Apple Cider Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Fall in New England comes on like someone hit a switch. It'll be 80° and humid one day, then 60° and crisp the next. It's how you know the seasons are really changing and not that it's just one particularly cold day. Of course, crisp weather means time for crisp apples (and inevitably, apple cider).

The folks at Kitchen Play clearly agree, what with this month's recipes being sponsored by the U.S. Apple Association and all. I was hoping to be able to go apple picking before I got around to trying some of the recipes, but since that's getting pushed off into October, I stopped by a local farm stand instead. The pulled chicken from Savour Fare especially caught my eye - the recipe looked simple, plus I wanted to lick my screen, looking at her picture.

Whenever I do finally get around to apple picking, though, I'm pretty sure I know what I'll be making for dinner after. This recipe is super quick and definitely delicious, and although it packs plenty of apple flavor, it's still something to look forward to after gorging on apples in the orchard. The chicken is good hot on a toasted bun (the cool slaw gives contrast in texture and temperature), but I enjoyed it just as much the next day, cold out of the fridge with another big dollop of slaw on top. Really, what's not to love?

Apple Cider Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Apple Slaw adapted slightly from Savour Fare
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup apple cider, divided
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar, divided
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp sugar
salt
1 apple, cut into matchsticks
1 lb cabbage, finely shredded
4 hamburger or bulkie rolls

Melt butter in a large saucepan; add onions and cook until translucent. Add 1/2 cup apple cider, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, cajun seasoning, and salt to taste, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken breasts and enough apple cider to cover. Cover pan, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, whisk together Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste. In a large bowl, combine apple matchsticks, shredded cabbage, and yogurt mix, and toss to coat. Set aside.

When chicken is cooked through, remove from pan, shred with two forks, and return to sauce. Serve chicken on toasted rolls with a good-sized spoonful of slaw on top.

All Star Sandiwch Bar, Cambridge

OK, this review is a little late, but better late than never, right?

"Sandwich" is a pretty vague term, encompassing just about anything put between two pieces of bread. You could put a gourmet meal in between that bread, and it would still be given the name "sandwich." And yet, when people say "let's go out for lunch and grab a sandwich," I'm left cringing. I am greatly adverse to cold cuts, which is the staple of most sandwich shops.

So when I was asked to try out the All Star Sandwich Bar in Inman Square, I wasn't sure what to expect. The restaurant was started in 2006 by Chris Schlesinger, of the nearby East Coast Grill, so it was clear that there would be something a little nicer than cold cuts in the kitchen. Two years ago, brothers Kosta and Johnny Diamantopoulos took over, and they're doing a hell of a job. The space is brightly painted, and everything is made fresh on premises.

I pored through the menu, trying to decide what to order. I really wanted a hot dog (they serve Pearl dogs, the best around), but I figured that wouldn't be a fair assessment of what the restaurant serves. The menu is only roughly half of what is available daily - specials are always available. I ended up going with the (poorly-named) Cheese sandwich, which includes not just Monterey Jack cheese, but also bacon, avocado, roasted tomatoes, watercress, and spicy sweet corn aioli, all on scali bread. It sounds like a lot of clashing flavors, but everything went very well together (even if it's not the most photogenic sandwich thanks to the mushing of the avocado, aioli, and tomatoes). I was really impressed with the quality of the ingredients - this is no sandwich slapped together by the guy behind the sneeze guard at Subway.

Kosta wanted to make sure we bloggers (who included Jackie of Leather District Gourmet, Rachel of Fork It Over, Boston!, and Rich of The Passionate Foodie) tried their cornbread, which had just come out of the over. It's amazing how many variations of cornbread are out there, and I'm happy to say that this is one of the best cornbreads I've had - soft with a crisp exterior, moist, and actually tasting like corn. The cornbread comes with the chili, but I'd be happy to order a piece for dessert.

