Match

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (80 out of 100)

94 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
View Map
Phone: 617-247-9922

Match Burgers and Martinis is a modern restaurant and lounge that is located near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Newbury Street. Befitting its name, Match serves up delicious gourmet burgers and sick martinis.




Our History at Match
Our third visit to Match was on a Saturday night at 6:30pm.

Appetizers
Match's apps include gingery chicken satay with peanut sauce, steamed mussels in a ginger and lemon grass broth, spicy shrimp and chorizo skewers, and grilled Margherita pizza with roasted plum tomato and basil. Prices range from $8.75 to $10.50. The menu also includes lobster bisque soup as well as salads such as tomato & cucumber with feta cheese and spinach and goat cheese salad with sliced apples and caramelized pecans.

We tried the spicy shrimp and chorizo skewers for $9.50. Match served five skewers, each including a small slice of sausage and an average-sized shrimp with mildly-spicy sauce. Overall, this dish was decent, but nothing special.

Rating: 7

Main Dishes
Match offers four entrees ranging from $12 for spaghettini to $22 for a 10oz fillet mignon. However, the main event is Match's mini burgers. The burger lineup includes a classic cheese burger, a lamb burger, a veggie burger, a tuna steak burger, a sausage burger, and a lobster burger. Each mini burger is approximately three ounces and served on a miniature bun. Prices range from $4.75 for the veggie burger to $8 for the lobster burger.

We ordered the spicy lamb burger with coriander, tomato, and yogurt relish, the soy and ginger marinated tuna steak burger with wasabi aioli, and the New England lobster burger with roasted red pepper aioli. All three of these burgers left us salivating for more, but we particularly enjoyed the tuna and lobster burgers. The wasabi aioli danced off the exquisite tuna steak.

These little burgers are expensive but truly sick. We recommend ordering a minimum of three burgers per person in your party.

Sides include onion rings, fries, and grilled asparagus with prosciutto. We tried the grilled asparagus with prosciutto for $3.75. We received a single slice of substandard prosciutto wrapped around several overcooked asparagus. You are better off ordering onion rings or fries to complement the mini burgers.

Rating: 8.3

Drinks
Match mixes sick martinis. At first glance, the $10+ martinis seem pricey, but the prices include enough alcohol to make almost two martinis. The waitress pours your first martini and leaves behind a mini-shaker for you to pour a generous second helping. We particularly enjoyed the Bubbletini, a mix of vodka, peach schnapps, lemon juice, and champagne.

Rating: 9

Service
Waitresses are best-known for tight-fitting uniforms, but service was satisfactory. Our waitress was friendly and mostly attentive.

Rating: 7.9

Ambiance
Divided equally into a sleek bar area and a main dining area, Match exudes an early-evening lounge feel. The dimly-lit dining area features a glass wine room and a unique fire display that nearly runs the length of the room.

At any hour, the volume always seems a tad bit too high, and the acoustics don't seem quite right. The beat and volume pick up as the night progresses. If you plan to chat at dinner, get there early.

Rating: 7.9

Et Cetera

Trivia: Match is located at the former home of the Blue Cat Cafe.

Menu: View the menu on Match's web site

Reservations: Match is on OpenTable

Transportation: Valet is available for $15. The nearest T station is Hynes Convention Center on the Green Line.

Dress: Casual Elegant

Hours: Dinner is served Sunday through Wednesday from 5pm to 10pm and Thursday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm.

Labels: American, Back-Bay, Match-Burgers-and-Martinis-Boston, Sick-Meals

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 8:59 PM 0 comments 

Brasserie Jo

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (85 out of 100)

120 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
View Map
Phone: 617-424-7000

Located near The Prudential Center in The Colonnade Hotel, Brasserie Jo cooks up a variety of casual, traditional French fare. The menu features light hor's devoures and full meals as well as extensive wine and beer lists.



