Eastern Standard Kitchen, Boston MA

When I arrived in Boston my Monday lunch had originally been unscheduled; on one hand I figured I’d be getting a bit worn down by the conference by that point but at the same time I did not want to marry myself to anything specific in the event that I was not...at least that was the plan until I ate at Island Creek Oyster Bar two days prior and walked by their sister restaurant Eastern Standard en route to Fenway the same day. Having already heard about Eastern Standard from locals and duly impressed by Owner/Chef (and L’Espalier trained) Jeremy Sewall’s approach at ICOB I checked out the menu and called to make reservations along with a “if possible” request that would turn out to be quite possible.

With the best lectures of the day largely pooled in the morning hours and Eastern Standard featuring lunch, dinner, and “mid-day” seatings (and menus) I scheduled my reservation at the very end of lunch and arriving at 2:20 I was right on time. With the restaurant 95% empty save for a couple at the bar and a few folks on the patio when I arrived I was greeted first by a pair of hostesses (who would actually be interviewing new wait staff during my visit) and told I could sit anywhere I liked. Opting for a table near the patio but protected from the sun I was seated at a nice marble two-top table with vintage leather chairs and next visited by Ksenia, my omnipresent server, who would present the lunch menu and descriptions of the daily specials, charcuterie, and soup.

Wanting to sample broadly from the eclectic menu and having already confirmed that my special request from the dinner menu could be accommodated at lunch I sat and decided for a few moments and after being told the stuffed dates were sold out my order was placed, water was filled, and I was left to soak in the nostalgic feel of the room and music while I waited watching folks walk by on Commonwealth. With Dean Martin overhead and a red vinyl couch and pictures of Marilyn Monroe to my right it would not be long before Ksenia would appear at my table with my first bites of Eastern Standard’s cuisine – a small plate with five half slices of Whole Wheat Sourdough and smooth unsalted butter. With fond memories still lingering of the impressive bread and butter at Island Creek I will merely note that this bread was a bit of a letdown only for that reason, otherwise it was serviceable table bread served warm and baked in house.

Opting for three appetizers as opposed to an appetizer and a main course my first dish to arrive from the kitchen was my request from the dinner menu and delivered hot with golden brioche “match sticks” Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Rhubarb and Fennel Cream was a very good preparation with sweet and savory holding one another in check while also each complimenting the delicate liver in entirely different ways. Ample in portion and equally in flavor I’ll note that while I personally would have benefitted from more of the golden brioche this is a minor quibble I have pretty much everywhere except places where it is replaced anew during the course of the dish.....and even then I really can’t say no to more brioche.

With the foie gras as good as hoped it would be a bit of a delay, perhaps 25 minutes of reading my conference books, before my second and third plates would arrive – one excellent, one not so much. Beginning first with the daily charcuterie plate with mustard, cornichons, and pickled onions the days selections on the bargain $14 board would be Coppa, Salami, Prosciutto, Duck Rillets, Lamb terrine with mint, and Veal tongue – all excellent examples, but particularly the rillets and the veal tongue which were both a bold balance of spices, salinity, and texture.

Having noted my disappointment with the accompanying dish I will note a caveat in that when I mentioned the issue – namely overcooked egg and undercooked sweetbreads – it was replaced immediately and not only was an apology offered, but the dish was comped as well…but unfortunately it still was not all that good. Titled Frisee aux Lardons with Hazelnuts, Sweetbreads, and Poached Egg this salad certainly had all the makings of a great dish, but unfortunately the gaminess of the sweetbreads when combined with too heavy a hand with the vinaigrette led to something muddled, heavy, and simply lacking the balance I’d hoped.

