Eater Boston: All Posts by Drew StarrThe Boston Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52682/favicon-32x32.png2014-01-10T08:00:00-05:00https://boston.eater.com/authors/drew-starr/rss2014-01-10T08:00:00-05:002014-01-10T08:00:00-05:00Stephanie Cmar on Top Chef Episode 13, Immune Failure Edition
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<figcaption>Photo: Stephanie Cmar (right)/David Moir for Bravo</figcaption>
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<p>Welcome to the thirteenth of hopefully 18 installments of a weekly series in which Eater catches up with <em>Top Chef </em>cheftestapant and <strong>No. 9 Park</strong> sous chef <strong><a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">Stephanie Cmar</a></strong>. Check out Eater National's recap of the episode <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2014/01/09/top-chef-new-orleans-ep-13.php">here</a>. DVR users, major spoilers will be kept out of this paragraph, but anything after that point is free game. You've been warned. This week, our talk centers around a controversial immunity, but given how close we are to the finale, it also touches on Cmar's future plans. Minor spoiler: she'd take your calls, TV execs.</p> <p><strong>Unfortunately, it seems this will be our last interview as you were sent home this week. The episode started with a quickfire with Jacques Pepin, and you struggled to filet a sole to make Dover sole.</strong><br>Oh yes, the whole thing was just a disaster. I didn't have enough time to cook it. I couldn't even cut the artichoke right.</p> <p><strong>By the time I watched the episode, I knew the results, so I had a different eye toward what I saw. When I saw that Shirley and Nick were neck and neck in the quickfire, I couldn't help but think how he would have ended up going home had he not won immunity. Is that something you were thinking about as you watched it?</strong><br>Drew, to be honest with you, I barely watched last night. I just couldn't do it. It was too soon.</p> <p><strong>Most reviewers and commenters expressed surprise that immunity was still a part of the game this far into the season. Is that something your fellow cheftestapants talked about?</strong><br>We were very surprised immunity was still going on. When you get down to such low numbers, it can figure in as such a huge factor. It really mattered with the end result.</p> <p><strong>Your team worked with Dominique Crenn in this episode. Coincidentally, at a dinner she did with Tim Maslow at jm Curley, I tried a version of the corn silk "birdsnest" that Nick couldn't properly replicate. What was it like using her techniques? You definitely seemed frustrated in the interview.</strong><br>Ohhhhh...the interview. So I have to ask you, you know how they do the post-challenge interview with the whole group, did I look kind of — maybe — like a bitch?</p> <p><strong>I wouldn't say that. Knowing it had to be filmed after it was all said and done, you definitely seemed flustered. But I don't think you were portrayed as a bitch. I could tell you weren't happy with having to use those techniques.</strong><br>No, that's not the way I cook. That's not my style. I think Dominque Crenn was such an amazing woman and has such a talent that I would never ever deny. She's really just a star. But I cook much more rustically, so a lot of the techniques she was talking about, I just didn't know.</p> <p><strong>Well, even with the fact that these were techniques that were unfamiliar to you, the judges still really liked your dish. It's not what sent you home, but it was Nick's nest that put your team in the bottom. You had actually asked him to not put it on the plate because it would be your butt on the line. He did it anyway.</strong><br>Such a loaded situation. Nick...he was going to use it no matter what. I just didn't like it because it was really tough [to eat]. I don't think we understood the gravity of what we were doing. I would have ripped them all off the plate if I knew it was going to be the thing to send me home. It was such a bizarre and loaded situation.</p> <p><strong>Right after the elimination, you couldn't look at him. Since then, we've talked about how you're friends now. How much time passed before you were able to feel that?</strong><br>To be honest with you, as we've talked, I still always knew the outcome. I don't think Nick and I will ever be able to be the same friends we were before this challenge. I really did trust and respect him. I still do, to a certain extent. It's just one of those terrible situations that sometimes happens to people. But yeah, it just sucked. I really feel had it been different — had there been no immunity — I could have gotten a lot farther. You can never say "Oh, I'd have been the winner," but I know I could have made it another challenge. And I was really getting my feet underneath me. Having that ripped away sucked.</p> <p><strong>My guess is you haven't read the Internet reaction yet, but it's all been shock. You have a lot of friends out there. <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-11/blogs/hugh-acheson/nicks-license-to-immune">Hugh Acheson wrote a letter to you on his blog.</a> "You will go far in this world. Your wit and your craft will take you to great places."</strong><br>Stop!</p> <p><strong>I know we've discussed the A.V. Club's reviews, too. They missed posting last week, so I contacted the writer, and <a href="http://www.avclub.com/review/mississippi-mud-bugsoui-si-a-challenge-106796">this week she talked about our interviews</a>. "Stephanie and he have discussed the fact that she is The A.V. Club's fan-favorite. I'm a little embarrassed. Anyway, Stephanie, you're great. And I got super drunk at No. 9 Park one time, and it was lovely, so there's also that."</strong><br>That's pretty funny. Well, I'm so glad. Again, I wish that I had watched the whole episode. I woke up to a lot of Twitter messages, a lot of Facebook messages, a lot of texts. It was so hard to go through it. I was like, "What the fuck? I've gone so far being so nervous, and then I end up getting kicked off for someone else's food?" I love that people are being so supportive. That means more to me than anything.