Album Reviews 22/07/28

NoSo, Stay Proud Of Me (Partisan Records)

Abby Hwong is L.A.-based non-binary Korean-American singer-guitarist NoSo, whose debut album — this one here — had a successful launch on Soundcloud. Seems to me they’re big into epic indie-techno like M83, but their trip is more of a songwriter thing, and what first struck me was Hwong’s vocal likeness to Sarah McLachlan. The songs are big and lush, pretty much yacht-rock but with a lot of blooping percolation running along the lowest deck; I know there’s been a big Kate Bush resurgence of late owing to Stranger Things, and that’s fortuitous for Hwong, who sets their sights on the usual targets that strike dread into the hearts of differented people trying to make peace with themselves: of course there’s a song called “Suburbia” here, steeped in mellow Goldfrapp steez. Beautiful stuff here, folks. A+ — Eric W. Saeger

Trashed Ambulance, Future Considerations (Thousand Islands Records)

Today I learned that when Barenaked Ladies recorded the theme song to the TV show The Big Bang Theory, there were actually several other verses in the song, and most people have never heard them. I’m not suggesting you run right to YouTube and start memorizing those lyrics; it’s certainly not required listening for die-hard fans, and the rest of the song isn’t that great anyway. This album — from an Alberta, Canada, punk crew that’s been around for eight years, if I’m reading their sloppy press materials correctly — is the same kind of stuff as that, geeky Hoobastank-splattered nerd-punk that couldn’t hurt a fly if it wanted to. But point of order, they’d probably prefer I leave names like the Barenakeds and They Might Be Giants out of it: They’re actually “inspired by the likes of Pulley, Face to Face, and The Flatliners,” names that I could have dug up with a little luck, but since you have no idea who those bands are, to save us all time, just expect a bunch of tunes in the vein of the Big Bang Theory theme song, and they’re mostly good. All set? B+

Playlist

• Well isn’t that special, it’s July 29 already, how can this even be happening? Before you know it the summer will be gone, I mean, why don’t I just put all my winter stuff in my car, like my snowshoes and parka and my emergency survival bug-out bag with bear repellent and extra rations of Fritos and Devil Dogs in case I slide off the road and need rescuing from some crazy enchanted remote witch-filled forest in deepest, darkest Meredith, New Hampshire. OK, fine, I’m riffing mindlessly, and trust me, you’d do the same thing if you were supposed to be writing about Beyoncé’s new album, Renaissance, which comes out on Friday the 29th. Everyone knows that the only reason a critic of eclectic art would even mention the new Beyoncé album at all would be to demonstrate that said critic hasn’t been hiding under a rock, much as I’d much prefer that to trying to talk about an album that will instantly inspire one of only two possible reactions in people: They’ll either instantly decide to buy it, or they’ll yell “LOATHE ENTIRELY” like the Grinch and hope they never have to hear it playing at the Food Court. I’m sort of stuck in the middle myself, like my days of humming along to sexually baffling pop music ended when I turned 10, but in the meantime I still have to see what’s going on with Bee’s new single, “Break My Soul,” a tune she, ahem, “wrote” with like five other people, including her husband, Jay-Z, who’s credited as “S. Carter.” You know, I’m way too much of a punk to take royalty seriously, especially fake-royal cultural icons du jour, but since there are probably five of you who’ll actually buy this album just to irritate me, I’ll give this stupid song a whirl, why not, maybe it consists of more than the usual three notes that can be played on a Fisher Price toy xylophone. Nope, there’s only two notes, but the beat is kind of ’60s-James Bond-y overall but nothing more innovative than a ripoff of Young MC’s “Bust A Move” from back when Fred Flintstone drove a brontosaurus crane. Regardless, the success of that song gave her the distinction of being the first woman to notch at least 20 top 10 titles as a solo artist and at least 10 top 10 tracks as a member of a group on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Yay, super-lucky famous people, aaand we’re moving.

