664739 Wed Nov 04 13:14:23 -0800 2009 8 12 Boston Area 0 5155978 After googling every single thanksgiving menu on bostonchefs.com, we've narrowed it down to these 2 places, strictly because of the creativity of the menus. I have never eaten at either. Would you plse share your experiences at these 2 places? We're fans of gargoyles and evoo and would probably eat at clio regularly if we won the lottery. I just don't know if these chefs can come through or if they just have good ideas. Thanks for your help. http://www.bostonchefs.com/static/menus/TempleBarT09.pdf Wed Nov 04 13:14:23 -0800 2009 10110 opinionatedchef 1 5156306 I've eaten at Temple Bar several times... It's fine. Perhaps it can border on tasty. Temple Bar doesn't feature cooking inspired by new ideas or the chef's personal take on classics. The food isn't seasonal or prepared with particular love or attention to detail. It's pretty heavy. The menu feels rote. But it's fine. Stay away from the cocktail list though--- out-of-the-ballpark sticky sweet! Wed Nov 04 14:54:29 -0800 2009 5155978 1121774 qaj 2 5156481 My take on Temple Bar is not nearly so negative. I certainly wouldn't characterize the cocktails (at least the ones I've had) as super sweet. Sure, it isn't Drink, but IMO the cocktails are perfectly respectable, and I particularly like the Zest (Sky Citrus, house made Limoncello, Champagne). As for the food: I've been quite happy with it. I had a brined pork chop with a grilled onion & herb “grit cake”, roasted cherry tomatoes, and black truffle vinaigrette last time I was there, which I definitely enjoyed. The grit cake was possibly the best part, sort of a different take on grilled polenta. Based on what I've read here and elsewhere, it does seem like the kitchen can be a bit inconsistent, but when they are on they are quite good. I've never been to the Spiced Pear, so I can't compare them directly, but I think you'd do fine at Temple Bar. Wed Nov 04 15:52:34 -0800 2009 5156306 1108572 greenzebra 2 5159030 gaj, have you eaten at Temple Bar in the last six months or so, since the new chef came on board? I wouldn't describe it the way you do now. Although if by "heavy" you mean "rich", there certainly is that element. I agree the bartenders need major hand-holding if you want anything more complicated than a [liquor] and [soda]. That said, regardless of how good the chef is at either place, are they really going to be working on Thanksgiving? Perhaps, but I wouldn't count on it. Thu Nov 05 13:45:51 -0800 2009 5156306 11148 Alcachofa 3 5159428 alca, do you mean you think the new chef is much better? what has been your exper there recently? Thu Nov 05 16:13:29 -0800 2009 5159030 10110 opinionatedchef 4 5160932 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/631550 Fri Nov 06 08:56:57 -0800 2009 5159428 11148 Alcachofa 4 5161482 I ate there last night for the first time in years. I was pleasantly surprised. I had read about the new chef and people are right. The new menu had lots of stuff. My vegetarian friend was also pleased by the amount of things she could eat. I had one of the pizzas with house made sausage and fennel plus a side of asparagus. She had the White Truffle pizza. Both were excellent. I'm definitely going back soon. Fri Nov 06 12:01:49 -0800 2009 5159428 15327 bookdwarf 1 5158502 Temple Bar and Spiced Pear are pretty different experiences in terms of the food and atmosphere. For me, Temple Bar has been a place to go when I don't want to go out too fancy. It's pretty a pretty low key restaurant on a moderately interesting part of Mass Ave. The food I've had is good, but not extraordinary. Spiced Pear is a pretty special location. In a fancy inn right on Cliff Walk in Newport. If you are in Boston, I'm not sure the restaurant alone is enough to make the trip out to Newport for, but it's nice if you can spend some time in Newport, or even better, spend the night at the inn. It's expensive, but I think it's my favorite place I've stayed. It's been a few years, but when we went to the Spiced Pear, the food was quite delicious, though the service was a little odd. If I had my choice of the restaurants on the Boston Chef's Thanksgiving list, I'd definitely pick Harvest... Thu Nov 05 11:11:02 -0800 2009 5155978 1107925 dsackton 2 5159386 since Tom Berry left it is not the same flat iron was awsome not even close anymore they had one of best burgers in cambridge last time we went to temple my wife asked sever to take burger to kitchen back to chef and ask what he was thinking awful Thu Nov 05 15:55:32 -0800 2009 5158502 70861 OLDCHEF