</p> <p><strong>I watched the <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-11/last-chance-kitchen/playlist#">Last Chance Kitchen</a> episode. You made beignets for Emeril. It seems the judges liked the flavors in yours better, but Louis got a better rise out of his dough than you did and won the challenge.</strong><br>I feel like after getting kicked off, I kind of threw in the towel a little bit. Throughout all the quickfires and challenges, I had felt really smart. Then when it came down to Last Chance Kitchen, I didn't think smart. I didn't give up. I really did try. But I didn't think analytically — the way you have to when you're given a time challenge.</p> <p><strong>Do you get to go to Hawaii or is that just for the finalists?</strong><br>Oh, I don't know what I can say. Maybe, "Watch, and maybe we'll get to talk again?"</p> <p><strong>That's fair. Going forward with your career now, I know No. 9 is a great place to be, but we had talked before the season started about your want to open a donut shop. Now that your appearance on the show is over, what are you thinking right now?</strong><br>That's a loaded question. I don't know what I'm going to do next to be honest with you. I'm looking into and it and trying to figure it out. But I don't know. It's probably going to be stepping away from fine dining. It's probably going to be something that nobody expects, but we'll see.</p> <p><strong>There seems to be consensus on the Internet that if you want a job on TV, there's a career for you there.</strong><br><em>(laughs)</em> Well, you tell them to pitch something. I love TV. To be honest with you, I loved everything about it. I really enjoyed the whole process. I like people, and I like to be on TV. I can't even shy away from that. If something comes up, I definitely would take it.</p> <p><strong>Thank you, Stephanie, it's been a fun ride. Be sure to keep us in the loop.</strong><br>Thank you!<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">All coverage of Stephanie Cmar on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/top-cheffage">All coverage of Top Chef on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]<br></p>
https://boston.eater.com/2014/1/10/6299085/stephanie-cmar-on-top-chef-episode-13-immune-failure-editionDrew Starr2014-01-03T08:00:00-05:002014-01-03T08:00:00-05:00Stephanie Cmar on Top Chef Episode 12, Étouffée, Brute? Edition
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<figcaption>Photo: Stephanie Cmar is not afraid of floating knives/David Moir for Bravo</figcaption>
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<p>Welcome to the twelfth of hopefully 18 installments of a weekly series in which Eater catches up with <em>Top Chef </em>cheftestapant and <strong>No. 9 Park</strong> sous chef <strong><a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">Stephanie Cmar</a></strong>. Check out Eater National's recap of the episode <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2014/01/02/top-chef-nola-episode-12.php">here</a>. DVR users, major spoilers will be kept out of this paragraph, but anything after that point is free game. You've been warned. This week, Cmar talks about how she tried to redeem herself in front of <strong>John Besh</strong>, discusses the two lives she feels like she's living, and introduces us to the phrase "wasty-tasty."</p> <p><strong>This week's episode started off with you talking to your boyfriend David on the phone. We've talked a bit about him before, but I hadn't realized he used to be one of your line cooks. That's almost scandalous.</strong><br><em>(laughs)</em> Well, we weren't dating when he was a line cook. We met at <strong><a href="http://boston.eater.com/places/b-g-oysters">B&G</a></strong> three years ago, four years ago, five years ago? A long time ago.</p> <p><strong>Usually when a chef's home life is featured early in the episode, it seems they end up going home at the end. Did you get any frantic texts while watching the episode?</strong><br>I didn't realize that's the way it was. But now it makes sense. With Travis and everyone else I guess they did play those family phone calls before they went off.</p> <p><strong>Were there always cameras around when you called home?</strong><br>Yeah. I didn't call home that often. I talked to David maybe twice. And my Mom once. I talked to Kristen a bunch, though.</p> <p><strong>Your crustacean allergy came up again because you had to use crawfish in the quickfire for John Besh. Have you ever had a scare in the kitchen because of the allergy?</strong><br>Yeah, it was a couple years at some event the Gruppo was doing. I can live, it just makes me so sick. I don't know what would happen now, though. In the B&G basement, there'd be a lot of lobster steam and shrimp steam. I'd have a physical reaction where my face would get red, bumpy, itchy and gross. So I'm very careful.</p> <p><strong>Because you couldn't taste your food, Nicholas helped you out by tasting everything. Right after we saw that, we saw that Nicholas and Carlos were still spatting over equipment. What was that like for the rest of you? With fewer cheftestapants left, do those fights seem bigger?</strong><br>It's so interesting. Nick is very particular about things. We obviously got along famously. I really do consider him such a great friend in my life. But he and Carlos just did not get along. It's uncomfortable but those little fights and tiffs were short and didn't spill over to when we got home.</p> <p><strong>John Besh said your dish tasted good but wasn't really an étouffée, which was said about a lot of the dishes.</strong><br>Honestly, during the quickfire, I was so flustered not being able to taste anything that I wasn't able to do it the way I wanted to. We all knew what an étouffée was — Shirley's was a perfect example of one — but we all took the challenge in whatever direction we could. Basically, it's supposed to be gumbo on rice. There're few differences.