Boston Restaurant Reviews | SickMeals.com: January 2007

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

Salts

Monday, January 22, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (86 out of 100)

798 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
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Phone: 617-877-8444

Just a few miles across the Charles River near Central Square, Salts features French culinary delights in a tranquil fine dining environment. Creative dishes and pleasing aesthetics make for an evening of serious sick meal exploration.

Salts

Our Salts History
Our first visit to Salts was on a Friday night at 8:15pm.

Appetizers
Seven appetizers ranged from $9 to $15 with an average price of $13. Our eyes gravitated to risotto and Spanish chorizo dishes, but neither selection was available. As substitutes, Salts cooked up a whole rabbit with gnocchi and big eye tuna with black truffle caviar. We jumped at these delicacies.

The rabbit and gnocchi resembled a stew. Imagine assembling your favorite white and dark meats in a light mushroom broth, adding a bit of cubed bacon, and blending it with soft, savory gnocchi. The dish was small but delivered big on taste, offering a variety of flavors and textures in bite-sized chunks.

Salts beautifully presented the big eye tuna. Rare tuna cubes looked like quivering gelatin lined up in rows. However, for $15, style edged substance.

Other appetizers included pear and mache salad as well as a beet salad.

We savored the warm, oven-fresh buns and whipped butter. Complimentary pureed truffle and potato soup added a nice touch.

Rating: 8.6

Main Dishes
Six main courses ranged from $28 to $34 with an average price of $31. We chose poached monkfish and coq au vin en ballotine.

The monkfish tasted rubbery and proved to be the lone disappointment of the evening. Soft, delicious potato croquettes somewhat offset our lackluster monkfish experience. The dish also included bitter Chinese mustard greens.

On the other hand, the coq au vin en ballotine soared to the heights of sickness. Coq au vin en ballotine consists of chicken that is boned, stuffed, rolled, and tied for roasting. The resulting cylindrical dish melded a crispy covering with pureed white chicken that surrounded small pieces of dark chicken. The mouth-watering ballotine was served on top of potato mousseline, maitake mushrooms, and baby-soft pearl onions and carrots.

Other entrees included pan roasted sea bass, agnolotti with fontina cheese, and a whole roasted boneless duck for two, carved tableside.

Rating: 8.5

Drinks
Salts offered a few affordable wines amidst a sea of ultra-expensive options. Our waiter recommended Jose Pariente's Verdejo (2004), Spain's answer to Sauvignon Blanc. This fragrant and vibrant bottle offered good value for $36.

Beer is also available. Salts does not serve hard booze.

Rating: 8.6

Service
The "Front of the House Manager" was welcoming, engaging, and sincere. Our waiter was patient in answering many questions. Such patience was important as the French-laden menu is barely discernable to the average diner.

Rating: 8.9

Ambiance
Salts is a rare Boston-area restaurant that took decided care in designing an entrance and dining room that shields guests from the harsh New England winter. Two sets of doors divide the entrance from the restaurant. The second door opens to a side-area where no tables are located.

Walking into Salts was like walking into a Pottery Barn-decorated dining room. Oversized mirrors, candlelit chandeliers, red velvet curtains, and a dark wooden table with an enveloping bouquet complemented soft music and regular chatter. The elegant silverware was notable.

We were seated at the worst table of the house - a table for two near the hallway that leads to the kitchen and bathroom.

There was a slight pretension in the air, albeit it had little to do with the staff. Fine wine and fine French food sometimes have a way of bringing out a self-important crowd. Sick meals are always most enjoyable when rubbing elbows with people who do not take themselves too seriously. In this case, the preponderance of our fellow guests somewhat detracted from the experience.

Rating: 8.3

Et Cetera

Trivia: Salts is co-owned by chef Gabriel Bremer and his wife, Analia Verolo.

Menu: Check out the menu here

Reservations: Reservations are recommended.

Parking: Salts offers free parking in a lot located behind the restaurant.

Dress: You may dress casually at Salts, but given the fine dining environment, we recommend getting a bit dressed up.

Hours: Salts is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6:00pm to 10:30pm.

Labels: Cambridge, French, Salts, Sick-Meals

Atasca

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (85 out of 100)

50 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
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Phone: 617-621-6991

Located near Kendall Square, Atasca is a family-owned restaurant that serves authentic Portuguese cuisine. Offering quality, reasonably-priced food and drink against the backdrop of an Old World dining environment, Atasca presents an outstanding option for an evening of sick meals.

Atasca

Our Atasca History
We have feasted on Portuguese cuisine at Atasca on a half-dozen occasions. Our most recent visit was on a Saturday night at 9:00pm.