With my primary target of the afternoon being a dessert (even more so than the Foie Gras) my order was placed without need for a menu and when delivered I knew immediately that this would be one of the highlights of the trip. Described as “Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Praline Ice Cream and Salted Caramel” and delivered as a steaming hot square absolutely smothered with liquid caramel the only way to sum up this dish is with the Def Leppard lyric – “I’m hot, sticky sweet.” With the pudding thick and creamy, the caramel salty and smooth, and the ice cream retaining its temperature by clever placement atop a thick praline this was everything a pan-style bread pudding should be and one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

With caramel, foie gras, egg, pork, and sweetbreads now competing for stomach space my server arrived once again to ask me if there was anything else I’d like and joking that a nap would be nice I was cleverly oriented to the fact that Eastern Standard was attached to a hotel (something I’d have never guessed as it certainly does not feel like a “hotel restaurant”) and with the bill paid I thanked the team and made my way outdoors for a nice walk to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts to see the Chihuly exhibit. With my last dinner of the trip still to come I can without a doubt say that for a place marketing itself as a “kitchen” or “bar,” the food and service that Eastern Standard is offering is certainly more befitting of a proper restaurant and one well worth a visit for those traveling to Boston – especially for dessert.

L'Espalier, Boston MA

As one of the earlier East Coast members of the “farm to table” revolution and a regular amongst the “best of” lists in various local and regional publications dinner at L’Espalier was the easiest dining choice I made in all of Boston. Of course I’d heard the rumors that Frank McClelland was spending less and less time overseeing the operations of his flagship restaurant since migrating near the Mandarin Oriental Hotel but under the well trained hand of Shane O’Neill I had little doubt the of the kitchen’s capabilities and given the local sourcing of many of its ingredients from McClelland’s organic Apple Street Farm I had no reason to doubt that no matter who was cooking on the night of my meal the food ‘should’ be delicious….and of course a little extra assurance by literally dining in the kitchen didn’t hurt either. Having planned for this to be my longest, most elaborate, and most expensive meal during my trip the necessary contacts were made through Daria Caritano approximately two months in advance and with my time of arrival set to be 7:00pm everything went according to plan as I entered the lobby at five minutes to seven.

With greetings offered by a pair of capped doormen and my reservation confirmed my first stop at L’Espalier was the elevator to the main dining room floor – a ride during which I’d clearly been pronounced to the hostess at the top of the lift as I was greeted by name and my bags were checked before the doors had even fully opened. With the maître d’hôtel soon to arrive and again all smiles and pleasantries I was introduced to at least fifteen members of the staff en route to (and through) the kitchen where I would finally land at a large four-top behind a glass window overlooking the entirety of the kitchen. Seated on a comfortable high stool with padded lumbar support I was next greeted by Chef O’Neill and encouraged to “make yourself comfortable – we’ve got a lot of great dishes planned for you tonight” and with that the maître d’ suggested I remove my coat “because it gets pretty warm” and instructed me on the use of my own private air conditioner.

With the kitchen moving at a frenetic yet focused pace due to two large graduation parties and a rehearsal dinner the next man to greet me would be Shah – for all intents and purposes my own personal server for the evening. A quiet yet knowledgeable man whose tenure at the restaurant dated back to its prior location the only two decisions of the evening would arrive quickly – the first being whether I’d prefer still or sparkling water and the second being the selection of a cocktail or wine to go with my meal. Left with the extensive wine list and slightly less substantial cocktail menu to decide for a moment while my water was fetched I must note that although I generally do not drink the cocktail menu at L’Espalier proved to be one of the most intriguing I’d seen in some time and in the end it was not a matter of deciding whether I wanted one of the $15 beverages but rather which – a decision Shah made easy on me when he affirmed one of the three I’d considered to be his favorite.

With the decisions part of the night taken care of within 10 minutes of seating I was once again left by myself to watch the action of the kitchen and all its chefs, dynamics, dramas, lectures, ebbs and flows – an experience not unlike that in many cooking shows yet vastly more real and interactive as home life was discussed, skills were honed, jokes were made, and in one case a licked spoon re-entering a sauce pan resulted in an entire course being restarted (and extra cleaning duties at shift’s end for the offending party) – to say the least it was an experience like no other and everything that anyone ate at L’Espalier during my three hour meal was mine to observe, question, and enjoy.