</p> <p><strong>So John Besh's hair ...</strong><br>I talk about his hair so much.</p> <p><strong>You're not the only one. It comes up in nearly every article about the man.</strong><br>It's eye-catching. So eye-catching. He's the consummate New Orleans guy. He just has this presence about him, and he's looked the same for 20 years. Not much has changed.</p> <p><strong>They showed a great <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-11/videos/critiquing-padmas-ponytail">vignette of you and Nina critiquing Padma's ponytail</a>. Did you get to have a lot of fun moments like that?</strong><br><em>(laughs)</em> Yeah. I would say every moment where I didn't look panicked I was doing something like that. I don't remember how I spawned that little conversation. Oh God though, Padma is so gorgeous. And that day, her ponytail was fantastic.</p> <p><strong>You were in the top three this week. During judging you said this was the hardest dish for you to come up with so far. What about it was difficult?</strong><br>I was having so much trouble. We had to cook a small plate tasting-sized dish for 200 people in a couple of hours. I had a hard time figuring out what I could do efficiently, effectively and consistently while trying to use two different fish.</p> <p><strong>Well, you won.</strong><br>I did!</p> <p><strong>And those playing the "will Stephanie talk about puking?" drinking game at home, this was another win for them as well. How'd it feel?</strong><br>I was so excited. I was so crushed after the last John Besh challenge at La Provence. During that tomato quickfire, John looked at me and said "Stephanie, this is a challenge. This is do or die." He was sort of saying that I threw in the towel during that particular quickfire. So it was really awesome to be able to redeem myself. And fried oysters is a dish that is very me. It's always something on my menus. I was really happy with how it came out — it took forever, but it was cool.</p> <p><strong>Reading <a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-11/blogs/hugh-acheson/hughs-sitting-on-the-dock-of-the-bay">Hugh Acheson's blog</a>, every person he talked to loved it. He definitely agreed with the judges.</strong><br>Oh, Hugh.</p> <p><strong>That brings me to my next question. Over the past weeks, you've been highlighted in a Zagat video. You're having casual Twitter conversation with Hugh Acheson. Does this really feel like your life now or does it seem like you're living someone else's?</strong><br>It's so weird. I feel like I'm living two different lives. At work, nobody cares. We're just there. We don't talk about it, we don't think about it — I don't even think about it very often. And then I get home, I hear my voice on TV, and it's surreal. And Hugh was really busting my balls last night [while tweeting the episode]. I enjoyed that. And John Besh tweeted me, too. Or twitted; whatever you're supposed to say. I died a little bit.</p> <p><strong>Were you surprised to see Carrie go home? This was actually her first time in the bottom.</strong><br>Was it really? No shit. I wasn't very surprised because she expressed how nervous she was about it after she did it. I still always feel bad. She handled it very gracefully, though.</p> <p><strong>Back to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtERA4PzbjM">that Zagat video</a>. It was from the after-party celebration for their 30-under-30 event, where you were honored. Have people asked you about? It was hysterical.</strong><br>I hope nobody's seen it! My God. I don't even know what to say about that. I come off as such a wasty-tasty, which I kind of was at that point. I always get so animated when there's a flipping camera around. <em>(sighs) </em>It was really funny. Let's just say my parents didn't bring it up for a while. Then finally my dad said, <em>(dryly)</em> "yup, you come off awesome." The best thing about all these videos and TV and what not is one day I'll be able to look back at it all and just laugh.<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">All coverage of Stephanie Cmar on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/top-cheffage">All coverage of Top Chef on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2014/1/3/6304405/stephanie-cmar-on-top-chef-episode-12-etouffee-brute-editionDrew Starr2013-12-20T10:00:00-05:002013-12-20T10:00:00-05:00Two Middling Reviews for Beat Hotel
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<figcaption>Photos: Jack Bardy (upper left); Mike Diskin (the other three)</figcaption>
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<p></p> <p>The "genuine, warm, and alive" Harvard Square newcomer <strong>Beat Hôtel</strong> <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/12/17/with-live-music-cambridge-restaurant-beat-hotel-adds-harvard-square-scene/Oa41W09zYEdtW5qgZxEf1O/story.html">receives one and a half of four stars</a> from the <em>Globe's </em><strong>Devra First</strong>. <strong>Rebecca Newell's</strong> "wide-ranging" menu "appears dictated by the appetites of a stoned gourmand." Dishes like swordfish tortillas, lamb nachos, and spare ribs are "crowd pleasers," but inconsistent cooking (a burger ordered medium "arrives a tick past raw," but skirt steak is "overcooked") hurts the critic's overall rating. Desserts probably didn't help the rating either — they are "just fine and completely unmemorable." Nonetheless, with its live music and decor, it does "feel right for the neighborhood today." [BG]</p> <p>Nachos are a recurring theme in this week's <em>Globe </em>reviews, as the <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/12/17/quick-mexican-bites-not-someone-front-porch/4LyVVbhgLgjDjFXvBb5MVL/story.html">Cheap Eats column goes</a> to Brighton's <strong>La Catrina Fonda</strong>, where "every detail matters." Those nachos (with "multiple layers of three types of cheese — Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, and ricotta") are "almost picture-worthy," says <strong>Glenn Yoder</strong>. The most popular item is La Yaqui torta — a Sonoran griddled sandwich — is "spot on," but Yoder recommends requesting it topped lightly to avoid "soggy" bread that makes it "difficult to eat." Another standout: a side of tamales.