Two Fat Kids

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A few of our favorite shots from the Kendall Square piece, including the very cool sit-practically-in-the-kitchen bar at Firebrand Saints, flaming cocktails at Abigail’s, and the plate-lickable tournedos of beef with rainbow chard and garlic/parsley bordelaise at Catalyst.

TFK Round-up: Kendall Square

Kendall Square has been experiencing a resurgence, morphing from what many considered to be just a place where nerdy-techy-nerd-nerds spent their days, hissing at the sunlight, to a hipper go-to evening spot where the brainy and the brawny can co-exist for some top-notch sips and eats. TFK recently did some investigating at a few of the au courant restos – Abigail’s, Catalyst, and Firebrand Saints – to see what each of them is bringing to the Kendall Square table. See what we uncovered…

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It’s about to be Two Drunk Kids @magounssaloon - litres of Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner Oktoberfest. 

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Ditalini with arrabbiata and a beef/pork/veal meat pile. We decided we were tougher than the single teaspoon of crushed red pepper that the recipe called for, so we added another one. Plus some cayenne. It was R-rated pasta, people. The police were summoned.

Ditalini con Arrabbiata

(Note that these measurements are estimates, so feel free to play with the recipe as you go. We tend to subscribe more to the dump-and-taste method of cooking.)

• 1 pound ground meatloaf mix (pork, beef, and veal) - if you can’t find this, use a meat of your choice or omit it altogether for a veggie option
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 3 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (if you like, you can use the kind with garlic, olive oil, onion, etc. already added for some extra flavor)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 box ditalini pasta (or pasta of your choice)

Directions

1. Season meatloaf mix with salt and pepper to taste – we also added some dried oregano, basil, garlic powder, and a small amount of crushed red pepper. Brown and crumble in a large skillet – depending on how much natural fat the meat has, you may need to add a touch of olive oil to keep it from burning/sticking.
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté garlic and onions for a few minutes. Add in crushed red pepper and sauté for another minute.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes, and add the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Once combined, add in the cooked, crumbled meatloaf mix and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain.
5. To serve, portion pasta into bowls and top with sauce. Top with shredded or fresh mozzarella and chopped fresh basil, if desired.

TFK Review: Five Horses Tavern

Davis Square has a new go-to where you can get your swill on and feel kind of fancy about it: Five Horses Tavern on Highland Ave in the space of the dearly(?) departed Sagra. With 36 rotating beer taps and 80+ more in bottles, hopheads will wriggle in delight when walking in under the faux tap chandelier. Foodies, don’t worry - for a place that has a wings/pizza/sammies kind of menu, this is actually good food with lots of taste and ingenuity. Might we suggest the KFCGH? Don’t ask, just do it.

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A little more from Five Horses Tavern…

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The 2011 New England Dessert Showcase - we were there, and it was so fat.

We’re talking about an entire ballroom just lousy with chocolate, ice cream, pastries, and health food bars (covered in chocolate, so we allowed it). Our dentists bankrupted us with the cleaning bills afterward, but God help us, it was worth it.

As a side note, we also went last year and it was a total shit-show - they oversold by hundreds of tickets, they had a two-hour line that went from the Westin Copley through the Pru down the street to Back Bay Station, and one of our friends got punched in the face while vying for a gift bag with Large Marge. Seriously.

TFK Review: Red Lantern

Filling in where a (shudder) Bertucci’s used to stand, Red Lantern is the newest spot to revive the somewhat stagnant Stanhope Street that rides the line between the Back Bay and the South End. The space: a bit like an upscale PF Chang’s. The Asian fusion menu: the same. We felt like the starters knocked it out of the park (the hoisin duck buns and pork gyoza dumplings were lickable), but the entrees fell a little flat (undercooked, chewy steak and violently orange chicken). Check it out.

TFK Review: 49 Social

TwoFatKids new favorite alert: 49 Social in Downtown Crossing. This new venture had their soft opening last week in the old Ivy space on Temple Street, and as someone who liked the Ivy quite a bit, 49 Social is several more rungs up the ladder. Chef Michael Lishchynsky is a wizard with food, so much so that five or so of the dishes he created to win the job at 49 Social were so damn tasty that they left them on the menu, including the expertly rendered tuna sashimi. He even let us try an experimental dessert he is working on - a deconstructed eggs Benedict with a lovely sweet biscuit, bacon ice cream, and tarragon powder. See what you think.

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49 Social