With the kitchen (and air conditioner) humming the first item to arrive at my table was in fact not my cocktail but rather a pair of canapés – one a creamy goat cheese gougere and the other a creamy slice of Foie Gras terrine with cherry compote served on a porcelain spoon – both excellent and a sweet/savory pairing that served their purpose admirably to awaken the palate.

With canapés consumed and amuses en route Shah would arrive next with my “Red Sidecar” shaken and poured tableside featuring Myers Dark Rum, Cognac, Pomegranate, and Fresh Orange. Admittedly a lightweight when it comes to alcohol but generally an admirer of rum based drinks when I do opt to imbibe this drink was right up my alley with a lot of sweetness included a sugared rim to balance the woody aromatic blend of cognac and rum.

Arriving shortly after the cocktail and announced as my amuse bouche of the evening Copper River Salmon Crudo with crème fraiche, buckwheat crumble, and caper “caviar” would prove to be not only very texturally compelling, but also quite interesting in replicating the traditional smoked salmon and caviar experience without using eggs or a smoker at all.

Having heard great things about the bread service at L’Espalier I would not be let down when Shah arrived next at my table with a basket of warm house made bread nine slices deep paired with a round of sweet butter with sea salt. With the nightly options consisting of Rosemary Focaccia, Pretzel Roll, Multigrain Wheat, and Fig it was with much restraint that I limited my intake of bread between courses, though I will fully admit to taking only a bite or two of the multigrain while finishing each of the other options and requesting another couple slices of the fig to accompany the selections served with the cheese board later.

Now well settled in and watching the kitchen produce forty orders of sweetbreads for one of the parties while the pastry team sliced an enormous white cake crafted for the rehearsal the tasting menu proper would begin with something I more or less expected considering the city I was visiting – an oyster. Titled “Misty Point Oyster, mignonette, North American Caviar” this relatively straight forward preparation was served shucked from the shell in an elegant double glass bowl with a touch of liquid nitrogen doing double duty as temperature control and special effects. With the oyster itself smooth and surprisingly sweet and the mignonette flavors fashioned by the combination of the foam and the jus this tasty bite went down smoothly with the caviar adding a touch more brine and texture.

With courses arriving on average at ten minute intervals and flawless timing and execution the rule throughout the evening my second course would be one of the most memorable of the night both for its wonderful flavor and for its relative simplicity. Titled Apple Street Farm egg mousse with white sturgeon caviar and featuring a creamy sweetened pudding rife with egg yolk juxtaposed against briny bubbles of caviar it was like Keller’s Oysters and Pearls minus the oyster plus more cream.

Moving through the list of my favorite ingredients the third item of the evening was Butter Poached Main lobster with garlic emulsion, English peas, and ham consommé – a dish prepared a la minute by O’Neill as the team prepared twelve menu lobster courses for one of the parties and in my case pairing a snappy half tail simply with sweet shucked peas, mellow yet heady garlic, and the slightest essence of smoky ham.

Course four would prove to be my favorite of the night and having the opportunity to watch the sous-chef break down six or seven whole lobes of foie gras over the course of my meal I gained a whole new respect for the time and skill needed to make the ingredient shine. This time the same preparation as on the nightly menu, Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with almond cake, salted caramel and green almond milk foam was one of the best seared Foie Gras preps I’ve had in recent memory with the supple organ meet creamy on the inside and caramelized on the exterior pairing perfectly with the almond sponge and dehydrated nut butter on the plate’s left. Generally preferring my liver sweet to savory the addition of the airy nuanced almond foam and smears of sticky caramel worked beautifully for me, though I will note that for some this dish may have proven “too sweet” for so early in the meal because in all reality it undeniably could’ve been served as dessert and I’d not have complained one bit.

