54 Divine Dishes (In No Particular Order)
They are the plates not to be missed, from an intensely flavored fish soup to a golden roasted duck to the most finger-licking ice cream sandwiches you've ever tasted. Dig in.
1. KEBAB OVER SALAD
Andros Diner (Restaurant profile & review)
For 30 years, the Manetas family has run Andros Diner in Belmont, named for a Greek island. Son George is at the stove now, and his Greek-American cuisine includes spoon-tender lamb and succulent pork. But the dish going to half the tables in this little place is kebab over salad, house slang for chicken, lamb, beef, or pork shish-kebab over crisp vegetables ($7.95 to $9.95). Extra skewers ($4.15 to $5.15) are not advised unless you're in training for the Patriots. Tender morsels of meat with charred tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers are pulled off a skewer and set on a grand salad with wedges of fresh tomato, onions, and crisp peppers, plus loads of lettuce and cucumbers. The homemade dressing, studded with feta, is presented in a bottle. You can pour lots on, which you'll want to do.
Andros Diner, 628 Trapelo Road, Belmont, 617-484-7322
2. HOT CHOCOLATE
L. A. Burdick (Restaurant profile & review)
The stylish chocolate maker Larry Burdick is famous for tiny chocolate mice with silk ribbons (traditional European chocolatiers would make these for their children at the end of the day, using scraps). You can also order a hot-chocolate drink here, about the most intense chocolate dessert in town. When you step up to the counter, you'll be asked if you prefer dark, milk, or white, and then the server mixes shaved chocolate with cocoa powder and steamed milk. Your brimming 12-ounce cup ($4) is so thick, you'll think you're sipping pure melted nirvana.
L. A. Burdick Chocolates, 52-D Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617-491 4340, www.laburdick.com
3. MARINATED YELLOWTAIL AND YELLOWFIN
Clio (Restaurant profile & review)
Wildly creative fare has always been the hallmark of chef Kenneth Oringer. The sashimi bar, Uni, tucked into the alcove of this elegant restaurant, extends the way we think of raw. But even at the beginning of Clio, Oringer dabbled in the raw or mostly raw. Going back to taste one of his original dishes, marinated yellowtail and yellowfin, is a rediscovered pleasure. The dish ($16) is a beautiful mosaic -- squares of tuna interspersed with squares of yellowtail, all sprinkled with flying fish roe and topped with a spring roll filled with finely chopped tuna. It's a vibrant dish with clean lines, a beauty to eat and see, just what you want from Clio.
Clio, The Eliot Hotel, 370A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617-536-7200, www.cliorestaurant.com
4. PASTA BOLOGNESE
Il Capriccio (Restaurant profile & review)
The veal Bolognese at Il Capriccio probably originated with an old friend of the late chef, Enzo Danesi, says chef and co-owner Rich Barron. When Barron took over Il Capriccio in 1988, he continued making the Bolognese. "We've worked on it," says the modest Barron, "and I won't say we've perfected it." Well, then, we'll say it. The staff grind trimmings from racks and sides of veal and simmer them with pancetta and San Marzano tomatoes, a little white wine, and cream. Ladled over house-made fettuccine ($13 for a small serving, $18 for the large), the dish is so popular that if it's off the menu for a few days, regulars revolt.
Il Capriccio, 888 Main Street, Waltham, 781-894-2234
5. MAPLE-BRINED PORK CHOP WITH LENTILS
Spire (Restaurant profile & review)
Executive chef Gabriel Frasca brines his oversized bone-in pork chop with maple syrup ($28), which makes the meat taste faintly sweet and a little ham-y. Tiny French lentils accompany the chop along with pureed cauliflower (the new mashed potato) and a drizzle of curried oil. Frasca took a risk with these combinations, and they soar.
Spire, Nine Zero Hotel, 90 Tremont Sreet, Boston, 617-772-0202, www.ninezero.com
6. COUNTRY-STYLE CHICKEN BASIL
Patou Thai (Restaurant profile & review)
The walls are tinged with the colors of young green banana leaves and a pale-blue sea. With a yellow ceiling and orange silk pendant lamps, Patou Thai is one of the most stunning Asian restaurants in the area. Add a handsome and charming Thai co-owner, Dan Tanabat, who loves his native cuisine and wants you to be happy in his dining room, and you'll understand why Patou has become many locals' favorite Thai eatery. The brown rice is deliciously nutty, the satay skewers sticky with a caramel glaze. But the best dish in the house is country-style chicken basil ($11.25), similar to a Tex-Mex chili but made with ground chicken and bell and chili peppers in an aromatic, hot sauce seasoned with Thai basil. You can ask for a milder version or order an extra Singha beer, so you can make it to the bottom of the bowl.
