Bonfire

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Overall Rating: The Sickest (90 out of 100)

50 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
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Phone: 617-262-3473

Located in Park Plaza Hotel, Todd English's Bonfire fuses Argentinean, European, and American steakhouse influences. In addition to steakhouse cuts and creative entrees, Bonfire boasts a taqueria that serves an assortment of tasty tacos and tapas. We left Bonfire impressed by the sick, diverse cuisine as well as the sleek and stylish decor.




Our History at Bonfire
Our first visit to Bonfire was on a Friday night at 8:45pm.

Appetizers
Bonfire's appetizers range from $10 to $16 and include nachos, chicharronnes (fried pork bites), beef empanadas, barbeque baby back ribs. Salads range from $8 for simple mixed greens to $11 for Bonfire's steakhouse salad. Bonfire's taqueria serves up hand-made guacamole as well as an assortment of tacos which are available as appetizers (three tacos) for $12-$14 or entrees (five tacos) for $22-$24. Bonfire's tacos are available with lobster, tuna tartare, roasted chicken, skirt steak, and Ipswich clams.

For appetizers, we focused on Bonfire's Taqueria menu, ordering the guacamole for $10 and the clam tacos for $14.

Bonfire's guacamole is hand-made in their lava rock molecajete and served with chips. The guacamole was super-fresh and creamy with ripe tomato chunks adding a tinge of sweetness. For $6 extra, Bonfire will add grilled, chilled shrimp to the guacamole. The crispy Ipswich clam tacos were served in soft tortillas with more delicious guacamole and chipotle aioli for dipping.

Rating: 9.1

Main Dishes
Entrees include steakhouse cuts and other dishes such as Brazilian Churrasco, a one-pound kobe beef burger, crispy Long Island duck, a grilled corn quesadilla, paella, and wild Alaskan king salmon. Steakhouse cuts include filet mignon, prime angus sirloin, and a porterhouse steak. Bonfire serves the steakhouse cuts with your choice of nine sauces. Prices range from $19 for the quesadilla to $44 for a 24oz porterhouse steak. Sides are available for $7 including truffle macaroni and cheese and tempura green beans.

We opted for Bonfire's Brazilian churrasco for $33 and the paella for $32.

The Brazilian churrasco consists of a butterflied tenderloin, potato cake, Gorgonzola crema, shitake mushrooms, and sherry vinegar glaze. The tenderloin was tender, flavorful, and juicy - each ingredient an asset in bringing this dish to life. Resting underneath the steak, the potato cake served as a perfect complement. Likewise, the paella proved to be a smashing success. Generous lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, and chicken were mixed with creamy saffron risotto. The chorizo lent a spicy kick.

Rating: 9.3

Drinks
Bonfire offers a good selection of wines, bottled and draught beers, $11 martinis, a wide variety of high-quality tequilas, and specialty drinks. Although pricey at $13, the Authentic Bonfire Margarita was cool and refreshing, mixed with Tezon Anejo tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh lime juice, and a bit of champagne. Wine by the glass was fairly generous.

Rating: 8.8

Service
Our waitress was pleasant, prompt, and patient. Pacing was perfect. We leisurely enjoyed the guacamole, then the tacos, and then our entrees, with plenty of time for conversation and drinks between courses.

Rating: 8.9

Ambiance
Curved, burgundy ceilings, massive mahogany columns, dim lighting, and candle-lit tables make Bonfire sleek and stylish as well as dark and mysterious. Super-tall chairs create a unique sense of privacy for most parties. An attractive bar/lounge area tops this sick scene.

Rating: 9.1

Et Cetera

Trivia: Other Boston-area Todd English restaurants include Olives in Charlestown, Figs in Beacon Hill, and Kingfish Hall in Faneuil Hall.

Recipe: Make your own Bonfire Guacamole

Menu: View the menu on Bonfire's web site

Reservations: Bonfire is on OpenTable

Transportation: Valet for $16 or take the Green Line to Arlington.

Dress: Business Casual

Hours: Dinner is served Monday through Thursday from 5pm until 10pm and Friday and Saturday from 5pm until 11pm.

Labels: Bonfire-Boston, Steakhouse, The-Sickest, Theater-District

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 3:07 PM 0 comments 

Rustic Kitchen

Friday, August 17, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Potential (71 out of 100)

210 Stuart Street
Boston, MA 02116
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Phone: 617-423-5700

Located in Park Square, Rustic Kitchen is an Italian-Mediterranean bistro. Everything is made on premise, including breads, pastas, and desserts. The restaurant features an exposed pasta station and a wood-burning pizza oven.

Sounds great, doesn't it? The menu sounds even better. Unfortunately, the food and experience did not come close to living up to our expectations.



Our History at Rustic Kitchen
Our first visit to Rustic Kitchen was on a Saturday night at 7:00pm.

Appetizers
Appetizers range from $9 to $15 and include clam chowder, fried clams, arancini, oysters, veal meatballs, and prosciutto & homemade mozzarella. We tried the fried clams for $15 as well as the clam chowder for $9.

