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Written by Steve Elliot
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 21:44 |
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BEER! I swear, if you haven’t tried it, this stuff is great. I have been spending the last few weeks hitting the bars and restaurants in Boston pouring the best selections of beer in Boston, where the foamy stuff might as well be the city’s official drink. So you know that the places me and my small drinking party hit are some of the best in the biz.
Deep Ellum
447 Cambridge St., Allston
Boasting “28 drafts, 80 bottles, cask beer, classic cocktails,” this place was an obvious choice for great beer joints, especially with an “A” endorsement on beeradvocate.com. A short walk down the street from the more well-known Allston establishments, such as Sunset Grill, White Horse, and Kells, Deep Ellum is a trendy, dark, exposed-brick bar offering everything a thirsty (or hungry, for that matter) young grad student could want. Deep Ellum attracts clientele and staff from all walks of life, from after-work yuppies to tattooed hipsters to beer snobs of all ages, though most of the guests were in the late twenty- to early thirty-something range.
My friends and I arrived at around nine to find the place mostly packed with late-eaters, despite the staff’s best efforts to help us find a table, we ended up squatting by the bar until some stools freed up, and I am glad we did. The bartenders were knowledgeable, as expected, but more importantly, they were damn helpful even with my limited beer knowledge, I was able to make it through three of the draft selections (each coming with its distinctive glass). Without the ‘tenders’ help, I would have been completely lost, since here, you can get everything from a PBR (yeah, PBR!) to a 15% Belgian monk-brewed quad. And since the taps rotate daily, you’ll always find something new to savor. At the end of the night, my eyes strayed to the cocktail menu, which boasts a Manhattan 8 ways, and my friend who ordered scotch for the evening had it served straight with a separate glass for ice. That’s class.
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Written by Anusuya Das
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Sunday, 13 September 2009 21:06 |
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Food! In Southeast Asia, this is synonymous to air, water, shelter ‘and’ food combined! Well…not really, but that is the impression you get when you are walking the streets of SE Asia! The two months I spent at NUS, Singapore (and the weekend travels to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia) this past summer was indeed a special rendezvous for my palate. I am sure folks more familiar with the region are used to the food available there, but for me, it was a completely unique experience… something that will remain etched in my memory forever.
My days in Singapore began with yummy Curry Puffs! So delicious that I consciously chose to ignore the fact that its fried dough stuffed with curried potatoes and egg for breakfast! On an off day I chose to have Kaya Toast. This is toasted slices of bread with Kaya butter- a paste made out of coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Only after consuming these exquisite AND cheap delights did my day officially start. The process of walking the streets of Malaysia is incomplete without a snack of Chicken Satay- the most popular Malaysian dish in the world. And if you happen to be shopping in Thailand then the Thai Iced Tea will refresh you from the heat instantly an dyes, it’s a bit different from the ones in Boston!
If you are in the mood for a bigger meal, just walk half a mile in any direction and you will definitely stumble upon a hawker center! An Oyster Omelet with Fried Carrot Cake is quite the delicacy. Except, the ‘carrot cake’ has eggs and potatoes- carrots! Char Koay Teow - ch arred stir-fried flat rice noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, egg, soy sauce and chilli is by all meals a gift to world from Malaysia! Pair it up with some logan drink and you are all set...well for a few hours…till your next meal :) Another must have is Malaysian national dish- Nasi Lemak. Its rice cooked in coconut milk and served with chicken curry, boiled egg, pickle, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and prawn crackers. And while we are on the topic of national dishes, Singapore’s favorite Black Pepper Crab will leave craving the dish for days after you leave the country. Though each crab is pre-cut into six pieces to facilitate eating, it is still insanely messy. Every tissue used to wipe your hands is completely worth it!!
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Written by Erdin Beshimov
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Sunday, 13 September 2009 20:56 |
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When you come to Boston this Fall don’t make the same mistake I made five years ago on October 20, 2004. I was coming back from a date to my dorm when a wild group of delirious students beat through the doors, all yelling like in an improvised chant that suddenly everyone knew by heart:
“The Red Sox beat the Yankees!”
“The Red Sox beat THE Yankeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!”
“World Series, BABY!!!!!!!!”
“World Series, ALL THE WAY!”
I stood there, amused, but… I couldn’t care less. After all, I was from a country where soccer was king, where the name Babe Ruth didn’t ring even the tiniest of bells, and where baseball was seen as America’s deliberate, almost evil, self-imposed seclusion from world culture.
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Written by Steven M. Elliott
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Sunday, 13 September 2009 20:25 |
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What would you tell your friend if they asked for suggestions for the best dance club in Boston? What about the most authentic Irish pub? Best 80s night? Most “in” lounge? Best place to get a hand-crafted cocktail? Largest beer selection?
No clue? No fear! If you’re like a lot of graduate students, you don’t have a lot of time to decide where to spend your Saturday night, and you end up going to the same 5 or so places in rotation, either out of habit or convenience. Of course, you want to see all that Boston nightlife has to offer—your current habits aren’t your fault really. I know, and I am here to help.
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