Monthly Archives: March 2012

The Butcher Shop

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If you weren’t looking for The Butcher Shop you’d walk right by and probably never know it existed. Marked only by an unassuming pig sign, the restaurant is located across from B&G Oysters (another Barbara Lynch eatery) on Tremont Street in the South End. We walked in and were greeted by the hostess clutching an iPad that held the reservation info; there’s no room for a stand or computer as the place only holds a bar and about 8-10 high tops. A wooden butcher’s table is located in the back where customers are brought to order a glass of wine while they wait for their table. This giant chopping block is illuminated by a refrigerator containing a variety of different cuts of meat, pates, sausage links, and small containers of soup, pulled pork, hummus etc that you can purchase. Doubling as a meat market, The Butcher Shop is small restaurant but has a lot of character with a clear culinary message.

Bread: Three pieces of soda bread and six pieces of white bread were delivered on a small plate with a mini ramekin of salted whipped butter and a side of honey. The bread was decent but was clearly just a vehicle for the spreads; sweet honey and salty butter made for a great pairing.

Menu: The Restaurant Week menu was limited with 2 appetizer options, 3 entrée choices, and 2 dessert selections. I convinced that my mom, that while there were only a couple of options, I was confident that we’d enjoy any one of Barbara Lynch’s creations. There was also a hand written Artisanal Cheese menu waiting for us on the stone table top.

Food/Presentation:
Lamb Carpaccio – quail egg, pickled baby artichoke, shallot mousse
Seven small thin slices of lamb were topped with artichokes leaves, quail egg, and shallot mousse in a perfect linear presentation. I first forked the egg to determine the runniness of the yolk; after seeing that it was in fact poached, I immediately ate the egg and piece of lamb in one big bite. I’ve never had lamb prepared that way and I really enjoyed it. I wish I had spread out the mousse into multiple bites, but thinking it was another egg I popped the entire thing into my mouth. Not a terrible idea though… it was soft, smooth, and melted on my tongue.

Shepherd’s Pie – parsnips, cauliflower, curry
An oval cast iron baking dish came overflowing with a blanket of pureed potato. Hiding beneath were large chunks of lamb and scarce pieces of cauliflower. The mashed potato was indeed smashed and whipped into a smooth topping. This entrée was pretty good, a smaller portion size, and had a bit of a spicy kick to it.

Chocolate Mousse
Typically mousse is light and fluffy but this version was dense and thick. Topped with a dollop of whipped cream, I actually enjoyed this more solid mousse which made for a richer dessert after a somewhat light meal (my Shepherd’s Pie wasn’t necessarily light, but the size wasn’t exactly overwhelming).

Bathroom: Located down a narrow stairwell in the basement, there’s 1 unisex room/stall that created a little bit of a line. The wall was adorned with a round mirror and framed drawings of different types of meat. A large scale was in the corner, clearly not intended to tempt/torture customers as it was “zeroed” at 150 lbs.

Service: We arrived on time but the couple at our table was just paying their bill, so we were escorted to the butcher’s chopping block in the back where we ordered a glass of wine. We sat 5-10 minutes later and ordered shortly after. My only complaint is that our first course came out 30 seconds after the bread. I like to enjoy my food, and never like being/feeling rushed; this wasn’t a huge deal, but give me a minute to enjoy your delicious bread before you clutter our small table with more plates!

Overall: One of the high lights of the evening was the wine; I wasn’t familiar with any of their offerings but told the server I liked a dry red. I ended up with the Bordeaux which was excellent. As the restaurant only had bar and high top seating it wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable/cozy spot, but no restaurant can compare in terms of décor and the actual butcher shop atmosphere. The regular menu is limited and specific, so just know what you’re getting yourself into before reserving here. I’m glad I tried The Butcher Shop but I won’t rush back for dinner, only because I generally like hearty meals/portions and more of a variety (as do the people I typically dine with). Although if I’m looking for an evening of apps and great wine this may be the first place I turn to! I look forward to trying the other restaurants in the Gruppo (I’m looking at you No. 9).

The Perfect Bite: Lamb carpaccio with quail egg and a piece of pickled artichoke.

http://thebutchershopboston.com

For more photos & descriptions of what everyone in my party ate, visit my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston

 

Marco

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I hadn’t really heard of Marco until a friend recently mentioned that I need to try it ASAP. As Restaurant Week was approaching at that time, I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to try multiple courses for a decent cost.

