Alchemy undaunted

There's meat loaf and there's meat loaf. At The Alchemist Lounge in JP the Marianne Cunningham classic is a hearty, modern delight. In the hands of new chef Carlos, the perfect winter repast is simply sublime. Wrapped and cooked in maple bacon fat, the entree formerly dismissed as comfort, is so refined — if tasted blindfold — you would never think it was a retro redux.

This red-roomed resto alchemistlounge.com on the corner of Centre Street and South Huntington also has a few tasty beers on tap. The boch from the Tap in Haverhill (known by its wooden shoe handle) made us wonder why we traveled all the way to Boston for beer we could have nabbed a few exits north on 495. Because we love food foraging in Boston, and I know you do too. Last weekend was the perfect time to snag a table at this dining enclave because the holidays kept everyone at bay. Off schussing down Mount Snow, or sunning themselves down south, the patrons who populate the great eateries of Beantown were noticably missing. This chill spot, owned by a Todd English-trained chap from the UK, Lyndon, serves a great grilled clam app.in succulent cream sauce studded w/ chorizo. If you go (they have New Year's Eve fun on tap) don't skip the beet and goat cheese salad. This instant-classic is turning up on menus from Hamilton to Hartford, and that's fine by me. A culinary trip to JP is not complete w/o a stop at City Feed and Supply cityfeedandsupply.com , a newish grocer on Centre St. that carries Equal Exchange coffee and chocolate, Iggy’s bread and a New England-sorced cheese case. Plenty of seats at a big bay window to watch the parental hipsters stroll by.