Elegant, in-person dining is back—from downtown to the Berkshires, it’s a summer of culinary love.
Black sea bass and summer vegetables at Café Boulud at Blantyre. PHOTO COURTESY OF BLANTYRE
BOULUD IN THE BERKSHIRES
Legendary chef Daniel Boulud has partnered with Blantyre to create Café Boulud. The resto in the Berkshires is complemented by the new Dom Pérignon Salon, which showcases rare specialty vintages from Blantyre’s award-winning wine cellar. Executive chef Ethan Koelbel—who was recently executive chef of Bar Boulud Boston—leads a kitchen that will offer dinner (plus a weekend brunch) through Labor Day. Occupying an elegant space in Blantyre’s gilded-age Manor House, the restaurant’s dinner menu includes peekytoe crab cake, steamed black sea bass and Crescent Farm duck breast. Another menu standout: The Frenchie Burger, with confit pork belly, raclette cheese, tomato-onion jam, cornichon, pommes frites and mesclun salad. Executive pastry chef Diana Dover, who has held positions at Boulud Sud, db bistro moderne and Restaurant DANIEL, fashioned an impressive dessert menu with early favorites like cheesecake mousse (fromage blanc, thyme-scented rhubarb, lemon chiff on cake) and gateau marjolaine (dark chocolate ganache, vanilla bavarois, hazelnut ice cream). 16 Blantyre Road, Lenox, Mass., 413.637.3556, blantyre.com
Chef David Bazirgan now leads the kitchen at UNI, a wildly creative and chic izakaya in Back Bay PHOTO COURTESY OF BLANTYRE
BAZIRGAN RETURNS
UNI, the creative izakaya in Back Bay, recently landed chef David Bazirgan as executive chef; he takes over for James Beard Award winner Tony Messina, who headed to Los Angeles earlier this spring. Fans of the resto needn’t worry about the kitchen’s continued innovation under the guidance of Bazirgan, a Newbury native and Cambridge School of Culinary Arts grad, who has earned praise for his work at San Francisco’s Fifth Floor and Dirty Habit. At UNI, Boston’s gourmands can expect the venue’s beloved signature dishes like the Uni Spoon, spicy tuna and foie gras tataki. New globally inspired menu highlights include fried oyster bao buns, Maine lobster with Thai jungle curry, and wagyu beef tartare with malawach and berbere. 370A Commonwealth Ave., 617.536.7200, uni-boston.com
DINING STAYCATION
Spend the weekend in luxury while enjoying the culinary arts around town. The newly renovated Mandarin Oriental rolls out its Taste of Boston Experience for the summer: Guests can enjoy three-course dinners for two at restaurants from the Back Bay to the North End at places like Atlantic Fish Company (atlanticfish.com), Abe & Louie’s (abeandlouies.com), Joe’s on Newbury (joesonnewbury.com) and Joe’s Waterfront (joeswaterfront.com). Coppa (coppaboston.com) and Little Donkey (littledonkeybos.com)—led by James Beard Award winners Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, respectively—are also part of the package. From $625 per night, 776 Boylston St., 617.535.8888, mandarinoriental.com
The gateau marjolaine from pastry chef Diana Dover at Café Boulud at Blantyre PHOTO COURTESY OF BLANTYRE
POP-UP ON THE SQUARE
We love the refreshing idea from the Harvard Square Business Association and Alden & Harlow (aldenharlow.com): a new seasonal outdoor-dining garden. Located in the heart of Harvard Square, the venue will remain open to pedestrians, but Brattle Street will close to vehicular traffic between Church and Elliot streets. The cocktail and light bites concept features international wines and local craft brews and cocktails. Food options include raw bluefin tuna kitfo, warm rye pretzels and fried shishito peppers. Saturdays, Noon-10PM, harvardsquare.com
BACK BAY REVIVAL
Grand Banks, a revival of the New England Fish House, will open later this month on Stuart Street in Back Bay, offering an impressive menu favoring New England fare. A 26-seat bar, high-top tables and a 12-seat raw bar grace the first floor, while the second floor features an oversize horseshoe bar, open kitchen, private dining rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Trinity Church. The seafood-inspired menu nods to the fishing traditions found in Grand Banks, where the Labrador Current meets the Gulf Stream in Newfoundland. The menu, created by executive chef and restaurant partner Robert Sisca, will include signature dishes like baked stuffed lobster, clam chowder and fried clams. 406 Stuart St., grandbanksboston.com
Photography by: Blantyre