Sandwiches at the All Star Sandwich Bar run around $9, which seems a little steep when you think of it as "just a sandwich place." But when you think about the amount of ingredients that go into these sandwiches, and the fact that they're about 10 times tastier than something you could get at any sub shop, the price is more reasonable. Plus, there's a jar of oreos on the counter, so dessert is free :)



Full Disclosure note: My lunch at All Star Sandwich Bar was provided free-of-charge.

Cheap Eats: Kupel's Bakery

There are plenty of places around to grab a bagel sandwich, but you're often limited in choices or end up paying more than you'd like. At Kupel's (pronounced "couples") just outside Coolidge Corner, though, you have a whole slew of options and get a tasty sandwich for just a couple of bucks.

Kupel's bagels are baked fresh daily in a wide range of flavors. They're chewy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. This Bostonist favors the jalapeno bagel, with just enough spice to make it interesting, but there are so many choices, you could take home a dozen with all different flavors. For the full sandwich experience, choose from a variety of spreads (like honey walnut cream cheese or hummus), fish (like white fish salad or lox) or eggs, and a variety of veggies. You can choose from a number of sandwiches, named mostly for local sports heroes, or pick your own toppings to get exactly what you want.

If you're still hungry after your bagel, pick up a pastry for dessert. The cases are filled with choices, and each type of pastry typically comes in 3 or 4 different flavors. Kupel's hamentashen are so popular, they're made year-round, with fillings like poppy seed and apricot, and they come in two different sizes. This Bostonist loves the flat tires, huge disks of puff pastry with layers of filling (like lemon or chocolate) and sprinkled with coarse sugar, because it's almost impossible to eat one in just one sitting.

Kupel's is located at 421 Harvard Street in Brookline. They are open Sunday-Thursday, 6am-8pm, Friday 6am-7pm, and are closed Saturday. They are also Kosher/Pareve.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches

It's hard to pay $7-8 dollars for a sandwich when one of the best sandwiches around costs a mere $3. 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches in Chinatown offers fresh, warm, filling, and delicious banh mi sandwiches on the cheap.

Clearly, 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches is used to serving a wide array of hungry people. They whip out those sandwiches in about a minute, prepared to order. Pay attention to the sign at the counter that lists all the ingredients - if there's something you don't like, they'll be happy to leave it off. Choose from tofu, chicken, beef, or cold cuts, which are then piled high along with cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, spicy peppers, mayo, and fish sauce, all wrapped in a crunchy baguette. But be careful when you're eating - that baguette is delicious but also a mess. With the weather getting nice, you may want to save yourself the vacuuming and eat one of these outside.

163 Vietnamese Sandwiches is located at 66 Harrison Ave. in Chinatown. They are open from 7:30am to 7:30pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Bread & Chocolate, Newton

When you find a good bakery, it feels like you've struck gold, especially when you bake fairly well at home. It's easy for bakeries and restaurants to make desserts that are sufficient, but to make them extraordinary takes a lot of talent. I had heard good things about Bread & Chocolate in Newtonville, but I certainly wasn't expecting to find such a boon of deliciousness.

When my friend and I arrived, we wanted to jump right into eating the desserts, but we were slightly more virtuous and ordered a sandwich first. The Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwich was light and flavorful and thankfully light on the mayo. The chicken was good-quality white meat chopped into chunks. I really liked the addition of pesto to the mix, as it made the whole sandwich taste less mayo-y. And the bread was fresh from Iggy's, chewy and crispy and a nice foil to the soft filling.

For dessert, I went with a canelé - a small French pastry that I had heard about but never tried before. From the first bite, I was in love - chewy and crunchy on the outside, creamy and custardy on the inside, delicious all the way around. The canelé was small enough that I didn't feel like I was eating a huge pastry, but large enough to be satisfying. If all canelés are this good, I may have found a new favorite dessert...

