We found another great french/italian restaurant and we’re so excited to share it with everyone!
We went to Marliave on Dine Out Boston Week, but the prices listed below are based on their regular pricing. Scroll down for menus and parking options.
Oysters – choice of oysters from Duxbury, Wellfleet, Hollands Landing & Pleasant Bay ($3 each, but $1 each between 4-6pm & 9-10pm) [As you can tell from the picture, none of the oysters was plump. One of the oysters Jeff ate had gone bad and he had to spit it out. We wouldn’t spend $3 for these oysters but $1 is pretty cheap. Just make sure to order it during the listed times.]+++Duck liver ravioli – sweet-n-sour onions, brown butter, capers ($12) [Omg omg omg, this was fabulous! Okay, before you order it and tell us how much you hated this, we’ve to tell you that this isn’t for everyone. However, if you like that earthy, bitter and rich taste of liver, you need to get this!]+++ Beef carpaccio – ribeye, arugula, aioli, reggiano, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil ($14) [We L O V E D this. Raw beef is very mild in flavour and can be easily overpowered by strong seasoning. The seasoning here was simple, which brought out the taste of the paper-thin beef. If you’ve tried making your own beef carpaccio, you’d know that $14 is a small price to pay for the amount of pounding you have to do.]+++ Wellington – medium rare beef tenderloin, wild mushrooms, foie gras, pastry crust, red wine sauce ($37) [Do you like croissant, beef, and foie gras? Imagine having everything in a dish! This is another amazing course from Marliave, but the foie gras portion was tiny. There was only one small spoonful in there, and Lynn ate it assuming there would be more, only to leave Jeff in misery for the rest of the night….] – – – Tuna – pan seared rare, fregula, baby kale, red wine reduction ($32) [It’s not obvious from the picture, but these tuna slices were extremely thick and lacked flavour. Jeff was not a fan of this dish, but Lynn liked the fregula with red wine reduction.]Pudding – butterscotch, whipped cream, candied ginger ($9) [Lynn found it to be too sweet but still enjoyable while Jeff loved it.]Box of truffles – house prepared premium chocolate, cocoa powder ($7) [These were good, high quality truffles. We like that they didn’t have hard chocolate shells. We both enjoyed their chocolate hazelnut but found their dark chocolate to be too bitter.]
Dine Out Boston Menu
Regular Dinner Menu
Click menus to enlarge.
Parking: It’s impossible to find parking here. You have 3 options: (1) Uber/public transport (2) Ruth steak house valet parking for $21 (3) Kimpton Nine Zero valet parking for $28. The Marliave restaurant receptionist suggested that we use the Kimpton Nine Zero valet parking and incorrectly quoted us the price of $19.
Overall taste: 6.5/10 | 2017 | 443 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127
+++ = highly recommend | – – – = do not recommend
We had a blast last night at Capo with Dining Playbook hosts, Billy and Jenny. Dining Playbook airs on NESN every Saturday at 9a.m. (replays every Sunday at 9p.m.). Follow their food adventures on TV!
We were invited for a complementary meal, but we try to stay objective in our review. For the dishes we could find in their online menu, we’ve included the price below.
Pictured above: Salami & formaggi – chef’s selection of artisanal cured meats and cheeses ($16/$28)
+++ Short rib arancini – pulled short rib, fontini, herb aioli ($8) [We couldn’t really taste the short rib and didn’t know it was in the ingredient until we read the description. Nonetheless, they were delicious and reminded us of potato croquette.]+++ Ricotta crespelle – honey comb, pea shoots, white truffle powder [This was our favourite dish. The ricotta was subtle and not overpowering. We would prefer it if they used truffle oil.]
Pappardelle – lamb and mushroom ragu, pecorino cheese ($12/$23)Cauliflower ravioli – sage, butter & cauliflower crumb ($11/19)– – – Monkfish picatta – lemon, butter, capers ($21) [We are picky about our fish and do not like it overcooked]Baked broccoli
– – – Grilled pork chop – white bean & mushroom ragout [The pork was tough and dry and was not particularly flavourful. We didn’t like the beans underneath as well.]Espresso creme brulee [Lynn likes this but Jeff prefers regular creme brulee]Polenta cake [Jeff likes this while Lynn finds it average]
Overall taste: 8/10 | 2017 | 354 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
+++ = highly recommend | – – – = do not recommend
We feel that we’d give Menton a higher rating if we ordered from their regular menu instead of their Dine Out Boston menu. This review is based on their 2017 Dine Out Boston selection only (see menu below). We went for their 3 course menu for $35pp.
