July 3rd 2015: Our First Day in Newburyport

After meeting up with our friends today, we headed to Newburyport, where we were to stay the weekend at the Essex Street Inn. Not bad, with a fireplace that can be turned on with a switch and warms up the room pretty quickly, and a jacuzzi as well.

After settling down, we went out into the downtown area for a walk,

Yankee Clipper Harbor Tours

where there were a lot of boats docked at the Waterfront Promenade Park.

We stepped into Port City Sandwich Company for a bite, with me getting the Rueben (Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese and sauerkraut with Russian dressing grilled on dark rye).

Not bad, although a little soggy at times.

After lunch at the park, we headed to Dolce Freddo Gelato for ice cream,

getting 2 big pints of Coconut and Black Raspberry, which were delicious

We then headed to Plum Island, going the long way down to Sandy Point State Reservation in Ipswich, where we were lucky enough to find parking.

On the left side, most of the beach was closed off for the piping plover nesting season, with rocks on the other side.

We headed to the right side instead, where I decided to go for a walk along the beach while my other friends frolicked in the water. It was a beautiful day by the beach to say the least,

and I spotted piping plovers and least terns as well.

A beautiful day in the Newburyport area to say the least.

July 2nd 2015: Raspberry Picking at Connors Farm, Danvers

My friend and I decided to go raspberry picking today at Connors Farm in Danvers. As we were really early, we decided to head to Kaffmandu Coffee House, a pretty nice little cafe in town.

I got a Hot Chocolate while my friend got a Coconut Chocolate Mocha.

Not bad. I especially like the ambience of this place, and by the time we left, there was a line forming already. Good thing we came earlier.

When we arrived at the farm, it had just opened for business,

and after paying 10 bucks for 2 pint boxes, we had the raspberry fields to ourselves.

It was interesting to note the differences between strawberry, cherry and raspberry picking, with not much strength required to pull out the really ripe raspberries,

and they were the darker red ones and usually the sweetest as well.

Eventually our boxes were full,

and we headed back home for the day.

After work, I met with my friend for a Cuban dinner at Gustazo Cuban Restaurant and Cafe, which has taken the place of Elephant Walk, which I went to a long time ago.

The decor looked pretty much the same as before, but the menu was another thing altogether, consisting mostly of tapas style plates, of which we got 4 of them, namely their special Swordfish Ceviche, Which came with plantain chips,

The Maduros con Tocino (sweet plantains wrapped in bacon, agave, orange slices, crumbled goat cheese, microgreens),

The Costillas a la Guayaba (guava glazed Pork Ribs, hearts of palm pineapple puree, pickled beets)

and the Camarones al Ajillo (shrimp sautéed in garlic, sweet paprika, Jerez, cilantro, red pepper flakes).

Everything was really good, especially the plantain chips, which were the crispest I have had to date and the ribs, the bones being so soft you could eat them.

For dessert, we got the Avocado Panna Cotta (with orange mango marmalade and crumbled pistachios).

It was good at first bite, but the richness of it got to us in the end and we could not eat more than a few spoonfuls.

Overall, a pretty good dining experience though.

July 1st 2015: Dinner at Thao Ngoc, Boston

Today after work, I went with my friend for a Vietnamese dinner at Thao Ngoc at 1331 Dorchester Avenue in the Dorchester area of Boston. We got the Com Tay Cam  (Rice Clay Pot with Shrimp, Chicken and Frog Leg)

and the Oysters with Scallions and Peanut.

Of what our friends ordered, we also got to try the Bo Sao Ca Ry (sliced beef with veggies and curry) and Ka Thit Kho To (caramelized catfish),

the Lobster with Ginger and Scallions,

the Oysters Steamed with Black Bean Sauce,

and the Shrimp and Pork Salad.

Of the oysters, both were really good, although the black bean ones were definitely much better. The clay pot rice was tasty, although the frog legs did not seem to be very fresh. The catfish was pretty delicious as well, but the lobster and beef were just so-so, and the sauce for the salad a little too sweet for my liking.

Overall, I've had better Vietnamese elsewhere.

After dinner, we headed to Quincy for some dessert at Yocha, getting the Chinese Sugar Papaya and the Cloud 9 (coconut soup with tapioca, mango slices, coconut jelly and tofu pudding).

Both were really good as always, although I still prefer the watermelon one we got the last time we were here.