Patou Thai, 69 Leonard Street, Belmont, 617-489-6999
7. WHOLE ROASTED DUCK FOR TWO
Salts (Restaurant profile & review)
It isn't often that a restaurant dish causes a chain reaction, but that's what happens when a waiter brings a golden whole roasted duck on a big platter to a table at Salts. Surrounded by glazed turnips, baby carrots, and roasted peaches, chef Gabriel Bremer's duck for two ($60) is a thing of beauty. The waiter carves the duck tableside, showing off its crackly skin and moist interior, and as the first bite is taken of the superb bird, other couples are whispering. Suddenly, roast duck is what everyone is dying to eat.
Salts, 798 Main Street, Cambridge, 617-876-8444
8. WOLFE'S NECK FARM STEAK OF THE DAY
Lumiere (Restaurant profile & review)
Chef and co-owner Michael Leviton used to use the luxurious Niman Ranch beef for his steak of the day. Recently he switched to the Freeport, Maine-based Wolfe's Neck Farm, also impeccably-raised beef with loads of meaty flavor. The deliciously chewy 8-ounce hanger steak ($28) looks like a pork tenderloin. A bone-in ribeye (for two, $33 to $44) begins at 24 ounces. Leviton calls them "cowboy steaks" or "Fred Flintstone bronto chops." Both are "shockingly good sellers," says Leviton, who offers them with divine garlicky creamed spinach, crisp homemade fries, and an intense balsamic vinegar sauce.
Lumiere, 1293 Washington Street, West Newton, 617-244-9199, www.lumiererestaurant.com
9. FETTUCCINE WITH CEPE AND SWEET CORN
No. 9 Park (Restaurant profile & review)
You'd think with all the accolades and awards that No. 9 Park has won over the years, chef-owner Barbara Lynch might begin to disregard the little things. Look no further than her tender, homemade pasta painstakingly prepared fresh daily and unmatched anywhere in the city. One imagines an Italian grandmother working in the kitchen mixing and cutting the dough by hand before plunging it into boiling water. Although the pastas remain the same, the sauces and fillings vary seasonally. On a recent visit, the woodsy flavor of sauteed cepe intermingles with the bursting sweetness of native corn kernels tossed with fettuccine in a light buttery sauce ($20). The pasta comes twirled into a beehive, set in the middle of a large white bowl, and garnished with a single intensely flavored roasted mushroom. The combination of elegance and simplicity unites to bring two ends of the spectrum together -- expensive, rare porcini mushrooms with abundant native corn and humble pasta.
No. 9 Park, 9 Park Street, Boston, 617-742-9991, www.no9park.com
10. BAKED ALASKA
Oleana (Restaurant profile & review)
Oleana's baked Alaska captures the imagination, a miracle with its cold ice cream center and gently burnished crown of meringue. The sweet extravagance ($10) is seldom seen on restaurant menus, because matching fire to ice, cold to hot, this way is tricky. But pastry chef Maura Kilpatrick and her staff not only perform the feat again and again each night, but they use wonderfully flavorful elements. The coconut ice cream is churned regularly at the restaurant; the egg whites are whipped into a frenzy; and the passion-fruit caramel adds an intriguing sour fillip to offset the sweet.
Oleana, 134 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, 617-661-0505, www.oleanarestaurant.com
11. CAMBODIAN SALAD
The Elephant Walk (Restaurant profile & review)
The Elephant Walk's Cambodian salad ($7.50) highlights some of the significant flavors of this unique cuisine. Chicken, red pepper, carrots, and cabbage are shredded and tossed with a light and refreshing sweet, sour, and salty dressing. Fish sauce is prevalent in the cooking, as is rice vinegar, sugar, peanuts, and basil. It isn't the usual basil but the Thai variety that marks the food. This crunchy, refreshing salad isn't large, but with plenty of chicken, it's substantial enough to warrant only a light dinner entree to follow.
The Elephant Walk, 900 Beacon Street, Boston, 617-247-1500; 2067 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 617-492 6900, www.elephantwalk.com
12. FISH OF THE DAY
Craigie Street Bistrot (Restaurant profile & review)
Chef and owner Tony Maws calls Kim Marden of Captain Marden's Seafoods, his fish purveyor, first thing in the morning to decide what fish he'll offer that night. Earlier this summer, line-caught striped bass ($29) was roasted until the fork could flake the fish with the tip of the tines. The sweet bass, garnished with tiny shrimp and a sublime golden broth made from corn, sat on a bed of zucchini fashioned into green linguine.
