Chef and restaurateur Lydia Shire is a member of Boston's elite. With her zaftig frame, fire engine red hair and boldly colored eyeliner, Shire truly stands out in the crowded Boston chef scene. She's made a name for herself with restaurants like Biba, Locke-Ober, Scampo and most recently, Towne.
I had been wanting to go to Towne since it opened, but at first glance, their weren't many vegetarian options on the menu. Last week, at the suggestion of a friend, three of us decided to go check it out.
Towne is located directly next to the Hynes Convention Center on Boylston Street in Back Bay. The multi-story glass door and windows that lead you into the restaurant give you a grand feeling as soon as you set foot onto the front steps.
We had made our reservation on Towne's patio to take advantage of the gorgeous summer weather. The patio was beautifully landscaped and had a lush feeling despite it's uber urban location.
The patio boasts a stunning, black iron gazebo that looks straight out of a Jay Gatsby party. The inside of the gazebo is carpeted, each table is finished with a white table cloth and complimented by dark brown, tufted leather chairs. In addition to the floor lamps that help create this outdoor living room feel, the gazebo also has delicate light fixtures that twinkle inside to give the space that extra warmth.
I'm already plotting reasons to plan a party in this gazebo!
We took our seats at a round table in the center of the patio and the first thing I noticed were our napkins. I was totally enamored with this white and red pattern which conjured up nostalgic memories of family picnics with napkins that shared this exact pattern.
While we looked over the menu our waiter brought us a basket of bread which had delicious chips as well as slices of bread. The chips were the kind that take true muscle to break and were seasoned with poppy and sesame seeds. The bread had a nice crust on the outside, while still remaining soft and doughy on the inside. The perfect slice!
The bread came garnished with a trio of accompaniments - eggplant dip, butter and a cheddar dip. The eggplant was the table's favorite and we sopped up every last drop!
At Towne, the drink menu is just as extensive as the food menu. We had difficulty selecting a cocktail because we wanted to try so many!
Once we made our choices and our drinks arrived, all three of us were blown away by how fantastic they were! Cocktails can so easily be too strong, too sweet or just plain nasty, but these creations were sheer perfection. As Goldy Locks would say, they were "just right."
Now it's time to meet these super star libations.
One of my friends ordered the Ruby Blossom which was ruby red vodka, elderflower, seltzer and grapefruit juice with a twist. I normally find grapefruit juice too tart, but the softness of the elderflower cut through the citrus and delivered a balanced, refreshing taste. In fact, most of what you taste and smell is elderflower. I really loved this one and kind of wished I had ordered it!
Next up, my friend across the table ordered the Roman Candle which was prosecco, chambord and pineapple, garnished with a red raspberry. This reminded me of my signature drink at the Phoenix Landing in Central Square in Cambridge, which is prosecco, raspberry vodka and fresh raspberries. This cocktail tasted like fizzy, fruit juice and it was divine! The drink is definitely more raspberry than champagne. This drink is on the sweeter side, so if that's not your cup of tea, try one of the other delightful choices.
I went with the Towne Lemonade which was blueberry vodka, house lemonade and pomegranate. I knew when I ordered this drink it had the potential to be overly sweet and turn out to be one of those drinks that leaves your fingers adhering to everything around you because the outside of the glass is so sticky. I was pleasantly surprised to take my first sip and discover the drink was a well balanced mix of the blueberry flavor (from the vodka and the fresh berries) and the lemonade. It tasted like blueberry on your tongue and then lemonade as you swallowed. It was everything I wanted it to be and as an added bonus, came in a fun, two tone presentation.
While sipping on our cocktails I kept looking around to take in the view surrounding us on the patio. Here is a shot of the Prudential building from my seat:
In the appetizer round, one of my friends ordered the littlenecks which came with a variety of dipping sauces including a mini Tabasco bottle! How cute is that presentation? My friend said the littlenecks tasted fresh (not overly fishy) and she couldn't get enough of the cocktail sauce for dipping.
I started with the Little Gem Salad which was a bed of lettuce topped with red onions, slivered radishes, Marcona almonds and peeled grapes. The dish was drizzled with lemon poppy seed dressing and came with a side of whipped feta cheese. The whipping of the cheese gave it a texture that tasted like burrata cheese (which I love). For this dish, the lettuce is really just a vehicle for the incredible lemon poppy seed dressing. I didn't want to leave a single drop on the plate! I didn't feel the Marcona almonds were necessary, but the rest of the dish was spot on.
For our entree course, one of the ladies ordered the Roto Chicken (which is short for rotisserie). The chicken came topped with carrots and had a side fo chantilly mashed potatoes. My friend said the chicken was moist and fell right off the bone. She also said the skin on the chicken was crispy and addicting. She shared with us that she never eats chicken wings, but in this case, the skin was so amazing, so reached for the wing and gobbled it right up.
She said the carrots were cooked perfectly and that the mashed potatoes were pure heaven. I tasted a bite of those potatoes and they were light and fluffy (not heavy, like on Thanksgiving) and they had a deliriously good cheese taste to them. This dish was a home run!
Two of us split a few dishes for our main meal, starting with the Margherita Pizza. The crust was light and super thin, giving it the ideal crunch with every bite. The tomatoes however, tasted like jarred pasta sauce from the supermarket. I wasn't impressed.
To go with our pizza, we ordered the French fries, naturally. Pizza and French fries? Hell yes.
To me, the best French fries on the planet are at McDonald's. I hold all other French fries to the Mickey D's standard. I have to tell you, these fries were even better. I know, blasphemy, but I am telling you, they were insane. They had the cut, color and salt of a McDonald's fry, but they came garnished with a spring of fresh rosemary and a whole head of oven roasted garlic.
The fries were so good that I actually licked my fingers. The oven roasted garlic was a really nice touch. When you put it on your plate and lightly press down on the clove with your fork, it squeezes the warm, mashed garlic right onto your plate. I spread it on the pizza crust and the fries! Good thing I wasn't kissing anyone that night.
Though we sat outside, it's important to note that Towne also has a multi-story operation going on inside. Below is a shot of the first floor dining room which has dark wood beams, cozy leather booths and simple, orb light fixtures that cast a warm glow over the room.
Our experience at Towne was a fantastic one. We had a gorgeous view from the patio, our waiter was knowledgeable, friendly and attentive and our food was superb. I can't say enough about the cocktails at Towne. Even if you want to head there just for a drink before a Red Sox game, it is 100% worth it. No matter what you order, be sure to ask for a side of French fries.
Have you been to Towne? Do you agree with me that their French fries have ousted McDonald's from the number one spot?
