Ron's Ice Cream - Vote Now!

Kimberly's dear friend Julie has a great family business, owned by her dad Ron, which is getting some media attention. Ron is in the business of homemade gourmet ice-cream and he happens to be one of the finalists of GMA's The Best Scoops in America competition. The voting has begun and goes on until tomorrow end of day.

Check out Ron's story and his multitude of amazing flavors such as the signature Brownie Nut and Creamy Vanilla. The shop also doubles up as a candlepin bowling alley--how neat is that? It's nice when family businesses get well-deserved clout and this one should take the crown, in my opinion. To learn more about Ron's click here and to vote now, click here.

I also learned that Ron has a very famous fan--Hillary Clinton. Rumor has it that back in the 90's, she sent the Secret Service in to get her own private stash of the sweet stuff. Now that's big!

Ron's is located in Hyde Park, Massachusetts right outside of Boston. And while I swore that I wouldn't cover that damn city anytime soon, it's for a good cause and for a nice person, so forgive me.

Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream & 20th Century Bowling

1231 Hyde Park Avenue

Hyde Park, MA 02136

617.364.5274

The Beehive - Legal Drinkers Beware!

The Beehive - 541 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116

617.423.0069

www.beehiveboston.com

The Beehive was where our family celebrated my brother, Peter's college graduation. We were all looking forward to trying it, especially because we've heard great things about it and also because we were curious about checking out Boston's trendy South End district. The food more than surpassed our expectations but the service was despicable in my opinion and I wouldn't go back. I fully believe that the restaurant business is about taking care of people and this wasn't done here at all--actually on the opposite, I felt shunned and embarrassed.

Atmosphere:

Located at the Boston Center for the Arts, The Beehive is a tricky place to spot. First of all, we drove by it without noticing it (there's no sign) and even when walking up to it, it was anything but obvious. The only hint you get is the letter "B" and its address, 541 Tremont.

As you walk in, the dark, mysterious vibe envelops you. The lighting is subtle, the decor is shabby-chic and all the servers wear clothes so casual and effortless that ironically, they look meticulously put-together. Seating is available both upstairs and downstairs. If you're here to enjoy a nice dinner rather than quick appetizers and drinks, I recommend dining downstairs. There's a nice-sized stage on this floor with a vintage lace curtain and the atmosphere is reminiscent of a 1920's Parisian artist hangout--the very inspiration for this restaurant. In fact, The Beehive stays so true to its artist roots that it features live jazz, cabaret and burlesque acts on most evenings, usually starting at 10p.

Service:

You probably know that I usually save this section for last but this time I'd like to switch it up. I want to pay special attention to Beehive's rude service, which left me feeling shunned, unappreciated and insignificant.

The cause of the problem was the wine list. Since this was Peter's celebratory dinner, we wanted to get a good bottle of wine to toast the occasion. I asked our waitress for suggestions and she was helpful, offering us a small tasting before giving us a full bottle--reasonable decision. Before bringing out the sample, she asked for my ID, which I guess was customary. This is where I messed up--I stupidly forgot to transfer it from my other handbag. I was annoyed at myself and apologized for not having my ID but told her that I was 27 going on 28 and that I was with my parents who could vouch for me. Mami and Oci of course chimed in and added "this is our daughter--she's 28!" It didn't matter. Not only was I not served alcohol that night, I was given an attitude about it. There was an underlying bitterness that lingered at our table throughout the night, which came from me and our waitress. At one point, she asked us curtly if "we'd like to quit now and just call it a night." Who says that? It was condescending and unnecessary.

To make a long story short, my parents and brother ended up getting alcohol and I sadly toasted to my brother's accomplishments with a lonely water. It was embarrassing, annoying and although partially my fault, the whole thing was absolutely ridiculous and something that would never happen in New York. What can I say, Boston is the pits. I'm happy that I have no reason to come back anytime soon.

Food and Cost:

After my horrid experience with the service, I'd be lying if I said that the food was disappointing. It wasn't. In fact, it was way above average and everyone (including my dad who is the toughest food critic) loved it. Here's what we tried:

Mini Beef Wellingtons ($9): These were hands-down the table favorite. The beef was so tender that it was coming apart and the buttery pastry crust was pure divinity on a plate.

Ricotta Stuffed Red Peppers ($8): Also an appetizer, this one was yet another stand-out. Two large roasted peppers were bursting at the seams with creamy ricotta cheese, seasoned with fragrant herbs and pepper. This dish was very rich and I was starting to feel full after eating only a small portion.

