New chef and menu at the Independent
I haven't been since the change--which must be very recent; I was at the restaurant right before Xmas—but a friend says the entrées have crept up in price a bit and gotten (even less) veggie-friendly, and, tragically, there's *no more spicy aioli*. However, his server said they welcomed feedback on the new menu. Perhaps we will get the spicy aioli back.
Edit: Here's the new menu: http://theindo.com/dinnerJan11.pdf Looks like the entrées and sandwiches have been collapsed (as categories) and shortened, so the prices actually aren't different. But ONE veg option on the entrées list? That is... unfortunate to say the least.
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The Independent
75 Union Sq, Somerville, MA 02143
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I agree with your rant Double Man. I brought up Green St. because I ate there about a week after the Independant. I too had sworn to my self I wouldn't eat there again, but it was after 10pm and I was in the neighborhood and hungry and thirsty. I also agree that the staff there are super friendly and the drinks are great, but the food (which took a nosedive after Mark left to open Highland Kitchen) does not seem to improve with time.
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Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143›1 Reply -
I ate there about 3 weeks ago, and it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We had the salt and pepper shrimp, homemade lamb sausage sandwich, and the vegetarian spaetzle dish. I was relishing it for days, the shrimp were especially great. Ad the cocktails were also some of the best I've had in Boston (including Drink and Deep Ellum). I also had heard complaints from friends about the new menu and prices, but I strongly disagree. I think it's a big improvment over the old one, and there are plenty of options under $15 if you go the appetizer or sandwich route. I think it's actually one of the best bar food options around, head and shoulders above Green St. or any of the other similar places!
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Deep Ellum Bar
477 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134›1 Reply-
re: nachovegas
Thanks for bringing up Green Street. I agree that it beats Green Street in the food department (and beer), but not cocktails or wine. I think Highland Kitchen has them both beat on food and value, though, but not on drinks.
If only those three places could form like Voltron and combine all their strengths.
Of the three, I think Green Street has the greatest weakness relative to its strengths - it's food just isn't that good and is too expensive compared to it's great and high-value drink options. I know there are a lot of GS food cheerleaders on the board, but I don't get it. Every time I eat there, I almost always regret it - execution and seasoning are all over the board, many dishes are screaming for acid, flavors don't pop, and I feel like the prices should be 20% lower. I really like the space, the drinks, and Dylan, but I wish something changed with the food. Go simpler, sharper flavors, and lower prices a bit. Sorry for the rant.
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Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
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opinionatedchef
Apr 11, 2011 03:31 PM
wanting to try the "new independent"; enticing menu.was all set to go tonight, in fact, but they're closed on Mondays. phooey!
for those of you bemoaning the fewer veggie options, i did recently notice that the fairly new Foundry on Elm in nearby Davis Sq.- has quite alot of veggie options that look really good. just fyi:
http://foundryonelm.tumblr.com/
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Foundry on Elm
255 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144›9 Replies-
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re: LeoLioness
opinionatedchef
Apr 11, 2011 03:55 PM
aw darn about your meh. how disappointing. i don't know where i read closed mondays but if we go tonight, i'll report back. thks much for the good, and the bad!
btw, what have you been meh on- so we don't order it?
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re: opinionatedchef
I just read the other day that Mark Cina may have left already. Were you aware of that, or were you referring to the Cina Independent when you said "new"?
http://bostonherald.com/blogs/lifesty...
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re: yumyum
Unfoodie
Apr 11, 2011 08:42 PM
Foundry's everything is hit or miss expect the (PRICEY) beers. The cocktail list recently changed as the old bar mngr has moved on leaving an unimpressive impression on the place...as he did Stoddard's. They're slowly getting better but I'm sure they don't see a need to rush it considering how crowded it is all the time.
Cina is in fact gone from the Indo as the plan was for him to be there only temporarily.
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re: Unfoodie
Oh, was he just brought on then essentially to redo the menu?
Yeah, I feel like the neighborhood factor is key here. Foundry may or may not have better food, but I live near Union and tend to meet up with friends there. I guess it's a restaurant as hangout vs. destination difference.
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re: djd
opinionatedchef
Apr 12, 2011 10:47 AM
well, the waiter last night at Indo- said Mark was there last night. We had a really really good meal, which i will post about later.
