Tag: eastern standard

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 26, 2015.

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
- The Bristol 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.
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. Update: See Eater Boston's list on this topic below.

Some chain restaurants will also offer their regular menus.

Davio's in Boston and Chestnut Hill

The Capital Grille Boston, Chestnut Hill, and Burlington

We'll post updates in this space as other Boston resources post their lists and choices.
- Update 11.10.15 Avoid Prix Fixe Meals at These Restaurants This Thanksgiving from Eater Boston.
- Update 11.09.15 A Big List of Thanksgiving Prix Fixe Feasts 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."
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: istockphoto.com

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Discovered Pickled Celery Via the Ploughman’s Lunch at Eastern Standard

Who knew that I would love pickled celery? Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new taste that thrills you?

On a recent visit to Eastern Standard, I order the Ploughman's Lunch to go with my Gin & Tonic. The menu description said, "decade cheddar, pickles, pate maison." When my board arrived, it also had olives, radishes, grilled bread, and some greens. It was a perfect selection for my mood that day.

Then, I tasted the pickles. Cucumber, "very nice." Onion, "tasty." Celery, "who knew pickled celery was this good? Is pickled celery a new thing I had not yet discovered?"

Back at my desk, I researched and found it is not new. I discovered new and old recipes for it in very old cookbooks and in some of the newest books, like Fermented Vegetables: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 64 Vegetables & Herbs in Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes. This one was recommended by my friend Bob Oppenheim when I asked him about pickled celery.

Bob has been having fun fermenting this season. But, I think I'm going to stick to quick pickles. I did find a good, quick pickled celery recipe over at Food52, Spicy Celery Quick Pickle Sticks. And a simple quick pickle at Food.com.

Have you pickled celery? If you join me in experimenting with this new pickle, how will you use it?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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September 9, 2015
Discovered Pickled Celery Via the Ploughman’s Lunch at Eastern Standard

Who knew that I would love pickled celery? Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new taste that thrills you?

On a recent visit to Eastern Standard, I order the Ploughman's Lunch to go with my Gin & Tonic. The menu description said, "decade cheddar, pickles, pate maison." When my board arrived, it also had olives, radishes, grilled bread, and some greens. It was a perfect selection for my mood that day.

Then, I tasted the pickles. Cucumber, "very nice." Onion, "tasty." Celery, "who knew pickled celery was this good? Is pickled celery a new thing I had not yet discovered?"

Back at my desk, I researched and found it is not new. I discovered new and old recipes for it in very old cookbooks and in some of the newest books, like Fermented Vegetables: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 64 Vegetables & Herbs in Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes. This one was recommended by my friend Bob Oppenheim when I asked him about pickled celery.

Bob has been having fun fermenting this season. But, I think I'm going to stick to quick pickles. I did find a good, quick pickled celery recipe over at Food52, Spicy Celery Quick Pickle Sticks. And a simple quick pickle at Food.com.

Have you pickled celery? If you join me in experimenting with this new pickle, how will you use it?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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April Sparkler: Denny Bini, Levante 90, Malvasia dell’Emilia Frizzante
We discovered our April sparkler, Denny Bini, Levante 90, Malvasia dell’Emilia Frizzante, at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square. (In case you’ve just tuned in, for years we’ve kept our sparkling resolution to start each month with a toast over a glass of sparkling wine and we’d love to have you join us. More about that here.)

We nearly missed out on this appealing wine because Eastern Standard pours one of my favorite sparklers and I was ready to enjoy that once again. I did ask about the new addition on the sparkling menu, but frowned at the words “slight sweetness” when our bartender described it.

Ed encouraged me to have a taste before I fell back on an old favorite. The young man behind the bar concurred and Ed and I both quickly learned that the frizzante hid whatever sweet notes others found in this wine.

What’s more, it opened up in the glass after a couple of swirls and seemed perfect for the food we had ordered. This is not a wine for everyone and it is very much a wine that you will enjoy more with food.

