Penguin Pizza in Boston

Venturing into the Fenway/Kenmore area - or, Boston in general - for pizza isn't something I would normally do, especially on a weeknight. We're spoiled here in Somerville - we have every kind of cuisine we could ever want within a short walking (or biking) distance. So why would I take several T lines to eat pizza in Boston? Let's just say our friends spoke very highly of Penguin Pizza, so we agreed to meet them there for dinner last week.

And thank gosh we did. Penguin Pizza makes some damn good pies. (Their menu also boasts a variety of other options, including appetizers, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, but the real winner here is the pizza).

The first pie we tried was The Pimento ($11.99 for a medium 14"), topped with roasted red peppers, red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, and goat cheese.

The second pie we ordered came highly recommended from our friends: the Roasted Eggplant Pizza ($12.99 for a medium), piled high with roasted eggplant, dollops of creamy ricotta cheese, and fresh basil, all drizzled with a balsamic vinegar glaze. 

(Sorry for the photos - I forgot my camera and used my iPhone! #badblogger).

I loved the thinner, crispy crust Penguin Pizza makes. Even though the toppings and cheese were plentiful on each pie, the crust still held up to the weight of the toppings. The smoky eggplant with the rich ricotta and the sweet balsamic vinegar glaze was a divine combination in the Roasted Eggplant Pizza, but I think the Pimento was my favorite. I adored the varying textures (especially the crunch from the broccoli), and how can you not like goat cheese on pizza? It's fantastic.

At Penguin Pizza, all vegetarian pies are marked as such with a "V," and gluten-free and whole wheat crusts are also available for each pie.

In addition to great pizza, Penguin also has a decent draft and bottled beer list, as well as wine.

Needless to say, it was worth venturing into Boston for this meal.

Do you normally venture out of your neighborhood for dinner, or do you stay closer to home?

Piperi Mediterranean Grill

I rarely go out for lunch. Even when I worked in an office, I almost always brought my lunch with me. I find that every time I go out for lunch, I end up feeling full, sluggish, and tired for the rest of the day.

But when the folks at Piperi Mediterranean Grill ("Piperi" is Greek for peppercorn) reached out to me and asked if I wanted to check them out for this blog, I was intrigued. Their website states that they use nothing but fresh ingredients (never frozen - they don't even have a freezer); their dishes feature mostly lean meats, vegetables, and beans; the chicken they use is humanely raised without antibiotics, growth stimulants, hormones, or animal byproducts; and they never use trans fats. They also use Gozi bread for all of their sandwiches, which I thought was unique. Gozi is a modern interpretation of Gözleme, a traditional hand-rolled pastry from Turkey. It's a little thinner than pita bread, but has a similar taste and texture.

Being a falafel fiend, I decided to order the Falafel Gozi ($6.50) for lunch on the day I visited.

The Falafel Gozi is chocked full of red cabbage slaw, creamy hummus, mixed greens, and tahini sauce. The employee who made my sandwich also recommended adding the Moroccan carrots to the mix, and that was one damn good decision.

The tangy cabbage slaw and spiced carrots complemented the crispy, non-greasy falafel beautifully. The sandwich could have easily been too heavy without the mixed greens, which helped to lighten up the dish nicely, while also providing a necessary crunch in each bite. And you totally get what you pay for with this sandwich - there were a ton of falafel inside, which made for one satiating lunch.

The Falafel Gozi is one of Piperi's "favorite combinations," along with dishes like the Chicken Gozi ($7) and the Veggie Plate ($7.50), which consists of brown rice pilaf, roasted vegetables, Moroccan carrots, hummus, olives, and yogurt cucumber sauce. But if you're feeling creative, you can make your own dish or sandwich - you simply pick whether you want a sandwich, salad, or mezze plate and build from there. 

Piperi is easy to get to via public transit, but if you have to drive, they're adjacent to a parking garage.

Overall, I think Piperi is a great quick lunch option that's affordable, delicious, and actually somewhat healthy (and not too filling for a mid-day meal). If you work or live in the area - or even somewhat close by - I highly recommend stopping in and trying some of their food (especially the falafel!).

Do you typically go out for lunch, or do you bring a lunch to work? 

This meal was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Fajitas & 'Ritas

I'm borderline obsessed with Mexican food. We make a lot of it at home, considering we always have some kind of beans and tortillas in our kitchen - and we love spice - but it's always a treat when we go out for a Mexican meal.

Z had been to Fajitas & 'Ritas several times before (when he worked in the area), but I had never been. So when the kind folks there invited us in to give it a try, I happily obliged.

