612727 Fri Apr 17 07:34:17 -0700 2009 44 12 Boston Area 0 4603989 Tupelo is opening on April 23rd, and I'm pretty excited! No menu posted yet that I have found, but this is what they posted on Twitter: Concept: Comfort Food with a Southern Drawl. Gumbo, grits, daube of beef, roast chicken, biscuits. Beer & wine. Chef: Rembs Layman - worked at Providence, Chez Henri, Pomodoro (also did winter menu), Matt Murphy's, La Morra. Mother from New Orleans. Desserts: Renee McLeod of Petsi Pies owner, so pies. Tosci ice cream. Banana pudding, bread pudding, cobbler. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambridge-MA/Tupelo/77097106293 I really hope they have something with andouille.... also, a weekend brunch would make my year! Fri Apr 17 07:34:17 -0700 2009 91127 voodoocheese 1 4604025 ROAST chicken? Fri Apr 17 07:46:18 -0700 2009 4603989 13596 DoubleMan 1 4624021 Tonight was the first night, did anyone stop in? I won't make it in until next week! Thu Apr 23 21:38:54 -0700 2009 4603989 91127 voodoocheese 2 4624373 It was definitely open yesterday evening, but I was running late and only checked it out from across the street. Fri Apr 24 06:04:42 -0700 2009 4624021 12962 itaunas 2 4627321 My wife and I went last night. They serve sweet tea, and banana pudding, so it's Southern enough for me. Definitely going for more of a cajun/creole style. Apps that I remember from the menu: couple of salads, fried oysters, crab salad with toast points (delicious!!!), shrimp remoulade entrees: beer-battered spinach crepes (my wife had these- rich, but also much lighter than one would expect), half roasted chicken with cheese grits and greens, daube of beef, fried catfish, pork chops (I had these- two perfectly done thin bone-in chops. A little too much of a flour taste on some bites but nice and peppery. Reminds me of the pork chops you get for breakfast sometimes down south. Served over delicious red beans and rice with a honey biscuit.) Dessert is done by the owner of Petsi Pie's. I had a banana pudding that was out of this world. The closest I've found yet to my childhood memories of banana pudding. I have to say, as good as the homemade vanilla wafers (and they were very, very good) were, I still would've rather had Nilla wafers. Call me a purist. My wife got a strawberry rhubarb cobbler. It could've been a little tarter for me, but still, very good and very true to tradition. Beer and wine only. We'll definitely be back- I saw the daube of beef and the catfish on other tables and they both looked worth coming back for. Sat Apr 25 05:36:18 -0700 2009 4624021 28574 bobot 3 4627891 Here's the full menu, from their facebook page: Mixed lettuces, hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes and lemon vinaigrette. 5 Baby Spinach and apple salad with Creole vinaigrette. 5 Fried oysters with green tomatoes and traditional tarter sauce. 8 Southern spiced turkey meatballs with a wedge of French bread for mopping up. 6 Deviled Crab salad served with garlic toasts. 7 Shrimp Remoulade with two sauces. 8 ----------- Seafood Creole over rice. 7 Jambalaya and Etouffee. 7 ----------- Beer Batter Crepes: Creamed spinach filled crepes topped with smoked mozzarella, slow roasted tomatoes and shaved fennel salad. 12 Daube of Beef: Beef braised in red wine with hominy mashed potatoes, slow cooked greens and Creole horseradish cream. 15 Half Roasted Chicken: Bourbon-Maple BBQ chicken with cheddar grits, sweet onions and quick dressed greens. 14 Fried Cat Fish: Crispy Cat fish with fresh green tomatoes, parsley potatoes and pickled jalapeno aioli. 14.5 New Orleans Gumbo: Classic Southern stew of andouille sausage and pulled chicken. 9 Pan Roasted Pork Chops: Served, roasted and served over Charlotte Andry’s red beans and rice. 14 ----------- Parsley mashed potatoes. 5 Hominy mashed potatoes. 5 Braised Hearty Greens. 5 Cheddar Grits. 