Our History at Brasserie Jo
Our third visit to Brasserie Jo was on a Friday night at 7:00pm.

Appetizers
Appetizers range from $5.95 to $14.95 and include French ham crepe gratin, smoked salmon, and ratatouille goat cheese tarte. Shellfish are also available including oysters on the half shell, crab claws, and jumbo shrimp cocktail. We ordered the smoked salmon, oysters, and a bowl of clam chowder.

The smoked salmon was served with crispy potatoes and horseradish cream. We enjoyed the salmon, but the horseradish cream hit us like a bulldozer. One might call this dish horseradish cream with salmon and crispy potatoes.

Brimming with fresh clams and not too rich, the clam chowder was surprisingly good. A half dozen ample oysters were a tasty treat.

Salads and pizza are also available.

Rating: 8.3

Main Dishes
Entrees include seafood such as sauteed skate wings, steak dishes such as classic Parisian steak frites, and specialties such as chicken coq au vin. Prices range from $14.95 for seasonal vegetables crepe Florentine to $31.95 for the New York Strip Steak. Daily specials are available.

We ordered roasted rack of lamb for $24.95 and sauteed soft shell crab, a special, for $22.95. The crunchy soft shell crab was served with pistachio butter, fingerling potatoes, and haricots verts. Tender roasted rack of lamb was served with braised flageolet beans, a perfect complement to the lamb.

Rating: 8.9

Drinks
Bottled beer and drafts are available, starting at $4.75. The house draft is Hopla, an Alsatian-style pilsner brewed exclusively for Brasserie Jo. A bottle of wine starts at $29. Martinis go for $11-$12. We sipped on a French cosmo, mixed with Grey Goose, Grand Marnier, and cranberry juice, as well as a "Nouveau", a mix of Stoli Blueberi, Cointreau, and lime juice.

Rating: 8.8

Service
Our waiter was patient and thorough in answering questions regarding the menu. Too much time lapsed between drink orders, but we otherwise received professional service. All of the staff seemed to bound with enthusiasm.

Rating: 8.4

Ambiance
Brasserie Jo feels like a brasserie set in an upscale urban environment. The prime tables are those closest to bustling Huntington Avenue. Your experience at other tables may vary. Our table, for instance, abutted the serving station.

Rating: 8.3

Et Cetera

Trivia: Chef Jean Joho owns the acclaimed Everest and Brasserie Jo restaurants in Chicago and the Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Las Vegas.

Menu: Check out the menu here

Reservations: Brasserie Jo is on OpenTable

Transportation: Valet is $12 for 1 hour, $16 for 2 hours, and $20 for three hours. The nearest T station is Prudential on the Green Line (E Branch).

Dress: You may dress casually.

Hours: Dinner is served Monday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm and on Sunday from 5pm to 10pm. A special bar menu is available until 1am from Monday through Thursday and until 1:30am on Friday and Saturday.

Labels: Back-Bay, Brasserie-Jo, French, Sick-Meals

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 12:09 AM 0 comments 

Avila

Monday, June 11, 2007

Overall Rating: The Sickest (90 out of 100)

1 Charles Street South
Boston, MA 02216
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Phone: 617-267-4810

Avila captures the flavors of Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and France. Creative, mouth-watering dishes make Avila one of the sickest meals in town.



Our History at Avila
Our first visit to Avila was on a Friday night at 9:00pm.

Appetizers
Small plates range from $4 to $8 and include cured Spanish olives, salt cod poppers, sauteed chicken livers, duck egg over easy, escargot, and Portuguese sardines. First courses range from $9 to $17 and include onion soup, foie gras, cast iron sizzling shrimp, grilled baby octopus, and gazpacho.

We started the evening with salt cod poppers ($6), cured Spanish olives ($4), and cast iron sizzling shrimp ($13). Five deliciously-soft cod poppers melted in our mouths; balsamic mayonnaise was included for dipping. Avila served a healthy portion of Spanish olives. The cast iron sizzling shrimp included three, large shrimp perfectly marinated in garlic, parsley and olive oil. The dish was sick, but three shrimp for $13 felt a bit skimpy.

