Soudbites and Bazaar
Haven't done much eating out but since Mon. was a holiday, figured I'd see what the crowd was like at Soundbites. Just a few tables occupied at 2:15, so no getting rushed out (tho I spent newpaper reading time across the street at True Grounds). Got eggs benedict for $7.99 which was done well. Good ham, eggs perfect, I had hollandaise on the side since I'm not wild about it. Also not wild about their mashed potato cake. It's fine, and better than bad home fries, but I'd take hash browns or Mul's home fries any day. Nice scone and latte at True Grounds as I relived the Patriots game thru the Sports section.
Our slavic/nordic/germanic party went well and we thoroughly enjoyed shopping at Baazar in Coolidge Corner. No language problems at all and I only wish I'd had a chance to say "is that your dog" or "your mother is calling you", things I remember from when I was about 7. We got the mushroom pate, the eggplant thing, delicious fish salad, an obscene kielbasa, taramasalata, some wacky Russian candy and a cute jar of pickles for $34 (in addition to our sauerbraten, stuffed cabbage, etc). I'd bought a jumbo bag of Mrs. T's pierogis earlier, boiled then sauteed them and added caramelized onions which got compliments. People kept asking if I'd made them. Someone brought a Romanian red wine called Vox Populi which was great and appropriate beers like Pilsner Urquell and others I hadn't heard of. A new annual tradition and we'll definitely hit up Bazaar before the next party, it was fun shopping there.
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galleygirl
Jan 17, 2007 03:54 PM
Was it the fish salad with smoked trout, dill and hard-boiled eggs? Fabulous, couldn't stop eating it....
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re: galleygirl
Joanie
Jan 17, 2007 04:09 PM
Yes, that was the fish salad. The nice woman let us try that and the salamis (woops, forgot to include 3/4 lb of meats in the total above). Very good and my friend and I loved it, but the Russian spreads didn't go nearly as fast as the more "real" food.
I didn't try the candy, just bought one box that had very obvious Russian stuff on the box. They got eaten but I didn't see anyone's reaction after biting into them.
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galleygirl
Jan 17, 2007 03:44 PM
I LOVE those candies! My favorite is squirrel, or as our ERussian waiter pronounced it atCafe St. Petersburg, "skvehr-il".
You just have to peer at the ingredient label (in English) to get a hint of the contents...I love anything with dark chocolate and nuts, and there is one that's actually a prune coated w/semisweet...
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heathermb
Jan 17, 2007 02:08 PM
I agree with you on the Soundbites potato-cake. I eat the crunchy golden bit and leave the rest.
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re: heathermb
MC Slim JB
Jan 17, 2007 09:06 PM
I love good hash browns but rarely see them in this town, so am perfecting my own version at home on Sundays. The closest thing I've found to really good ones out are the potato pancakes at Cafe Polonia, which have an excellent fried-crunchy exterior, and a slightly creamy interior, really superb. You can get them with their very good goulash, but I like them plain, with maybe a bit of that applesauce or sour cream.
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re: MC Slim JB
Joanie
Jan 18, 2007 12:00 PM
Real hash browns aren't a northeast thing in general unfortuantely. I assume you mean hash browns (fried shredded potato), people often say hash browns when they mean homefries. Red Arrow Diner in Manchester NH has them and it seemed like one other more local place did too. If anyone knows where to get them around Boston, let me know.
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