5 Red Beans and Rice. 5 Sat Apr 25 10:49:16 -0700 2009 4627321 184951 hckybg 1 4638330 We went on Sunday night and am very happy with this addition to Inman Sq. We ordered: Pimento cheese (freebie starter) - set the mood well --------------------------------- Fried Oysters - Fried just enough, Not too chewey. Portion was a little small (3) but with all the other food it was ok. Deviled Crab - OMG! Delicious! --------------------------------- Beer battered crepes (veg) - looked like a small portion on the plate but rich and filling Shrimp & Grits - OMG! Ridiculously delicious! This was a special of the day and I hope it makes it on to the menu permanently! Collard Greens - a little soupy but not bad --------------------------------- Chocolate bread pudding - This was our only dud. It's the wrong season for something this rich and heavy. And, it desperately needed a scoop of vanilla (which we asked for). I'm excited to go back and order some of the lighter/fruitier desserts though. Coffee - individual presses, flavorful Equally as satisfying as the food is the mood overall. It's comfortable, home-y, and neighborhood-y. The staff is super friendly and very attentive (but not too in your face). The prices are very reasonable as well. We'll definitely be back. Wed Apr 29 06:33:07 -0700 2009 4603989 27375 beforesunrise 2 4808035 Went to Tupelo last night and had a wonderful meal. The special appetizer of fried grits was good but not out of this world and the bread basket was just all right. But I loved the fried catfish which I substituted with hominy mashed potatoes (out of this world) and pickled green tomatoes (LOVED the green tomatoes). The dessert of mixed berry pie with buttermilk ice cream was okay. I found the pie too sweet but won't hold it against them since the pies and ice cream aren't made in-house. The white watermelon sangria was refreshing since the place was packed and hot. Best of all, this place is REALLY reasonably priced - which is a rare find for decent food. Like beforesunrise, I'll definitely return there again. Fri Jun 26 07:34:24 -0700 2009 4638330 429926 CreativeFoodie42 1 4641015 Saw the article get announced on Thrillist Boston. Definitely looking forward to trying the place out. Wed Apr 29 19:41:56 -0700 2009 4603989 84040 InNOutBurger 1 4674471 Fecalface went to Tupelo this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised. Good value for the money, with a super hipster atmosphere. Started with the crispy grits with Frank's hot sauce. These were basically fried cubes of grits, with a bottle of Frank's on the side. They had an interesting texture (like toothsome tofu) but with a creamier core. However, fecal feels like if the chef is going to put hot sauce in the name of the dish then he should dose it out instead of slapping a bottle on the table....fecal thought the hot sauce was going more integrated into the dish. Fecal also had the beer crepe entree with a side of rice and beans. Beans were more like chili over rice, enjoyable but not noteworthy. The crepes had a nice texture, and a fairly mild flavor, stuffed with smoked mozz and spinach. They were topped with chopped tomatoes (think more like salsa), onions and fennel. The fennel added a lot to the dish. Fecal saw the beef on another diner's table, and would try that over the crepes. Dessert was a pecan pie with tupelo honey ice cream from Tosci's. Pie was outstanding - rich filling, flaky crust - and the ice cream complimented it well. Other desserts fecal saw around the place looked excellent as well. Interesting menu overall, fecal will be returning. It's basically a cheaper and hipper Hungry Mother. Mon May 11 15:00:39 -0700 2009 4603989 41620 fecalface 2 4679269 Hipper than HM? I feel a seizure coming on... Wed May 13 06:27:26 -0700 2009 4674471 11172 Bob Dobalina 3 4679309 Fecal is talking about waiters with tattoos on their knuckles, a picture of Elvis behind the bar, hipper music playing (think Southern-influenced, not The Smiths), murals painted on the walls/ceiling, etc. It's more Deep Ellum than Hungry Mother in this regard...HM is far fancier and less casual. Wed May 13 06:41:56 -0700 2009 4679269 41620 fecalface 1 4679409 Is Tupelo in the old Magnolia's local? Wed May 13 07:15:00 -0700 2009 4603989 18697 Snowflake 2 4679462 Yes. Wed May 13 07:30:52 -0700 2009 4679409 235722 Canadian Tuxedo 1 4679571 I was just here last week and I really enjoyed it. At first I didn't get the vibe, as I think I wanted a more casual po' boy kind of place. But it grew on me with Elvis songs and multiple draft Abitas. This is a great, chill, middle of the road between fancy and casual, place. Turbodog for the win. Wed May 13 08:00:14 -0700 2009 4603989 13559 Dreamworks 1 4688519 First post! Tupelo was lovely on a warm spring night. Just the right level of ambient noise, charming if somewhat sparse decor, definitely hip but very