Avila's bread basket included delectable mini-slices of white pizza. We also received tasty, complimentary morsels of tuna tartar served on a potato chip.

Rating: 9

Main Dishes
Pastas range from $18 to $42 and include hand rolled potato gnocchi, fusilli with jumbo shrimp and Portuguese sausage, and fettuccine carbonara served with butter poached lobster. Entrees range from $25 to $32 and include free range chicken, seared halibut, pork Milanese, grilled veal sirloin, and whole crispy bass. Eight specialties range from $22 for Za'atar spiced black pearl salmon to $41 for natural aged New York sirloin.

We decided to go with the whole crispy bass as well as one of the evening's specials, grilled swordfish. The whole crispy bass was substantial, served whole, including the head. We enjoyed the lightly dusted cornmeal crust that surrounded the delicious bass. The dish was served with sea salt yucca, arugula, and corn colada. Another gem, the grilled swordfish was topped with fried clams and served with hydrogreen salad and orange slices.

Rating: 9.4

Drinks
Wine is available by the glass or bottle. Reds range from $8 to $15 per glass. Whites range from $9 to $13 per glass. Avila's extensive wine list includes several bottles in the $20s and $30s amidst a diverse collection of more expensive offerings. Mixed drinks were expensive but solid. We enjoyed a pre-dinner champagne lemontini for $12, a mix of Ketel One citron, cointreau, limoncello, champagne, and mint leaves with a lemon twist.

Rating: 8.7

Service
We experienced prompt, friendly, and professional service from our waitress as well as the hostess, bartenders, and bus staff.

Rating: 8.8

Ambiance
Avila greets you with a long, alluring bar. A wide open kitchen with counter-style seating lies in the middle of the restaurant. Tall windows, an ultra-high ceiling, and a dim, candle-lit room create an upscale, urban ambiance.

Rating: 9

Et Cetera

Trivia: A bar menu is available from 3pm to 11pm on Sunday through Tuesday and from 3pm to midnight on Wednesday through Saturday. The bar menu features pizza as well as yummy first and second courses such as mini kobe beef burgers, pappardelle bolognese, a lamb tenderloin pita pocket, crispy calamari, and Philly cheese steak spring rolls.

Menu: Check out the menu here

Reservations: Avila is on OpenTable

Parking: Valet for $16 or park in the nearby Motor Mart Garage.

Dress: Business Casual in a fine dining environment

Hours: Dinner is served Sunday through Tuesday from 5pm to 10pm and Wednesday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm.

Labels: Avila, Back-Bay, Mediterranean, The-Sickest

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 9:53 PM 0 comments 

Douzo

Friday, May 25, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (89 out of 100)

131 Dartmouth Street
Boston, MA 02116
View Map
Phone: 617-859-8886

Douzo is a modern Japanese restaurant and lounge located steps away from Back Bay Station on the Orange Line. Sensational sushi rolls, hard-hitting drinks, and chic decor make Douzo a truly sick meal.



Our Douzo History
Our first visit to Douzo was on a Saturday night at 8:00pm.

Appetizers
Over 20 cold and hot starters are available, ranging from $3.75 to $12.75. Cold starters include tuna, beef, and duck tataki, monkfish pate, squid sashimi, baby octopus, edamame, and seaweed salad. Hot starters include crispy filo shrimp, lobster tempura, crab cake, spare ribs, lobster miso soup, and soft-shelled crab tempura. We ordered edamame as our cold starter and soft-shelled crab tempura for a hot starter.

