The Fireplace
Monday, January 29, 2007
Overall Rating: Sick Meals (88 out of 100)
1634 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA 02446
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Phone: 617-975-1900
Perched atop Washington Square in Brookline, The Fireplace serves up high-end comfort food in a homey dining environment. A roaring fire creates a seductive scene for sick meals on the coldest of New England nights.
Our History at The Fireplace
Our second visit to The Fireplace was on a Friday night at 7:00pm.
Appetizers
Appetizers include mussels, calamari, Johnny Cake, a chilled seafood platter, and a pumpkin and white cheddar tart. The Fireplace also offers a variety of soups and salads. Prices range from $9 to $12 with an average price of $10. We opted for the tart, the calamari, and a bowl of butternut squash bisque.
Fried Rhode Island style calamari was breaded just right and served without a trace of grease. Tomato gravy and lemon aioli provided tempting dipping options. If you've tried Rhode Island style calamari at Legal Sea Foods, try it at The Fireplace. Our verdict: The Fireplace by unanimous decision.
The pumpkin and white cheddar tart with toasted walnuts and maple glaze was served atop mixed greens. Although the tart included more pastry than anticipated, its sweetness was deliciously complemented by the bed of greens.
Butternut squash bisque with crispy sage and sweet chestnut cream delighted the senses - a perfect choice for a frigid evening.
Rating: 8.7
Main Dishes
The Fireplace focuses on wood-smoked and rotisserie dishes. Twelve alluring entrees include pan-seared duck, turkey & chicken pot pie, scallops, Samuel Adams-marinated pork porterhouse, and a spit-roasted half chicken. Many dishes are served with unique mashed potato concoctions that integrate ingredients such as carrots, parsnip, and honeyed cornmeal.
We decided to go with the pan-seared scallops as well as The Fireplace's signature dish, the spit-roasted half chicken.
The spit-roasted half chicken was served on top of soft mashed potatoes and warm sage brown butter. A light-crispy covering encompassed tender, delectable chicken, delivering a filling and satisfying meal.
Six pan-seared scallops with orange-honey sauce circled sick parsnip mash. Shredded beets topped the dish. Scallops are difficult to cook, but The Fireplace came up aces - soft on the inside and a little crispy on the outside.
Entrees range from $18 to $28 with an average price of $23.
Rating: 9.1
Drinks
A selection of martinis and cocktails are available for $9 to $10. An American wine list starts at $29 for a bottle. Many wines are available by the glass. In addition, The Fireplace facilitates affordable sampling by offering "tastes" of wine for $2.50 to $5.00. Spirits and bottled & draft beer are also available.
With dinner, we downed a bottle of Salmon Creek Riesling, for $34. The Riesling danced on our tongues and tasted like a sparking wine, but without the fizz. After dinner, we imbibed in a few mixers at the bar. The quality of these mixers relied heavily on who was making them. Bartender number one served up a too-strong caipirinha. Bartender number two mixed a perfect vodka with club soda and a splash of cranberry juice.
If you get a drink at the bar, look for the bartender with tattooed forearms.
Rating: 8.3
Service
We arrived 30 minutes late for our reservation. During this period, we stayed in touch with the restaurant, and when 15 minutes late turned into 25 minutes, the restaurant called our cell phone to make sure that we were still coming. Upon arrival, we were cheerfully and immediately seated. We proceeded to enjoy sick meals - without rush - and we were done in plenty of time for the next reservation to be seated on time. The Fireplace handled our late arrival flawlessly. And clearly, they scheduled ample time between reservations.
Our waiter was all business - no fluff and to-the-point - but his service and demeanor matched the high-end comfort food dining environment.
Rating: 9
Ambiance
The Fireplace is divided into four areas. As you walk into the Fireplace, you are greeted by a bar that seats 12. The bar serves either as a destination or as a comfortable place to grab a drink before or after your meal. To your left is a small dining area that faces Beacon Street. Straight ahead is a roaring, wood-burning fireplace. Five tables are assembled in this area. Finally, there is a main dining room with a view of the kitchen, located on the upper level.
Golds, oranges, and reds mesh with a maroon ceiling and long curtains to create a warm, homey feel throughout the restaurant.
The main dining area on the upper level is dimly lit. The lower level - where the bar and fireplace are located - is dark.
The table closest to the fireplace is a great venue for a romantic dinner.
Rating: 8.7
Et Cetera
Trivia: Chef/owner Jim Solomon is a native of Brookline. Read more
Menu: Check out the menu here
Reservations: The Fireplace is on OpenTable
Transportation: Take the Green Line (C branch) to Washington Square or scour for street parking on Beacon Street or Washington Street.
Dress: You may dress casually at The Fireplace.
Hours: The Fireplace serves dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 5:00pm to 10:00pm and Thursday through Saturday from 5:00pm to 11:00pm.
Labels: American, Brookline, Romantic, Sick-Meals, The-Fireplace
