The decor couldn’t have been more fitting with the cuisine. The menu proudly boasts incredibly fresh seafood dishes; plump and juicy scallops, sweet, flavorful shrimp and delicate crab meat risotto, and daily specials like the Chilean Sea Bass. It was a polished place for polished meals.

Bread basket with mini blueberry muffins

Clam Chowder - $5

Steamed Mussels - $12

Fried Ipswich Whole-Bellied Clams - $16

For starters, we had the award winning clam chowder. I’m sure it received an award for its thick and creamy consistency full of clam flavor with a subtle spicy kick at the end. The cup of soup was flawless. For $5, this is a keeper. For $7, this is a keeper with a bread bowl. Yum. If one restaurant’s chowda was to represent Beantown, this would be it. As for the mussels, they were nicely plump and meaty. Surprisingly, the large amount of sofrito did not overwhelm the dish at all. Lastly for apps, the fried clams were good as well, but $16 for a small brown bag of clams hurts- even if it is a fine dining restaurant.

Chilean Sea Bass - $26

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes - $27

New Bedford Giant Sea Scallops - $22

Everything was cooked to perfection. Our waiter suggested that the Chilean Sea Bass be pan seared. Good call. The sear on the filet had great color, texture and provided a wonderfully crispy contrast to the tender and moist flaky meat inside. Although it was a petite piece of fish, the plate as a whole left you feeling satisfied. On the other hand, the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes were massive. They were generous with the amount of crab meat where the cakes practically fell apart when set on the table. Served with coleslaw and delicious corn pudding, this was a dish I would order again. I really appreciate how Atlantic Fish Company doesn’t overdo their crab cakes with bread crumbs and seasoning like most restaurants. It was au naturel seafood at its best. Another highlight of the dish was the corn pudding. It was like a pan seared sweet custard with crunchy little kernels that popped when you bit in. This was a refreshing and creative side dish aside from traditional mashed potatoes and rice pilaf. And lastly, the scallops. I did not try it, but I was told it was a bit under-seasoned but cooked just as perfect as the other dishes. All of the entrees could’ve used more salt and pepper, but the issue was minor because everyone at the table thoroughly enjoyed their meal.

As I mentioned in before, the service was friendly, inviting and most importantly, they made my dad’s birthday special. At the end of the lunch, they surprised our table with three complimentary desserts on a tray with “Happy Birthday” in chocolate syrup. There was creme brulee, key lime pie, and peppermint ice cream pie- all with a candle on top. Now that’s good service!

Thanks for the lovely lunch, Lily, and I hope you had a very happy birthday, Dad!

And thank you too, Atlantic Fish Company!
Total Meal: ~$250
Servings: 7 people

There is just something so uniquely satisfying about this meal, specifically on Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays speed by so quickly and leave you feeling exhausted by the time you wake up Sunday morning- the same exact time where the feeling of dread slowly starts to creep up on you because the hectic work week will begin soon. Is there no winning? You reach your ultimate high of happiness during the end of the week, but all of sudden, you realize you have to wait another whole week for the same feeling again? No. You’ve never been more wrong in your life. There IS a way to kick start your week and transition to the highs and lows of Sundays to Mondays. The answer is brunch. The answer will always be brunch.

Take the Red Lentil for example. This place has some serious brunch options on Saturdays and Sundays. Although I shy away from vegetarian and vegan restaurants, I’ve never had better hash in my life- and I didn’t even miss the corned beef! Loaded with diced potatoes, artichokes, chickpeas, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, crunchy kernels of corn and a sprinkle of tangy goat cheese, this flavorful dish only cost me $6.50. Rarely do I ever not see the bottom of my plate, but it was extremely filling and justified as a great breakfast the next day. The best part about it was that you leave feeling full without being disgustingly sluggish.

Hash - $6.50

Although I’m sure one order of hash was enough for 1-2 people, there is nothing better than a variety of food. We also ordered a “side” of sweet potato fries (enormous) and guacamole and salsa with chips. To wash these down, I ordered the Starter Juice (carrot, apple and ginger juice) and my friend ordered an organic iced black tea.

Chips with Salsa & Guacamole - $5

Belgian Sweet Potato Fries - $4

Each and every dish was unbelievably fresh! You can almost even see it through the pictures. The sweet potato fries were served with BBQ sauce and were baked instead of fried. There were also other minute details that I really appreciated. On the other side of the menu displayed a glossary of food terms many people have a hard time recognizing; seitan, tempeh and others.

The service was great as well. Our waitress gave me the yummy juice recommendation and I have a feeling she can offer helpful guidance to indecisive diners as well. It should be noted that there is a ~15-20 minute wait for brunch during Sunday mornings though, so I would recommend avoiding peak times (noon). Even if you decide to wait it out, there is a chocolate shop nearby, coffee shops and Armenian markets you can browse through as well.

Overall, I am anticipating my next visit to the Red Lentil. As an avid lover of restaurants that carry meat, this one is definitely an exception. Who knows, maybe I’ll get the seitan next time or soy chicken? Wheat-based meat sounds slightly intriguing, doesn’t it?

