406957 Thu May 31 16:20:52 -0700 2007 19 12 Boston Area 0 2618706 "Boston Public" is a boring name, but I do love this place. Other than moving the bar out to the former lounge area, changing the furniture, and painting the walls, it's pretty much the same Restaurant L I have loved. Although, I don't care for the new placement of the bar, or the loss of the more spacious lounge. I also don't understand why they did this, because they kept the old bar where it was and seem to be using it as a waitstation, which is a huge waste of space, and now the tables seem really jammed together- much more so than before. But the menu is still pure Pino Maffeo amazement. Love the bread and soft miso cream cheese, love the many cuts of beef with accompanying salts from around the world, love the cinnamon pickles they serve with the Kobe burger (to die for pickles). The fact that an Italian guy can produce such wonderful Asian flavors is rather remarkable. I think I'd eat most of my meals there if I could afford it. The one thing I miss is the famous lychee champagne cocktail. That needs to go back on the menu. When we were there, there was no cocktail list, but the bartender claimed he could "do anything." So we requested our favorite (the signature drink at our wedding was copied from this one), and the lychee puree was suddenly "missing." If I'm not mistaken, the full liquor license is new. Maybe they should get rid of the hard stuff and go back to the beer and wine. That was my only complaint. Service was great. Kudos to Pino! Thu May 31 16:20:52 -0700 2007 101438 hsquare2southend 1 2619331 Great! Nice review. I'm ashamed to say that I never made it to Restaurant L even though Pino Maffeo is a gifted chef I read about and follow, and admire. Really looking forward to checking out what he is doing with BP. Thanks for reminding me - what am I waiting for? : ) Thu May 31 20:51:51 -0700 2007 2618706 10271 Rubee 2 2629033 I agree, a very nice review. It is nice to know that "The Street" is offering food worthy of its shopping opportunities. As an aside, check out Hancock Street in Quincy, and Little Q (excellent broths) and Fuji for interesting off-the-beaten-track food. The parking is free or almost free, and it is well worth the detour (for food - the shopping is not there yet) Return to Boston for your two-hour meter and you are good to go. I look forward to returning to Louis for the new menu! Mon Jun 04 14:52:03 -0700 2007 2619331 51746 chowfamily 1 2619805 L definitely had full liquor, though I was less impressed by their specialty cocktails. Too many sugary drinks for my taste (though I generally like cocktails built on fresh muddled fruits and herbs), and too many drinks served lukewarm, shocking at $14 a throw. So it sounds like it's really Boston Public, not "Boston Public Meat", as it appears on OpenTable. That would be a more appealing name. I am definitely curious to try this place, share your opinion of Maffeo's talent. I saw a bunch of diners on the patio at lunch on a recent beautiful day. Fri Jun 01 05:20:43 -0700 2007 2618706 10143 MC Slim JB 2 2639035 Hi Hounds, sorry to interrupt, but we'd like to keep this board focused on the quality of the chow rather than the quality of the restaurant's name. We understand that there's a great temptation to chat about such food-tangential issues such as restaurant naming, but it's not really the mission of the boards. We appreciate your help and restraint in keeping our boards focused on the chow. Thanks. Thu Jun 07 11:29:40 -0700 2007 2619805 2 The Chowhound Team 3 2639119 Sorry for the non-food oriented tangent. I did enjoy Restaurant L in its older incarnation, and will return to see what the chef is up to. Whatever the name, the food is delicious, and I will report back in a more substantive, about-the-food post. It is in an excellent location, and thanks again to the OP for bringing it up. Thu Jun 07 11:49:48 -0700 2007 2639035 51746 chowfamily 1 2628925 Agree Pino is a very talented chef. I will def try this incarnation of what Im sure will be somewhat out of kilter. Why do I say this? Cause EVERY eatery that's graced this place has been... going way