I had heard the most about Bread & Chocolate's cupcakes, and luckily, I ran into a classmate outside, who recommended that we let the cupcakes warm up to room temperature before eating (they are kept in a refrigerator case). We chose a few different types, then headed home. After dinner, we pulled out the box, and oh my god, the cupcakes were amazing. I chose a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting, topped with ganache - I may or may not have ended up with it smeared all over my face in my exuberance to shove it into my mouth. The cake itself was soft and moist, not dry like almost every other cupcake shops', and the peanut butter frosting was perfectly flavored - and they didn't leave out the salt! However, the ganache had cracked by the time we got home, so no pretty picture. Instead, you get a pretty pic of a pre-Easter coconut cupcake, which was equally delicious and perfectly baked.

Over all, I was tremendously happy with Bread & Chocolate. I'm ready to go back to try more things (although I'm sure I'll have a hard time not order a canelé and a peanut butter chocolate cupcake).

Brie and Apple Sandwich

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Ile de France, offering me the chance to try some of their brie. I don't think it would have been possible for me to say no, since brie is my favorite cheese. My favorite brie is the Brie de Lyon at Wasik's in Wellesley, but I'm rarely over there to purchase some.

The Ile de France brie was tasty and creamy, albeit on the mild side. I like brie with a little more bite on crackers, but this seemed like it would mix well with other flavors. I opted for a brie and green apple sandwich, which can be thrown together in minutes but tastes sophisticated and unusual. I used my George Foreman Grill as a panini press (it always does a great job), but if you don't have a George or a regular panini press, you can always make this on toasted bread.

Brie and Apple Sandwich
French bread (about 6 inches long)
brie (about 2 ounces, sliced thin)
green apple (about 1/3 of one apple, sliced thin)
honey

Slice bread in half, lengthwise, and place on the hot panini press while you cut the other ingredients. Remove from heat, and layer brie across the bottom slice. Layer apple on top of the brie, then drizzle with honey before topping with the top slice of bread. Place back onto panini press and toasted until cheese is melty and bread is golden. Serve immediately.

The Mission, Brigham Circle

Despite the fact that I've been attending my school for a year and a half, there are still very few restaurants in the Longwood area that I've tried. Some are good, some are just meh, and some are just gone. So whenever I have the chance to try someplace new, I'm excited.

Yesterday I finally got to meet up with Erin of Erin Cooks. She and I have been talking online for a while now - we met randomly through LibraryThing, figured out we both have Boston-area food blogs, and finally realized that we both work in the same area of town - perfect for a lunchtime meetup! She suggested heading over to Brigham Circle to eat at the Mission, and I jumped at the chance to try a new (to me, at least) place.

The Mission Bar & Grill was the perfect place for us to sit and talk on a nasty, snowy day. I spent a good deal of time checking out the menu - I can't help but want to order fish and chips whenever I'm in a pub. I wanted something slightly healthier, though, so I went for the vegetable panini, stuffed with grilled eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, peppers, and topped with pesto and cheese. The veggies were beautifully grilled and full of flavor, and the bread was crisp and not too thick. I thought this was a fantastic sandwich, and if I'm in the area and looking for a sit-down pub-type lunch, I'd definitely try The Mission again.

So thanks again to Erin for introducing me to a great new place and for plenty of interesting conversation (oh, and for a homemade peppermint patty!). I love meeting other local bloggers :)

Cheap Eats: Boloco

Sure, there are plenty of places in this town to get a burrito, but their options are often fairly limited. Enter Boloco, which features a menu of "inspired burritos" that stray from the classic bean-and-rice. With 11 (soon to be 13) stores in Massachusetts (plus branches in New Hampshire and Vermont), Boloco is a great option for cheap, fast, filling, and nutritous meal.