[BG]</p> <p>The <em>Improper's </em><a href="http://www.improper.com/going-out/down-beat/"><strong>Donna Garlough</strong> says</a> the "flower-child decor" at <strong>Beat Hôtel </strong>in Harvard Square "makes counterculture feel cool again," but she is not enamored with the food. Calamari ("greasy and salty") and pumpkin and lobster bisque ("full of lobster shells") are examples of where "your meal may falter." Garlough gets the feeling "make everyone happy" is the "mantra" at Beat Hôtel and wonders if "reining it in would yield more success." Like First, she also enjoyed the lamb nachos, calling them a "fantastic surprise" despite find some pieces of lamb bone. Entrees like tandoori spice halibut are "more consistent," and readers are told not to miss the seared duck breast. [Improper]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/20/6309485/two-middling-reviews-for-beat-hotelDrew Starr2013-12-20T05:00:00-05:002013-12-20T05:00:00-05:00Stephanie Cmar on Top Chef Ep. 11, Lunch Lady Edition
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<figcaption>Photo: Tom Colicchio and Stephanie Cmar/David Moir for Bravo</figcaption>
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<p>Welcome to the eleventh of hopefully 18 installments of a weekly series in which Eater catches up with <em>Top Chef </em>cheftestapant and <strong>No. 9 Park</strong> sous chef <strong><a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">Stephanie Cmar</a></strong>. Check out Eater National's recap of the episode <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2013/12/19/top-chef-nola-ep-11.php">here</a>. DVR users, major spoilers will be kept out of this paragraph, but anything after that point is free game. You've been warned. This week, cheftestapants were asked to cook a meal for 500 college students. Cmar talks about cooking for <strong>Questlove</strong>, how sparring with a production driver over the radio affected her performance, and the chef vs. chef drama that is building as the number of remaining chefs dwindles.</p> <p><strong>Given you told us about your one-time plans to be a hip hop superstar last week, cooking drumsticks for Questlove in the quickfire must have been fun.</strong><br>I know! I had my in, and I screwed it all up. They didn't show why I ended up with the turkey legs. That was a conscious decision. I hate nothing more than being charged at, or being in a big group having to rush one thing. If you watch the show, you actually see me running away from everyone and running around that little table to pick up the turkey legs. I had a plan.</p> <p><strong>You looked as if you were struggling to breathe when you described your dish to him.</strong><br>Yeah, I looked so winded. I got kind of nervous because I've always been a big Roots fan. I watch Jimmy Fallon pretty consistently, and for Questlove to be there — he's a rock star — I was nervous.</p> <p><strong>For the elimination challenge, you had to cook for 500 kids at LSU. Have you ever cooked for a crowd that size before?</strong><br>No. And I was in the foulest mood when we ended up at LSU. I was in the <em>worst </em>mood in the entire world.</p> <p><strong>Any particular reason for that?</strong><br>One of the kids that was driving the van we were in going from point A to point B was messing with the radio. It's really the only time we had to relax, and all I wanted to do was listen to the radio and he just put it on seek. It made me <em>so </em>mad. I was fuming. Once we got to LSU, I was just angry. How bratty, right?</p> <p><strong>So you get to LSU and find out you're cooking for 500 kids. Smart idea making tomato soup and grilled cheese, but you ended up in trouble for serving the sandwich in the soup. When did you realize that was a mistake?</strong><br>The whole day was kind of a mistake. LSU is beautiful and their kitchen is beautiful, but we were super-limited in the products available. And almost everything was already prepped. I was happy with everything except for the fact that I put it in the bowl. It was just one of those stupid decision with no backbone to it.</p> <p><strong>There was a lot of in-fighting over equipment in this episode. Carlos accused Nick of "stealing" his oven. Was that really uncomfortable as it happened, or were you even aware it was happening?</strong><br>I knew it was going on, yeah. So, Nick and I are very good friends. We actually stayed in the same room. He's a really nice guy who wouldn't steal anything. Carlos just got a little weird. He's also a really nice person, but he played dumb a little bit when he said he didn't realize he was throwing Nick under the bus. It was uncomfortable. And next week you see it's going to be uncomfy again. They get into it again.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-11/blogs/hugh-acheson/hugh-decides-eight-is-enough">Hugh Acheson said</a> "Stephanie has a little lunch lady in her and wants to let her out." It did seem like you had fun even if the dish didn't end up where you wanted it. Were you, or was that just a good face?</strong><br>I had a lot of fun. I mean, you've got all these kids. It was such a social thing instead of being a stressful situation. I enjoyed myself. The dish was actually tasty, there were just a few stupid technical flaws. Real dumb.</p> <p><strong>We're down to eight chefs, so odds are any week you'll be in the top three or bottom three. And this week, you were in the bottom three. How concerned were you that you might be going home?</strong><br>It might sound like I'm bragging — I never try to read anything about the show, because it can make you crazy a little bit. But I've seen a few people who were like "we love her," and then there are the people who say, "she is so insecure." — but in the case of LSU, I really didn't think I was going home. You're always nervous, but I thought my dish was solid enough.</p> <p><strong>But you didn't go home, so we get to talk again in the New Year. Any plans for the rest of the holidays?</strong><br>Work. We are closed on Christmas Eve, so I'll be hanging out with my family and what not. Then for New Year's: work.<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">All coverage of Stephanie Cmar on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/top-cheffage">All coverage of Top Chef on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/20/6309873/stephanie-cmar-on-top-chef-ep-11-lunch-lady-editionDrew Starr2013-12-19T11:45:00-05:002013-12-19T11:45:00-05:00Week in Reviews