Appetizers
Atasca serves 16 petiscos (appetizers), three salads, and a soup of the day. The average appetizer price is about $7.50. Whether you love Portuguese food or are trying it for the first time, you are sure to discover a satisfying first course. Atasca's petiscos resemble tapas dishes.

On this evening, we enjoyed grilled linguica with pineapple for $6.50, presunto (ham) with Portuguese white cheese and tomatoes for $7.50, and a stew of white kidney beans with linguica, chourico, smoked bacon, and tripe in a light tomato sauce for $6.95. Other petiscos include littleneck clams, spicy poached mussels, sauteed squid, grilled shrimp, and grilled sardines.

Atasca's appetizers are solid, not spectacular, but what you read on the menu is what you get. The ingredients are fresh and the price is right.

For pre-entree nibbling, Atasca also serves black olives with bread and oil.

Rating: 8.4

Main Dishes
Entrees include seafood, chicken, pork, beef, and veal selections. We recommend either of the bacalhau (cod) dishes. Bacalhau de Cebolada ($15.95) is baked cod smothered with caramelized onions & roasted peppers and served with crisp, thinly-sliced potatoes. Bacalhau a Lagareiro ($16.95) is charcoal-grilled dry salt cod drizzled with hot olive oil & garlic and served with punched potatoes, grilled peppers, and onions.

A personal favorite is the Bacalhau a Lagareiro, but if you are new to cod - or if the idea of bathing cod in olive oil and garlic does not appeal to you - then you might want to try the Bacalhau de Cebolada.

On this evening, Atasca offered a special - stuffed fish fillets with seafood stuffing and seafood risotto. Our waiter recommended this dish so we gave it a try. Unfortunately, the offering did not live up to Atasca's standards. The stuffed fish fillets were luke-warm and bland. The seafood risotto was piping hot, but it was not risotto; it was rice with seafood.

The average entree is $17.50. Prices range from $14.95 to $24.95.

Stick to the Portuguese cuisine and you are sure to enjoy a sick meal.

Rating: 8.6

Drinks
Starting at just $5.95, Atasca's mixed drinks and martinis are blended perfectly and offer a great value. A bottle of beer starts at $3.75.

The wine list is affordable and varied, encompassing selections from all regions of Portugal. Bottles of white or red start at $20. We opted for a bottle of Aveleda's Vinho Verde for $20. Atasca also makes its own sangria.

Rating: 9.5

Service
Most of the staff was eager to please, but our waiter was mediocre and seemed primed for retirement. Within moments of sitting, he hounded us to order a bottle of wine. When we were ready, he went missing in action.

Rating: 7

Ambiance
Atasca is busy, lively, and comfortable. Ceramics, soft Portuguese music, and alluring aromas fill the room. On this Saturday evening, several parties celebrated birthdays, and a Portuguese rendition of "Happy Birthday" played on the speakers and provided a pleasant diversion.

A cozy bar area is a great place to grab a drink while waiting for a table.

Rating: 9

Et Cetera

Trivia: Atasca is owned by Joseph and Maria Cerqueira. This husband and wife team also own O'Cantinho on Cambridge Street.

Menu: Check out the dinner menu here

Reservations: Atasca accepts reservations for parties of six or more.

Parking: There is street parking, but it may take a while to find a spot.

Dress: You can dress casually at Atasca.

Hours: Atasca is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30am to 11:00pm and on Sunday from noon to 11:00pm.

Labels: Atasca, Cambridge, Portuguese, Sick-Meals

L'Osteria

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Overall Rating: Not So Sick (67 out of 100)

104 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113
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Phone: 617-723-7847

L'Osteria is a family-owned restaurant tucked away on Salem Street in the North End. Growing up in an Italian-American household, The King of Sick Meals has experienced thousands of home-cooked Italian dinners. Dining at L'Osteria was like dining at home. But mom never charged us over 100 bucks.

Our L'Osteria History
Our first trip to L'Osteria was on a Friday night at 8:30pm.

Appetizers
L'Osteria's menu includes nine appetizers, seven salads, and five soups; the prices range from $5.50 for insalata mista (the house salad) to $14.95 for the caprese. We shared stuffed mushrooms and the insalata mista.

The insalata mista was just like mom used to make - after a long day at work and with no motivation to cook dinner. When mom served iceberg lettuce, sliced red onions, one olive, and two stale tomato slices, we were grateful for her effort after a long day. When L'Osteria tosses this mix together and drowns it in vinaigrette for $5.50, we're not so grateful.

The stuffed mushrooms consisted of undercooked mushrooms and dry breadcrumbs bathed in a butter-based sauce.

We should have tried a bowl of minestrone or pasta e fagioli.