Course five would be another dish that seemed somewhat oddly placed as it functioned almost as an early meal palate cleanser prior to beginning the heftier proteins but having enjoyed meals at places like Alinea and VOLT where the savory sweet savory sweet flow is seamlessly incorporated into the progression of the meal the only problem with “Buffalo milk panna cotta with Tabasco tomato caviar/Ricotta crumble/olive oil gelee, matcha crumble and eucalyptus sorbet, Strawberry watermelon cocktail with strawberry sphere” was that there was simply too much going on for a single plate even if the “plate” was in fact three distinct entities. Beginning first with the ice cream as it was the most likely to melt I will note that this singular fraction of a dish was the only failure of the night at L’Espalier – too minty, too grassy, too potent. Moving next to the Panna Cotta – a huge swing in the other direction – this deconstructed caprese was flawless and tinged with a bit of heat that brought everything together. Finally, the cocktail was molecular gastronomy personified with the fizzy strawberry layer floating atop a thicker watermelon broth containing an “egg” filled with creamy strawberry foam.

With one of the parties wrapping up it was around this time that the kitchen started to slow down a bit and the chefs became more conversant discussing their techniques, sourcing, and concepts while inviting questions. For the sixth course I was served “Georges Bank Halibut with Prince Edward Island Mussels, Parmesan Gnocchi, English peas, and Truffled egg yolk” – an absolutely lovely dish with a portion-size big enough to constitute a main at many a fine dining establishments. With the fish itself faultlessly prepared and featuring a golden sear over-top moist flesh and the hand formed gnocchis nearly the same texture as the mussels this base of this dish was strong with the flavors of the sea while the whole peas, carrots, and pea puree formed a sweet vegetal note mellowed by notes of truffle.

Next up the kitchen would bring the funk and the heat in the form of Veal Sweetbreads, confit ox tongue, pickled shimeji mushroom, and horseradish cream – sort of an upscale charcuterie board with the creamy sweetbreads mildly gamey and the thin terrine of tongue entirely so. Served on a plate that looked like weaved glass and paired with pickled mushrooms and smooth yet spicy horseradish it was not my favorite sweetbread plate of all time, but it was well composed and soundly executed.

With duck always a must order when available my next course would feature Roasted Lola Duck with sweet onion puree, Radishes, and Spring Ramps. Plated simply with duck and jus at one side and smooth puree, bitter radish, and melting ramps at each other this was a no tricks/no gimmicks sort of dish and with the duck clearly aged, approximately 12-14 days in house according to O’Neill, it was exemplary with golden skin crackling to give way to supple rosy flesh – a contender for top five duck dishes I’ve ever enjoyed.

Pronounced as my final savory, course nine of the evening arrived sizzling from roaster after a quick sear on the grill. Titled Herb crusted tenderloin of lamb, green asparagus, and potato with butter truffle emulsion this aromatic presentation was perhaps four ounces of supple loin crusted with an amalgam of spices including but not limited to chives, cumin, and sage paired with a smear of curry, two unique purees both imbued with butter and truffle, plus a small pile of wilted Swiss chard.

With my cheese course announced to arrive next I was a bit surprised (and so was Shah) when a palate cleanser arrived in its stead – an apparent “mix up” from the pastry team, but when the biggest mistake of the evening entails an extra dessert how can I complain? Described as Mixed summer berries, strawberry sorbet, apricot gelee, yogurt foam, and fruit leather “party favor” the young female pastry chef who delivered this suggested I break the leather over the bowl and on doing so the parfait was completed with a topping of house made granola. Tart and tangy but smooth and light this was one of the better palate cleansers I’ve had in recent memory and a glimpse ahead to the welcomed whimsy displayed by the pastry half of the kitchen.