The decor at Fajitas & 'Ritas quickly won me over. The walls were colorful and beautifully painted, and the open space was comfortably busy for a Wednesday night.

Our meal began with some complimentary chips and salsa, as well as a side of fresh guacamole ($3.27).

The chips were delightfully salty, although the salsa was a bit too heavy on the tomatoes for my liking. The guacamole, on the other hand, was incredibly smooth and well-seasoned - we devoured it.

Z discovered Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila on the menu, so we both got spicy margaritas ($8.18) to accompany our meal. 

As if the margaritas weren't spicy (or strong!) enough, we decided to start with the Fried Pickled Jalapenos ($7.01). Served with a cool and creamy chipotle blue cheese dressing, these bread and butter jalapeno pickles were lightly fried and borderline addictive...especially when dipped in the accompanying dressing.

Fajitas & 'Ritas' menu is very casual, with incredibly affordable prices to boot. The menu features a number of vegetarian entrees, like the Vegetable, Bean, and Cheese Burrito ($7.71) that Z ordered and the Vegetable Fajitas ($8.41) that I had.

Z was a fan of his burrito, and I was impressed with the amount of vegetables and toppings that came with my fajitas (especially given the price!). In addition to the mound of vegetables, my fajitas also came with three flour tortillas, pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole.

Fajitas & 'Ritas is definitely a more casual spot, so the food was nothing incredibly special, but everything was cooked well and seasoned nicely. It's also amazing how much food you get for such affordable prices (I even brought some leftovers home). The bartender also makes a strong drink, which is always a big plus in my book!

I should also mention that our waitress told us she has been working at Fajitas & 'Ritas for 20 years. As many of us know, many restaurants have a really high turnover - especially when it comes to the waitstaff - so when you hear of a waitress working at one restaurant for so long, you know they have to be doing something right there. I think that always speaks volumes as to how the restaurant itself is managed and run. 

All in all, we had a great meal at Fajitas & 'Ritas, and I definitely plan to go back. Nothing sounds better right now than a plate of nachos and a Tanteo margarita!

Have you ever been to Fajitas & 'Ritas before? If yes, what's your review?

We received 50 percent off our bill for this meal. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Cater2.me Launches in Boston

When I worked in offices, the typical "office lunch" consisted of mediocre pizza and some deep-fried sides. 

Don't get me wrong: I always appreciate a free lunch, but I wished the companies I worked for had better options for large take-out orders and deliveries. Nowadays, that's where Cater2.me comes in. And they just launched in Boston this week.

[Source]

Whether you need food for 15 or 400 at the office, Cater2.me has you covered (as long as you're in the Greater Boston area). They act as middlemen, coordinating and scheduling food vendors to deliver meals to your office on a scheduled or recurring basis. They handle everything from vendor and menu selection to customer service, logistics, and billing. All you have to do is wait for lunch to arrive!

Another cool thing about Cater2.me is that they strive to work with a variety of food vendors - everything from farmers' markets to food trucks to restaurants - in order to have enough options to cover every one of your omnivore, vegan, and gluten-intolerant (to name a few) colleagues. Just a few of the Boston vendors Cater2.me is working with include Fugu Truck, Kupel's Bakery, Pennypackers, and Thai North.

Cater2.me already has offices in San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. To date, Cater2.me has served over 3,000,000 meals to companies such as Warby Parker, Eventbrite, Adobe, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Pinterest.

Interested in checking out Cater2.me for yourself? Simply head to their homepage, submit your information, and someone from Cater2.me will be in touch right away.

Would you ever use a service like Cater2.me? Why or why not?

*This is not a sponsored post. The folks at Cater2.me reached out to me regarding their launch, and it sounded like a cool service that I thought many of you would find interesting/helpful. 

New England Dessert Showcase

Last weekend, I ate dessert for breakfast...and I liked it.

I woke up on Saturday, jumped on the T, and met Melissa at the Westin Waterfront Hotel so we could eat our way through the New England Dessert Showcase. 

Every September, the New England Dessert Showcase brings together incredibly talented dessert designers and their creations for us East Coasters to enjoy. And boy, did we enjoy just about everything we consumed that morning. From iced coffee to gelato to whoopie pies, there were plenty of sweet treats to sample.

Because we sampled so many different desserts, it would be next to impossible to properly recap all of them for you. So instead, I am going to share my top four favorite samples that I tried (and that I think you guys will like too). 

First up: Boston Whoopie.

