Thursday, April 28, 2016

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Night Market, the underground Harvard Square eatery known for sake cocktails and Asian-inspired street food, invites guests on a tasting tour of Asia with the launch of a new "Journeys" menu. With two different options, Chef Jason Tom introduces Night Market diners to the foods he grew to love during his travels throughout Asia.

The two different dining offerings on the "Journeys" menu includes:
HIKE - For $25, travel through their menu as they serve you some of their favorite dishes.
TREK - Feeling adventurous with flavor? For just $33, let Chef Jason Tom serve you with savory tastes created on the fly.

The new "Journeys" menu is served nightly Tuesday - Sunday starting at 5:30 pm. Prices are per guest.

2) Chef Matt Louis and Restaurateur Jay McSharry, owners of The Franklin Oyster House announce a new partnership with Tim Henry of Bay Point Oyster Company. Together they are bringing to market a new oyster, The Franklin, farmed at the original site of Great Bay’s very first oyster farm.

The Franklin oyster is plump, meaty, briny and is the first New Hampshire oyster to be farmed so far this Spring. “It is a fantastic NH oyster” according to Louis. “It is everything I look for in an oyster. Well Balanced, plump, briny, local. I am thrilled to call it The Franklin.” McSharry says, “It takes just six miles for The Franklin Oyster to go from shell-to-shucker.

The Franklin is farmed at a historic part of Great Bay, where the original oyster farm was first established. The farm had gone through other hands, and in the Fall of 2015 Henry saw the opportunity to purchase it. “It is an extraordinary area of the bay to grow oysters. We have about 4 ½ acres, the site is quite shallow so it is very easy to work the site. I think that is why we are the first oysters out of Great Bay this spring. I can access the beds more easily than most.” Henry also owns Bay Point Oyster Farm, also located in Great Bay. He uses the ‘rack and bag’ system for The Franklin Oyster, suspending bags a couple feet off the bottom with strings 200 feet long. He anticipates he will be able to farm The Franklin Oysters now through December.

At the The Franklin Oyster House, Chef Louis presents oysters hot, cold, raw, grilled, roasted, fried, stewed and more. “There’s an infinite number of ways to eat an oyster” explains Louis. “Each way is delicious, fun and can be interactive and shared. That is how I approach creating the menu at The Franklin Oyster House.” Louis features a dozen oysters each night at the Raw Bar, from East to West, with a particular nod to Great Bay Oysters from Portsmouth.

For reservations, please call 603-373-8500.

3) Chef/Owner Michael Schlow and the Tico team invite guests to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with daylong specials. This Cinco de Mayo, Thursday, May 5, from 11:30am-11pm, Tico will be offering exciting specials sure to give revelers something to taco ‘bout. A trio of 1.5 oz margaritas including, Blood Orange, ghost chile infused-Hot and Skinny, and Traditional, will be available all day for $25, complimentary tacos will be provided from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and a DJ will be spinning tunes from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

For reservations, please call (617) 351-0400

4) The Painted Burro team invites guests to a join them in celebrating Cinco De Mayo with an exciting week of activities and specials. From Sunday, May 1st to Sunday, May 8th, The Painted Burro will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a week’s worth of specials, games, music, and more.

Sunday, May 1st: Festivities kick off with Cinco de Mayo Lotería at 12:30 p.m. in the Burro Bar and Lounge. Lotería is the Mexican game of chance, similar to BINGO. Lotería is no cost to enter and gift cards will be awarded as prizes.

Tuesday, May 3rd: Cinco de Mayo- themed karaoke will be taking place at 9 p.m. in The Burro Bar and Lounge.

Thursday, May 5th: On Cinco de Mayo, The Painted Burro will be opening its doors at 11 a.m. instead of 5 p.m. to start the fiesta earlier! The Painted Burro’s regularly available menu will be offered until till 11 p.m. and the bar will be open until 1 a.m. Cinco de Mayo specials will also be offered, including:
- Toasted Coconut Margarita ($12): Gran Centenario Blanco, Coconut Milk, Clément Coconut Liqueur, Orange Peels, Pink Peppercorn, Toasted Peppercorn Rim
- Lobster Tacos (Price TBD): Sliced Avocado, Boston Bibb, Chipotle Aioli, Sweet Corn Salsa

Friday, May 6th to Sunday, May 8th: The celebrations will continue all weekend long with festive decorations, specials & music.

For reservations, please call (617) 776-0005

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