Edamame is a simple dish of soy beans with sea salt and lime. Douzo served several heaping spoonfuls of soy beans - more than enough for our party of three - for just $4.75. The edamame was a light, tasty way to get this sick meal started. Next up was the soft-shelled crab tempura for $10.75. Breaded, deep-fried, and served with tempura sauce, the soft-shelled crab was cooked to a perfect crisp and served without a drip of grease.

Rating: 9.2

Main Dishes
Choose from maki and hand rolls, cucumber hand rolls, salads, sushi and sashimi, and several combination platters and entrees. A selection of "special rolls" is also available. Special rolls range from $6.75 to $16.75. Maki, hand, and cucumber hand rolls range from $3.50 to $8.50. Entrees run from $17 to $32. We focused on Douzo's sashimi and special rolls.

For special rolls, we chose the Back Bay, Crazy, and Rainbow rolls. The Back Bay roll ($15.75) consisted of eight pieces of asparagus, cucumber, and avocado wrapped with seared tuna and a touch of wasabi sauce. The Crazy roll ($8.25) included four mammoth pieces of shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber, and spicy mayo. The bright Rainbow roll ($12.75) consisted of six pieces of shrimp, crab stick, tobiko, and spicy mayo wrapped with tuna, salmon, and white fish. Douzo presented the rolls like neatly-wrapped gifts on a shiny white plate. The rolls were creative, super fresh, and delicious.

Douzo's sushi gives you two pieces per order while the sashimi gives you three pieces. We delighted in the smoked salmon and albacore tuna sashimi ($7.25/each), enjoying three neatly-cut slices of tender cool sickness.

Entrees include sirloin steak, lobster, grilled salmon fillet or chicken breast, thinly sliced prime rib, and deep-fried pork or chicken cutlet. Rice and a variety of tempura - two pieces per order - are available as sides.

Rating: 9

Drinks
The bartender poured liquor with a vengeance, easily doubling the value of each mixed drink with her generosity. We recommend the Tokyo Cosmo ($10), a sick mix of vodka, sake, and triple sec with a splash of lime and cranberry juice. Wine starts at $27 for a bottle.

Rating: 9.3

Service
Two bartenders coolly handled an overflowing crowd with ease. On the other hand, table service was nothing special; our waitress acted as though she'd rather be spending her Saturday night elsewhere.

Rating: 7.9

Ambiance
Douzo is modern, striking, and crystal clean. You feel the pulse of the restaurant in lively conversation, constant motion, and contemporary background music. The bar scene bustles while the sushi chefs hustle.

Rating: 9

Et Cetera

Trivia: Douzo means "please come in" in Japanese.

Menu: Check out the menu on the Douzo web site

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

Parking: Valet is just $5 for up to three hours.

Dress: You may dress casually, but given the chic, urban environment, you might feel more at home if you dress for a night on the town.

Hours: Dinner is served seven days per week from 4:30pm until midnight.

Labels: Back-Bay, Douzo, Japanese, Sick-Meals

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 5:56 AM 0 comments 

Cottonwood Cafe

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (85 out of 100)

222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
View Map
Phone: 617-247-2225

Searching for sick southwestern cuisine? How about a pitcher of Boston's sickest margaritas? Look no further than Cottonwood Cafe, located steps from Copley Square on the corner of Berkeley Street and Stuart Street.



Our History at Cottonwood Cafe
Our sixth visit to the Cottonwood Cafe was on a Friday at 7:30pm.

Appetizers
For starters, we opted for chips with four dips. Homemade, tri-color tortilla chips are served with house-made red and green salsas, guacamole, and chile con queso. The dips were sick and the crispy chips were oven-fresh. We enjoyed the fresh, creamy guacamole, chock-full of tomato and onion chunks.

Other appetizers include grilled mesa shrimp, artichoke and spinach dip, snakebites, cowboy potstickers, and crab & brie quesadilla. Prices range from $6 to $11.95. Also available are several soups, salads, and stews such as six chile chili, black bean soup, and Santa Fe caesar salad.