• Ack, ack, it’s Groundhog Day, it has to be, wasn’t I talking about some other “Elephant 6 musical collective”-affiliated band last week (Austin group Elf Power, if I recall correctly) (yes, that was it), and saying how much I dislike that stuff? Well, no matter, because Of Montreal are here with a new album, the first two words of the title being Freewave Lucifer, whatever that means, and I have to go listen to their new single, “Marijuana’s A Working Woman.” Bulletin: There are festive, childish watercolors in the video. Oh boy, it wants to be Flaming Lips meets The Shins or some such, unlistenable analog-ish console noise and a barely discernible hook. Holy crow, folks, people are still listening to this kind of thing?

• If you ever wondered where Billie Eilish got the idea to use barely-there techno bloops to build songs like “Bad Guy” around, it safe to say she was at one point really into the song “Alaska” by googly-eyed Maryland anti-diva Maggie Rogers, whose new LP Surrender will be out Friday. I like the teaser track “That’s Where I Am” a lot better than anything I’ve heard from Billie; her yodel-y singing goes well with the punk no-wave-ish groove. It’s cool, you’ll like it.

• Finally it’s American singer-songwriter and fiddle player Amanda Shires, who’s in the country supergroup The Highwomen. Her new full-length, Take It Like A Man, features a title track that’s torchy and depressing if you like that sort of thing.

If you’re in a local band, now’s a great time to let me know about your EP, your single, whatever’s on your mind. Let me know how you’re holding yourself together without being able to play shows or jam with your homies. Send a recipe for keema matar. Message me on Twitter (@esaeger) or Facebook (eric.saeger.9).

Go light for summer

Uncommon whites to go with your summer eats

It is summer and we remain in an extended heat wave. This is the season of “summer whites”— those lightweight clothes of whiter-than-white to reflect the heat of the summer sun. It is also the season of light meals — salads, sandwiches, cool entrées and desserts! And it is the season to pair light, white wines, the color of a sun-shading straw hat, with those meals.

We are always looking for something off the beaten track, wines other than chardonnays and sauvignon blancs, so we headed to the Loire Valley in France and, surprisingly, Napa Valley, to try a few whites made with other varietals.

Our first wine, the Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Premium Vouvray Brut (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, priced at $64.99, reduced to $23.99), is a delightful take on a crémant, which is sparkling wine not produced in Champagne and sometimes made with grapes other than chardonnay and pinot noir. It has a pale gold color; the bubbles are tiny and persistent. To the nose, there are citric notes with just a touch of yeast. To the tongue this bubbly is ripe with apple and honey while remaining crisp with acidity. The wine is made from 100 percent chenin blanc grapes from 30-year-old vines. It is made by the method Champenoise, with sur lie for 16 months, before being disgorged and re-corked. While crisp, this wine has a very subtle creaminess to it. Chilled, it is a perfect wine to be sipped, or joined to soft cheeses or a light meal.

Our second wine, the 2021 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier (priced at $17.99 but reduced to $15.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is a blend of 80 percent chenin blanc and 20 percent viognier. This wine is interesting in that I tend to think of chenin blanc as coming from the Loire Valley, which has a climate decidedly cooler than that of California. Because of the terroir and heat of the Valley, this wine is more expressive with notes of rich honeysuckle, orange blossoms and citric. These carry through to the tongue. In the glass, the wine has the palest of a light straw, almost silver, color. The inherent creaminess of the chenin blanc is emboldened in this wine, making it a great accompaniment to a frittata or a seafood tostada. It is indeed interesting seeing this wine come from a winery such as Pine Ridge, located in Stag’s Leap, Napa Valley, producing iconic cabernet sauvignons. This is a blend one would never see in France. The grapes for this wine come from the Sacramento River Delta, where 90-degree days are met with cool nights, producing a wine with lush flavors.

Our third wine, the 2019 Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis (priced at $29.99, reduced to $27.99 and available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is a Burgundian chardonnay. This is a perfect wine to pair with grilled pork, salmon or tuna, shellfish, or mild cheeses if you cannot stand the prospect of cooking anything. The color is a pale greenish yellow. To the nose and tongue we find green apples, along with citric notes of lemon and lime with a slight trace of almonds, and that flinty earthiness that permeates the wines of Chablis. Chablis is the northernmost wine-growing region in Burgundy. The ancient soils of this region give its wines a distinctive minerality. This is a crisp, light wine that can make the summer heat tolerable.

