Get Fluff on This - Local 149, Chalkboard tables & Fried Fluffernutters

Local 149
149 P Street
South Boston, MA

Pulling up to Local is a site to behold.  The exterior is one that really impressed.  I definitely had a, "Wow, this place is nice." moment when arriving.  Walking in you see a large bar with seats all around.  To the right, the seats are high top.  To the left, the bar meets the elevated dining room so the seats are low to the ground and but you're sitting as high as the people across your way.  It's such a cool feature.  Everything else inside is impressive.  The artwork, the lighting fixtures, the booths and Chalkboard top tables...Yes, complete with a dish of chalk.  Fantastic detail.  You'll like the setting immediately here.  It's a lot different than the old Farragut House, which used to reside in this spot.

Everyone has their Thirsty Thursday spot.  No matter what age or lifestyle you're living, everyone calls it Thirsty Thursday.  Local 149 was packed to the gills last night.  And I don't think it was the Bruin's playoff game that dragged these patrons out.  The game was on every TV, but people seemed like they were there for the beer and the food and the chatter.

YES, the chatter.  I am just now getting my hearing back and talking in my indoor voice.  Whew!  It's worth mentioning that Local is really loud.  You're going to notice it right away, so might as well take the bull by the horns.  The music isn't too loud and the TVs aren't blaring.  It's simply the wide opened floor plan that allows your voice to pull a Till' Tuesday and carry...Speaking of which, the music you could hear was kick ass.  Church, the Cure, Blondie, The Smiths.  I've never heard the Smith's "Ask" on at ... anywhere.  I've never heard that song anywhere except in my car.  Great music.

I know you want me to get around to the main event, the Fluffernutter.  But we've got to slow it down, 'buds. 

While we were drinking our draft Pretty Things out of snifters & supposed to be looking over the menu, we decided it would be more fun to do arts 'n crafts on the table.  We, being me and my date, Ash.  Bubble letters, flowers, comics, graffiti.  We tagged that table up before we even put in our order.  I am a huge fan of Chalkboard tables.  I might have to redo the top of my kitchen table...

We decided to share a cheese plate. the Seaweed and Salt fries and 2 salads before our dessert.  I mean, it was after 9pm, so we weren't looking to pack away heavy entrees like the Braised Short Ribs or the Chicken & Waffles.

Ash's Salt 'n Peppa art

We opted to start with the Champlaign cheese plate, which was delish.  The portion of cheese presented was small, but it went a long way because it was so creamy and spreadable.  It was much like a goat cheese.  Tangy and addicting.  I actually wish I had some right now.  Order this.

Next we had the Taco Salad and the Beet Salad.  The taco salad was not your run of the mill tortilla shell with ground beef and diced tomatoes.  This was a beautifully purple cabbage shell stuffed with lettuce, duck ragu bologonese, avocado and Frito's.  A bit of high end with some guilty pleasure snacks as garnish.  So inventive.

The beet salad was very aromatic.  The moment it was put down in front of us, I couldn't help but grimace.  What was the smell?  It was familiar and strong.  Truffle oil.  To the extreme.  The salad of diced red and yellow beets, garnished with pork cracklings and candied beet florets was bathing in truffle oil.  Now I love me some truffle oil.  Hooo-wee!  It was eye watering.  But really delicious.  The prettiest part of the salad?  The beautiful, tiny fried quail eggs.  Beets and fried eggs is a winning combination.  I felt really fancy eating these salads.  They were definitely both kicked up to 11.

The fries were good, too.  I didn't catch the Seaweed element.  I've eaten seaweed plenty of times.  They were really just salted fries that were cooked perfectly.  So, really, I guess I can't complain.  They tasted good...but again, I didn't get the seaweed factor.

For our next act, we ordered a round of Leather Lips (great craft beers on tap) and the Fried Fluffernutter.  And then we may have also ordered some Prosecco.  Thirsty. 

We were totally amped for the arrival of our fried dessert.  We couldn't wait to dig in.  And when it came out of the kitchen, I swear it saw glowing. 

The Fried Fluffernutter was a peanutbutter, banana and fluff sandwich that was fried, covered in powered sugar and a Raspberry Foam.  Sounded just crazy enough to work...but it didn't.  Not for us.  We found the peanutbutter to make your mouth very dry and foam was really sour and off putting.  The edges of the sandwich, where most of the fluff was hiding, was the best part.  Other than that, it was really dry and disappointing.

That being said, Southie really has a great new spot on P Street.  The beer selection is amazing.  Seriously. Don't go in there and order a Mich Ultra (like I normally would.).  Order the Pretty Thing's St. Boltoph Brown.  That was my fav of the night.  And true, the dessert wasn't what we'd hoped, the food is definitely worth checking out.  Go, enjoy the faire, the art, the atmosphere.  Just avoid anything fluff and maybe bring some ear plugs.