Craigie Street Bistrot, 5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, 617-497-5511, www.craigiestreetbistrot.com
13. ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Zon's (Restaurant profile & review)
Wipe that image from your brain of plain vanilla ice cream squeezed between two mushy rectangles of chocolate. Zon's takes the ice cream sandwich ($7) to a whole new level. First, the cookies, including molasses and chocolate chip but always just crunchy enough to still feel like a cookie. The ice creams vary, though coffee is a regular and a perfect fit. Lastly, the whole plate is drizzled with caramel and chocolate, making it perfectly acceptable to lick your fingers clean. Best of all, this may just be the best dessert for four people to split, as the two sandwiches come cut into eight pieces.
Zon's, 2 Perkins Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-524-9667
14. BRAISED EGGPLANT WITH BASIL
Taiwan Cafe (Restaurant profile & review)
All hail a vegetarian dish good enough for meat eaters. Long strips of purple eggplant ($9) sit glistening in their sticky, spicy sauce, and unlike many dishes made with eggplant, this one is anything but mushy. The braising technique results in a velvety-soft yet substantial texture, while the pungent flavors of basil and chili peppers are positively addictive. One warning about this bustling little second-floor spot under a blue awning: It's a cash-only operation.
Taiwan Cafe, 34 Oxford Street, Boston, 617-426-818
15. ROAST CHICKEN WITH GARLIC
Hamersley's Bistro (Restaurant profile & review)
Gordon Hamersley's elevation of the humble roast chicken ($25) has built such a reputation that we've known diners who have never tried anything else on the menu. That's a pity, of course, but it's understandable, since Hamersley's version -- marinated, roasted, and then pulled apart and broiled -- results in the juiciest flesh and the crispiest skin of any bird around. The skin is blackened in spots, dusted with parsley, and the whole dish is redolent of lemon. Whole cloves of roasted garlic on the side are perfect for squeezing onto pieces of bread that you use to sop up the rich, fragrant broth.
Hamersley's Bistro, 553 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-423-2700, www.hamersleysbistro.com
16. KADDO
The Helmand (Restaurant profile & review)
It's an odd combination, this dish, pan-fried and then baked baby pumpkin topped with a layer of ground beef, but boy, does it work. Easily the Afghan restaurant's most popular dish ($5), the pumpkin is mixed with a little sugar and also has a yogurt sauce, so it has a sweetness to it that is tempered by the ground-beef mixture and garlic in the yogurt sauce. The flavors can be overwhelming for an entree, but you won't find a better appetizer in town. And you may never look at a pumpkin the same way.
The Helmand, 143 First Street, Cambridge, 617-492-4646
17. OVERSIZED STEPHI BURGER
Stephanie's on Newbury (Restaurant profile & review)
Stephanie Sokolove opened Stephanie's a decade ago with a menu of basic dishes. A wedge of iceberg lettuce with balsamic dressing, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers is pretty wonderful, as is meatloaf layered with onions and cheese. Nothing on the menu surpasses the oversized Stephi burger, 10 ounces of ground sirloin, a "crown" of caramelized onions, sauteed portobellos, applewood smoked bacon, and Cabot white cheddar, all set on a plump brioche-style roll ($13.95). The burgers are extremely popular, says chef Corey Comeau. "My Lord, we sell 65 to 70 a day, sometimes 80," he says.
Stephanie's on Newbury, 190 Newbury Street, Boston, 617-236-0990, www.stephaniesonnewbury.com
18. GNOCCHI
Sage Restaurant (Restaurant profile & review)
Good gnocchi are a contradiction, potatoes and flour somehow lofted into a light-as-air texture. Though the dish seems to be on every other menu these days, most of those gnocchi are leaden imposters. Which makes it imperative to settle into one of Sage's 30 seats and try chef Anthony Susi's gnocchi in butter ($17). The irregularly-shaped little pillows practically levitate on the tongue, slithering down with just a light coating of butter infused with basil, a few oven-dried cherry tomatoes, and olives.
Sage Restaurant, 69 Prince Street, Boston, 617-248-8814
19. GRILLED SHRIMP WITH MANGO AND JALAPENO SORBET
Icarus (Restaurant profile & review)
Icarus's grilled shrimp with mango and jalapeno sorbet ($14) has been on the menu since the restaurant moved to this location in 1987. The sorbet is made from a mango puree mixed with a simple sugar syrup, fresh lime juice, plenty of roasted jalapenos, and a touch of sweet red bell pepper. The sweetness of mango is offset by the spicy kick of roasted jalapeno peppers and tart lime juice, while the contrast of hot and cold is refreshing. Six meaty shrimp are grilled over a hot fire and then immediately glazed with melted sorbet and served with a salad of baby greens. Although listed as a first course, for those with a small appetite, the plate could easily substitute as an entree.
Icarus, 3 Appleton Street, Boston, 617 426-1790, www.icarusrestaurant.com
20. SOUPE DE POISSON
Rialto (Restaurant profile & review)
Most cuisines have a version of fish soup. But chef Jody Adams's soupe de poisson ($9), a dish she brought from the south of France 10 years ago, is a revelation. The soup depends almost completely on the broth. Oh, there are pieces of cod, lobster, and striped bass, fennel, tomatoes, and a hint of orange in the bowl -- but it's the clear, clean, intensely flavorful broth that lights up the senses. Think of the ultimate comfort soup, and you'll be able to recognize what Rialto's fish soup will do for you.
Rialto, 1 Bennett Street, Charles Hotel, Cambridge, 617-661-5050, www.rialtorestaurant.com
21. FISH TACOS
El Pelon Taqueria (Restaurant profile & review)
Some versions of the fish taco give you bland, steamed fish that makes a runny, soggy mess of your taco. Not El Pelon's ($5). Icelandic cod is rolled in corn flour and spices, fried, and served in a soft flour tortilla. Topped with chili mayonnaise, crisp pickled cabbage, onions, cucumbers, and served with lime wedges, it's got a citrusy bite that balances the fish fritter taste. You won't need salsa or guacamole, but get them anyway, because El Pelon's are fresh-tasting, and you might as well enjoy them on their own.
El Pelon Taqueria, 92 Peterborough Street, Boston, 617-262-9090, www.elpelon.com
22. LOBSTER CORN DOG
Jasper White's Summer Shack (Restaurant profile & review)
It sounds crazy, but it works: A mix of fresh lobster, shrimp, and seasonings is poached, dipped in corn-fritter batter, and deep-fried to a delectable finish. It looks just like a fat corn dog, but it tastes sweetly of lobster and is served with a sharp, creamy mustard sauce that makes a perfect contrast. Sure, you can have a more serious dose of lobster at Jasper White's kitschy, quirky take on the New England clam shack. But you'll pay a lot more than $10.
Jasper White's Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, 617-520-9500; 50 Dalton Street, Boston, 617-867-9955, www.summershackrestaurant.com
23. VANILLA BEAN LOAF CAKE
Hi-Rise Bread Co. (Restaurant profile & review)
Carbohydrate counting is the last thing on customers' minds as they line up at this rustic Cambridge bakery. One of the most popular features at Hi-Rise Bread Co. is its vanilla bean loaf cake ($2.50 per slice, $14 for the loaf). This dense, moist, intensely flavored loaf is basically a pound cake with a tight, grainy crumb that is bathed in an intense vanilla syrup while it is still warm. The vanilla permeates the cake right through to the center, so that every mouthful resonates with it. The flavor comes from vanilla extract, vanilla-scented sugar, and whole vanilla bean.
Hi-Rise Bread Co., 208 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, 617-876-8766
24. PINCHOS
Taberna de Haro (Restaurant profile & review)
A pincho is a small tapas on a slice of bread rubbed with garlic and olive oil. At Taberna de Haro, the pincho on the top of our list is a moist, heady veal sausage with garlic mayonnaise on a skewer with one soft, marinated mushroom ($4). It vies for attention with another pincho of creamy, fresh-tasting Jonah crab salad ($5). The robust, red sangria complements both dishes, which, like everything else on this menu, is meant to be shared, tavern-style. Deborah and Julio de Haro call their restaurant "Madrid in Boston," and with a menu that strives for authenticity, it seems exactly that.
Taberna de Haro, 999 Beacon Street, Brookline, 617-277-8272
25. CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CROSTATA
Via Matta (Restaurant profile & review)
For a dessert that's light and rich at the same time, visit Michael Schlow and Christopher Myers's Via Matta, where the creamy, intense Italian tart ($9) fills the bill with appropriate gusto. It's got a shortbread crust on the bottom, hazelnuts on top, and what's that flavor we divine in the chocolate inside? Yep, the waiter confirms: That's Nutella we taste.
Via Matta, 79 Park Plaza, Boston, 617 422-0008, www.viamattarestaurant.com
26. KOBE BEEF
Restaurant L (Restaurant profile & review)
Like the cool, minimalist clothing in Louis Boston, L celebrates simple luxury. Chef Pino Maffeo captures the essence of Kobe beef in unusual ways, emphasizing its almost butterlike qualities. A fire pot with seasoned broth, or pho, is set before the diner. A cheesecloth ball filled with caramel tea, lemon-grass, kaffir lime, and 15 spices hangs in the broth, suspended on a reed. Very thinly cut folds of Kobe beef are dipped into the broth to cook. By the time the beef gets to your mouth, the aroma of the spices and tea has washed over you. And then the rich beef with its delicate texture melts in your mouth.
