We came here to celebrate a birthday and it was amazing!!

Getting a reservation was the tricky – you have to go online at 10am 10 days before the date for dinner or 14 days before for lunch and pray that no one has taken your time slot. They only have 2-3 time slots available for their 16 course lunch and 10-course dinner, with 1, 2, or 4 person reservation options.

The trickiest part is finding the place. It is a nondescript door with a little peach on it.

We got the 8:40 dinner reservation, which was perfect.

They have a strict no-food-picture policy, which was sad for me as I love taking photos of my food, but it made you focus more on each dish and enjoy your time with your dining partner.

Thus there are only a few pictures available, but I will go into GREAT detail describing most dishes. At the end of the meal they give you a menu card with the dishes on it.

The first thing I noticed was how clean and quiet the place was. It is small, about 200 square feet. The kitchen is open, and along the kitchen is a bar, set for the 12 seats they have.

We were promptly welcomed and seated. The host and hostess (Jenna) were wonderful! The pace of food was perfect, not too fast or too slow.

The amuses were: first,  sunflower seed panna cotta with freshly ground black pepper and dill flowers – it was amazing! You could taste every layer of flavor, it was the perfect start to the meal. Next, we got a lobster morsel with Thai flavors – it was good, nothing too exciting. The last amuse was a flaxseed cracker with soft tofu that was lovely and worked really well with the sake I was drinking.

Then the real meal started. Every dish was beautifully crafted. And each chef described the dished perfectly.

I didn’t love the raw scallop, though the tomato-basil liquid was amazing and I wanted to drink from the plate.

Next was my favorite dish of the evening – Slightly cured mackerel with pickled watermelon and a duo of sauces – black sesame and kimchi. Holy crap was that good! I could have had 3 more o them!! I usually hate mackerel, but this dish has totally changed my mind.

The soup dish was a cold honeydew melon soup with raw spot prawn, avocado, cucumber and macadamia nuts. The nuts really made the dish, otherwise I thought it was too sweet and lacked texture.

When the egg came out, I squealed like a little girl and yelled “YES!” I made the hostess (Jenna) laugh from my reaction. I was so excited! I had heard a ton about it and it totally lived up to expectation. It is a 60 degree egg with caviar, house-made potato chips and a vinegar drizzle that cuts through the rich-fatty goodness of the egg yolk.  They also serve it with warm bread and probably the best butter I’ve ever had. It was amazing.

The tortellini was fine, but not great. The halibut was perfectly cooked and delicious. The foie gras was just ok – the pine nut brittle and lychee were strange and the foie gras was cooked, frozen and grated on top which then melted in your mouth – a weird sensation but not totally unpleasant.

The beef was nice, but the puree was a bit tacky for me.

And finally the desserts: (1) celery sorbet (surprisingly delicious and refreshing) paired wonderfully with blueberries, sweet rice and the sake foam; (2) deconstructed carrot cake with white chocolate and slightly picked shaved carrots was a perfect end to the meal.

This place is amazing and I highly recommend it!

(the only bad thing is their wine/beer/sake list which is crazy expensive!)

One last thing – they have AMAZING books in the bathroom! I wanted to spend time in there and flip through all of them! Luckily my partner-in-crime also felt the same way and snapped some photos!

What could be better than the smell of baking bread? How about baking banana bread? With chocolate?

I always have bananas that are just too brown to eat, so I put them in a zip-lock bag in the fridge until I’m ready to use them. I find they last just as long in the fridge as they do in the freezer.

I’ve been making this banana bread for years and it’s always a hit! It has a great crust and the center is always just a bit gooey. It’s delicious! It’s even better the day after (though just try not to eat it straight out of the oven!)

Chocolate Banana Bread  (click here to print recipe without pictures)

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp kosher salt (secret ingredient
2 large eggs, at room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup sugar
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and masked with a fork (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, tossed with 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda and salts in a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a measuring cup, set aside. Spray a 9 x 5 x 3-in loaf pan with cooking spray (i.e. PAM) or line with parchment paper, set aside.

2. In a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into butter until incorporated. Add the bananas and remove bowl from mixer. It will look curdled so don’t worry.