I tried a red velvet whoopie pie (not pictured). The cookies were pillowy soft and the cream cheese center was sweet, but there was just enough of it sandwiched between the two cookies. As of now, Boston Whoopie doesn't have a storefront, but they can deliver their whoopie pies throughout the Greater Boston area. Just simply place your order by phone (617-718-1782) to get your goodies.

With a tagline like "Legalized Frostitution," how could I not have fallen in love with VCVC Cupcakes?

The women working this table were enthusiastic, funny, and clearly passionate about their product. And after one bite of their mini cupcake (I believe it was a chocolate cake with a salted caramel icing), I was hooked. I'm usually not a fan of sweet icings, but this one had just enough of a buttery flavor and texture (not to mention incredible flavor) to win me over.

I'm sure no one's surprised that another one of my favorites was from a winery. Plymouth Bay Winery, to be specific. The folks from Plymouth Bay were giving out samples of their jams, which are made with their wine.

I tried a variety of flavors, but my favorite was the Raspberry Spice, made with fresh raspberries and habaneros - and red wine! It had just the right amounts of heat and sweet, with a subtle yet apparent taste of the wine. It was unique and delicious.

And, last but not least, this Hot Chocolate Lava Cake from Chart House was my favorite dessert of the day. A rich, molten chocolate cake made with Godiva liqueur, served warm with chocolate sauce, Heath bar crunch, and vanilla ice cream. 

Do I even need to tell you why this was good? I didn't think so.

The event itself seemed really well organized, and I loved how they had accessible trash cans and water stands throughout the room. The space at the Westin Waterfront was also ideal - big enough for people to spread out, avoiding too many long, cramped lines.

All in all, this was a really fun event, and it was fantastic to meet all of the people behind these delicious desserts. I also discovered some new-to-me businesses that I will be sure to keep an eye out for moving forward. Thanks again, Melissa, for inviting me!

What's your all-time favorite dessert?

I attended this event as part of the media, and thus my ticket was complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Two Things

Hey all! I hope everyone is having a great start to the week. My week is a little bonkers - lots of holiday [ugh...already?!] deadlines and new projects picking up, which is all exciting - just a little crazy. With that being said, I just have a quick post for you today about two things I am excited about - and think you guys might be, too.

1.) Vegetarian Food & Wine Pairing at Boston Wine School: Six wines paired with seven courses. I'm doing the cooking, while the folks at Boston Wine School are picking the wines. Updated menu for fall: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos; Pumpkin Mac and Cheese; Orange and Fennel Salad; Roasted Parsnips; and Apple Bread Pudding. Tickets are $100, and I assure you you'll leave happy and full. It's going to be a fun evening! Buy your tickets here.

2.) Warby Parker: Random, but I just ordered glasses through this website and I could not be happier with my experience (and no, this post is not sponsored by Warby Parker in any way. I just had a fantastic experience, and wanted to share it with my fellow four-eyed friends). Here's how it works: you pick out five frames on their website, and they're shipped to you free of charge so you can try them on at-home. Then, you return them all within a few days (return shipping is also free), and then pick out which frames you liked best on their website (I ended up not liking any of mine, but tried the "virtual try-on" and found a pair I liked). From there, they get your prescription information, make your glasses, and send the final product to you - with 30-day free returns, in case you aren't completely satisfied. Oh, and did I mention these prescription glasses were only $95?? Yeah. They also have sunglasses, if that's more up your alley.

What's new with you? Do you have anything exciting going on this week?

Farm to Post Dinner at Post 390

Last week, I was invited to attend Post 390's kick-off Farm to Post dinner featuring produce from Kimball Fruit Farm. Held in a private dining room that was decorated beautifully for the season, this was one impressive meal.

Invited guests mingled before the dinner started, and we were served Smoked Monks cocktails while we chatted. The cocktails consisted of house-smoked bacon-infused (oops) Bulleit Bourbon, brown sugar pink peppercorn syrup, maraschino, Benedictine, and orange bitters. It was strong, smoky, and slightly sweet.

We also enjoyed a Corn Vichyssoise with Jonah Crabmeat (not pictured) and Beer, Tasso, and Cauliflower Fritters, served with an addictive aioli. Post 390 was even considerate enough to make a few batches of the fritters without ham for me.

Once we sat for dinner, our tasting menu for the evening kicked off with Spaghetti Squash & Red Norland Latke, served with arctic char and cortland apple creme fraiche.

