Dinner suggestions
Jun. 22nd, 2006 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
msmemory_archiveIt's that time of year again! My birthday and our wedding anniversary* both fall in the first half of July, and therefore we go out to "fancy" dinner twice. We have some favorite restaurants we return to again and again: Blue Ginger, the Blue Room, J's Restaurant at Nashoba Winery.
But knowing we have foodie friends, what restaurants are we missing out on? Please make recommendations.
*19 years, can you believe it?
But knowing we have foodie friends, what restaurants are we missing out on? Please make recommendations.
*19 years, can you believe it?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 03:26 am (UTC)I'd be glad to cook you a fancy dinner better than anything you could get at a restaurant, for the price of materials. (And if you like this offer but get a better one from one of the superior cooks in the Barony, take it and I'll be rooting you on.)
I've already told you about my Big Three restaurants (Harvest, Henrietta's Table, and Trochet), so I'll mention one that I haven't: The Central Kitchen. It's a Wine Bar with very nice American tapas sorts of things. It probably loses on the fancy axis for the purposes of your birthday, but the food and wine are both top notch. I think of it as better than ZuZu's for just a touch less money.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 01:47 pm (UTC)I've read some poor reviews of Henrietta's Table, mostly commenting on the service, but I've always had good experiences there.
I don't think Harvest is worth the money.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 06:12 pm (UTC)It is certainly expensive. I like it for a couple of reasons: 1) I'm awfully fond of atrium dining, which you can do there in the summer. Outdoors yet enclosed is a draw for me - probably why I'm willing to go to the Ashmont Grille, even if I think the mixed drinks are too heavy on the alchohol, and the food a bit erratic (when they are good, I've found them to be very good, but so far, one of my three visits has been pretty ordinary). 2) of the three I mentioned, I think Henrietta's Table has the best food, Trochet has the best wine experience, and Harvest has a decent mix of the two. The price fixe menu with a good wine flight was certainly at the top of the range of what I'd be willing to pay for that level of experience (I think it was $80/person, but that is just a back of my mind memory), but they'll take a chance on things I don't normally manage to get. My sweetbread experiment at Christmas was a result of having a fabulous little appetizer there, for example. Wish I had done as well as they had with it.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 03:28 am (UTC)High end in cost, especially if you take advantage of their yummy wine selection. L'espalier requires dress up; No 9 park a little less necessary. Both require reservations a fair bit in advance.
New find in Ashland: The Oregon Club (www.theoregonclub.com). On-line reviews were all over the place, but we really enjoyed it a couple weeks ago and look forward to trying their new menu soon. Cost was mid to highish, but they couldn't have cared less that we went in without a reservation and wearing jeans and casual tops. Service was friendly, but not overbearing. Food was inventive, tasty and well-done. We thought we didn't have room for dessert, but when we heard the selections we found it.... :)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 04:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 11:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 01:32 pm (UTC)You still have my number? I have yours....
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 05:29 pm (UTC)And msmemory, congrats and happy birthday! I don't know any restaurants in Boston anymore, but the Miramar Beach Inn in Half Moon Bay is quite nice, next time you're on this coast.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 07:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 10:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 03:55 am (UTC)If you haven't tried EVOO, I recommend them, too.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 04:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 04:05 am (UTC)In other areas, we ate at Rendevous in Central Square once. One of David's friends knows the head chef and we kept on getting sent freebies, so that didn't suck. The food was delicious but the presentation was AMAZING, although I couldn't quite get over that the building used to be a Burger King (I did make a quip upon coming back from the bathroom that THOSE hadn't changed at all, and I was surprised they were still letting the homeless woman sleep in there—Obviously not true, but worth a laugh.)
Do you like Ethiopian food at all? Addis Red Sea in the South End is fantastic and I wish I could eat there every day. Try the honey wine if you go...I need to find a place to buy that by the case for Pennsic.
There's a fancy Thai place called Montien here in Inman Square that's been Best of Boston a few times. It's pretty inside, but I've only ever gotten take-out (which was very good.)