friendly. On the particular evening we went there were a good mix of couples, friends and singles at the bar. Fried oysters was well-done and so was the deviled crab salad. Not out of this world but I'd definitely get it again. Daube of beef was excellent--flavorful and tender, with a side of slow-braised greens; biscuit came cold though which was a bit of a let-down. For dessert we had the rhubarb cobbler and pecan pie with honey ice cream. The rhubarb cobbler was a little anemic but the pecan pie was delicious! Good selection of beer on tap. Overall, a great restaurant that's in keeping with the area's ambience. It's the kind of place I'd feel completely comfortable walking in for a relaxing meal by myself. Inexpensive, too: starter, entree and dessert + 2 drinks came out to $50. Fri May 15 21:02:00 -0700 2009 4603989 293119 siqister 2 4690638 Welcome! I've been looking forward to trying this place, especially the desserts since I like Petsi pies. I wonder if Petsi made the anemic cobbler, too, or if she only does the pies. Sat May 16 21:17:42 -0700 2009 4688519 105892 pollystyrene 3 4703736 I don't think she does the pies. They have a pastry chef, and as far as I know, Renee is just an owner, she's not in the kitchen. Thu May 21 10:07:48 -0700 2009 4690638 23343 LeoLioness 4 4703776 I don't know what the precise division of labor is, but while Tupelo does have a pastry chef, Renee is involved somehow, perhaps in conception and maybe making some of the baked desserts? If you subscribe to the Petsi's and Tupelo twitter feeds you can often read her working out a new recipe and find it showing up at Tupelo the next day. This week it was key lime pie. Thu May 21 10:20:15 -0700 2009 4703736 184951 hckybg 5 4703848 I thought the pecan pie (made with brown butter) was too sweet, especially with the honey ice cream. Flavor was OK, but not great. On the other hand, the food was great. I had the Daube of beef - multiple great flavors and textures, especially liked the suerkraut/collard green mixture. My wife gave rave reviews to the Gumbo. In the future, will fill up on food and beer, skip dessert. Thu May 21 10:43:49 -0700 2009 4703776 13084 tdaaa 1 4698947 I finally made it for dinner tonight! The table had: Spicy turkey meatballs BBQ Chicken Gumbo (chicken and andouille) Banana Pudding Brown Butter Pecan Pie Chocolate Bread Pudding The gumbo stood out for me- tender chicken, smoky andouille and rice, so nice! The banana pudding was beautiful and probably the best I've ever had- and the pecan pie was really good... I have to say though, I'd rather just buy that pie from Petsi's as it would come out to much less expensive! I really enjoyed my dinner, I kind of wish they served bread at the table though. I wanted extra for pretty much everything they served, but I didn't want to ask and seem like a little piggy. I would love a way to see their daily specials online- that's what would bring me back often! Tue May 19 18:39:44 -0700 2009 4603989 91127 voodoocheese 2 4699288 They do post many of their daily specials, if not all, on their twitter feed: @tupelo02139 Tue May 19 20:58:24 -0700 2009 4698947 184951 hckybg 1 4699100 I had a great meal there last weekend. The room is reminded me a little of a French bistro--small bar, dark red wainscotting, copper-topped tables with flameless candles. Cute space; I imagine it would feel cozy in the wintertime. We started with the deviled crab salad with garlic toast. The toast was three small triangles of white bread toast--for what it was, there really should have been a couple more pieces. The salad was great, though, with some heat and crunch from celery. Was it similar to a tuna sandwich on white toast? Yes. Did I mind? Nope, not when it tastes like this. For entrees, I got the crispy catfish with parsley mashed potatoes and green tomatoes; my partner got the pork chop, rice and beans. I had passed on the fried oyster app thinking my "crispy" fish would be breaded/battered, but it was more blackened. That said, it was delicous. Flaky, flavorful, well-seasoned with a kicky aoli on top. The mash below was good, and the green tomatoes gave a nice flavor contrast to the the richness of the rest of the dish. My partner loved his pork chop to the point I feared he was going to pick up a stray bone and start gnawing on it For dessert we split the banana pudding with meringue and a