Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/174813
TASTE TWO NEW RESTAURANTS OFFER FRESH CATCHES AND MORE IN RUSTIC NEIGHBORHOOD LOCALES. BY JANICE O'LEARY PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL SCHLOW (BEEF TACOS); MICHAEL BLANCHARD (STREGA); COURTESY OF TOBY KEITH'S I LOVE THIS BAR & GRILL (WINGS); COURTESY OF THE CAPITAL GRILLE (FILET) Take the Bait CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The wings at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill; the North End's Strega Waterfront; tender beef tacos at Barrio Cantina; sliced filet with mushrooms and onions at The Capital Grille. T he team behind übersuccessful eateries Eastern Standard Kitchen and Island Creek Oyster Bar, led by Garrett Harker, will open a new oyster bar in Boston's dining district of the moment, the Seaport, late this fall. The new space, Row 34, takes its name from the Duxbury-based Island Creek oyster farming team. Last spring, they lifted the wire cages of their 34th row of seedlings off of the seafloor to encourage more plankton to filter through, creating a unique flavor profile. The oysters from Row 34 were a hit, with an entirely distinct flavor and minerality compared to the original Island Creek shellfish. This new restaurant will also have more of a neighborhood vibe than Harker's Kenmore Square venue. 381 Congress St., Fort Point; row34.com Trot to Boston Chef Tony Maws's wildly popular Craigie on Main, neé Craigie Street Bistro, is a bastion of French gastronomy, with its extravagant sauces, white-tablecloth service, and an extensive list of Red chile salmon head with oxalis at The rare wines. But his latest Kirkland Tap & Trotter. venture, The Kirkland Tap & Trotter (opened in September), is more gastropub than Gallic bistro. Maws and the restaurant's chef de cuisine, Dan Scampoli, are excited about the restaurant's new wood-fired grill, where they'll fire up dishes like spice-crusted chicken wings, red chile salmon head and oxalis, and sardines Provençale with parsley and red onion. "You won't see any swooshes on the plates here," Maws says. And guests can expect as many beer options as wine. Cocktails will be simple—they "don't take 10 minutes to make," promises Maws. Cheers to that! 425 Washington St., Somerville, 857-2596585; kirklandtapandtrotter.com BC He's Got Game FORMER PATRIOTS TACKLE MATT LIGHT SPENDS GAME NIGHTS IN HIS VERSIONS OF CHEERS. BY JANICE O'LEARY S ince retiring from the Pats in May 2012, Matt Light is busier than ever, running his football camps for children in Greenville, Ohio, raising money for his foundation, and most recently, partnering with the founders of a new low-calorie vodka, Keel. "We launched this for the more health-conscious guys out there," he says. "Not too many guys are going to order a Skinnygirl cocktail, at least not out loud. This is for them." Light has a whole game-night philosophy when it comes to choosing the right pub or restaurant. "It's the location and the people around you—the feel of the spot—that matters as much as the food," he says. "It becomes a community." Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill On game days you might see Light at Toby Keith's at Patriot Place, especially in the restaurant's private back room. "I'm a huge country music fan," he says. "They have the country classics, and nothing beats a big order of their wings." 275 Patriot Place, Foxboro, 508-543-3945; tobykeithusa.com Strega Waterfront "My wife and I love owner Nick Varano. I first met him through a mutual friend in his North End restaurant, Nico. Everything he does is just over the top—from giant meatballs to the service. And he has his new restaurant, Strega Prime, opening soon; it's going to be a home run like everything else he does." One Marina Park Dr., 617-345-3992; stregawaterfront.com The Capital Grille "We work with managing partner Chris Scott for our annual skeet-shooting fundraiser, happening this year on October 8. He feeds 500 people in the middle of nowhere," Light says of the event, which takes place at Addieville East Farm in Rhode Island. "I stick with the classics here: the lobster mac and cheese, and a great steak with Parmesan truffle fries." 900 Boylston St., 617262-8900; thecapitalgrille.com Barrio Cantina "Michael Schlow's restaurants are always fun, but I really love the feel at this place. It has great Mexican food—I go for the mini tacos—and a few well-placed televisions. The margaritas and I get along very well here, but I always ask the bartender what the latest special is." 1363 Boylston St., 857-753-4100; barrioboston.com Matt Light 86 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 086_BC_ST_DineAround_LateFall13.indd 86 9/16/13 10:54 AM