David says Dali for tapas and yummy sangria, very very good food. His description of the interior sounds very swanky and sexy. It's on Kirkland(Camb.)/Washington(Somer.) and Beacon(Somer.)/Hampshire(Camb.) right on the Camberville border (hence the annoying need to clarify street names since they change when they cross the border.)
We ate at Olé (again in Inman) once and I was actually surprised at how good it was. I think someone told me it was overpriced and not worth it, but I really enjoyed the food I got and the guacamole really IS worth nine bucks, which I would not have thought was possible.
Diva in Davis Square is good for Indian although I usually go to Cafe of India in Harvard because it's closer and I used to work a block away and knew all the waiters by sight. They're owned by the same people and the food is more or less the same, but Diva is a little sexier on the inside.
Hmm. My ideas are petering out. Hope that this gives you at least some new inspiration!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 05:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 06:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 01:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 09:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 11:16 am (UTC)Have you been to Ruth's Chris Steak House (if there's one near you)?
You can expect to drop at least $100 there, but it'll be worth every penny. The food is delectable, and the service is astounding. I'm told they have an amazing wine selection, but never having been a wine drinker, I wouldn't know.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 11:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 12:42 pm (UTC)This place is fun and food is very good:
http://www.siblingrivalryboston.com/
Excellent steak frites and the profiteroles with warm chocolate sauce are to die for: http://www.colonnadehotel.com/dining_at_brasserie_jo/
And I second Goldsquare's nomination for Gargole's--fabulous food, excellent service and reasonably priced which is a hard combination to find. Hoisin & Honey Glazed Duck Confit--oh my that was good.
http://gargoylesonthesquare.com
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 01:04 pm (UTC)Pre-congrats!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 01:55 pm (UTC)For our anniversary we discovered Conundrum in Harvard Square. It's sort of hidden, which is nice. Small, good service, and lovely food. They have outdoor dining in the back which is really nice. Reasonable prices for a fancy meal. And it's next door to the new Raven used bookstore and at the end of Harvard Square where parking isn't impossible to find.
In that area, I've heard good things about OM, but I haven't eaten there myself.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 02:00 pm (UTC)Newlyweds are so cute!
Horrified to realize my knowledge is good restaurants is too outdated to give a useful recommendation. I'll leave that to your other friends, who still have a life.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 02:22 pm (UTC)I love Sel de la Terre, and their bread in particular is exquisite. It's business casual, but you can dress up and not feel out of place.
400 Highland in Davis Square is new, sleek, and super-tasty. Same kind of dress-up deal.
Les Zygomates is a wonderful French bistro down by South Station, with a perfect sommelier. A bit more chichi.
I love the Harvest.
If you are feeling very adventurous, Wild Bites in Amesbury is an unprepossessing storefront with an amazing cook. You can go in and just ask him to cook for you, and he'll make you something that's not on the menu, pair it with wine, etc. (There's a Residence Inn down the street...;)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 02:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 02:46 pm (UTC)hmmm, restaurants:
http://www.bostonchefs.com/ is always a good resource.
Chez Henri between porter and harvard is always a fav - french influenced cuban with to die for steak frites.
Green Street Grille (green street, cambridge) is really good, casual, and spicey. If you like spicey, you got to try this.
East Coast Grill in Inman square is also really good.
Grill 23 or Hammersleys are great steak houses
Le Soir in newton is definitely worth the trip out.
Lumiere, Radius, Rialto, No 9 Park, L'espalier are all top notch, get dressed up restaurants.
Sibling Rivalry looks really good - gonna have to go check it out soon.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 04:01 pm (UTC)Do you have any other plans for The Day for vicarious reading-by-LJ-friends?
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 04:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 06:33 pm (UTC)Heard of This?
Date: 2006-06-23 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 05:12 am (UTC)Sunday brunch at Henrietta's Table in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge.
$50/head, so bring your appetite. It's an experience.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 05:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 12:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 06:20 am (UTC)