Spoiled...

You know how when you have a big-ish task at hand, it can sometimes completely paralyze you? That is the current state of my blog. I have to admit, I've been rather spoiled lately in that I've had three terrific meals in the past two+ weeks. However, the mere idea of writing about each experience has stunned me into complete inaction, leaving my poor blog unattended-to and unloved. In an effort to correct this, but also make it manageable, I am going to write just a brief review on each meal.

New Year's resolution #257: Keep up with blog.

Now that that's out of the way, on to the (mini) reviews...

My first meal was a business dinner at The Independent in Union Square in Somerville. Union Square is one of those cool areas in Boston that is very up and coming, with lots of unique shops and some fabulous food (at some point, I will dedicate a whole blog to one of my food obsessions in the city: TaQueria La Mexicana). Even amongst this fabulous little area of Somerville, The Independent is a standout. I've eaten there a handful of times over the years and the upscale bistro-pub style offerings never fail to delight. One summer night I had a tri-colored beet salad there that I still think about on a regular basis (this is what foodies do... reminisce about courses that were inspired... sad, but true). The Independent is clearly split into two - the bar and the restaurant, though you can get the full menu in either area. I usually opt for the bar, which is small, but cozy and the bartenders tend to be attentive and friendly (and cute[!]... oops, did that slip out?). However, since I was there recently for a semi-serious professional chat, we opted for the quiet restaurant area, which was perfectly serviceable, if lacking the better character of the bar.

Skipping an appetizer, we instead enjoyed a nice Pinot Noir from California and some robust Tuscan bread with spiced olive oil before our entrees arrived. My main entree was risotto (oh, how I love risotto....) punctuated with porcini mushrooms and pearl onions. Though there were too many onions in the dish, it was warm and filling and lovely on a cool winter night. The real star of the night, however, was the upside down pineapple cake with a buttery, perfect crumb cake and a drizzle of dulce de leche. Oh my.

I'd give The Independent, at 75 Union Square in Somerville, an A-. Head for the bar and flirt shamelessly with the bartender. And if beets are on the menu, get them - you won't be sorry.

About a week following my meal at The Independent, I had the fortune to dine at another small neighborhood star - though clear across town. Last Friday night, Paul and I headed to the Ashmont Grill in Dorchester for a friend's birthday. This was a second annual gathering at the Ashmont for this particular event, and it was terrific both times. The Ashmont, started by chef Chris Douglass (of Icarus fame), is a beautiful place that predominantly features new American classics. The restaurant is a real symbol of some of what is happening in Dorchester, including the gentrification of many neighborhoods and running a green business, while staying true to cultural roots of the area by exclusively hiring locals for both the kitchen and wait staff. [Sidebar: When Paul and I were house hunting, I was a big advocate of moving to Dot. Without fail, every time I brought it up, there would be a murder in the area within days, leading Paul to totally veto the idea. Whenever we eat at the Ashmont, I am sorry that I wasn't able to be more persuasive!]

If you've ever tried to get to Dorchester for 6 p.m. on a Friday night, you'll understand fully why my first order of business when arriving was to request a cocktail. Following the birthday girl's lead, I had my first of two tangy pomegranate margaritas - yum! Our large party shared apps that included steamed mussels (tasty, though unoriginal), a cheese plate with a delicious, crumbly Tomme de Levezou, and the (fabulously-named) Train Wreck fries with melted jack cheese, bacon, jalapenos, sour cream, scallions (do I really even need to comment?). For a main course, I ordered the beer-braised beef brisket with sauteed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes - good, but nothing particularly remarkable. However, being with a large, kind group of fellow foodies, much sharing ensued... showing that the overall competence of the Ashmont Grill to be excellent. Hands down, the best thing I sampled was the pork chop sourced from a New England cooperative. Last time I dined at there, I had a similarly delicious course that featured Niman Ranch pork - it seems to be what the Ashmont does best. We all shared just a bite of toffee bread pudding for dessert - leaving me yearning for more and ensuring a return visit.

I'd give the Ashmont Grill, at 555 Talbot Avenue in Dorchester, a B+. Order the pork with a side of the baked macaroni and cheese and fantasize that home cooking was really this good in your own house growing up.

Last but not least, I returned earlier this week to L'Espalier for Cheese Tuesday... those that read this blog with any frequency will remember how I waxed lovingly over my experience at Wine Monday this Fall. Cheese Tuesday follows an identical format to Wine Monday with the only exception being an extended cheese course (seven samples, as opposed to three). Having had such a terrific experience at Wine Monday, I entered L'Espalier with confidence and excitement for a great night - and it lived up again. For this meal, my friend that is a devotee of these nights had organized a large group of us, several of whom were regulars - which helped, because Cheese Tuesday includes activities. We were encouraged to write "cheese sayings" on a huge sheet of poster board with oversized magic markers and, at the end of the night, we all sang a version of Pink Floyd's The Wall set to cheese lyrics while the staff pulled out electric guitars and punk wigs. Seriously, people, L'Espalier is considered to be the most refined restaurant in the city. How could you not love this?

Oh yeah... and there was food! Good food, naturally. On the whole, I enjoyed the courses at Wine Monday a bit more, but the execution of the Cheese Tuesday meal was still exceptional. We started with grilled, smoked quail with beets and lemon creme fraiche. The quail was tricky to eat with its small bones, but the smokey-tart balance on the meat with the lemon cream was well-done and nicely paired with the bright flavor of a Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc. That was followed by a roasted Scottish salmon with rutabaga risotto, paired with a fresh, easy-to-drink J. Wilkes Pinot Blanc. This was the only course that was a little lacking in how underdone the fish was, though the earthy, warm risotto was wonderful. The third course of Shepherd's Pie was paired with a Montinore Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley in Oregon (a region I am partial to after a visit there in 2005). The Shepherd's Pie with large chunks of braised beef, fresh peas, a pillowy crust of potatoes, topped with sprinkle of slab bacon was outstanding.

And the cheese... if you love cheese, you must, must, must make it to one of these dinners in the New Year. It is glorious. The seven cheeses were spectacular and, like the wine, the restaurant cheese director described each of them and gave a little detail about their provenance as we sampled them. Since the menu I brought home doesn't give tremendous detail on the source of each cheese, I am not going to list them all. Just know this: some of them were so good, I did a little "cheese dance" in my seat. I can not wait to go back.

I'd give Cheese Tuesday at L'Espalier at 30 Gloucester Street in the Back Bay, an A. Though I found that a few of the courses did not live up to the perfection of my meal at Wine Monday, the cheese is so incredible, you'd still give it an A even if they served up dirt and worms for the earlier part of the meal. God bless lactose tolerance.