Eating Out And Loving It

It's Friday night, you survived the week, where do you go to relax, be pampered and enjoy yourself? Eating out is the American pastime. We spend half of our food budget on eating outside the home in restaurants, fast food chains, coffee shops, airport and food courts at the mall. Why? Because we love to let others do the cooking, cleaning, prep and menus. At the end of a long week, Boston private dining is the perfect way to start the weekend.

Mediterranean cuisine is fast becoming a fine dining favorite. It is lighter than traditional steak and potato dinner, the spices, herbs, and seasoning are second to none. Southern Italy, Greece, Albania all contribute to the Mediterranean flare with emphasis on fresh ingredients and naturally healthy. In addition, unlike traditional American cuisine, the healthy menu is characterized by a minimalist approach to cooking.

Start your dinner with calamari, Arncini Sicilian Italian rice balls with mushroom and feta filing or vegetarian moussaka layered with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, potatoes, Swiss cheese, and tomatoes served with garlic yogurt and cucumber sauce. How about a roasted beet salad with caramelized walnuts and goat cheese for a delectable appetizer? For those braving the world of squash an Alganian Tava might hit the spot. Algania Tava is a baked casserole of zucchini, yellow squash, potato, tomato, onion, okra, bechamel, parmiggiano, and Swiss cheese. It makes your mouth water just thinking about it!

Dinner ought to include vegetarian pasta di Aldo, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, onion and arugula. Or spicy couscous and shrimp in a harissa sauce served with green beans. Mediterranean food wouldn't be complete without kebabs. From chicken to beef to shrimp, Mediterraneans kebabs are succulently skewered up with mushrooms, tomatoes, and maybe even a little cheese.

Seafood is a favorite along the Mediterranean coastline. With steamed lobster, pan-seared fillet of basa, salmon, sea bass and haddock with phyllo covering served with tomato and mint sauce, cousous, frisee, and shaved fennel you won't be disappointed.

It is Friday night, and you do deserve a break from the week. Let yourself be pampered a little and let the waiters serve you fresh, healthy, succulent, savory Mediterranean food. You won't feel over fed, just comfortable, content, and satisfied. If half of your money is going to eating out, you might as well make it worth it and dine at a vegetarian restaurant in Boston.