Restaurant Recap: Boston to New Jersey

Some people travel to see art. Some people travel to see architecture. Some people travel to meet new people. Some people travel to sit on warm sand and catch those summer rays. I mostly travel for food.

I enjoy all of the above, but my days revolve around what I'm going to eat. I remember watching a interview with Bradley Cooper, the famous actor from movies like American Hustle, The Silver Linings Playbook, and The Hangover, and said he is the type to discuss what's for lunch while eating breakfast. I'm the same way. Already thinking about what is for dinner while putting the lunch dishes away

I'm constantly doing google searches like "best Irish breakfast near me." I scour the yelp reviews like I'm sifting for gold. I'll even do a youtube search like "Seafood in Boston", just to see if there are any  restaurants I may have missed. 

Here are a few restaurants I tried in the last week. 

1. Giacomo's

Famous Italian restaurant with various locations in Boston. I went to the Back Bay location because it is near my apartment. You have to make a reservation. The restaurant is small. I went on a cold, rainy Monday in June and the place was full with people waiting in line. Thankfully I made a reservation for one and they sat me near the door. 

The ambiance is nice. It can get a little crowd by the door, but the staff did a great job of keeping people in or out. 

Now to the food. I heard about this place on twitter. Dave Portnoy, the creator of Barstool Sports-- which is a blog I read, tweeted a few times about the goat cheese gnocchi at Giacomo's. So the goat cheese gnocchi is what I ordered. The gnocchi was fantastic, the salad was good, and the bread was that nice hard on the outside soft on the inside.  Italian is my favorite type of food. The portions were plenty of food, I even took some home for lunch the next day. The valet parker caught me rubbing my belly and asked if I was full, I couldn't even be embarrassed he caught me because it was so good of course I would rub my belly like a little child. Giacomo's hit the spot. I'll definitely be going back to try the other dishes. 

Remember to make a reservation, also its cash only.

Wait, I almost forgot about the dessert. Like I said, I was already stuffed, but I'm not going to pass up a dessert opportunity at a new restaurant. That's like buying a ticket to a playoff game and leaving before overtime starts just because you are tired.

I ordered a chocolate cake filled with a chocolate truffle and served with whipped cream. The cake, drizzled in chocolate sauce, was moist and delicious. The whipped cream will make your toes curl. I'm usually not a whipped cream guy, but this cream was like a smooth cloud. The waitress told me the desserts aren't made in house but ordered from Vermont... either way it was worth it. I finished the whole thing. My mother was in town a couple weeks later on her birthday, I ordered this cake to go and my entire family all tried a bite and it is just as good the second time.

2. The Clam Box 

A famous fried clam restaurant in Quincy, MA. Its about a 30 minute drive south of Boston. The restaurant sits right across the street from a beautiful beach. With patio seating and wide windows you can see a good view of the islands in the distance and the Boston skyline. 

I ordered fried clam bellies and fried oysters. The serving size was big. I like raw oysters, but I am not a fan of the fried clams and oysters. They serve their fried seafood with fries, and its just too much fried food for one meal. It did taste very fresh but I got overwhelmed after a couple bites. It would be great to share, but don't get the fried seafood by yourself. 

Some of the people in front of me ordered hamburgers, hotdogs and sandwiches. I would be interested in trying some of their other food. 

3. Holsten's 

I spent the weekend in New Jersey because I had a job interview on Monday. While in New Jersey there were three things I really wanted to see: My ancestor's headstone in Oldwick New Jersey, the stone pony in Asbury Park, and Holsten's--the famous diner from the suspenseful and controversial Sopranos Finale. 

The inside looks a little different from the sopranos show, but it is still recognizable. Holsten's is famous for their ice cream but they have a full menu offering normal things you'd find in a diner: Burgers, sandwiches, breakfast. 

I was tempted to try the breakfast with Taylor ham--something a local friend of mine has told me about. I was in the mood for lunch food and went with the burger. It was very simple and tasted fresh and homemade. I ordered a side of onion rings because according to Tony Soprano they are the best in the state. They were good onion rings. 

I ordered a coconut ice cream with chocolate chips--sort of like a mound bar. The ice cream was delicious, tasting super creamy and homemade. The sign outside says they are famous for their chocolate and ice cream, and I can see why. They have many different and interesting flavors that you don't see everyday.

update: I went back another day and tried the breakfast with Taylor ham. It was simple and perfect. The Taylor ham didn't taste as greasy as I was expecting. For the price it was a great breakfast.