UES Mayor needs your help Boston fine dining rec!

[UES Mayor]

Haven't been there for couple years and visiting this week Thurs-Sun. Need your best rec for outstanding meal/ambience in Boston-prefer easy commute within vicinity of the Pru. Will be group of about 5 adults who seek over the top delicious food in an enviroment that is not chaotic but nevertheless fun! I have an extremely fine palate-not to be confused with a snob personality and want to be WOWED!! Please share your recs for an unforgettable eve -this is for this Thurs Nov 11th. Thanks!!!

[emilief]

"Didn't provide the proper settings for sharing the appetizers"???????????? Redelephant's complaints are not neccesarily things others would complain about (not sure I even understand) and i still maintain that it is a great choice.
One other place that has wonderful food and a great wine program is Troquet. The space is not out of this world but if you can get a window table overlooking the Boston Gardens you will be happy.

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Troquet
140 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116

[redelephant]

i.e., there aren't plates. I like to eat off of plates. Or, there aren't enough forks. I like to eat with forks. I don't think this is unreasonable, and having to request these items repeatedly really interupts conversation and I think should be considered bad service in a fine-dining setting.

[UES Mayor]

Thank you all Bostonians for all your suggestions. A brief summary of my weekend. First night dined at Clio. Service and atmosphere delightful. I had the yoasted duck which was very good especially succulent w very crispy skin. Was a rather large portion which also came with this rolled up thing I never bothered to ask. Wines were picked by waitress and good choices made. @nd night went to Island Creek-a rather large new place at the Commonwealth Hotel. Oysters were great as starters. Steaks are not thier strength from what I tasted of my main and everone else enjoyed thier seafood selection. Rather large bar in this big space and a great place to gather with friends. Not suited for quiet dining-more of a robust crouwd. Had anothe meal at Oshushi in the Westn Hotel-I've been there several times previously but this time I was absolutely floored with the freshest tasting selection of sashimi I have had in a long time. Outstanding. Not a super fancy place but for great sushi I would not hesitate for a moment. Late eves seem like a great time since most eat there before 9pmish-I went at ! 0pm for midnight snack one nite and ended up having another dinner plus seconds!. One daytime trip went to Chinatown to Hong Kong Restaurant-they never fail to deliver the best bbq meats in Chinatown-will always return. Also had lunch one day in the Prudential mall at Boston Chodah- Amazinglt it was the best clam chowder I had all weekend-even surpassing Turner's which I had the day before. Yes its mall food-but gourmet dish!! Thanks all-had a splendid time in your great city-will be back soon!!! Oh-btw-tried Hotel Chocolated on Newbury-very great selection of British chocolates and holiday chocolate gifts for that chocoholics on your gift list.
've

[dragonfly]

o ya

[emilief]

How about Scampo in the new Liberty Hotel- a converted jail. Excellent food and service. A tour of the hotel is interesting. I guess you have been there too?
Locke- Ober is a great suggestion. Very historical old Boston. Same chef as Scampo (Lydia Shire).
REcently had the dover sole there- not too rich. I am sure you can find more on the menu that is not too rich.

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Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114

[UES Mayor]

You guys /gals have been so great so far!! May just hve to do 2nd trip soon to eat my way though Bean Town! btw didn't mean to be so harsh w barleywino-must have been hypoglycemic when I responded! Besides Menton, I now have Clio and Scampo on my short list. Btw what are your faves for Chinatown which I will do one day for lunch?

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Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114

Menton
354 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

[cambridgedoctpr]

for chinatown, my favorite is east ocean seafood though only for fresh seafood and suprisingly good mu shu pork. you might want to go to brookline to sichuan gourmet though the new shanghai is serviing pretty good sichuanese food, too.

[T.Clark]

I had a business dinner at Scampo last week, my second visit. I found It was the same as my first visit, totally not worth it. Good apps, terrible entrees. Uninspired, over designed, clumsy service, fussy plates, it felt like a culinary tourist trap starring Lydia Shire as Todd English.

[redelephant]

Yes, I have been very underwhelmed by Scampo. I would forget that one if I were you.

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Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114

[emilief]

What did you have??? WE have been there at least 10 times and never had bad food, service or anything other than the best. Know numerous people with the same experience.
UES Mayor- keep this on your list. It is really excellent.

