Surprising Menu Items That Steal the Show

[Swankalicious]

OK Hounds, let me give it to ya straight: The beef flour pie is hands-down the best thing to order at Cambridge's Qingdao Garden. It's banh mi in a pancake, not on a crusty roll, and it's delicious. But who knew? Not I, 'til my order got messed up one evening at Mr. Swank came home toting a free pie. Now it's all I order at QG. That and dumplings, of course.

What other pleasant surprises have you found on menus around town? I'm thinking of an American restaurant that *just so happens* to make a killer eggplant parm, or a Greek place with amazing French fries...you know, that sort of thing. I never would've gone to QG for flour pie but - well - my life has been forever enhanced!

[Aromatherapy]

Thanks for the flour pie tip. Braised beef in a crispy griddled flatbread with cilantro. Nice little sandwich and with one of their vegetable cold plates, a great lunch.

[opinionatedchef]

Mulan does a nice version of that dish as well. This one is closer to us so this is helpful; thx!

[cpingenot]

I'm not sure if this meets the OP's criteria, but the buffalo Brussels sprouts at Highland kitchen are not so much surprising in the context of their menu as a surprisingly amazing concept.

I like Brussels sprouts generally, but never would have thought of them as a vessel for Buffalo sauce, but it's such a great combo that I've started making them at home.

[Karl S]

Several years ago, it was the bean-curd leaf with pork dish at FuLoon in Malden, which I believe I was the Hound who ended up whipping up enthusiasm for that dish as FuLoon became more widely known and praised on this board. IIRC from Diane Tang at FuLoon, it's a dish with roots in the Shanghai region. It's knots of dried tofu skin, with a wonderful chewy texture, with braised chunks of caramelized pork belly in a sauce with some black Chinese vinegar. It never fails to please.

[opinionatedchef]

wow karl, glad to know you're still around!

[MC Slim JB]

Biscuits, BBQ beans, and broccoli cheese casserole at Sweet Cheeks.
Cauliflower / potato gratin at Metropolis.
Hakka eggplant at Myers & Chang.
Arrosto di pepe (not on the current menu) at Coppa.
Burrata con sott'oli e fettunta at Trattoria Toscana.
Veal scallopine at Victor's Italian in Saugus (which I hear is moving to Route 1 near the mini-golf course)

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[BobB]

Higaditos Mexicanos (spicy sauteed chicken livers) at Sol Azteca. A true standout on an otherwise OK but unexciting menu.

[Lmiggedy]

Most recently, Buffalo pork belly at the Abbey.

[AngerHeSmiles]

The boiled peanuts at Hungry Mother changed my life

[viperlush]

Angel biscuits with ham and pepper jelly at hungry mother. I wish they offered them at a full size. Though I might just be the bite sizeness that makes them so great.

[StriperGuy]

Gosh they sell those at the side of the road all over the south. I bought some at a Mobil station in GA once.

In Boston you can buy fresh peanuts at many of the Asian supermarkets when they are in season. Just chuck em in a pot of really salty water and boil.

[Alcachofa]

Those Mobil peanuts don't beat the ones I got from some guy with a cardboard sign on the entry ramp of I-85, son.

[tammyh]

what my dad does!

[AngerHeSmiles]

I know that now...but before THM i had never even known it existed...and on my Florida to Boston BBQ adventure (that ended up being a bust for the most part) I stopped 3 times for another 16 oz styrofoam cup of them. Thanks for the tip about the Asian markets...didn't know how to get raw peanuts up here.

[bobot]

A bucket of boiled peanuts is great for a summer party, esp. if you are outdoors. Cold beer and a salty boiled peanut? There are few finer things.

[powerfulpierre]

And I thought I was the only one in the north to love those slimy little nuggets of flavor. . . . and a plus, the Mrs. hates them. All for me!

[Bob Dobalina]

Yeah, they are just as often reviled as appreciated.
To me they taste a lot like edamame.

