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Thanksgiving 2014 Dining Out in Boston
UPDATE: Reserve Now for Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants on Thursday, November 27, 2014.

Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation.

We publish these holiday reservation reminders early so that our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intention to open and menus.

Which Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:
- Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Hotel
- L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
- Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
- Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston
- Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel.
- Dante at the Royal Sonesta Hotel across the River in Cambridge.
Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving.

The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.

Here are a few that we can recommend from the long Open Table list.
- La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
- Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal. And, if you want lighter fare, their Café will be open at 11 a.m.
Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you're meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And, they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.

Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu:
- Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 p.m.
- L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three course prix fixe menu or, for a special holiday treat, a degustation menu.
- Harvest in Harvard Square, Cambridge
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
- One recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.
Interesting Twist!

Fairsted Kitchen is offering a pre-ordered, family style Thanksgiving dinner that is in keeping with their shared big plate menu. It seems like a good deal for a family or a bunch of friends who want to share a holiday meal.

A Few Places with Their Regular Menus Available

Many restaurants in Boston's Chinatown will be open. You can check with the Twitter account @bostonchinatown for more details.

Some chains restaurants will also offer their regular menus.

Davio's in Boston and Chestnut Hill

Capital Grille Boston, Chestnut Hill, and Burlington

We'll post updates in this space as other Boston resources post their lists and choices.
- Update 11.12.14 Here is a wonderful summary of what is open and where there are some available reservations from Eater Boston. Great job as always by Rachel Leah Blumenthal.
- Update 11.04.14 the crew over at the Boston Chowhound Board have a Thanksgiving Conversation underway at this link.
- Update 11.04.14 Boston Magazine has posted their list of "30+ Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving Dinner in Boston."
- Update 10.30.14 The crew over on the Boston Trip Advisor Board are answering the question, "Where to eat Thanksgiving in Boston."
- Last year, over on the Boston Chowhound Board the hounds came up with Durgin Park as the perfect solution for a group of trainees who found themselves in Boston over the holiday. (Bad Website warning: the Durgin Park site has cheesy music and you have to click events to get to the holiday offering.)
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: istockphoto.com

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Bar Boulud Our First and Second Look
October 24, 2014
Exceptional Street Sweeping: Applause! Applause!

Yesterday, we spotted this gentleman from Public Works out ahead of the street sweeper on Marlborough Street.

He was sweeping the leaves away from the curb to enable the machine to do a better job at collecting them.

He coordinated his work with the driver of the street sweeper.

He also took a moment, now and then, to clear a sidewalk of leaves in front of buildings where the residents had not taken advantage of the street sweeping schedule to push their leaves to the curb.

As you can see in the photo above, this resulted in a great job! A big thank you to someone who obviously takes pride in his work.

If this is the new way of clearing leaves, we hope not to see a mess linger into the winter like we did last year. (See our post: The Case for Year-Round Street Sweeping.)

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

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October 21, 2014
Bar Boulud Our First and Second Look

Last week, we made our second visit to Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the Back Bay. A quiet lunch at the bar made us feel right at home. Our bartender was a gem and the newly expanded bar menu made us smile.

Here's the Roasted Cod with Pomme Boulangerie that Penny chose from the "Lunch Menu Bouchon." Curious about the term Bouchon to describe this menu offering: "Two Courses $28 • Additional Course $6," we tracked down the origin of the term.

First, we found a review of Bar Boulud in London that explained that this menu was, "…inspired by the authentic Bouchons of Lyon, Boulud’s home town…"

Next, we found a lovely description of the authentic Bouchons of Lyon in Saveur. (The article is by R.W. Apple, Jr. and is a great piece of food writing. It's worth reading just for the love of good wordsmithing. Thanks to Saveur for keeping this posted.)

"Bouchons are bistros of a sort, but with even more limited menus. Their decor tends to be modest to the point of austerity. Some have paper tablecloths, and some don't change the cutlery between courses—but the food and ambience of any good bouchon will warm the coldest heart. The majority of these establishments are family-run, and most of the chefs are women—the spiritual descendants of Mère Brazier, Mère Fillioux, Tante Paulette, and other female master chefs who contributed so much to the glory of Lyonnais gastronomy earlier this century. Bouchon prices are always reasonable…"

We love having this concept offered in our neighborhood and look forward to seeing what Chef de Cuisine Aaron Chambers will create for this special menu.