Each course was paired with a wine, and this one complemented the 2009 FE Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve, Alsace, France beautifully. All the components in the dish itself worked together very well, and I loved the crispy latke mixed with the perfectly cooked arctic char.

Our second course was the Fried Vermont Chevre BLT (served to me without the "B"). This dish was basically a deconstructed BLT taken up a few notches with a fried green tomato and arugula pesto.

Served with a Francois Chidaine 'Clos Baudoin' Vouvray 2011, this was one successful dish.

Next up, for the omnivores in the group, was the Grilled Kurabuta Pork & Marsala Poached Peach, served with a Berkshire blue-basil mascarpone melt and buttercup squash polenta. Mine was basically the same dish, but Post 390 subbed scallops (from New Bedford) in for the pork.

The scallops were really well cooked, although they were a tad oversalted. The polenta was insanely smooth, and I loved the uniqueness of the marsala poached peach, although it was a little too sweet for my liking. This dish was paired with a 2008 Bibi Graetz Testamatta Soffocone di Vincigliata Toscana, and, per usual, the pairing worked wonderfully.

For dessert, we all enjoyed a massive portion of the Bartlett Pear, Raspberry, and Almond Crisp, served with housemade raspberry ice cream.

Although the portion size was huge, and I was pretty darn full by this point, I managed to eat a few good-sized spoonfuls of this dessert. It was delicious, and I loved it paired with the dry (and not overly sweet) Moscato and Creme de Mure.

All in all, this was one fantastic meal. Chef Eric Brennan really blew us away with his food, and it was lovely meeting the farmers who grew the majority of his ingredients for these dishes. The waiters and chef were also prepared to serve me vegetarian versions of everything, which I really appreciated. It showed that they actually planned ahead, and wanted to make sure everyone was happy with their experience. 

Although these Farm to Post dinners are by invite-only, all of these dishes will be available a la carte on Post 390's menu through the end of the month. Oh, and they also had their first beer dinner last week, and will be doing more moving forward (and they are not by invite-only). I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of their beer menu, and it's really, really impressive. 

What fall produce are you looking forward to most? (Me: butternut squash and pumpkin!)

This dinner was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Pauli's Lobster Roll Giveaway Winner

Good morning! Sorry for not picking a winner for my Pauli's giveaway yesterday. I had my second (and final!) wedding dress fitting in New Hampshire yesterday morning, and just lost all track of time.

The winner of the giveaway is now displayed on the widget at the bottom of this post. Head on over to see if you're the winner!

Have a great Tuesday. :)

Lobster Roll from Pauli's + a Giveaway!

The #1 reason I could never give up seafood entirely? Lobsta.

Growing up, we had lobster about once a year, in the summertime. My Dad would boil the crustaceans while my siblings and I shucked ears of corn, waiting eagerly for the lobster to be done. We'd all crack into our lobsters like savages, and dunk each morsel into a bowl of melted, artery-clogging butter. We'd then wash our meals down with cans of Fresca. It was a delightful experience each time.

So, when the kind folks at Pauli's in the North End asked if I'd like to stop in and try one of their Lobsta Rolls ($14.99) - using lobster from Globe Fish Company - I couldn't resist.

Pauli's Lobsta Roll is piled high (and I mean high) with chunks of fresh, meaty lobster that's very lightly dressed in mayonnaise. The grilled, buttery hot dog bun stands up to the mass amounts of lobster incredibly well, too. As you can see above, the Lobsta Roll also comes with a bag of wonderfully salty Utz Potato Chips.

The best part about Pauli's lobster, though? It tasted like it was plucked from the ocean hours before it ended up on my plate. And trust me - I am picky when it comes to my seafood.

The scene at Pauli's at lunchtime is busy, yet the staff behind the counter is efficient and friendly. Chalkboard menus adorn the walls of the small eatery, while a more permanent menu hangs above the counter. In other words, you have lots of choices when it comes to food here.

So, would you like to try Pauli's Lobsta Roll (or their Lobsta Sub, $28.99) for yourself? (Or really, anything off of Pauli's menu?). The nice folks at Pauli's have offered to give one lucky EE reader a $20 gift card to check them out for themselves!

To enter, please see the Rafflecopter widget below. Comments on this blog post will not count as entries.

I will pick a winner Monday (6/17) morning. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway





I received a $20 gift card to Pauli's, which covered the cost of the Lobsta Roll. All opinions are my own.

Boston.

Photo taken by Z.

No words can explain what Boston went through yesterday. This senseless tragedy hit even closer to home for me when I found out several of my dearest loved ones were standing only a few feet from the first explosion. I will be counting my lucky stars forever.

