with an order of popcorn chicken, to apologize for our 20 min. wait! What a guy! You know how I feel about places that do this, its such a low cost way to make sure your diner has a pleasant experience. Fried chicken can be very hit or miss, often coming out too hard or dry. But this app was crispy on the outside, but tender and moist on the inside. It was also accompanied with a tangy sauce to dip! Gotta love a good dipping sauce!

 

Our pub fries came shortly after, and I immediately realized that a food coma was in my near future. They were covered in cheese, bacon, chives and gravy. I was inhaling them faster than you can say Imaginormousfoodmoster...until I realized something was missing. I LOVE ranch dressing with cheese fries. Weird thing was, when I asked the waitress for it, she said they didn't have ranch dressing. I find that so odd...I thought it was a staple dipping sauce in America now? Oh well, you can't win em all..and the gravy was a sufficient component to keep the fries moist.

 

By now, I am already full. But we had already put in for our entrees. The menu was pretty cool, a lot of old school classics with modern twists like fried chicken & waffles and ricotta gnocci. I went for the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich and Jake got the BBQ Plate (ribs, wings, sausage, mac&cheese and cornbread). My sandwich was HUGE, and like i said, I was already busting at the seams, so I didn't eat much of it. What I did have was pretty good, a little spicy for my taste, but still satisfying. Jake's bbq plate was also ginormo, but his favorite part was the mac and cheese. I weaseled away a forkful and it tasted like an upscale Kraft blue box. So good.

 

 

This place was awesome, really friendly staff, with unique, homey and flavorful food. Next time I go though, I have to go for brunch. The menu looks too good to pass up. I mean banana bread french toast? Done and Done.

 

And side note: every time I reference the Biltmore's name, I can't help but say it in a fancy British butler voice. Try it, you won't stop.

http://www.thebiltmoregrill.com/index.html

 

 

 

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with "Zesty" Avocado Spread

Another recipe from my healthy cookbook, hence the avocado. I think I've eaten more avocado in the last two weeks than I have in my entire life. Good thing its delicious.

This recipe caught my eye cuz I loooveeee me some BBQ. And it didn't look like it would taste TOO healthy...

What you need:
2 Chicken Breasts (or 4 breast tenderloins)
1 package of hamburger rolls (not the stupid cheap ones, pick something good)
1 Avocado (2 if you love avocado)
BBQ Sauce
1 TBSP red onion diced
1 lime
1 TBSP Green onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 slices of reduced fat sharp cheddar
Lettuce
Tomato
Cooking Spray
1 TBSP minced jalapeno pepper (if you like spice, which I don't- so I guess mine wasn't very "zesty")

Brush your chicken with BBQ sauce on both sides. Spray your grill pan with cooking spray and cook them on medium heat. Depending on thickness, they should cook 3-4 minutes on each side. About a minute before you take them off, put a slice of cheddar on each piece (if you do 4 tenderloins, use a half a piece on each).

 

To prepare your zesty avocado spread, mash up the avocado up in a bowl. Add the diced onion, lime (juiced), garlic, green onion and salt. Mix everything together and voila!

Build your sangy: On one half put your lettuce, tomato and bbq chicken (with melted cheese) and spread the avocado mixture on the other half.

 

And there you go! A super easy, and reasonably healthy meal under 20 minutes. My cookbook says these sandwiches come out to about 400 calories each. However, I literally doused my burger in that avocado spread, and then proceded to eat the leftovers out of the bowl with a spoon- so mine was probably a bit more. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Honey Dijon Salmon- its easy I swear!

A lot of people get intimidated when it comes to cooking fish. I know I used to be. I never wanted to go up to the fish counter, looking stupid, not knowing what to get. I always thought cooking it was really complex and I would never got it right...UNTIL.. randomly one day I found a recipe online and just did it. Ever since that day, I love cooking fish, and do it often. It is literally the easiest thing to make taste good. I typically either coat it in bread crumbs or just season it with lemon, salt and pepper. But this time around I wanted to try something different...so I found a recipe online for Honey Dijon Salmon and decided to give it a try!