Moving on to the previously promised cheese course (and joking with the pastry team that I’d “obviously need another palate cleanser after the cheeses”) it was plain to see that L’Espalier takes their cheeses seriously as the selection of seven was delivered with a detailed listing of thirty available in house for purchase. Amongst my “Selection Grand Fromage” the options chosen for me by the house included Menage from Carr Valley Cheese, Coupole from Vermont butter and Cheese Creamery, Caccio di bosco from Tuscany, Hoch Ybrig from Zurich, Robiola la Rustica, Epoisse de Bourgogne from Burgundy, and Caveman blue from Rogue Creamery Oregon. A great selection of cheeses ranging from the nutty three-animal blend of Menage to the sharp white truffle tinged flavor of Caccio di Bosco all the way to a stunning briny Epoisse the plate was made all the better by an accoutrement tray of apricots, candied walnuts, pine nut honey, raisin walnut bread and whole wheat slices.

With the savory half of the kitchen now beginning their clean-up for the evening Jiho Kim would arrive with my next course and an unnecessary apology for the “mix-up” with the first palate cleanser declaring the next dish a “palate re-cleanser” of Liquid nitrogen panna cotta with raspberry jus, mango sorbet, and coconut powder. Again with a focus on tart meets tangy but smoothing things our with the slightly savory coconut powder I enjoyed this dishes textural variation a great deal even though at first the nitrogen frozen panna cotta was so cold it actually adhered to my tongue and cheeks before starting to melt.

Beginning the proper desserts I will admit that I’d contacted the restaurant in advance and told them I didn’t want to miss out on two of Joho’s current main menu options (not generally part of the Kitchen Table experience) and graciously they agreed to do both – the first amongst the ten best desserts I’ve ever eaten. Titled “Chocolate banana macadamia bread pudding, crème anglaise; milk chocolate sorbet” and served with with Buddha’s Hand Gelee and milk foam this tall cylinder was presented tableside first and then, with the young female pastry chef running to grab a “bigger knife for more drama,” Shah chopped through the outer edge releasing a stream of crème anglaise laden with hot banana pudding, sweet smooth chocolate, foams, and hard malted milk balls. Texturally complicated and entirely delicious I’d recommend anyone visiting L’Espalier to request this dish in advance.

For my final proper course of the meal, number fourteen, a trio of desserts were offered up on a single composed dish titled “Milk chocolate caramel soufflé, caramel financier, grapefruit gel; Gianduja ice cream” and while the soufflé was light, tasty, and beautifully accented by the salty caramel sauce and the Ice cream was like frozen whipped nutella, the part I couldn’t stop thinking about for the rest of my trip to Boston was that Financier – a delicate little crumb cake that tasted as though the pastry team had figured out how to make bread with nothing but sticky caramel.

With the my plates cleared the mignardises would begin first with a show from Shah in the form of liquid nitrogen quenelles of Orange and lychee Ice creams made tableside. With each tart and tangy dollop causing me to billow a puff of smoke through my nose I will admit that even as it becomes more and more common to use liquid nitrogen tableside I still think it is fun and if you can make it tasty and interactive, why not?

For the final bites at my table a plate of mignardises would arrive featuring a yuzu marshmallow, almond coconut cookie, guava pate de fruit, and coffee and Prosecco chocolates – all good, but none the quality of that financier.

After a chat with the pastry chefs, Shah, and Chef O’Neill about the high points and low points of the meal and a quick tour of the rest of the restaurant (I’d spent nearly three hours there and had never even seen the dining room) which was now empty save for two tables lingering over coffee and dessert I settled the bill and collected a copy of the menu as well as my belongings before making my way back to the elevator in the lobby. Greeted once again by the maitre d’ I was thanked for my patronage and offered a 20% off card for any future lunches at L’Espalier along with a buttery coconut macaron I’d enjoy on the cab ride home.

