Stix Boston: Big on Price, Small on Portions

Stix Restaurant, 35 Stanhope St, http://www.stixboston.com/ – 2/5

It may come as no surprise to you that one of Back Bay’s newest restaurants caters to those worried about finding a trendy place to eat and not so worried about how much it will cost. And Stix seems to be capitalizing on both the former and the latter.

Stix scores points on ingenuity; the centerpiece of its menu is a series of small plates that contain all kinds of meats and vegetables over skewers. Such a meal is not necessarily a novel one but what Stix does to separate itself is to infuse the sticks with a series of seasonings that add a remarkable amount of flavor to the food. These small plates try to encompass different geographic areas which range from Vermont all the way to Thailand and back. We were able to try the Chicken on Mango Curry Stix and the Waffled Bacon on Honey Bourbon Stix. Both were very tasty especially the waffle plate.

The problem with Stix and the reason I can’t foresee myself returning there is the combination of high price and small quantities. Both small plates were made up of 3 sticks each with about three or four inches of actual food on them. Albeit delicious, each rang in at $9 each and after spending $19 on two plates I was not full and needed to go then find a hardier finale to my dinner experience.

Trendy, yes. Cost-effective, absolutely not. That is Stix in a nutshell.

McCormick & Schmick's Goes Happy

When thinking of a place to grab a cheap meal, McCormick & Schmick's is surely not one of the first restaurants that comes to mind. But as I discovered last night, McCormick & Schmick's bar menu does in fact lend itself to those of us light in the wallet.

From the hours of 3:00 – 6:30 PM and then again from 9:00PM – 12:00 AM, Schmick's opens up a small number of meals and appetizers all under $5. The most popular of these items is the $1.95 half pound hamburger with fries. I did not try the burger but did try the mini potato skins (also $1.95) and the wings ($3.95). The portions of the potato skins and wings were on the small side but for their price one couldn’t reasonably expect much more. The menu also offers a spinach dip, ham and cheese sandwich, as well as other items all for $4.95 or less.

The kicker and potential deal breaker for some with McCormick & Schmick's “happy hour” menu is that the prices of drinks are average if not a bit above average. The beers run from $5.25 to $5.75 per pint and the miniature bottles of soda are $2.50. One must spend $2.50 on a beverage to buy from the bar menu but if you are looking for a few high end beers and some cheap food this might be one of the best deals in Boston.

Weekend, Willy Wonka, and Whiskey's

Greetings to all and my apologies for taking so long to post. I hope that everyone had a great work week and that they are looking forward to their weekends!
Here are a few thoughts for now and I hope to once again return to regular posts albeit in smaller portions.

In terms of a quick head’s up both Bruce Springsteen’s concert at Gillette Stadium in August and Dave Matthews Band’s shows at the Tweeter Center go on sale tomorrow morning on ticketmaster.com. Both I promise you will be worth the price of admission.

I got to meet Gene Wilder last night at the Borders Bookstore in the Back Bay. Like all of us, I grew up watching Willy Wanka time and time again so it was definitely a true honor to meet one of the top comedic actors of the twentieth century. It was very interesting to observe Wilder off the camera—to be sure I was not expecting the out going liveliness of Wilder’s on screen characters but he was much more shy and reserved than I would have expected. It is always interesting for me to observe celebrities in the real world and while Wilder did nothing to disappoint me with rudeness it was interesting to observe him—I once again realized celebrities are in the end people first.

After the signing we headed down Boylston St to Whiskey’s for our dinner. I had been to Whiskey’s for drinks before but this was the first time I had eaten there. We decided to split two sandwiches and we went with the Dixie chicken sandwich (a chicken topped with cheddar, bacon, and barbeque sauce on ciabatta bread) and the Cajon Caesar rollup. Both were very good and combined with some of the fresher fries I’ve had in a while the meal was more than solid. The service was a different story—it took us about 15 minutes before we were waited on but once she arrived our waitress was friendly and attentive. The price was fair and the two sandwiches and two sodas came to $21 before tip. I’d give Whiskey’s a respectable 3/5.

Okay that is all for now—I hope you all have a good weekend!

