Boston Restaurant: The Fireplace

posted by Katie

Last week was just one of those weeks. But we all know that fortunately there is a cure for such things and that is drinks and dessert at a classy restaurant.

Katie H. mentioned a few weeks ago that she had really good sangria at a place just up the road from her at Washington Square (yep, Boston has one of those too. Not a mall though.) While I may not be the best at remembering certain details (I think my roommate will kill me if she has to remind me one more time that she spent 1st semester sophomore year in Australia), any mention of good drinks goes on memory lockdown. The original plan had been to get drinks with a few people at Sunset Bar & Grill but when that fell through, a good sangria place sounded like the perfect substitute.

The Fireplace is a cozy little restaurant which, as you might have guessed, features a big fireplace that is right next to the bar. Katie and I also appreciated the big drapes around the door that keep the draft out, just like the ones at Mint (what I wouldn’t give for a Bella and bowl of sweet potato fries…).

Once we finally got a seat on the bar (more on that later), we decided to each get a drink and a dessert. Katie’s my kind of girl, no wimpy sharing one dessert for the two of us. Love it.

To drink, Katie ordered the Mulled Wine ($9) which was served hot in wine glass with a cinnamon stick. I went for the Honeyed Capirinha ($9) with Leblond Cachaca (Brazilian rum), raw local honey, and freshly muddled limes. Katie’s wine was delicious and the warmth and spice of the drink made it a perfect choice for a chilly night. My drink was good too, but definitely more of a refreshing summer drink. Going with the mulled wine (or sangria) next time for sure.


All of the desserts on the menu looked good, but we agreed to try the more seasonal choices to keep with the fall spirit. Katie ordered the Cranberry Pear Crisp ($8) with brown sugar oat crumble & cinnamon ice cream. We both liked it best when the ice cream got a little meltier and mixed with the fruit filling. I went with the Pumpkin Whoopie Pie ($8) with pumpkin seed brittle & pomegranate sauce. It actually came with two little whoopee pies and was absolutely scrumptious. The crunch of the pumpkin seed brittle was the perfect complement to the creamy filling and luxurious pumpkin cake.


The only downside of The Fireplace was the iffy service. Katie and I arrived around 10pm, but were told by the hostess that the tables were reserved for dinner service only. That’s understandable, but the restaurant was closing in an hour, there were multiple tables open and we were there for dessert, not just drinks. After standing by the door for a good 15 minutes, and awkwardly being approached by the hostess again because she did not recognize us from 5 minutes earlier…, the hostess finally decided she could seat us but we’d have to order our drinks ourselves from the bar. Luckily, by that point, a couple was leaving the bar so we had a place to sit. We also weren’t too sure about the bartender. I think we might have had a bit of a Kelly on our hands but maybe he had been having one of those weeks too so I’ll hold off on judgment for now…

Portland Happy Hour: Red Star Tavern

Posted by Kelly

If you are downtown doing holiday shopping and looking for an affordable bit to eat and maybe a post-shop drink, head over to Red Star Tavern on the corner of SW 5th and Alder. Rachel and I barely racked up a $25 bill after both having three glasses of the red wine happy hour special ($3) each, the chicken tacos, and the nacho fries. Pretty great deal!

Portland Happy Hour: Clyde Common

Posted by Kelly

Clyde Common, which opened in 2007 by Nate Tilden and Matt Piacentini who were aiming for a European style tavern, has been on my "Happy Hour To Do" list for quite a while and last Friday night I finally got to try it out with Katie B, Sofi, and Grete. We met at 5:30pm just in time to enjoy their happy hour which ends at 6pm.

The bar was packed, so we were happily seated at one of the long community style tables which are spread out across the main floor. Upstairs are individual tables, but the group setting offers a unique and potentially entertaining experience. The four of us sat at the end of a table, unfortunately next to a lovely couple that were engaged in their own conversation. The restaurant's floor to ceiling windows and candle lit tables create nice ambiance, while the open kitchen offers a sneak peak into the kitchen activities.

First we ordered $5 drinks off the happy hour menu. I chose a Charley Horse, made with Monopolowa vodka, orange juice, Averna Amaro, and raw ginger syrup, served up. Initially I couldn't decide if I liked it, but as I sipped the flavor grew on me and I ended up really loving the raw ginger. Katie and Sofi both ordered The Dissident, a Becherovka, house-made tonic water, and lime drink served over ice. The Becherovka gave the drink a very herbal, clove-like flavor. Both drinks ended up reminding me of the holidays, which I love! Grete ordered a beer that I cannot pronounce the name of, but is featured in the photograph below. I need to sharpen up on my beer knowledge!