What you need:
2- 1/2 lb salmon fillets
Dijon mustard
Honey
1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray






Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a small oiled bowl (aka give it a little shot of cooking spray) mix together 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 2 table spoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Whisk everything together until incorporated.

 

Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place in a shallow baking dish. Brush both sides of the salmon with the honey dijon glaze.

 

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the fish is fork tender and flaky. Annndd we're done! I like serving the salmon with a starch and veggie. This time I chose pasta and green beans.

 

I am definitely glad I gave this recipe a try. Its a nice change to my normal boring salmon. Guys, don't be scared of fish, I promise its not that hard.

 

 

 

 

Edamame-171 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA

I grew up eating Hibachi at Bisuteki in Revere, MA (with to die for virgin shirley temples), so it has always been very close to my heart. But I hadn't seen a hibachi place nearby since I moved to Watertown...UNTIL about 6 months ago, when I noticed them building one down the street from me.

Edamame in Watertown, MA is in kind of an awkward spot in town for a restaurant, located on the Newton line in a plaza with a Stop and Shop, Gym, Dentist, Papa Gino's and CVS. While its not the best place for marketing purposes, its FANTASTIC for me, because I could walk there (notice that its next to the gym, which I will never walk to). Anyway, they opened in November and have been bumpin ever since. Unfortunately the first time I went, I was not a blogger, so I figured I would write about my SECOND experience there!

The restaurant is a good size with 6 hibachi grills (8 seats on each side) about 15 booths and a sushi bar. We got there at  7:30 without a reservation (I was feeling risky) and were told we would have to wait about 30 min. for the next hibachi table. Fine with us! To the bar we go!

Another great thing about hibachi restaurants- the drinks! This place has scorpion bowls (they call them Flaming Volcanos-hence the flame) for $11, which is just what the doctor ordered. We also got a black dragon sushi roll to tie us over until it was time to be seated. The roll was pretty good, wasn't a huge fan of the eel, but it was satisfying.



Spicy crunchy tuna, cucumber wrapped in eel and avacado

 It's time to be seated! We take two seats along the side of one of the hibachi tables, and are joined by a party of 6. Another thing about hibachi restaurants, don't be those weird people who keep to yourselves and don't want to socialize. It makes everything so much more fun if you are friendly with your table mates! The menu has quite the variety with regular entrees, sushi or the reason why you just sat at this table- hibachi. I chose the steak "special" hibachi for $19.95. This includes a salad with ginger dressing, miso soup, shrimp app, fried or white rice, steak and veggies. Um if you didn't notice- THATS A TON OF FOOD FOR $20!

 

 

And now the showmaster appears- . He started off with some lovely spatula tricks (which sounds lame but is actually mesmerizing)

 

Next,  the Sake in the squirt bottle, which I have never experienced before. He actually squirted sake into each of our mouths to see how long we could drink it for. This can become quite dangerous when you have egotistical men at your table (Jake) that need to beat eachother. Everyone counts the seconds to see who will win, as the  Japanese rice wine is foaming from their mouths. If that doesn't sound like fun, I don't know what does!

 

 

Now- the cooking begins! I like this part because you get your food in stages, building up to the main course. First the rice, then the shrimp, then the meat and veggies. They also give you some fun sauces to dip the meat in! YUM!

 

 

 

 

Everything was super flavorful and delicious. I was really full, but wanted to keep going (my constant inner struggle), so I brought home leftovers. This is such a fun place to go with a group of 8. It is reasonably priced, fun and the food is really good!

