Boston is one of America’s foodie capitals.
Delicious foods were all over the city, all around the corner, and all over the online. No need to mention that seafood is significant in Boston because one of the world’s most important fishing ground is right there in the Atlantic Ocean. Fresh lobster, clams, salmon and cod, other delicious fishes…instant drooling. New England Pot Pies make us warm-hearted. A variety of other cuisines, such as Italian, American, soul food, and Asian, have cultivated Boston’s unique gourmet tradition that will enhance the travel experience including this type of music trip. And dessert? Hey, Boston got Boston Cream Pie, born at the luxurious Parker House Hotel! Boston and its suburbs have several headquarters of national restaurant chains, such as Legal Seafood, Dunkin’, Wahlburgers (Mark Wahlberg was a native Boston kid), and previously, well, Boston Market before moving to Colorado.
I decided to enjoy dining experiences without thinking about budget when I visited Boston (yes, I love to eat!). Though some were at my hotel room by online deliveries in the middle of the citywide recovery process from the pandemic, my purpose was perfectly fulfilled by a variety of delicious foods. Here are some of my personal selections I hope you will enjoy your next visit to Boston.
This chapter also includes the basic information to get around Boston. Boston is a very small city but getting around isn’t that easy for first-timers. The street system is complicated in Downtown!
1. EATS
SLADE’S BAR AND GRILL
Address: 958 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02120
Phone: 617-442-4600
Website: sladesbarandgrill.com
Slade’s Bar and Grill is a black-owned soul food restaurant in South End near Grant A.M.E Church and Boston Medical Center. Slade’s is a very long-running restaurant celebrating 85 years in the highly competitive restaurant market in Boston. On nights and weekends, the space can be an event venue as well.
Though I knew Fried Chicken Wings were their signature dish, I ordered Whiting Dinner. (I initially wanted Catfish but sold out). That was the fried whiting that didn’t need any sauce. The seasoning was just perfect! The outside is perfectly crispy, inside is soft and tender, I enjoyed the original taste of Atlantic whiting without sauce though a staff kindly brought me tartar sauce. My mouth can still be watering if I recall the delicious fried whiting.
Another notable thing was the dinner menu included two side dishes out of 14 kinds. Each was plated on a separate small dish, but the volume wasn’t small. Each side dish had a good amount. I picked up Black Eyed Peas and Rice and Collar Green. Especially, creamy black-eyed peas and rice made a perfect harmony with each other and delicious.
I was also impressed by the nice customer service. Not only my waitress occasionally and comfortably checked me out how I was doing, but other staff also checked me out or brought sauce or more napkins before asking when they passed over. Because of that, I enjoyed a smooth dining experience until last. Sure, that was past lunchtime and 25% capacity for indoor dining, there were only 2 other parties when I visited. But the restaurant was still busy with a lot of takeout orders and deliveries. I witnessed why the restaurant was loved and supported by the community in its long history.
MIDA
Address: 782 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02118
Phone: 617-936-3490
Website: midaboston.com
MIDA is a highly praised, black-owned contemporary Italian restaurant in the South End that has been featured in many culinary media. The restaurant and owner-chef Douglas William positively contributed to broaden the impression of African-American restaurants from the stereotype.
MIDA had (and still does) a fantastic special course on Monday. Mangia Pasta Monday, all you can eat pasta plus salad and bread for only $35. Only $35 and I could enjoy a variety of their signature pasta selections. A quick way to get to know the restaurant. Also, think about this. Each portion was small but each pasta menu would be $22-24 on their regular menu. Amazing.
Soon after the first bite, I could figure out their pasta were all handmade. They were different, fresh, and delicious
I especially liked Conchiglie and Paccheri. Conchiglie created a beautiful harmony with spicy tomato sauce on my tongue. Paccheri was thickly bold with pork and broccoli, but the taste was delicate with their special Bolognese sauce. Each dish had more volume than my impression of the small dish. Even this big eater (me) was very full and satisfied with all those dishes in the photos.