3. With a rubber spatula, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate and walnuts (if using) and pour into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 55-60 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack in pan for 5 min. Turn bread out and let cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy!

My first real Day Off Adventure was my trip to Croatia during the summer between 1st and 2nd years of medical school. I went with 2 friends from school to explore the ‘other side’ of Europe.

We started our trip in Dubrovnik. At that time most people hadn’t heard of Dubrovnik and were surprised we were going. My friends mother kept asking if there was running water in the apartment we were renting and even offered my friend a new car to stay home (luckily he declined and come along on the trip). This is after she told us she was ‘worldly, but doesn’t cross the big pond.

Dubrovnik is now better known due to Game of Thrones, as it is the inspiration for Kings Landing. The old city was a fortress surrounded by high walls, still standing today. You enter the old city through a bridge/gate which opens up to white marble streets that are cleaned nightly.

From the main street, the alleyways take you up the walls, literally. Our apartment was 100 steps up, so leaving the apartment called for double and triple checking that you had everything.

There is a ton to do in the area, including a kayak trip around the small islands in the bay

We also got the chance to visit Mostar, a city in nearby Bosnia/Herzegovina. The bus ride was relatively short and our tour guide was from Mostar and extremely informative. There was still evidence of the war in the 1990s and you could see bullet ridden buildings and shrapnel throughout the city. One of the major landmarks that was ruined was the Old Bridge, but it was fixed shortly after the war ended. It is about 80 feet above the river below and people jump off it (into very shallow waters)!

Because it is right on the water, we had some of the best sunsets

If you are looking for an ‘off the beaten  path’ sort of place, I highly recommend Dubrovnik.

The only thing that wasn’t great was the food.

Shakshuka is my go-to dish when I don’t really feel like cooking or I haven’t thought ahead and defrosted anything.

It’s basically eggs poached in tomato sauce. You can make your sauce any way you like it, but I go the Israeli route and make it spicy with shrug, a middle eastern spice mix. (I buy mine at the Butcherie in Brookline, but you can find it in most middle eastern markets). Or you can make your own (see below)

Shakshuka  (click here to print without pictures)

4 tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1-2 tbsp shrug, depending on you spice preference  (or use a combination of crushed red pepper and garlic to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 bunch hearty greens (spinach, kale, chard), chopped, optional
4-8 eggs
Crusty bread

1. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet and add garlic, saute for 30 sec. Add tomatoes and seasonings and cook for 15-20 min over low heat, partly covered.

2. Add tomato paste (and greens if using), cover and simmer for 2-3 min or until greens are wilted. Adjust seasoning

3. Break eggs into a small dish and slide onto tomato sauce, one at at time.

4. Turn heat to low and cook until egg whites are set (about 5-7 min), longer if you don’t like runny yolks. Partly cover to prevent sauce from spraying around.

5. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!!!

Shrug (makes 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup hot red peppers
2 cups fresh cilantro
1 tbsp salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
spices: 10 cardamom seeds, 10 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp cumin seeds

1. Crush garlic, peppers and cilantro to a nearly smooth paste
2. Lightly roast spices in a dry skillet. When cool, grind them in a spice grinder or pulse in food processor
3. Mix the paste and spice and season with salt. Transfer to a jar and pour lemon juice on top. Store in fridge.

(adapted from The Book of New Israeli Food)

I have been keeping a log of all the dinners I’ve cooked since March 2013. Here is the list:

3/11: shakshuka

3/12: Banh mi
3/13, 3/14: fajita, black bean soup
3/16:  leftovers, hummus
3/17: corned beef sandwiches, roasted potatoes
3/18: leftovers, corned beef
3/19: paella
3/20: paella leftovers
3/21: buffalo chicken panini
3/23: dumplings
3/28: mustard-caper chicken, roasted potatoes, spinach
3/29: roast chicken with tarragon-mustard sauce
4/9: salmon, Swiss chard, grains
4/10: buffalo chicken panini
4/13: hot pot
4/14: hot pot
4/15: eggs
4/16: steak, blue cheese tomatoes
4/17: chili rellenos
4/18: leftovers
4/19: Asian grilled chicken thighs and Bok Choy
4/21: Asian grilled chicken thighs and Bok Choy
4/22: corned beef sandwich, mushroom soup
4/23: turkey schnitzel, mushroom soup, yellow rice
4/24: leftovers
4/25: hot pot
4/29: kobe steak, hot dog
4/30: tacos
5/1: leftover tacos
5/2: turkey burger
5/5: burger, roasted sweet potatoes
5/6: steak fajita, roasted peppers, whole grains
5/7: falafel
5/9: Vietnamese chicken, Thai soup
5/12: leftovers
5/13: salmon w/horseradish sauce, dandelion greens
5/14: chicken kabob, Israeli salad, pita
5/15: tacos, yellow rice
5/17: skate with brown butter & capers, dandelion greens
5/20: tortellini
5/23: fish tacos, grilled peppers, yellow rice
5/29: buffalo chicken panini
5/30: buffalo chicken sandwich
6/3: lasagne
6/5: lasagne
6/11: roast chicken, potatoes, kale
6/12: leftovers
6/17: chicken kabob pita, Israeli salad, red cabbage salad
6/18: shakshuka
6/30: chicken kabob pita, Israeli salad, red cabbage salad
7/1: steak fajita, saffron rice, grilled veggies
7/2: leftovers
7/4: hot dogs
7/7: dumplings
7/8: Asian chicken thighs, Asian zucchini
7/9: bluefish with herb mayo and tomatoes, scalloped potatoes
7/15: hot dog, roasted potatoes
7/16: chicken fajita, yellow rice
7/21: veggie burger, hot dog
7/22: shakshuka
7/23: sausage and peppers
7/24: lamb burgers, zaatar squash
7/29:  chicken kabob pita, Israeli salad
7/30: Kung pao chicken
8/1: steak fajita, yellow rice, sautéed kale
8/6: shakshuka
8/12: Asian tilapia
8/13: paella
8/14: burgers
8/18: egg & avocado wrap
8/19: Indian curry with chicken and kale
8/21: leftovers
8/28: eggplant parm
9/3: fish tacos
9/10: buffalo chicken panini
9/11: shakshuka
9/16: tortellini
9/17: chicken with mushrooms and tarragon, crispy roast potatoes
9/18: roast chicken, roast potatoes, chicken soup, tabouli
9/22: Indian lamb chops, potatoes, naan
9/24: waffles, bacon, sausage
9/25: steak fajita, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tomato soup
9/26: leftovers
9/30: turkey chili, sage-honey cornbread
10/1: leftovers
10/2: southwest chicken thighs, fried rice
10/8: chicken fajita, grilled peppers, yellow rice, guacamole
10/9: leftovers, red lentil soup
10/14: Thai chicken coconut soup, Szechuan chicken, Bok Choy, rice
10/15: guacamole, chipotle grilled chicken
10/16: chipotle chicken, Swiss chard, yellow rice
10/23: chickpea soup with kale, chicken mushroom masala, roasted potatoes
10/29: steak, roasted potatoes, maple roasted acorn squash
10/30: turkey schnitzel, grains, kale
10/31: leftovers
11/2: pastrami sandwich
11/3: pastrami sandwich, corn
11/4: caper-lemon tilapia, corn, grains
11/5: soup, chicken fingers
11/7: Asian chicken thighs, rice, chinese pepper and mushrooms
11/12: butternut squash-curry soup, chicken curry, rice
11/13: hot pot
11/19: chipotle rubbed flank steak with Gorgonzola cheese sauce, garlic greens, grains
11/20: leftovers
11/21: hot pot
11/25: falafel, Israeli salad
11/28: thanksgiving
12/2: txgiving leftover casserole
12/4: shakshuka
12/9: mushroom chicken Marsala, mashed potatoes, cauliflower soup
12/11: gnocchi with chicken thigh tomato sauce, salad
12/16: chili rubbed flank steak, scalloped potatoes, Swiss chard
12/17: leftovers, potato-leek-fennel soup
12/18: homemade pizza
12/21: holiday meal – mustard crusted lamb, Latkahs, mushrooms
12/23: chinese chicken & broccoli, rice
12/30: Portuguese potato kale soup