Bread: Small bites of foccacia bread were served with a bowl of peppers, onions, and capers. The accompaniments were atypical and luckily for Matt (he’s not a fan of peppers & onions) EVOO was also poured into a small dish. The bread was great and served well for dipping in future courses.

Menu: Marco was only offering their Restaurant Week menu which was actually 4 courses instead of the usual 3. They began with 4 options for Antipasti, followed by 3 for Insalate, 7 items for the main course of Piatti Principali, and finally 4 selections for Dolce. I made sure to come hungry!

Food/Presentation:
Gambero Bruschetta: shrimp, grilled foccacia, garlic, white wine, butter, tomatoes & capers
This is not your typical bruschetta! I had been warned by a friend who dined at Marco last week so luckily I knew what I was getting myself into with this dish, otherwise I may have been a bit confused. One piece of bread – submerged in the garlic, scallion, caper, white wine, and butter broth – was surrounded by tomatoes and topped with 3 large shrimp. The bread was thick enough that it wasn’t too soggy and the tomatoes were a great consistency of ripe yet soft due to being marinated in the broth. This was light & refreshing, and so delicious! You better believe I used the leftover foccacia bread to dip in that amazing broth.

Insalata di bietole: roasted beets, herbed goat cheese, frisee, hazelnut vinaigrette
A mound of cubed beets was topped with goat cheese & frisee, and surrounded by a scattering of chopped red onion and hazelnuts. Often beet salads are more greens than actual beets, but this was not the case here. I could have used a bit more cheese, but otherwise I loved everything about this course, especially the plentiful onions & hazelnuts!

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese: house-made tagliatelle, classic bolognese
I couldn’t resist ordering my favorite pasta dish! The tagliagtelle was of course cooked al dente, and was swimming in an almost creamy sauce of ground meat and pieces of tomato. In general I consider myself an over-saucer (I pour on extra gravy like it’s my job) but if I’m being critical I would say this dish was just a bit over sauced. The sauce was delicious, but too much of a good thing isn’t always the best. I did however really enjoy it, and especially appreciated the amount of tomato chunks!

Tiramisu: espresso and rum soaked lady fingers, mascarpone cream
This dessert was equal parts soaked ladyfingers and creamy custard. I have to be careful with dairy and cream in general, so it wasn’t my personal favorite tiramisu due to the amount of custard but it was still good. A perfect little portion to end a really excellent meal.

Bathroom: Past the bar are 2 doors, each a unisex restroom. Not much to say here; the room was quite small, with 2 mirrors on opposite wood-paneled walls, and a wicker basket holding a fan of paper towels.

Service: The service was great and each course was delivered in perfect timing. Our waitress was friendly and informative. I liked the glass bottle of tap water they left on the table for us to pour.

Overall: I very rarely have a 4-course meal but I’m glad we did tonight; everything was really great! The restaurant itself is quite charming, a small spot located on the 2nd floor above Bricco on Hanover Street. Marco has a cute bar that sits maybe 6 people and a dining room featuring hard wood floors, brick walls, wooden tables & chairs, and a faux fireplace setting a casual and rustic atmosphere. Serving family style dinner on Sundays, I would recommend Marco any day of the week!
A bonus: they validate parking in the Parcel 7 Garage for $1 if you’re in & out in less than 3 hours.

The Perfect Bite: There was a perfect bite in each course! But if I must choose one I’ll say dipping bread in that bruschetta broth and topping it with a soaked tomato, oh wow!

oh there you are bread!

oh there you are bread!

www.marcoboston.com

dish EVOO was poured into

dish EVOO was poured into

For more photos & descriptions of what everyone in my party ate, visit my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston

Beacon Street Tavern

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On this particular evening, OpenTable determined our dining fate; we were looking for something near by that had seating within an hour. Sure we could probably gone up the street to Devlin’s or Smokin’ Joes, but I want my points baby so OpenTable led us to Beacon Street Tavern in Brookline.

Bread: After ordering the chips & guac our server asked if we wanted bread as well, and we really only got it for the sake of the blog. Two rustic rolls were served with a small tin of butter. The bread wasn’t bad, but would have been really great if it was served warm.

