Waltham

When I was younger, I wasn’t really much of a barbecue fan.  Then I tried Bison County in Waltham, MA several years ago and I became a convert.

After a long absence, my husband and I made a return visit to Bison County this weekend with eager appetites.  The menu appeared to have changed (and prices increased) a bit since our last visit, but I was glad to see that they still provide a mini-loaf of sweet corn bread served up with a side of honey butter before the meal.  In addition, they still offer a fairly extensive list of draft beers, including several local offerings.  I ordered a Black and Blue (Guinness and Blue Moon Belgian White Ale) – it was more black than blue, but very good.

The atmosphere in Bison County is average.  The restaurant is loud at peak times and the decor is simple but comfortable.  The walls are embellished with large vintage-style tin signs except for the back area which contains an open grill.  The restaurant is about equally split between a bar area with several TVs, and a dining area.

For dinner, I ordered the gluttonous Wagon Train which includes turkey tips, bison tips, steak tips, and two sides.  I opted for sides of garlic mashed potatoes and sweet potato fries.  For someone who finds meat filling, like myself, this meal was an incredibly generous serving size – enough for two or three servings. 

The meats were inconsistently cooked.  The turkey tips were perfectly cooked and quite tender with a nice, if subtle, bbq flavor.  The bison was somewhat tender with no bbq flavor.  It was not as flavorful or as tender as on previous visits.  The steak tips were incredibly disappointing.  The inside was cooked to medium-rare as requested, but the outsides were charred and the meat was incredibly chewy.  I asked my husband to try the steak tips to compare – he likes his meat cooked medium to medium well – and he also found the meat to be dry and chewy, and, overall, disappointing.  The garlic mashed potatoes were very garlicky but had a nice consistency.  The sweet potato fries were perfect – crisp on the outside and full of soft sweet potato inside.

My husband ordered BBQ Smoked Brisket which the menu described as being lean meat, however we both found it to be very fatty, if flavorful.  My husband had sides of cucumber salad and cole slaw.  The cole slaw was very good - crunchy cabbage in creamy mayonnaise with nice seasoning.

The value of the meal was average – about $38 before tip.  All in all, Bison County offers decent bbq, but quality appears to have declined somewhat since previous visits, while the prices have increased.  I’m on the hunt for a more perfect bbq meal in Massachusetts!

I’ll be the first to sing the praises of the North End, but let’s face it – it’s not always convenient to get to the city for great Italian food, and Italian may just be the perfect cuisine – it can be comfort food or fine dining, depending on your mood.  Luckily, there are several great options for those of us living hectic lives outside of the city.  Here are my top five – and one runner-up (drum roll, please!):

Runner-Up: Tomasso Trattoria, Southborough, MA - This restaurant is a bit of a hike for me, and it is easy to over-order (and over-spend), but I couldn’t leave this restaurant entirely off the list.  I could make a meal of their antipasti alone (perfect meatballs!), and I enjoy the flexibility that their menu offers with multiple courses to choose from.  They have a fabulous wine list, too.  I also noticed in perusing their website again that they now offer a pris-fixe menu on some evenings…I sense a return trip coming on!  http://www.tomassotrattoria.com/

5. Ristorante Molise, Amesbury, MA – While I was disappointed to find higher prices and smaller portions on a recent visit, I love this restaurant for their ample options and rich food.  They have a lovely location in downtown Amesbury as well as a location in Wakefield that I haven’t tried yet.  http://www.ristorantemolise.com/

4. The Chateau, Andover or Waltham, MA – This family-owned restaurant has several locations (some under different names) and every location that I have visited has consistently offered extremely affordable Italian comfort food in large quantities.  I grew up eating their fried ravioli and I also adore their eggplant parmigiana.  This is a great family restaurant.  http://www.chateaurestaurant.com/

3. Bella Italia, Tyngsboro, MA – This unassuming restaurant offers authentic Italian food at reasonable prices.  The atmosphere is simple and homey, complete with a fireplace.  My favorites include their Gnocchi Parmigiana, Carbonara, Lasagna, and Rotini Filanti.  http://www.bellaitaliatyngsboro.com/

2. The Colosseum Restaurant, Salem, NH – You may not expect to find North End quality food in a strip mall, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  My only complaint is that the atmosphere is a bit lacking – the restaurant is a bit garish with dated decor, and it can be noisy at times.  That said, they consistsently wow me with their fresh ingredients, authentic offerings, and complex flavors.  And if you like Italian desserts (or any desserts, really), you will do yourself a great disservice if you don’t see their dessert cart – it is larger than the hostess cart on an airplane, and offerings change frequently.  There are mainstays such as Tiramisu and Cannoli, but there are new surprises on each and every visit.  http://www.thecolosseumrestaurant.com/

1. Tuscan Grill, Waltham, MA – I hesitated to place this in my coveted #1 spot, and I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I have only eaten there once (and saddened that it took me so long to discover it).  However, they offered me my most memorable Italian meal outside of Boston in 2008, so it earned the rights to #1!  It is a bit pricier than some of my other options, but it offers more ambiance  and upscale dining as well.  I still salivate months later when I think about the pizzetta appetizer topped with figs, honey, and gorgonzola.  It was perhaps the perfect food.  When you also take into account the great wine, innovative entrees, and cozy Tuscan-inspired decor it is perfect for a romantic Italian get-away!  www.tuscangrillwaltham.com  (Some menu items have changed since my last visit).