For a fast food restaurant, the options at Boloco are vast. You can go traditional with the Classic (cheese, pinto beans, salsa, cilantro, and rice) or the brand-new and very tasty Yucatan (lime rice, black beans, pickled onions, habanero salsa, and sour cream), or you try something a little un-burrito-like, such as the Mediterranean (black bean hummus, salsa, olives, feta, cucumber, balsamic vinaigrette, and rice) or this Bostonist's favorite, the Bangkok (peanut sauce, slaw, cucumbers, and brown rice). Each wrap or bowl comes with your choice of chicken, steak, carnitas, tofu, or peppers and onions. Regulars are under $6, and larges are under $7.

When you go, make sure to ask for a Boloco card. Part gift card, part rewards system, the card can be loaded with cash and used to rack up points for free meals (including a free burrito just for registering). During the holiday season, you get a free burrito for each $25 you put on a card. Or you can always just get an empty card and use it for the rewards!

With so many locations in Boston, there's bound to be a Boloco near you. The newest of the bunch will be opening right next to the Common, at the corner of Boylston and Charles, in about two weeks. Hours vary by location, but many are open as late as 11pm, and some even offer online ordering.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Finale

Everyone knows that Finale, with four locations in the metro Boston area, is a great place for fancy desserts (albeit slightly pricy). But did you know they also serve up tasty lunches at a reasonable price?

Sandwiches at Finale in Harvard Square, Coolidge Corner, and downtown Boston run from $5.50 to $6.95 and are pretty hefty. They have traditionally offerings, such as egg salad, BLT, and tuna, as well as some more original compositions, such as the Apple Mango (sliced apples, mango chutney, goat cheese, caramelized onions, arugula, and walnuts on multigrain bread) and the Roasted Chicken (roasted chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, arugula, and sweet red onions on focaccia). The Chicken Pesto (pictured above) is stuffed with a whole chicken breast, sliced thin. The sweetness from the caramelized onions is a nice pair with the salty cheese and unctious pesto. Add chips and one of Finale's fresh cookies for The Finale Lunch, which runs from $8.50 to $9.95. Or go with half a sandwich and soup or salad for $7.95.

And don't forget to sign up for Finale's Sweet Rewards card while you're at it. You can rack up the points for every dollar spent, and you'll get $5 back for every $50 spent (plus free dessert on your birthday!).

Hours vary by location.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

- Downtown Boston
- Harvard Square
- Coolidge Corner

Cheap Eats: Rami's

Is one neighborhood big enough for two falafel joints? For the sake of comparison with last week’s Shawarma King review, we decided to try out Rami’s in Coolidge Corner. Rami’s offers Israeli falafel, as opposed to Shawarma King’s Lebanese-style. And while Rami’s version is absolutely delicious, the differences between the two sandwiches are huge, proving that there is indeed plenty of room for two falafel restaurants. If only the two restaurants could work together to form the perfect falafel sandwich...

Rami’s Houmos Falafel Pita, fully loaded, contains a big shmear of hummus, hot sauce, plenty of well-fried falafel balls, shredded lettuce, finely chopped red cabbage, tomato, cucumber, and tahini sauce. The falafel themselves are tender, nicely spiced, and very tasty. And the hot sauce is not some thin liquid, but a thick mash of spice and herbs – if you like heat, it’s definitely a great addition to the sandwich. The pita, however, can prove a little difficult to eat – the size and shape of the bread makes it hard to get a bite that contains more than just a couple of the ingredients, so it might be advisable to go at it with a fork.

Rami’s is located at 324 Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner. It is open Sunday through Thursday, 10am to 10pm, Friday 10am to 3pm, and closed Saturday.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Shawarma King

Besides burritos, falafel is another contentious subject matter in the Boston food world. Everyone seems to be in some sort of camp. Granted, this Bostonist hasn't done extensive research, but Shawarma King on Beacon Street in Brookline serves up one damn good sandwich.