Rating: 8.5

Main Dishes
Cottonwood offers signature dishes such as seafood paella and enchiladas as well as open grilled specialties such as angus ranch strip and twice stuffed chicken. We decided to go with enchiladas verdes and barbacoa - shrimp and chicken breast grilled and served in house-made bourbon-barbeque sauce.

To create their famous enchiladas verdes, Cottonwood bakes grilled chicken, jack cheese, scallions, and pico de gallo in soft corn tortillas. A perfect balance of spicy and creamy, the dish is served with tomatillo green sauce, achiote rice, ranch beans, guacamole, mixed greens, and sour cream.

The barbacoa is both sweet and spicy, giving you healthy portions of marinated, grilled shrimp and chicken breast smothered with bourbon-barbeque sauce. Baked banana, ensalada mixta, and achiote rice cool your palate in between bourbon-barbeque bites.

Entree prices range from $16.95 to $24.95.

Rating: 8.5

Drinks
A sick margarita lineup includes frozen or straight up drinks by the glass or pitcher. The "Cottonwood Classic", Cottonwood's most popular margarita, integrates Sauza Conmemorativo and Citronge. The ultra-smooth "Tradicional" is made with Sauza Tres Generaciones and Cointreau. Indulge in Cottonwood's "Platinum" margarita and choose from Milagro Anejo, El Tesoro Reposado, or Patron Silver with Cointreau served straight up.

Margarita pitchers range from $25 to $40 and glasses range from $6.25 to $9.95. Beer, wine, and other mixed drinks are also available.

Rating: 9.6

Service
Cottonwood's table service is friendly but frequently unspectacular. Our waitress did not inform us of the evening's specials. She forgot to give us knives. We received lackluster answers in response to our entree questions.

Rating: 7.6

Ambiance
Blue and purple lights dance off earth tone-colored walls to create a distinct Southwestern theme. A long, bustling bar serves as an ideal venue for drinks.

Rating: 8.4

Et Cetera

Trivia: Patio dining is available during the spring, summer, and fall.

Menu: Check out the dinner menu and drink menu

Reservations: Cottonwood Cafe is on OpenTable

Parking: Cottonwood offers two hours of free validated parking in the Back Bay Parking Garage on weekdays starting at 5pm and any time on weekends.

Dress: You may dress casually at Cottonwood.

Hours: Dinner is served Monday through Thursday from 5:30pm to 10pm; Friday and Saturday from 5:30pm to 11pm; and Sunday from 5pm to 10pm.

Labels: Back-Bay, Cottonwood-Cafe, Sick-Meals, Southwestern

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 5:18 PM 0 comments 

The Wine Cellar

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Overall Rating: The Sickest (90 out of 100)

30 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
View Map
Phone: 617-236-0080

The Wine Cellar is Boston's only Fondue restaurant. Offering a cozy, romantic atmosphere, a wide variety of fine wines, and great-tasting fondue, The Wine Cellar is an ideal venue for sick meals and good conversation.



Our History at The Wine Cellar
This was our second visit to The Wine Cellar. This review is based on a Saturday night dining experience at 8:30pm.

Appetizers
The Wine Cellar's appetizer menu includes six cheese-based fondues. The fondues are served with potato wedges and cubed bread. We went with the classic fondue which consists of Gruyere and Emmental cheeses melted with cracked black pepper in white wine and brandy. During a previous visit, we tried the Brittany fondue - artichoke hearts and shallots blended into cheese. The fondue appetizers are delicious. A regular serving for 1-2 people is $18. A large serving for 3-4 people is $32. So far, our favorite is the Brittany.

You may also choose from non-fondue appetizers such as the soup of the day ($5), escargots casserole ($12), and frog legs a la Provencal (market price).