Ed's choice was a Pâté Grand-Mère (chicken liver, pork, cognac) to start and the Salade Niçoise (above) for his main. We shared everything so Penny's second course was a Tiramisu Tart for dessert.

Our bartender suggested a French Pinot that was open but not on the by-the-glass menu to match Ed's meal. And, that was a big hit.

Our first visit was opening day for their lunch. We had intended to dine at the bar but were disappointed by the then skimpy bar menu and took a table.

Lamb Burgers are one of Ed's favorite foods. This Boulud Sud Lamb Burger with harissa, grilled eggplant, tzatziki, and a mountain of fries tempted him to try a glass of a truly great Châteauneuf-du-Pape, quite pricey but a rare treat.

Penny put the kitchen to the test by ordering one of her favorite preparations, Lemon Sole Meunière with cauliflower, lemon, capers, marcona almonds, and brown butter. So many places overcook the sole. This offering was perfect in every way.

The crisp crust covered a moist, nearly translucent, fillet that was cooked exactly as she would have wished. The variety of cauliflower types made for a touch of whimsy and an opportunity to test taste for different flavor profiles. (Not much difference, in case you've ever wondered!)

Under the Friandise section of the dessert menu we saw, "Freshly Baked Madeleines." We envisioned a couple of warm Madeleines on a plate. What arrived was a beautiful linen basket of tiny, tempting morsels. Our first bite made us hope that an Épicerie Boulud might be Daniel Boulud's next Boston venture.

Since opening on September 16th, the Bar Boulud team has made some changes that we love. More choices at the bar is important to us and to a few other bar dining lovers over on Chowhound. (You will also find more opinons on the restaurant in this conversation.)

When it's just the two of us, we almost always dine at the bar. This makes menu choices important, especially for those times when one of us is starving and the other, not so much.

On both visits, we had only good things to say about the food. We like the value and portion size of the Bouchon menu. We are already hearing neighbors sing the praises of the area's newest restaurant.

Finally, the all important sound levels are great. You can hear your server and enjoy conversation with your dining companions. That will put this destination high on our list of options.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

October 14, 2014
Mussels Are Sustainable, Easy to Cook, and Fun to Flavor

There are abundant reasons to put mussels on your shopping list this fall and winter. I was recently reminded of just how local and sustainable these shellfish are by blogger Richard Auffrey who sang the praises of mussels on his site, The Passionate Foodie.

Mussels Do Have a Season

Taste is important and cool weather is when our local mussels are full of flavor. The folks at Maine Sea Grant explained, “Mussels can be harvested all year, but most fishing is in the winter when the taste and quality of the meat is best (before the mussels begin spawning in spring and summer).”

While some Massachusetts mussels come to market, most of the fresh, live, blue mussels we see in local stores are from Maine or Prince Edward Island. Maine claims the US title to have, ”historically ranked first in mussel landings.” Their harvest includes both wild mussels gathered along the rocky coast and farmed mussels from the bays. In aquaculture, from seed to harvest, these filter feeders take only 12-18 months to reach your table.

Mussels Mariniere

Perhaps the best known recipe for these bivalves is Mussels Mariniere. For this lovely French inspired dish, I chop a shallot, a clove of garlic, some parsley, thyme, and sauté those in butter to soften. Then I add half a bottle of crisp white wine, bring it to a boil, and add my cleaned, debearded, and lively mussels. (Always discard any mussels that don’t close up when you tap them.)

I cook the mussels for 3-5 minutes – until they just open. Pour the whole thing into a big bowl and serve with crusty bread.

Here's a good video on how to prep your mussels for cooking from the Epicurous.com Around the World in 80 Dishes series.

Buy your mussels from a trusted fishmonger. I was at New Deal Fish Market in Cambridge recently and watched one of their staff check each of the mussels he was gathering for a customer.

