We all scream for LOBSTER

Saturday was one longgg food adventure.. one of those awesome days! It started out at a neighborhood gem called Pasta Market. They serve delicious homemade Italian food with fresh, al dente, pasta! It's not the first time I've been there but each and every time has been absolutely delicious and this time was no exception. We started with their fried calamari which was extra crispy without being weighed down by too much batter (yum!). There was a honey-like sweet sauce drizzled on top that reminded me of duck sauce that I wasn't a fan of but their delicious marinara sauce covered up the taste nicely. Next time, we'll be requesting it without the extra sweetness. For the main course, I had their mushroom ravioli in alfredo sauce. So delicious! My friend had some extra spicy sandwich that I didn't sample... spicy food is my only weakness. But he said it was delicious so I'll take his word for it. Pasta Market, you've got my love. 5 stars!

Our next stop was Crane beach. As we meandered our way up, I had a sudden craving for delicious soft serve ice cream... so we had to search for a Dairy Queen (DQ). Thank goodness there was one (sort of) on the way in Ipswich. The creamy deliciousness was every bit as good as I remembered it to be. With my sweet tooth satisfied, we finally made our way to the beach.

After a lovely time at the beach where we frolicked in the ice cold ocean and baked in the sun, we were of course hungry and craving some seafood. On the way up we passed by a good number of seafood shacks but one in particular, Woodman's, stood out because of the crowd. So we went back there to check out what the hubbub was all about.

When we got there, a huge line awaited us. Luckily we bumped into Pubear and a few other friends who had the same idea to order up some fried seafood.

To fully sample their offerings, we ordered a combo plate with everything (shrimp, scallop, clams, fish) plus two steamed lobsters about 1.5lbs each.

This is where we got to choose the lobsters we were about to demolish.

Lobster? check. Butter? check. Bib? check. Preparations for demolition are complete!

The seafood was fresh and well fried. The lobster was delicious. There's really not much to say except dig in and enjoy! If you're ever in the area and looking for seafood, I would definitely recommend checking this place out. Waiting on the line out the door is worth it. 5 stars!

Of course, on our way out, we started craving ice cream again after all the fried food consumed but unfortunately DQ closes at 10PM and it was 10:10PM. Sigh. We had to settle for a neighborhood ice cream place where we got vanilla in a waffle cone.

On a side note, a scene from the movie Grownups (currently in theater) was shot here. As a tribute to the restaurant, we went to watch it that night. Expect a good workout for your abs because we were laughing non-stop for the whole movie with some breaks for the touching moments. It's a movie about best friends reconnecting after long years apart due to the natural course of life. I personally love this movie dearly and would watch it again and again for a good laugh and a reminder of how precious real friendship is. There is nothing I treasure more than my dear friends<3

All in all, a great day. Lobster and DQ in one day. What more could a foodie ask for =)

The Daily Catch

The Daily Catch has been a place that the four of us have always wanted to try but it has never worked its way into our busy schedules. Finally, I had the chance to sample its fresh cuisine a few months ago.

The Daily Catch (4 stars)

The dinghy interior and exterior of this little restaurant located in the heart of the North End hides its long history well. Its branch locations have more seating and better ambiance, but we wanted to experience it from the cozy location it all started from. In my experience, it's the hole-in-the-wall joints that can deliver the original experience usually lost at the larger expansions.

Hailing itself as having the best Sicilian-style seafood and pasta in Boston, we arrived with growling stomachs and eager eyes. The menu is written in colorful chalk on a large blackboard mounted on the wall that can be easily changed from day to day. The cramped seating, lack of decor, and brusque service was all forgiven with the arrival of the food. The chef cooks in an open kitchen right before your eyes and we are served the piping hot food straight from the stove tops to our table, still in the cast iron frying pan! I ordered a special of the day, with spinach pasta and bits of fresh scallops, lobster, and shrimp that had just the right amount of creaminess in its heavenly sauce to not overpower the other components. The seafood was also incredibly fresh and, with this one dish, I believe the restaurant lives up to its claim!

However, the squid ink pasta ordered by my companions fell below expectations. Besides the novelty of eating black pasta, the squid ink did not add anything to the dish. The garlic sauce completely overpowered any flavor that may have come from the addition of squid ink and thus it became eating a plate of normal overpriced linguini. Still, I believe the Daily Catch has a lot to offer as proven by the spinach pasta and I would highly recommend coming here with a friend (not for a first date though!)

- Fizzy

Squid Ink pasta

Special of the day with spinach pasta

Hungry Hungry Dinner Guest

Sometime ago in March, PuBear and I had to overcome a significant challenge and venture into territory we rarely ever go into. Normally we're quite healthy and light eaters, which is reflected in our cooking. However, one day, we had to cook a dinner for a guest that, quite literally, eats a mountain of food per meal. And so we experimented with some recipes that we had never tried before and have since still not tried again.

First course: traditional Bruschetta made by PuBear

Okay, I lied. I made this again for my parents and they loved it because it's just that good. PuBear created this masterpiece and it was absolutely delicious. The blend of ingredients in the mouth makes for a wonderful light appetizer. The key here is to use fresh basil and freshly toasted French bread!

Main course: Lasagna made by Fizzy (me)

This came out wayyy better than I could have imagined. The key was the homemade pasta sauce used in the layering instead of using store bought sauce. The mix of sausage and ground beef also added to the deliciousness. For those interested, I followed this recipe to the T, aptly named "World's Best Lasagna" http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Worlds-Best-Lasagna/Detail.aspx

Dessert: Tiramisu made by PuBear

This beautiful creation was a great first attempt. Challenged by the lack of lady fingers in our local supermarket, it turned out better than we could have hoped. The mix of mascarpone, rum, and espresso was perfect. Although not fine bakery quality (yet), we still ate every last bite.

Our guest's verdict? "Ahhhhhh.. zzzz" as he sighs contently and falls promptly into a food coma. Success!

- Fizzy