What to Eat (and Drink) This Weekend
Sweet V-Day Treats
Red velvet cake, plump strawberries, tart cherries and pomegranate jewels, silky chocolate—not only are these treats perfect for Valentine’s Day because of their sultry shades, they also all happen to be aphrodisiacs, or foods to help you get in the mood. Look for beautiful indulgences wherever you’re dining this weekend—date night spots like Harvest, Deuxave, and Benedetto have V-Day-appropriate desserts, bakeries like Sofra (pictured), Tatte, and Flour have loving special menus available this weekend, and more.
Raclette-Inspired Jaju Pierogi
Is there a comfort food more satisfying than a dumpling? The fun, filled favorites are part of every culture’s cuisine. In Eastern Europe, it’s the pierogi. Two local sisters have been wrapping traditional pierogi in the style of their Polish heritage Jaju Pierogi, popping up at farmers’ markets and neighborhood businesses around Boston and the North Shore since 2015. This Sunday, Jaju Pierogi is looking toward its host, Mystic Brewery, and filling an Alpine-influenced dumpling with raclette, rosemary, and salty prosciutto, among other classics.
Sunday, February 12, 3-7 p.m., Mystic Brewery, 174 Williams St., Chelsea, 617-466-2079, Facebook.
Bantam Cider Photo provided
Chocolate + Booze
Again with a Valentine theme, chocolate and beer pairings are trending this weekend. Whether that means a chocolate milk stout, à la special releases from Bent Water and Night Shift Brewing; Saturday’s release of Bantam Cider Rojo infused with with Taza Chocolate cocoa nibs; or a beer and chocolate pairing event with Gaté Comme des Filles and Aeronaut or Lamplighter Brewing, there are several ways to get your fix.
New Sushi, Inc., burrito photo via Facebook
Sushi Burritos
Do it for the Instagram: A couple new options for sushi burritos—marinated raw seafood, rice, and more wrapped in nori—have hit the scene, Eater Boston reports. Say hello to Love Art Sushi’s makirittos, or seaweed snack wraps, near Berklee College of Music, and New Sushi, Inc., which just opened in downtown Boston. They join the likes of Pokeworks and OGinger, two recent arrivals in Davis Square.
Stone soup special at Haley. Henry Wine Bar. / Photo provided
Hearty Stews
Okay, with more snow in the forecast, maybe you’re not feeling like having a cold, handheld work of art. How about a hearty stew? If your friends insist on poké, you can find a warming bowl at Manoa: Their ground beef, chorizo, and linguiça chili is topped with a scoop of rice. During yesterday’s blizzard, Haley.Henry Wine Bar chef Carolina Curtin made a cauldron of stone soup (pictured) with beans, sweet potatoes, rice, cilantro, fennel, and more, which will continue as a special until its runs out. Shepard has a hearty stuffed chicken wing stew with Jacob’s Cattle beans and savoy cabbage on the winter menu. And of course, you can find Guinness beef stew at a slew of Irish pubs around Boston. Stay cozy, my friends.