Rustic's clam chowder was watery and flavorless. The chowder included pancetta, garlic crostini, and hardly any clams. The crisp fried Ipswich clams with potato salad was a unique dish that yielded an interesting combination of tastes. However, $15 for fried clams felt insulting.

Four salads are also available starting at $8 for mixed greens.

Rating: 6.5

Main Dishes
Entrees include pizzas, hand crafted pastas, seafood, and butcher shop favorites. Pizza starts at $10.50. Pastas start at $16. Seafood ranges from $22 to $26. And the butcher shop favorites range from $19 to $33. We ordered veal & ricotta filled ravioli for $19 and pan seared wild striped bass for $22.

The pan seared wild striped bass sat in an overwhelming pool of oil. Included tomato-fennel jam and arugula were barely present. We had high expectations for the homemade ravioli in Parmesan broth with wild mushrooms. Unfortunately, we were again disappointed. The ravioli was very oily and the veal & ricotta filling was bland. It did not taste homemade.

Rating: 6

Drinks
We enjoyed an affordable bottle of Riesling for $24. Drinks were mixed well.

Rating: 8.4

Service
Service was OK, but pacing was poor. Entrees were served right on top of our appetizers. Our waiter was difficult to track down once the entrees arrived.

Rating: 7

Ambiance
A 250 seat bistro and bar spans two rooms. In addition, there are two private dining rooms, a garden lounge, and a live broadcast studio kitchen. We scored a prime seat in the middle of the action - a good-sized booth for two. However, with 250 seats, the place seems hard to fill. The bar was busy, but there were many open tables. The wood-burning pizza oven is impressive.

Rating: 7.6

Et Cetera

Trivia: Rustic Kitchen hosts Friday evening cooking shows. Learn more

Menu: View the menu on Rustic Kitchen's web site

Reservations: Rustic Kitchen is on OpenTable

Transportation: There is valet as well as two parking garages on site.

Dress: Casual

Hours: Dinner is served Sunday through Wednesday from 4pm to 10pm and Thursday through Saturday from 4pm to 11pm.

Labels: Italian, Rustic-Kitchen-Boston, Sick-Potential, Theater-District

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 4:15 PM 0 comments 

Smith & Wollensky

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (84 out of 100)

101 Arlington Street
Boston, MA 02116
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Phone: 617-423-1112

Smith & Wollensky is a national steakhouse chain with locations in Chicago, Miami Beach, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Columbus, Houston, New York, Washington DC, and Boston. The stunning Boston location, "The Castle" at Park Plaza, is a prominent stone and brick medieval structure.

Smith & Wollensky serves superb steak in a supreme dining environment. However, superfluous prices stop us from coming back on a regular basis.



Our History at Smith & Wollensky
We have dined at Smith & Wollensky in Las Vegas, Miami, New York, and Boston. Our most recent Boston visit was on a Saturday at 6:30pm.

Appetizers
Appetizers include Wollensky's famous split pea soup, crab cake, a thin crust pizza, and tomato & bufala mozzarella salad. Exquisite seafood bouquets include lobster, oysters, shrimp, muscles, clams, and lump crabmeat. The bouquets are available in two sizes at whopping price points - $54 for the Charlie Smith bouquet and $99 for the Ralph Wollensky bouquet. Otherwise, appetizers range from $6 for the split pea soup to $28 for a crab cake for two.

At the suggestion of our waiter, we shared the tomato & bufala salad for $13 - a beefy stack of juicy tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil.

In the past, Smith & Wollensky served a basket of soft pretzels - a SickMeals.com favorite. Over time, this basket diversified, and it is no longer a basket at all. Freshly baked biscuits greeted us on this visit. The biscuits were OK, but the pretzels were beloved. Bring them back!

Rating: 8.9

Main Dishes
The New York Times referred to Smith & Wollensky as "a steakhouse to end all arguments". It's hard to disagree, but you pay dearly. Prices range from $36 for a 10oz filet mignon to $44 for a bone-in ribeye or bone-in New York cut sirloin. A porterhouse for two is available for $88. Other entree options include lobster tail, grilled seafood, and roast prime rib. Delicious sides are served family-style and include highly-recommended whipped potatoes, creamed spinach, and sauteed mushrooms. The sides go for $8.

We enjoyed a juicy 14oz filet mignon for $40. At Smith & Wollensky, the steak never disappoints. The fillet mignon is available au poivre, oscar style, gorgonzola crusted, cajun seasoned, or simply grilled.

In addition, at our waiter's suggestion, we decided to try the Tristan Island 10oz lobster tail. Unfortunately, the lobster was a monstrous disappointment. It was not sweet as advertised. It was rubbery. And the seafood stuffing seemed like a smattering of dry bread crumbs. All for $59!

Rating: 7

Drinks
Smith & Wollensky mixed delightful cosmos and martinis. Most mixed drinks fall in the $10-$12 range. An extensive wine list features 650 U.S. wines including selections from Robert Mondavi, Harlan, Hanzell, and Jordan.

