What to Eat (and Drink) This Weekend
“the neighborhood” Photo / sushiesque on Flickr / Creative Commons
Neighborhood Restaurant’s Somerville Grape Jelly
Somervillians love the Neighborhood’s patio—and so do we—not just because it’s spacious, shady, and friendly. It also produces “buckets and buckets and buckets,” as one employee tallies it, of grape jelly late every summer. The classic Portuguese diner and bakery always makes its own fruit spreads that accompany the plate of house-made muffins and breads that come complementary with every order, but this week marks the first time this year that jelly is made with grapes harvested from the arbors over the patio. Try it on-site, or pick up a 200-milliliter jar of it ($5), and a bag of fresh popovers, cornbread, or sweet bread to take home.
25 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-623-9710, theneighborhoodrestaurant.com.
A back-lit pint of Branch Bridge. / Photo by Matthew Cain
Mass. Fermentational Finds
There’s a Bay State beer fest this weekend—and that means bonus beer at some of the state’s top beer bars. In honor of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s Mass. Fermentational out in Worcester on Saturday, Sept. 16, Trillium is sending “a whole bunch” of its beloved brews to Central Mass. sister spots the Dive Bar (Friday) and Armsby Abbey (Saturday). Honest Weight Beer is decompressing post-fest at the Dive Bar, as well. There are still Fermentational tickets available, too—there, you’ll find pours of the new, all-imperial Greater Good, Best of Boston brewery Night Shift, the coveted Tree House, and more.
(L to R) Churro ice cream sandwich at Little Donkey via Instagram / Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll at Flour Bakery via Joanne Chang on Instagram / Banana Caramel Puffs at Tiger Mama via Dee Steffen Chinn on Instagram
So Many Sweets
Summer isn’t over yet, but it is starting to feel a little like fall. Bulk up for the season with a variety of delicious new desserts. Flour Bakery, for example, now has brown butter cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting—a holiday go-to—on the menu every day. Little Donkey has a chocolate-doused churro. For a chocolate fix in Allston, try Deep Ellum’s take on classic Boston cream. Over at Tiger Mama, new-ish executive pastry chef Dee Steffen Chinn (formerly of Blue Ginger) has a must-try for peanut butter-and-banana lovers: banana caramel puffs with peanut butter ganache and peanut butter ice cream. What now? Yes.
Raekwon’s Ice CREAM Sundae
Cocktails rule everything around me. Shōjō has a drink special going on right now that not only sounds decadently delicious (and we’re craving sweets right now), but is also a really great Wu-Tang reference. Get your tickets to Raekwon’s upcoming Boston show, then try his namesake sweet sipper, made with Ciroc French Vanilla Vodka, house-made butter pecan syrup, créme de cacao, cream, and egg white.
Shōjō, 9 Tyler St., Chinatown, Boston, 617-423-7888, shojoboston.com.
Barnstable Brewing photo provided
Barnstable-Brewed Beer
Summer may be mostly behind us, but there’s a brand new reason to visit Cape Cod. The region’s fourth local brewery finally opens the doors in Hyannis this Saturday, Sept. 16, at noon. Visitors will find seven freshly brewed beers by founder Peter Connor, a longtime homebrewer. They range from a German-style wheat, to several IPAs, and darker—including a Russian imperial stout. Barnstable Brewing hopes to have a food truck on site, or you can subsist on slices from B & B Pizza or another neighbor. The hours will change going forward, so check Facebook for the latest—and don’t worry if you’re not Cape bound this weekend. The newest brewery is open year-round.
Barnstable Brewing, open noon-6 p.m. Saturday, September 16, 485 West Main St., Hyannis, 774-470-6989, barnstablebrewing.com.
