Restaurant: The Fat Cat
Address: 24 Chestnut Street, Quincy MA
Website: www.fatcatrestaurant.com
Rating: B+
It's not often that a restaurant south of Boston opens to any fanfare, so the fact that the Fat Cat in Quincy Center has gotten positive reviews from the Globe and Phantom Gourmet is kind of a big deal. Dubbed as a "gastropub", the Fat Cat features typical American bar options, many of which are under $10. Their most popular menu item by far is the lobster mac and cheese, which unfortunately I will have to wait until next trip to try.
My friend got there about 20 minutes ahead of me, which worked out rather well since there was already a 40 minute wait for a table by the time 6:30 rolled around. Tucked away in a narrow space on Chestnut Street, the small bar area was packed with patrons waiting for one of the 20 or so tables in the restaurant section. In the midst of the loud chaos a friendly host introduced himself as he led us to our two top.
To be clear here, there is hardly a healthy option on the menu. Afer all, the restaurant was named after the heavy set owner's 32 pound cat. I started off with a cup of corn chowder (FYI: if there is one thing on earth that's more exciting than clam chowder, it's corn chowder) before attempting to tackle a sandwich that used the words "deep fried turkey" in its' title. The Deep Fried Turkey Sandwich is a massive concoction, consisting of cold sliced turkey (fried in a pressure cooker, which is a huge Southern tradition) bacon, cranberry sauce, corn-bread stuffing, and chipolte mayo. Add a generous side of handcut fries and you've got an entire plate of guilty pleasure.
The portions here are huge, and as a result I ended up taking half of my sandwich home in a doggy bag. Leaving the restaurant slightly fatter and definitely happier, I certainly plan on returning soon. The Fat Cat is located behind Hancock Street in Quincy Center and is accessible via MBTA (Red Line: Quincy Center). Street parking is easy to come by with additional parking available in the nearby municipal lot.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
"And How Did That Make You Feel?"
I mentioned a little while ago that there was some good stuff going on at work right now. While I'm still holding out for some potential really good news, positive things are still in motion. I've been down to Connecticut twice in the last two days, and was just informed that I would have to go down again next week to hire my first inside sales rep.
Hiring an additional rep is good is so many way. For starters, it means that my company is doing well and wants to invest in a new employee. Secondly, it's going to free up my time for more travel which will bring in more sales overall.
While I was part of the interview process at my last big corporate job, I've never actually sifted through resumes and sat down face to face with a potential employee. Aside from avoiding the obvious (such as yes/no questions and subjects that are just flat out illegal to inquire about), I'm not really sure what to ask the candidates.
Readers: What is the best interview question you were ever asked? What was the worst? Please respond via post - if nothing else it should make for fun blog material.
Hiring an additional rep is good is so many way. For starters, it means that my company is doing well and wants to invest in a new employee. Secondly, it's going to free up my time for more travel which will bring in more sales overall.
While I was part of the interview process at my last big corporate job, I've never actually sifted through resumes and sat down face to face with a potential employee. Aside from avoiding the obvious (such as yes/no questions and subjects that are just flat out illegal to inquire about), I'm not really sure what to ask the candidates.
Readers: What is the best interview question you were ever asked? What was the worst? Please respond via post - if nothing else it should make for fun blog material.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Everything Old is New Again
What's a crafty real estate agent to do in the midst of a housing slump? Trick house hunting yuppies by renaming Boston neighborhoods of course. A neighborhood guide for the newly inducted members of the Masshole fraternity:
SoBe: I read about this "new" neighborhood on Universalhub.com. SoBe is short for South of Beacon Street (Brookline). But wait - doesn't this neighborhood already have a name? Yes it does! It's called Brookline Village!
Chestnut Hill: this is a tricky one. Geographically it's the junction of Newton, Brookline, Brighton, and West Roxbury. BC is in Chestnut Hill (Newton), as is the Boston Archdiocese (Brighton) and the Chestnut Hill Mall (Route 9, technically still Newton). The term "Chestnut Hill" is thrown around rather loosely though. Folks who live in Cleveland Circle and can count more than 5 trees in a single glance will often claim to live in Chestnut Hill, which they don't.
SoWa: Another one of those tricky acronyms. Real estate agents will tell you that this "hip new area" is a neighborhood South of Washington Street. However, SoWa is really short for "So What if I paid $600,000 to Live in Roxbury?".
Garment District/Leather District: A no-man's land between Chinatown and South Station. The real draw to this neighborhood (aside from $2 million condos)? The fact that Ginza is open until the wee hours of morning.
The Ladder District: because using this term is definitely more marketable than referring to it as the Combat Zone.