Rating: 4.8

Main Dishes
The entree lineup includes 17 pasta, nine chicken, 12 veal, and 11 seafood dishes. For the pasta dishes, you can choose from linguine, ziti, and spaghetti; the pastas range from $9.95 to $17.95. The chicken, veal, and seafood dishes range from $15.95 to $23.95. House specialties include chicken merenga, chicken pescatore, bocconcini di vitello triestini, and veal valdostana.

We ordered shrimp francese as well as the veal and eggplant and we got exactly what we expected - something like mom would have made with a few hours of preparation on a Sunday evening. The veal and eggplant were baked with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. The shrimp francese was breaded perfectly and sauteed with an appropriate amount of lemon and wine. Both dishes were served with a bowl of pasta. Portions were substantial.

Rating: 8.4

Drinks
A carafe of the house white (Pinot Grigio) or house red (Merlot) is available for $18. The house white was mediocre, but the wine list included a fair variety of selections. A bottle of white starts at $26 and a bottle of red starts at $24. Beer is available for $5. Hard booze is not served.

Rating: 7.9

Service
The lifeless staff went through the motions. No one wanted to be there. Neither the menu nor our waitress explained the house specialties.

A busboy cleared my plate before The Queen of Sick Meals had finished her meal. He also scooped up my half-finished ziti without asking if I was finished.

Sometimes, mom went through the motions, too.

Rating: 5.4

Ambiance
Located on quiet Salem Street, I had always wanted to visit L'Osteria. A good crowd, dim lighting, candles, and paper "Italia" place mats added to the experience. "Grocery store" Italian bread and disinterested staff detracted.

Rating: 7.2

Et Cetera

Trivia: If you're with your significant other and would like to walk off an evening of sick meals in the North End, head to Battery Street - to Burroughs Wharf - and walk beyond the condominiums until you reach the water and see a park bench. This tranquil, romantic spot is one of the sickest in Boston.

Menu: Check out the dinner menu here

Reservations: L'Osteria is on OpenTable

Parking: L'Osteria validates for the Parcel 7 Garage located next to the Haymarket MBTA station at the corner of New Sudbury and Congress. With validation, parking is only $1 for up to two hours and $3 for up to three hours.

Dress: You can dress casually at L'Osteria.

Labels: Italian, LOsteria, North-End, Not-So-Sick

Sibling Rivalry

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (82 out of 100)

525 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
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Phone: 617-859-4805

Located in the South End, Sibling Rivalry is a modern American restaurant that features the dueling cuisine of brothers David and Bob Kinkead. For each menu category, Chef David and Chef Bob serve up a first course or main course. The winter menu includes selections in the following categories: arugula; duck; mushrooms & artichokes; tuna; veal; leeks; cabbage, bacon, & potatoes; tomatoes; lamb; and shellfish. Specials are also available.

Sibling Rivalry's food is among the sickest. However, the service was not so sick. When exquisite cuisine meets haphazard service, it is a travesty.

Our History at Sibling Rivalry
Our fourth visit to Sibling Rivalry was on a Friday night at 8:45pm.

Appetizers
Sibling Rivalry's arugula salad is one of the best salads we've had. This $11 treat includes roasted beets, haricots verts, walnuts, sherry-shallot vinaigrette, and goat cheese fondue. The beats were fresh and flavorful.

We also sampled pan-seared scallops, one of the evening's special offerings, for $14. The dish consists of two scallops wrapped in ham with house-made Boston baked beans and griddled brown bread.

Other notable options included hand-rolled pappardelle with artichokes & portobollo mushrooms and pumpkin ravioli with duck confit.

The average price for a first course is $12.

Rating: 9.5

Main Dishes
Pepper crusted saddle of Vermont venison ($27) was another of the evening's specials. Tender, juicy, and tasty venison was wonderfully complemented by spinach gnocchi that simply melted in our mouths.

In addition, we enjoyed a pan-seared, thinly-sliced rare tuna steak ($26) with a long tempura string bean and miniature pork wontons. Think sushi without the rice. The serving size was a bit dainty, but the dish was fantastic.

The average main course is $28.

No matter what you order, you can't go wrong.

Rating: 9.4

Drinks
Sibling Rivalry serves perfect martinis, priced at $11. We tried the Down Under - vodka with smashed kiwi and simple syrup. During the summer, Sibling Rivalry mixes a fresh watermelon martini that is not to be missed.

Sibling Rivalry presents a diverse wine collection that caters to many palates and wallets. A handful of whites are priced in the $34-$39 range. There are also a handful of reasonably-priced reds, starting at $29.