back to the days of Michael Schlow. Most of the problem is that this is an awkward space for a restaurant... esp with the small kitchen downstairs. It always seemed that the Rest L management was not too organized. Poor service... food was great, but expensive given the lack of good service and weird table spacing... so, as a total experience was lacking. I have had some KILLER dishes there I must admit... but it was hard to overlook the rest. Also, wine program fell apart since the days of George and JoAnne. All is all the best time for that space was when George and JoAnne had the place. Again, super expensive, but had great food and you could always get in. Still has the BEST VALET PARKING in the city. So, will try it, but will be surprised if they (all of a sudden) get their act together. Someone should bankroll Pino in a different venue... he's a great talent. Mon Jun 04 14:25:00 -0700 2007 2618706 27914 WineTravel 1 2629132 I assume the link on the Louie's website is outdated. Just curious, if anyone knows of a current link/menu page and/or more details about the menu, or how lunch compares to the dinner menu? Hoping to check it out for lunch this week. Mon Jun 04 15:22:41 -0700 2007 2618706 10271 Rubee 2 2629485 The menu has a whole bunch of dishes that were previously offered at L. And a newer bigger section of steak house fare - different cuts of beef from different parts of the country. Mon Jun 04 16:59:56 -0700 2007 2629132 10076 limster 3 2630688 Guess he's trying to have the best of both worlds... keep some of the dishes he has developed a following for (he's so VERY talented)... and try to appeal to the large steak crowd that seems to pack every steak house these days. No question the place needs to attract a larger dinner crowd. Every place that's been there has been packed for lunch, but slow for dinner. Hope this formula finally works for that space, but as mentioned above I doubt it.... even with that killer valet parking. Wish them luck though. Tue Jun 05 06:38:46 -0700 2007 2629485 27914 WineTravel 4 2630711 The Laotian pork ribs were absolutely incredible. Served with a spicy dipping sauce that must've been 75 percent green chiles. Tue Jun 05 06:47:04 -0700 2007 2630688 45745 wittlejosh 5 2630729 Is that a first for Boston? I've had to drive to Lowell for anything remotely Laotian. Tue Jun 05 06:51:08 -0700 2007 2630711 10143 MC Slim JB 6 2631008 Laotian-ish, at least. Laos with a Texan twang? Tue Jun 05 08:13:26 -0700 2007 2630729 45745 wittlejosh 6 2631015 His Laotian Ribs were on the menu at Restaurant L. Tue Jun 05 08:15:13 -0700 2007 2630729 16490 Bostonbob3 7 2631553 I could've sworn the Resto L categorized them as Thai, though. Whatever they were, they were great. What's more, I'm not a big steak eater but it was at Resto L that I had one of the best pieces of beef of my life, the applewood-grilled w/ 4 salts...which is, of course, on the BP menu too, as the OP notes. Tue Jun 05 10:40:06 -0700 2007 2631015 11106 tatamagouche 7 2643555 The former sous chef at L was from Indochina, I can't remember whether it was Laos or Cambodia. Apparently he's no longer at Boston Public Meat. Fri Jun 08 17:06:04 -0700 2007 2631015 10076 limster 5 2630980 Wow sounds great. I hope they have it on the lunch menu. We're going tomorrow. Perfect for us - E can enjoy his steak and I can order the more creative dishes. Will report back! Tue Jun 05 08:06:04 -0700 2007 2630711 10271 Rubee 1 2640160 I looked in when shopping at Louis last week and did not like the new look or prices. Thu Jun 07 17:00:13 -0700 2007 2618706 103912 cigalechanta 2 2640366 I was under the impression that the prices were roughly the same as Restaurant L i.e. the same dishes cost roughly the same amount. How much percent-wise was the price increase? Thu Jun 07 18:16:39 -0700 2007 2640160 10076 limster 3 2673016 The prices are the same as Restaurant L. I was shocked when, a couple of summers ago, I ordered that steak (the one with the 4 salts) at "market price" and realized I had eaten a $50 steak. However, it was, as the PP notes, the best steak of my life. Tue Jun 19 05:58:05 -0700 2007 2640366 101438 hsquare2southend