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I went last week and only had a drink (same cocktail list), so I can't say, but my various friends who are regulars' main complaint is that they want the Indo to remain a basic good-quality neighborhood dinner stop, and the new chef's ambition is to go upscale. Too much ambition. I'm not sure *I* read that into the menu, but... hmm.
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yarm
Jan 6, 2011 08:27 AM
From Grubstreet Boston:
The Independent: A Kinder, Friendlier Place for Vegetarians Thanks to New Chef
We caught up with erstwhile Stoddard's chef Mark Cina, who took over at The Independent in Somerville a few days ago. The well-loved Union Square pub's getting a menu overhaul; read on for details.
Cina—who left Stoddard's due to differences with ownership—previously toiled at notable spots like Central Kitchen and KO Prime. Pals from Foundry on Elm hooked him up with the Independent gig, which he took thanks to the "sense of community" in up-and-coming (we hope) Union Square.
"There are tons of vegetarians in the area," Cina notes. To that end, well, he's going to make sure to include more vegetarian dishes on his menu, with daily veggie specials. (Garlic-roasted acorn squash with curried lentils, sweet potato puree, Swiss chard, Basmati rice, and honey-thyme roasted shallots was a recent and ambitious attempt to please non-meat-eaters).
The entire menu got a makeover when Cina came aboard. "Before, there wasn't anything terribly special about the food. We didn't have a chef, per se," he says. Hmm ... just who made us that crab Benedict a few months ago? We won't think about it. Anyway, despite the whole no chef thing, the place has thrived since 2001 thanks in large part to its status as a "funky place with lots of artists, and cool individuals."
"People who come here are very aware of what they eat and drink," he notes. So look for a stepped-up new menu, beefed up with plenty o'veggies.
For your convenience, find their new and improved offerings here.
http://boston.grubstreet.com/2011/01/...
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KO Prime
90 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108Central Kitchen
567 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139Foundry on Elm
255 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144›4 Replies-
re: yarm
chickendhansak
Jan 6, 2011 08:37 AM
This write-up is entertaining. Apparently name chef swings into the square and produces a less vegetarian menu than existed before, the regular punters complain, and it gets spun into piece on the chef's sensitivity to the "funky" (hate that use of the word) customer base? Nice.
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re: chickendhansak
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re: Bob Dobalina
chickendhansak
Jan 7, 2011 01:21 PM
The episode as reported here sounds like postcards from a bemused anthropologist.
I should say, I will be there and I will eat the food because I like the place and the new menu sounds good!
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chickendhansak
Jan 6, 2011 07:59 AM
That's quite the radical overhaul! They got rid of the fish and chips finally which makes my chances of exploring the rest of the menu a bit better.
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MC Slim JB
Jan 4, 2011 10:52 AM
I wonder if that's a bad sign for Stoddard's, or if maybe they're reconcepting.
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re: yarm
Tremendous news. Loved his food at Stoddard's. AND I really missed eating at the Independent over the past year or so after the food took a nosedive. Now I am so excited to go back!
They have the poached salmon and romaine salad from Stoddard's! Helloooooo best lite weeknight meal in town!
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yarm
Jan 4, 2011 09:09 AM
This is unfortunate. When we ate there in early December, there were two vegetarian entree choices.
Worth mentioning is that their on-tap beer menu has grown to be pretty impressive. And their cocktail program is still decent although not on the same level as when Evan Harrison was there.
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The old menu was actually quite veggie (even vegan) friendly, so this is a big departure. I was not a big fan of the last chef, so I'm looking forward to trying the food again. I won't bring any vegetarians with me, though.
ETA: Just saw this update on their Facebook page, so that's promising:
"Thanks for all the feedback! We are absolutely psyched to hear from the vegetarians. We have had many discussions over the past few weeks about how many veg options should be on the menu & were not quite sure how big a deal it would be. Now... we are certain that it is a big deal! There are dishes on the menu that can be prepared as vegetarian - we're making amazing pasta in house & the kitchen is happy to make a vegetarian dish with the house made gnocchi or the fresh pastas. In addition to what you see on the menu, there will be a Vegetarian Entree regularly featured on nightly specials. We are really eager for all kinds of feedback and will be tweaking the menu over the next few weeks based on what we hear from guests. Please keep the comments coming!"
