I always love December. While my husband would tell you that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday, I would have to say that I love Christmas more. The holiday music, the decorations and lights, the fact the year is winding down…I can do without the gift-giving and the fuss, but overall, still my favorite.

For this December, in lieu of presents, we will instead be sharing some of the top 50 with our family.

12/10/2022: Date night at #12

There is nothing better than an impromptu afternoon into evening date with your honey. One of the many things my husband and I love to do, especially when we are in New York City, is to take in a show, stroll the city and explore, grab a drink at a local bar and have a memorable dinner. It is always feels so romantic, especially in winter, arm in arm to keep warm strolling the city and taking in all the holiday lights. It is such a great vibe. Boston also lends itself to the same feel. We started with an afternoon show at the Emerson Theater by seeing Six, the musical. If you have not seen it, please do! It is all-female ensemble about the wives of Henry the 8th and the cast is so talented!

We then made our way to dinner in Back Bay to try #12, Select Oyster Bar.

This might be one of my favorite meals to date! We had made reservations and were seated at the bar. This is the first time I have seen reserved seating at the bar. If you have a chance to eat here either alone or with another person, I highly recommend asking to be seated at the bar. It was a tight fit, but oh so fun to watch the hustle and bustle and the bar staff were super! The restaurant is long and narrow in a brownstone and it was packed so make reservations if you venture here.

I nursed a fantastic glass of red wine, a Corsican Red that paired well with all our menu selections. We started with a Crudo and I had my mind set on the Faroe Islands Salmon Crudo but was easily persuaded to try the special Blue fin tuna crudu suggested by our server. He was not wrong…it was melt in mouth delicious.

It was then onto the Maine mussels that were served in coconut milk with cashews and ginger. Be sure to ask for extra country toast to soak up the broth that I could have drank with a straw…but I am a lady of course. Then to our main course. My husband had Bouillabaisse with clams, more mussels, and prawns so big you could have gotten them their own seat at the table and I had the Casco Bay Halibut which was served on shaved cauliflower and turnip mash with almonds and raisins.

Interestingly, no dessert is served here. The only dilemma with eating at this restaurant is what to actually order because everything on the menu looked amazing! I highly recommend stopping here the next time you happen to be wandering around Newbury Street. It is easy to see why Select Oyster Bar made the top 50.

12/23/2022…Another date night at #4

I was very excited about trying #4: Nightshade Noodle Bar. I almost don’t have the words to describe my experience at this establishment. It was fantastic.

We started our night with a drive to Lynn, MA on what has been the coldest and windiest December night to date. I have never been to Lynn, and the next time I venture back to Nightshade, it will for sure be in summer where I can accompany my trip with some time at the beach.

We sat at the bar which turned out to be great fun. This is the second restaurant where I have made reservations that turned out to be reserved seating at the bar. I honestly think this is my new favorite space to dine at when just with another person. It really is fun to chat with the bar staff and people watch. Nightshade only offers a tasting menu and the only choices you have to make is how many courses…7, 12 or 14 and what you want to drink. We opted for the 12-course tasting menu. You are able to peruse the menu and ask for something specific to try, but there is no guarantee your selections will make the cut. We learned all about the chef, Rachel Miller who we learned through talking with the staff, was trained in French tasting menus and marries this with her love of Vietnamese fare…and a strong marriage it is! We were delighted with every course that came our way. You do have to be a little open and not food-averse here, but I assure you that if you are…you will not be disappointed. We savored every bite and we thoroughly enjoyed reviewing our tasting thoughts with the team. They are genuinely interested in your experience. You must also partake in a cocktail or several…I tried the moon rabbit, a blend of Titos’s, guanabana (soursop), lychee and lime.

All in all, this is one of my favorite’s thus far. If you choose to venture out to Nightshade Noodle Bar, be sure to bring your vaccination card. They are serious about keeping their establishment COVID-free and thy mean it; they will check your card. All in all, this is a hit from the top of the list!

12/28/2022: #46

There is nothing better than spending quality family time around the holidays…and now it is even more fun when your relatives want in on the Top 50!

Today was mandatory family fun day! First, we ventured to the Boston Park Plaza to take in a magic show put on by Illusionist Ivan Amodei. If you are looking for something to do that is engaging and fun for all ages, especially in the dead of winter, then I highly recommend you check out his shows. They are really cool, he is funny and thoroughly entertaining. If you manage to fit dinner in afterwards, you will be sure to spend the remainder of the evening discussing the many ways he pulled off his magic tricks.

After the show, we walked over to Porto, a delightful Mediterranean restaurant and #46 on the list. If you are looking for a great meal, in an unassuming environment with attentive staff, then Porto is for you. One of the nice things about Porto is the atmosphere. No loud music and good acoustics with nice big tables makes for a great space for a dinner out…and the food is divine. As a group, I think we tried just about every starter…the Spanish octopus served with a garlic aioli, the meatballs, the burrata which was served with a meyer lemon and clementine marmalade and the crispy brussel spouts with toasted almonds were all a hit. Oh…and the bread that was bottomless.

My sister in law had the branzino, one of their signature dishes which was so good, and enough left over for the next day’s lunch. I had the scallops that were served atop a melt-in-your mouth puree of squash and apples which was so good that I literally licked the plate clean! My husband and son had the special which was shrimp fra diavolo and my brother in law had the chicken. There were no complaints, except that what my husband really wanted was the lamb shank on polenta which they were out of.

All in all, I would absolutely recommend this restaurant, especially with it’s proximity to the Prudential Center..once you are done shopping and need to get out of the mall, head to Porto!

12/29/2022: #39

Our final destination of 2022 was a family meal at Rare. I am generally not someone who ventures to a steakhouse, especially not one that is attached to a casino. If you want to feel…and eat like a high-roller, well Rare is the place to do it. This place exudes elegance and sexy, from the gorgeous place settings atop crisp white linen table clothes to the well-dressed waitstaff, it is not hard to see why Rare made the top 50.

Although I love a good steak, I am by no means, a connoisseur of fine quality meats, and I certainly could not explain why anyone on earth would pay $200-350 for a steak…Waygu, Kobe…or any other kind. I could not tell you anything about the marbling characteristics that make a steak outstanding. That being said, this may have been the best filet Mignon I have ever had. Seared and cooked to perfection, I savored every melt in your mouth bite. Side dishes are served family style so everyone can try something; I recommend the potatoes Au gratin and the roasted corn and bacon.

If you are a wine lover, you should not be disappointed in the large volume wine list…err…wine book that boasts 700 labels from all over the world. It was a little intimidating, especially since there was “rarely” a bottle under $150. They also have an apres-dinner bourbon, cognac and scotch list because if spending hundreds of dollars on dinner and wine isn’t enough, then surely you should end your evening with a $200 ounce of scotch. Lastly, if you find yourself with some room for dessert, nothing makes a better show then flaming baked Alaska prepared table side.

If you are a steak-lover, then I would recommend checking out Rare. Be sure to bring your check-book and be prepared for a thoroughly delicious, although pricey meal. Looking back at what we spent for dinner here, we should have hit the craps or roulette tables first to try and earn some $$$$ for this pricey night out!

Well, that rounds out 2022 for now…8 down, 42 to go! Join me in 2023 as I work through the top 50!