The falafel are made up of a mixture of chick pea and fava bean, flavored with plenty of parsley and garlic. The crispy little balls are served with tomatoes, a mild pickle spear, tons of onion slices, a bit of parsley, and a good amount of nutty tahini sauce. For the falafel roll-up, the fillings are all surrounded by grilled pita bread, adding extra crunch to the sandwich. For $5, that's one filling and delicious meal.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Pho Viet

Three dollars and change can't buy much - a coffee, a pastry, a slice of pizza... or a friggin' huge sandwich stuffed with great meat and veggies. At Pho Viet, one of the stalls at the Super 88 food court in Allston, a bahn mi sandwich costs almost nothing but is still super filling and relatively more healthy than some of your other "cheap" options. A large crunchy, crusty baguette is toasted and filled with cilantro sprigs, hot peppers (used sparingly), lightly pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber spears, a light smear of mayo, and your choice of meat (or tofu). This Bostonist tried the chicken, which is very well marinated, with lots of delicious lemongrass flavor. But really, for under $4, why not try them all?

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: SoulFire

There's something very summery about barbeque, but when the weather is so hot and humid, the last thing you want to be doing is tending the grill or the smoker. That's where SoulFire in Allston comes along.

The meat is expertly cooked and left unsauced so you can add your favorite from their line-up of sauces - the sweet sauce was this Bostonist's favorite. The pulled pork sandwich ($6.95) was piled high with tons of shredded meat, including some delicious little burned bits. Lone ribs ($2.75) can be purchased as a snack or added to a meal, and they are beautifully smoky and juicy.

Sandwiches come with one side and pickles, while entrees come with two sides, pickles, and cornbread. The collard greens are some of the best in the city, and the mac and cheese is the kind of homestyle stuff you wish mama could make.

SoulFire is open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10:00pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30am-11:00pm, and Sunday noon-10:00pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Chacarero

Green beans on a sandwich? That was this Bostonist's first thought on encountering a sandwich from Chacarero. But the combination of ingredients that make up a Chacarero sandwich - chicken and/or steak, jalapeno sauce, munster cheese, tomatoes, green beans, guacamole - form a unique balance amongst themselves. The hot sauce makes your lips tingle, while the guacamole cools them off. The soft tomatoes and the slight crunch of the beans pair well, and the cheese - well, doesn't any good sandwich need cheese? Choose from veggie, chicken, beef, or combo (chicken and beef, in perfect harmony), served on freshly-made bread. You'll forget there are green beans on there after one bite.

Chacarero has two locations in Downtown Crossing: 26 Province Street and 101 Arch Street. They are open Monday through Friday, 11am to 7pm.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Dave's Fresh Pasta

At first glance, Dave's Fresh Pasta in Davis Square may just look like a tiny market - there's a display case filled with ready-to-take-home meals, bottles of wine and beer, and freezers filled with assorted appetizers, pastas, and ice cream. Take a look at the wall above the cash register, though, and you'll see that there are plenty of options for eating right away.

Sandwiches run from $6 to $8 and come in some fantastic combinations. The Mediterranean Wrap ($6.50), pictured above, is one of the most flavorful wrapped salads around - fresh lettuce, tomato, red onion, carrot, cucumber, and kalamata olive covered in creamy, garlicky, homemade tzatziki sauce. Any of the sandwiches, especially the heartier ones filled with awesome combos of meats and cheeses, can be pressed on Dave's panini grill.

For other ready-to-eat options, Dave's offers a handfull of salads (including the Spinach Salad ($6.50) topped with apples, brie, walnuts, and a sweet and tangy honey poppy seed dressing), a soup of the day, and a hot entree or two (served at lunch time until it's gone). And there's always plenty of baked goods around to quell your sweet tooth after your meal.

Another bonus? Dave's offers free wine and beer tastings on Friday from 5pm to 7pm. Dave's Fresh Pasta is on Holland Street in Somerville and is open Monday through Friday, 11am to 7:30 pm, and Saturday, 11am to 6pm.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Flat Patties

At a restaurant named Flat Patties, the obvious choice is a burger. And sure, the burgers are cheap and tasty, but there are other winners on the menu that are just as good (if not better) and don't require much cash in your pocket.