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<p><img alt="b2013-05-28-at-12.49.20-PM.jpg" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/852102/b2013-05-28-at-12.49.20-PM.0.jpg" width="127" height="100" class="padded float-right"><a href="http://www.improper.com/going-out/down-beat/">The <em>Improper's </em>Donna Garlough says the "flower-child decor" at <strong>Beat Hôtel</strong> in Harvard Square <strong>"makes counterculture feel cool again,"</strong> but she is not enamored with the food.</a> Calamari ("greasy and salty") and pumpkin and lobster bisque ("full of lobster shells") are examples of where <strong>"your meal may falter."</strong> [Improper]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/19/6310269/week-in-reviewsDrew Starr2013-12-18T08:45:00-05:002013-12-18T08:45:00-05:00Week in Reviews
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<p><img alt="catrina.jpg" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/879976/catrina.0.jpg" width="150" height="108" class="padded float-right"><a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/12/17/quick-mexican-bites-not-someone-front-porch/4LyVVbhgLgjDjFXvBb5MVL/story.html">Nachos are a recurring theme in today's <em>Globe </em>reviews, as the Cheap Eats column goes to Brighton's <strong>La Catrina Fonda</strong>, where <strong>"every detail matters."</strong></a> Those nachos (with "multiple layers of three types of cheese — Montery Jack, pepper Jack, and ricotta") are <strong>"almost picture-worthy,"</strong> says Glenn Yoder. [BG]<br></p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/18/6311555/week-in-reviewsDrew Starr2013-12-18T05:45:00-05:002013-12-18T05:45:00-05:00Week in Reviews
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<p><img alt="b2013-05-28-at-12.49.20-PM.jpg" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/852102/b2013-05-28-at-12.49.20-PM.0.jpg" width="127" height="100" class="padded float-right"><a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/12/17/with-live-music-cambridge-restaurant-beat-hotel-adds-harvard-square-scene/Oa41W09zYEdtW5qgZxEf1O/story.html">The <strong>"genuine, warm, and alive" </strong>Harvard Square newcomer <strong>Beat Hôtel</strong> receives one and a half of four stars from the <em>Globe's</em> Devra First.</a> Dishes like swordfish tortillas, lamb nachos, and spare ribs are "crowd pleasers," but inconsistent cooking (a burger ordered medium <strong>"arrives a tick past raw,"</strong> but skirt steak is "overcooked") hurts the critic's overall rating. [BG]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/18/6311621/week-in-reviewsDrew Starr2013-12-13T06:30:00-05:002013-12-13T06:30:00-05:00Two Positive Reviews for Sortun and Piuma's Sarma
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<figcaption>Photo: Sarma/<a href="http://rachelblumenthal.net">Rachel Leah Blumenthal</a></figcaption>
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<p><strong>Sarma </strong>is a "truly special neighborhood restaurant" and <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/12/10/review-oleana-sister-restaurant-sarma-brings-small-plates-and-more-casual-atmosphere-somerville-winter-hill/9WgPQ0niluKDJflSEtkoEJ/story.html">earns three of four possible stars</a> from the <em>Globe's </em><strong>Devra First</strong>. Kibbeh ("usually hefty fried footballs of bulgur and meat") are made with red lentils and crab, resulting in "wonderfully light patties." Even a seven-layer hummus — a dish that sounds like a "potluck appetizer" — is "lively and bold" in the hands of chef-proprietors <strong>Ana Sortun</strong> and <strong>Cassie Piuma</strong>. The service is that of a "much fancier restaurant." [BG]</p> <p><strong>Luke O'Neil </strong><a href="http://www.metro.us/boston/lifestyle/food/2013/11/27/sarma-channels-a-turkish-tavern-by-way-of-somerville/">reviews the bar</a> at <strong>Sarma</strong>, where small plates of food are "meant to be shared," but when it comes to sharing one of <strong>Vikram Hegde's</strong> "remarkable" cocktails, "you might be reluctant to hand it over." The <em>Metro </em>writer particularly enjoyed the "bright, clean" Hippodrome, made with rhum Agricole, sage, lime, and mastic (a resin used similarly to vanilla). For an aperitif, O'Neil recommends the Punt e Mes based Cane Salata ̬ "exceptionally tart and dry, in the best way." [Metro]</p> <p>In the <em>Globe's </em>Cheap Eats column, editor <strong>Sheryl Julian </strong><a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/12/10/good-american-fare-stone-throw-from-fenway/7tkbEADAAHJcRldFLuwuCI/story.html">has good things to say</a> about Kenmore's <strong>Fenmore American Bistro</strong>, declaring it a "welcome" option for those who can't afford the more expensive options in the Square. Breakfast "needs work," but lunch and dinner offerings such as burgers and fish and chips shows that chef <strong>Jose Rivera</strong> "is thinking." Skip the "underdone pizza-style" Fenway flatbread and get the seasonal dessert, a "lovely" sticky toffee pudding. "This is Applebee's with better ingredients," says Julian's friend, with whom she does not disagree. [BG]</p> <p>The "little slice of '60s-psychedelia," that is the <strong>Harborside Lounge</strong> <a href="http://www.metro.us/boston/lifestyle/food/2013/12/05/trippy-vibes-in-the-fidi-at-harborside-lounge/">was the subject</a> of another one of<strong> Luke O'Neil's</strong> bar-review columns for the <em>Metro</em>. Drinks mostly take their inspiration from the "cocktailocaust era of the turn of millenium," and their version of a Dubliner includes cranberry juice ("for some insane reason"). At least a Manhattan and Negroni were "perfectly well made" by a "perfectly attentive barman." Compared to the "steak-and-cheese pubs" in the Financial District, this hotel bar is a "fine option for a drink." [Metro]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/13/6314501/two-positive-reviews-for-sortun-and-piumas-sarmaDrew Starr2013-12-13T05:00:00-05:002013-12-13T05:00:00-05:00Stephanie Cmar on Top Chef Ep. 10, Family Favorites Edition
