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Flavor, it goes without saying, is a priority of just about every restaurant or bar. And there are dishes (and drinks) that'll knock each of the five basic tastes — sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami — out of the park. We'll be mapping the biggest flavor hits of cities across the country, as part of Eater's partnership with MOFAD and Infiniti USA. Here now, Boston.
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This cozy Cambridge spot, a neighborhood favorite since opening in 2008, receives high praise for its classy and delicious food. Chef Tony Maws shows patrons what nose-to-tail cooking looks like with a menu that includes both pig's head and crispy fried pig's tails — the latter a perfect bar bite or appetizer. Eaten like chicken wings, the bone-in tails are tender, slightly spicy, and topped with delicate onion rings for a salty snack that exemplifies refined rustic.
Hojoko, a new restaurant in The Verb Hotel from the team behind Boston’s acclaimed O Ya, has quickly become a favorite for its innovative dishes and "rock & roll Japanese tavern" vibe. The Hojoko experience might best be embodied in its "brains on crack," surprisingly light fried calves brains that are crisp and flavorful. The addition of Hojoko XO butter — primarily fish sauce, with butter and other ingredients — and a dusting of bonito lends the dish depth and a satisfying saltiness.
This Mediterranean haven in Somerville is slightly off the beaten path, but the tastes are worth the travel. Chef Cassie Piuma, with chef Ana Sortun as a partner, created a blue-hued space with a lively buzz and trays of food floating past. Wait until the dinner crowd calms down to try the fluffy sweet potato sticky bun, loaded with complex sweetness from salty but syrupy date butter and the zing of cranberry. It’s an addictive combination.
249 Pearl St.
Boston mainstay Eastern Standard, in the heart of Kenmore Square, is known for its cocktails, convivial atmosphere, and excellent dishes — and for its butterscotch bread pudding, a favorite and menu mainstay. Rich, caramelized sugar appears in every component, from the praline ice cream accompaniment to the gooey salted caramel glaze, making this an undeniably sweet yet irresistible dessert.
Venture just past Harvard Square and you'll be rewarded with cozy environs and eye-opening food and drink at Shepard — kind of an updated, 21st century Cheers. The French-influenced fare is both comforting and awe-inspiring, especially the curlicued pinwheel sausage with delicately pungent sauerkraut. The sour tang of the kraut cuts the richness of the sausage, making for the ideal combo of savory and sour.
Top Chef alum Tiffani Faison's second restaurant, Tiger Mama, offers Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine in a huge, warmly lit space. Face with the impressive list of offerings, soup may not be your first choice, but here it should be. Specifically, the Tom Kha Gai — a delectable, hits-all-the-right-buttons concoction that includes shrimp, clams, squid, mushrooms, and tomatoes, all simmered in the star of the show, a delightfully sour coconut broth.
Boston's South End may be packed with dining options, but Toro's Spanish-style tapas is in a league of its own. Chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette opened the restaurant a decade ago, but the food remains as innovative as ever, putting out small plates like the uni bocadillo, a pressed uni sandwich slathered with miso butter and pickled mustard seeds. Between the uni and the miso, it’s packed with umami flavor, making it satisfying despite its small size.
Brasserie-inspired Townsman, a recent and critically acclaimed addition to Boston's downtown dining scene, boasts a menu that embraces sustainability and seasonality. The broiled snail toast — a tasty layering of snails, foraged mushrooms, onion jam, and goat cheese on a house-made baguette — offers an unparalleled punch of umami, cut only by a lick-your-fingers-good glaze made with black Chinese vinegar and lemon juice.
Harvard Square favorite Alden & Harlow is lauded for its provocative cocktail offerings. Want to skip the sweet libations? Ask for a Hardy Boy, a smooth drink of rye whiskey mixed with bitter, herbal notes of Suze gentian liqueur, wormwood, peppermint simple syrup, and cacao liqueur. It's a refreshing departure from fruit-forward drinks — sometimes bitter is better.
Nestled in the heart of Harvard Square, Parsnip is a quietly upscale restaurant with a midcentury vibe and beautiful food. Take a break from sharing small plates and come here for an entree of your own: cardamom poached monkfish wrapped in buttery filo. It’s paired with Swiss chard and orange, which bring an unexpected bitter note that balances everything out.
