Restaurant: Burton's Grille (American Cuisine)
Location: 94 Derby st. Hingham, MA 02043
Atmosphere:
Walking in, you may feel a little uneasy about the tables close together making it easy to hear the conversation next to you. However, the modern decor, dim lights, and professional staff make it possible for you to feel comfortable and ignore whatever is going on around you. This particular restaurant has a warm yet trendy feel to it. The booths surrounding the perimeter are cozy with plenty of room and the tables are positioned so that you aren't sitting directly next to the table aside from you. The only seats that aren't favorable are the ones in the middle of the room that are seated in "deuces" next to one another making you feel like you could join in on your neighbors conversation. The bar/lounge is very nice. A granite top bar with full liquor, a nice wine list, and beer make it easy to enjoy a spot at the bar anytime. There are tall tables surrounding the bar if you don't want to be sitting at the bar but not in the dining room.
Food:
The menu changes weekly with different specials to offer. I have a few favorite dishes myself that I can always count on to satisfy my taste buds. One of my favorite appetizers on the menu is the Pan Seared Scallops over creamed corn with bacon bits. This truly is a comfort dish. I have split it with a friend as an appetizer and have had it as a meal. The Scallops are consistently seared to the right temperature, cooked medium well and lightly browned. I have come in for lunch at least a dozen times and one of my favorite sandwiches is the California Chicken sandwich with an avocado cream sauce, a pepperjack cheese, a chipotle mayonnaise. I always ask for an extra side of the Chipotle mayo to dip my hand cut fries in because it is so flavorful with a nice hint of spice from the peppers added to the mayo. One of my favorite entrees among the rest is the Chicken and Wild Mushroom Raviolis. I am a mushroom lover myself however this another comfort meal. These raviolis have a medallions of chicken, asparagus, and mushrooms stuffed inside with a nice sherry cream sauce to compliment them. I have always been satisfied with anything I have ordered there. They offer a nice wine list to compliment all of the entrees on the menu as well.
Service:
The few times I have sat in the dining room, I have only had one experience where I did not feel like the waiter was not "on top of things" It was late at night and I had to ask another waitress for more water and fresh ground pepper. Every other time, the waiters and waitresses have always been helpful and professional. Lately I have been sitting at the bar because no matter who the bartender is, they are extremely helpful with helping me decide what I would like to eat. They all have been very friendly and are always making sure I have everything I want and if I need anything else. I always leave very happy and feel that I can come there alone or with a friend because the bartenders are plenty of company and make you feel at home.
Overall:
I am thoroughly satisfied and have never left feeling like I had a bad experience. The atmosphere, food, and staff make it easy for me to decide where I want to go to lunch or dinner and leave happy. I think that I speak for everyone when I say that this is one of the best chain restaurants out there. The restaurant does not feel like a chain when you are there. You feel like you are at home and I know quite a few regulars that have said the same.
Rating: ****
Friday, October 8, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wild Ginger
Restaurant: Wild Ginger (Thai Cuisine)
Location: 124 Washington st. Norwell, MA
Atmosphere:
This is quite a small restaurant with only about ten tables in the dining room. However it has a warm aura to it making it easy to decide where to eat a nice thai lunch or dinner. The dining room has many windows and a few pictures hung up of just a few entrees that are served on the menu allowing customers to visualize what they may be ordering in case they aren't too sure what the dish looks like. Hardwood floors, a neutralized paint and a small counter for takeout featuring a few of their beer and wines that they offer.
Food:
I have had takeout, dined in with friends, ran in for a quick bite, and I have never had a bad meal. Everything that is served is fresh and cooked to just the right amount of spice that you're taste buds can handle. I always start my course with an order of Edamame beans which aren't hard to go wrong however they are always hot and consist of the right amount of salt. I have ordered one of their spicy dishes more than a few times called the "Hot Thai Spicy". This dish consists of chicken and vegetables over white rice with a spicy chili paste which is very flavorful; you may need a glass of water with it though. The pad thai is in my opinion the best around! I have had pad thai at almost every Thai restaurant that I can think of and this restaurant hands down has the most fresh and flavorful pad thai.
I have had a few other dishes there that were very delicious, but once you have your dish that you like...you like what you like!