house-made vanilla wafer (which was thick and cake-like). The pudding itself was fantastic--some might find it too sweet, but I loved it, especially the chunks of banana. I could have done without the merignue, but loved the cookie at the bottom. Service was great--our server was enthusiastic without being annoying and the owner went around to tables as well. Total bill for one app, two entrees, one dessert, a beer and a coke was $50 before tip. I'm excited for food that tasty and downright *comforting* for that reasonable a price. I can't wait to go back. Tue May 19 19:37:29 -0700 2009 4603989 23343 LeoLioness 2 4699139 mmmmm sounds great.....you had me at banana pudding...:) Tue May 19 19:50:08 -0700 2009 4699100 11805 twentyoystahs 2 4703854 I want this. And I fear I would be the one picking up the pork chop bone at the table. Thanks for the review ... looking forward to trying it out soon. Thu May 21 10:45:58 -0700 2009 4699100 10232 yumyum 1 4706807 Finally made it to Tupelo with a party of 10 for some serious eating. You can tell that the place is new-ish because the waitstaff was great but our server was a little tentative at moments. Food was excellent. Tried variety of apps: fried oysters, grits served cubed like polenta, both excellent. Gumbo a little salty but delicious to share. My entree was a soft shell crab, which was fantastic- meaty and tender with a satisfying yet subtle crunch. With the entree comes a side of your choice from the menu, but for the price of the crab dish ($17) it would have been nice to toss in a second veggie side, since the price point for grits and mash are pretty low, no? Notably, the crab was available as a starter for $13 (which a few of my dining companions ordered) and it was plated almost identically to the entree except that it didn't have the side the entree comes with. Also tasted the crepes and the beef dish on the menu, both very nice. Sampled a few desserts, the strawberry rhubarb cobbler with ginger biscuit topping was the table favorite, tho the pecan praline pie was a close second for it's amazing, buttery richness. Overall, I envision myself coming back when I'm in the neighborhood. Relaxed, casual, good time had by all. Fri May 22 10:34:36 -0700 2009 4603989 156327 Jardinia 1 4721529 Went there last week on a hot night- it was really crowded and loud, but the waitstaff was attentive and the food mostly good! We had the grits-cubes and mussels for apps- both were good. Be sure to share the grits, though, they fill you up! For mains, I had the crepes and the man had the gumbo. Gumbo wins hands-down! It was so so so so good- this might sound sacrilegious, but it was better than any I had on my recent trip to NOLA... The crepes were good, a bit heavy, and not as exciting as the gumbo. We'll be back for sure! The jambalaya of the day is calling my name... I can hear it now. Thu May 28 07:28:13 -0700 2009 4603989 257054 josied 2 4721835 I hate to say this but I have to admit I wasn't impressed by the gumbo at all! Perhaps we were there on an off night (last Friday)... my SO thought it didn't compare at all to what he's had in NOLA... I did very much enjoy my BBQ chicken and the cheddar grits, though. Thu May 28 09:01:43 -0700 2009 4721529 22926 newyorker1 3 5057400 I'm with you and holldoll. I thought the gumbo was very lean, about 6 thin slices of sausage, and a spoonful of rice. I make beef daube, my spouse loves it, so he ordered it. It wasn't daube, it was a piece of dried out meat. We were there on a Sat. night, 7:30PM, and they were already out of one of the 2 specials. The waiter said, "it's that good". I saw it at another table, it didn't look v. appetizing. All in all, rather disappointing. My spouse has done some eating time in NOLA, and agrees with your SO. Fri Sep 25 07:05:27 -0700 2009 4721835 1090797 CookieLee 2 4729532 I dined at Tupelo on Friday night. Shared the grits cubes (good, but not a knockout) and deviled crab salad (very good, but so spicy that there wasn't much crab flavor) for apps. I had the gumbo as my main and thought it was good, but again, not a knockout. (I haven't done much eating in NOLA and must admit that I'm not sure gumbo is ever a knockout; seems more like solid comfort food to me, and this version was certainly solid.) Wife had the daube, and THAT was a homerun; really incredible flavor on the beef. We were seated at at table