MIDA, however, had a part needed to improve. Efficient customer service. I visited the restaurant soon after 5 p.m., and there was only a couple inside. 3 different staff came to me, they asked the same question (how many people), but wasn’t escorted to the table until the third person did finally after 5 minutes. Also, one of the staff was always out of point on service. Honestly, I didn’t feel quite welcomed at MIDA unlike Slide’s. If MIDA improves its customer service skill, I’m sure that will be a wonderful restaurant that represents the South End and Boston.
BOSTON CHOWDA
Address: Quincy Market Building (around the center) of Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-742-4441
Website: bostonchowda.com
Boston Chowda wasn’t my first visit! I always go to the seafood fast food joint in the famous Faneuil Hall every time I go to Boston. So I did again during that visit…twice! Definitely one of my most favorite restaurants in Boston.
I always order the same thing: Maine Lobster Roll. The sandwich has a lot of chunky lobster meats on the roll, widely and gorgeously overflooded. Lobster is always delicious. Perfectly marinated with the special mayonnaise sauce. Juicy. Not too watery like Luke’s Lobster. And not many people mention but their original bread is delicious, too. I can eat only their bread at breakfast. It’s a plus that the bread strongly supports the big amount of lobsters. Bread or buns are ignored by some restaurants so the inside can fall easily but that hardly happens with Boston Chowda. They were nothing changed though the price was changed. Halleluja. Seriously, I haven’t eaten better lobster roll than Boston Chowda. Not even Cousins.
And the variety of delicious soups, not to forget. They have like 20 kinds but actual selections are depending on the day. My favorites were, of course, New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Bisque. The photo is the Rockport Lobster Bisque. I should take off the lid to show how the soup was yummy.
BOOTLEG SPECIAL
Address: 400 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 617-451-1800
Website: bootlegspecial.com
The king of the restaurants I experienced during my trip, including online orders, was undoubtedly Bootleg Special in Back Bay. The name didn’t lie, it was bootleg addictive. I even ordered twice during my one week stay. I didn’t go to the restaurant because the store offered only takeout and delivery, no indoor/outdoor dining due to CONVID-19 (the indoor dining restarted in mid-August). I ordered delivery to my hotel. Still, the restaurant proved that deliciousness didn’t matter onsite or delivery (though fresh and hot food at a restaurant is always the best!). Kudos to the delivery guys for bringing my orders very quick!
What Bootleg Special offered was the current food trend. Seafood boil. Theirs was Cajun style. The differences with others were, first, taste. But most importantly, their original “Bootleg” sauce, that was “garlic, butter, lemon, with a fiery cajun kick” according to their menu. I didn’t choose any other sauce. For my first tryout, I ordered “Shrimp & Clams”. Soon after my first bite, my easting speed accelerated to Mach 1! The deep southern sauce dangerously made voodoo chemistry with fresh seafood on my tongue and caught me in addiction. The balance of sauce ingredients and spice was just perfect. The sauce was thick but emphasized the original taste of seafood. That was a very joyful what the f*ck moment.
The menu selection method was a little difficult for me to understand so I ordered “The Two-Somes” without knowing what was it. The result: two same plates came. Obviously, the course was for a couple because each plate had a full volume, but also for a newly “addict” like me. I couldn’t forget the taste and craved again after 2 hours of the first round, I ate the second plate again. “The Two-Somes” was a great value. “Shrimp & Clams” was only $34 including 2 plates before an add-on, tax, and gratuity!!
I didn’t think of any other restaurant for the last dinner in Boston, I ordered Bootleg Special again. That would be a fantastic dinner to celebrate the finale of my wonderful vacation in Boston. That time, I upgraded my menu to Lobster & Mussels with Bootleg Sauce. Yes, “The Two-Somes” again because I knew I would eat again. And yes, the same excitingly sparkling moment was repeated again in my hotel room. Big, thick, and delicious lobsters were inside. Can you guess how much was the Lobster & Mussels? Only $49 for 2 plates before tax and gratuity!
