One Night in Central: Craigie on Main and Toscanini
This past Tuesday I went to Tony Maw's Craigie on Main with a fellow Jumbo graduate, Tim. I've only been to Central a few times and I have yet to be disappointed. Craigie is known for their seasonal menus and their use of local farm foods.
I started with a petit pot de vin and Tim had a sparkling wine cocktail. Very masculine, but it tasted full of fruity goodness nonetheless, though I believe there was some absinthe in it.
The three course prix fixe menu comes with a choice of meat, fish, or vegetable amuse-bouche. Here's the meat:
And I got the fish, which was a Portugese sardine. It was great: not too salty and the texture was almost sashimi-like compared to sardines I'm used to.
For first course, I got a Spanish octopus and Tim ordered raw oysters.
The great thing about the creek oysters was that it wasn't served with cocktail sauce and Tabasco sauce, but rather it had a very light, naturally salty ... brine?
For my main course, I ordered arctic char with rock shrimp and daikon. The arctic char was cooked to a medium-rare and had the greatest buttery texture that sort of just melted in your mouth. However, the daikon was actually buttery but still very good.
Tim got the rib eye that was served with roasted carrots.
For dessert, Tim got a very dark and very rich chocolate mousse tart with miso ice cream, and I ordered the sour milk pannacotta, which is a yogurt lover's dream dessert.
Craigie on Main
853 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Cambridge, MA 02139
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Yes, I realize I already posted a dessert photo, but when I walked to Craigie from the Central T stop, I couldn't help but notice Toscanini's which had a very bold quote on the window as New York Time's "best ice cream in the world." I simply couldn't resist. So we went for dessert round two.
Tim ordered wort, which is pre-fermented beer, and ginger and green tea. I ordered earl grey and salty caramel. The wort had a very distinct and strong flavor, and not something that's readily acceptable in a full scoop. The salty caramel was very good and exactly as it sounds, but it was a bit too sweet and hard to finish as well. However, the earl grey was absolutely delicious. It was light and tasted like creamy tea. Amazeballs.
Yes, I realize I already posted a dessert photo, but when I walked to Craigie from the Central T stop, I couldn't help but notice Toscanini's which had a very bold quote on the window as New York Time's "best ice cream in the world." I simply couldn't resist. So we went for dessert round two.
Tim ordered wort, which is pre-fermented beer, and ginger and green tea. I ordered earl grey and salty caramel. The wort had a very distinct and strong flavor, and not something that's readily acceptable in a full scoop. The salty caramel was very good and exactly as it sounds, but it was a bit too sweet and hard to finish as well. However, the earl grey was absolutely delicious. It was light and tasted like creamy tea. Amazeballs.
Toscanini's
899 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Cambridge, MA 02139
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I think I really like Central. After all this, I wandered into the Harvest Co-op Market, which was an organic market and I got to stock up on granola bars and juice. I have yet to have disappointing experience in Central, which is rare for me in greater Boston area.
I think I really like Central. After all this, I wandered into the Harvest Co-op Market, which was an organic market and I got to stock up on granola bars and juice. I have yet to have disappointing experience in Central, which is rare for me in greater Boston area.