Having now rambled on at length about the experience I can say without a doubt the food was good and sometimes beyond reproach – particularly the bread pudding, the duck, and the foie gras; all three of which rank amongst my top five ‘must order’ menu items anywhere – and while perhaps not as innovative or “wowing” as places like The French Laundry, Alinea, or Per Se at a comparable price point, the ability to literally sit in the kitchen and interact with the chefs at such a level is something I don’t really feel you can put a price tag on. Was the Chef’s Table at L’Espalier the most amazing of my life? No. Was the meal even the best food in Boston? Close, but not quite. Was it memorable and worth every penny? You bet – and I’d do it again.

Craigie On Main, Boston MA

Walking in to Craigie on Main I must admit I was hesitant; as a matter of fact, for the sake of full disclosure I’ll note that until Chef Tony Maws won the Beard Award for Best Chef Northeast one month earlier I’d been ignoring suggestions to add Craigie to my agenda largely because the menu simply seemed too much like everything else trendy out there these days – offal this, local-regional that, and nose-to-tail porkcentricity. Rarely one to question trusted palates in the cities I visit it was in fact the Beard Award (and particularly who he beat out) that forced me to reconsider my decision and after a week or so of watching the restaurant’s social media feed I decided to give it a go – a quick e-mail to the restaurant assured me that the tasting menu could be ordered by a solo, that they’d avoid a main course of beef or veal, and that a printed copy of the menu could certainly be made available at the meals end; with a full day of sightseeing already scheduled I opted for 7pm and I arrived right on cue.

Greeted at the door by two young ladies, including one I could only assume to be the dining room manager as I later saw her doing everything from delivering plates to taking orders to hanging coats as the place got increasingly more busy, my reservation was confirmed and my bags checked before I was led to a nice (but poorly lit as the sun went down) two-top along the wall. With the room mostly heavy woods and brick plus some off white wallpaper juxtaposing the white tablecloths and quality service ware I actually liked the feel of Craigie save for one thing – the music which when combined with the open kitchen and room full of graduates, families, and parties was one of the loudest I’ve ever experienced.

Seated for approximately 5 minutes before Joseph, my captain for the evening, would arrive my water was filled (and kept nearly filled to the brim throughout) and a menu was delivered by a young woman. With the menu divided into a la carte options, a six course, and a ten course I asked a few questions (largely to make sure that the main course was not beef and that a copy could be provided) and Joseph explained to me that the way the ten course worked was he would ask if there was anything I really liked and/or didn’t want and the chef would craft it from there; thinking this sounded ideal and noting my likes and dislikes I opted for the ten course and things were underway. With the two-top next to me notably requesting the six course (hard not to eavesdrop when everyone is yelling over the din of the room) and the table of six to my left opting for the ten course I will note that although the restaurant was busy service was quite good throughout and descriptions of each dish were detailed – but save for a couple of items it really didn’t seem like the tasting was tailored at all.

Eschewing the custom of amuses and canapés first (more on this later) my meal would begin with cold bread and colder butter to go with my water. Arriving in a basket theoretically covered with a towel to retain heat, the chilly collection of carbohydrates consisted of two pieces each of sourdough, demi-baguette, and cereal bread – all decent, the cereal bordering on good, but none memorable and all done a disservice by the mundane unsalted butter.

For my first course of the night (little did I know that at Craigie the “ten course” is actually only seven courses as they count the palate cleanser, sorbet, and amuse as part of the tasting) the item listed as the “amuse” on my later printed menu was noted as Three Seafood Preparations: Tartare of Citrus Cured Halibut with Sea Trout Roe, Squid Noodles with Nuac Cham Vinaigrette and Crispy Garlic, and Smoked Sablefish Rillettes with Hackleback Caviar. Served as three single bites in a sectioned porcelain dish and progressing left to right in terms of complexity and depth of flavor I will note that each taste was flavorful and interesting, particularly the squid, but none were anything new or novel and the singular theme of fish and brine did not really do much to prime the palate for other tastes or textures.