Menu: This was an interesting menu with sections like Snacks, Shared, Platters, and Sides. Matt & I were given two different meus at first; our Snacks sections differed, which was disappointing because we had our eyes on the Smokey Duck Confit Grilled Cheese, but it turns out that was on the incorrect menu. I was tempted by the Salmon and Scallop additions but we opted for the selections below.

Food/Presentation:
Chips & Guacamole
It’s rare that we don’t give in to guac, and this was probably the one time we should have said no to the temptation. The chips were great, I love a salty chip! But the guacamole was way too smooth and almost tasted like a paste. It had little flavor and no chunks or texture. Not the best.

Hummus & Cheese Platter – grilled halloumi cheese, vermont cheddar, grilled figs with gorgonzola and balsamic reduction, quinoa salad, mixed olives, grilled pita bread with edamame and spiced hummus
I was pleasantly surprised by this Shared Platter! I’ve never heard of or tried halloumi cheese and will now be looking for it in the grocery store. The figs were warm, stuffed with cheese and topped with a sweet drizzle of balsamic reduction (my 2nd favorite item on the plate). The hummus was good but my favorite was the quinoa salad; it was tossed with corn and cranberries and had a hint of sweetness.

Veggie Burger – black beans, guacamole, arugula, on ciabatta & fries
The burger was topped with guac and served with fries (we substituted for the sweet potato version). Unless it’s dry or falls apart, it’s hard to really screw up a veggie burger. This was pretty decent but the fries stole the show. It’s difficult to get a good crispy sweet potato fry and each one of these were just that.. not one limpy fry in sight!

Bathroom: 2 stalls, 2 sinks, 2 mirrors. I didn’t expect much decor for a bar/tavern, but it was clean, had a pretty tiled mirror, and cheerful purple walls that held black & white photos.

Service: The fastest service in the history of dining. We sat around 6:50pm and maybe ordered everything within 10 minutes, asking that the chips & guac come out as an appetizer. The bread & app were brought out one after the other, and as soon as we finished the guacamole the Hummus & Cheese and Veggie Burger were immediately delivered. We were done eating by 7:28pm. Perhaps they were rushing us b/c there were people waiting for tables? Either way I wasn’t disturbed by it, just surprised by how fast everything happened!

Overall: Beacon Street Tavern has a great outdoor patio, a lounge/bar area, and booths, tables and high tops for indoor dining. The menu is different with a few salads and soups, sandwiches, and entrees, but mostly appetizer type offerings made for sharing. I don’t think you need to rush there for dinner but it’s a nice spot for some decently priced good food and drink. I really enjoyed their cocktail menu because they told you what drink is served in what glass, which makes it easier to determine what’s a martini, what’s on the rocks etc. They had an extensive beer selection as well. Overall a good meal!

Kool Mo Tea

Kool Mo Tea


The Perfect Bite: That Hummus Platter was pretty good. I liked everything on it but really loved the quinoa salad! Who knew a bar/tavern could whip that up.

www.beacon1032.com

For photos and more food info, visit my Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston

Forum

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My first Restaurant Week Lunch experience! Forum was chosen because of their outdoor seating, their presence on OpenTable, and the menu looked delicious!

Bread: None was served during lunch.

Menu: This was my first Restaurant Week Lunch, and the menu looked excellent with 3 options in the first course, 4 in the second, and 2 for dessert. I opted for the Light Lunch for $15.12 and ordered an appetizer and entrée.

Food/Presentation:
Fish Tacos – local cod, red cabbage, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli
Three fish tacos were served in soft tortillas in a taco holder. I guess it’s my fault for not asking, but I assumed the fish would be grilled and not fried. After getting passed that initial disappointed I did end up enjoying this course, especially the chipotle aioli, yum. Not the best fish tacos I’ve ever had but certainly not bad at all.

Flatbread – roasted garlic, butternut squash, ricotta, fontina, basil
Sounds amazing right? Well it would have been had I been in the kitchen. I’ve made a butternut squash flatbread 5 times better than this mess (granted I was following a recipe, but still). The squash seemed to be haphazardly thrown onto the dough, as was the random shreds of basil. The cheese was also a bit overwhelming; the ratio of squash to cheese was way off for me. Maybe it’s my OCD kicking in, but I like flatbreads to be even with each piece consisting of all ingredients. Sub-par 2nd course.

