Chowder Undergoes a Metamorphosis


We here at Chowder are big fans of Eastern Standard. Back in December, Matthew Reed Baker and the Boston magazine fact checkers enjoyed a great meal at the Kenmore Square bistro. Last week, a friend took me to the bar to try her new favorite cocktail, the Metamorphosis.

It was a cold January day when we took our seats at a table next to the bar. I wasn’t aware of what I was drinking until she ordered the drink and beamed at me.

“You’re going to love this,” she said.

The clandestine cocktail menu describes the Metamorphosis as “transformative bitters & lemon.” The drinks the waitress brought to the table were a dark yellow color, with a lemon rind in the bottom of the martini glass and tiny chunks of ice floating at the top.

Many cold weather drinks rely on hot mixers like coffee or tea to create the feeling of warmth, but the Metamorphosis relies solely on flavor. The lemon comes on strong, but the bitters give the drink a spicy kick of nutmeg or cardamom that had both of us wishing there was a crackling fire to sit by as we sipped our drinks.

After a second round, we ventured back into the cold, happier than we were before we had our Metamorphosis.