Billy's Brings Delicious Eats to the Waterfront

Billy Tse Restaurant, 240 Commercial St, Boston, MA 4.5/5

If anyone is looking for a great spot to grab Chinese food in Boston they need not look any further than Billy Tse at 240 Commercial St. It is ironic that one can find such great Chinese food in the North End but once you taste the food you’ll soon forget you are in an area more known for pizzas and pastas than it is for egg rolls and rice noodles.

We arrived at Billy’s around 6:45 on Saturday night and were welcomed in with great hospitality and service. About 10 – 15 minutes after arriving at the restaurant we were seated, with drinks, and with food—this was quite an accomplishment especially on a Saturday night.

The prices for Billy’s are quite fair—around $8-9 for noodle plates and $11-13 for those with meat--and considering the large portions one could even consider them a bargain. We tried the Kung Pao Chicken which was extremely fresh and accompanied by crisp vegetables. The sesame chicken was also great and delivered a very sweet option to contrast with the spicy Kung Pao.

The service is friendly and attentive and as mentioned above fast. Its location—smack dab on Boston’s waterfront—is a very scenic one but unfortunately we weren’t able to take advantage of the surroundings this past Saturday because of the flooding rain and early March temperature.

If one is longing for a new destination on their Boston Chinese food map than they should circle Billy Tse as their next stop.

"In Bruges" is Murderously Funny

“In Bruges” (In theaters now) 3.5/5

In a film year marked thus far by action and drama more than anything else, “In Bruges” offers film fans a rare treat—a film both funny and thoughtful. Picking up where “Juno” left off, In Bruges deals with a much different subject matter than Juno did-- Irish hit men and their ability to deal with the after effects of their craft; however, the film’s effectiveness draws from the same strengths that Juno relied on—an ability to interweave whit and thought into something that transcends the modern one note comedy.

In Bruges stars a two man hit men team of Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) who are forced to travel to the Belgian town of Bruges in an attempt to hide out from their most recent murder. While in Bruges, the two men are forced to put up with the other’s biting sense of humor while they gradually come to terms with their violent craft. The two hit men are contracted by Harry (Ralph Fiennes) and they eventually come face to face with him in a hilarious confrontation that somehow makes a blood-soaked gun fight a light and humorous affair. The seriousness of the film is not always at the forefront of the film and is often lost in a storm of one-liners but small snapshots throughout the movie give us glimpses of the struggles that the characters, especially Ray, face.
All of this mixes with a splash of drugs, midgets, and sex to produce a movie that will keep you guessing, and most likely laughing, for its duration.

Italian Food, Ice Hockey, and Interesting Thoughts

Good Friday morning to each and all! I hope each of you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Here are a few thoughts for the long weekend.

I was lucky enough to take in two dinners this week at two of the finest restaurants that Boston’s North End has to offer. Tuesday night before I went to the Bruin’s game I went to La Brace at 76 Salem St. I had found out about La Brace through Restaurant.com where you can actually purchase discounted $25 gift certificates for hundreds of restaurants nation wide. Looking at the menu, I wasn’t exactly sure what to order but after asking the hostess and owner, Gail, she put my thoughts to rest. Gail had her chef whip up what she referred to as “chicken alla Scotty.” It was a sort of chicken with ziti that was in a delicious garlic, cream, sauce. My friend, Pat, ordered the gnocchi Bolognese and that was also delicious. I’d highly recommend La Brace and give it a 4/5 rating.

Pat and I then headed over to the TD Banknorth Garden for the Bruins game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The game came down to a very exciting finish that saw the Bruins score two late goals off the stick of Sean Thornton to fall just short of the Hurricanes 3-2. I hadn’t been to a Bruins game in several years so it was exciting to make it to the Garden to see them. And it was even more exciting when we were able to sneak down from the balcony to the loge and be virtually right on top of the ice for the final period.

We then left the Garden to a very snowy Boston and headed over to the Hard Rock Café for a couple of drinks. The Hard Rock was virtually empty as a result of the weather and it being a Tuesday night but the bartender still served up a mighty mudslide. The Hard Rock’s new Fanual Hall location makes it a great place to stop by for a drink while shopping or passing through to the common or North End.