The Seaport District: Whhhhaat thaaa fuuuck - you're still in Southie. However, pouring concrete into the ocean to create a new part of the city? Brilliant!
SoBe: I read about this "new" neighborhood on Universalhub.com. SoBe is short for South of Beacon Street (Brookline). But wait - doesn't this neighborhood already have a name? Yes it does! It's called Brookline Village!
Chestnut Hill: this is a tricky one. Geographically it's the junction of Newton, Brookline, Brighton, and West Roxbury. BC is in Chestnut Hill (Newton), as is the Boston Archdiocese (Brighton) and the Chestnut Hill Mall (Route 9, technically still Newton). The term "Chestnut Hill" is thrown around rather loosely though. Folks who live in Cleveland Circle and can count more than 5 trees in a single glance will often claim to live in Chestnut Hill, which they don't.
SoWa: Another one of those tricky acronyms. Real estate agents will tell you that this "hip new area" is a neighborhood South of Washington Street. However, SoWa is really short for "So What if I paid $600,000 to Live in Roxbury?".
Garment District/Leather District: A no-man's land between Chinatown and South Station. The real draw to this neighborhood (aside from $2 million condos)? The fact that Ginza is open until the wee hours of morning.
The Ladder District: because using this term is definitely more marketable than referring to it as the Combat Zone.
The Seaport District: Whhhhaat thaaa fuuuck - you're still in Southie. However, pouring concrete into the ocean to create a new part of the city? Brilliant!
Monday, March 10, 2008
What Happens in Brockton, Stays in Brockton
In an effort to quell the violence in a city that's been rattled with four murders since January, today's Herald announced that the Guardian Angels will be moving in on Brockton. As a NY-based vigilante group, the Guardian Angels consider themselves community activists who roam from city to city to offer their presence. Despite the fact that they've had minimum success in Dorchester, the Guardian Angels feel it's their duty to become uninvited guests in downtown Brockton.
Personally, I'm kind of sick of the bad rap that Brockton constantly receives in the press and among people that have never step foot there. Like any big city, there are obviously problems with gangs, drugs, and crime. However, I'd challenge any other city with the same demos and population of Brockton to give their citizens the same quality of life.
Once you've learned how to survive in a city like Brockton (having a bad ass exterior helps), it's a remarkably fantastic place to live and work. With the addition of two new train stations and the recent housing boom, Brockton has become an attractive, affordable option for south of the city dwellers. Outside of violent incidents in certain neighborhoods, 95% of the city is in pretty good shape.
The Guardian Angels may portray themselves to be the "good guys" but the truth is that the vast majority of Brockton residents are already the "good guys". They don't need to walk around in red jackets and intimidate neighborhoods to prove that. Neighborhood watch groups already co-exist with the Brockton Police Department and for the most part it's worked out pretty well. Stay out, Guardian Angels, and let Brockton deal with their own.
Personally, I'm kind of sick of the bad rap that Brockton constantly receives in the press and among people that have never step foot there. Like any big city, there are obviously problems with gangs, drugs, and crime. However, I'd challenge any other city with the same demos and population of Brockton to give their citizens the same quality of life.
Once you've learned how to survive in a city like Brockton (having a bad ass exterior helps), it's a remarkably fantastic place to live and work. With the addition of two new train stations and the recent housing boom, Brockton has become an attractive, affordable option for south of the city dwellers. Outside of violent incidents in certain neighborhoods, 95% of the city is in pretty good shape.
The Guardian Angels may portray themselves to be the "good guys" but the truth is that the vast majority of Brockton residents are already the "good guys". They don't need to walk around in red jackets and intimidate neighborhoods to prove that. Neighborhood watch groups already co-exist with the Brockton Police Department and for the most part it's worked out pretty well. Stay out, Guardian Angels, and let Brockton deal with their own.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
English as a First Language
My girl Queen Dee wrote a an extremely thought-provoking post about words and phrases peppered into Boston English that greatly annoy her. To a point I completely agree. I mean, Dee is basically doing a public service (and a completely selfless one at that!) by informing everyone that "roof" is not pronounced like "ruff". Keep spreading the gospel, girl!
(But the khaki/car key comment? That one hurts :). )
If you haven't had a chance to check out the links to the right of my page, go for it. Reading blogs is just one way to keep sane throughout the work day.