A spot that is creeping up in the realm of All Time Favorites: The Franklin

http://www.franklincafe.com/

(Photo to come...Blogger is being a sour apple)


Where: 152 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston

When: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
$$$ = Worth every penny
Frequent co-eaters at this establishment: Sister, Iesha, Dreama, Roomie
Brought into my life by: James, to whom I bow down as if he were Ice Cube
Recent Dishes consumed: Handcut Fries, Korean Barbecue Tacos, Sweet Chili Glazed-make you want to die it's so good-Eggplant.

Carole King, did you write a song about this place...because The Franklin is a hit every single season;  Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall! (Insert your snarky eye-rolling, here, please.)  And yes, it is good to know you've got a friend.  I'd like to take this opportunity to thank James (not Taylor); a friend who showed me the light. When I was just a poor lonely gal living at home with parents, he knew just where to take me.

Every since our dinner a couple years back, I've done my civic duty and forced people to go here again and again and again.  I quite often take Sister hostage.  She's a pretty big fan by now.  It's the first place she ever laid ears on Florence + the Machine, I might add.  Always a plus, having your ears enjoy the establishment as well as your 'buds.

I've also graced the Franklin w/ Iesha and Dreama, who were lovely dates.  Our date was during the Summer season and we got to sit out on the back patio at night.  It was really nice.  We also had the pleasure of ordering their summer cocktails.  The Cucumber Collins is probably one of the greatest mixed drinks I've ever had.  It's very subtle on the cucumber, heavy on the bubbles and I think I always taste a little lime in there.  Lime is always good.

My most recent trek here was just a few weekends ago, with Sister.  Sure it's cold, but it's only steps from the Broadway T stop, so who cares?  We arrived around 7:30ish.  Maybe closer to 8.  The place was pretty packed, including the bar area.  However, there was this one lonely table right by the hostess stand that people kept turning down.  But guess who didn't?  These Sweeneys.  Sorry suckers!  We're not seriously pretentious enough to turn down a table, just cause it's not in the back and we might get whacked with a cannoli.  We were hungry, we had to be at a concert before 10, we're not picky, give us the food.  To be honest, I think people were intimidated by the proximity to the door and possibility of catching a draft when it opened.  Never happened.

Before dinner, we were served their standard bread and rolls with hummus spread.  Very good and very addicting.  I love this trend of serving hummus rather than butter.  I'm not a big fan of bread and butter.  And when I say "not a big fan", I mean, not a fan at all.  Drinks were a beer for sister and a vodka & seltzer for me.  Nothing too fancy.  In the past we've ordered Proseco, wine.  They've got fun options for it all.

For starters we ordered the Hand Cut Fries, which were definitely seasoned with garlic and truffle oil.  A delicious trend that I've seen taking over the starches.  And I'm not complaining.  (I just had a Gilmore Girls moment...do you think people out there really consider French Fries the Devil's starchy fingers?)

Dinner was quite Asian, if I do say so myself.  Sister got the Korean BBQ Tacos, which are actually an appetizer.  I got the Sweet Chili Glazed Eggplant over Kimchi Fried Rice. 

I know the Korean BBQ Tacos are good because I've had them with Roomie in the past.  They're very delicious.  The portion is 2 flat shell tacos, that are piled with meat and julienned veggies, best eaten with a fork and knife.  They're quite kick ass.  And of course the Eggplant dish was amazing because, say it with me now, it was Sweet and Spicy!!!  Bapbabadah!  (That's my typographical impression of a trumpet sounding.)  The eggplant was presented on the rice in 2 long strips, which I thought looked really pretty.  I like pretty food.  The ratio of the sauce to the food was just right.  I don't like when the sauce out numbers the food. 

Another fun little perk about the Franklin is that with the exception of 1 dining experience, I've always been served by Sal, a nice guy who always recognizes me and is very good at suggesting an entree or a bottle of wine.  He's always smiling and attentive.  Sometimes I want to hug Sal, and I'm very awkward about hugging.

We didn't get dessert this time around.  In the past, Sister and I have had the Creme Brulee, which is pretty good.  It's one of Sister's favorite desserts, so her approval means something.  I like it enough to share.  I couldn't eat an entire portion on my own.  But that is anywhere and should not directly reflect anything specific about the Franklin's.

I also enjoy the darkness of the restaurant and, again, the really good music.  The outdoor space is so nice when the weather permits and their ever rotating menus are really exciting.  And to add to this rave, they also have a Gluten Free and Vegetarian menu.  Their specials are always really exciting, too.

The next time I go back, I'm getting Tempura Fried Artichokes.  I give this place a 4 Seasons rating with an Indian Summer, to boot.  Go there.  Take me with you.