Wellesley Bakery in (Surprisingly) Wellesley

Another stop on my recent wander through Wellesley was the Wellesley Bakery. Ann thought we should hold off on dessert at Susu and hit this stop instead (hey, I wasn't going to argue, since I'm all for trying as many places as possible).

Entering the Wellesley Bakery is almost a culture shock after Susu. Where Susu is polished and gleaming and fancy, Wellesley Bakery is more homey and a little more what a real working bakery should feel like. The workers are clearly busy in the back, because there's even a bell to ring if they're not at the counter.
Everything looked so good in there that I had a hard time making a decision... so I didn't. I ordered a bunch of different cookies and proceeded to eat them over the next three days. The linzer cookie (above) was my favorite - truly delicious, buttery, flaky cookies sandwiched around gooey, condensed raspberry jam. I would be very happy if I could make cookies that good. The peanut butter cookie was chewy, not hard and dense, and I really liked that. It was also not overly peanut buttery, and it had little peanut butter chips in it as well. The oatmeal chocolate chip was my least favorite of the bunch, but that doesn't mean it was not good - the oats and the chocolate were well balanced.

I also ordered a raspberry croissant, but I didn't get around to eating it for a few days. And while it was still good when I did eat it, I'm sure it would have been fantastic when fresh... *sigh*, I guess I'll just have to go back.


As I was standing at the counter, I spied some interesting sodas in the case out of the corner of my eye. Mash ("a water drink") comes in some interesting mixes, like mango-blood orange and pommegranate-blueberry. The flavors were intense and delicious. They're made our of sparkling water and juices, so they're slightly better for you than a Coke. I just wish I knew where to find them closer to the city.

Cheap Eats: Flat Patties

At a restaurant named Flat Patties, the obvious choice is a burger. And sure, the burgers are cheap and tasty, but there are other winners on the menu that are just as good (if not better) and don't require much cash in your pocket.

The grilled chicken sandwich ($3.25) is well-seasoned and super moist, a big plus for a dish that can often be dry and tough with poor cooking. The Shredded Pork sandwich ($3.25) is heaped with tiny pieces of pork and little chunks of onion in a sweet tomato sauce - a little strange, but something that is impossible to stop eating. All burgers and sandwiches are served on fluffy buns that are grilled to achieve a crispy layer between the meat and the bread.

And what would a fast food meal be without fries? At Flat Patties, they serve fries of the shoestring variety, which are crispy and delicious. There's nothing worse than having soggy fries left at the end of the meal, and that is definitely not a problem in here.

Flat Patties is located in the food court of the Garage at JFK Street and Mt. Auburn Street. They open at 11:30am and close at 10:00pm on Sunday through Wednesday and 11:00pm Thursday through Saturday.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Susu Bakery, Wellesley

My friend Ann and I often act much older than our years and use our preppy upbringings to visit "ladies who lunch" -type places. It's usually for tea (like our recent trip to the Taj), but on Friday we had lunch at Susu Bakery in Wellesley.

Susu is in a beautiful space, with lots of light and huge tables. There's even a granite countertop in the bakery section. One particularly large table was hosting a book group when we entered.

The lunch menu is short, but the choices cover plenty of ground - salad, sandwiches, soup. I opted for the tart (because I'll eat pretty much anything if there's pie crust involved). There was a solid layer of spinach along the inside of the crust, and a half of a tomato was in the center, with the egg mixture poured in around it. The quiche was served with a fresh salad tossed in a slightly creamy vinaigrette - nothing special, but it rounded out the plate well.

It was nice to see the care taken in plating the food. The sandwiches in particular looked very nice, with little cherry tomato halves topping each triangle. It definitely helped to add sophistication.

We grabbed a few baked goods on the way out, because what's the use of visiting a bakery if you don't get dessert? I tried a currant scone that was fabulous - flaky and buttery without being overwhelmed by the fruit. Made me want some clotted cream.

Overall, Susu is a little pricy for what it is, but it's clear that there is a lot of care taken with the food. I'm not sure I would go back again for lunch, but I really loved that scone, so I'm sure I'll be back for more of those.

Bring Me a Bucket!

Finally! My semester finally came to an end yesterday, and one of the craziest times at work is done too, so it’s time for a break. Nothing like a bucket of frozen drinks!

I mean, they’re not the best drinks in the world, but they’ll get the job done. Cheers!

Cheap Eats: Angela's Cafe

Being as it's Cinco de Mayo, everyone in the city is going to be trying to grab some Mexican food and cervezas tonight. Most of the options are less than ideal, however. For truly great and authentic Mexican (no beer yet, though, but they're working on it), head to Angela's Cafe in East Boston.