 

I am happy to say it looks like this place is doing pretty well since it opened! And I really hope it stays that way because it was would be really cruel to build something so magical so close to me and then rip it away! It will make me ugly cry, and no one likes an ugly crier. http://edamamenewton.com/index.html

 

 

 

 

 

The long awaited, North Shore, ROAST BEEF CHALLENGE

From a young age, I always had a sophisticated palette for the finer foods in life. Always gravitating towards the "adult" menu in restaurants instead of your typical chicken nugget, pizza and burger filled kids menu. And now I have proof- my 5th grade yearbook. While everyone else listed their favorite foods as ice cream, pizza or french fries, I chose the always satisfying Roast Beef (FREAK).  You're thinking- "that's not that weird, some kids like cold cuts" Oh no no my sweet little grasshopper... I wasn't referring to roast beef in cold cut form....I was talking about good old fashioned, medium rare, juicy, tender, back of the rump Roast BeaSt. Okay, now you agree, I was a weird child, a BEAST actually... which really makes my current obsession with food a lot clearer now doesn't it?

P.S. every time I see this movie I think about how DELICIOUS this looks

My love of roast beef has grown and stayed with me over time. While I don't enjoy the back of the rump too often anymore, I frequently indulge in a roast beef sandwich with extra mayo from a local hot spot. After sampling several restaurants across the North Shore over the past 10 years, I have narrowed it down to my two favs-Kelly's Roast Beef in Saugus (original one on Revere Beach), and Billy's Roast Beef in Wakefield. While society is all about "participation" awards nowadays, I still believe in something or someone being the absolute best. So here it comes people (slow clap) my very first....

 

ROAST BEEF CHALLENGE!!!

Curve ball- I happened to receive a gift card for Royal's Roast Beef in Stoneham for Xmas, so why not throw that one in the mix too? You never know...

Rules:
- No eating allowed up to 3 hours before the challenge begins
- Order a large roast beef with extra mayo from each restaurant
- Sample each sandwich a 1/4 at a time, so each gets the exact same level of attention and care before I start getting full
- Do not leave my seat until 1st, 2nd and 3rd place have been determined
- Water and only Water is allowed to accompany me on this challenge, so none of the flavors are distorted

I chose my brother to accompany me on this journey, because his love of roast beef sandwiches is actually stronger than mine. We got in the car at noon and began our journey to pick up a large beef from each place. Mike likes his roast beef's with sauce, so it was decided early on that we could not share. So we ordered 2 large beefs, one with sauce, and one with extra mayo from our three finalists. We decided to pick them all up and eat them in the comfort of our home. That way we could begin our food comas in a safe environment.

We headed to Royal's in Stoneham first, then Billy's in Wakefield and lastly, Kelly's in Saugus. The champions of three towns are now battling each other head on...but who will be the winner?

 

On our way home I started to get excited. I mean, isn't this the most glorious backseat you have ever seen?

 

 

But I needed to control myself and make sure this was done correctly. I removed all my beefs from my bags and stared in awe at what I was about to do. I have waited for this moment for a very long time, and it was happening.

 

To follow my rules above, I setup the plate with 1/4 of each sandwich and would alternate between them, after a few bites of each.

 

THE RESULTS: I was very surprised to find that Kelly's Roast beef was eliminated out of the running in the first round. The meat itself just didn't compare to Royals and Billy's. It wasn't as tender and juicy as the others, and took more effort to chew. I can't believe how good the Royal's beef was. This is a place I used to go to in High School when working across the street at the Dairy Dome, but literally haven't touched since then. Billy's, on the other hand, is my typical place to go to when looking for a beef on the North Share. Both beefs were tender, melt in your mouth delicious and came really close...but in the end...the winner is..

 

BILLY'S ROAST BEEF- WAKEFIELD, MA

 

You just can't beat the taste of their roast beef. It has so much flavor and has the perfect bun to meat ratio.

 

Guys, its over. I'm emotional.I'm crying. But not sad crying, happy crying, because justice has been served and the best beef has claimed its prize....my loyalty...forever..and ever..

 

Here are some other pics from our experience...



I'm so glad we did this in a safe place