We live in Newton, but we wanted to take advantage of having two free nights at the Fairmont from credit card sign up. So, we planned a midweek escape, while all of our children are busy doing other things this summer.
Monday night
We went with our son to Taam China for dinner. We arrived around 8:30 p.m., and about half of the tables were occupied, so we sat down with no difficulty. Seating capacity is probably not more than 50 people in that restaurant.
We started with the PuPu platter. Sometimes, the items can be a little dried out on the platter, but tonight everything was perfect. The wings were especially juicy. The spring rolls had a terrific taste. We also ordered Peking ravioli, panfried, and they are excellent. If you ask for it, they will bring you a really hot and spicy pepper sauce on the side, which is delicious if taken in microgram quantities.
Our son wanted to get lo mein, which we almost never do, so we had the veal lo mein, and it, too, was delicious. Had a nice smoky flavor.
We also ordered General Gao chicken, our old standby, and it was as good as ever. The only complaint is that the serving platter and the quantity of product seems to be shrinking. (Sorry no food pix but trust me, delicious. )
Our son dropped us off at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, thereby saving any transportation cost.
We used our two free Visa sign-up nights for the Copley Plaza, and we also used a suite upgrade that came with it. I had written ahead of time to the manager, and explained that we were celebrating my wife's birthday (this is true!) so I think that is one of the reasons why they put us in the very special Catie Copley Suite. This is a very large suite, a corner room on the third floor, with views of both the Westin Copley Hotel on one side and Copley Square and the Boston Public Library on the other.
The bathroom was nice, but not nearly as nice as the Waldorf-Astoria in Jerusalem or the Park Hyatt Paris. However, we recognize that the building here at the Copley Plaza is much older, and they did the best they could do with the available infrastructure. They provided us with a welcome plate of chocolate dipped strawberries and a nice card wishing my wife a happy birthday. Bed was extremely comfortable.
Tuesday morning, we woke up, davened, and then worked out in their sparkly new and very well appointed health club on the six floor. It looks out over the rooftops of Copley Square, and it's very pleasant. There is fruit and tea available for the taking in the health club, a nice touch.
We walked from the Fairmont to Milk St., Café, about 1.2 miles, where we had lunch. We sat outside, which was perfect, as the weather was ideal. Milk Street underwent renovations a little more than a year ago, and the restaurant now is really terrific. They have three separate serving stations, meat on the left, with sushi (pareve) and dairy/ pizza far back left. On the right, is the café, with pastries and espresso. There are also several refrigerator sections, with pre-packaged items, and those include both milk and meat, as well as pareve. We had the watermelon gazpacho and some sushi, which were all outstanding.
For dessert, had a Key Lime tart and a peanut butter tart. We took them to go, and had a plan to walk over to the North End, where we would sit in or outside an Italian café,order some espresso and coffee, and eat our dessert. It's an easy walk to the north end, across the Rose Kennedy Greenway, which used to be the Central Artery. Back in the day, 20 years ago before the Big Dig, this big ugly freeway overpass used to bisect the city, and made it much more difficult to get from downtown to the north end and the Seaport area. Now,they are beautifully interconnected.
Strolling down Hanover Street in the north end is fun, even if you're just walking and not purchasing.
It seems as though everybody not wearing a yarmulke was in Mike's pastry, or had been there earlier and was carrying one of their classic blue and white boxes full with cannolis. We stopped in Cafe Vittorio and café Paradiso. Neither of them would let us consume our "outside" food on their premises, and we didn't feel like eating dessert surreptitiously, so we walked back toward Downtown Crossing.
We found the Capital One Cafe on Tremont Street, near the Park Street Station, where they serve Peet's coffee at half-price for Capital One cardholders. Also, they hand out free drink coupons from time to time, usually to first-time visitors, so you might get lucky!
After a delicious dessert, we walked back to the hotel, did some work, and then decided we would walk to dinner in Coolidge Corner, about 2.4 miles. Our driver -- I mean our son -- met us for dinner at Jerusalem Pita and Grill.
On the way, down Newbury Street, we passed the Clover food truck. Note that they have hashgacha from an orthodox rabbi in Providence. However, according to my modern LOR, Clover does not meet community standards. I mention this not to judge anyone, only to share information for those visiting.
We arrived to Coolidge Corner. Unfortunately, dinner was mostly disappointing. First, the climate control in that place is never quite right. Too cold in winter and too warm in summer. It wasn't sweltering but it was kind of stuffy. They seemed even more short-staffed than usual. One guy was waiting tables, managing the register, and assembling take out.
They no longer have beer and wine on the menu, and they said without liquor license I could not even BYO. Too bad, as I wanted to have a beer given that I wasn't driving.
They used to serve cabbage and carrot salads for the table, but that seems to have stopped. Wife ordered babaganoush to be added to her pita sandwich; instead, he brought a plate of baba, which was pretty good, along with a plate of Spanish eggplant and a plate of beets. Those were all pretty tasty; only charged for the baba. Curiously, they only brought out two pitas for the three of us. We ordered a hot appetizer sampler plate, which they forgot to bring us. Waiter remembered after bringing our sandwiches but we said no thanks then. DW had the Meorav Yerushalmi in a pita. I had lamb shish kabob in a laffa and son had shawarma in laffa. None was overflowing with meat; mine was particularly sparse. Also, son's and mine were not even luke warm. All in all, not rushing back. Suggest Rami's instead.
Wednesday morning, after davening and working out, we tried breakfast in the hotel's Oak Long Bar restaurant. It is a beautiful setting, high ceilings, comfortable booths and tables. I ordered Frosted Flakes and explained to the waiter -- John, an old-timer -- that I had to have my coffee in paper cup and my cereal in paper or plastic bowel (or glass) with plastic spoon for kosher dietary reasons. He said no problem. Kitchen didn't have bowls but he asked if okay to serve in paper cups, and I said totally fine. Frosted Flakes were delicious. Coffee also excellent. Really a nice and relaxing setting.
We checked out of the hotel, stored our bags, and now plan to wander around Copley Plaza for the afternoon. We want to visit the recently restored Boston Public Library. We might walk to the Storrow Lagoon (0.5 mi), after which we need to pick up some sushi for our driver. Remember: Milk street closes at 3pm.
