Recent Gallows Advice, Plse!

[opinionatedchef]

Bru?Lu?Dinner? I have rarely seen as much CH posting as when the Gallows first opened. Now that the furor has abated somewhat, we want to 'come see the paradise'. Plse share your settled favs and thnx very much.

[robwat36]

They're doing interesting things with savory and "farm-to-glass" cocktails. The one with aquavit, barenjager, becherovka (I think), lemon, and arugula is refreshing but substantial, and the Abbatoir (veal stock, Batavia Arrack, caramelized onion, black pepper, etc.) needs to be tried at least once.

[MC Slim JB]

I didn't expect to like that arugula cocktail, but it really works.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[MC Slim JB]

Menu has been updated quite a bit recently. Bacon caramel mix, trout/bacon pate, chopped liver, longshoreman and ploughman plates, chicken and dumplings, sunnyside burger.

Brunch is nice, too.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[opinionatedchef]

hard to find things that aren't improved by bacon, yes? th much.

[yumyum]

The bacon caramel mix is great! I've liked the ploughman's plates with varying success, and the poutine went from good to just okay over a few visits. Burger was good three months ago, not sure about now.

Edited to add: there are so many other great places to try, after a few lackluster tries at the Gallows I just went elsewhere. Would be interested in a recent report though.

[opinionatedchef]

hmmm, sounds like it's not so worthwhile InYrOpin.?

[yumyum]

There are about 246 places ahead of it on my list. But I've been. I certainly would go to Gargoyles (one of your faves) a few dozen times before heading over to the Gallows again soon.

Other recent places I've really enjoyed lately (not necessarily in the same genre):
- Bondir -- fantastic!
- Highland Kitchen -- an all time fave, especially for Monday night fried chicken
- Olde Magoun's Saloon -- SRSLY deep pub food, not from Sysco
- Istanbul-lu - tried the Turkish brunch recently, to DIE for
- EVOO - I like the farm to table menu and the very sincere service

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EVOO Restaurant
350 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02143

Olde Magoun's Saloon
518 Medford St, Somerville, MA 02145

Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Bondir
279 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139

[opinionatedchef]

THANK you, thank you ,yum. Nothing I like better than being saved a disappointing restnt experience. Evoo has alw been a fav. Istanbuluu- it seems I am the only person on CH to enjoy the food but not think it fantastic. i'll check the bru menu though. It seems to be a thing with me that mild turkish/aghani food just doesn't do it for me. too small a larder and too many very similar dishes. Fortunately there are many CHs and others out there who love and support these nice people. Highland- i was so disappointed w/ the shrimp and grits (whereowhere is the punch? take me back to savannah plse.) and My Love's unmemorable plate that i've never been back. Really?

Now, onto Bondir. and Erbaluce and Deuxave and maybe Craigie; and OYa and Menton when I finally suck it up and go for the gold :-)

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Bondir
279 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139

[yumyum]

re: Brunch at Istanbul-lu -- check out the Feast of Turkish Mornings (breakfast platter) as well as their eggy / omeletty dishes served in individual Turkish silver casserole dishes.

[opinionatedchef]

yum, that's a lovely photo and display. Isn't that fun to think of beets and kiwi served together? Has me thinking of beets and melon now, or beets and ripe tomatoes..... beets need to be explored further.
Are those hard boiled eggs or cubes of cheese w/ some yellow sauce?

[yumyum]

Those aint beets -- it's turkish dried pastrami and another dried meat. The blocks are cheese -- a creamy feta-like cheese and another mild turkish cheese. The menu has the actual descriptions -- sorry I don't have it in front of me at the moment.

[yumyum]

Couldn't help but sharing a picture of the fried chicken at HK from last week. The collards are nice and hammy, the potatoes smooth, the gravy herb flecked and the chicken just delicious. Biscuits could be better but that's a nit.

[opinionatedchef]

hmmm, this photo came up just as i was telling My Love how we need to be eating all our leftovers from recent meals out. But then that fried chick is only Mon night right? hmmmmmm. we will likely do that. and Istanbullu for brunch soon. (it never would have occurred to me that those were meats!) I think those Turks and other Med. cultures- have really healthy diets. (Shame they're all so determined to kill themselves with smoking........)

[Guinness02122]

Over the top poutine
Carpet Burger
Scotch Egg

Ask for Absynthe, they might have Pernod to try. Very strong.