Porto Boston at the base of a Prudential Center apartment building has added one more choice to our short list of places to go for a very good meal near our home in the Back Bay. Our first visit was for brunch last month.
We put together a three piece share that left us smiling. It started with a lovely fig and arugula salad with honey, pecorino, and perfectly crisp thin croutons.
Ed was the hungrier of the two of us, so he went for an entrée of sea trout & poached eggs on a biscuit with turmeric and mustard greens.
I loved this dish of campanelle with feta, soft herbs, pine nuts, and tomato. Ed did get a few bites and was a happy eater.
Since we write about food, friends and neighbors often ask us where we've been eating and what's new that they might enjoy. Every time we mentioned Porto, someone asked us exactly where it's located. We prepared the collage above to give you a good idea of where you will find it. (Here's a map.)
It's across the street from Star Market on Ring Road. The upper left photo was taken next to the sign for the market looking towards Boylston Street and the bridge from the Shops at the Prudential to Lord and Taylor. The lower right photos show you the sign for Sax Fifth Avenue looking towards Huntington Avenue.
We love dining at bars and choose those with great food and great service. Porto delivered. What's more, they have lots of bar seats. We sat at the inside bar adjacent to the patio.
This one wraps around to continue on the outside of the glass …
… to offer bar seating on the patio. (We didn't take a photo but there's also another large expanse of bar seating that wraps around the open kitchen.)
Speaking of the patio, it has a retractable cover that seems to make it perfect for a longer outdoor dining season. In addition to seating at the bar or patio tables, there's a cozy corner with a sofa, chairs, and cocktail tables.
We can't wait to meet up with a group of friends and share a wider selection of menu items around one of the high tables in the indoor bar area or, weather permitting, in that cozy patio corner.
We love welcoming bar spaces and opted for two seats right at the front windows with a people watching view of the street.
Light, bright, and classy is certainly the new theme of the room.
This menu does a nice job of living up to the spirit of the Aquitaine region of France. Traditional favorites of the area like duck, mushrooms, truffles, foie gras, apples, and walnuts all appear among the offerings.
Penny's lunch choice (photo above) was the "Duck Confit Presse with Duck Rillette, Dijon Mustard, Gruyere Cheese, on Pan au Levain." This was a great sandwich. Balance of the few ingredients and just enough pressing and grilling made it memorable.
Ed is a fan of Salade Nicoise. The one he ordered for lunch was described as, "Ventresca Tuna, Shaved Fennel, Nicoise Olives, Golden Egg, Haricot Verts, Green Herb Vinaigrette."
We each found an old favorite on the sparkling wines by the glass menu. Ed opted for Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut with the traditional Champagne blend. Penny went the rosé, cabernet franc route with Louis de Grenelle Saumur.
It was such a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere that we lingered over a scrumptious Apple Tart with creme fraiche while chatting with others at the bar.
It's good the have this corner open and filled with life again. The reopening of Aquitaine shows the importance of restaurants and active retail shops to a streetscape.
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!
We love welcoming bar spaces and opted for two seats right at the front windows with a people watching view of the street.
Light, bright, and classy is certainly the new theme of the room.
This menu does a nice job of living up to the spirit of the Aquitaine region of France. Traditional favorites of the area like duck, mushrooms, truffles, foie gras, apples, and walnuts all appear among the offerings.
Penny's lunch choice (photo above) was the "Duck Confit Presse with Duck Rillette, Dijon Mustard, Gruyere Cheese, on Pan au Levain." This was a great sandwich. Balance of the few ingredients and just enough pressing and grilling made it memorable.
Ed is a fan of Salade Nicoise. The one he ordered for lunch was described as, "Ventresca Tuna, Shaved Fennel, Nicoise Olives, Golden Egg, Haricot Verts, Green Herb Vinaigrette."
We each found an old favorite on the sparkling wines by the glass menu. Ed opted for Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut with the traditional Champagne blend. Penny went the rosé, cabernet franc route with Louis de Grenelle Saumur.
It was such a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere that we lingered over a scrumptious Apple Tart with creme fraiche while chatting with others at the bar.
It's good the have this corner open and filled with life again. The reopening of Aquitaine shows the importance of restaurants and active retail shops to a streetscape.
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!
A trip to the Fenway neighborhood to do some errands was the perfect excuse to have lunch at Tiger Mama. We've been neglecting our list of new restaurants to try, and this one was high on that roster.
Lunch for two gave us the opportunity to try the Crispy Braised Pork & Pate Banh Mi that Penny had spotted on the online lunch menu. The description reads, "Garlicky pork spread, banh mi veggies, scallion vinaigrette."
We say, "Yes but you should have mentioned the roll that was a perfect match for this traditional Vietnamese offering." Often Banh Mi sandwiches are made with bread that is too substantial to allow the flavors of the fillings to shine.
