Monday, July 16, 2007

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.

Eastern Standard in Boston

7 comments:

  1. mmm the drinks... I may fly up after the bar exam

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  2. I just revisited your blog and the photo made me hungry... I just realized that I forgot to eat dinner today.

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  3. When have you had drinks at Eastern Standard... or are you just "mmm"ing over drinks in general?

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  4. I haven't YET - but I'm taking your advice and think I SHOULD

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  5. Favorite. Restaurant. In. Boston. EVER. I only sit at a table when I'm celebrating an event with many people- I much prefer sitting at the bar and spending hours ordering between the drink and appetizer menus. Or at least, I did that when I was dating a guy who liked throwing around a lot of money...

    My raves: oysters, short ribs, cheese plate, and chocolate bread pudding.

    And yes, they can be a little heavy handed with salty flavors.

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  6. Yeah, the bar area - both inside and out - always looks so suave and fun.

    And I'll have to try the bread pudding next time...

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