I Wish This Were the Standard

Eastern Standard Kitchen is one of the nicer options in Kenmore Square. It's my office's go-to spot for going-away lunches. My coworker Tracy is headed off to grad school in Toronto (good luck, Tracy!), so we had a nice two-hour lunch at ES to send her off in style.



About half the table ordered the baked macaroni and cheese, rich with bechamel and with just enough breadcrumbs on top. I thought I was ordering slightly more healthy with the glazed salmon... There was a lot of butter on the dish when it arrived, negating the healthy qualities. It tasted great, however; that much butter will do that ;) The salmon had a mustard glaze that was tangy and spicy, a nice compliment to the sweet butter. The kitchen boasts great fries - thin, salty and ultra crispy, just the way I like them. Overall, the meal was probably a little too salty (which is not something you'll hear me say very often). It didn't bother me at the time, but I was wicked thirsty for the rest of the day.



I was fairly full, but I'm not one to pass up free dessert. I ordered the creme brulee, which was presented with a lemon shortbread cookie. The dish was long and shallow, the optimum shape for a good custard/crust ratio. The sugar was perhaps caramelized a little too much in places; it was very dark, a bit overdone. The custard had a perfect consistancy, rich and creamy but with some stiffness. The lemon cookie might have been my favorite part of the dish, though. The flavor wasn't too bright or tart, and it was soft and buttery without crumbling.

I've eaten at ES a few times now, and everything I've tasted has been fantastic (on other visits, the calamari, the green salad with feta, and the steak frites were great). Oh, and the drinks! The bartenders know what they're doing, and you're guaranteed something delicious.