Ed’s salmon was a match since a sip of this Malvasia cleared the palate of the lush fattiness of the salmon.

Frizzante Style

Rather than a full sparkler, this wine is frizzante. What’s that? Here’s a definition and an interesting article from the wiseGEEK site.

“… Italians refer to slightly sparkling wines as frizzante wines. In Spain, however, these wines are known as Vino de Aguja. The French term for them is Petillant, while the German term is Perlwein.”

Tip for wine seekers: Photograph the back of the bottle so you’ll have the information you’ll need to find wines in retail shops.

Orange-ish

We located this Malvasia for sale at the Wine Bottega in the North End. (Call before you run over there. The selection in a small, focused wine shop like this is constantly changing.) Here’s their description of the wine.

“Slightly effervescent, bottle fermented, orange-ish, aromatic, dry malvasia from the Fizz Belt of Italy? Need we say more? Denny Bini is a very small scale, cult followed producer in Emilia-Romagna. His wines are a reference point for the locals there and they are finally available (in very limited quantities) here in the US.”

Here’s an article from Wine Enthusiast about Orange wines. As they say, these are not for everyone, they are enjoying a cult following right now, and they are wonderful at matching multiple courses or a table of different choices at a restaurant.

I had chicken pot pie with this Malvasia and it works as well with this typical white wine dish as it did with the salmon.

Discovering Wines

Now you see how we discover wines new to us.
- We explore wine menus we trust.
- We take those offered sips.
- We follow suggestions from servers in places where food and wine training is part of the restaurant’s culture.
- We go to a few carefully selected wine tastings.
- We listen to our wine mentors.
We’ve been fortunate over the years to have met a number of people in the wine and hospitality industry who have been incredibly generous in feeding our constant cravings for wine knowledge. Thanks to each and every one of them.

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we’ve covered. (Since this is a category, today’s post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.)

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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April Sparkler: Denny Bini, Levante 90, Malvasia dell’Emilia Frizzante
We discovered our April sparkler, Denny Bini, Levante 90, Malvasia dell’Emilia Frizzante, at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square. (In case you’ve just tuned in, for years we’ve kept our sparkling resolution to start each month with a toast over a glass of sparkling wine and we’d love to have you join us. More about that here.)

We nearly missed out on this appealing wine because Eastern Standard pours one of my favorite sparklers and I was ready to enjoy that once again. I did ask about the new addition on the sparkling menu, but frowned at the words “slight sweetness” when our bartender described it.

Ed encouraged me to have a taste before I fell back on an old favorite. The young man behind the bar concurred and Ed and I both quickly learned that the frizzante hid whatever sweet notes others found in this wine.

What’s more, it opened up in the glass after a couple of swirls and seemed perfect for the food we had ordered. This is not a wine for everyone and it is very much a wine that you will enjoy more with food.

Ed’s salmon was a match since a sip of this Malvasia cleared the palate of the lush fattiness of the salmon.

Frizzante Style

Rather than a full sparkler, this wine is frizzante. What’s that? Here’s a definition and an interesting article from the wiseGEEK site.

“… Italians refer to slightly sparkling wines as frizzante wines. In Spain, however, these wines are known as Vino de Aguja. The French term for them is Petillant, while the German term is Perlwein.”

Tip for wine seekers: Photograph the back of the bottle so you’ll have the information you’ll need to find wines in retail shops.

Orange-ish

We located this Malvasia for sale at the Wine Bottega in the North End. (Call before you run over there. The selection in a small, focused wine shop like this is constantly changing.) Here’s their description of the wine.

“Slightly effervescent, bottle fermented, orange-ish, aromatic, dry malvasia from the Fizz Belt of Italy? Need we say more? Denny Bini is a very small scale, cult followed producer in Emilia-Romagna. His wines are a reference point for the locals there and they are finally available (in very limited quantities) here in the US.”

