Dining Out: Hamersley's

People who know the restaurant scene in Boston know that Hamersely's in the South End is one of the city's best bets for fine dining and they also know that you always order the chicken.

Though I've known about Hamersley's forever, I've never eaten there myself. Earlier this month my mother flew up from Miami for work and offered to take me out to celebrate my birthday (again) and my recent promotion at work. She was going to be in the South End with her client for the day so she suggested Hamersley's and I happily obliged.

I took the T from Government Center to Copley and then walked down Clarendon Street to Tremont Street. The sun had already set and the dining room's floor-to-ceiling windows cast a warm glow on the sidewalk.

The dining room at Hamersley's has simple but elegant decor. The kitchen is open to the dining room and the space has serious mood lighting.

The ceiling boasts beautiful wood beams and black, iron chandeliers.

Our waitress greeted us with the menu which has a jovial cartoon on the front. The menu sets a celebratory mood.

We ordered a round of drinks (we were celebrating after all) and my mother selected a rose wine from a region in Provence she had actually been to.

I ordered the pomegranate cosmo which came with a sugar rim. The drink didn't taste of alcohol at all, which is dangerous! I could have had several.

After ordering, our waitress brought us a basket of bread which had a crusty sourdough loaf and a multigrain roll dotted with oats. The bread was fresh, doughy and delicious.

For an appetizer we ordered the autumn vegetable plate. The goodies at the center of the plate were flanked by two giant pita chips. Our waitress told us, "Chef used to do this dish was lavash, but the pieces looked like wings coming off the plate."

The center of the plate featured roasted apples, pickled cauliflower, bitter greens and feta cheese. I loved the pickled cauliflower!

My mom came to dinner planning to order the famous chicken, but found herself intrigued by the scallop dish. Our waitress (who had worked there for over five years) assured my mother it was an equally wonderful dish.

The dish arrived and my mother described it as, "Plump, lightly seared scallops, rich tasting onions, and smokey, earthy mushrooms. This dish is perfect for fall."

I ordered the romaine salad. It arrived in a flower-like presentation. I found the salad to be too heavily dressed and the broccoli rabe was too bitter. The best bites were the ones with toasted walnuts.

When I was looking at the menu at work the day of this meal, I decided that no matter what I ordered for my entree, I was absolutely going to end the meal with the molten chocolate cake. When our waitress asked if she could interest us in dessert, I proclaimed with zero hesitation, "We'll take the molten cake, please!"

Once it was ready, our waitress came walking toward us and I noticed our plate was glowing. Apparently my mother had called ahead to let them know we were celebrating and ta da - there was a candle!

The molten chocolate cake was covered in fudge and accessorized with a mint leaf. My mother took one bite and said, "This is the best molten cake I've ever had. Even better than any I've eaten in Paris, and that's saying a lot!"

The dish also comes with mocha ice cream which was the perfect compliment to the gooey cake.

The plate was sprinkled with whole macadamia nuts which were fantastic. They tasted great in bites with the cake, the ice cream or both!

When the check arrived our waitress said, "The dessert is on chef Gordon. He says 'congratulations,' he hopes you enjoyed your meal tonight and that you'll come back again soon." How thoughtful!

Our meal at Hamersely's was lovely. The star of the show was actually our waitress who was a seasoned pro and knew every single dish on the menu and the evolution of chef Gordon's tastes, likes and dislikes and reinventions.

If you're looking for a spot to celebrate a special occasion, let chef Gordon and his team make your night one to remember.

 

Molly Galler

Welcome to Pop.Bop.Shop. My name is Molly. I’m a foodie, fashionista, pop culture addict and serious travel junkie. I’m a lifelong Bostonian obsessed with frozen confections, outdoor patios, Mindy Kaling, reality television, awards shows, tropical vacations, snail mail and my birthday.

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Address:
Hamersley's
553 Tremont Street
02116 Boston , MA
United States
Massachusetts US