Tour d'CHOWDAH

Um. So, where was I again? Man, this time of year is a straight BEATING at work. Yesterday, I was in a fairly important meeting with some overpaid tools, blah blah the USZH, and I was so out of it that when my boss asked me what I thought, he actually BURST OUT LAUGHING when he saw my face. (True story: I was thinking of the song Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band)(I know, WT-EVERLOVING-F?)

Also? I went to Boston. Would you like to live vicariously through me via shitty pictures taken with the BatPhone? Yeah, that was rhetorical.

The good news (FOR ME) is that on Friday afternoon, having nothing better to do than eat and drink (as if I EVER do), I decided to partake in a little...CHOWDAH ROADTRIP. (Why oh WHY does that sound so...nasty? Yet it only gets WORSE as I try to rephrase!)

Anyway. I was downtown, so I started at the Boston Chowda Co, at Faneuil Hall.

Chowdah rating: 4.5 out of 5. Typically a 5 in my book, but in the interest of collecting a proper sample, I didn't partake of the breadbowl. The things I am willing to do. FOR SCIENCE. Also, I hadn't started drinking yet, so self-control was at its apex. Downhill from here, OBV. (Important experiment footnote: I did add one (1) pkg. of crushed oyster crackers to each bowl)

Next up: The Union Oyster House, which (fun fact!) is reportedly America's oldest continuously operating restaurant! They are really milking that shit too. I dunno. It DID look pretty old, I'll give it that. I had to lay off my fact-checker, so don't get all fussy on me! Near(ish) Faneuil Hall.

Chowdah rating: 5 out of 5. This was my FAVORITE chowdah. Bar none. Demerits for serving the chowdah with fucking CORNBREAD, though. What is THAT about? Unacceptable. If I wanted "bread" that tastes like livestock feed I could have stayed in TEXAS.

So THEN, I hopped on the T, because I was having a beer(ish) with each chowdah sample, and also because I couldn't be bothered to find places to eat through my own fastidious research, and instead figured I'd just toddle off randomly at the occasional stop and see what looked good. National Lampoon's Underthinkers Vacation!

Stop #3: Boston Beer Works, near Fenway Park. Clearly, we are shifting our focus JUUST a leetle toward the beer here. Whatever. Back off.

Chowdah rating: 3.5 out of 5. The chowdah had HUGE chunks of potatoes, with the SKINS ON, which I do not generally approve of. Still really good though. Unearned bonus points for a Blueberry Ale I had with ACTUAL BLUEBERRIES floating in it. So awesome. It was like drinking out of a lava lamp.

Stop #4: Coolidge Corner Clubhouse. Coolidge Corner neighborhood in Brookline. What do you MEAN this picture looks straight off of the website, and not as if I took it with the BatPhone? Oh shut up. I was on like my fifth beer. I FORGOT OKAY? You're lucky I made it this far!

Chowdah rating: 4 out of 5. They have a GIGANTIC menu, which is not usually a good sign, but the chowdah was WAY better than I expected. That's not just the beer talking! I think!

My hotel was near Coolidge Corner, so I just stumbled on back after that. You guys, the ONLY thing(s) I had to eat and drink on Friday were beer and chowdah! TRUE STORY! It was just as disgusting-slash-awesome as it sounds.