(But the khaki/car key comment? That one hurts :). )
If you haven't had a chance to check out the links to the right of my page, go for it. Reading blogs is just one way to keep sane throughout the work day.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Updates
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Restaurant Review: Fleming's
Restaurant: Fleming's Steakhouse
Location: 217 Stuart Street, Boston (locations nationwide)
Website: www.flemingssteakhouse.com
Rating: A
Even in a down economy, upscale steak houses like Fleming's are still the perfect way to celebrate a birthday, special occassion, or merely serve as an excuse to have a great meal. Though I wouldn't categorize myself as a hard-core carnivore, I do enjoy noshing on the sporadic $40 steak. Over the years I've done Abe & Louie's, Capitol Grille (horrendous), Ruths Chris, etc. My favorite thus far is Fleming's for one simple reason: Beef Flemington.
(Ok, I'm not going to lie - the fact that my buddy Hockey P knows the staff and therefore half my meal was comped is another big reason to like Fleming's.) Yet I'll digress and start with the dirty deets.
Since I didn't want anything to do with Hockey P's fried calamari appetizer (which he talked non-stop about during the car ride to the restaurant), I went for the seared ahi tuna, one of my all-time favorites. Seared tuna is supposed to be a light, flavorful appetizer and I was thrilled to no end when I discovered that Fleming's hadn't overloaded the tuna with seasame seeds or mayo garnish. It's the type of appetizer I could see myself ordering as an after work pick-me-up.
Truthfully I generally like fish more than I like beef. However, since it's wrong on so many levels to order a piece of salmon in a place like Fleming's, I decided to go with the Beef Flemington, Fleming's take on the classic Beef Wellington. Fleming's version wraps a 6 oz filet and mushroom madeira sauce into a pastry puff and cooks it to your preferred temperature (I had mine medium). The Beef Flemington didn't restore my unwavering faith in humanity, but it came pretty damn close.
Figuring that vegetables only ruin a good meal, Hockey P and I wisely skipped the side dishes.
It turned out to be a good thing that we didn't fill up on brocolli and asparagus, or else we may not have had room for the chocolate lava cake. We split a large piece of chocolate cake with chocolate lava center, accompanied by a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. I can personally vouch for the fact that it's as mouth-watering (and fattening) as it sounds.
I stuck to merlot all night, while Hockey P sipped on sour apple martinis. (Not even my jokes about pantyhose and shaved legs could alter his drink choice.) Apparently Fleming's is famous for their wine selection, though you'll also find a good selection of beer, as well as several varieties of water.
Fleming's is located in the Back Bay, so fearless surbanites will have to search high and low to find suitable street parking. Conveniently, garage and valet parking is also available.
Location: 217 Stuart Street, Boston (locations nationwide)
Website: www.flemingssteakhouse.com
Rating: A
Even in a down economy, upscale steak houses like Fleming's are still the perfect way to celebrate a birthday, special occassion, or merely serve as an excuse to have a great meal. Though I wouldn't categorize myself as a hard-core carnivore, I do enjoy noshing on the sporadic $40 steak. Over the years I've done Abe & Louie's, Capitol Grille (horrendous), Ruths Chris, etc. My favorite thus far is Fleming's for one simple reason: Beef Flemington.
(Ok, I'm not going to lie - the fact that my buddy Hockey P knows the staff and therefore half my meal was comped is another big reason to like Fleming's.) Yet I'll digress and start with the dirty deets.
Since I didn't want anything to do with Hockey P's fried calamari appetizer (which he talked non-stop about during the car ride to the restaurant), I went for the seared ahi tuna, one of my all-time favorites. Seared tuna is supposed to be a light, flavorful appetizer and I was thrilled to no end when I discovered that Fleming's hadn't overloaded the tuna with seasame seeds or mayo garnish. It's the type of appetizer I could see myself ordering as an after work pick-me-up.
Truthfully I generally like fish more than I like beef. However, since it's wrong on so many levels to order a piece of salmon in a place like Fleming's, I decided to go with the Beef Flemington, Fleming's take on the classic Beef Wellington. Fleming's version wraps a 6 oz filet and mushroom madeira sauce into a pastry puff and cooks it to your preferred temperature (I had mine medium). The Beef Flemington didn't restore my unwavering faith in humanity, but it came pretty damn close.
Figuring that vegetables only ruin a good meal, Hockey P and I wisely skipped the side dishes.
It turned out to be a good thing that we didn't fill up on brocolli and asparagus, or else we may not have had room for the chocolate lava cake. We split a large piece of chocolate cake with chocolate lava center, accompanied by a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. I can personally vouch for the fact that it's as mouth-watering (and fattening) as it sounds.
I stuck to merlot all night, while Hockey P sipped on sour apple martinis. (Not even my jokes about pantyhose and shaved legs could alter his drink choice.) Apparently Fleming's is famous for their wine selection, though you'll also find a good selection of beer, as well as several varieties of water.
Fleming's is located in the Back Bay, so fearless surbanites will have to search high and low to find suitable street parking. Conveniently, garage and valet parking is also available.
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