Another Day in Boston

So after our disastrous dinner at the Union Oyster House, my friends and I hoped that a second day in Boston would be more rewarding. Our first stop for the day was the Harpoon Brewery tour. Since it was a Saturday we had to wait a while for our tour time. We decided to find somewhere near by to get a snack and a drink. We stumbled upon Yankee Lobster Fish Market. From the outside, this place doesn't look like it will offer much, but we were in for a surprise. We needed something quick, we ended up splitting a large bowl of Lobster Bisque and a side of french fries. The lobster bisque was delicious and had large chunks of lobster meat and the french fries were fresh. I would have loved to try more things from this place the next time I am in Boston. I say if you are going to the Harpoon Brewery (which I highly recommend doing), make time for a snack at Yankee Lobster Fish Market.

After our tour of the brewery, we were ready for more snacks and refreshments. We headed a bit further down the street to Legal Seafoods Harborside. The weather was in favor of outdoor seating that has waterfront views. I was a little skeptical of eating at a chain restaurant when there are many other great places to eat, but it came recommended so I gave it a chance. We decided to have a light snack there and do dinner later. After being seated we were greeted by a friendly server, Michael, who helped us pick a dozen amazing oysters. We opted to share a couple of the spreads and another dozen oysters. The Roasted Sweet Pepper spread was fantastic, but the Smoked Bluefish tasted a bit like I could imagine cat food would taste. Michael did warn us of the Bluefish spread not being one of the better spreads on the menu, however, we opted to try it anyway. We definitely should have listened to him. I took the reigns on picking the second round of oysters, which were not as tasty as the first round. On top of making great food recommendations, he also made great suggestions of other places to go in Boston. I just had to let him know that we weren't afraid of taking the T to get there. 

After Legal Harborside, our destination was Boylston Street.  This street has a great mix of restaurants and bars. No matter what you are looking for you will find it here. We went to Whiskey's which was recommended by Michael. It definitely had a local feel to it and the selection of beer on tap was decent. After a couple of drinks there, we moved on to The Pour House for more drinks and snacks. While the food wasn't super great, it was inexpensive. I would definitely recommend either of these bars if you are looking for a place with a more low-key local flavor. We ended our night by walking around the Prudential building and reflecting pond. This area is very beautiful and if you have a chance, make time to walk through here. Even though our original plans were to take my friend to see some historical sites in Boston failed, I think our second day was a success. 

Skip America's oldest restaurant

I'll admit, I'm a bit of a history fanatic. I'm sure this played a big part in getting suckered into eating at America's oldest restaurant, Union Oyster House. I assumed that title must have been earned because it has great food and service to keep it alive and running for so many years, I was dead wrong. If you are looking for great tasting seafood, this is not the place to go in Boston. I probably should have read reviews about this place before wasting my time with a bland and overpriced meal. 

We started our meal with 1/2 dozen oysters and chowder along with the complimentary cornbread they give you. This part of the meal was fantastic. I have no complaints about any of these items. For my meal, I chose the Chef's special Red Snapper with rice and sauteed spinach. When my meal arrived, it looked delicious and I couldn't wait to dive in. The first bite was awful. There was absolutely no seasoning and the breading on the fish had formed hard edges that were impossible to cut through. The spinach and rice was even more disappointing. It was drenched in oil and very greasy and no seasoning whatsoever. I rarely reach for the salt, but this time I couldn't get enough. This was the most disappointing meal I had experienced in a while. I would not have expected the oldest restaurant in America to serve such horrific food. My friends who joined me were also less than impressed with their meals. The both had lobster dishes, which, while cooked perfectly lacked seasoning and that wow factor we were expecting. 

The service matched the horrible food. We were seated for quite a while before the server appeared at the table, she lacked any sort of personality, and never refilled our drinks. When it came time for the check to come, she was no where to be found. I could understand the delay in service if we were eating when the restaurant was packed for dinner rush, but we weren't. It was mostly empty with other staff members standing around. 

All in all this experience leads me to say, skip America's oldest restaurant. There are plenty of other great places in Boston. 

Let's see where this goes...

So, I've finally decided to jump into the blogging world.  This adventure was prompted by a recent trip to Boston with my girlfriend and a friend visiting from St. Louis.  I had taken some recommendations from friends and family as to where to get the best seafood in Beantown. Since I love food and trying new places, I was open to suggestions.  Some of the places ended up having some of the worst food and service I have ever experienced.  I decided during that trip I was going to start a blog to give people an honest opinion of different restaurants I encounter during my adventures.  I'm hoping that it could save people from having a bad food experience.  Let's see where this goes.