Our fourth wine, a 2020 Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Fuissé (priced at $31.99, reduced to $29.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is another chardonnay, but coming from vineyards in the villages of Pouilly and Fuissé, in the Mâconnaise subregion of Bourgogne, where the only grape variety grown is chardonnay. This wine is different from the others in that there is some barrel aging, six to eight months in the case of this wine, giving the wine a more “full-mouth-feel.” The color is golden, along with a slight green tinge. To the nose, green grapes and almonds abound; this is then carried through to the tongue. These are pleasant notes, not to be considered heavy, but instead ethereal, and with a long finish.

These are four wines that can satisfy every palate and yet are decidedly different from the mainstream everyday whites of chardonnay or pinot grigio. So, live dangerously! Try one of these alternative whites to pair with your summer evening meal. You will welcome the adventure!

Featured photo. Courtesy photo.

Mango Salsa

Last week we were baking; this week we are going to enjoy a cool kitchen. Take your protein outside to the grill, top it with this easy salsa, and serve it with a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery!

This salsa is perfect for pairing with almost any protein I have considered. Whether you are grilling fish, chicken, pork, steaks, or even tofu, this is the topping you need. It is slightly sweet, very crunchy, and has a little bit of acidity and bite. What better way to excite your palate?!

There are a few notes on the ingredients. For the bell pepper, you want sweet. If the red peppers don’t look good, go with orange or yellow. I like the color contrast of red, but flavor is more important. For the jalapeno, if you like heat, feel free to leave the seeds and/or ribs. I like a little less spice. For the cilantro, fresh is optimal, but you also can use dried. If you will use dried cilantro, add only one teaspoon.

This simple recipe only requires peeling, dicing, juicing and mixing. It will take maybe 10 minutes. If you want the salsa to be at peak crispness, serve it immediately. If you want the flavors more commingled, give it an hour or two in the refrigerator before serving.

Mango salsa
Serves 4

1 mango
1/2 red pepper
1/2 jalapeno, seeds & ribs removed
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tablespoon honey
2 Tablespoons diced, fresh cilantro
salt & pepper

Peel mango and cut into small cubes.
Dice red pepper.
Finely dice jalapeno.
Combine mango and peppers in a medium bowl.
Add cilantro and season with salt and pepper; stir.
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey.
Pour lime juice mixture over salsa; toss.
Can be served immediately, or covered and refrigerated.

Featured Photo: Mango salsa. Photo courtesy of Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Justin Hoang

Justin Hoang of Nashua is the executive chef and co-owner of Luk’s Bar and Grill (142 Lowell Road, Hudson, 889-9900, luksbarandgrill.com) and Bellissimo Italian Steakhouse (194 Main St., Nashua, 718-8378, bellissimoitalian.com), the latter of which opened in the former Fratello’s space back on March 31. Born and raised in Nashua, Hoang worked his way up the culinary ranks at Luk’s, starting as a dishwasher before getting an opportunity to work as the chef and create menus for the restaurant. He followed suit at Bellissimo when that eatery opened earlier this year, bringing a number of signature dishes to the space that include filet oscar, saffron lobster risotto and steak tip Gorgonzola alfredo, as well as brick-oven pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, appetizers and more. Both Luk’s and Bellissimo are part of a restaurant group that also includes Joey’s Diner and The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery, both in Amherst.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It’s a toss-up between a chef’s knife and a pair of tongs. I really don’t know which one I need more, but those are the two things that I absolutely need to be able to function in the kitchen.

What would you have for your last meal?

That would be Irish eggs Benedict.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The New Taj India in Nashua. … I get the makhani chicken, which is basically a butter chicken, and then garlic naan and white rice. The sauce they have in that chicken is just unbelievable.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Luk’s or Bellissimo?

Gordon Ramsay, because I watch just about every show that he’s on. … As intimidating as he comes off as in those shows, I think he’s a phenomenal chef.