in the bar and it was too loud to stay for dessert (especially with Christina's a block away). Overall, was quite impressed and will return; I definitely want to eat my way through more of the menu. Portions large but manageable, and great value. Sun May 31 06:46:49 -0700 2009 4721529 13147 garlic breath 3 4796363 Had the limited menu for Father's day last night. Loved the watermelon sangria, had the fried oyster po'boy and hated it. 4 oysters in total, lacking flavor texture on a really bad roll. Fried chicken was ok but needed seasoning, salt, pepper anything. It was well prepared but very bland. Seafood gumbo was mostly celery and the little bit of seafood was dry. The waiter while polite he was kind of depressed and his earrings and tattoos were a turn-off. Call me old fashioned. The pies (pecan and peach/berry) were good but not great. The value was good, total bill for 5 was 92.00 but I wanted to like this place much more than I actually did. Mon Jun 22 17:36:01 -0700 2009 4729532 38911 holldoll 1 4797679 We had our first meal at Tupelo last week, mid-week, and it was very satisfying. Started with the turkey meatballs that were served in a spicy broth with a chunk of French bread for sopping - these were tender, flavorful and delicious - we loved the delayed heat. Three large turkey meatballs, moist, savory and perfectly seasoned. Husband had the jambalaya special that was teeming with crawfish tails and andouille sausage. He ordered a double app portion for his entree and it was huge. I loved my creamed spinach filled crepes w/ smoked mozzarella, slow roasted tomatoes and shaved fennell salad. The crepes were made of a beer batter and I think were something special. The slow roasted tomatoes were very good, creole seasonings and the fennel salad added freshness and crunch. We had 2 drinks each, and our total with tip was $70 - oh we also shared a side order of grits. Creamy, cheesy - I thought they were fine. We loved Tupelo and will go back often - 1-minute drive from the office, 5-minute drive from the house - it is a local winner. Tue Jun 23 07:38:46 -0700 2009 4603989 99422 Small Plates 1 4797753 Went for my second time on Saturday night, for a pre-Father's Day outing with my 2-year-old daughter. They were very nice to us, although I know what another poster means about one particular waiter seeming depressed. Had the daube of beef, and a side of rice and beans for the elf. We both liked the beef and the beans. I liked the "slow-cooked greens", but the elf didn't care for them. Conversely, she liked the rice and I thought (as with both the rice-related dishes I had on my first visit), that it seemed to have been undercooked, in flavorless isolation, and then added to the beans at the last moment. She spurned the mashed potatoes, and I thought they were OK. We were in wild agreement on the bread basket, though! 2 fabulous biscuits, 2 yummy pieces of moist, sweet cornbread, and three thin toasts that I barely got to taste because they went into the elf so fast. Made a decent meal into a great one. Tue Jun 23 07:57:33 -0700 2009 4603989 11517 glenn mcdonald 2 4797835 Totally forgot about the divine bread and the tupelo honey butter! FANTASTIC! Tue Jun 23 08:17:37 -0700 2009 4797753 99422 Small Plates 1 4798114 We also went for the first time a couple of weeks ago and liked it a lot. The little fried squares of grits, I could eat them all night. The other highlight was the strawberry rhubarb cobbler, YUM. I had the fried catfish, which was fine but didn't change my life. He had the crawfish boil thingy and realized he didn't really know how to eat crawfish. Asked the waiter, who proceeded to demonstrate by actually snarfing one down! We were a little taken aback but do not hold it against him. Tue Jun 23 09:29:46 -0700 2009 4603989 108080 BostonCookieMonster 1 5002459 Went last night with a great crew. In a phrase, this is a Chowhound's hound type of place. The food is yum, the prices are quite low ($100 for four entrees, two oyster apps, and three rounds of Abita), and the atmopshere is decidedly honky-tonk. What's not to like? In addition to the aformenetioned fried oysters (perfect, fat, succulent oysters covered in a crispy cornmeal batter, golden-brown fried), we split the daube of beef, the catfish, the gumbo and pork n' beans. I'm hapy to reprt that all the plates were solid As, with the beef