Yellowfin tuna crudo – eggplant, za’atar, olive [What distinguishes this from other dishes is their amazing accompaniments. We loved the eggplant and the sauce around it. The seared tuna itself was kind of average.]– – – Chicory salad – trufflle, parmigiano, focaccia [We love truffle and focaccia, so when this come out, we were extremely disappointed. There was barely any taste of truffle oil. The focaccia, while beautiful, wasn’t that tasty and was way too thin. We never liked spring mix but this spring mix was more bitter than usual.]+++ Prime beef ribeye – malt, salsify, pearl onion [Again, where is the ribeye cap?! Do people in Boston not like the best part of ribeye? Apart from that, this was our favourite dish. The beef was lightly seasoned, allowing us to enjoy the full flavour of the meat. The accompaniments were extremely enjoyable as well.]Cappelletti – parsnip, almond, pancetta [We like that the pasta wrap was more firm than usual. We didn’t like bacon bits around it; they were very tough and dry.]Apple spice cake – sultana, cinnamon, walnut [This was very average.]Chocolate praline tart – blood orange, hazelnut, espresso [Jeff is not a fan. He thinks that the coffee flavor was too strong. Lynn likes it since she’s a coffee fan.]Assorted mini macaroons (complimentary) [Aren’t they the cutest?!]
Pictured above: Okdol bibimbap with beef galbi ($11.25) [This is a gem located in the super88 foodcourt! I love how crispy the rice was. The beef was tender and well marinated. I like mine with lots of Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang) and they provided more free of charge. My only complaint was there wasn’t enough beef.]
Fish maw soup ($13.95) [We liked the overall taste but their fish maw was on the fishy side.]– – – XO sauce duck tongue – flowering chives ($22.95)
Steamed live fish ($30) [We really like steamed fish but this was overcooked.]Steamed surf clam – garlic and vermicelli ($22 for 4 pieces) [It tasted good but the clams were not fresh and tasted a little fishy. It was also on the oily side.]– – – Fried garlic spareibs ($13.95) [We think they did not fry it long enough. This was not crispy and was dripping with oil.]
Overall taste: 7/10 | 2016 | 1166 Washington St #110, Boston, MA 02118
We came here during the 2016 Dine Out Boston week. We thought that the food had great presentation but the taste was pretty average.
Choice C: Gyu Kaku Donburi ($20) – Miso soup & salad. Grilled beef & onions on top of rice topped with sweet garlic sauce [It tasted good, and the beef had great flavor but it was quite tough]. Icecream [We thought their green tea icecream tasted a little artificial and would prefer it if they used more matcha powder].Choice D: Kaiseki Lunch ($30) – Green salad & sesame dressing. Fresh lobster wild mushroom risotto [This was tasteless, like white rice with a little bit of sauce, and we couldn’t taste the lobster at all]. Crispy rock shrimp lemon aioli [Despite it’s name, it wasn’t crispy. It was fried way before it was served and the shrimps were too tiny]. Oishii crab cake [Not that oishii]. Seared wild king salmon with ikura. Spicy tuna salad in a cucumber handroll. Grilled miso black cod. Sake & rocky sushi. Hamachi & maguro sashimi. [The rest were pretty good, but the hot dishes were already cold by the time it was served to us.] Ice cream.Choice E: Pork Belly Ramen ($20) – Green salad & sesame dressing. Ramen noodle soup [It was quite bland and we would have preferred more pork flavour in the soup]. Pork belly. Napa cabbage. Fresh egg. Icecream
Pictured above: Egg Puff ($3) [Also known as bubble waffle. This is our favourite type of waffle, but not many places in Boston sell it. It tastes buttery and has cake-like texture. We would have preferred it if the exterior was more crispy and interior was more soft and chewy.]
We really like L’Espalier and would probably go more often if it’s cheaper. We got their 3-course brunch for $65pp (served on Saturdays and Sundays). On Wednesday to Friday, they serve their 5-course lunch for $68pp and you also have the option of ordering from their a la carte menu. If you ever go, remember to take their 20% off coupon on your way out for your next visit.
We find a lot of food (especially in the U.S.) to be either too salty or sweet to the extent that we can’t appreciate the taste of the dish. This is one of the rare places where we find food seasoned to our liking, which is why we gave it such a high rating. We generally liked all their dishes except one of the desserts (see below).