Rating: 8.5

Service
We received professional but unenthusiastic service. Repeated visits to Smith & Wollensky in Las Vegas and Miami were magical experiences - and top-shelf service played a paramount role. Despite lavish accommodations and impeccable ambiance, the Boston experience does not quite match up.

Rating: 7.9

Ambiance
Four floors include mammoth, roaring fireplaces, magnificent chandeliers, and miles of mahogany. You truly feel as though you are dining among royalty.

Rating: 9.5

Et Cetera

Trivia: Charlie Smith and Ralph Wollensky are fictional characters.

Menu: Check out the dinner menu

Reservations: Smith & Wollensky is on OpenTable

Transportation: Take the Green Line to Arlington or valet for $16.

Dress: Business Casual

Hours: Smith & Wollensky serves dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:30 PM to 10:00PM; Friday from 5:30pm to 11:00pm; Saturday from 4:30PM to 11:00PM; and Sunday from 4:30pm to 10:00PM.

Labels: Sick-Meals, Smith-and-Wollensky, Steakhouse, Theater-District

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 8:13 PM 0 comments 

Teatro

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Overall Rating: Sick Meals (88 out of 100)

177 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02111
View Map
Phone: 617-778-6841

Nuzzled near Loews Boston Common in the Theater District, Teatro (Italian for "Theater") serves up a mouthwatering, modern approach to classic Italian dishes. Teatro is an ideal spot for sick meals before catching a show.



Our History at Teatro
We dined at Teatro on two previous occasions. This review is based on a recent visit on a Friday evening at 7:30pm.

Appetizers
Teatro's appetizer menu includes several pizzas, salads, and carpaccios as well as calamari, mussels, and roasted squash soup. The main attraction for us, however, was the Teatro Antipasto for Two ($24). A hearty treat, the antipasto consists of ultra-fresh white bean puree, delicious rice balls, thinly sliced prosciutto and salami, marinated olives, roasted red peppers, beet salad, eggplant caponata, and a sampling of three fine cheeses.

Salads are $7 for one or $12 for two. In the past, we've tried the Caesar as well as the mixed greens, and they are OK, but not spectacular. The other appetizers are pricey, averaging over $13, but the quality is excellent.

Rating: 9

Main Dishes
For entrees, you can choose from six pastas as well as grilled sirloin, crispy lemon sole, mustard-glazed Atlantic salmon, and braised Kuroboto pork shank. The pastas are available in two serving sizes - a small portion for an appetizer or first course and a larger portion for an entree. We shared the crispy lemon sole, served with asparagus and saffron aioli, and an entree portion of the rigatoni with classic ragu Bolognese. The portions were substantial and the food was fabulous. During a previous visit, we enjoyed the orecchiette ("little ear"-shaped pasta) with spicy sauce and broccoli rabe. On our next visit, we plan to try the angel hair pasta with gulf shrimp.

The pastas range from $10 to $16 for a small portion and $18 to $24 for an entree portion. Other entrees range from $23 to $30.

When dining at Teatro, to get the best of both worlds, we recommend that you share pastas and the other entrees within your party.

Rating: 9.4

Drinks
Teatro features a full bar, including a selection of after-dinner drinks. We enjoyed a bottle of Prosecco - Zefiro (Veneto, Italy) for $29, which is also available by the glass for $8. The majority of the wine list is available by the glass as well as in a carafe (half bottle). The house white and house red are available for $24 per bottle. A mixed drink menu offers a variety of libations at a whopping $11 per glass; many of these drinks integrate Prosecco.

Rating: 8.5

Service
We sat immediately upon arriving for our reservation. Our waitress was prompt, knowledgeable, and patient in answering a variety of questions.

The server who brought out the antipasto asked us if we had previously tried Teatro's antipasto. We hadn't, so he described the components of the dish - which was nice. However, he described the dish in about 10 seconds; we knew no more than before he began the description.

One other note: we made this reservation on OpenTable, but Teatro marked us a no-show. Mistakes happen. Nonetheless, it is a little annoying.

Rating: 8.6

Ambiance
The Teatro web site does a fair job in conveying the ambiance. Music fills the room. Dishes and silverware clatter. Lively conversation abounds. Indeed, the high-arched ceiling gives the room a theatrical presence.

Seating in the dining room felt a bit uneven. When seated in the center of the room, you have ample room to enjoy a relaxing meal. When seated on the sides of the room, many parties are packed in like sardines.

When you enter Teatro, a small bar area greets you. Teatro's full menu is available at the bar. The bar can get chilly during the winter.

Rating: 8.5

Et Cetera

Trivia: Chef/owner Jamie Mammano is also the chef/owner of Mistral

Menu: Check out the menu here

Reservations: Teatro is on OpenTable

Parking: Valet parking is available for $15 starting at 7:00pm. Additional parking is available at the Boston Common parking garage, the Ritz Carlton garage, and the Washington Street parking lot located behind Teatro.

Dress: Teatro presents an elegant yet casual dining environment.

Labels: Italian, Sick-Meals, Teatro, Theater-District

posted by The King of Sick Meals @ 5:01 PM 0 comments