Eat 2008: Where to Dine Now

The 20 Best Midprice Restaurants
These exceptional spots—nearly half of which opened in this past year—provide all the requisite dining pleasures, with one notable advantage: entrées that stay under $25.

By Amy Traverso

Ashmont Grill
Chef-owner Chris Douglass has been a pioneer in the local New American food movement since he opened the South End’s Icarus in 1978. His Ashmont Grill in Dorchester is the Platonic ideal of a midprice place: chef-driven, ambitious (the weekly Monday Night Wine Club has turned even the most unlikely into oenophiles), stylish, and eminently affordable (entrées top out at $18). His deliciously simple fare, like flatiron steak with herb butter ($17) and pork chops with butternut squash bread pudding ($18), proves how good no-frills cooking can be when quality ingredients are matched by solid technique. Can’t-Miss Dish: The shatteringly crisp onion rings ($4).

555 Talbot Ave., Dorchester, 617-825-4300, ashmontgrill.com.

Beehive
It was breathlessly hyped as Boston’s nightlife savior, then subsequently strung up for attracting a yuppie crowd. What got lost in the ruckus is that this restaurant/lounge/jazz club is a great place to nab a tasty, wallet-friendly meal. (Yes, the revelers may get noisy, but eating before 8:30 will usually guarantee a peaceful experience in charmingly unbuttoned surroundings.) If you’re dining with a group, start with the Bohemian Platter, a generous collection of smoked meats, cheeses, and accents like roasted grapes ($23), or order the tender, perfectly seasoned peddler’s steak with porcini mushroom butter ($23) all for yourself. You won’t find much in the way of “lite” here, but the smoked chicken salad served with greens, chopped egg, and bacon ($14) would at least pass the Atkins test. Worth Every Calorie: The seared foie gras over poutine, a mix of frites, gravy, and cheese ($19)—a nod to the famed signature dish of Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal.

541 Tremont St., Boston, 617-423-0069, beehiveboston.com.

Café D
This vibrant spot on Jamaica Plain’s main drag began life as Arbor, a critically acclaimed bistro that struggled for neighborhood regulars. Ever since chef-owner Doug Organ relaunched it as Café D in 2006, however, the low-key hangout has kept tables turning even on Sunday nights. The menu combines sophisticated Mediterranean-inspired fare (such as a standout Moroccan spiced lamb for $22.50, a holdover from the Arbor days) with hearty crowd-pleasers (sensational Baja fish tacos at $12.50). And to wash it all down: one of the most reasonably priced wine lists in town. Early-Bird Special: The three-course prix fixe, served daily until 7 p.m., for a mere $26.50.

711 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, 617-522-9500, cafedboston.com.

Franklin Cafe
You’ve seen this lineup before: the steak frites ($19), the crispy duck–frisée salad ($8), the miso-glazed salmon ($18). But what makes this tiny (and dark) South End bar-café stand out from the crowd—and what’s long made it a hands-down late-night favorite for chefs and waiters—is the sheer quality of the food. Tomato-and-ricotta-stuffed crêpes ($8) are scented with an unexpected hint of lemon zest. Prune-glazed pork tenderloin ($18) is served atop a smooth-as-silk sweet potato purée. Sit at the bar and talk to the locals: You’re sure to hear good stories, and more than a little neighborhood gossip. Perfect Pairing: A shochu–white cranberry cocktail ($8) with the crispy duck salad. 278

Shawmut Ave., Boston, 617-350-0010, franklincafe.com.

Garden at the Cellar
Chef Will Gilson first attracted attention as a high schooler, working in Boston restaurants by night and preparing multicourse meals at his family’s Herb Lyceum farm and restaurant in Groton on weekends. Now the 2005 Johnson & Wales graduate has brought his farm-fresh sensibility to this gastropub above the popular subterranean Cambridge bar the Cellar. The food is New American and the menu shifts with the seasons. Best bets include anything containing Gilson’s masterful vegetable purées (sort of like luxury baby food for grownups), and the varied and substantial salads. Catch of the Day: The citrus-glazed organic salmon with celery root, buttered leeks, orange-thyme sauce, and herb salad ($18).

