Ceia: Anyone Tried This New Spot in Newburyport?
I'm the first to admit that I'm a cynic when it comes to new restaurants in the hinterlands. I'm also the first to say that i really wish my experiences hadn't resulted in that cynicism. Newburyport is such a beautiful town and lively community; i want it to have top notch restaurants. So can Ceia be that? Their website leaves me in doubt, but a local/ resident friend has heard "it's great" . Anyone tried it? Thanks much.
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itaunas
Aug 19, 2011 02:14 PM
It certainly sounds interesting and I want to give it a shot, but I just wish they would stop calling a beef sandwich a "bifana" (which is a pork sandwich in Portugal) as it looks like a tasty if non-traditional sandwich loosely taken from a "prego no pão." It does appear like they are sincere in taking the owner's family (Portuguese) recipes and have the french trained chef give them a touch up, without going too far overboard. BTW, the Globe or boston.com blurb on such sandwich is fun reading though, using great Food Network clichés such as "souped-up," "smothered," and mentions how the steak is "stuffed inside" an "open-face sandwich" (the picture does show two halves of bread so the newspaper is probably right, but they call it an open-face sandwich as does the menu). I don't think online content gets the same editorial oversight as print (at least some way to privately submit feedback to the author would be nice instead of listing initials).
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re: itaunas
opinionatedchef
Aug 19, 2011 11:25 PM
We did go there last month w/ local friends, but all of us left disappointed w/ flavor, pricing and esp. proportions.Sub-par service as well. Black Trumpet, just 20 min.North, is easily 2 or 3 times the better experience, on all fronts(and easily equal to some of Boston's best.) From what we experienced, 4 apps and 4 entrees, the Ceia chef seemed old school (as in suburban Marriotts) and the menu descriptions were deceiving.
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