Drinks – IEEE PES General Meeting Blog

03 Mar

Boston Breweries

The top two breweries to visit in Boston are Harpoon and Samuel Adams.

1) Harpoon Brewery is located in the Seaport District of Boston (about 10 minute cab from Back Bay). They do offer tours but they also have a large brew hall. I recommend skipping the tour and going to the brew hall and getting a flight of beer and a few orders of their doughy pretzels. The pretzels come in three flavors: salted, cinnamon sugar, and garlic. They are amazing!

Tour Schedule: Cost is $5, includes beer tasting

Mon – Thu from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (starting on the hour, last tour at 5p)
Fri from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM (starting on the hour, last tour at 6p)
Saturday from 11:20 AM to 6:00 PM (starting every 20 min, last tour at 6p)
Sunday from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM (starting every 30 min, last tour at 530p)

For more information or directions to the brewery visit:
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/boston/faq

2) Samuel Adams Brewery is located just outside of the city in an area called Jamaica Plain (about a 10 minute cab ride from Back Bay) If you are looking to go on a tour I recommend the Sam Adams Brewery over Harpoon. Tours leave every 45 minutes and last about 1 hour. Tours are first come first serve and do not take reservations. The tour is free but they do ask for donations (usually people give 2-5 dollars). After the tour you sit down at the bar and they let you try multiple beers for free! Since you will be in the Jamaica Plain area I recommend stopping at a restaurant called The Haven. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston and it is different from anything else you will find. I recommend trying the Scottish Egg, the burger (best in Boston), and the fried mars bar for dessert. It is definitely not healthy but so good! To make a reservations visit http://thehavenjp.com/

Tour Schedule:
Monday – Thursday: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Last tour starts at 3:00pm (gift shop closes at 6:00pm)
Fridays: 10:00am – 5:30pm
Last tour starts at 5:30pm (gift shop closes at 6:00pm)
Saturdays: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Last tour starts at 3:00pm (gift shop closes at 4:00)
Sundays: Closed

For more information or dirrections to the brewery visit: http://www.samueladams.com/boston-brewery/brewery-faqs

01 Feb

Boston’s Best New Restaurant

Boston’s best new restaurant is Tiger Mama.

Tiger Mama recently opened in Fenway. It is owned by Top Chef Tiffani Faison who also owns Sweet Cheeks just a few doors down which is Boston’s best BBQ spot. Tiger Mama is her reinterpretation of Southeast Asian cuisine and it does not disappoint.

Most of the dishes are small plates to share that range from 7-18$. There are 3 family style options including the Tiger Duck, Chili Crab, and Monkfish Tails. We tried both the Tiger Duck and Monkfish Tails which were delicious but we preferred ordering more small plates instead of the family style options so we could try more dishes.

Tiger Duck (whole duck) served with buns and dipping sauces

Bun Cha Hanoi (crispy pork rolls)

Some of our favorites were the Short Rib Crudo, Pig Rice (must order the pig rice!!), Lobster Fresh Rolls, Bun Cha Hanoi which are crispy pork rolls, and Cha Ca La Vong which is marinated halibut with vermicelli noodles.

They offer two desserts which are the Coconut milk French toast and Mango sticky rice. I recommend ordering both, they go great together!

To view their menu go to http://www.scribd.com/doc/292679985/Tiger-Mama-Menu

To make a reservation visit http://www.tigermamaboston.com/

22 Jan

Boston’s Best Seafood Restaurant

Island Creek Oyster Bar

Island Creek Oyster Bar is my favorite restaurant in Boston. It is located in Kenmore Square near Fenway Park. They have an amazing farm-fresh raw bar but also some of the best seafood around. Their menu changes daily and I have never had a seafood dish I did not like. The fish is always perfectly cooked so I usually choose my dish based on what the fish is paired with. They do also have steak, lobster rolls, chicken, and sometimes a pasta dish in case someone in your group does not love fish.

To get in here you need to make a reservation early (over a month or two before your trip) or arrive and put your name in and expect to wait about an hour. If you put your name in they will take your cell number and you can go next door to Hawthorne for a cocktail. I recommend the Roscoe Pound which is a mix of bourbon, honey, and ginger. It is delicious and not too strong. Every person that I have taken to Island Creek and Hawthorne has loved their food and also loved the Roscoe Pound!