Broiled Scallops with Lemon & Parmesan Cous-Cous ($22): This was my entree and it was sensational. The scallops were cooked to absolute perfection and floated in a sweet butter sauce with roasted garlic, breadcrumbs and parsley--heaven! The cous-cous reminded me more of risotto--it was super creamy and topped with garlic spinach. I was happy with the portion, which I thought was generous but not excessive.

The other entrees were also devoured by my family. I tried Peter's hanger steak ($25) but after taking that fabulous steak class with Mike Calameco, my expectations were high and I was disappointed with Beehive's version--the meat was too tough. My dad loved his salmon ($21)--a safe dish--and my mom was happy to experiment with the baked polenta, spinach, ratatouille, ricotta ($18) that tasted like homemade dumplings. My mom also tried a seasonal side dish called fiddleheads ($8). They're a type of fern shaped like a squiggly circle (sort of like a green snail) and slightly charred in the middle--they reminded me of sauteed Brussels sprouts.

Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake: Despite our waitress's suggestion, we did not call it a night and ordered a sweet finish. I absolutely loved this cheesecake because it had a natural chocolatey taste and a crumbly consistency. I'm not a fan of super creamy cheesecakes because they often taste artificial. I reached for many spoonfuls of this delicacy, which rested on a fluffy cloud of whipped cream--perfection on a plate. And again, the portion was more than generous for four people.

Food: 3 Mmmms, Service 0 Mmmms

J.P. Licks - Beantown is Wicked Sweet

J.P. Licks - 311 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02445

617.738.8252

C Line to Coolidge Corner

www.jplicks.com

I went to Boston this weekend for my brother Peter's graduation. And since Boston is also the city of my alma mater (Peter and I are both Boston University Alumni), I always get a little nostalgic and look forward to visiting my beloved hot-spots. One of those happens to be my favorite homemade ice cream shop called J.P. Licks. It's pretty famous in Beantown--now boasting 7 locations--but its secret really stays there.

The Brookline location, which I visited on Saturday is large and colorful, displaying J.P's trademark cow motif. The staff is friendly and genuine--none of that syrupy fakeness, which I find so annoying. I was happy to discover that they had soft serve frozen yogurt in my two favorite flavors: chocolate chip cookie and oreo. I got both in a small cup and they were heaven...

Chocolate Chip Cookie and Oreo Frozen Yogurt: The chocolate chip cookie yogurt really stays true to its name--a spoonful will feel like you're eating the entire sweet confection with the dough and the chocolate chips. The oreo too is magical and tastes like the complete sandwich cookie, not just the filling. I recommend closing your eyes while eating this dessert--you'll be fooled completely but in the best possible way ($3 for a small).

In addition to the soft serve frozen yogurt, they also feature new ice cream flavors of the month. May brings exotic finds such as Fresh Banana Oreo, Negative Chip and Peanut Butter Ripple. Sorbets are also available with fun flavors such as Margarita and Fresh Hibiscus Lemon.

But besides the flavors of the month, there are also great standbys such as Cake Batter, Cow Trax, Maple Walnut, Cherry Ortiz (previously called Garciaparra), Cappuccino Crunch, Pistachio and much more! And on top of all that ice cream, they even roast their own organic, fair trade coffee.

So next time you find yourself in Beantown, stop off for something cold and sweet at J.P. Licks. You won't be disappointed.

Grafton Street - Reinventing the Boston Pub

Grafton Street - 1230 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

617.497.0400

Red Line T to Harvard Square

www.graftonstreetcambridge.com

I was originally looking forward to trying Boston's trendy South End eateries but when that didn't materialize, we opted for a trusty standby--good ol' pub food. We ended up at Grafton Street in Cambridge, which is a modern take on old fashioned pub grub. We were pleasantly surprised by the supple menu and everyone had a chance to try something different.

Atmosphere:

Grafton Street looks and feels like a cross between a modern chain restaurant and a pub--the lighting is dim, the wall decor is whimsical and the atmosphere is social. The space is pretty extensive and they're great at accommodating larger groups. Our party of six was able to sit comfortably at a semi-private area set off from the other tables--there was even a retractable curtain to give us extra privacy. A cool centerpiece that we all admired was the oversized lamp, positioned directly above our table--it was definitely a show-stopper that seemed inspired by Asian culture. A bit out of place I thought but nonetheless cool and different.