991 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-230-5880, gardenatthecellar.com.

Gaslight
This South End boîte has taken some hits for its by-the-numbers approach to brasserie-dom (right down to the white subway wall tiles and the Edith Piaf soundtrack). Chalk it up to timing, opening as it did at the tail end of Boston’s brasserie boom—because Gaslight deserves credit for its very reasonable prices (all entrées are less than $20), its creative cocktails, its wonderfully authentic croque-monsieur ($9.75), and the light hand its kitchen brings to fish dishes like the pôelée espagnol ($19.50). Even if the whole experience feels a bit prepackaged, it’s still a pleasant Parisian escape. Grade A: The steak frites, a terrifically tender and flavorful cut of beef for just $19.75.

560 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-422-0224, gaslight560.com.

Green Street
“Didn’t this used to be a dumpy Caribbean place?” It’s not an uncommon question for first-time visitors to the former Green Street Grill, relaunched in 2006 as an upscale neighborhood restaurant with a serious attitude toward wine and cocktails (ask your server a question about what you’re drinking, and he may reappear at the table with his wine atlas). The offerings reflect chef Pete Sueltenfuss’s love of traditional New England foods, from a house-made hot dog with brown bread, baked beans, and pickled cabbage ($8) to a memorable grilled pork chop ($21). Dishes can be heavy—on a recent visit, bacon appeared in about a third of them—but strategic ordering can yield a soul-warming dinner. Eats Like a Meal: The aforementioned hot dog, accompanied by a dish of house-marinated olives ($4).

280 Green St., Cambridge, 617-876-1655, greenstreetgrill.com.

Kitchen on Common
This tiny 16-seater has been around only since September, but Joh Kokubo has already attracted a devoted crew of regulars. For some, it’s his commitment to the sustainability ethos: The butternut squash in his creamy soup ($5) comes from a local CSA that supplies him with produce throughout the winter; the table butter is from Vermont; and soon he’ll offer locally blended herbal tea. For others, it’s the sweet prices: The most expensive entrées (grilled pork loin and chili-rubbed tenderloin tips) are $15, and starters peak at $5. The only drawback? Hours are limited, with closing time at 8:30 p.m. So get there early—tables fill up fast. Side Show: The homey accompaniments are just $4 each, which means you could eat your way through a feast of potatoes (both mashed and roasted), macaroni gratin, roasted beets and greens, herbed mushrooms, and maple roasted carrots, all for $24.

442 Common St., Belmont, 617-484-4328, kitchenoncommon.com.

La Morra
This quaint Brookline Village restaurant has the kind of backstory food writers are suckers for: Native son Josh Ziskin and his wife and business partner, Jen, earn their stripes at local restaurants (Tuscan Grill, Maison Robert); eat their way through Italy; and return determined to bring that pure flavor and simplicity to their own place. Their travels come to life in the $4-and-under cicchetti menu—based on the tapas-style small bites (arancini, stuffed olives, chicken livers) that are so popular in Venice—and in the very Tuscan cavolo nero (black kale) that comes with a crispy braised pork shank ($21). Even the brick-and-wood-beam dining rooms feel a bit rustic Italian, by way of New England. Justifiable Splurge: The rare Piedmontese Barbarescos and Barolos on the wine menu ($60 and up).

48 Boylston St., Brookline Village, 617-739-0007, lamorra.com.

Myers + Chang
Promotional materials promise “No gloppy sauces...no ancient Chinese secret,” and this modern Asian diner delivers <> with a fresher, brighter spin on classics like dan dan noodles, pot stickers, and tea-smoked spare ribs. Aside from the market-price lobster, there’s nothing on the menu that costs more than $15 (though portions can be small, so consider ordering multiple dishes). Even in the few plates that seem like works in progress (like the too-harsh hot and sour soup), you can’t help but feel inspired by the spirit of invention. Cure for What Ails: The superlative beef pho ($10), made with a broth so rich, it’s practically gravy.

1145 Washington St., Boston, 617-542-5200, myersandchang.com.

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