But this isn't about me. This post is in honor of every single person who was directly or indirectly affected by yesterday's horrific Boston Marathon tragedy. This post is also dedicated to those who risked their own lives in order to try and help others. People like them remind me that not all is lost on humankind.

I hope you and yours were also safe yesterday (and everyday, for that matter). Such a heinous crime can only make our great city and its great people that much stronger.

$5 Croques at Bistro du Midi

I rarely venture into Boston for food and/or drinks. Most of the time, it's because I'm too damn comfortable in my Somerville/Cambridge bubble (especially when the weather is below 10 degrees). But I also rarely go into Boston because of how expensive it can be. If I know I can walk down my own street and get dinner for under $10, why would I bike into Boston or take the T to pay double that?

Let's just say, Bistro du Midi has given me a new reason to go into Boston to eat. Every Tuesday, this French restaurant on Boylston Street is serving up what they call "Croque Tuesdays." And on Croque Tuesdays, croques are only $5.

Z and I attended Bistro du Midi's kick-off party for their new weekly event, which provided samples of their $5 croques (made by Chef/Partner Robert Sisca), including a vegetarian (or "skinny") croque. Croque Tuesdays also feature wine and cocktail pairings by Beverage Director Todd Lipman, and at the kick-off event, we got to try Lipman's Par Avion (recipe below).

So, was the food/drink worth venturing into Boston for? Yes. The vegetarian croque was really flavorful, and the few bite-size samples I tried were basically just a tease. I definitely plan to go back to Bistro du Midi for a full-size croque, for the tiny price of $5. Oh, and the Par Avion cocktail was good, too. So good, in fact, that I downed three over the course of the night. Here's the recipe:

Par Avion (Bistro du Midi's Todd Lipman)
-3/4 ounce Old Overholt Rye
-3/4 ounce Aperol
-3/4 ounce Averna
-3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
Served down with an orange round

Croque Tuesdays take place every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Bistro du Midi's bar. 

Regardless of where you live, do you tend to venture into surrounding cities on a regular basis, or do you typically stay in your neighborhood?

The samples provided at this event were complimentary, but as always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own. 

Belgian-Style Fries at Saus

One of my best friends from college used to dream about opening her own restaurant. In her fantasy restaurant, she would serve nothing but French fries and a mind-blowing array of dipping sauces. When she'd talk about her dream restaurant, I always thought what a genius idea it was...and right before we left for New Orleans, I went to a similar restaurant and finally experienced a taste of my friend's dream.

Saus, located in Faneuil Hall, serves up Belgian-inspired street food in a casual (and tiny) setting. The star of the show here are their crispy, perfectly salty Belgian-style fries, served with your choice of dipping sauces. Other menu options include lighthearted fare that pair well with fries (and are greasy enough for optimal late-night snacking), including waffles and sandwiches. 

Z and I started with a "Big" order of Belgian-style fries ($7) (if you order the Big size, you get a free dipping sauce...and the Big was the perfect size for two people to share). For dipping sauces, we tried the Green Monster ($0.75), made with jalapenos, habaneros, fresh cilantro, and garlic, as well as the Ole Chipotle ($0.75), made with spicy chipotle, lime juice, cilantro, and homemade mayo. 

The perfectly fried, surprisingly non-greasy fries were dangerously addictive on their own, but after trying them with each of the spicy dipping sauces? Incredible. If I had been drunk, I would have ordered at least eight more "Big" servings. 

Since we didn't want our dinner to consist of just fries - although we easily could have - Z and I both ordered one of the few vegetarian entrees on the menu, the Veggie Croquette Pocket ($6.95).

Served with mixed greens, parsley vinaigrette, shredded carrots and samurai sauce, all loaded into a whole wheat pita, this was one satisfying sandwich. The veggie croquettes are similar to falafel in shape, but were much fluffier and lighter in texture. The inside of the croquette had almost a whipped texture, which was downright delightful.

In addition to the food, Saus also has some really impressive beers on tap, that seem to change often (I was hoping they'd still have Southern Tier's Creme Brulee on tap, but unfortunately, it was long gone). I'd love to go here before and/or after a night at the bars, or even just for another dinner out.

Have you ever had a "restaurant fantasy?" I've always dreamed of opening my own bakery, despite the fact that I don't bake that often....

9th Annual Mayor's Holiday Special

Happy Saturday!

