The Round Up: May 2025
Food:
I finally tried Sichuan Gourmet in Burlington, MA and it was amazing. I have had a few people recommend this spot to me and it really did not disappoint. There is a great balance of more classic Sichuan dishes and some unique dishes I have never tried before. I really liked everything we ordered but the highlights for me where the roast beef with scallion pancake, crispy fish fillet with sweet and sour sauce, and the dan dan noodles. Sichuan Gourmet will be seeing a lot of me!
I spent a two days in LA in May and we pretty much ate our way through the two days. I finally got to try Chamberlain Coffee in the flesh. They have a little stand in the Westfield Century City Mall and it was very cute. My iced vanilla latte was lovely!
If I am anywhere near a Din Tai Fung, I will be there, so that was a mandatory stop while in LA. I loved everything we had but I especially love their hot and sour soup and all their veggies (and obvi the xiao long bao are unreal).
I tried Si! Mon in Venice, CA and it was really a fun dinner. The whole vibe is very cool and the food and cocktails were delicious. The standouts to me were the tuna carpaccio, kanpachi ceviches, and the fried chicken legs. This was such a treat and is such a fun option to have in Venice.
I had a delicious cup of coffee at Alana’s Coffee Roasters in Mar Vista. I liked it so much that I brought some beans home!
We also tried out Layla Bagels and Coffee in Santa Monica and while this open faced bagel sandwich was incredibly simple, everything was perfect. We both got The Scarlett on a sesame seed bagel and it came with the most stunning heirloom tomatoes, lemon zest, chili flakes, and cream cheese, drizzled with olive oil. I will definitely be recreating this at home.
I finally got to try Kazu Nori and holy moly, was it delicious. My family has been coming here for years, or since my sister moved to the West Side of LA. Honestly, everything about it is perfect. The rice is warm, the seaweed is crispy, and the fish quality is perfection. This should be on your list if you are anywhere near the LA area (I am pretty sure they have a few locations).
It was my husband’s birthday in mid-May and we celebrated with a really delicious omakase experience at Umami Omakase in Cambridge. Every bite was amazing, that staff were incredibly nice, and we had such a nice time. We will definitely be back!
Noah’s Kitchen in Brookline is quite possibly one of the best meals I have had since moving to Boston. This place is an ABSOLUTE gem - every single thing we ordered was better than the next but the real star of the show for me was the stir-fry salt yolk shrimp ball.
We went up to Ogunquit, ME for lunch one Sunday and ended up at Barnacle Billy’s for a lovely and casual lunch! Again, it was a bit overcast, so not wildly warm, but I am excited to go back when it is warmer.
We went back to Saltie Girl on Newbury street for lunch on Memorial Day Monday and it was quite delish. It is pricey but the quality and ambience was amazing - definitely worth the money.
Other:
I read John Boyne’s book A Ladder to the Sky and could not put it down. It is such an interesting story of success and I would highly recommend it to anyone!
I watched all three seasons of Outlaws on Amazon Video (but by BCC) and it was such a cute / fun watch. If you need a good light hearted show with a great cast, you should definitely watch this!
Like I mentioned above in the Food section, I spent a few days in LA in May and had a great time! It is always nice to visit and get to spend some time with my sister!
Lenny:
