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« My refrigerator this week | Main | Michelin hands out stars » Monday, October 23, 2006Try it, you'll like it. Or maybe not.
Post-movies this weekend, we headed to the Blue Room bar for dinner and a drink. But it was a tad chilly in there: Our favorite bartender was nowhere to be seen, and it was 10 minutes till someone finally greeted us. "I'll be right with you," she said, smiling with the utmost insincerity. Somehow the menu no longer looked appealing. So we hightailed it over to nearby Anise, where we knew it would be anything but chilly. We were right: Anise's Sichuan food was hot. People seem to be divided on this newish restaurant: Some love it, some hate it, some love it on some visits and hate it on others. And I won't even get into the authenticity debate. But I will say that I've been twice now, and both times I left happy, with a burning tongue. (Just don't get the weird battered, deep-fried beef.) Unfortunately, on both of my visits, Anise has been echoingly empty. (Maybe it's busier at lunch; I've only been for dinner.) Why? Theories: 1. The interior design. Anise, a rather large space, opted for cheery colors and bright fabrics. Perhaps it should have gone for slate surfaces and a palette of grays. It would have been a nice balance to the spicy food, and it would have looked hip. Instead, it looks upscale but slightly outdated. 2. The space is cursed. Restaurants there seem to die on the vine. 3. Bostonians don't like spicy food. 4. Emma's pizza is across the street. Whatever. I want Anise to stay in business; I think it deserves to succeed. So here's my plug for the place: Try it. It's good! Or maybe it's not! How will you know if you don't go see for yourself? Posted by Devra First at 07:23 PM
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