[gimlis1mum]

The grape leaves at Abiata Cafe in Malden. I don't really like stuffed grape leaves, but I was getting takeout to share with friends, one of which adores them so I picked up a container. Not sure why I decided to taste them but I'm glad I did...the filling has some of that chickpea-flour-stuff who's name I can never remember, I think, and they have a really lemony dressing on them.

Eta: Abiata is and Ethiopian rest, but they have some middle eastern food too.

[opinionatedchef]

hoomus? made w/ chickpeas but not chickpea flour.

[gimlis1mum]

I *think* it's buticha. They sell containers of buticha in the deli case; it looks a lot like egg salad. I had never tried it before but now I'm in love with the stuff and get some to take home whenever I stop in.

Anyway, there is a flavor in the grape leaves that reminds me of the buticha.so maybe they use chickpea flour as a binder for the rice stuffing in the grape leaves?

I have tried their hummus and wasn't crazy about it. But I loves the buticha.

(this is unrelated to the op's question but I think opinionated chef will want to know - yes they make their shwarma on a spit. We tried it and the falafel once and they were ok but not as good as what we've had from Moroccan Hopsitality down the street).

[gimlis1mum]

I had to look that up! Bengal gram is chickpeas, right?

[opinionatedchef]

mum, ain't never heard of buticha. that is a NEW one on me! i'll do some research. thanks for being so thoughtful w/ the shwarma!

here:

http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/dishes/buticha.html

appears to be fava bean flour. i want to get some soon, as i have in mind to play with kinako (roasted soybean flour/powder) and see if i can make crepes or pakora with it; i'll try the same w/ the fava bean flour if i find it.

but some google sources are saying chickpea flour so now i'm confused:

But'echa'

2 cups chickpea flour

1/4 cup berbere (? berbere spices? i don't think so because of quantity

)

2 cups water

1/2 cup oil

1 cup red onion

1 tablespoon mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt to taste

1 each green bell pepper

1. Mix chickpea flour with berbere and water. Simmer 10-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, wok onions without oil gently until transparent.

3. Mix all together, adjust flavoring

(and if you're not thoroughly confused now, you're doing better than I!!)

https://brundo.com/uploads/CAFE_COLUCCI__Menu_front.jpg

on this menu, they use chickpea flour.

what is this- some type of gruel? seems like you add flour to boiling water etc, so a polenta like thing but w/ chickpea flour? that would be kind of like socca, a specialty in Southern France...........

In this restnt it seems to be described as hoomus-like:

http://unpaidgourmet.wordpress.com/ta...

how cornfusin'!

a hoomusy recipe for it;so i guess it's made w/ chickpeas and not chickpea flour...........
I'm done w/ this now!

Ingredients

1 Cup Chickpeas (cooked
)1 Tsp Jalapeno or Red Chili Pepper Flakes
1 Cup water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Red Onion
1 Tsp Mustard
1/2 Lemon, Juiced
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions
1.Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until a smooth, pasty consistency is achieved.
2.Put in container with a lid and place in the refrigerator, to chill, for about one hour before serving.

[trufflehound]

Gram?

[opinionatedchef]

gram=chickpeas.

[opinionatedchef]

Well, knowing how innovative Tim is at Strip T's, and knowing how difficult it would be for me NOT to order the Grilled romaine with sous vide egg and spicy oxtail , I never would have ordered the special burger, if CHs hadn't raved it. House-smoked miso, lemon aioli, house pickled onions, exc bun, and beef that is very special (Tim is happy to share his 'recipes' [sign of a true professional] and he explained to me that he starts w/ chuck but ,to up the flavor, adds beef cheek, and skirt steak trimmings and multi-grinds it. That's where the really unique meat flavor comes from, as the base on which to add all those other special components.) So, never having found a burger I liked anywhere before anyway, I now rely on ST's for my new burger meals.

Also, I am not a fan or Argentinean food in general; just too plain for me; but the beef empanadas at Tango in Arlington are the best I've had in Boston (except Capone's which are way more expensive). So we specifically get a few dozen of Tango's emps every few months and store them in the frzr because they reheat well.