Last minute weekend visit to Boston...where to eat? help!

[somethingsflesh]

Hi all,

We've planned a last minute trip to Boston this weekend (first ever to New England for us west coasters). We are going to be staying in the Cambridge (Le Meridien) area for a conference at Harvard, but we will have a car. We would prefer to eat in the area...if its worth it. If not, we will gladly make a trip.

We want typical New England - lobster rolls, chowder, baked beans (Is Neptune the place to go? for lunch?). But also innovative or seasonal places (I've heard of EVOO...is this place any good? Hungry Mother? Blue Room?). We're not picky eaters, but we like our food delicious.

Basically, what can't we miss if we have 3 days in Boston/Cambridge?

Thanks in advance!

[heathermb]

The first thing that came to my mind when you say innovative and seasonal is Oleana - it's in Cambridge and a board search will yield many threads talking about Ana Sortun's approach to seasonal food with a Mediterranean bent.

I'd definitely recommend Neptune. Another great place in the North End is Prezza for italian and wood grilled meats.

Enjoy - hopefully it will be warmer than it is right now!

[heathermb]

Adding places links....

[somethingsflesh]

Thanks for the Oleana rec. I came across it in my (albeit harried) searches, and it does sound good.

[ghostcat]

I've never had a bad meal at Sidney's in your hotel. As for must not miss destinations, there will be hundreds of opinions. I do think that Neptune is a gem of a place. In Harvard Sq, I think Upstairs at the Square is hard to beat, although several friends and I enjoyed a great meal at OM this week, That is not typically New England fare, however. I think it would be worth taking the car out to head to Dante's which overlooks the Charles and Boston. The food there is serious. The Summer Shack near the downtown Sheraton is a favorite of mine, but several chows don't agree. It's easy to get to on public transit from your hotel. Enjoy you weekend!

[pondrat]

To gostcat's point, If staying in Cambridge I'd opt for the Summer Shack at Alewife...I find it a lot more lively. Fully agree with Oleana. May also consider Harvest in Harvard Square area ..they can be very NE seasonal.

[Joanie]

Besides the other suggestions, the 3 you mention in Cambridge (and Somerville) are all good. Even closer to your hotel is Rendezvous and Green St. for a couple other good choices and Miracle of Science across Mass Ave. for a fun drink and lunch.

[lesliewh]

It will be next to impossible to get a last-minute reservation at Oleana unless you want to eat at 5:30 or 9:30. As for the don't miss: Harvest would be a definite for a an excellent seasonal-menu restaurant, Neptune for the seafood, Hammersly's in the South End (also a lively area to walk around), also in the South End B & G Oysters (with Butcher Shop right across the side street for a great drink while you wait for your table), Hungry Mother is great and innovative, southern twist on the food and a little funky if you like that, Helmand for Afghan cuisine and a real Cambridge feel. I haven't been to EVOO in a few years but it is always good; across the street is Dali which is spanish. Best bets for New England spin on the food would be Hammersly's, B & G Oysters and Harvest. Best for casual seafood would be Summer Shack, but go to Alewife, as its more lively.

[emilief]

I recommend Troquet which has a nice view of Boston Common. We had diner there this week and it was wonderful. Not neccessarily New England but oh so yummy. The squash bisque with poached lobster appetizer and the roast suckling pig entree were excellent. They also had nantucket bay scallops and a stone crab ceviche as appetizers. Wonderful wine list with many flights and all glasses available in 2 and 4 oz. Excellent service also.

[Northender]

all the places you mentioned are great. Neptune Oyster is in the North End - an easy MBTA ride to Haymarket Station gets you there. Other posters love B&G in the South end for lobster rolls as well.

The Blue Room is consistently good and interesting. Hungry Mother is THE hot destination right now and tough to score a table but if you grab a seat at the bar you will get great service any way. It is a very cute place with a very interesting albeit limited menu Went once and loved and other posters also rave about it. Keep the car at the hotel and use the T, your feet or a cab.

