Foodie Father's Day

So JB, CB, and Laura took Dad out for breakfast for Father's Day. We went to Masa in the South End (439 Tremont Street), which JB has mentioned in a previous blog. I was impressed with the ambience and the professionalism of the waitstaff, but the brunch was outstanding. JB had the Huevos Rancheros which were very attractively presented after her fruit and granola first course. CB, Laura, and I had the Caramelized Plantain Empanada with Mexican Cinnamon Cream Cheese followed by the Santa Fe Benedict. The empanada was rich and delicious. The Benedict consisted of two perfectly poached and quenelle-shaped eggs each on top of a guacamole slathered biscuit all generously blanketed with green chile Hollandaise. This was accompanied by excellent Southwest home fries and a large portion of pico de gallo that was produced with serious knife skills from concassé tomatoes very precisely diced with peppers and red onions. Bottomless coffee was very good and attentively refilled by our pleasant and knowledgeable waitress. This meal was perfectly prepared and presented. Main courses about ten dollars; first courses about four dollars. Kudos to Masa. There will be return visits. There are two locations, Boston and Woburn. Check out the website, masarestaurant.com.

Further foodie excursion brought us to an amazing cheese monger, Formaggio Kitchen (formaggiokitchen.com), also in the South End at 268 Shawmut Ave. A second larger location is on Huron Ave. in Cambridge. The selection of cheeses is outstanding, and there are specialty foods, meats, and wines. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. I couldn't resist a nice little (7 ounce) wheel of Toledo. This is a Portuguese cheese made from a mixture of cow, goat, and sheep milk and rubbed with mildly hot paprika. It's very rich, slightly sharp, with a texture like well-aged cheddar. It's only a little spicy. I love it! There will also be return visits to Formaggio. You can order online and there are classes and tastings already booked well ahead.

Next we meandered through the Museum of Fine Arts for a couple of hours. I hadn't been there in years. It's always an amazing place. You really need to see art in person.