Last night, I had the big Valentine’s Dinner at 5 North Square which has the same address as its name. We arrived a bit early at 5:30 and beat the dinner crowd. We were whisked away to their famous “Table #30” which was really nice and is set aside in a small nook right in front of a window that overlooks the North End streets. I ordered the cavatelli positano which consisted of ziti in a four cheese marinara sauce with basil. You throw in a bit of chicken and this was the best meal I’ve had so far in 2008. Lauren had the capallini alla romano which was an angel hair pasta with sun dried tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. The service at 5 North Square was great and I’d give it my highest mark of 5/5.

I can’t emphasize enough how great of a resource Restaurant.com is. 5 North Square was also on Restaurant.com and with their certificates you can often enjoy a meal for two including the tip for under $25.

Lauren and I then headed over to the Boston Center for the Arts on Tremont St to take in their production of “The Little Dog Laughed.” The play’s plot which centered on a closeted homosexual actor and his struggle to come out while remain unaffected in his career. The play was very funny; however, the acting was not entirely convincing. I’d give the show a passing grade of 3/5.

This afternoon my friend, Mairead, and I are heading down to New York on Amtrak. We’ll be heading down tonight to see our friend Greg Johnson perform his comedy show. I’ll also be meeting up with my Jesuit Volunteer Corps roommates Sarah and Ben and the four of us will be heading to the Conan O’Brien taping this Monday. Guest scheduled to attend the taping are comedian Larry “The Cable Guy” and Project Runway fashion expert, Tim Gunn. I’m very excited about the weekend and I’ll be sure to have a full report when I return.

For now take care and I hope each and every one of you has a splendid President’s Day weekend!

The "Diving Bell" Strikes Just the Right Note

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" 5/5, In Theaters Now.


It is rare in this day and age for a movie to have the ability to change your way of thinking not only for the period that you are watching it but for a lifetime; however, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is such a movie.

Based on the book with the same name, The Diving Bell remarkably captures the true story of magazine editor, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who after suffering a stroke is left with full mental capacity but little other physical ability. Bauby is forced to communicate through his ability to blink and in this fashion he is able to use his one functioning eye to slowly express himself. This French language film follows Bauby from the time of his stroke through his recovery. It captures Bauby’s past through a series of flashbacks and follows him all the way through the finish of his autobiography that is dictated blink-by-blink to his oh-so-patient occupational therapist.

The Diving Bell is a tale of loss and recovery; a tale of frustration and eventual appreciation. More than this, it is a story that will leave you off a better person. And it is the best movie I’ve witnessed in recent memory.

Juno Jolts Viewers to Both Laugh and Think

Juno (In theatres now) 4/5

Fox Searchlight Pictures is pitching its newest theater release, Juno, as being a “comedy about growing up...and the bumps along the way.” And while the “bumps” Juno addresses are becoming more and more familiar to modern America, its focus, teen pregnancy, will seem unfamiliar as a central plot to the average movie-goer.

It is this dilemma, the struggle between staying true to its comedic nature while honestly and credibly addressing the emerging issue of teen pregnancy that Juno is forced to skillfully weave itself between. And its success is unquestionable.

Juno MacGuff, an ironic, quick-tongued, high school junior, is played to perfection by Ellen Page. Juno is impregnated by her best friend and on-again-off-again boyfriend, Paulie Bleeker, played by Michael Cera. The question for Juno quickly becomes whether or not to keep her impending new born. Juno’s subsequent decision to offer the child for adoption is quickly answered by Vanessa and Mark Loring, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.

It is the contrast that these two couples as well as Mr. and Mrs. MacGuff played by J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney make amongst the three couples that this movie derives its greatest strength. The contrasts drawn from the spectrum of relationships stretching from the teenage couple, to the newly weds, all the way to the seasoned duo of Mr. and Mrs. MacGuff, carry with them many comedic moments and poignant scenes that are most populated by Janney’s portrayal of Mrs. MacGuff. Janney, most well known for her role as White House Press Secretary, C.J., on the hit NBC drama, The West Wing, brilliantly pulls off the role of step-mom turned pregnancy coach with alternating moments of sincerity and lightness.

Juno is an original, funny, and thoughtful comedy for the New Year. It is at the very least fully deserving of its three Golden Globe nominations—if not more.