[dulce de leche]

There are a bunch of good and great restaurants in walking distance from your hotel--if any interest you particularly, you should search on this board:
Salts--upscale, great attention to detail
Central Kitchen--French-ish bistro food with NE accents, good wine, great bar, nice place to meet other people
Green Street--excellent bartending, interesting food with a regional focus
Garden at the Cellar--my favorite right now, fresh & inventive cooking
Rendezvous--owned by ex-co owner of Blue Room, great food & wine & drinks

For drinks:
Miracle of Science
Cuchi Cuchi
Enormous Room
B-Side

In 20 minutes you could walk to:
Hungry Mother--southern style, love this place too
Blue Room--great food, drinks, wine list
Upstairs at the Square--beautiful food & service
Helmand--Afghan food (not my personal rec, I don't love the spice palette, but most people love it)
East Coast Grill--seafood and meat (again, not my personal favorite, but that's b/c it's not necessarily my favorite kind of food)

All of these places have something special about them. They may not be food you couldn't get somewhere else, but there's a local vibe to them and you will eat very well.

[fredid]

Great recommendations! Some quick thoughts: "Local" / New England food gets lots of tourists, but not raves on this board - except, of course, for seafood when it's well prepared. (I don't think anyone answered your chowder question - ideas, Hounds?) You might get steered by others (concierge, other conference goers) to Legal Seafood, which isn't well loved on the board - If you want to try it, I'd strongly recommend reading posts to find the best way to dine/choose, there. Neptune, and B + G, though, are both beloved!

Secondly, I'd also STRONGLY echo other's suggestion to not take your car into Boston (maybe the South End, but my guess would be No) - In Harvard Square, make sure you know where the garage is! Let us know how things go - we love to hear reports!

[somethingsflesh]

Thanks so much everyone for your great suggestions. I think we're going to do garden at the cellar tonight (just got in, and its close and we're starved and don't want to worry about resos), and perhaps neptune or bandG for dinner tomorrow. Then something more casual for lunch on sunday.

Will let you know how everything is. Thanks!

[somethingsflesh]

We didn't have nearly as much time to eat as we had hoped (short lunch break, conference didn't end until 1030). But we did get some meals in, as well as some quick bites.

Our first night, we ate at the Garden at the Cellar. I know I had read it was a gastro pub, but the atmosphere was not at all what we expected (it was also Halloween night). Either way, it didn't end up mattering. We ordered the vermont cheddar and tomato soup (because I really cannot resist vermont cheddar) which was good, although probably way too much for an appetizer. I saw it go by to another table, and I just had to have it. We also ordered the cod fritters. I thought they would be like cochinas I've had at brazilian restaurants, but these were much juicier. Very good and also a huge portion. By this time, I was already pretty stuffed, but we still had a skirt steak with truffle fries, turnip puree and garlic spinach and a pork chop with brussel sprout/bacon hash and fingerling gratin coming. Both were delicious, and so rich. My partner's steak was really delicious and cooked perfectly. Everything was solid and well prepared. I'm not sure I would call this place innovative, as they seem to do very well with simple preparations. This was great because it really highlighted the products.

For lunch the next day, we had 40 mins to find something quick in Harvard Square. We ended up going to Cadullos (sp?) for a sandwich, and some European imports I can't get in my city. This was a quick "need to eat" thing and wasn't bad, but of course seemed a little pricy. We had a reservation for b&g that night for 945, but totally missed it because of the length of the conference. Since it was getting late, we grabbed some burgers at Four Square (? is this the name) on Mass Ave, which was also fine, and satisfied the hunger craving.

Before leaving, though, we had to have a blowout seafood meal, even if it was Sunday (coming from the west coast, and currently living land locked, the missing fresh seafood in our diet has been much bemoaned). We went to Neptune, because it seemed the easier to get to by transit. And was it! You guys have a really great transit system - we got there in 15 minutes. We ordered a number of local-ish oysters, and a clam chowder and hot lobster roll. These really hit the spot. I have a question though, which may seem quite naive. Is the chowder at Neptune typical of new england chowder? it was super super tasty and well flavoured, but it was less thick than I had expected. Either way, everything we had was tasty, and we walked off our seafood/butter coma in the north end.

All your suggestions were wonderful, and I think we will have to come back and actually try some of them! Thanks again.

[twentyoystahs]

There are all sorts of "New England" chowders. Thick, heavy cream-laden soups; thin milky broths; and all sorts of in-between. You will find lots of the thicker styles at the touristy spots; i personally prefer allowing the flavor of the soup to shine through with a thinner broth, a la Neptune.

[somethingsflesh]

Yeah, don't get me wrong...the Neptune chowder was amazing - the clams tasted like ocean, and it was very flavourful without being overbearing. I was really impressed.