Rating: 8.6

Service
We arrived on time for our 8:45pm reservation. The restaurant was "running behind", so we were directed to the overflowing bar area. The next time we heard from someone was 9:20pm, and we were given the option of a table in the bar area, or waiting "a few more minutes" for a table in one of the two main dining areas. Ten minutes later, we were seated at an inappropriately-positioned table in a hallway that joins the bar and the main entrance. A one-to-two foot pole divided the bar area from the table.

After waiting over 35 minutes for a table - and waiting an extra 10 minutes to not sit in the bar area - we were stunned.

So, several minutes later, we were moved to one of the main dining areas. For our 8:45pm reservation, we sat down at 9:37pm.

For our troubles, we were served a complimentary bottle of Brut Durgent - a nice gesture, but coming off New Year's, champagne was not on our hit list.

Our waitress was professional, but she seemed to be in her own little world.

In the visits we've made to Sibling Rivalry, we've never been seated on time.

Rating: 5

Ambiance
Sibling Rivalry includes three rooms. There are two main dining areas - one with a view of the open kitchen - and a bar area. The restaurant is always busy; there's a buzz in the air. It's a sick place to dine or have drinks.

The only caveat is the tables shockingly assembled in the hallway. In making a reservation, note that you do not want to sit in this irrelevant area.

Patio dining is available in the summertime.

Rating: 8.4

Et Cetera

Trivia: Chef Bob authored a seafood cookbook, Kinkead's Cookbook

Parking: Valet is available for $16.

Menu: Visit Sibling Rivalry's web site to view this season's menu.

Reservations: Sibling Rivalry is on OpenTable.

Dress: Sibling Rivalry presents an elegant yet casual dining environment.

Labels: American, Sibling-Rivalry, Sick-Meals, South-End

Mela

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (83 out of 100)

578 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
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Phone: 617-859-4805

Mela is a new, modern Indian restaurant located along Restaurant Row on Tremont Street in the South End. Mela has been open for a little over two weeks, residing in the spot formerly occupied by The Nightingale. If you like Indian food, then you will want to give Mela a try.

Mela

Our History at Mela
We enjoyed sick meals during our first visit on a Saturday night at 8:30pm.

Appetizers
Mela's appetizers include cold and hot selections, ranging from $4 for vegetable samosa to $13 for mustard lamb. Most of the appetizers are $4-$7.

We ordered the meat samosa and received two ample turnovers stuffed with minced lamb and spices and served with mint and tamarin sauces. This flavorful $5 appetizer was suitable for two.

Rating: 9.1

Main Dishes
Mela's dinner menu features modern Indian dishes, tandori, classic curries, and several "hot stone" selections. Most of the entree menu falls in the $14-$20 range. We ordered the lamb vindaloo and the hot stone marinated lamb chops. Both dishes sent our palates swimming.

The lamb vindaloo consists of lamb chunks marinated in vinegar and spices and combined with potatoes in a spicy tomato and onion sauce. Served with a large bowl of basmati rice, this dish is fantastic.

For the hot stone selections, you are served raw meat or fish that you cook on a hot stone at your table. You receive four lamb chops with the hot stone lamb chop dish. Other hot stone selections include shrimp and scallops.

We ordered garlic naan (unleavened bread baked in a tandoor) as a side, and we were not disappointed. Mela's eight bread selections range from $3 to $5.

Rating: 9.3

Drinks
Mela offers a full bar. A bottle of wine starts at $30. We enjoyed two fabulous glasses of Campa Viejo Crianza red wine for $8 per glass. Two vodka mixed drinks were made very well, but came in at a hefty $10 per glass.

Rating: 8.4

Service
The entire staff was friendly. However, our server seemed nervous. From time to time, he hovered around our table, trying to decide whether to swoop in to clear a plate or ask if we needed a new drink.

The hot stone dish was served with no explanation. Setting expectations regarding how long to cook the lamb would have been nice. We asked the server if he knew; he did not know, and he never returned with an answer.

Rating: 6

Ambiance
Mela used decided care in renovating and decorating this space. Inside each table, you see bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, lentils, and other edibles through a clear covering. Like The Nightingale, there are two rooms. The main dining room is open and inviting; most diners have a view of bustling Tremont Street. A smaller room includes a small bar and a few dining tables; this room tends to be crowded with restaurant personnel, and it feels "colder".

Sitting in the main dining room enhances the dining experience. When you make a reservation, ask to be seated in the main dining room.

Rating: 8.5

Et Cetera

Trivia: Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning "get together".

Takeout: Mela offers takeout for most of their dinner menu.

Parking: Valet parking is not yet available. There is street parking on Tremont Street, but it can be difficult to find on weekends.

Dress: You may dress casually at Mela.

Labels: Indian, Mela, Sick-Meals, South-End