This cozy Cambridge spot, a neighborhood favorite since opening in 2008, receives high praise for its classy and delicious food. Chef Tony Maws shows patrons what nose-to-tail cooking looks like with a menu that includes both pig's head and crispy fried pig's tails — the latter a perfect bar bite or appetizer. Eaten like chicken wings, the bone-in tails are tender, slightly spicy, and topped with delicate onion rings for a salty snack that exemplifies refined rustic.
Hojoko, a new restaurant in The Verb Hotel from the team behind Boston’s acclaimed O Ya, has quickly become a favorite for its innovative dishes and "rock & roll Japanese tavern" vibe. The Hojoko experience might best be embodied in its "brains on crack," surprisingly light fried calves brains that are crisp and flavorful. The addition of Hojoko XO butter — primarily fish sauce, with butter and other ingredients — and a dusting of bonito lends the dish depth and a satisfying saltiness.
This Mediterranean haven in Somerville is slightly off the beaten path, but the tastes are worth the travel. Chef Cassie Piuma, with chef Ana Sortun as a partner, created a blue-hued space with a lively buzz and trays of food floating past. Wait until the dinner crowd calms down to try the fluffy sweet potato sticky bun, loaded with complex sweetness from salty but syrupy date butter and the zing of cranberry. It’s an addictive combination.
249 Pearl St.
Boston mainstay Eastern Standard, in the heart of Kenmore Square, is known for its cocktails, convivial atmosphere, and excellent dishes — and for its butterscotch bread pudding, a favorite and menu mainstay. Rich, caramelized sugar appears in every component, from the praline ice cream accompaniment to the gooey salted caramel glaze, making this an undeniably sweet yet irresistible dessert.
Venture just past Harvard Square and you'll be rewarded with cozy environs and eye-opening food and drink at Shepard — kind of an updated, 21st century Cheers. The French-influenced fare is both comforting and awe-inspiring, especially the curlicued pinwheel sausage with delicately pungent sauerkraut. The sour tang of the kraut cuts the richness of the sausage, making for the ideal combo of savory and sour.
Top Chef alum Tiffani Faison's second restaurant, Tiger Mama, offers Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine in a huge, warmly lit space. Face with the impressive list of offerings, soup may not be your first choice, but here it should be. Specifically, the Tom Kha Gai — a delectable, hits-all-the-right-buttons concoction that includes shrimp, clams, squid, mushrooms, and tomatoes, all simmered in the star of the show, a delightfully sour coconut broth.
Boston's South End may be packed with dining options, but Toro's Spanish-style tapas is in a league of its own. Chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette opened the restaurant a decade ago, but the food remains as innovative as ever, putting out small plates like the uni bocadillo, a pressed uni sandwich slathered with miso butter and pickled mustard seeds. Between the uni and the miso, it’s packed with umami flavor, making it satisfying despite its small size.
Brasserie-inspired Townsman, a recent and critically acclaimed addition to Boston's downtown dining scene, boasts a menu that embraces sustainability and seasonality. The broiled snail toast — a tasty layering of snails, foraged mushrooms, onion jam, and goat cheese on a house-made baguette — offers an unparalleled punch of umami, cut only by a lick-your-fingers-good glaze made with black Chinese vinegar and lemon juice.
Harvard Square favorite Alden & Harlow is lauded for its provocative cocktail offerings. Want to skip the sweet libations? Ask for a Hardy Boy, a smooth drink of rye whiskey mixed with bitter, herbal notes of Suze gentian liqueur, wormwood, peppermint simple syrup, and cacao liqueur. It's a refreshing departure from fruit-forward drinks — sometimes bitter is better.
Nestled in the heart of Harvard Square, Parsnip is a quietly upscale restaurant with a midcentury vibe and beautiful food. Take a break from sharing small plates and come here for an entree of your own: cardamom poached monkfish wrapped in buttery filo. It’s paired with Swiss chard and orange, which bring an unexpected bitter note that balances everything out.
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