Ready to Party

The beauty of most mussel recipes is that you can easily make them for two or for twenty. I once served the first course of mussels for 30 people at a friend's house while he prepared the rest of the meal. Fortunately, he had a large version of this Granite Ware stock pot ready for the job. At home, I use my All-Clad 12-Quart Multi Cooker.

Mussels act like chameleons in the kitchen. That’s why you’ll see them on menus from diners and pubs to French, Italian, Asian, and modern American restaurants. A big plate of mussels fits into today’s concept of shared plates that is popular with both chefs and diners. And, a creative cook can change up the flavor profile as often as he or she wants.

Switch the shallot to green onions; herbs to red chili, lemongrass, and cilantro; and wine to coconut milk with a dash of fish sauce, and you have Thai style mussels.

Give me a bag of mussels and I'll ad-lib what to do with them from what's on hand in my kitchen. If you prefer recipes to ad lib cooking, here are a few versions for mussels that are pretty close to the way I make these dishes.

Mussels Mariniere from Putney Farm (And when they say 20-30 minutes, that is the start to finish time to prepare the dish, not cooking time.)

Thai style mussels with coconut milk from Food & Wine.

Curried mussels from Saveur.

Ibearian style mussels with chorizo and tomato (You'll find this style in both Spain and Portugal.)

Next Up on the Topic of Mussels

In an upcoming post, Ed and I will tell you about some of our favorite mussel dishes when dining out in the Boston area. We would also love to hear your opinons. Let us know. Add a comment here – send it to us on twitter or send us an email.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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October 10, 2014
Brix Wine Shop Makes Our Nino Franco Dreams Come True!
Last Thursday, we had the opportunity to taste five wines from Nino Franco Spumanti srl and to meet Silvia Franco.

For years we’ve told you of our love for Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco. And, we’ve been unsuccessfully scouting sources for other wines from this vineyard.

Imagine our elation when we were invited to a tasting at Brix Wine Shop that included the opportunity to not only try more of this winery’s sparklers, but also to meet Silvia, in person, after a couple of years of internet communication about her family’s wines.

Brix Hosts Gracious and Hospitable Tastings

They provided everything from the right glassware for sniffing and sipping to an antique copper spittoon for those limiting their alcohol intake. And, this tasting attracted a charming crowd who chatted with both Silvia and among themselves. We were all assisted by a most helpful staff.

We tasted and loved each of the five wines brought in for this event:
- Nino Franco Rustico NV
- Nino Franco Faive Rose 2012
- Nino Franco Primo Franco 2012
- Nino Franco V. Della Riva San Floriano
- Nino Franco Grave di Stecca
Silva Franco Was as Gracious as Brix

The Brix invitation to meet “Prosecco’s Princess Silvia Franco” said, “If the bubbles don’t win you over (which they will), Silvia’s charming personality and in-depth knowledge will captivate you.” And, they were right.

She greeted guests, poured wine, talked wine, answered questions, and signed bottles upon request. Her warm personality and vivacious Italian spirit added as much sparkle to the evening as her wines. We look forward to seeing her again the next time she’s in Boston.

30 Years of Primo Franco

We had Silvia sign one of our bottles of Primo Franco, a wine named for her father. Later this month, as she and her family celebrate the 30th Vintage of Primo Franco in Valdobbiadene, we’ll open this bottle and toast them here in Boston.

Thanks to the Brix team for making this possible. We recommend that wine lovers sign up for their email announcements of tastings. They have introduced us to other favorite winemakers and wineries over the years.

Get there soon to enjoy this special and intriguing selection of Nino Franco wines. If you can’t stop by, give Brix a call and ask about putting together a few bottles or a case for delivery.

Breaking News about the Primo Franco!

We just saw this announcement in Glass Of Bubbly:

“In the the world of elite bubbles Primo Franco 2013 has been recognised & awarded in the first edition of The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships”:
- Gold Medal
- Best In Class Medal
- World Champion Medal”
Congratulation to the entire Nino Franco team and family.

If you love sparkling wine, consider joining Our Sparkling Resolution and begin each month with a glass of bubbles.

