With New Year’s Eve, expiring gift certificates, and friends visiting from outta town… well.. I was out and about a LOT this week. 

On New Year’s Eve, I had to hit up the South End Library and swing by Pure Hair, so of course, I went to Myers+Chang (@myersandchang) for dim sum. Ok, ok… let’s be real, I based my errands around going to M+C. ;) Braised pork belly buns, wok-charred brussel sprouts with caramelized onions, tea-smoked pork spare ribs (fall off the bone amazing), and Taiwanese-style cool dan dan noodles (not pictured because I may have instantly nommed them as soon as they hit the counter).

During the week I was nursing a bit of a cold, so I was all over the soup at Flour Bakery (they don’t have a Twitter handle - but chef @JBChang will sometimes tweet about specials). They change daily, which I love, and they come with a big ol hunk of bread. Check their site for details because Fort Point, Central Square, and the South End all have different soups. 

Tuesday evening, I went over to Brasserie Jo (@BrasserieJo) for my very first visit! Started off the evening with a Boston Pops martini… I’m a sucker for St. Germain and this cocktail mixed that with Absolut wild tea, honey and lemon. 

My friend Becca got their Mussels Riesling Mariniére. It comes with pomme frites, but to my dismay she got brussel sprouts. Well, those were really good too. haha 

I got the Classic Duck a’ Orange with braised red cabbage and a potato galette. 

And with a shove (well, tiny push) we opted to share the strawberry and cream crepe. That cream was incomparable. 

I heard from Lee Sherry (@LeeASherry) that Pigalle (no Twitter, but follow chef @Marc_Orfaly for some updates on the yumness) over in Bay Village had complimentary appetizers at the bar Tuesday through Thursday from 5-7PM, so of course we made our away down for some cocktails and apps. Pictured below, falafel and a pork bao (they made a special mushroom bao for my friend Tarah who doesn’t eat pork).

We also had, not pictured, small portions of their butternut squash soup, pasta bolognese, and a roasted beet terrine layered with beet puree alternating with a creamy horseradish layer.

On Thursday, I went over to my old stomping grounds around Davis and visited Hana Sushi in North Cambridge (maybe a 5 minute walk from the Davis Square T - on Mass Ave). My friend Shawn and I had some great cuts of sashimi along with a spider roll, a spicy tuna roll, and a super yummy behemoth of a roll the TNT - shrimp tempura, cucumber, tobiko, crabstick salad, avocado, spicy tuna with special sauce.

And last night, I paid a visit to Legal Test Kitchen with some friends visiting from outta town. We went for it and started off with the large shellfish tower. Shrimp, crab, and oysters.

I had the truffled lobster mac and cheese and may or may not have picked on my friend’s LTK Paella (fish, shellfish, grilled chicken, and chorizo in a roasted tomato broth over saffron risotto), and the lobster wrap (lobster, avocado, bacon, and chipotle mayo on grilled flatbread). 

BTW, I have these all up on Foodspotting (@foodspotting), a really awesome app that let’s people upload pictures of their favorite dishes at restaurants. What’s REALLY cool is if you connect Foodspotting and Foursquare, whenever you “want” (it’s a button underneath each pic) a food, it adds to your Foursquare To Do list. I can be indecisive with menus, especially new ones, so this is perfection when I go to new restaurants.

What have you been eatin’ this week? Photo reply if you want! :)