Here’s an article from Wine Enthusiast about Orange wines. As they say, these are not for everyone, they are enjoying a cult following right now, and they are wonderful at matching multiple courses or a table of different choices at a restaurant.

I had chicken pot pie with this Malvasia and it works as well with this typical white wine dish as it did with the salmon.

Discovering Wines

Now you see how we discover wines new to us.
- We explore wine menus we trust.
- We take those offered sips.
- We follow suggestions from servers in places where food and wine training is part of the restaurant’s culture.
- We go to a few carefully selected wine tastings.
- We listen to our wine mentors.
We’ve been fortunate over the years to have met a number of people in the wine and hospitality industry who have been incredibly generous in feeding our constant cravings for wine knowledge. Thanks to each and every one of them.

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we’ve covered. (Since this is a category, today’s post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.)

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2014 & New Year’s Day Brunch 2015
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place!

This is an outdated post. Click below for the link to:

Where to Dine on New Year's Eve 2015 & New Year's Day Brunch 2016

And, this year we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2015 with friends and family around a brunch table.

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
- Are you looking for a place to ring in 2015 with a happy crowd?
- Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
- Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
- Is a walk to view the ice sculptures and skating on the Frog Pond more your style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.

Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's celebrations at area restaurants.

You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.

We Do Recommend!

There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputation on high quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
- Island Creek Oyster Bar is serving its regular menu and, for that kindness, we've put them at the top of this list.
- Eastern Standard, next door, is doing the same. Regular menu, great wine list, craft cocktails.
- Coppa Enoteca will close from 3-5 on the 31st to prepare for a three-course Chef's menu – $55 per person.
- Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
- Grotto on Beacon Hill, Kitchen in the South End, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
- Brasserie JO has a special menu but alway provides great food in a relaxed atmosphere, and their desserts are a party in themselves.
Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

New Year's Day Brunch

Here is a list of brunches from the members of Boston Chefs. Our pick from this list would be Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 AM to come up with our recommendations.
- Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day.
- Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang.
- Island Creek Oyster Bar will be open with their great brunch menu.
To be notified of updates to this post, sign-on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on Twitter for updates.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Photo: iStockphoto.com

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Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2014 in Boston: Here’s What’s Open
Where can you dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Boston area? There are a few great choices! But, if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants over the holidays, make a reservation!

UPDATE: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 in Boston

Don't be surprised if a deposit is required to hold your reservation or if there are special menus and seatings for these special holiday meals. Unfortunately, restaurants have been forced to do this because of people who make multiple reservations so they can decide at the last minute where to go. This leaves other diners without choices and the restaurants with empty tables.

Here is our resource page on opening and closings, other than dining, at Christmas.

What's Open in Boston on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 2014 Plus MBTA Schedules, Parking, Trash, & More

What's Open on Christmas Eve?

There are more choices on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day. Some of our favorite, special places have wonderful holiday meals planned for those who reserve for the 24th.
- The legendary team from L'Espalier normally offers a prix fixe Christmas Eve menu.
- La Morra in Brookline is an ideal spot to meet friends or family from that side of the Boston area. They are offering family style dining, "sharing traditional dishes of Piedmonte."
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel has a four course prixe fixe menu set for the 24th.
- Petit Robert Bistro locations will be open with regular meals and specials. We like the one on Columbus Ave in the South End.
- Here is the Christmas Eve list from Boston Chefs. Be sure to check back, because this list may grow.
- Here is the Christmas Eve List from Open Table. Be sure to check back, because this list may grow.
At the early date of this posting, some places have not announced their traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes events for Chistmas Eve. Check back or follow us on Twitter for updates on this fun, holiday dining option.
- Coppa Enoteca is one of our favorites and they're offering their version of this tradition.
- Dante in Cambridge will present Chef Dante de Magistris' version of the feast with other menu items available.
- Grotto was one of the first to present this holiday tradition. Kitchen and Marliave, Grotto's siblings in the South End and Downtown, quickly joined in the festive fish feast. This year Kitchen will be open offering the regular menu for those who prefer an al la carte choice. At Grotto and Marliave will continue the feasting on fish.
- Here is a great article from Edible Boston on this traditional meal.
What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Christmas?

Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests, are normally open on holidays.

In Boston, hotel restaurants open both the 24th and 25th include some excellent choices:
- Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Hotel is serving a three-course prix fixe menu from Noon-8 p.m.
- The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel gives you a choice of a Christmas Day Buffet Brunch in the Atlantic Room from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., or their 4-course prix-fixe dinner in Meritage Restaurant from 5-9 p.m.
- Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Other places open on holidays would include chain restaurants and some places in Chinatown. We once asked a longtime Boston cabbie where we could get something we needed on Christmas, and he said Chinatown was the place to go.

Here are some conversations on Chowhound.com and Trip Advisor about Christmas dining. We'll add more as we see them pop up this year and we'll link to lists from other Boston food sites.

Boston Restaurants Not Open on Christmas Day (2014) is a Trip Advisor conversation started by a visitor from London who was trying to find a top Boston restaurant to enjoy on Christmas Day and was surprised to find so many choices closed.

Trip Advisor on Christmas Dinner (2013)

Eater Boston's Christmas Map (Updated 12/16/2013)

What Chinese Restaurants are Open On Christmas Day– (2012)

Christmas Day Brunch (2012)

Open on Cape Cod on Christmas Day (just in case you're going there) (2012)

Xmas Lunch in Boston (2012)

Restaurant open Christmas Day in Newton or nearby (2012)

Other resources:

The reservation site Open Table has a feature list of its member restaurants with Christmas Eve Specials and Christmas Day Dining.

But, you can also input information on the reservation you want on Open Table and come up with a list of restaurants open at that hour. Change the hour and the list will change and some are not on the featured lists. It's a good place to start.

The Boston Chefs site has posted a list of its participating member restaurants with special features for the holidays. Here's the Christmas Eve List & the Christmas Day list.

From Last Year: Eater Boston has a list of What's Open in Boston Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We'll update with the new one when it's available.

They have many good choices to add to your holiday options. We'd particularly like to recommend:

Island Creek Oyster Bar for Christmas Eve. It's one of our favorite places, and I can just imagine what a happy scene it will be on that evening.

Eastern Standard: They will normally open Christmas Day for breakfast and then for a special 3-course prix fixe meal.

Follow us on Twitter for notice of updates to this post.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photo: from iStockphoto.com

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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.)
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: istockphoto.com

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October 24, 2014
Row 34 Restaurant: Our First Look

We paid our first visit to Row 34 in the Fort Point neighborhood as a part of our current "staycation." Our lunch last week was a hit with both of us.

That lovely oyster is one of the Row 34s from Island Creek Oyster Farm that gave the name to this place. The restaurant is from the same group that made Kenmore Square a dining destination with Island Creek Oyster Bar, Eastern Standard, and The Hawthorne.

In doing my pre-visit menu research, I spotted cask beer on the menu. One of our first questions was to ask what was in the cask that day. Our fabulous bartender had one of those "I'm gonna make you very happy" smiles on his face as he told us he had just finished preparing a new cask and could offer Ed a taste of Tröegs Nugget Nectar, a hoppy imperial amber ale.

One sip from the tasting portion put a smile on Ed's face that was still there when we returned home. Apparently, this is a seasonal product not usually available on draft but since Row 34 has their own system, they were able to send their container to the brewery and have it filled.

We're pretty sure the supply at Row 34 must be gone by now but something else will be coming from that special tap. We later picked up the bottled version at Bauer Wine & Spirits. This has limited availability so grab some now if it tempts you.

Ed thinks, "Nugget Nectar is the perfect name, no exaggeration."