What is your favorite thing on any of your menus?

That’s a tough one. I love the steak Gorgonzola alfredo. It’s on both menus, but it started at Luk’s. I made that dish because I’ve had different interpretations of it at other restaurants and I kind of meshed together what I found I enjoyed, and now it’s one of our most popular dishes. … At Bellissimo, my favorite is probably the truffle risotto with scallops. It hits different palates and there’s so much depth in that dish.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I think we’re in a transitional phase right now, but one trend that has just passed was definitely the sweet and spicy combination, and then the chicken sandwich [trend] has also come in really hard. … One of the most popular ones we have is a hot honey chicken sandwich. It’s a panko-crusted chicken breast and I make a hot honey sauce that takes me like three hours. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Basically anything that I don’t have to cook. I cook all day long, so I’m a huge advocate for DoorDash when I get home.

Bacon jam
From the kitchen of Justin Hoang of Luk’s Bar and Grill and Bellissimo Italian Steakhouse

1 cup caramelized Vidalia onions
1 cup cooked bacon, chopped
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup fresh black coffee
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Add the onions, bacon and brown sugar to a saucepan and simmer until the sugar is melted and incorporated. Add the water and coffee and reduce to a jam-like consistency. Take off the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt to taste.

Featured photo: Justin Hoang, executive chef and co-owner of Luk’s Bar and Grill in Hudson, and Bellissimo Italian Steakhouse in Nashua. Courtesy photo.

Keep calm and root on

“New England’s first kava bar” opens in Nashua

A 3,000-year-old root indigenous to the South Pacific islands, kava is used in tea-like herbal beverages consumed socially at establishments known as kava bars. Around 200 such bars exist across the United States — and a new one has just arrived in New Hampshire.

Root Awakening, now open on Main Street in Nashua, is being touted as “New England’s first kava bar” by owner Greg Gately. Kava, he said, is lauded for its relaxing effects on the body and mind, and it’s also a popular natural remedy for anxiety and muscle and joint pain.

“What I like to say is that it slows down that 9-to-5 tick. It calmly relaxes you,” Gately said. “It’s definitely something that you want to finish off in two or three big gulps, like a shot … [and] instead of saying ‘Cheers,’ in the islands we say ‘Bula.’ It’s the celebration of life.”

Gately, whose mother is from the South Pacific, was born and raised in California’s Bay Area before moving east to New England for college. He said he first became introduced to the Fijian root and its properties through a friend, who owns several kava bars out on the West Coast.

coconut bowl filled with kava drink and 2 pineapple pieces on cocktail skewer
A fresh kava drink with a pineapple chaser. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

“I really started drinking it heavily when I started going for my MBA program,” he said. “It helped me focus whenever I had a big milestone and had to put my head down and hit the books for four or five hours. … Kava really allows you to kind of focus in a really good, natural way.”

Inspired by his kava bar-owning friend and looking for his next move in life in the wake of the pandemic, Gately began looking for spaces last year to launch his own kava concept.

Root Awakening, he said, was built on the foundation of providing visitors with a “non-alcoholic alternative social experience” to traditional bars, using kava beverages as its vessel.

Three kava root varieties — sourced from the Fijian, Vanuatu and Tongan Islands of the South Pacific — are currently available at Root Awakening. Premium raw kava drinks come in a single-serve 10-ounce “kava shell,” or a plastic cup made to resemble half of a coconut shell. You can also get them in larger serving bowls called tanoas — small and large-sized tanoas are respectively 80 and 120 ounces, serving two to three and four to six kava drinkers.

“We chop down the roots, dry them out and then we grind them into a fine powder,” Gately said. “It’s going to then be brewed up almost like a tea. It gets rinsed in a giant tea bag, and then I squeeze out the active ingredient, which is called the kavalactones.”

The result produces “an earthy and pungent” drink that Gately likes to top off with a customer’s choice of a pineapple or strawberry as a chaser. He also serves single-serve mango-flavored kava shots that can be mixed with any beverage of your choice, as well as a total of five flavors of Leilo, a ready-to-drink canned kava product available in 12-ounce cans.