and gumbo winning the lion share of praise. The pulled pork (oven made) featured great red beans (creamy beans = perfection) and a tangy slaw. Topped with a hunk of andouille, this was a righteous dish. Sure, going to Tupelo is not the same as a trip to N.O. Then again, what is? This place simply fits a missing piece of the Boston/Cambridge foodie puzzle. Hounds now have a true southern restaurant to indulge in serious N.O. down home fare ( the fact that the chef worked at Mother's is obvious from just one bite of the pork or catfish.) Fits the budget too. Thu Sep 03 11:03:20 -0700 2009 4603989 11093 Bob MacAdoo 2 5002503 Walked by last night and peeked in the window. I really want to try it, especially the porklet and beans. Thanks for posting. Thu Sep 03 11:12:25 -0700 2009 5002459 10232 yumyum 3 5003095 Sign me up :-) Thu Sep 03 14:10:16 -0700 2009 5002503 14710 heathermb 4 5063030 Went on Saturday evening. A nice place, with an interesting interior and very friendly and welcoming waitstaff. Thanks to other hound tips, we did go with fried cheese grits for an appetizer and they were great. My husband got the catfish and I ordered the seafood jambalaya, which was one of the specials. It had crabmeat and mussels. But I found it to be a bit lacking. It tasted like canned tomatoes heated up. And there wasn't much to it. My husband's catfish meal was very good. We shared a piece of banana cream pie that was very well done with caramel sauce and three fresh raspberries. I'm not sure this will be a regular place for us, it seemed kind of pricey for what tasted like basic food. I'm probably having difficulty with it because I've spent a considerable amount of time in New Orleans and the cuisine and I kept comparing it. Maybe if I view it as food with a Southern theme vs. authentic NO cuisine, that would be different. Sun Sep 27 20:50:42 -0700 2009 5003095 20942 LynDel 5 5063429 That's the thing, I found the food to be lacking. My DC was saying he didn't understand the theme, and decided it is vaguely Southern. I guess we did go in there thinking it was going to be more NOLA, like the Big Mamou in Springfield. Mon Sep 28 06:30:09 -0700 2009 5063030 1090797 CookieLee 6 5064243 You thought a restaurant named after a city in Mississippi was going to be New Orleans food? Mon Sep 28 11:01:47 -0700 2009 5063429 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 7 5064451 hehe, guess not. I think the gumbo on the menu led me to believe that. Well, if that's indicative of food in Mississippi, I guess I'll pass. Mon Sep 28 12:01:13 -0700 2009 5064243 1090797 CookieLee 8 5089847 We ended up there tonight because East Coast Grill was packed with Hell Night revelers, and it was actually a serendipitous alternative. Started with shrimp with a very nice, slightly unusual cocktail sauce. DC had the tuna loin special with a mayo-based sauce with jalapeno and plenty of other ingredients -- he was very pleasantly surprised and said it was done impeccably medium rare. I had the catfish -- nice & lightly fried on a bed of greens surrounded by a thick sauce composed of something I couldn't put my finger on or remember from the menu. Kind of like grits pureed in mashed parsnips. I couldn't try the pickled green tomatoes on the side due to sodium issues I had neglected to mention to the server, but DC gave them 2 thumbs up. The wine list skews low-end, which was a blessing; our bottle of shiraz was just right and at $30 made for something of a bargain night out. We'll be back. I just wish they still had some of the crab dishes mentioned above. Thu Oct 08 18:34:14 -0700 2009 5064451 73469 triple creme 9 5090348 How did I miss this opening? Walked by the old Magnolia's space after Hell Night last night, and was amazed to see this in its place. Even better, it sounds great! I was really sad when Magnolia's closed. It didn't get much press, but I never had a bad meal there. Hopefully Tupelo's is a worthy replacement for getting my Southern fix. It's seems curious that is has a somewhat similar theme to Magnolia's. Is there some connection between the two other than coincidence? Fri Oct 09 02:24:01 -0700 2009 5089847 14951 Tir_na_nOg 10 5091365 None, just whatever is in the air on that side of Inman Square. Different owners and different chefs, but definitely give Tupelo a try--it is great! Fri Oct 09 11:03:21 -0700 2009 5090348 184951 hckybg