Boston Market
The other day was another epic baby day, with Alma working late and me in charge of keeping Z. busy from 6 to 6. So at the end of the day, I suggested picking up some food to make the evening easier. Alma agreed, and said we should try the new Boston Market.
Now, Boston Market is not new. It's been around for years, and has become something of a comfort food staple, a bridge between traditional fast food joints and the slightly more upscale and more expensive "fresh" fast food places (like Chipotle, for example). Well, this Boston Market has been in River Forest, right in between Old Navy and Whole Foods, for years, and I'd never been there. In fact, if I've ever been to Boston Marktet at all, it was years ago. But a few months beforehand they decided to transform our local Boston Market into an experimental "fresh" food palace, the only of its kind. They still sell chicken, of course (was it always "all natural?). But now they also sell fancy sides, like apricot sweet potatoes, corn bread, nice desserts and specialty salads and sandwiches. When we walked in they very enthusiasticallly described the new menu, and noted that everything - including the desserts! - could be sampled. Then they more or less forced me to eat a huge sample portion of a teryaki chicken sandwich, which was indeed great.
Another cool aspect is that they sell various canned and ready food goods - like jams, artisan breads, sauces and the like - and that they sell bamboo plates and whatnot. In fact, in lieu of silverware or plasticware, the in-house cutlery is bamboo as well, which is clever, cheap and environmentally sound. They look neat, too.
Anyway, we got a whole chicken and a couple of sides for $14, which is just a couple of dollars more than two burritos at Chipotle. Good to know this place is around in case of culinary emergency.
Now, Boston Market is not new. It's been around for years, and has become something of a comfort food staple, a bridge between traditional fast food joints and the slightly more upscale and more expensive "fresh" fast food places (like Chipotle, for example). Well, this Boston Market has been in River Forest, right in between Old Navy and Whole Foods, for years, and I'd never been there. In fact, if I've ever been to Boston Marktet at all, it was years ago. But a few months beforehand they decided to transform our local Boston Market into an experimental "fresh" food palace, the only of its kind. They still sell chicken, of course (was it always "all natural?). But now they also sell fancy sides, like apricot sweet potatoes, corn bread, nice desserts and specialty salads and sandwiches. When we walked in they very enthusiasticallly described the new menu, and noted that everything - including the desserts! - could be sampled. Then they more or less forced me to eat a huge sample portion of a teryaki chicken sandwich, which was indeed great.
Another cool aspect is that they sell various canned and ready food goods - like jams, artisan breads, sauces and the like - and that they sell bamboo plates and whatnot. In fact, in lieu of silverware or plasticware, the in-house cutlery is bamboo as well, which is clever, cheap and environmentally sound. They look neat, too.
Anyway, we got a whole chicken and a couple of sides for $14, which is just a couple of dollars more than two burritos at Chipotle. Good to know this place is around in case of culinary emergency.
posted by Josh at 9:17 AM
2 Comments:
Both Boston Market and Chipotle (along with Donatos) are owned by McDonald's. Personally, I wont eat at any of them unless absolutely necessary.
When is eating any of them, or any restaurant, ever "absolutely necessary?" When the peanut butter and jelly making machine breaks?
And are they bad just because they're partially owned by McDonald's? If I boycotted or avoided every product or place owned or run by some major evil corporation, I'd lead a very hungry, boring life.
If anything, the dedication to quality, organic, fresh foods on the part of Chipotle and Boston Market is incentive to eat there. Their success with such a strategy will only mean more of the same, and that's a good thing, right?
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