Rating: 9

Main Dishes
For Entree fondues, you can choose from seven meat-based selections, and three cooking styles. Each meat is paired with dipping sauces. Meats include beef, chicken, pork loin, lamb, kangaroo, ostrich, rabbit loin, tiger shrimp, and sausage. The kangaroo, ostrich, and rabbit loin are served together with olive oil as part of the "Crazy French" offering which is $42 for a small portion or $80 for a large portion. The other fondue entrees range from $17-26 for a small portion or $31-47 for a large portion.

Cooking styles include Latin, French, and Courbouillion. Most guests opt for the French style (broth with Chablis wine, garlic, and cracked black pepper), but we enjoyed the Latin selection - broth with garlic and citrus flavors.

Deciding on one meat selection was difficult, so we opted for "Indulgence for Two". This $88 prix fixe offering lets you choose a cheese fondue appetizer, four items from the entree menu (excluding the Crazy French entree), and a chocolate fondue for dessert. In addition to the four entree items, you are served a side of vegetables and a sampling of dipping sauces, including balsamic glaze, mushroom red wine, lime dill, dijon mustard, horseradish sauce, brown sugar balsamic glaze, chili sauce, and teriyaki sauce.

If you are visiting The Wine Cellar for the first time, we suggest the Indulgence for Two. It offers a fair value and gives you flexibility in sampling the menu. We enjoyed the variety of the meats - we chose beef, lamb, shrimp and sausage - and the array of flavors offered by the dipping sauces.

We offer two suggestions for improvement: 1) The raw meats are served on the same plate as the vegetables and dipping sauces. It would enhance the dining experience to place the raw meats on a separate plate. 2) The vegetables, cooked string beans, were plain and not very exciting. A variety of dip-able vegetables would be preferred.

Several non-fondue entrees are available including paella and rack of lamb.

Rating: 9

Drinks
The Wine Cellar's wine list is expansive and notable. The Wine Spectator bestowed The Wine Cellar with its Best Of Award of Excellence. We enjoyed a flavorful bottle of Konrad Sauvignon Blanc (2005, New Zealand).

The Wine Cellar also serves beer, but no hard booze.

Note: The wine list is subject to change. If you have a favorite that is no longer available, The Wine Cellar will normally suggest a delightful alternative.

Rating: 9.1

Service
When we arrived at 8:30pm, a party from 5:30pm had not yet finished their meal, and we were forced to wait. How a restaurant reacts at these times can make or break the dining experience. In this case, The Wine Cellar came up aces. The owner plied our party with what likely represented $100 in complimentary wine and apologized profusely on a number of occasions. The Wine Cellar proved that it takes reservations very seriously.

Once we sat down for dinner, our waitress was knowledgeable and generally provided good service. However, her brusque demeanor did not quite match the otherwise-intimate experience.

Rating: 8.8

Ambiance
The Wine Cellar is literally located in a cellar. As soon as you walk in, you notice the intimate ambiance - dim lighting, flame-lit tables, and an exposed brick wall with a mural. Fondue lends itself to conversation. You cannot race through your meal as you must take time to individually dip and cook your meats. The Wine Cellar is an ideal setting for a romantic night on the town.

Rating: 9.3

Et Cetera

Trivia: Fondue traditionally refers to cheese fondue. Broth-based fondue for meat may also be referred to as Fondue Chinoise or Hot Pot.

Menu: Check out the menu here

Dessert: The Wine Cellar's dessert menu includes four chocolate fondues that are served with marshmallows, cookies, and fresh fruits. Dessert is $12 for a regular portion that serves 1-2 and $24 for a large portion that serves 3-4.

Reservations: The Wine Cellar is on OpenTable. There is limited seating; do not show up without a reservation.

Parking: Valet is available on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for $16.

Dress: You may dress casually at The Wine Cellar, but given the elegant dining environment, you might consider getting a bit dressed up.

Labels: Back-Bay, Fondue, Romantic, The-Sickest, The-Wine-Cellar

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 10:35 PM 0 comments 

Laurel Grill and Bar

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Overall Rating: Sick Potential (76 out of 100)

142 Berkeley St.
Boston, MA 02116
View Map
Phone: 617-424-6711

Laurel Grill and Bar is an American restaurant located conveniently on Berkeley Street, near Columbus Avenue. Laurel sports a small, bustling bar that seems like a nice spot for after-work drinks. The restaurant exudes a vibrant, conversational environment. And the prices are reasonable. While our overall dining experience was mixed, we plan to return in the future. Read on!



Our Laurel History
This was our second visit to Laurel. We've also ordered from Laurel via Dining In. This review is based on a recent visit on a Saturday night at 8:00pm.

Appetizers
Laurel offers an array of appetizers and salads. Something on the menu is bound to appeal to any member of your party. We chose to go with the grilled kielbasa sausage plate and the crispy fried calamari. The kielbasa was tasty, rubbed with honey mustard vinaigrette and served with pickled cabbage. The calamari was so-so; it seemed "mushy" more than crispy. During a previous visit, we sampled the lobster-artichoke dip, and it was outstanding. The apps are very reasonably priced, ranging from $4.59 for the soup of the day to $8.99 for jerk crusted seared rare tuna. The salads range from $5.99 for mesclun greens, beefsteak tomatoes, and red onion with balsamic vinaigrette to $13.99 for the grilled cilantro marinated flank steak salad.

Rating: 8.7

Main Dishes
The entree lineup includes various fowl, seafood, and meat selections. Lobster risotto and tender veal meatloaf caught our eye. So did the braised lamb shank and gorgonzola & bacon stuffed maple brined boneless pork loin. On this evening, we went with the lamb shank and pork loin. The lamb shank was good but it was in the middle-of-the-pack compared to other lamb shanks we've tasted. The pork loin was disappointing. We would not expect gorgonzola and bacon to overwhelm the pork loin, but these ingredients were seemingly present only in trace elements; if "gorgonzola" and "bacon" were not printed on the menu, we'd never have guessed that they were a part of the dish. What dampened our experience the most, however, was that both plates were served at luke-warm temperatures. Luke-warm lamb shank falling off the bone does not compare to fresh-from-the-oven lamb shank falling from the bone. In short, the entrees sounded better than they tasted.

Rating: 6.7

Drinks
Laurel offers a nice selection of accessible and reasonably-priced wine. A glass of wine starts at $6. Full bottles start at $18. There is a drink menu that includes a variety of martinis and other mixed drinks. The advertised martini specials for the evening - blueberry and cran-apple - were pretty good, but not spectacular. The martinis range from $7 to $10.50. The quality of the other vodka-based mixed drinks we had were pretty good, but inconsistent. We ordered the same drink twice: we were charged two different prices and the relative composition of the mixers was clearly different.

Rating: 8

Service
We sat immediately upon arriving for our 8:00pm reservation. Other than that, the service was friendly, but slow. The waitress was slow to take and deliver drink orders. The entrees arrived at luke-warm temperatures.

Rating: 6

Ambiance
With raised ceilings, a nifty bar, and an open layout, Laurel is inviting, and as soon as you walk in, it seems like a perfect place for a sick time. During this visit, we were seated in an area that was a bit detached from the main dining area and bar. Although this location suited us fine, it could limit one's immersion in the energy that one normally feels at this restaurant.

Rating: 8.5

Et Cetera

Trivia: The restaurant is owned by the husband and wife team of executive chef Russ Berger and executive pastry chef Sherry Berger. The Bergers also own Firefly at 130 Dartmouth Street, next to Copley Place.

Menu: Check out the dinner menu here

Reservations: Laurel is on OpenTable

Parking: There is no valet, but there are nearby parking lots and garages. Street parking can be difficult to find on weekends.

Dress: You can dress casually at Laurel.

Labels: American, Back-Bay, Laurel, Sick-Potential

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 8:41 PM 0 comments