You’ve genuinely altered my view of Vegetarians and Vegans, Red Lentil. You rock.
Total Meal: ~$34.00
Servings: 2-3 people

And man, they are good. I got the Kobayashi Maru ($10, on the left) and it contained Yamazaki 12yr Whiskey, Green Tea Simple, Apricot Liqueur, Lemon, Angostura Orange and Orange Flower Water. How could you possibly say no to that? The thing I loved most about my cocktail is that all the ingredients supported the flavor of good quality whiskey and the amount of sweetness was just perfect. There were no disgustingly artificial syrups that resembled dense oil sluggishly floating around in my drink. Nope, no way at Russell’s house!

He also offers creative small plates along with his entrees, such as the famous Ozark Heritage Pork Trio that I regrettably did not try. Instead, I shared four small plates with my friend. We thought since the place was a bit pricey, we might as well get a variety, right? Maybe not. Although not horrible at all, I classify each dish as “not bad.” There wasn’t a dish that stood out to me and teased my fork to really dig into it.
Here’s the breakdown:

Archer Farms Beef Heart Ravioli - $9

Beef heart ravioli with Pecorino crunchies, red wine sauce and pickled apple was good- “not bad.” Because the title itself sounds so adventurous, I was expecting big, bold flavors to knock the socks off my taste buds- because taste buds wear socks. After the first bite, all I could think was “oooh… okay.” Kind of like when you’re on a fun night on the town, all dressed up and ready for a drink… You finally arrive at the bar and you order your favorite cocktail. The bartender tells you he’s missing the one ingredient that makes your drink perfect. Instead he says he’s going to make another one he’s sure you’ll like.

“Oooh… okay.”

Jonah Crab Cake - $8

Next up, deliciousness; tons of compacted crab meat and crab flavor, tangy sweet pickle tartar and a refreshing bite of herby Gala apple salad. For $8, it was a tiny little thing. So if you decide to order this, order 2 crab cakes for $12 instead. 

Lamb Belly - $9

And lastly for small tapas, lamb belly with chickpeas and a tomato sauce. The sauce had immensely bold and earthy flavors, but lamb meat was sparse. Once again, I was disappointed with the portion and the price attached to it.

After 3 small plates, we have yet to be full. Heck, let’s order a pizza. You can never go wrong with pizza.

House Made Cotechino Sausage - $13

An extremely thin and crispy crust manages to hold a load of ricotta, tomato gravy and chunks of Cotechino sausage. This was probably the best dish out of the four. Although not very memorable, it was still a yummy and the sausage was made with a great blend of spices.

I don’t mean to be Negative Nancy (I hate how my name is actually Nancy), but after reading such wonderful reviews from so many different websites, I was disappointed with what I received for shelling out $60-70.

This most certainly does not mean that I will not give this place another try though. Next time, I will just be more safe with my orders and stick to what others recommend. Since I’ve heard a lot about their brunch and lunch sandwiches, those are definitely on my next to-try list.

Until we meet again, Russell House Tavern.
Total Meal: ~$65
Servings: 2 people

Pan Fried Corn Bread - $8

Starting off the bustling Saturday night was the Pan Fried Corn Bread. This dish has opened a “cornbread window” for me! Being from Boston, I have never had real southern cornbread. It’s dense, it’s chewy, moist and gritty- most importantly, it is savory and I don’t know if I can ever go back to the sweet stuff. To make it even tastier, on top of the corn bread was a mild, salty layer of melted feta cheese, and on top of that was spicy tomato jam. Oh my lawd, that corn bread was sweet, tangy, salty scrumptiousness. I would like another serving please?

Macaroni & Cheese - $17

Bacon Double Cheeseburger - $11

Pan Roasted Gianonne Chicken - $22

Although the service was excellent, the food came out unbearably slow which made my hopes high for a darn good dinner. When we finally received our entrees, I could tell from the smile on everyone’s faces that they just took a really satisfying bite. The best way to describe Green Street’s food is that they highlight the main ingredient in such a simplistic way that it makes you really appreciate the art of cooking without superfluous seasonings. A perfect example of this is the Pan Fried Gianonne Chicken. Recommended by the waiter, I was a bit disappointed when I first took a bite. Plain. Took another bite… tender and full of juices. Then came the dark meat section. All clouds part now and let that light shine down! I’ve forgotten what it’s like to eat something so beautifully cooked that it’s nice to be reminded again. The macaroni & cheese was delicious too. With thickly diced bacon, tomatoes, and aged Grafton Cheddar, it was full of light flavors (if that makes sense). I did not try the Bacon Double Cheeseburger, but my friend said it was on par with the other dishes- but a bit on the greasy side. Also, extra points that they make their own chips.

English Toffee Pudding Cake - $7

Ricotta & Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Triffle - $7

Lastly, the dessert… The subtle flavors of ricotta and light cheesecake came to life, thanks to the incorporation of thinly sliced lemon rinds. The triffle was good to experience, but was nothing compared to the English Toffee Pudding Cake. Candied walnuts, whipped cream, crunchy bits of toffee and toffee syrup were all lusciously delectable, but it did not take away from the main attraction- one of the best bread puddings I’ve tasted.

All in all, I enjoyed Green Street Grill, but do not see myself coming here unless I am in Cambridge. When in the area, I’ll be comforted knowing there is a kickass beer selection nearby, comfort foods cooked to perfection, and energetic, friendly service.

Converting me to Southern corn bread, Green Street, you are good.
Total Meal: ~$95.00
Servings: 4 people