And, here’s Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover’s Companion

The Wine Bible

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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October 6, 2014
What’s Happening in Boston in October 2014

October 2014 is going to be a busy, busy month in Boston with lots of visitors and many events.

Fall Foliage Season

You'll see visitors walking along staring at our trees. The fall foliage travel season is underway and Boston is the starting point for many tourists coming to New England for leaf peeping.

Here's one of our posts with links to resources for those who would like to get out and enjoy the foliage with a link that we'll update as the season progresses.

Fall Foliage Links & Resources

Columbus Day Weekend & Big Conventions

October 13th is Columbus Day, a holiday, and a three day weekend. Around here lots of people travel this weekend. Sort of the last blast of summer weekends. You'll find higher rates and lots of events taking place October 11th to the 13th. Tomorrow, we'll post a resource page on what's open on Columbus day, MBTA schedule changes, parking, and trash schedules.

There is also a large (10,000 employee benefit managers) convention that weekend. Other big convention dates are October 2nd (small business owners), 20th-22nd (Neurologial Surgeons), and 28th-30th (Architecture Boston.)

October Events

October 18th-19th is the Head of the Charles Regatta. It will draw 11,000 athletes and 400,000 spectators. If you have visitors coming to town, prices will be out of sight or unavailable. And, if you need a restaurant reservation that weekend, make it now!

Columbus Day is one of those holidays when, for a lot of people, it's "business as usual." Even the stock market is open. But, if you have the day off, you might enjoy a visit to Opening Our Doors 2014 in the Fenway Cultural District.

Last Visits to Season Favorites

Some of our favorite seasonal spots reduce their hours and begin to close as the cooler temperatures arrive. We'll make one more trip to Jake's Seafood before they take the winter off. They have fall hours in effect, so check the website before you drive to Hull.

More Local Tips on Trip Advisor

While we only cover topics and events that interest us, the team of local destination experts over on Trip Advisor have a much wider scope. Here's their take on what's happening this October from a topic that Penny started with some of the same information prepared for this post.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

October 2, 2014
Celebrating October with Gérard Bertrand Crémant, a Sparkler Jefferson Would Have Loved
We’re ringing in a new month with a bottle of Gérard Bertrand Crémant de Limoux Brut 2012.

It’s hard to miss the likeness of Thomas Jefferson that’s pictured on the front label of this cuvee as a tribute from winemaker Gerard Bertrand to our third president whom he called, “Limoux’s greatest admirer,” claiming that, “wine from Limoux was the only sparkling wine to be found in his [Jefferson’s] personal wine cellar.”

Much has been written about Jefferson’s love of wine including his, “preference for the lighter French and Italian wines.” So, after enjoying this cremant ourselves, we’d have to guess that he’d have been quite pleased with this sparkler.

Penny thought it was softer and fruitier than many Cremants with a good bit of apple taste. It was full-flavored yet not acidic, balanced, and food-friendly – pairing well with a Honeycrisp and some pretzels.

That first sip brings a burst of flavor that’s fruity with a tart note that slides underneath and makes you want to go back for more.

Gérard Bertrand Crémant de Limoux is a blend of 70% Chardonnay, 15% Chenin Blanc, 10% Mauzac, and 5% Pinot Noir. (12.5% ABV)

The winemaker attributes this sparkler’s texture and balance to its Chenin and Chardonnay grapes:
- Color: "a beautiful, golden yellow robe"
- "Complex, aromatic nose" with "hints of white flower … honey, green apple and toast."
- "Crisp, elegant structure on the palate … texture of the bubbles complements the wine’s natural vivacity …"
Gérard Bertrand Crémant de Limoux Brut 2012 is produced 15 miles outside of Carcassonne in southern France from some of the highest vineyards in the Languedoc.

We found our bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits on the south side of Newbury Street in Boston not far from sea level.

Here’s to October and, of course, to Thomas Jefferson. Salute!

Read More about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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October 1, 2014
At the Market: Boston Farmers’ Markets Continuing through November!