Angela's is a small storefront that focuses on food from the Puebla region of Mexico, but it also offers American fare for the less adventurous. Puebla is a focal point of cuisine in Mexico, and Angela herself is in the kitchen, cooking traditional recipes like her amazing mole poblana. This authentic mole combines chocolate, chilis, and a vast blend of spices to form a sauce with a rich and deep flavor. The mole is very good on the enchiladas ($10.95), three corn tortillas stuffed with a mix of vegetables or shredded chicken. Many dishes, including the enchiladas, are served with standard rice and black beans, but the taste is anything but standard. The beans are especially delicious, with so much more flavor that you'll find at other Mexican restaurants.


Another standout on the menu is the freshly made guacamole ($8.95). Served in a pig-shaped molcajete, the guacamole is packed with flavorful cilantro and tomatoes. It is served with house-made tortilla chips that are thicker and flakier than usual. Nine dollars may seem a little steep for guacamole, but once you taste it, you won't mind the extra cost.

Angela's Cafe is located at 131 Lexington Street in East Boston and is accessible via the T at the Airport station on the Blue line.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

White Dog Cafe, Philadelphia

I spent this past weekend in Philadelphia for work, listening to archaeologists talk all day. We had a great reception at the UPenn Museum on Friday, but on Saturday, we took most of the attendees to the White Dog Cafe for dinner. Our group was so much bigger than we expected that a couple of us staff ended up at our own table (where I didn't feel so awkward about photographing my food). The restaurant takes up three adjacent brownstones, and the tables are distributed throughout a bunch of little rooms with eclectic decor, leading to a homey and intimate feel.

As we browsed our menus, the waitress explained that White Dog is focused on using fresh, organic, and local ingredients, and this ideal makes all the difference to the food they serve. Some restaurants do this more as a gimmick, but that's not true in this case.


I started off with the heirloom apple salad. It consisted of matchsticks of red delicious apple, mixed microgreens and herbs, cubes of local Amish cheddar, candied walnuts, garlic chips, and a bright cider vinaigrette. The ingredients couldn't have been fresher, and there was a great balance to the dressing that made all the flavors taste very even. I really loved the addition of the garlic chips because, although there weren't too many of them, they gave a nice flavor zing every few bites. I'm going to try recreating this at home sometime, but I'm not so good with dressings, so I don't know if I'll be able to get that right.


I had a hard time choosing a main because they all sounded so good, but my eyes kept coming back to the description of the strip steak. My steak was cooked perfectly (although my tablemate had a few issues with hers) and incredibly tender. The dish was served with a rosemary and burgundy glaze, chive mashed potatoes, garlicky kale, and two huge beer-battered onion rings. The potatoes and kale were a perfect pair, and the onion rings had lots of beer flavor without it being overwhelming.


I was very full after I cleaned my plate, but the desserts sounded so intriguing that we felt compelled to split one. We went with the rosemary olive oil layer cake (sensing a theme?) with grapefruit mousse. The cake was very moist, and despite the olive oil and rosemary, it was still a sweet (but not too sweet!) dish. The mousse was delicious, but the grapefruit taste didn't come out until I tasted it on its own. This was a really fantastic cake, and I feel the need to find a similar recipe now.

Overall, this was the best meal I've eaten in Philadelphia. Granted, I've only been there twice, both times for work and without much free time. Still, the quality of the ingredients and the care they were cooked with was fantastic, and it's clear that this restaurant knows what it's doing.

Mango Grill, Watertown

In an effort to expand our dining horizons, my friends and I tried out Mango Grill in Watertown this past weekend. I walked by the place a million times last fall, as my internship was nearby, but it always seemed somewhat empty. When we went to eat, though, it was about half full the whole time.

It's a bright and colorful restaurant, with an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs cook (and talk, as we found out). The menu is pretty long, and it consists of a vast array of Central and South American dishes.

We split a couple different appetizers to start - the fried plantains and the empanadas and taquitos. Now, I've never liked plantains before - when I've had them, they were soggy and starchy and not appetizing. These, on the other hand, were fabulous. I could have eaten the whole dish with no problem (and that says a lot for someone who hates bananas). They were perfectly crispy on the outside, but creamy and sweet (and neither starchy nor too banana-y) on the inside. The mixed plate of empanadas and taquitos were tasty, but not as miraculous as the plantains. The shells were nicely crisp, but the filling (which was chicken and only chicken) was a little bland. The dipping sauce and the accompanying pickled cole slaw helped a lot.


For my main, I ordered the shrimp quesadilla. (I've had a bad cold recently, and apparently all I've wanted to eat is cheese, so this was perfect.) It was also nice and crisp, but it wasn't fantastic, especially for $14. Plus, the accompanying guacamole tasted a lot more like what you buy at the supermarket than something that is homemade. Everyone else ordered fajitas, and the steaming pans were heaped with meat and sliced veggies in a tangy, fruity sauce - definitely a better choice than the quesadilla. One friend asked for some cheese to put on her fajitas, and we could hear the chefs talking about it ("Cheese? What does she want cheese for? You don't put cheese on that..."). They sent out a little ramekin of parmesan cheese instead... strange.

Overall, it was tasty (especially the plantains), but I can't see a huge reason to go back.