June always feels awkward. Summer still seems far away; the weather is usually pretty decent; my house seems messier than ever and I really have no idea why…and on and on. We do get to celebrate my oldest son’s birthday and this year he turned 20. I look at pictures of him when he was young and I wonder how did I get to be 48. I mean really. I can recall being 20, in college, having the time of my life (from what I can remember of it anyway). This progression of my life really weighs heavy on my mind.

My husband and I were on one of our nights out and talking about our marriage which we often do, and realizing that aside from our earlier years together, this experience of trying the top 50, has done so much for us as a couple. 2023 is turning out to be one of our best married years. It is probably a combination of things; our kids are grown and don’t need us every second of the day; we have the financial means to enjoy all aspects of dining out and it has provided us a platform to really talk to each other. Let’s face it… the “how was your day” conversation is so much better paired with amazing food and expensive wine!

6/10/2023: #37

Saturday night called for Peruvian cuisine at #37: Tambo 22. A cute little place in Chelsea that I do not think I would have ever found had it not been for the top 50 list. Seems like a hidden gem, but the word is out because it was packed when we got there.

True to all the top 50, the cocktail menu was robust and I opted for sangria. We started with the causa. This causa, with it’s potato terrine and seafood topping was served very different than the one we had at Celeste, and although excellent, the one we had at Celeste was better. We also had mussels which were served in a garlicky-white wine broth… so good.

We then shared the Lomo Saltado a lo Diego; a beef tenderloin, served on rice with sir-fry veges. This tenderloin was seared to perfection and absolutely delicious. It was served with fries which were so perfectly crispy, we ate every last one. We also had the Lomito de Chancho Antichuchero, a pork tenderloin which was served on top of risotto. Again…amazing flavor and we devoured it. We ended with a warm molten lava cake with strawberries. If you find yourself near Chelsea, do make this a must-stop for dinner. You will not regret it.

6/11/2023: #31

As per our usual weekend habits…we doubled up and had an early dinner at #31: Row 34. Now…I should know better that going out to an early dinner after you have attended an afternoon party complete with great food and cake will not end well for your waist line. Alas, it did not stop us and we soldiered on. We tried the Boston location, located in the Fort Point neighborhood. It is a very cool space so if you are looking for a night out, especially with a larger group, think about this place because it seemed like it could be accommodating.

Instead of having main courses, we simply tried a handful of small plates. We started with the bluefish pate which was served with grilled bread. We followed this up with rolls served with a honey-cayenne butter, oyster sliders and lobster Rangoon, which were a special that day. We also shared fried oysters.

Just to show how serious we are about the full dining experience…we forced ourselves to finish with the warm chocolate chip cookie served with vanilla ice cream. If this experience is going to cause me to have a heart attack…I am going out happy and satisfied.

6/16/2023: #20

A rainy weekend in June is made better by going out to eat. Friday night, we ventured to the South End to #20: Bar Mezzana. I can already tell you, we will absolutely dine here again. We reserved a patio table and of course, we were not seated under the covered part. The team was so accommodating to move us inside when it started to sprinkle…we did not even have to ask. I really appreciated this.

The food is amazing. We started with the striped bass crudo which was served with rhubarb and lime. Melt in your mouth good. We also shared the warm rosemary and onion foccacia. Another substantial cocktail menu; these starters went great with my negroni. On to our next course of pasta, we shared the Paccheri, a staple for this menu. Small tubes of pasta served with a quarter-lb of shelled lobster in a lobster and tomato cream sauce. Delighted to find a healthy choice of wines from one of my favorite regions, Piemonte, or the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, we opted for a Barolo.

For our third course, we shared “chicken under a brick”. Hands down, one of the best chicken dishes I have ever had. Cooked under cast iron, it was crisped to perfection but stayed juicy and served atop polenta with currents, shaved brussels sprouts and almonds. We ate every last bite. We ended the evening with a simple tartufo. All in all, a glorious meal.

6/17/2023: #22

It would have been so easy to stay home this particular Saturday night since it poured rain all day and night. Alas, what would fun would that be so we ventured back to the South End to #22: Toro. I am so glad we did. Spanish Tapas on a rainy Saturday evening was well worth it. Toro has been around for 17 years. Our server was delightfully knowledgeable about all things on the menu. I started with a cocktail called the Verdad Y Amor, a drink that has been a staple on the menu since it first opened. Hibiscus infused tequila with ginger and lime…yeah I was in love at first sip.

It is not a big restaurant and tables are really packed in…you will make friends quickly with your neighbors here which frankly is part of the fun. The atmosphere is a little on the lively side but the music is good.

The paella takes 30 min to prepare, so order that first if you are going to have it…and have it you must. The Valenciana is stuffed with clams, mussels, shrimp, chorizo and chicken. But first you start with tapas…thoughtfully spaced out so you are not overwhelmed. We had salt cod croquetas which were topped with fried lemon slices. Pulpo a la plantxa served with potatoes and aiolli…which if you shy way from octopus because many places serve the whole tentacle (which I find spectacular) – have no fear, this octopus is already sliced up for you. We also had Potatas Bravas served with the traditional spicy tomato sauce and aiolli and filete a la plantxa, a mouh-watering cut of seared flank steak served with a red chimichurri.

We ended with a warm chocolate bread pudding…which was completely unnecessary but hey…every good meal should end with dessert.

6/24/2023: #10

A quick drive to Jamaica Plain will lead you to #10: Brassica Kitchen + Cafe. This is a MUST-GO establishment! Hands down, this has been one of my favorite meals. My words cannot do it justice…just go and check it out.

We opted to do what they call, “The Ride”…which is basically there version of a tasting menu, where they will serve you samples of the menu and If I can recall, it was about 6 courses including a dessert. I also opted for the wine pairings. First, the atmosphere has a great vibe. energetic staff, open kitchen where you can watch the action and a great selection of music.

Second…the food. Now as the last few weeks have been non-stop working, I am just sitting down to update this blog. The menu published today is different then when we were there so I honestly could not actually tell you what we had. I do distinctly recall the rye pancake and the lo-mein with sesame. I also seem to recall the tilefish. All I can say, is whatever is on the menu today…it doesn’t matter. It will be amazing.

6/29/2023: #1

Nothing says Thursday night like an $800 dollar meal am I right? If you are going to eat at all of the top 50, then you have to know going into it that at some point, you will drop some serious coin on dinner. On this date night, we dined at O YA. I had been waiting for this, as it is #1 on the list. A 20-course fixed price omakase dinner that is $295 a person even before you have drinks.

When we arrived, I felt like I was entering a secret society that required a special knock and password to enter. Greeted by the most friendly hostess, we were seated immediately and chose to be at the bar where all the action was. I really could watch folks make sushi all day, each making the same item meticulously over and over all night.

The atmosphere is serene, like a Japanese Do Jo, the courses are perfectly timed and the wait staff is outstanding!

I suspect the menu may change regularly and it is not posted on line so we really had no idea what to expect. The food was really good…but honestly, I have had just as good or even better for half the price around Boston so I am guessing that folks come for the exclusivity and hype. That being said, I would eat there again…but not this year.

And nothing says fancy dinner like ending with doughnuts!

All in all, if you are willing to spend the money and you are food-adventurous, I would absolutely say put O YA on the list to try.