Food:

The menu offered a lot of variety and we all took advantage of it, as everyone ordered something different. Some dishes were expected staples (Fish and Chips, Cobb Salad) but others were inventive and surprising (Deviled eggs 4 ways, Atlantic Salmon Pizza). Here is a sampling of our diverse dinner:

Deviled Eggs 4 Ways: This was one of our starters and we chose it because it presented an unusual spin on a classic dish. The four variations included grilled tuna, queen olives, chives and olive tapenade. In all of these, the yolk was luxuriously creamy and my favorite variation was the tuna--a). because I've never had it before and b). because it had a delicious smoky taste.

One Perfect Cheese: Another unexpected starter, this one was an embellished cheese platter. Warm crusty bread was the centerpiece, surrounded by four corners of toppings--cheese, honey, an assortment of toasted nuts and dried apricots. While this plate was incredibly simple, stacking all four toppings on the bread made it come to life. The best part was drizzling the honey on the nuts and cheese--a decadent treat.

Atlantic Salmon Flatbread Pizza: This combination was quite different from a traditional pizza and included grilled salmon bits, dill havarti, shaved red onions, horseradish cream and capers. The only pizza-esque thing about it was the crust! I enjoyed it immensely because of its crunchy (not greasy) dough. The horseradish sauce was creamy and surprisingly gentle--it awakened my senses in a pleasant way. I know that salmon could sometimes be overcooked and fishy but this one was super light and grilled so well that I was able to eat most of my portion.

Other Dishes: Some of the other entrees that were devoured included Peter's Sweet Potato Agnoloti (pirogy shaped pasta filled with sweet potato and topped with bacon, brown butter, lemon and baby arugula), Fiana's Butternut Squash Risotto (topped with cranberry jam, sage and pecorino), Mami's Roast Half Chicken (with grilled Brussels sprouts and potato puree), Oci's Fish and Chips (beer battered cod with house cured steak fries, spicy tartar sauce and coleslaw) and Ida's Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad (with all the traditional fixins). While I tried almost all of these, my favorite was Peter's pasta dish. It tasted like dessert from the sweet potato and the thick bacon was spectacular.

Service and Cost:
Our waitress was a young college student, I presume. She was bubbly and knowledgeable and knew when to probe us and when to leave us alone. Our dishes were nicely spaced out between the starters--I hate it when the main course comes right after you finish your apps.

Dining here is very affordable, given the large portions and the quality of food. Appetizers range from $5.95-$13.95, entrees from $7.95-$18.95 and dessert from $6.75-$7.95. They also brew a variety of fresh teas from Irish Breakfast to China Green--all teas are $3. Your wallet will not suffer when dining here, especially with large groups.

2 Mmmms

L.A. Burdick - Boston's Handmade Chocolates

L.A. Burdick - 52-D Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

617.491.4340

Red Line T to Harvard Square

www.burdickchocolate.com

I went to Boston this weekend to see my brother and to go to my cousin Miriam's baby shower. It was nice to revisit my college town and reminisce about my favorite things and places in Beantown. A culinary highlight of my trip included an amazing handmade chocolate shop called L.A. Burdick. I've tried their confections before at a wedding and was amazed at the richness and purity of the chocolate. But being in the actual Burdick shop and cafe was the ultimate sweet treat.

The Chocolate:

Burdick offers handmade chocolate confections in various forms--they have two adorable animal options: penguins and mice, more traditional square truffles, chocolate dipped fruit and of course their famous hot cocoa. They offer great options in terms of party favors for weddings, baby showers or any other special occasions. Something that I especially liked were their chocolate cigars--masculine yet decadently sinful.

What I Tried:

The Burdick locale that we tried in Cambridge-Harvard Square was a shop and a cafe. And while I admired their pastries such as The Burdick (almond wafers and rum ganache topped with white chocolate and pistachio) or the giant Linzer Torte, what I really wanted was their hot cocoa.

I heard about the intense richness of the Burdick chocolate potion but simply had to witness it first-hand. The cocoa came in a small mug and once the thick liquid hit my lips I understood why--it was like drinking the best quality chocolate in its purest form. The cocoa needed no additional dessert to go with it, it was that filling. Its presentation was lovely and included a foamed silhouette of a woman--or at least that's what my chocolate addled brain was telling me.

My experience at Burdick left me utterly satisfied and impressed. I'll think back on it fondly and will certainly consider buying it next time I want to reward someone with a special treat.