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<figcaption>Photo: Stephanie Cmar (far left) on Top Chef/David Moir for Bravo</figcaption>
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<p>Welcome to the tenth of hopefully 18 installments of a weekly series in which Eater catches up with <em>Top Chef </em>cheftestapant and <strong>No. 9 Park</strong> sous chef <strong><a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">Stephanie Cmar</a></strong>. Check out Eater National's recap of the episode <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2013/12/12/top-chef-nola-ep-10.php">here</a>. DVR users, major spoilers will be kept out of this paragraph, but anything after that point is free game. You've been warned. This week, cheftestapants were asked to cook dishes that reminded them of their families. In our talk with Cmar, we learned her Dunkies order, where she and boyfriend <strong>David Cavilla </strong>— Sportello's chef de cuisine — go foraging for mussels, and her opinion on whether there is too much swearing on <em>Top Chef</em>.</p> <p><strong>This week's quickfire involved Dunkin' Donuts coffee. What was it like being the Boston girl when you saw Dunkies was involved?</strong><br>I felt like I was at home. First, when I saw all the coffee, I was like, "Oh gosh, what do we do with this, and what's going to happen?" But my second thought was, "How can I get free coffee out of this?" It was a really fun quickfire.</p> <p><strong>Are you one of those iced-coffee-in-the-winter people Boston is famous for?</strong><br>Noooooo! No, I'm a medium hot French vanilla cream and sugar. That's my go-to. I would be crazy to drink an iced coffee right now. My fingers are literally frozen to the phone.</p> <p><strong>You seemed surprised that your dish — a coffee crepe with bacon jam, sweet potatoes, and goat cheese — ended up on the top.</strong><br>Drew, that was one of the weirdest things I have ever made in my entire life. They didn't show that everyone went around tasting each other's dishes, and they all said, "That's pretty <em>weird</em>." It spiraled out of control, and I just couldn't stop myself from adding things. But yeah, I was surprised. They also didn't show how hard I laughed when they said my name.</p> <p><strong>The guest judge in the elimination was actor Anthony Mackie, who you recognized and called a "studmuffin." Did you actually recognize him or was there coaching from the producers?</strong><br>Okay, I really recognized him. Dr. John I didn't recognize. There were a few people they had to explain to me who they were. But I know who Anthony Mackie was because <em>8 Mile</em> came out when I was a senior in high school, and I remember going to the movies and seeing it. I was inspired to become a rap superstar, which went as far as nowhere.</p> <p><strong>The elimination was based on foods that reminded you of your families. We've discussed — and you mentioned it in the episode — that your family isn't really a cooking family. What we haven't talked about is how you got into cooking.</strong><br>I've never had a job other than cooking. When I was 16, I got a summer job at <strong>The Muffin Shop</strong> in Marblehead. My boss said one day, "Why don't you go back and I'll show you how to cook?" After that, I never questioned it and just kind of ran with it. Had I not had that job, I'd probably be doing something completely different.</p> <p><strong>Your dish — mussels with bread, tomatoes, and pickled peppers — got unanimously positive reviews. That must have felt good.</strong><br>Yeah, it did. Especially because I eat mussels all the time. If mussels are on the menu, nine times out of ten, I'll order them. Leah Chase giving me her seal of approval was incredible. That dish has a lot of history in my life. It's influenced my cooking and opened my eyes. When I worked at <strong>Ivy </strong>and <strong>Kristen [Kish]</strong>had moved on, a chef came in who did a similar dish with pepperoncini. He grated the tomatoes and had this weird cream and egg ratio thing. It was the first time I saw that kind of cooking. Of course, I've changed the dish since then, and it's become part of my repertoire for friends and family. He was really the person that inspired a lot of my cooking, surprisingly, because I did not care for him when I worked for him. But in hindsight, I learned the most from him out of anybody.</p> <p><strong>Where do you and your boyfriend get mussels that maybe you shouldn't be eating?</strong><br>We just moved from Quincy. David is one of those guys who goes and picks garlic scapes. He goes and finds things growing near the ocean and cooks them. The first time he ever did it, he came home with a grocery bag full of mussels with barnacles still attached and said, "Now we eat this." I thought he was crazy. But they were delicious. So we'd go down to this beach at low tide and pick mussels. He's a creative one. He's the chef de cuisine at <strong>Sportello</strong>.</p> <p><strong>When the judges called you in and you saw who else was with you, were you pretty sure you were in the winning group?</strong><br>Yeah. This is kind of the episode where everything changed. They're still making me seem like the nervous nellie, but my confidence was actually beginning to build right there. I tasted the dish and loved it. That's hard for a cook to say, because most of the time you're super-critical of everything. But I made the focaccia in an hour and that came out great. The mussels developed all the flavor I wanted. When I said I smelled every mussel, I did. I was petrified to give them a bad mussel after Tom came up to me during prep time and said, "There's always a stinker in the bunch." I was thrilled to be in the top three for that dish.