Restaurant L, Louis Boston, 234 Berkeley Street, Boston, 617-266-4680, www.louisboston.com
27. CASSOULET
Pigalle (Restaurant profile & review)
People love Pigalle's treatment of this classic French country stew ($24) so much that they keep ordering the hearty, cold-weather dish even into the dog days of summer. As a result, it didn't come off the menu for its annual disappearance until the end of July. No matter the temperature outside, few things beat the combination of perfectly cooked Great Northern beans, rich duck confit, sausage, and lamb shank. Those who've missed it, take heart: It's always back on the menu just in time for those chilly fall nights.
Pigalle, 75 Charles Street South, Boston, 617-423-4944
28. ANTIPASTO FOR TWO
Teatro (Restaurant profile & review)
There are plenty of goodies on the menu at this raucous, blue-ceilinged Italian bistro, which Mistral's Jamie Mammano and Paul Roiff opened in 2003, but we can't stop indulging in the antipasto platter ($21). For all but the hungriest diners, this is the makings of a meal for two. The thing is full of one creamy, salty, crunchy, sweet delight after another: eggplant caponata, aged provolone, white-bean puree, and on and on and on. Of course, part of the charm of such a dish in this convivial place is sharing it with someone you love: There's nothing sexier than eating without utensils.
Teatro, 177 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-778-6841, www.teatroboston.com
29. CHICKEN AL MATTONE
UpStairs on the Square (Restaurant profile & review)
The first detail to catch your eye is the name: chicken al mattone, or chicken under a brick. Smashed chicken, you think. Who wants to eat that? Well, everyone should. Because the flattened state -- chef Susan Regis uses Le Creuset casserole dishes for weight -- guarantees crisp skin with each bite of juicy meat. Perfection. The chicken ($22) is sauced with pan juices spiked with lemon and garlic and accompanied by salsify. What's that, you say? Well, it's a root vegetable, not quite carrot, not quite turnip, that in this dish has a special affinity for the savory, salty goodness of the chicken.
UpStairs on the Square, Monday Club Bar, 91 Winthrop Street, Cambridge, 617-864-1933, www.upstairsonthesquare.com
30. GRILLED PIZZA
Cambridge, 1 (Restaurant profile & review)
At this sleek little place, a minimalist's dream pizza ($6 to $24) gets assembled right on the white-hot grill, the better to keep things crispy and light. Ingredients are precooked, relatively dry, and scattered over the star of the show: a sturdy, thin, crackerlike crust. A favorite is Number 5, with sliced potato, rosemary, and garlic along with three cheeses: fontina, Parmigiano-reggiano, and Romano. Pizza lovers who prefer to fold over greasy slices and eat them like calzones may find this approach mystifying, but the rest of us would rather not have it any other way.
Cambridge, 1, 27 Church Street, Cambridge, 617-576-1111
31. BOBWHITE QUAIL
Meritage (Restaurant profile & review)
Mushrooms pop up on almost every menu. Chef Daniel Bruce not only loves mushrooms but is a dedicated mycologist. He uses them profligately in every season, and his mastery and knowledge shine in the way a fricasee of summer porcinis and chanterelles complements a tender little bobwhite quail. The bird rests in a thin, savory ribbon of pan juices, letting the mushrooms' woodsy flavor be a focal point. The caps are just barely sauteed, so that they're crisp at the edges and soft in the center. Clean and simple, the quail ($15 for a small plate, $29 for large), with its superlative mushrooms, lingers on the palate and in the mind.
Meritage, Boston Harbor Hotel, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, 617-439-3995, www.bhh.com/meritage.htm
32. LOBSTER BLT
B&G Oysters (Restaurant profile & review)
Few additions can improve on the classic lobster roll, but one is bacon, for that extra bit of crunch and smoke and fat. At Barbara Lynch and Garrett Harker's little temple to bivalves, lightly dressed and creamy lobster salad comes sandwiched between halves of a soft and chewy ciabatta-style roll ($19). The bacon, of course, is thick and perfectly cooked, and the plate is adorned with homemade chips, pickles, and slaw. And just in case you forget, each half of the sandwich arrives bearing a wooden pick with the B&G logo emblazoned on it, like a little flag marking its territory.
B&G Oysters Ltd., 550 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-423-0550, www.bandgoysters.com
33. LEMON-RASPBERRY CAKE
Flour Bakery and Cafe (Restaurant profile & review)
At pastry chef-owner Joanne Chang's heavenly little baked-goods joint, a favorite postscript to the hearty sandwiches is one of her delectable miniature cakes, tarts, or other desserts. The individual lemon-raspberry cake ($5) layers a vividly vanilla pound cake with lemon syrup, lemon curd, and crushed raspberries, and the resulting sweet-tart combination will make your eyes roll back in delight. It's big enough for two to share, and if those few bites still don't satisfy, Flour does make full-size versions of this and other cakes that serve anywhere from six to 90.
