Thanks to Thrillist I discovered that a new restaurant was opening up the street from my office in the Hilton hotel on Broad Street. Apparently there was always a restaurant in the hotel, but I never noticed it.
This new restaurant is called Nix's Mate. Have no idea what the name means? I didn't either. In a review in the Improper Bostonian, Kyle Wright explains, "The legend of the island of Nix's Mate recounts how, in the 1700s, a pirate named William Fly copped a serious attitude during his hanging. As a reminder to other buccaneers not to mess with the Man, the local authorities left his body dangling on the now-submerged Harbor Island. One would that when the Bostonian Hospitality Group decided on the name, they were banking on folks having a much keener knowledge of historical minutiae. Or maybe not."
Anyway, logical name or not, I went with three coworkers to check it out.
The second we stepped into the restaurant I was amazed. Designer Michael Nedeau has created a space that feels relaxing, with nods to both nautical and industrial designs.
We were seated in the dining room on the most comfortable, leather chairs.
Above us were beautiful, stately wood beams.
Next to us was a corner table with a stunning set of lights. This is definitely the star table.
From our seats we could also see into the private dining room. It was so beautiful I had to walk down there and check it out for myself. I can't wait to come up with a reason to throw a private party in that room!
Our waiter brought us the menus and we requested the bar menu as well because we'd seen it online and honestly, that food looked better than the dinner food. The chef, David Nevins, comes from Neptune Oyster and Olives.
We also perused the cocktail menu which had hysterical descriptions under each drink! For example, the Corazon en fuego is described as, "The lover you always dreamed of." The Kick start my heart drink flatters, "'Cause you never stop." Too funny.
After much debate, we were ready to order. Two of us started with the Boston bibb salad which came topped with corn bread croutons, blackberries, pecans and caramelized onion dressing.
The greens were fresh, the corn bread croutons reminded me of my favorite BBQ place in Newton (Blue Ribbon BBQ) and the blackberries were perfection. Normally when you see fruit on salad it's Mandarin oranges, strawberries or cranberries. The blackberries were a wonderful change of pace.
For dinner, three of us decided on flatbread pizzas. On my left, a coworker ordered the clam pizza. It came topped with shucked little neck clams. She loved it and gobbled it right up!
Next to her, another coworker ordered the wild mushroom flatbread. It came topped with a field of arugula, dressed with olive oil. She said the flavors were wonderful and the crust had a great crunch.
I ordered the fresh mozzarella pizza which was lackluster. There was not a single, special thing about it. I wouldn't order this again.
Our fourth friend ordered the veal and tuna sliders.
She said the sliders were "unremarkable." She elaborated that the tuna tartare was just ok, the quality of the veal was poor and she wasn't anticipating the tuna and veal to be served together, but rather two sliders - one of each. She said the only redeeming quality was the cucumber salad on the sandwich.
On our way out we walked through the bar area which was very cozy and perfect for after work drinks.
I love the sleek leather furniture paired with the industrial light fixtures.
For me, the most beautiful element in the restaurant is the bar. It makes the entire space. The wood is stunning and anchors the nautical vibe, which is classic Boston.
If you work in the Financial District, I highly recommend Nix's Mate for happy hour. The space is gorgeous, the servers are friendly and the Boston bibb salad is excellent and original. Now to find a reason to host a party in that private room . . .
