Thursday, May 23, 2013

Scratch Update

We couldn't stand it. My husband and I went back to Scratch today for lunch. I got some photos of the suppliers and daily specials:

 Again, a very, very local bunch. Clark Farm in Danvers is where I buy my compost, actually. Furthest supplier is in Corinth, VT.
As we pondered our menu and the specials, our waitress provided us with a basket of homemade potato chips. Slightly oversalted, they were nonetheless a tasty appetizer. My husband ordered the Scratch BLT with their homemade bacon and sourdough white bread. He inquired after the tomatoes and was told they came from a hothouse in Maine. I had a bite and thought the bacon was thick and flavorful but not all that remarkable. I ordered the "Happy Pork Belly" special: "beer-braised heritage pork belly with sweet-heat pepper relish + pesto mayo + cabbage slaw served on a baguette." I asked that they hold the slaw; I love cabbage, but it hates me. We also shared a side of the grilled asparagus from Wilson Farm in Lexington.

Pork bellies sound like some weird political joke. I assure you, they're pure deliciousness when done well, and this pork belly was done very, very well. Pork belly consists primarily of fat, with thin strips of muscle layered in. I don't know how they did it, but Scratch Kitchen gently teased the muscle out of all that fat, resulting in thin filets of pork. Pork belly can also be quite tough, but this meat was tender and juicy, with a slight residual tang from the beer. I wasn't convinced that pesto mayo was going to blend well with a sweet pepper relish, but I was happily wrong about that. The relish was excellent, sweet and bursting with pepper flavor and carrying a very slight kick that countered the smooth creamy mayo. The subtle pesto flavor permeated the bread, which was crusty enough to stand up to both the mayo and the relish, so that I found myself tasting layers of flavor with every bite. Excellent.

The grilled asparagus was served with beurre noir, made with lemon juice. It was the tastiest preparation of asparagus I think I've ever encountered. The cook also cleverly peeled the tough ends of the asparagus so that the spears were tender all the way down. My husband adored these and wolfed down most of them. Both our sandwiches were also served with a pleasant surprise: bread-and-butter pickles including not just cucumber slices but zucchini, summer squash, red and green peppers, carrots, celery, and onions. They were sweet, tangy, and pleasantly firm, not at all mushy. I ate all of mine and most of my husband's, enjoying them far more than the asparagus, which is saying something since asparagus is my favorite vegetable.

For dessert, we had the rhubarb crisp. I have a soft spot for rhubarb. It's early spring comfort food, since it cannot be eaten raw and thus is always served thoroughly cooked and warm. Poorly cooked, it retains a bitter flavor that many people dislike. I tolerate it well, but I didn't have to. This rhubarb was perfectly cooked, not at all bitter, and yet not too sweet, topped with a simple oatmeal crumble. The dish usually comes with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, which I waived in favor of tasting the lovely rhubarb and because, at this point, I was feeling very, very full.

We inquired on a few points. The waitress told us that their hot dogs are made at Smokehouse of Boston, which appears to be a meat shop in Mattapan. Also, their clam chowder is made using an older recipe that includes no flour, so it's gluten-free and safe for my younger daughter to eat. She'll be delighted.

Once again, we were impressed by the prices. The BLT was $8.50, the pork belly sandwich was $12, the asparagus $4, the rhubarb crisp $7. I can't say it enough: these are great prices for the exceptional quality of the food. Yes, the sandwiches were served in plastic baskets on wax paper. Who cares? That lunch was probably the best meal I've had in months. Hmm... I still need to try the fish tacos. How soon can we go back?

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