The kitchen project remains behind schedule. Substantial completion was supposed to happen a couple weeks ago, and the walls still aren’t closed. It’s especially discouraging when nothing has happened, even behind the scenes, for the last couple of weeks.
At this point, I’m a little skeptical that I’ll even have more to share food-wise in next month’s installment. Suffice to say I’ve learned a lot about the realities of a home renovation project. For better or worse, I suspect this will not be the last time I do a project like this.
In the meantime, I continue my all-takeout lifestyle. As time has gone on, I’ve really had to dig deep, and interesting patterns are beginning to emerge.
I’ve now discovered the strange world of the perks that meal delivery companies give out to their most loyal users. I signed up for DashPass because I get a 5% discount on pickup orders, in addition to avoiding the delivery and service fees on the occasional delivery order. When you’re ordering takeout at least four or five times a week, it doesn’t take long to recoup the $10 per month subscription fee.
More recently, I’ve discovered that if you spend over $150 in a month — very easy when you’re ordering takeout almost every day — they give you a 10% discount.
I’m not entirely sure how this works. A basic Google search suggests that typical restaurants only do a 5% profit margin. The money has to be coming from somewhere.
Focusing more on food, something possessed me to start using this project to try out and rank the different versions of common dishes at a variety of places. I started with pasta bologenese, the staple. It’s been fun to dig up places within reasonable walking or cycling distance that serve some version of the dish. I’ve had a ragù alla bolognese over everything from tagliatelle (truly classic) to rigatoni (feels very American) to trombette (innovative).
Thus far my favorite has been at Serafina, the New York chain that’s now opened locations around the world. It’s at the upper end of my weeknight takeout budget (about $25), but it’s definitely the best of the takeout options I’ve tired so far.
To be clear, this is not the best pasta bolognese I’ve ever had, nor are the conditions I’m testing the food ideal. I’m eating on the floor, and the food has been sitting in a container for at least 20 minutes before I eat it. So take this as the best pasta bolognese in central Boston under adverse conditions.
If you’re looking for the absolute best bolognese, I’d probably steer a curious diner to somewhere like Sportello or No 9 Park.
I’ve also been exploring places to get Japanese food. It’s a strange genre because I grew up eating it, and it still feels strange to me that most people in the United States or Europe treat it as a bit fancy or exotic.
My favorite “cheap and cheerful” Japanese place closed during the pandemic, and my absolute favorite places in Boston are way too expensive to make part of a normal weeknight routine. I like eating well, but not so much that I want to spend $100 on dinner by myself while I’m simultaneously sinking huge sums of money into this building project that’s now running behind.
The attitude that Japanese food is exotic or fancy didn’t help this project. I’ve really been surprised how bad the price-quality relationship has been at some of the Japanese places I’ve tried.
A few of the cheaper ones have been very disappointing. They weren’t per se expensive, but they seemed expensive for what they were. Overcooked salmon or watery miso soup. A few of the more expensive ones have been similarly disappointing: it feels like I’m spending a premium amount for something that’s merely passable.
But this has been a fruitful exploration. I’ve discovered a place on Newbury Street called Umai that’s actually pretty good. (Poetically, umai means “good” in Japanese!) It’s not as cheap as McDonald’s or Sweetgreen, perhaps obviously. But the cooking — whether donburi or sushi — is all really nicely executed.
Of course, I’d really like to cook more of my own food, for enjoyment as much as the savings from not splashing out on takeout so often. Here’s hoping the project doesn’t extend on too much longer.