This is the time to enjoy the abundant harvest season at your favorite farmers’ market. Yet, as we walk back from the market with overflowing bags of produce, neighbors react with surprise when we say we’ve been at the Copley Square market.

Many consumers think that seasonal markets end after Labor Day. Thankfully, they don’t. Most Boston area outdoor markets remain open through late October and a few run until Thanksgiving.

Here are area markets still open with their closing dates:

East Boston/Central Square: October 23rd (Thursdays)

South End/SOWA: October 26th (Sundays)

Harvard University Farmers' Market: Cambridge: October 28th (Tuesdays)

Charlestown: October 29th (Wednesdays)

Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA): October 29th (Wednesdays)

Brookline/Coolidge Corner: October 30th (Thursdays)

Jamaica Plain (677 Centre Street): November 1st (Saturdays & Tuesdays)

Mission Hill/Roxbury, Brigham Circle: November 20th (Thursdays)

Union Square, Somerville: November 22nd (Saturdays)

Roslindale: November 22nd (Saturdays)

Copley Square: November 25th (Tuesdays and Fridays)

Cambridge/Central Square: November 24th

South Station/Dewey Square: November 25th (Tuesdays and Thursdays)

Boston Public Market on the Greenway: November 26th (Mondays and Wednesdays)

Davis Square, Somerville: November 26th (Wednesdays)

If we missed your favorite market let us know and we'll add it to the list.

Indoor winter markets will open as the outdoor markets close. As soon as we have enough dates and places confirmed, we’ll share those with BostonZest readers.

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers' Market posts.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

September 30, 2014
Edible Boston’s Fall 2014 Issue Is Available

You'll find copies of the fall 2014 Issue of Edible Boston with its dark, moody cover photo of apples at some of the best places for local food and drink in the area. The arrival of my preview copy always brings a smile to a busy day.

As reader's know by now, I'm a devoted fan of this publication and especially the photography and photographers selected by this team. Like editor Ilene Bezahler, I have apples on my mind this time of year.

This issue is filled with photos like this one that speaks of the days of less light that are on their way to our Boston area lives.

News and Deeper Coverage

The fall issue also has a portrait of Kate Stillman. It leads into the article, Taking Control: Stillman's at the Turkey Farm Builds an Abattoir. Those of us who chat with Kate on a regular basis have heard step-by-step the long, difficult process that led to having her own facility to slaughter and process some of the animals they raise. Author Andrea Pyenson and photographer Katie Noble have told the story for everyone who enjoys Stillman's meat.

If you've always dreamed of a backyard brick oven, they have a feature for you – From Beehive to Barrel: A Tale of Two Ovens.

And back to those apples. This issue offers a feature on Far from the Tree Cider.

How do you support a publisher like Ilene Bezahler and her remarkably talented team?

First, pick up a copy of the magazine at one of these locations. In fact, pick up two copies and share one with a food loving friend or leave it where someone might discover it among lesser publications and become a new fan.

May I suggest that you let their sponsors know you saw them in the magazine and grab an extra copy and get it to someone else who cares about supporting the local food movement. Also, if you have a blog, twitter account, or facebook page, write about them, link to them, follow them, retweet their tweets, like them on facebook, and in general, spread the word about this great asset to our community.

And, to be sure you never miss an issue, you can subscribe over on their website!

You can also buy the Edible cookbook! Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods as a bargain book or find more local food in the The Boston Homegrown Cookbook.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Artwork: Courtesy of Edible Boston

September 29, 2014
High Water Fenders, All in a Row at Steamboat Wharf

I love the look of these bulbous fenders on the seawall at Steamboat Wharf Marina in Hull. The area around Hull and Nantasket Beach is a great photography destination.

From 1818 to 1929, steamboats brought Bostonians to the beach at Nantasket for the day or for a stay in one of the hotels that lined the waterfront.

(Postcard from the Boston Public Library collection used under this creative commons license.)

There is summer ferry service today but the landing is not as close as these boats land about two miles from the beach. This ferry is managed by the town of Hull and was out of service for repairs through August 10th. It should be back in service now. You can get updates on the town's website.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

September 22, 2014