</p> <p><strong>This week, <a href="http://www.avclub.com/review/like-mama-made-106431">the AV Club said</a>, "Stephanie is the best. I hope she gets a lucrative career after this just telling jokes at the camera." Any updates on <a href="http://boston.eater.com/archives/2013/11/15/stephanie-cmar-on-top-chef-ep-7-potluck-edition.php">plans with Improv Asylum</a>?</strong><br>Thank you, AV Club, that's sweet! Improv Asylum sent me an email, but December turns out to be the craziest month at No. 9, so I won't be able to do it. But they are the best there, and I love them. I'm always so amazed how people are able to get up and just wing it. All the things I say are just what I'm thinking. There's no real prompting. Like the "studmuffin" thing. He was a very attractive young man. It just happened to be the one thing that came to mind.</p> <p><strong>Jonah Goldberg, a conservative columnist, put out<a href="http://nypost.com/2013/12/11/vulgarity-wins-even-in-the-kitchen/"> a piece complaining about the swearing on <em>Top Chef</em></a>. I don't know if you've read it, but do you have a reaction to the idea that there is too much of it? He seemed angry.</strong><br>Angry? He's obviously never been in a kitchen. You know, this is reality TV, but you're also watching us do something for ourselves in our real lives. We didn't go on the show — I can speak for everyone I believe — to be reality TV stars. We were there to cook and prove something to someone. Since there is no filter — that's the beauty of the show — I didn't try and not say something, even though my mother desperately asked me not to swear. It just wasn't part of the thought process. It's not about being vulgar, but they're the words that we use. Do I think the show would be any different without the swearing? I don't know. I don't think that's what people necessarily identify it with. I respect his opinion, and swearing can be kind of rude in the wrong context, but I still wouldn't change anything that I've done.<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/stephanie-cmar">All coverage of Stephanie Cmar on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/top-cheffage">All coverage of Top Chef on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/13/6314553/stephanie-cmar-on-top-chef-ep-10-family-favorites-editionDrew Starr2013-12-12T11:00:00-05:002013-12-12T11:00:00-05:00One Year In at Steel & Rye
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<figcaption>Dan Kerrigan (left) and Chris Parsons | <a href='http://about.me/megjoneswall'>Meg Jones Wall for Eater</a></figcaption>
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<p>Welcome to <a href="http://boston.eater.com/one-year-in" target="new">One Year In</a>, a feature in which Eater chats with the chefs and owners of restaurants celebrating their first anniversary.</p> <p><strong>Steel & Rye</strong> is one of several high profile restaurant openings this past year in towns whose residents traditionally had to travel into Boston or Cambridge for great food and drinks. Chef / owner <strong>Chris Parsons</strong> — formerly of Parsons Table — recognized an opportunity in an unused ambulance garage in the Lower Mills neighborhood of Milton and has been racking up accolades (three Globe stars, for example) ever since. Eater talked with Parsons and co-owner / general manager <strong>Dan Kerrigan</strong> about the past year, the challenges they faced as a result of early success, and plans they have to build a wood-burning bread and pizza oven as well as their own grist mill.</p>
<p><strong>Congratulations on making it to one year. Does it feel like it's been a year?</strong><br><em>(simultaneously)</em> Yeah, it does. <em>(laughs)</em></p>
<p><em>Kerrigan: </em>We should've talked before this.</p>
<p><em>Parsons:</em> Yeah, it does feel like a year. Compared to day one, it feels better, smoother, and more fun. We've gotten to know our space, kitchen and staff.</p>
<p><strong>How did you come to open in Milton? It's not really considered a restaurant destination.</strong><br><em>Kerrigan:</em> That is exactly one of the reasons. It was an opportunity to build something that the community would really respond to. I liked the idea of building a restaurant where we could become really ingrained in the community, get to know them, and they could get to know us. It's fun and exciting to build something great in an area where you get great exposure and aren't lumped in with ten new openings in the South End or Somerville. It was a great way to immediately get some exposure.</p>
<p><strong>Tell me about finding this space. It used to be an ambulance company, and a car dealership before that.</strong><br>Kerrigan: It was originally a DeSoto dealer. Eventually it became the headquarters for Fallon Ambulance for 35-40 years. It had been vacant for about five years. The outside of the building really didn't show what was on the inside, so it didn't get leased as quickly as it could have. A friend in the meat business in Boston sent us over to take a look at the space. He knew we were searching for a spot just outside of the city limits.</p>
<p><strong>Have you seen a lot of people coming in from Boston and other communities or is this mostly a Milton restaurant?</strong><br><em>Kerrigan: </em>It's definitely a mixed crowd at this restaurant. These last six months, we're definitely getting to know a lot of folks from Milton and have become a solid part of the community. But the whole year — since the beginning — we've seen a ton of people from the industry coming in from all over to check out the restaurant. And we've seen them coming back time and time again. We see a lot of regular guests who live in South Boston and Dorchester, too.</p>
