Exploring the South Shore one bite at a time
01/27/12Nikos Bistro Doesn’t DisappointMy little family finds it constitutionally objectionable to wait in line. That means more often than not, we give popular restaurants a pass, which is why for years we’d driven by Nikos in Weymouth’s Jackson Square, and never stopped. The small parking lot is almost always crowded. In warm weather, waiting customers trickle outside to the street. I’d long been wondering what I’d been missing though. One weekday morning, when I was on my own+ in the area, I decided to brave the line— except, that day, there wasn’t one. As I stepped through the door, an open seat beckoned, so I sat down and ordered my usual “first-timer” breakfast. One smiling waitress, quick service, several coffee refills and a huge plate... |
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11/28/11Measuring UpA new chef and a killer view make for a delicous experience at Atlantica in Cohasset. |
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11/17/11Beer Works Worth The WaitHingham Beer Works Stays Busy at Hingham Shipyard |
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10/27/11Rainy Day DinerComfort food is king at the Quincy landmark: The Wheelhouse Diner |
10/24/11Over and EasyA Weymouth cafe passes the all important breakfast test. |
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07/19/11Celebrating the BluesTo some folks, ripe tomatoes and zucchini spell out summer in Massachusetts. But for me, the epitome of the season arrives with an email from Webster Farm in Norwell, announcing ripe blueberries. Picking is usually a late summer activity, but this year the message was delivered on an unheard of June 30th. One day later, I turned down the farm driveway and back into time.In spite of the technology evidenced by the email blast, everything at Webster Farm is simple. Park in front of the shingled blueberry shed, grab a milk jug tied to an old necktie from a rusty nail hammered into the wall, and hang it around your neck. Read the directions scribbled on a white-board to find the best picking. Once you’ve procured your fill, return to load the quart containers provided by the farm with... |
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06/24/11Antipasto PerfectIt’s summer; if you want to call the cool, damp weather we’ve had lately that. The plant catalogs are piling up on the coffee table. In the grocery store, stalks of almost-affordable asparagus herald the arrival of early crops. At the gourmet food/cheese shop where I work, we spend hours shelling fresh peas; imported from California—it’s too early to reap that delicacy from New England soil of course, yet the plump green pods are redolent of new beginnings. Come August, we’ll be salivating over fresh tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash and peppers, but for now, that’s all a dream.There is a way though, to make this delay more, well, palatable. Take the tired veggies offered on the grocery store shelves now, toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper and... |
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06/23/11Father Bill’s Food Fest and AuctionEat, drink, and raise money for a great cause! |
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05/03/11A Fresh Look at Union FishUnion Fish Seafood & Raw Bar is now open after extensive renovations and a change of ownership. The seafood restaurant, formerly known as 14 Union, sits prominently on the water, offering amazing water views of both the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock. Executive Chef Laura Henry-Zoubir has prepared a menu that focuses heavily on seafood and features everything from fish and chips, littlenecks from Chatham, oysters from Onset Bay, and daily specials that may include such offerings as bucatini and clams and Union haddock “Reuben” panini. You can dine on the enclosed deck on the first floor (where they offer live entertainment) or upstairs for an encompassing view of the bay (don’t miss the new wraparound deck outside). 14 Union Street, Plymouth, MA(508)... |
04/19/11Tempted to LunchWhen leftovers earmarked for supper left options slim for lunch last week, it was time to search out a sandwich. To that end, my rumbling belly led me to Circe’s Grotto in North Scituate. I’m always glad when it does. In theory, a grotto is damp and cold. Circe’s is anything but.Step into this pint-sized store front and you will invariably smell something baking— blueberry muffins, to-die-for cinnamon rolls, or at lunch time, chocolate chip cookies and blond brownies—all baked with such care they taste like they came out of grandmother’s oven. But I’m not sure even Grandma would have thought of this. Order coffee light and sweet and they shake the brew in a stainless container before pouring it into a cup, insuring optimum distribution of sugar... |
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