Flour Bakery and Cafe, 1595 Washington Street, Boston, 617-267-4300, www.flourbakery.com
34. MOROCCAN-SPICED LAMB
Arbor (Restaurant profile & review)
This young restaurant already has a classic on the menu: this rich lamb, rubbed with heady North African spices and best eaten a rosy medium-rare ($24). With sweet-and-sour eggplant, toasted almonds, and yogurt, it's like a deconstructed tagine, with fanned-out pieces of lean lamb steak substituting for a braised leg. The result is enough to make you hanker for a hookah afterward, but Arbor's not that kind of place.
Arbor, 711 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-522-1221
35. OUT OF THE BLU
blu (Restaurant profile & review)
What do you say to tuna sashimi, bass carpaccio, scallop ceviche, and salmon tartar -- all on one plate? At blu, the restaurant perched inside Sports Club LA in the Ladder District, chef Dante deMagistris draws on a variety of styles to create each portion of this four-sided dish appropriately named Out of the Blu ($17). The clean tastes of each kind of raw seafood become even more distinctive by the separate preparations. It's like visiting Japan, Scandinavia, and Latin America in one course. No passport required.
blu, 4 Avery Street, Boston, 617-375 8550, www.blurestaurant.com
36. LOBSTER BISQUE
Locke-Ober (Restaurant profile & review)
It's been on the menu since, well, forever, but that's not the reason to order the lobster bisque ($15) at this Boston landmark. Not to be confused with the chunkier lobster stew, the bisque is a creamy but not cloying broth that plays to the lobster's natural sweetness without playing it up. It's a solid shade of red with a depth of flavor to match. Order it to relive summer in a colder month.
Locke-Ober, 3 Winter Place, Boston, 617-542-1340, www.locke-ober.com
37. STRIPED BASS
Jumbo Seafood Restaurant (Restaurant profile & review)
"Fresh" is a moniker slapped on too many products and too many menus. But nothing is fresher than a striped bass that goes from its swimming state in a big glass-sided tank to steamed on the plate in minutes ($24). At Jumbo, the fish might be striped or sea bass, but the game always works the same way. The fish is chosen by the customer, netted by a waiter, and carried off to the kitchen. And then there it is, spread out on a blue-and-white platter, sprinkled with matchsticks of ginger and green-onion fronds, and flavored with a light soy and rice wine sauce.
Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, 7 Hudson Street, Boston, 617-542-2823; 10 Langley Road, Newton, 617-332-3600, www.jumboseafoodrestaurant.com
38. ADANA KEBAB WITH YOGURT SAUCE
Brookline Family Restaurant Turkish Cuisine
This modest restaurant looks like a pizza place, but don't let that bother you. There is fine, authentic Turkish food here, made by a former cook from Istanbul Cafe, especially a silky and smoky eggplant salad; bread dough baked with feta; and the famous Adana kebab with yogurt sauce ($11.50), known as yogurtlu Adana in its native country. A spicy ground-lamb mixture is wrapped on skewers into sausage shapes, then grilled. The dish is presented on a bed of croutons (the bread is made in-house), which are bathed in a yogurt-and-tomato sauce. Grilled peppers and tomatoes accompany the dish.
Brookline Family Restaurant Turkish Cuisine, 305 Washington Street, Brookline, 617-277-4466
39. SHRIMP WITH LINGUINI AND TOMATO SAUCE
Pomodoro (Restaurant profile & review)
Pomodoro is Italian for tomato, and at this neighborhood favorite, the cooks do many things well, but the star is the red sauce -- slow-roasted plum tomatoes that burst with bright orange-red color and fresh, tangy flavor. The sauce is chunky, spiked with chopped basil, and perfect not only with the shrimp and linguini ($18) but when served as a dipping medium for some of the most tender fried calamari around. The place is so small it doesn't even have bathrooms, so get there early or be prepared for a long session of people-watching while you wait.
Pomodoro, 319 Hanover Street, Boston, 617-367-4348
40. LOBSTER PIZZA
Excelsior (Restaurant profile & review)
Renowned chef Lydia Shire introduced lobster pizza ($24) when she ran Biba, the wildly experimental, wildly popular restaurant that preceded Excelsior in this space, and it's still a bar favorite. If you ask the wait staff what to order, that's what they'll recommend, and with good reason. This is a lobster feast masquerading as pizza, with what has to be almost 2 pounds of lobster meat arranged in hunks on a thin crust, with caramelized onions, garlic, and scallions. If the crust is still smoky from baking in the wood-fired oven, and you get one corner that's a tiny bit singed, that just makes it all the more appealingly real.