The grilled chicken sandwich ($3.25) is well-seasoned and super moist, a big plus for a dish that can often be dry and tough with poor cooking. The Shredded Pork sandwich ($3.25) is heaped with tiny pieces of pork and little chunks of onion in a sweet tomato sauce - a little strange, but something that is impossible to stop eating. All burgers and sandwiches are served on fluffy buns that are grilled to achieve a crispy layer between the meat and the bread.

And what would a fast food meal be without fries? At Flat Patties, they serve fries of the shoestring variety, which are crispy and delicious. There's nothing worse than having soggy fries left at the end of the meal, and that is definitely not a problem in here.

Flat Patties is located in the food court of the Garage at JFK Street and Mt. Auburn Street. They open at 11:30am and close at 10:00pm on Sunday through Wednesday and 11:00pm Thursday through Saturday.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Met Bar and Grill, Natick

The Natick Collection, basically an extension of the Natick Mall, opened a few months ago. It has more upscale shopping, and with that comes more upscale eats. I hit the Met Bar and Grill, a satellite of the Metropolitan Club in Chestnut Hill, with some friends prior to a screening of I Am Legend.


There are two menus at this restaurant: a regular menu, with appetizers, salads, and main dishes, and a burger menu, with different burgers as well as a design-your-own option. There is a lot to choose from here, from standards like cheese and bacon to more out-there options, like kimchi and truffle oil. It took me forever to decide on a combination to suit my mood, but I doubt anyone would have trouble finding something.

The best part is that they offer more than just burgers. Besides a regular beef blend, they also offer a Kobe burger, a turkey burger, a veggie burger, and grilled chicken breast.


We shared a bowl of onion strings while we waited for our meals. They were crispy and delicious, with not too much batter or oil. They would be perfect on one of the burgers, and in fact, they are an option on the long list of topping choices.

I finally decided on grilled chicken on a wheat bun with arugula, feta and tzatziki. The chicken was plump and juicy, and the feta and arugula were filled with flavor. The tzatziki, however, was someone uninteresting, and I would probably opt for a different dressing next time. The sandwiches are reasonably sized, not so large that you feel overly full afterwards. They come with a small serving of fries, but again, not too much to make you feel like you've over eaten. Overall, the food was tasty and the serving sizes were perfect.

Service, however, was terrible. Our server was slow and kept forgetting parts of our order, and we had to chase her down to give her our credit card. Once service problems are cleared up, though, I think this will be a great option for dining - whether you're already shopping at the mall or not.

Tealuxe, Newbury Street

There has been much tea talk around the office lately. One coworker, our newest hire, loves tea, and she makes a different type (or two) every day. She has been buying her supply at Teavana, a place that I've never been thrilled with. I am a hard-core Tealuxe fan. So when we found out that our tea-obsessed friend had never been to Tealuxe, we knew we all had to go for lunch one day.

It's rare that I eat at Tealuxe. In the summer, the patio is always packed, as are most Newbury Street patios. In the winter, only the basement dining room is open. It's small, so there's usually a wait for a table, but it seems like a large area. Everything is brass and mirror, making the tiny room seem huge.

As a group of 6, we had a bit of a wait before we could get a table. No problem, though, as it gave us a chance to take a good hard look at the menus - food and tea.


I settled on the Sonoma panino - chicken with salsa and jack cheese. All sandwiches are served with the choice of potato chips, potato salad, or green salad - but really, the only choice you should make is the green salad. The dressing is very unique, infused with some type of tea (obviously, in a place like this).

And I had the Kir Royale ice tea to go along with my meal. Everyone else ordered hot tea, but I'm not a big fan of hot beverages with my food (unless we're talking coffee with a piece of cake or something). There are always 3 or 4 brewed ice teas available, with different flavor profiles to suit any taste.

Overall, Tealuxe offers a respectable light lunch. I still wish it were closer to my office, but I'll take it as a good thing - I'm not ordering tea there everyday like I would be.