Off the happy hour food menu, Sofi and I split the hamburger sandwich ($6, added cheddar cheese $1) and the grilled onion, goat cheese, pesto pressed sandwich ($6). Grete and Katie each got the hamburger as well, though Grete ordered bacon and blue cheese on hers, good call! Since the hamburgers come solo we also ordered french fries with harissa ($3) for the table. The hamburger was served with a unique tart, jam spread that at first we were all quite opposed to, but after trying it on a couple bits we realized Chef Jason Barwikowski knows what he's doing. According to the Clyde Common website, Chef Jason draws inspiration from domestic and foreign cooking traditions, while also turning to farmers and ranchers who provide the restaurant with local ingredients. I assumed he developed this hamburger jam spread, but it may have been sous-chefs Chris DiMinno or Erin Williams who assist with menu development and management.

Enjoy Clyde Common happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 6pm and Monday through Saturday from 11 to close. There is a $3 minimum beverage order per person, but they have an extensive wine, beer, and liquor list to help your with this request.

Sip on This!
According to Becherovka's website, Becherovka is an original Czech liquor. It is produced in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) in the West Bohemia. As an herbal bitters it is flavored with aniseed, cinnamon, and approximately 32 other herbs, though it's full recipe is still kept secret and only two people in the world know the right ingredients and herbs used in production. Traditionally the liquor was often used to aid in digestion, in addition to being used as a home remedy for arthritis and as an emetic. Its lovers prefer to enjoy it pure and ice cold, but thanks to the dynamic growth in popularity of mixed drinks it can be also found in various cocktails, the most popular of which is called a Beton where it is mixed with tonic water. Its alcohol content is 38% ABV (76 proof).

Boston: Grendel's Den

posted by Katie
photos by Nico

The few times I’ve talked happy hour with people in Boston, Grendel’s Den in Cambridge always comes up as a recommendation. Last week, for some reason, my Wednesday night class was switched to Tuesday night, so Katie H., Nico and I took advantage of the situation and headed out for Grendel’s 9-11:30pm late night happy hour.

As per the law, there are no discounted drinks at Grendel’s but all the food is half-off. That’s right, ALL the food. We’re not talkin some whimpy little appetizer menu, we’re talkin the whole thing.

Grendel’s menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, heartier entrees and, of course, the obligatory appetizer menu. Katie H. had already eaten but Nico and I were hungry so he went for the California Burger with jack cheese and guacamole ($3.35) and I tried the Barley Risotto with butternut squash, arugula, rosemary, parmesan & feta cheese ($3.35). The risotto was a special and they took some liberties with it, adding peas (which I like) and mushrooms (which Nico took care of), but the peas at least were a welcome addition and the risotto itself was very creamy and delicious, pretty much the perfect fall dinner.

Since we were celebrating the fact that our class was over and done with earlier in the week than usual, we decided to have some drinks too. Katie H. went with a Hurricane ($5.50) and Nico ordered the French 47 ($6.50), which is named after a hard-hitting WWI artillery piece and consists of Beefeater Gin, lemon, simple syrup & a float of champagne. Fancy. I decided to go with the Cucumber Lime Vesper ($8) which seemed a little over-priced until it came with its own miniature shaker which allowed me to refill my martini glass two times after the waiter’s initial pour. Nice.

Around the time Nico and I were finishing up with our meals, Bryan joined us and he decided to try the spicy shrimp appetizer ($4), and really, they’re not kidding around when it comes to the kick those puppies have. Luckily, Bryan had his pitcher of Grendel’s delicious sangria ($10) to help cool things down. Never one to turn down the opportunity to try more food, I convinced everyone that we should get an appetizer for the rest of us too so Bryan wouldn’t feel alone eating his shrimp. We decided on the Spinach, Artichoke and Snow Crab Dip for ($3.50). Maybe I was fuller from the risotto than I thought, but the dip was way too rich for me. All cheese and not much spinach or artichoke (which I think is the best part).

We all agreed we need to go back to Grendel’s soon not only for the cheap and (mostly) delicious food, but also for the laid back atmosphere, the novelty of being out and about in Cambridge and, in Nico's words, the "particularly enjoyable" sangria. Plus, after a good hour of running around the Harvard area looking for our bus, we finally figured out where to pick it up. Definitely a “know we’ll know for next time” experience….

Grendel's Half-Price hours are from 5-7:30pm every evening and from 9-11:30 pm Sun-Thurs. You must purchase a minimum of $3 per person to qualify for half price food. And be sure to get there earlier rather than later; the bar is small and tends to fill up quickly when there's half-price food going on.

Sip on This!

The sign outside of Grendel's says "Est. 1271". They explain on their site that "people frequently wonder why this seemingly impossible date is posted. The truth is that we were established in 1971, and there was an error in printing. We decided to run with it, since the medieval date actually evokes the period during which "Beowulf" was written, the classic of early modern English literature from which our name was taken. Beowulf is a hero who slays an ogre named Grendel, who terrorized a great mead hall. We figured, Grendel may have been an hideous ogre, but he knew a good mead hall when he saw one."