[redelephant]

I've been multiple times and just don't think it fits the mayor's wants. Highlights would be the the spaghetti with cracklings, the lamb chops and the pork chop. Oh, and the pizza with figs and mushrooms--that's really really good. Lowlights for me: all of the mozzarellas, multiple starters, every other entree besides the lamb and pork, most of the breads, and the service. Every time that I have been there with a group of four or more people (~ 5 times), the waiters have to ask "who ordered the lamb?" or they place multiple meals in front of the wrong person or they don't provide the proper settings to share the appetizers after we specifically said that we were sharing the appetizers, and then we have to ask for additional service, and that just doesn't cut it for me as part of a fine dining experience. Oh, and every time I've been there with groups after we have the third of fourth bottle of water, they clarify that the house still costs money and that they will do us a favor by not charging us for subsequent bottles, and it's all just a hassle that interrupts conversation. And it's hapened every time I 've been there so even though I work right across the street we now avoid business dinners there. So I don't think it is a good place to either be Wowed by the fine dining or a good place for a group of five people when compared to Menton or Clio.

[chowmensch]

If UES's 90 year old grandmother can hear UES's dulcet tones in Scampo, she should be written up in the Guinness Book of World Records. Scampo is deafening!

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Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114

[Beach Chick]

Locke-Ober ...only the best for our beloved UES Mayor!
The Langham Hotel for the brunch and Neptune Oyster for oysters.

www.lockeober.com
www.neptuneoyster.com

[UES Mayor]

We considered Locke-Ober however menu seemed a bit rich for diet. Ilove Neptune but may be a bit too rustic for grandma.

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Locke-Ober
3 Winter Place, Boston, MA 02108

[emilief]

Sorellina is in Copley Square. It is a very dramatic beautiful restaurant with excellent food and service. Whenever we have visitors from other countries or states we go there and everyone is impressed. Good bar too. This fits your request to a T. There is also the Oak Room in the Copley Plaza hotel - I have not been there in ages but people seem to like it and it is very nice. Good luck and enjoy your visit.

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Oak Room
138 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116

Sorellina
1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116

[UES Mayor]

did it , done it-both great suggestions but wanted something different. Narrowed down to Menton-thoughts?

[Gabatta]

http://www.chow.com/search?query=ment...

[cambridgedoctpr]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7248...

here is a generic list.

[UES Mayor]

Thanks cambrigedoctpr-I think I want suggestion of more upscale plces-esp if they have huge bars where I can have pre dinner cocktails. Will have 90 year old grandma in tow so want dining space to be elegant as well.

[cambridgedoctpr]

another generic list:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7430...

Striper's list contained some upscale places such as Oleana; a chow favorite that has not lived up to its reputation in my mind. But if Food Dabbler and Striper both like it; I should give it another chance.

[teezeetoo]

wow, you're easily influenced cd if someone else's palate can trump your own experience.

[Madrid]

I *love* Oleana. I always say this and no, I don't know Ana Sortun personally. I have known her food from Casablanca and years ago 8 Holyoke and before that, a restaurant in Concord whose name escapes me.And I love her cookbook, Spice. It is an Eastern Med flavor profile and if that doesn't match your palate, it won't be special for you. You will be able to tell right away b/c if you don't want to try most of the mezze, you won't be impressed.

There is not a large bar and they have only a beer, wine, and cordial license and it is in Cambridge. In better weather, the patio garden seating is magical and special.

In season the vegetables are from her husband's farm and it looks like she is using up the last of the harvest now.

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Oleana
134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139

[Madrid]

Those of you have been to Towne...does it fit? I haven't been so can't say but I remember others saying it can get crowded and noisy. Does Erbaluce fit?

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Erbaluce
69 Church Street, Boston, MA 02116

[UES Mayor]

Originally planned to go there but reviews on CH and other blogs made us cancel.

[opinionatedchef]

imo, Clio or Oya is gong to be the only real WOW for you. anything else is going to be really good, but these two are the WOW spots.

[three of us]

For reference, here's a post from UES Mayor /April 6, 2010 that lists the board''s recs.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6996...

[beetlebug]

And here are links from requests made in 2008 and 2009.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/624438?tag=search_results;results_list

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5196...

[UES Mayor]

Dearest beetlebug-i could have dug up past queries as well-but want your current thoughts!! I am sure place change so lets get current recs-not past relics. Thought there might be something fab that trendy but at the same time good eats for yours truly!! I'll forgive you this time.

[Pegmeister]

I think it would be totally fun if you set up a chowdown at Angela's for some wonderful mexican.

[BostonZest]

Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore square. Right now they are hitting all the right notes. We have had a lot of new places open in your target area. This one is the gem of the bunch.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/742750
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/699688?tag=search_results;results_list

Penny
http://www.bostonzest.com/

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Island Creek Oyster Bar
500 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

[UES Mayor]

Will be doing Island Creek Saturday eve-thanks-keep sending recs! appreciate it!

[barleywino]

where did you eat last time you were in Boston and what did you think?