A former colleague of mine recently told me about the 9th Annual Mayor’s Holiday Special (she’s the PR rep for this promotion). This is the first I’ve heard of this – and it sounds like an awesome way to save money this holiday season – so I wanted to make sure my Boston peeps knew about it, too.

Basically, the Mayor’s Holiday Special (which is created in partnership with ArtsBoston and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau) runs through January 1, 2013 and offers half-price tickets to a wide variety of Boston-area shows (think Dr. Seuss’ "How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Boston Ballet’s “The Nutrcacker” and Blue Man Group). In addition the half-price event tickets, the Mayor's Holiday Special also offers a list of free local festivities, as well as a $10 off restaurant voucher. A list of participating restaurants can be found on the ArtsBoston’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

You can read the full press release about the Mayor’s Holiday Special here. I hope you guys have a chance to take advantage of some of these fun and affordable holiday festivities!

Brunch at Back Deck

Most of you probably know by now that I love brunch. On the weekends, a lazy morning + delicious breakfast food is my ideal way to start the day. So when I received an email from Back Deck in Downtown Crossing regarding their new brunch menu – which includes pitchers of craft beer – I immediately told Z, and we made reservations.

The décor at Back Deck resembles…well, a back deck. The restaurant consists of three backyard-inspired, wooden deck spaces bordered by walls of sliding windows. With all of the natural light shining through – and the sounds of grilling in the open kitchen behind us – I truly felt like I was sitting on a comfortable back deck (while avoiding the morning chill outside). Even the restaurant’s menu is reminiscent of a backyard barbecue, including options like burgers, lamb skewers and grilled pink grapefruit.

Z and I wanted to sample several items from Back Deck’s new brunch menu, but we obviously had to start with cocktails (we decided a pitcher of craft beer at 11 a.m. probably wasn’t the best idea). For my cocktail, I went with the refreshing West St. Cooler ($9), made with watermelon, local Ragged Mountain Rum, a hint of Aperol, and a splash of soda.

This was a lovely way to start the meal – every sip quenched my thirst without being overly sweet, or too strong in alcohol. Sipping this drink made me feel like I was actually on a patio, enjoying the sunshine.

For appetizers, Z and I shared the Butternut Squash Soup ($6), which was garnished with grilled leeks, apple cream and pumpkin seeds. We also shared the Smoky Creamy Eggplant Spread ($8), which came with plenty of pita toasts, cherry tomato, and parsley salad.

The soup was incredibly silky and satisfying, and the garnishes really made this dish. Z felt that the soup was a tad under-seasoned, but I enjoyed that the focus of the flavor was on the squash itself (the garnishes also helped to add some extra flavors and textures).

The eggplant spread, on the other hand, was borderline perfect. Z and I are big fans of eggplant, and this dip was chocked full of smoky eggplant flavor. The texture was also wonderfully thick and creamy, while still being able to be generously spread on the pita toasts without causing them to crumble. Back Deck also gives you plenty of pita to enjoy with the spread – how many times have you gotten an appetizer that only includes two or three?

For my entree, I went with the Eggs Benedict with grilled zucchini and red pepper ($10) (you can also order this with ham or turkey breast, if desired). Z went with the Challah French Toast ($9), which was topped with a bourbon and brown sugar glazed banana (you also have the choice of ordering the French toast stuffed with banana and Hershey’s milk chocolate, if desired).

I love when restaurants offer vegetarian versions of Eggs Benedict, as it’s one of my favorite indulgent brunch dishes. Back Deck’s version consisted of perfectly poached, runny eggs, and the grilled English muffin remained wonderfully crispy underneath its creamy toppings. While the grilled zucchini and red pepper seemed a little odd at first, the dish did work – and the well-seasoned home fries on the side were a welcome accompaniment to this dish.

I tried one bite of Z’s French toast and the bread was surprisingly crispy. Paired with the large slices of sweet, syrupy bananas, however, the crispy, thick bread helped to keep this dish from becoming too sweet.

Since he knew we were visiting for The EE, Chef Paul Sussman also came out several times throughout our meal to say hello and tell us more about the food. For a busy Saturday morning, we were grateful for his attentiveness and information. Even before knowing who I was, our waiter was also knowledgeable about the menu, and willing to answer all of our questions about the food.

Overall, our meal at Back Deck was a successful one, and Z and I have already said we’d like to go back to try out their dinner menu. Thanks to the laid back atmosphere, the casual – yet tasty – food, and the craft beer pitchers, we will be going back.

Are you an Eggs Benedict fan?

Our food and drinks were complimentary, but as always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own.