Bathroom: Really nice, with a pretty flower display (I have a thing for branches in arrangements). Two stalls, two sinks, large wide mirror.

Service: I found myself looking around for our server every now and then, wondering where our 2nd course was, and why it was taking so long to bring the bill. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so critical; I tend to have a “hurry up and go” attitude and need to learn to relax every now & then!

Overall: A bit of a disappointment overall. I’m glad I went for Restaurant Week, otherwise I wouldn’t have been happy paying the regular prices for the dishes I ordered: the fish tacos are normally $13 and the flatbread around $15. Salads and Sandwiches run $12-$16 for lunch, and dinner Pastas and Entrées range $26-$38 – kind of steep. Their menu items sound incredible, but then again so did my flatbread. I sat outdoors but the interior had a contemporary yet elegant vibe. Cocktails are a normal city price ($10-$12) so I’d consider returning to sit at their long rectangular bar, which is equip with at least 8 TVs on either side and comfy stools.

The Perfect Bite: Honestly, nothing about this meal was perfect. The fish tacos weren’t bad, I just wish they weren’t fried…

http://forumboston.com

For more photos visit my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston

Grotto

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Stop #1 for Winter Restaurant Week 2012! I’ve been to Grotto once a couple of years ago and remember having an incredible bolognese, so I knew this place made great Italian food. After looking at their RW menu offerings I immediately made a reservation. It was time I return!

Bread: About 6 slices of soft white bread was served with a side dish of EVOO and olives. This almost had the consistency of potato bread, which I’m not complaining about! We could have used a little more EVOO, or perhaps some parmesan to sprinkle on top?

Menu: Most Restaurant Week menus are limited, but not Grotto’s! There were 9 Primi options, 9 Secondi choices, and 4 Dolce offerings. I had to study the menu for days in order to mentally prepare myself. As I had already tried their Bolognese years ago, I ended up going with my selections below (but of course tried a bite of everyone else’s dishes!).

Food/Presentation:
Zuppa: garlic soup, black truffle, parmesan, toasted bread crumbs
Served in a wide bowl, this soup was not a puree nor was it exactly broth based. It didn’t contain cream, but had a liquid-y creamy texture. Really flavorful and not too filling which was perfect … I just adore soup!

Zucca: sweet potato ravioli, amaretti, sage, brown butter
Six ravioli were served, each topped with a tiny mound of shaved parmesan. When I ordered this entree I mistakenly said “butternut squash ravioli”, as I usually think of these 2 veggies as one in the same. I clearly have not had sweet potato ravs in quite some time; this was the sweetest pasta dish I’ve ever tasted. Rich and full of different flavors, I really enjoyed it!

Budino: banana bread pudding, caramel ice cream, spiced walnuts
The bread pudding was topped with a giant scoop of creamy caramel ice cream, and surrounded by a scattering of spiced walnuts. This was unbelievable, but after cleaning the plates of my first 2 courses I regrettably couldn’t finish this one. The bread pudding was moist and delicious; I should have at least taken that part home!

Bathroom:
Grotto itself is a small underground restaurant, and the bathroom reflects that. Located in the back past the kitchen, this one room unisex restroom didn’t have many unique or warm characteristics. I did like the fruity smelling soap though!

Service: Our server was nice and able to answer our menu questions. Our water glasses were constantly being refilled, which as a ‘conscious hydrator’ I always appreciate. We were seated for a good 2 hours, which I thought was a bit long, but sometimes it’s nice to take time in between each course.

Overall: Grotto is a small cozy establishment, seating only about 44 people (and up to 55 for private parties). Whether it’s Restaurant Week or a regular Tuesday, I highly suggest you try Grotto for an excellent hearty Italian meal. All of their Primi, Secondi, and Dolces on the regular menu are the same price ($10, $21, and $9 respectively) and they also offer a daily prix-fixe dinner menu for $36.

The Perfect Bite: Each of the three courses I ordered was fantastic! If I have to choose… I’ll go with the Garlic Soup. It was light, delicious, and quite flavorful.

 www.grottorestaurant.com

For more photos and descriptions of what everyone in my party ate, visit my Facebook Page. Be sure to “Like” it! 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston