Cuisine - American, Places - Massachusetts, Places - New England

Review: Red’s Kitchen and Tavern

Red's Kitchen and Tavern exterior signI’m always on the lookout for the next best place for breakfast. I’d have to say breakfast is – by far – my most favorite meal of the day. If I had my way, more places would just specialize in breakfast 24/7. Because honestly, who doesn’t like an omelette for lunch sometimes or some pancakes for dinner?

Well, there’s a new place to get breakfast (and those other two meals a day) on Boston’s North Shore. Red’s Kitchen and Tavern opened earlier this summer and has been busy.

But, let’s take a step back about 50 years and start over in Salem, Mass. This is where Red’s Sandwich Shop first gained a loyal, local following. The sandwich shop stands in a building that dates back to the 18th century and has served meals to many over the years. Based on that popularity, it was a natural progression to open up a second location. Flash forward to May 2012, when the second location – Red’s Kitchen and Tavern – opened up on Route 1 in Peabody, Mass. This location is spacious and new. So, let’s take a look inside…

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Cuisine - Japanese, Places - Boston, Places - New England

Review: Sake

Tekka Don at SakeA few weeks ago we got part of the Emerson J-School Mafia back together for a little reunion. Enter: Me, Brett, our friends Jake and Stacey (see our review of The Barking Crab for our other outing with them), as well as Jamie and Jon (Jon’s the only non-Emersonian from the group.)

Stacey and Jamie were doing a little baking. (I hope Stacey will bring her baking expertise to the blog one day soon) So, after we indulged in some really great liquor-ladened sweets we were starting to get the munchies for some more substantial eats. We headed up Route 1 in Saugus, Mass., to a little sushi shack called Sake.

Now, I must apologize in advance that I don’t have more pictures of our dining experience. My camera takes really poor pictures in low lighting so it was acting a little wiggy on me this night. But, please take my word that the food was really good!

The ambience of the restaurant transports you to Japan. Think lots of wood, bamboo and the waitstaff wearing traditional kimonos. I felt like Mr. Miyagi was going to jump out from behind the sushi chefs. However, I felt it was kinda weird that they had a fish tank (full of live fish – not the kind you would eat – more goldfish and guppies) right next to the sushi chefs artistically hacking up their cousins.

While the restaurant had plenty of western-style tables (the standard height table and chairs), we opted to sit on the lower tables with no chairs and on pillows. For me, leaving our shoes and coats near the door was a bit strange. We all thought we had to sit with our legs crossed like pretzels but, surprisingly, there was room under the table where you could comfortably hang your legs down to sit normally. Still, it was hard to get up and down from the table in a graceful manner.

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