Arriving literally on the heels of my amuse, the second course was listed on my printed menu to be Yellowfin Tuna, but from my pictures, notes, and memory the Salad of Scallop Sashimi with Pickled Mango and Red Onion Salad, Avocado-Lovage Puree was certainly not tuna – nor was the it for either of the tables neighboring mine. Again no more than a bite in terms of overall size, this second course was certainly more interesting than the amuses with the flawless mollusk sliced linearly into two creamy rounds and paired delicately with soured mangos and sweetened onions. Texturally complex and utilizing the lovage’s bitter qualities to touch all parts of the palate this was a dish designed to be an amuse both in size and in scope.

At this point keeping pace with the surrounding tables receiving the same dishes, course three would feature Line-Caught Striped Bass with Iraqi Beet Stew, Fresh Florida Rock Shrimp and Farro Verde and upping the ante both in size and in flavor this course was a knockout. Beginning first with the bass; the flesh tender and moist due to olive oil poaching and the skin crispy from a kiss of the pan I can sincerely say it was perfect – one of the best slices of bass I’ve ever had. Paired with sweet shrimp, smoky cubed beets, and a locally sourced toothsome green spelt this would prove to be my second favorite savory of the night.

Plate number four would be the only place where my tasting differed from the six course to my right and one of two places where it would diverge from those to my left (yes, that means the “six course” turned out to be 9 of the 10 I received as part of the ten course – though I will say the couple was celebrating an anniversary and were clearly known to the house.) With the table to the right lingering over the bass and that to my left receiving a whole family style hamachi collar to share, my plate would include Crispy Tempura of Soft-Shelled Crab with House made Cole Slaw, Preserved Lemon, Pickled Peppers, and Squid Ink Anchoiade – a dish I see has subsequently been added to the a la carte menu. With the soft-shell nicely prepared in panko but relatively par for season and the amalgam of slaw, lemon, and peppers tasty but rather benign the high point of this dish for myself was actually the black anchoiade with the potent flavors of anchovies and garlic serving a nice foil to the sweetness of the crab.

Described as “the pasta course,” dish five included the House Made Rye Flour Straccetti paired with a Ragout of Ham, Peekytoe Crab, and Mousseron Mushroom, but in all reality it might as well have been described as “wet noodles with ham puree” because that was truly all you could taste and although it tasted fine, I’d have much preferred something a little more subtle, or perhaps just an order of the rigatoni with chicken confit and chicken liver mousse from the a la carte.

My sixth item of the tasting menu would be a successful venture into the seemingly decreased number of offal courses compared to previous menus and although the couple to my right sent more than half back because they did not enjoy the texture, I personally found the Braised Veal Sweetbreads with Hom Shimeji Mushroom, Bok Choy, Hakurei Turnip, Ramp Kimchee and Almond Butter to be the most successful course of the evening. Delicate, creamy, and approximately the size of a jumbo egg with a nicely crisped exterior the gland itself needs no further description – it was applause worthy. What made this plate so successful from my vantage, however, was the Asian theme imparted by fibrous mushrooms, melting bok choy, and an interesting turnip something like a water chestnut bathed in a broth both sweet and savory, smooth and acidic all at the same time – the best use of the night’s bread service was actually mopping this plate clean.

For my final savory, myself now one course ahead of the table of six who was enjoying another shared course of chicken in place of the sweetbreads, course seven would be Vermont Pork Three Ways with Spice Crusted Rib, Grilled Belly, and Morcilla with Sorrel Coulis, Pea Tendrils, Radish, and Grilled Ramps. Large in portion and more so in flavor with protein plated to the left and vegetables to the right this is one situation where I can say the vegetables save for the tasty crispy ramps were extraneous save for visual contrast and appeal; the star here was invariably the swine and each of the three presentations (literally) brought something different to the plate. Beginning first with the rib – smoky, rich, and fibrous, next the belly – crisp skin and fatty supple flesh, finally the blood sausage – bold, heterogeneous, and full of spice – it is no wonder Maws’ kitchen is decorated entirely in shapes of the pig, he clearly has a great love for it and understands its preparation thoroughly.

