Waffle fries, goat cheese & dark rum at Boston Beer Garden

I rarely venture into the South End of Boston, but the other night, we took our co-worker, Ryan, there to send him off to Australia. Ryan is Irish and had never been to the South End before, so we took him out for dinner and drinks before he moved out of the country. We all met up at Boston Beer Garden, which, to my surprise, is owned by the same folks that own Union Street in Newton. Thankfully, the food at BBG was a little better. I started the night with a Dark & Stormy ($8), and sipped that throughout the meal - clearly, an $8 beverage that I love ended up being cheaper than ordering two $5-6 brews.

For dinner, I opted for the Mediterranean Wrap ($9.99), mainly because I can't go a day without goat cheese. I splurged on the additional $0.99 for some well seasoned waffle fries, which was a worthwhile investment. The wrap itself was chocked full of fresh chicken, creamy goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and the perfect, small amount of Italian dressing. For a regular old wrap, this sandwich was full of flavor.

At the end of the night, I spent under $20 and I was full and happy (thanks to the dark rum, the goat cheese, and the folks who accompanied me at the table). BBG, I'll be back!

Disappointing fare at Union Street

Several of my good friends from college were in town this week, and we needed a central place to meet up for dinner and drinks. After a quick Google search, I found rave reviews for Union Street Restaurant in Newton. Their website proves that it's a sports pub with innovative American-style dishes, as well as a lengthy beer list. Bingo! We met up on Thursday night, which also happened to be karaoke night - and almost everyone who participated actually knew how to hit a melody. This place was sounding (literally) better and better! However, once we got our food, I was disappointed. I ordered the Chicken & Pear sandwich ($9.99), which was a chicken breast servd with Brie cheese, thinly sliced grilled pear and herb mayonnaise on a toasted French roll with tomato and lettuce. Sounds unique and delicious, right? Unfortunately, the outcome wasn't as yummy. The grilled chicken was tough and overcooked, and the Brie cheese was almost nonexistent. Huge bummer. Thankfully the karaoke and beer selection were decent. For anyone who's dined at Union Street before, how was your food?