<p><strong>You have a lot of fun toys in the kitchen — some advanced pasta machines and the like — yet the food doesn't come across as a molecular gastronomy playground. How do you show restraint while playing with your toys?</strong><br><em>Parsons:</em> The real vibe of the restaurant is homey Americana. It would be really out of place to take the food in that direction. The tools and techniques just help us be faster, better, smoother, and more consistent. We do sous vide quite a lot, but you wouldn't know it. I have a vacuum machine and combi ovens which let us be more consistent with our bread program. We have a beautiful stove, but really that's super old-school.</p>
<p><strong>Ted Gallagher — formerly of Craigie on Main — has created a great bar program. Do you interact with him much from the kitchen?</strong><br><em>Parsons:</em> I have a ton of respect for Ted's palate. When we come up with new dishes and I want to have someone taste something, Ted is at the top of the list. His cocktails are really well-balanced with sweet, acid, salt, and bitterness — which is just like any good cook. We talk about food a lot. And he comes to talk to me about cocktails, which makes me thrilled to talk with someone who knows so much about mixology and spirits. He makes everything in house, which I haven't seen before. I see him making shrubs and we're now using similar techniques in the kitchen.</p>
<p><strong>This wasn't the first opening for either of you, but every opening is different. What did you learn this time around?</strong><br><em>Parsons:</em> <em>(laughing)</em> Humility? We were humbled. We learned a lot. It's a big restaurant. It takes a long time to break in a new team with a big space and big kitchen. The whole process of just getting comfortable is something different.</p>
<p><em>Kerrigan:</em> Through the first six months we would say "being busy is a good problem to have," and then we would finish that sentence with, "but it's still a problem." When you're brand new, have a team of 65 employees, and you're trying to get everyone facing the same direction every day, doing the right things, being extremely busy can slow the learning curve and training process.</p>
<p><strong>A lot of restaurants, particularly with strong bars, have been opening up around the periphery of Boston, instead of Boston proper. There's the theory that part of that is it's so damned expensive to open up a place in Boston. Are you an example of that?</strong><br><em>Kerrigan:</em> I think it's a trend that will continue. Whenever I'm reading about new restaurants outside the city, they mention that we're here because the rent is cheap. That's actually not necessarily true. We're here because there's a great opportunity. A lot of the people that are eating inside the city live outside the city. I think the trend is going outward from the city because people are realizing there is the business opportunity, with more interesting spaces available. I think often times in the suburbs, where rent is lower, the volume of business is lower. So, it's not always more profitable just because of rent.</p>
<p><em>Parsons:</em> There were also all the benefits of being in Milton, which is a great town. Found this really beautiful space that made for a fun restoration project. Our neighborhood — Lower Mills — has a really interesting history. The more we learned about this neighborhood, the more it felt like the right home. The more we read about it, the cooler it is. There was a chocolate factory and the first grist mill in the country. It's neat to be part of the next phase of the food in the Lower Mills community.</p>
<p><strong>Thinking back to opening night and opening week, are there any memories, good, bad, or at all?</strong><br><em>Kerrigan:</em> I always joke that I don't remember anything about opening week, but that's not really true. It went as good as it could have gone.</p>
<p><em>Parsons:</em> With any restaurant, there's an element of what people expect you're going to be, what they think you should be, and then what you are. You get a lot of feedback the first couple weeks with the volume of people coming through. And we appreciated feedback, but sometimes it can be tough. I think we learned a lot. It really makes you sit back.</p>
<p><strong>Anything you needed to fix right away?</strong><br><em>Parsons:</em> Absolutely. Off the top of my head, I can't think of one particular thing. But, in general, we were constantly moving stuff around in the kitchen and adapting the menu based on the way people used it. So there was a lot of little tweaking of how we execute, trying to figure it out.</p>
<p><strong>You recently started brunch. Which, to me, is the sign of a restaurant that is feeling comfortable with how things are going on Saturday nights. How's it been going?</strong><br><em>Kerrigan:</em> That's exactly how we got there. We got to the point where we were managing dinner and were ready to take the next step and add something. We're really excited because the menu is not the same stuff you see everywhere. It has a great Americana / Southern vibe with it. Ted's drinks are great. After seeing how the opening went, we opened brunch on a much quieter note. We didn't advertise or market. We just opened the door one Sunday morning and let it happen naturally. It was a lot safer than our previous start.</p>
<p><strong>Any future changes or additions coming?</strong><br><em>Parsons: </em>We're in the preliminary planning stages of adding a wood burning oven. We'll build a flatbread pizza and bread program from it. The "rye" in Steel & Rye comes from the grist mill that was here. So, we're going to buy a grist mill and actually start milling all of our own flours and grains. That should start happening at the beginning of the year, and we're super-excited about that. That's our biggest news right now.<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/places/steel-rye">All coverage of Steel & Rye on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]<br>· <a href="http://boston.eater.com/tags/one-year-in">All coverage of One Year In on Eater</a> [~EBOS~]</p>
https://boston.eater.com/2013/12/12/6315071/one-year-in-at-steel-ryeDrew Starr