I don't know if you are planning on venturing up the coast at all, but we ate at a great seafood place up in Newburyport, called "The Black Cow". Might start to push $50 per person with wine, but it was worth it, everything was amazing (or I am just not used to fresh seafood)

Any other FT'ers familiar with this place?

Thanks for all the information. Mrs JJ and I are going for a short trip/MR in July (have to use tickets on cancelled trip during the "Midwest Blizzard" in Jan.) and these suggestions have really perked up the culinary part of our trip.

No problem:
4 of their entrees are $25-$27.50 each - get one of those ($26 per person)
all of their wines by the glass are btwn $8 - $11 ($9pp)
split one app. - six are btwn $9 and $12 ($5pp)
split one dessert - eight are $8.75 ($4.38pp)
__________________________________________________ _____

$44.38 per person +
5% MA meal tax and $15% tip

$53.26 per person so $106.46 total

pretty good and you could cut a few $$$ if need to not break the $100 mark

The Barking Crab has been closed several times in the past for health code violations, I would reccomend taking a pass on this one.

That makes sense. Also the food there is overpriced - I recommend a beer or two there.

Note: I have seen little furry friends at many of the high end restaurants in the Back Bay. Take a stroll down Comm Ave in the Back Bay some night and watch the mice/rats scurry about into holes in front of multi-million dollar homes. You can't miss them.

Boston seafood without getting scrod, so to speak...
 

We'll do a quick weekend MR to BOS beginning of February (and hope the weather isn't blizzard conditions,) stay at the airport Hilton (convenient, easy access to the T and they usually treat us right.) Lady JDiver loves a good lobster - she's from Connecticut, so she does that "thearter" and "quotter" talk, even now ;).

I'd thought maybe Skipjack's for a nice seafood meal, but if anyone has a recommendation for the best lobster, I'd like to get it for her. (BTW, does anyone other than Legal Seafoods carry Arctic Char? I love that fish, and I can't exactly run of to Nunavut to get some fresh char.)

How come nobody's mentioned Anthony's Pier 4? A restaurant truly for another century - the last one, or at least a half-century ago, that is! :D

Ta!

Neptune Oyster in the North End has excellent seafood, including a great lobster roll.

The Black Cow is great! The food is excellent and the atmosphere isn't bad either. Don't bother with Michaels next door...

Agreed. Or try Daily Catch for their Seafood Fra Diavolo. It's tiny and a dive but the food is good. Cash only, as are most places in the North End.

Try Union Oyster or B&J Oysters if you like oysters (though two very different restaurants).

The Federalist
 

:td:

Context: Pre-orchestra dinner with parents. Their second night in Boston since my move. Consultation with a variety of sources recommended The Federalist for well-prepared dishes in a warm atmosphere.

Check-In: Flawless. Coats checked, seated promptly.

Room: High ceilings. Noisy. Minimalist decor, but classy. It fits the neighborhood and the boutique nature of the parent hotel.

Drinks: Martini had moderate amounts of ice chips in it. Excellent wine list. The cellar in the basement, is stunning. Coffee was fine.

Menu: A wide variety of choices. Foie for those who are found of it, two soups, salad choices, lots of seafood appetizers. Entrees were varied with seafood and meats broadly covered. We were pleased to see Dover sole on the menu. They accomodated a pseudo-vegetarian with special needs quite nicely. Pricey.

Service: Plenty of help. Napkins folded, water filled, etc. Nice touches. However, I was served the wrong entree. My other two diners sat with domes on their plate while a just-fire-blasted sole appeared too hot to eat. It happens. They took some reductions off the bill to compensate, which was very kind. Also, the Dover Sole is not finished at tableside by the waiter because "it takes too much time. :confused:

Taste: Bread was warm and tasty. Probably baked on premises. Perfect temperature of butter. Greens were fresh, crisp, and tasty. No crushed black pepper offered. The sole was a horrible disappointment. It's such a rarity to find it on a menu, that I was really looking forward to it. I got over the lack of tableside preparation, thinking the chef must have done wonders. I was surprised to find bones in my fish. He did do something, though: he suffocated the delicate fish in a lobster bernaise. I guess you can dump some sauce on the plate and call it original. I call it disappointing. This is probably one of the rare occasions I have left an edible main entree with more than 1/4 remaining on the plate.

Post-Script: On check out, I discretely expressed my disappointment to the evening manager, who apologized and wanted to make arrears. I have no intention of returning, so I said that would not be necessary. Everyone was quite gracious and kind.

Verdict: A solid B -. ~$65/head (this includes service-related deductions)Maybe the chef was on vacation? Perhaps the accolades have come too fast for this place.

Durgin Park has not changed much, but the clientel certainly has. There were no tourists there, or anywhere in Boston in 1955. Was mainly a lunch place back then. Long lines at lunch, but walk in at dinner.

If you venture slightly out of the city to Wellesley you can go to the Blue Ginger which is owned by Ming Tsai, the celebrity chef. The food is fusion, although today the flavors are not as unique has they had been when the restaurant debuted in 1998.

Personally, I would stay away from Legal's or Jasper White's Summer Shack. I would recommend Skipjack's and the Atlantic Fish Company.

I second this recommendation!

Agreed on Blue Ginger, I've had several very good meals there, both lunch and dinner. Particular favorites have been the sea bass, lobster, and lamb, however Ming is preparing them at the time.