As a draft beer lover, he was also impressed with the number of taps and the selection offered. Our friend Howie Rubin from Bauer said to be sure to try the selections from Trillium Brewing Company. Their tasting room happens to be next door but he really enjoyed sampling the beer at Row 34.

I tried a lovely crisp cava from Pere Mata. And, I had a caddy of flavors to play with as the meal proceeded. (I think they should sell these caddies at both ICOB and Row 34. They would probably be expensive, but I think they'd make a delightful addition to any kitchen counter.)

Since I'm a warm buttery lobster roll lover, my order was easy. The usual cole slaw is missing from my order because I can't have mayo. Perhaps that led to an abundance of chips, both regular and sweet potato. Those were one of the lovely, "aren't these wonderful," side notes of the day. Between the two of us, not a chip crumb remained as our plates were removed.

The lobster was sweet and warm with just enough butter. The roll was so perfect I had to ask if they were making their own. I was told it was Iggy's. It was slightly larger than most hot dog rolls and took the grilling like a pro. Not too sweet and not at all gummy which are common lobster roll problems.

Ed was in an oyster mood and did rounds of Island Creeks and Row 34s. Down the center are three saucing options: traditional mignonette, a zingy cocktail sauce, and an Asian influenced version with chilies and cilantro.

Once more, deep knowledge on the part of our server gave us a detailed background on the growing of Island Creeks vs Row 34s. Island Creeks grow on the ocean floor while Row 34s are suspended in racks for the maturing process.

Island Creeks (above) have long been Ed's favorite oyster. But, he was up for a taste test. "I tried a half dozen (3 and 3) and honestly couldn’t tell the difference," he said. "Never one to give up easily, I repeated the order hoping to detect any subtle variations. Same results … outstanding oysters … my kind of experiment."

We also had the lobster tacos which were an old favorite of mine from Chef Jeremy Sewall's Brookline restaurant Lineage. Crisp housemade tacos contain a smear of avocado plus big pieces of cold lobster topped with a bright mango salsa.

And, yes, these do come three to an order but I was more interested in eating them than taking photos. Ed managed to get this shot while there were still two on the plate.

I scooped up the remaining salsa with the wonderful potato chips that came with my lobster roll.

Dessert

We finished with a butterscotch pudding – another old love from the time when Chef Sewall was at Great Bay which once resided in the space where Island Creek Oyster Bar is today. We also had a candy bar dessert that was our server's favorite. We took half of that home because we were both stuffed.

Feeling At Home

In the car on the way home, we both had the same feeling about the hospitality at Row 34. I said, "There is something about walking into a new place and feeling at home within minutes." While Ed noted, "I expected the same service and quality as their Kenmore Square eateries and was not disappointed. I felt at home from the moment I stepped into the space."

We told our Uber driver to note the location because this was going to be a popular run from all around the area. (BTW, you can get a discount on your first Uber ride at this link and we'll be rewarded with a matching credit to our account.)

Row 34 will go into our regular rotation despite the fact that we seldom find ourselves in that part of the city. As we said, this is a destination spot. We both look forward to outdoor seating should warm days ever return to Boston.

Need more opinions? Here's what the Boston Chowhounds have to say about Row 34.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

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

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Row 34 Restaurant: Our First Look

We paid our first visit to Row 34 in the Fort Point neighborhood as a part of our current "staycation." Our lunch last week was a hit with both of us.

That lovely oyster is one of the Row 34s from Island Creek Oyster Farm that gave the name to this place. The restaurant is from the same group that made Kenmore Square a dining destination with Island Creek Oyster Bar, Eastern Standard, and The Hawthorne.

In doing my pre-visit menu research, I spotted cask beer on the menu. One of our first questions was to ask what was in the cask that day. Our fabulous bartender had one of those "I'm gonna make you very happy" smiles on his face as he told us he had just finished preparing a new cask and could offer Ed a taste of Tröegs Nugget Nectar, a hoppy imperial amber ale.