We added the Chilled Salmon Chopped Salad. The menu describes it as, "Ginger garlic poached and chilled salmon, spicy greens, avocado, little potatoes, spicy peanut ginger dressing."
The lunch portions are large, as the excellent bartender warned another set of diners at the bar. They had ordered a lot of food to try. We heard and, even with two dishes, took some of the salad home for later snacking.
In this photo from the Tiger Mama website, you see the tables for six with a Lazy Susan to facilitate sharing. We can't wait to come back with four friends to fill that turntable with shareable items from the dinner menu.
Like Sweet Cheeks Q, another favorite of ours from the same team, this place is full of interesting details from a wall of greens …
To a fabulous piece of word art that contains proverbs in three languages. (Ask your server for a translation.)
Tin ceiling panels and wire lamps just seem right in this setting.
We follow the lead of our favorite food scout, MC Slim JB, so Tiger Mama went on our list as soon as this review appeared. Our first visit took far too long but our next one will be soon.
A trip to the Fenway neighborhood to do some errands was the perfect excuse to have lunch at Tiger Mama. We've been neglecting our list of new restaurants to try, and this one was high on that roster.
Lunch for two gave us the opportunity to try the Crispy Braised Pork & Pate Banh Mi that Penny had spotted on the online lunch menu. The description reads, "Garlicky pork spread, banh mi veggies, scallion vinaigrette."
We say, "Yes but you should have mentioned the roll that was a perfect match for this traditional Vietnamese offering." Often Banh Mi sandwiches are made with bread that is too substantial to allow the flavors of the fillings to shine.
We added the Chilled Salmon Chopped Salad. The menu describes it as, "Ginger garlic poached and chilled salmon, spicy greens, avocado, little potatoes, spicy peanut ginger dressing."
The lunch portions are large, as the excellent bartender warned another set of diners at the bar. They had ordered a lot of food to try. We heard and, even with two dishes, took some of the salad home for later snacking.
In this photo from the Tiger Mama website, you see the tables for six with a Lazy Susan to facilitate sharing. We can't wait to come back with four friends to fill that turntable with shareable items from the dinner menu.
Like Sweet Cheeks Q, another favorite of ours from the same team, this place is full of interesting details from a wall of greens …
To a fabulous piece of word art that contains proverbs in three languages. (Ask your server for a translation.)
Tin ceiling panels and wire lamps just seem right in this setting.
We follow the lead of our favorite food scout, MC Slim JB, so Tiger Mama went on our list as soon as this review appeared. Our first visit took far too long but our next one will be soon.
What better way to shine some light on the month that needs it most than by popping the cork on this lively, frothy bottle of bubbles we found by chance.
Penny had stopped into Formaggio Kitchen South End looking for a specific sparkler that a friend said they carried and met Julie Cappellano, the store’s General Manager and Wine Buyer. While that particular wine was not in stock and Penny wanted something right away (preferably Pinot forward) to take on a trip, Julie was able to recommend something perfect for our taste – a bottle of 2013 Leitz Spätburgunder Weissherbst.
This sparkling Pinot noir rosé from Germany’s Rheingau region is 100% tank-fermented, lees-aged and, as the winemaker puts it, “is light and sprightly,” and “exudes cool, fresh fruit and lean minerality.”
Julie describes the dominant fruit as, “deliciously juicy grapefruit, making this a perfect wine to sip on its own before dinner, or with hors dʼ’oeuvres & salads.”
We went the sip-on-its-own route and opened our first bottle on a deck overlooking the ocean just before sunset. It was perfect. And, an ideal way to add some sparkle to the shadows of December on our way to the Winter Solstice.
What better way to shine some light on the month that needs it most than by popping the cork on this lively, frothy bottle of bubbles we found by chance.
Penny had stopped into Formaggio Kitchen South End looking for a specific sparkler that a friend said they carried and met Julie Cappellano, the store’s General Manager and Wine Buyer. While that particular wine was not in stock and Penny wanted something right away (preferably Pinot forward) to take on a trip, Julie was able to recommend something perfect for our taste – a bottle of 2013 Leitz Spätburgunder Weissherbst.
This sparkling Pinot noir rosé from Germany’s Rheingau region is 100% tank-fermented, lees-aged and, as the winemaker puts it, “is light and sprightly,” and “exudes cool, fresh fruit and lean minerality.”
Julie describes the dominant fruit as, “deliciously juicy grapefruit, making this a perfect wine to sip on its own before dinner, or with hors dʼ’oeuvres & salads.”
We went the sip-on-its-own route and opened our first bottle on a deck overlooking the ocean just before sunset. It was perfect. And, an ideal way to add some sparkle to the shadows of December on our way to the Winter Solstice.
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."
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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
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