So far, Gately has reported “literally 95 percent” of his patrons to be first-time kava drinkers.

“I almost have an elevator pitch now about what kava is and what to expect,” he said. “A lot of folks are nervous about their first drink. They’ll look at the person they’re with and they’ll say to each other, ‘Are you ready? On three.’ … Usually my first-timers will drink two to three shells.”

As an alternative to kava, Gately does also offer multiple flavors of East Coast kombucha on tap. He also carries drinks like cold brew coffee, ginger beer, coconut water and orange cream soda, and hopes to soon expand his menu to include small perishable food options. Community events like trivia nights, open mic nights and comedy shows are also being planned for the space.

Root Awakening Kava Bar
Where: 300 Main St., Unit 603, Nashua
Hours: Monday through Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.
More info: Visit rootawakeningkava.com, or find them on Facebook and Instagram @rootawakeningkava
Root Awakening requires customers to be at least 18 years of age or older to consume kava beverages. Drinks should not be taken with alcohol or prescription medications.

Featured photo: Greg Gately of Root Awakening Kava Bar in Nashua prepares ground kava root for two single-serve premium raw kava drinks. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

The Weekly Dish 22/07/28

News from the local food scene

• Culture and community: A citywide celebration of cultural diversity through local food and music, the Lowell Folk Festival is returning in person for its 35th year, from Friday, July 29, through Sunday, July 31, across multiple areas of downtown Lowell, Mass. According to a press release, this year’s festival will feature 18 ethnic food stands operated by area nonprofits and community groups — each will offer a different traditional cuisine that showcases their heritage. Booths will be set up near three of the festival’s four stages, featuring everything from Greek, Filipino, Jamaican and Indian foods to Middle Eastern, African, Brazilian, Polish and Armenian options. There will also be two days of cooking demonstrations and discussions, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., at Lucy Larcom Park. According to the release, these will include moderated presentations with home cooks showing various comfort foods from their cultures, like Polish pierogi, Greek potato fries, Lithuanian vegetable and chicken stews, Vietnamese spring rolls and more. A full schedule of live music and dance performances hailing from all around the world are also planned across each of the festival’s four stages, while local art and craft demonstrations will take place in the courtyard between the National Historical Park Visitor Center and the Brush Art Gallery. Admission is free. Visit lowellfolkfestival.org.

• Fresh food fast: The Common Man Roadside just opened its newest restaurant and cafe inside the Tru by Hilton Manchester Downtown hotel building in the city’s Millyard (451 Commercial St.), Bill Boynton, director of public relations and community engagement for Granite State Hospitality, which owns each store, confirmed. Similar to its sister locations in Hooksett, Plymouth and across town on South Willow Street, The Common Man Roadside features various made-to-order and grab-and-go items, with an emphasis on takeout and mobile and online ordering. All feature eclectic menus of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, salads, pasta, pastries, ice cream and various hand-crafted coffees and other drinks. Among the already popular new offerings, Boynton said, are crispy cod and Nashville hot chicken sandwiches. The interior look of the eatery features an open kitchen with an homage to the past that includes reclaimed wood from New Hampshire barns and brick salvaged from the former Concord rail station. Extensive inside and outside seating is available, as well as a “live edge” wood bar. The Common Man Roadside Market & Deli’s Plymouth location, a restaurant within a convenience store, opened in October 2019, and the South Willow Street location arrived the following summer. Current hours on Commercial Street are Monday through Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit thecmanroadside.com or follow the company’s newest spot on Facebook @thecmanroadsidenhmillyard.

• Can it: Flag Hill Distillery & Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee) recently announced the release of Incognito, the company’s first canned wine. According to a press release, Incognito is a “wine disguised as summer,” featuring a blend of Flag Hill’s raspberry and Cayuga white wines that’s lightly carbonated, with one can equalling two-and-a-half glasses of wine. Cans are currently available at Flag Hill’s store and tasting room, and distribution to other stores is also expected. Visit flaghill.com or follow the Incognito pages on Facebook and Instagram @incognitocanwine for updates.

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