Suggestion: add Garlic Noodle (+$4). For the first time, I did. I didn’t for the second time because I thought Garlic Noodle wouldn’t make much difference, but I was wrong. Garlic Noodle would add enhance the overall taste.
I will definitely have an indoor dining experience at Bootleg Special next time I visit Boston!!
2. GETTING AROUND
Boston is a small city. Because the majority of tourists and historic sites are concentrated in a small area, the ideal way to get around Boston is by walking. Boston is mostly flat except Beacon Hill though even Beacon Hill doesn’t have much up and down. From Boston Common to Prudential Center in Back Bay is only 1.2 miles, 25 minutes walk…if you don’t get lost. The popular Freedom Trail is only 2.5 miles and you can probably walk within an hour if you don’t stop over (although it’s impossible not to enjoy each fantastic historic site) and aren’t jeopardized in the complicated Downtown. Boston street system is not easy for tourists to understand. The east of Public Garden is not laid out on a grid, like New York City. The streets rather look like circulated around the peninsula. The streets on the west of Public Garden form grids but aren’t named alphabet or numbers. Boston is an old city. The street system is quite different from the majority of U.S. cities. Like it’s not really easy to understand Boston’s almost 400 years of history from the beginning of the U.S., it’s not easy for visitors to understand Boston’s streets even they have maps and GPS on their smartphones.
Boston has a convenient subway system connecting many sites. If you get lost, find a big “T” symbol and get on the subway to your destination.
Boston has 4 subway lines.
1. Green Line: Runs east to west. The most convenient line for tourists as there are many sites along the line such as Faneuil Hall, North End, Boston Common, Trinity Church, Back Bay, Museum of Fine Arts…and Donna Summer’s former house! NOTE: Green Line is divided into 4 subdivisions, B to E from the west of Kenmore or Copley Station.
2. Red Line: Runs north to south. Convenient for Harvard University, MIT, and South Station.
3. Orange Line: Runs north to southwest. Convenient for Chinatown, the North End, and Charlestown.
4. Blue Line: Connects Downtown and northeastern suburb. You take this line from Boston International Airport to Downtown.
Buses also have an extensive network throughout Boston but I don’t think the bus is necessary for sightseeing. I have taken buses a few times in Boston.
All of Boston’s public transportation (subway, bus, commuter trains, and commuter ferries) are operated by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, aka MBTA or T. Subway one-way fare is $2.40, and bus one-way fare is $1.70 as of October 2020. MBTA: https://www.mbta.com
MBTA has a convenient 1-day and a 7-day pass for visitors. A 1-day pass is $12.75 and a 7-days pass is $22.50, also as of October 2020. If you do the math, you find out a 7-day pass is more valuable if you stay in Boston for more than 2 days. Another convenient point of those passes is they’re effective for the purchased length from the time you purchase, not from the day you purchase. For example, if you purchase a 1-day pass at 12:01 p.m. on Monday, the pass is available until 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Most of the visitor 1-day passes in the U.S. are good within the day of purchase. If you purchase a 7-day pass at 12:01 p.m. on Monday, the pass is available until 12:00 p.m. on the following Monday. All passes are available at station vending machines that accept cash and credit card.
Here is a tricky part of the unlimited passes. There are two kinds of the pass; CharlieTicket and CharlieCard. Charlie Ticket is a paper ticket and Charlie Card is a contactless plastic card. Both prices are the same, and both passes include unlimited ride of subway and buses. I suggest buying the CharlieTicket. While CharlieTicket pass includes Charleston Ferry and commuter train’s Zone 1A fare, CharliePass doesn’t. A conductor can identify the effective date of the pass printed on CharlieTicket but nothing can be printed on the CharliePass. Including Charleston Ferry is a huge difference because you can enjoy this magnificent famous view. Choose CharlieTicket. It’s easy to find the option on the first screen of the vending machine.
CONTINUE READING BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER
- BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER, #1 OF 2: Birth-Childhood. Fairy Tale High Boston
- BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER, #2 OF 2: High School Era
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