Excelsior, 272 Boylston Street, Boston, 617-426-7878, www.excelsiorrestaurant.com
41. TUSCAN MEATBALLS WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS AND PROSCIUTTO
La Morra (Restaurant profile & review)
In just a few months, chef-owner Josh Ziskin has already lured a regular following with his cicchetti, the lusty small appetizers common in wine bars throughout Venice. Our favorite is the Tuscan meatballs ($4) dish. Two large, golf-ball-sized portions are formed of ground beef, finely chopped prosciutto, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and dried porcini mushrooms bound with stale bread soaked in milk. The meatballs are lightly coated in flour, seared in olive oil to a golden brown, and then lightly deglazed with white wine, just enough of a small taste to whet your appetite for what's to come.
La Morra, 48 Boylston Street, Brookline, 617-739-0007
42. HOT AND SOUR SOUP
Bernard's (Restaurant profile & review)
Mediocre hot and sour soups are more the rule than the exception, so coming across a good one is noteworthy. To gain full marks it should have equal parts spice and tang with just the right consistency -- not too thin, not too thick. Bernard's in The Mall at Chestnut Hill has perfected the formula. Served in a traditional white Asian porcelain bowl, this hot and sour soup ($3.25) lightly coats a spoon with just the right balance of hot chili oil and vinegar. Made with chicken broth, it is lightly thickened with cornstarch and has cubed tofu, shredded bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and shredded pork. At this restaurant, hot and sour soup has nudged out the ubiquitous won ton as its number one seller. A mere spoonful reveals why.
Bernard's, The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston Street, Newton, 617-969-3388
43. CHILI CHEESE DOG
Simco's
Simco's, a takeout stand across from a KFC and next to a
Simco's, 679 Canterbury Street, Roslindale, 617-524-2700
44. GRILLED SWORDFISH
East Coast Grill & Raw Bar (Restaurant profile & review)
A very thick 8-ounce cut of swordfish sits upright on the plate, looking quite elegant on a little raft of grilled asparagus, surrounded by fruit-studded couscous ($23.50). The meaty fish is lightly charred, grilled just to the point of moist doneness. The taste is deliciously smoky, the flesh tender. The sword's loin is steaked for the dish, explains owner and grilling-guru Chris Schlesinger, who buys local swordfish whenever as he can get it. Garnishes change, but the fish is always just right -- and a joy to eat.
East Coast Grill & Raw Bar, 1271 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, 617-491-6568, www.eastcoastgrill.net
45. CHICKEN QUESADILLA
Anna's Taqueria (Restaurant profile & review)
There's a reason why Anna's Taqueria has a loyal following. The takeout eatery/cafeteria turns out superior food that is fast, made from scratch, and downright cheap. The grilled chicken quesadillas are a case in point. At $2.95 a pop, flour tortillas are heated on a grill until toasty and filled with smoky chicken (that has also been grilled) and cheese. The ingredients are garnished with a vinegary salsa made of onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. Plus, a splash of green salsa gives the quesadilla some bite. The filling is enclosed in the tortilla, which is rolled and wrapped in foil to go. Chicken, grilled vegetable, steak, bean and rice, and cheese are also available.
Anna's Taqueria, 1412 Beacon Street, Brookline, 617-739-7300; 446 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617-277-7111; 822 Somerville Avenue, Cambridge, 617-661-8500; 236A Elm Street, Somerville, 617-666-3900
46. PIG CHOP
Blackfin Chop House & Raw Bar (Restaurant profile & review)
In this seafood shrine, with its huge fish tank and tempting array of sushi, sashimi, and raw shellfish, ordering a pork chop might seem like ordering a burger in a Chinese restaurant. But chef-owner Anthony Ambrose's 16-ounce chop ($20) is a chubby, lightly charred hunk that, cooked to medium, yields a pink and juicy mouthful. You want to grab the bone end of the chop and just gnaw. A grainy mustard glaze sharpens the taste, and side dishes of sauteed vegetables and Dijon potatoes are generous.
Blackfin Chop House & Raw Bar, 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617-247-2400, www.blackfinchophouse.com
47. CRISPY CHICKEN LIVERS
Davio's (Restaurant profile & review)
Chicken livers don't usually rank among diners' favorite restaurant dishes, but the Davio's version ($9) gets our vote. Lightly coated in semolina flour and deep-fried to medium rare, they are a study in contrasts. A crisp coating gives way to a tender, buttery interior. They are tossed in a port wine and veal reduction sauce with raisins and a splash of balsamic vinegar. The dark golden sauce coats the livers and begs for a crusty slice of bread to sop up every last drop. "They are so popular," says owner Steve DiFillippo, "that we have regulars coming in and getting two orders at a time."
Davio's, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, 617-357-4810
48. PEACH AND BLUEBERRY TART
Bread & Butter Baking Co.