One sip from the tasting portion put a smile on Ed's face that was still there when we returned home. Apparently, this is a seasonal product not usually available on draft but since Row 34 has their own system, they were able to send their container to the brewery and have it filled.

We're pretty sure the supply at Row 34 must be gone by now but something else will be coming from that special tap. We later picked up the bottled version at Bauer Wine & Spirits. This has limited availability so grab some now if it tempts you.

Ed thinks, "Nugget Nectar is the perfect name, no exaggeration."

As a draft beer lover, he was also impressed with the number of taps and the selection offered. Our friend Howie Rubin from Bauer said to be sure to try the selections from Trillium Brewing Company. Their tasting room happens to be next door but he really enjoyed sampling the beer at Row 34.

I tried a lovely crisp cava from Pere Mata. And, I had a caddy of flavors to play with as the meal proceeded. (I think they should sell these caddies at both ICOB and Row 34. They would probably be expensive, but I think they'd make a delightful addition to any kitchen counter.)

Since I'm a warm buttery lobster roll lover, my order was easy. The usual cole slaw is missing from my order because I can't have mayo. Perhaps that led to an abundance of chips, both regular and sweet potato. Those were one of the lovely, "aren't these wonderful," side notes of the day. Between the two of us, not a chip crumb remained as our plates were removed.

The lobster was sweet and warm with just enough butter. The roll was so perfect I had to ask if they were making their own. I was told it was Iggy's. It was slightly larger than most hot dog rolls and took the grilling like a pro. Not too sweet and not at all gummy which are common lobster roll problems.

Ed was in an oyster mood and did rounds of Island Creeks and Row 34s. Down the center are three saucing options: traditional mignonette, a zingy cocktail sauce, and an Asian influenced version with chilies and cilantro.

Once more, deep knowledge on the part of our server gave us a detailed background on the growing of Island Creeks vs Row 34s. Island Creeks grow on the ocean floor while Row 34s are suspended in racks for the maturing process.

Island Creeks (above) have long been Ed's favorite oyster. But, he was up for a taste test. "I tried a half dozen (3 and 3) and honestly couldn’t tell the difference," he said. "Never one to give up easily, I repeated the order hoping to detect any subtle variations. Same results … outstanding oysters … my kind of experiment."

We also had the lobster tacos which were an old favorite of mine from Chef Jeremy Sewall's Brookline restaurant Lineage. Crisp housemade tacos contain a smear of avocado plus big pieces of cold lobster topped with a bright mango salsa.

And, yes, these do come three to an order but I was more interested in eating them than taking photos. Ed managed to get this shot while there were still two on the plate.

I scooped up the remaining salsa with the wonderful potato chips that came with my lobster roll.

Dessert

We finished with a butterscotch pudding – another old love from the time when Chef Sewall was at Great Bay which once resided in the space where Island Creek Oyster Bar is today. We also had a candy bar dessert that was our server's favorite. We took half of that home because we were both stuffed.

Feeling At Home

In the car on the way home, we both had the same feeling about the hospitality at Row 34. I said, "There is something about walking into a new place and feeling at home within minutes." While Ed noted, "I expected the same service and quality as their Kenmore Square eateries and was not disappointed. I felt at home from the moment I stepped into the space."

We told our Uber driver to note the location because this was going to be a popular run from all around the area. (BTW, you can get a discount on your first Uber ride at this link and we'll be rewarded with a matching credit to our account.)

Row 34 will go into our regular rotation despite the fact that we seldom find ourselves in that part of the city. As we said, this is a destination spot. We both look forward to outdoor seating should warm days ever return to Boston.

Need more opinions? Here's what the Boston Chowhounds have to say about Row 34.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

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

Related articles

Troegs Nugget Nectar Released

Atlantic Pacific: Oysters 101 For A Classic Holiday

Head to South Boston's New Row 34 For Smoked and Cured Fish

March 3, 2014