Turkey-portobello meatloaf
Local burger lovers are probably still debating the merits of the burgers at Tim's, the defunct tavern on the Back Bay-South End line. Reborn in June as Coda Bar and Kitchen, the former dive "needed more than a facelift," say co-owners Jim Cochener and Michael Moxley, who took over the space. The renovation yielded a long, spare dining room, warmed up by a wall of exposed brick. With an inexpensive menu of restaurant basics such as Caesar salad, mac and cheese, and burgers, "we're trying to be a good neighborhood restaurant," says Cochener, who also co-owns the Allston bar Common Ground with Moxley.
Among the menu items is an enormous portion of turkey-portobello meatloaf ($13), which is full of fresh rosemary and accompanied by a mound of mashed potatoes and sauteed cauliflower. The food is simple, inexpensive, and good. The wine list is more sophisticated. Assembled by Deborah Hansen de Haro of Brookline's Taberna de Haro, there's an exciting range of well-priced choices not typically offered in neighborhood joints. So as you debate the merits of Coda's burger, you can do it with a great glass of wine. Coda Bar and Kitchen, 329 Columbus Ave., 617-536-2632, codaboston.com. - LEIGH BELANGER 