Still somewhat perplexed by course six (little did I know the amuses were included actually making the pork course seven) being announced as my “final savory” in a ten course progression, my next dish featured Pink Grapefruit Campari Sorbet and Champagne Foam – a bitter little bite I could have certainly done without, and all the more frustrating when I realized this palate cleanser was actually course eight.

“For your dessert course – Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream Tart with Sea Salt, Smoked Mexican Chocolate Sauce and Bacon Pecan Crust” said my server mere moments on the heels of the sorbet and with that I was offered coffee (declined) and left to enjoy what would actually be a pretty remarkable dessert. Served essentially as a long thin sliver of buttery boozed up ice cream studded with candied pecans atop a savory crust and beneath a ribbon of salty chocolate ganache the tart itself was great but what really put it over the top was a smear and a dollop of chipotle and cinnamon spiced chocolate that added a whole other layer of complexity by bringing the other flavors to an peak on the palate.

For my tenth course of the night I was presented a rather innocuous “Greek Yogurt Foam with Red Beet and Blood Orange Granite” – slightly tangy, a bit earthy, and plenty citrus I certainly preferred it to the sorbet. Along with this course my captain would present to my table for only perhaps the third or fourth time of the evening and when he asked me how everything had went I simply stated “it was alright” and when he asked “just alright?” I inquired as to why the six course and ten course were so similar both in length and composition to which he confirmed my suspicion that the table next to me were “friends of the house.”

With the room still loud but starting to fade as the hour approached 9:30 the check was delivered along with two small macarons described as “Chocolate Almond Tobacco” and although their dry texture was not ideal the flavor was certainly intriguing. Also delivered with the check was a comment card, something I always take the time to fill out whether good or bad but especially in this case as it came with check-boxes a long note from Chef Maws requesting feedback. Of course, since Joseph had also forgotten to pass along word of my desire for a printed menu I had a good fifteen minutes to fill out the card and as such became rather wordy – mostly praise but also noting that while some dishes shined others disappointed, especially in the setting of a “ten course menu” when four courses could have been served as amuses or palate cleansers rather than proper courses.

Having now been up for nearly twenty hours I settled my bill and with menu in hand I made my way to the door where my bags were gathered and within moments I found myself in a cab en route for the South End. Having spent a good portion of the day eating I most certainly was not hungry, but at the same time I also wasn’t terribly satisfied with my visit to Craigie on Main either. Sure some of the courses were good – as a matter of fact, some were excellent – but for $150+ I tend to expect more from a Beard Award winning chef…and when I returned home to Ohio perhaps I found out just what I should have expected and received in the form of an apology and offer from Marjorie Maws stating “…ff course we're upset that you weren't blown away by our food. Here's a possible explanation (but definitely not an excuse.). You came in at a time when there are lots of out of town visitors who are here for one of the many graduations in the area. We learned a few years ago that many of these diners were not as adventurous as our local crowd and so we made the menu a little more "normal" for a couple of weeks. We do, however, still have several "funky" preparations available and our servers are instructed to ask where each party is on the "funk scale." It sounds like that may not have happened in your case and, if that's true, we are terribly sorry. May I offer you a gift certificate for a return visit to Craigie so that you can enjoy our full range of our selections? Again our apologies and we really appreciate your feedback. We can't wait to cook for you again!”

I’ll also note that since that visit the online description detailing the “Ultimate Craigie Experience” has been truncated from ten to eight courses while the sample menu itself still lists the same ten courses I received. While I can't say my first visit to Craigie on Main was my best in Boston all things being equal I'd definitely be willing to give anyplace that classy a second chance and on my next visit to the North East I shall.