Massachusetts Prepared Food Counter Dish Named One of New York Times Best Dishes of ’23
The New York Times doesn’t just throw around compliments. They have a certain “I’ll say what I think and it’s important because I’m the New York Times” kind of vibe….
The New York Times doesn't just throw around compliments. They have a certain "I'll say what I think and it's important because I'm the New York Times" kind of vibe. So one Massachusetts store and eatery should feel very acknowledged by being amongst the New York Times's "23 of the Best American Dishes of 2023" list.
And - what I love best about this - is the dish that made the list (and the only dish that made the list from Massachusetts) is available in the store's prepared food counter. YES! Some of my favorite foods come from those! (I'm also pretty sure I've gotten food poisoning from a couple of the more questionable prepared food counters out there. Ying meet yang.)
If you'd like to see all 23 of the dishes around the country that the NYT selected as 23 of the very best in 2023 CLICK HERE. The list is full of variety. But warning, like everything else in this world. they're going to try to get you to sign up for some sort of prescription to scroll through the. deliciousness at that link. Dear 2024, can we have LESS subscriptions, please? *fingers crossed* I'm sick of giving everyone my money for not enough value in return. But that's a worm hole for another day.
The Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa at Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River is the dish that made the list.
The Portuguese market is a marvel in itself, open for over 30 years and hopefully it'll be here for 300 more. And the Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa is a delicate and complex dish. It more or less is "cod with potatoes and soft egg." Want to see it made to get a feel for it? Check out this YouTube video:
So why does the NYT love it so? They say "one of the few dishes you’ll always find at the prepared food counter is this classic bacalhau stew, a rustic, salty favorite in this Portuguese stronghold on the New England coast." Not too descriptive. Mysterious even. Now I need to go. Road trip to Fall River, bring your forks!! Salute your shorts!
Every Massachusetts Restaurant on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri on the Food Network, is one of the most popular shows for food lovers. There’s just something super entertaining about Fieri, and the show is so fun to watch. What’s extra cool is that Fieri has come to Massachusetts multiple times and picked local restaurants to highlight on the show.
We used TVFoodmaps.com and FlavortownUSA.com to seek out every restaurant in the Bay State that's been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. While sadly a few of them have closed for good, most likely victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts still boasts over 30 locations that are mere driving distance away.
From Polish and Italian to places for brunch and seafood, the list criss-crosses Massachusetts with a number of local eateries just begging to be put on your mini road trip list.