Brunch:
Amuse Bouche, Chef Jacob’s smoothe, First, Main, Dessert ($65pp. some selections require a $10 supplement)
Flavoured butter (amuse-bouche) [The flavour was extremely subtle and it tasted like regular butter.]Cranberry muffin & thyme scone (amuse-bouche) [We liked both their muffin and scone. Jeff prefers the muffin while Lynn prefers the scone. We weren’t sure if the butter (above) was meant for these since they were already quite buttery.]Chef Jacob’s smoothie – banana, pineapple & clementine [Jeff found it a little weird while Lynn liked it. We are not sure what they put in it but Lynn tasted a cheesy flavour while Jeff tasted some sort of herb.]+++ Lobster bisque – maine lobster / melted leeks [It was on the sour side, but it tasted really good. Jeff’s only complaint is that there was too little lobster meat.]+++ Roasted hudson valley foie gras – bitter almond pancake / roasted pear ($10 supplement) [We are both big foie gras fans and we really liked everything about this dish. The pancake and pear were not overly sweet or strong and they complemented the perfectly seared foie gras really well.]+++ Roasted loch etive trout – spring peas / fried capers / asparagus [If you’ve never had trout, it tastes and look very similar to salmon. The trout was cooked to our preference where the middle was a little rare. It also went extremely well with their sauce.] +++ Ribeye – truffled eggs / sunchoke / roasted salsify ($10 supplement) [Our favourite part of ribeye is actually the ribeye cap, but this ribeye didn’t have a cap.. Apart from that, everything tasted really good. It almost seemed like the chef made sure every single ingredient was there for a reason, and at the perfect proportion.]– – – Jelly donut – filled cranberry-orange jam / ricotta ice-cream [The ricotta icecream was good, but their donut was a huge disappointment. It tasted like donut that was fried and left out on the table for 2 days. The exterior was not crispy and the dough was hard. We noticed several people who also did not finish their donuts.]Chocolate pot de creme – shortbread cookie / vanilla ice cream [We requested to have their chai spice icecream substituted with something else. We forgot to confirm what they substitute it with but we think it’s vanilla. We have to say this is a very unique chocolate pot de creme. It was more savoury than sweet. Jeff liked it but Lynn prefers her chocolate sweet.]
Overall taste: 7.5/10 | 2016 | Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 104 S Market St, Boston, MA 02109
Beef short rib (price depends on the size of the rib, pictured above is $10) [We really liked the taste of the meat. It’s well marinated and yet not over-powering. However, some parts can be quite tough, especially when it’s not cut against the grain.]
We were invited here for a complimentary meal, but we try to stay objective in your review.
To be honest, we didn’t think we’d come back to this restaurant again since it’s 40min away from where we live. BUT after trying their gnocchi pesto (which, at the moment, is our favourite gnocchi dish of all time), that 40min drive is totally worth it!
+++ Espresso martini – stoli vanilla, kahlua, baileys, frangelico and espresso ($10) [This drink was perfect and there was nothing we would change about it!]– – – Breath of fresh pear – tito’s vodka, pear liqueur, pear puree and lemon topped with prosecco [We didn’t like the amount of sparkling wine they put in here; it almost felt like we were drinking soda.]Ultimate antipasto platter – parma prosciutto, speck, parmigiano, ricotta salata, grilled sausage, fig marmalde, olives, oil cured vegetables ($18) [This is not something we’d personally order since we only liked half of the stuff in the platter, namely their sausage, parmagiano, and ricotta salata. We are huge fans of prosciutto but felt that their prosciutto wasn’t meaty enough.]Arancine – fried risotto ball with mozzarella and parmigiano cheese served with marinara sauce ($10) [This was alright but would have prefer it if it was more cheesy and more moist on the inside.] Meatballs – classic combination of beef, pork and veal served in marinara sauce with a sprinkle of parmigiano cheese ($8) [The meatballs were yummy! They were meaty, tender and juicy. We don’t like marinara sauce in general and would have preferred it without the sauce. We just think that it distracts us from tasting the meatball itself.] +++ Gnocchi – with pesto ($18) [OMG WE LOVED THIS! The gnocchi was delicious and went so well with their pesto sauce! This is the dish that totally stole our hearts.]+++ Trofie & scallops – Tofie pasta with fresh scallops in pesto ($20) [This would be our 2nd favourite dish after their gnocchi with pesto (maybe we just really like their pesto!). This dish would have been better if the scallops had that crisp golden crust on the outside.]Gnocchi – with bolognese ($20) [This was alright. We liked it a lot more with their pesto.]Porcini pappardelle & chicken – pappardelle pasta in porcini sauce and grilled chicken breast. [The pappardelle pasta and porcini sauce were really good. We would have preferred it if they focused more on the flavor of mushroom, like using portobello instead of chicken breast.]+++ Sausage – tomato sauce, mozzarella, caramelized onion, sweet sausage, fresh ricotta cheese. ($16) [Our favourite pizza.It had a generous amount of ricotta cheese (looks like whipped cream in the picture) mozzarella and caramelized onion – everything that we love! We personally don’t care for the sweet sausage that much and would probably order it without the sausage in the future.]
Margherita – tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil ($13)White Devil – hot salami, mozzarella, provolone, shaved parmigiano, extra virgin olive oil ($15)
Figs and gorgonzola – figs, gorgonzola, caramelized onion, arugula ($16) [Lynn liked it but Jeff felt that the gorgonzola cheese was too strong for him.]+++ Nutella pizza – pizza dough filled with nutella and ricotta, finished in wood oven (Duo for $10. Family for $14 (pictured). Add fruit for $2) [This is their signature dessert. Jeff is crazy about nutella and likes anything with it. Lynn usually finds nutella to be too sweet but really liked this pizza because the ricotta cheese (which isn’t sweet) goes really well with the nutella.]
Yummy Ventures 