This bright, adorable storefront opened in 2002, bringing a taste of France to the Forest Hills neighborhood with crunchy baguettes and a twice-baked almond croissant that sells out early. The good news is that if the croissants are all gone, the big flaky fruit tarts are just as good. This naturally sweet, generously proportioned, beautiful open tart ($5) is stuffed with roasted peaches and blueberries. The fruits are soft and not overly sweetened, the crust delicate with a hint of butter. Two of us dove in without a knife and fork and felt as guilty as if we'd stuck our thumbs in fresh pie, but you can dine properly at one of the bakery's small tables.
Bread & Butter Baking Co., 3346 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-983-8688
49. PAD THAI
Brown Sugar Cafe (Restaurant profile & review)
Pad Thai, the sweet-and-sour fried noodle dish ($8.50), is so familiar now that it seems impossible for any version to stand out from another except as a matter of personal taste. However, the country-style pad Thai at Brown Sugar Cafe is one of the most sophisticated renderings you will find, full of a red-pepper heat. With crisp turnips and sprouts, spicy pan-fried noodles, scallions, shrimp, and hunks of chicken in a sauce that is neither too thick nor too thin, this is no dumbed-down, bland version of the Thai menu standby.
Brown Sugar Cafe, 129 Jersey Street, Boston, 617-266-2928; 1033 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, 617-787-4242
50. CHEESEBURGER
Tim's Bar & Grill (Restaurant profile & review)
The first time you walk into Tim's Bar & Grill, you may think you're in the wrong place, but keep going past the long, dingy bar to the nondescript dining room with its small open kitchen that serves up the best hamburgers in Boston. You'll need an appetite to consume these 10-ounce patties, a combination of ground sirloin, bottom round, and chuck, which are cooked on a gas grill. The moist, juicy burgers can be ordered plain or with cheese -- American, cheddar, or Swiss -- and all the fixings for a slight extra charge. Although the cheeseburger ($5) is a favorite, owner Frank Thomas is seeing more customers move toward the burger with all the toppings -- mushrooms, onions, bacon, and cheese.
Tim's Bar & Grill, 329 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 617-247-7894
51. GRILLED VEAL CHOP WITH MUSHROOMS
Caffe Bella
Caffe Bella, tucked away in a shopping mall in Randolph, is the area's best-kept secret. Of all its dishes, the most exceptional is the grilled veal chop ($35) -- a massive piece of meat -- thick, juicy, seared on the outside and tender and pink on the inside. Because of the high price of veal, the chop isn't always on the menu but often featured as a special. Chef-owner Patrick Barnes grills the chop first and then finishes it in the oven. He browns a mixture of mushrooms -- oyster, shiitake, and criminis -- and coats it with a sauce made with veal stock and wine. The veal is accompanied by fresh fettuccine in a light Gorgonzola sauce.
Caffe Bella, 19 Warren Street, Randolph, 781-961-7729
52. FRESH SPRING ROLLS
Pho Pasteur (Restaurant profile & review)
This appetizer has become more common at Asian restaurants, but we haven't found better ones than those at this popular, inexpensive local Vietnamese chain. The veggie spring rolls ($3.95 for two) at the Pho Pasteur on Newbury Street, where it's usually hard to find a table that doesn't have a plate of them on it, gets it just right. As if the tissue-paper-thin crepe wrapped around a medley of crunchy vegetables is not perfect enough, the tangy peanut sauce with crushed peanuts drizzled on top adds just the right touch of sweetness to make for the perfect dish before dipping into one of their terrific Vietnamese phos.
Pho Pasteur, 119 Newbury Street, Boston, 617-262-8200; 36 Dunster Street, Cambridge, 617-864-4100; 137 Brighton Avenue, Allston, 617-783-2340
53. CRISPY COD AND CHIPS
Matt Murphy's (Restaurant profile & review)
Never mind the great atmosphere here dark, bustling, and loud where the bartenders have an Irish brogue, the Guinness flows smooth, and trivia nights draw the biggest crowds. Just order the fish and chips ($13.95) for the most authentic plate around of this Irish pub classic. It comes wrapped in the morning newspaper and when you open it up, you're greeted with two hearty pieces of crisp, fried fish and steaming homemade fries that you dip into a tangy, lumpy, homemade ketchup that will make you forget the name Heinz even in this election year. Just remember: cash only.
Matt Murphy's, 14 Harvard Street, Brookline Village, 617-232-0188
54. RAISED WAFFLE
Centre Street Cafe (Restaurant profile & review)
Be prepared to wait, as brunch in this neighborhood has become the biggest game in town on Sunday mornings. But the people outside are always polite and upbeat, because they know what's waiting for them inside this cozy, relaxed place: a single, piping-hot, yeast-raised waffle with a mound of fresh organic fruit on top ($11.95), usually blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and bananas, along with whatever else is in season and fresh. The fruit alone is enough for breakfast, but when it's sitting atop this waffle and drizzled with syrup, there is no better way to start your Sunday.
Centre Street Cafe, 669A Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-524-9217
