Need help for Anniversary - First Post!

[mattcorreiacambridge]

Hello fellow Chowhounders. This is my first post and I need a little help. I am looking for a restaurant for my 5th wedding anniversay. My wife and I live in Cambridge, but would like to dine in Boston (Not North End). We are not really interested in a place where I will have to wear a tie. Also, we are not into molecular gastronomy. The worst meal I ever had in my life was at Toque in Montreal because I paid $300 and there was no food in my food. So here are the places we have been to and liked in the past year. The rankings are based on the food, with service second and atmosphere last.

Hammersleys
Oleana
Prezza
Craigie On Main (Brunch)
Ten Tables (Cambridge)
Sel De La Terre (Waterfront)
Trattoria Toscana
Petit Robert (South End)
Scampo
Central Kitchen
East Coast Grill
Tapeo
Tupelo
Sportello

Thank you in advance for your help.

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Trattoria Toscana
130 Jersey St, Boston, MA 02215

East Coast Grill and Raw Bar
1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Prezza
24 Fleet St., Boston, MA 02113

Central Kitchen
567 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114

Oleana
134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Sportello
348 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02110

Ten Tables
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA 02138

Sel De La Terre
776 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199

[bugsmum]

Hard to see how you could go wrong at No. 9 Park. My husband and I have celebrated several anniversary dinners at Hamersley's and never been disappointed. Happy Anniversary!

[mattcorreiacambridge]

Thank you all again for your suggestions. After looking at the menus of the restaurants suggested, we have decided to go back to Hammersly's. A special thank you to Bugsmum for the suggestion. An extra special thank you Qaj for the Salts suggestion. I have been trying to get my wife to go there for years and she has finally agreed to do the roast duck thing for my birthday next month.

[treb]

The Oak Room, Chateau Briand for 2 and a good bottle of red, totally awesome, no tie required.

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

[trueblu]

second that, although a tie would fit in well.

An approximate budget might be helpful in making relevant suggestions. I don't think Brasserie Joe is what I would consider 5 year anniversary material, but without a budget, it's difficult to say.

tb

[mattcorreiacambridge]

Budget is not really an issue. And thank you all for the replies so far. I appreciate the Cambridge suggestions, but we are staying at XV Beacon and would like to keep it in Boston.

[redelephant]

No. 9 is right around the corner and I never wear a tie there. :-)

[almansa]

How about Troquet or Clink?

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Troquet
140 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116

[qaj]

I've never understood why it doesn't get more play on the boards, but my husband and I celebrated our last anniversary at Salts. It was lovely, thoughtful, intimate food. Less bombastic than Craigie but in their league, I think. If you go the Salts route, know that the duck for two is much more rustic than the rest of the menu (not better or worse, just different).

[Delhiwala]

EVOO (although it is in Cambridge). Great food, helpful service, a nice wine list, a really pleasant atmosphere, and validated inexpensive parking.

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EVOO Restaurant
350 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02143

[SEH]

Mistral?

[mtm7654]

Taberno de Hara, Sorellina, Brasserie Jo.

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Sorellina
1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Brasserie Jo
120 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02116