Business Dinner Rec?
Looking for a recommendation for an upscale business dinner in Boston; expense is no object; quality of food should be top notch; atmosphere shouldn't be too stuffy; food needs to a bit more diverse than steakhouses typically offer...something along the lines of a No 9 Park, but with a little more relaxed/hip atmosphere.
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cassoulady
Jan 31, 2008 12:11 PM
Mistral would be a great business dinner and they have a lot of non-steak selections.
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re: treb
MC Slim JB
Jan 26, 2008 07:11 AM
Cottonwood?! Good Lord, don't take anyone there on a business dinner if you'd like them to return your calls in the future. It's a chain-level Southwestern restaurant with Back Bay prices. Awful.
Some modest stretches beyond the steakhouse include Avila and Davio's, siblings in the Back Bay that do the luxury chophouse thing on one side of the menu, and an upscale, creative take on something else (eclectic Mediterranean at the former, Italian at the latter) on the other. Good bars, good wine lists, expansive atmosphere, good private dining rooms.
As someone else suggested, Mistral and Sorellina are also good choices, especially if you can expense them, since they're both seriously overpriced for the food, in my book. But an excellent overall experience otherwise: solid food (French-leaning New American at the former, creative Italian at the latter), very good service, chic atmosphere -- less of a business entertaining crowd, though there's plenty of that going on, too.
A certain kind of client I might take to Oishii Boston or O ya. They're our highest-end Japanese places, both rather creative with great atmosphere and superb food for the likely-$300+/head tab. But they're not for everyone. (I'd put sashimi specialist Uni on that list, but it's so small that it is not appropriate for larger parties).
For a North End experience, I might suggest Prezza, which does Italian wood grilling and superb pastas with a great wine list. Compact, buzzing atmosphere, modern decor, a good bar, reservations, valet, dessert: has most everything you'd want for business entertaining that many otherwise-worthy North End places lack.
Good luck! I'd love to hear where you ended up and how it worked for you.
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