Service:
Walking in, the staff greets you and allows you to sit anywhere that you would like. After my third time there, they remembered my name and what I usually like to drink. The employees are very friendly and I have never waited for more than a minute with an empty drink in my hand. The food is always very prompt and the servers are constantly checking to make sure you have everything you need to have a wonderful experience. My water glass is always full and so is my stomach!
Overall:
I highly recommend this restaurant for those Thai lovers out there. This is a very nice restaurant where you can enjoy the food and feel like you are the only customers that the server is waiting on. I can guarantee that you will not walk out upset unless there are particular ingredients that you may not like. Give this place a chance and let me know what you think. You won't be disappointed!
Rating: *****
Friday, August 27, 2010
Basta Pasta Enoteca
Restaurant: Basta Pasta Enoteca
Location: 150 Hancock st. Quincy, Ma 02169
Atmosphere:
Small yet quaint. Full liquor and wine bar consisting approximately fifteen seats. Dining room is in the same room as the bar consists of about fifteen tables as well. The wooden tables are a comfortable size and the lighting was dim at night which was nice because the only other light being brought in was from the lights from the back bar and the street lights. Open kitchen which is nice for watching them cook your homemade wood stove pizza. Gives off a casual Italian feel. Nothing too fancy.
Service:
As I walked in to see the hostess texting, I told her two, she turned around, paused and walked away with the menus without saying "right this way". We waited about five minutes for the waitress to ask us what we would like to drink. The waitress was not helpful in any way when I asked about a particular dish. She simply read what was off my menu in my hand. When food arrived I waited a good five minutes to ask another waitress for a pasta spoon and grated cheese. When I looked over, I noticed that my waitress was eating at the bar with the rest of the staff. Needless to say, they need to train their waitresses better and need some kind of management.
Food:
We ordered two appetizers; the caprese salad and the mussels. I was pleased with the presentation of the caprese salad because it was large with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella topped on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce. The mussels were in a lemon white wine broth with chopped tomatoes, lemons, and a few pieces of pita bread for dipping. I loved the broth however, I did not like the fact that the pita bread was already soaked in the broth which made the bread soggy. As our entree, we ordered a pasta dish called "Squashed Olives". This dish consisted of squashed olives of course, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and chopped arugula. The overall concept of the dish was nice except we both wish there was a little more arugula and less tomatoes.
Overall:
I think that this restaurant is a nice stop for some simple italian food. I wouldn't describe it as anything spectacular and there is nothing that I would rave about. There are quite a few other Italian restaurants that I would go to before this one. If you're looking for inexpensive simple Italian, then this restaurant is probably your best bet.
Rating: **
Location: 150 Hancock st. Quincy, Ma 02169
Atmosphere:
Small yet quaint. Full liquor and wine bar consisting approximately fifteen seats. Dining room is in the same room as the bar consists of about fifteen tables as well. The wooden tables are a comfortable size and the lighting was dim at night which was nice because the only other light being brought in was from the lights from the back bar and the street lights. Open kitchen which is nice for watching them cook your homemade wood stove pizza. Gives off a casual Italian feel. Nothing too fancy.
Service:
As I walked in to see the hostess texting, I told her two, she turned around, paused and walked away with the menus without saying "right this way". We waited about five minutes for the waitress to ask us what we would like to drink. The waitress was not helpful in any way when I asked about a particular dish. She simply read what was off my menu in my hand. When food arrived I waited a good five minutes to ask another waitress for a pasta spoon and grated cheese. When I looked over, I noticed that my waitress was eating at the bar with the rest of the staff. Needless to say, they need to train their waitresses better and need some kind of management.
Food:
We ordered two appetizers; the caprese salad and the mussels. I was pleased with the presentation of the caprese salad because it was large with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella topped on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce. The mussels were in a lemon white wine broth with chopped tomatoes, lemons, and a few pieces of pita bread for dipping. I loved the broth however, I did not like the fact that the pita bread was already soaked in the broth which made the bread soggy. As our entree, we ordered a pasta dish called "Squashed Olives". This dish consisted of squashed olives of course, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and chopped arugula. The overall concept of the dish was nice except we both wish there was a little more arugula and less tomatoes.
Overall:
I think that this restaurant is a nice stop for some simple italian food. I wouldn't describe it as anything spectacular and there is nothing that I would rave about. There are quite a few other Italian restaurants that I would go to before this one. If you're looking for inexpensive simple Italian, then this restaurant is probably your best bet.
Rating: **
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