Q&A

‘Somebody Feed Phil’ Star on Boston’s Food Scene: “I Absolutely Loved It”

Netflix host Phil Rosenthal comes to town for an episode of his show’s eighth season, dining from Sarma to Galley Diner. 

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A man with gray hair and a suit coat over a collared, button-down shirt sits in an upscale restaurant and takes a big bite out of a piece of meat on a bone.

Phil Rosenthal in season 8, episode 6 of “Somebody Feed Phil” (Las Vegas). / Courtesy of Netflix

“This is a cannoli that will change your life,” Boston restaurateur Nick Varano tells Somebody Feed Phil star Phil Rosenthal. The two are standing in Modern Pastry at the start of Rosenthal’s Boston-focused episode of his show’s eighth season, debuting June 18 on Netflix. One bite in, and Rosenthal is giddy with an infectious enthusiasm that could convince even the most cannoli-jaded Bostonian to head back to the North End.

Tune into any episode—from Bangkok to Santiago to Kyoto—and you’ll see the same delight at every bite, at every conversation with chefs, food lovers, and locals in cities around the globe. It’s enough to make anyone want to immediately book a world trip—or explore their own city with fresh eyes. And so when word spread that Rosenthal was spotted filming in Greater Boston late last year, we couldn’t wait to peek at our own dining scene from his perspective. (As a bonus, we get a little bit of Rhode Island in the episode, too.)

After the cannoli scene, the boppy theme song kicks in, its sitcom-y sound winking to Rosenthal’s past life as creator of Everybody Loves Raymond. Incidentally, the Emmy-nominated tune has a Boston connection: New England Conservatory-born band Lake Street Dive composed and performed the theme. But Rosenthal himself is pretty much a Boston newbie; he’d been in the city briefly a couple times before, but shooting the episode was his first deep dive.

“This was a full week of eating in Boston, and I absolutely loved it,” he tells us in a phone conversation shortly before the release of the new season. “I loved walking around, I loved the old neighborhoods, I loved the history, I loved the people. It was so much fun.” We spoke with Rosenthal about his best bites from the episode, his thoughts on the Michelin Guide coming to town, and more.

Skewers of grilled meat dusted in chopped nuts and garnished with herbs and citrus segments.

Harissa barbecue duck shish at Sarma. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Boston: Since you hadn’t spent much time here before, did you have any preconceived notions about our dining scene?

PR: You know, I’ve learned not to have preconceived notions because I’ve been absolutely wonderfully surprised by places around the world. Like when I went to Vietnam, I thought—having grown up with Apocalypse Now and all the war movies—“Why would anyone go to Vietnam for fun?” I got there, and it was gorgeous, magical, beautiful, full of smiling faces and amazing food, and that woke me up. Never think you know a place.

The way the world is now, you can get a great meal anywhere. Because of the internet, a chef in Peoria can see what a chef in Paris is doing and emulate it, using local ingredients to turn it into their own thing, so you have wonderful [dining scenes] everywhere.

So, I knew Boston is a major city and is known for certain foods already. And I was sure there’s a great immigrant population—sure enough, there it is. Once immigrants come, you get their culture and cuisine, and it’s always good. I feel like the world is better when we cross-pollinate.

Jerk duck leg, pikliz, and a bright green sauce on a white plate.

Comfort Kitchen’s jerk duck. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

What are the absolute best bites you had during your week here?

There’s a jerk duck dish at Comfort Kitchen [in Dorchester] that I still dream about, and a lamb shank at La Royal [in Cambridge].

Where do you think Boston really excels in dining compared to other cities you’ve visited—and what do you think we could be doing better?

There’s nothing you can do better. It is unique and diverse and wonderful, and you have traditional stuff like the diner [he visits South Boston’s Galley Diner in the episode], and you have the personalities of the people—it’s perfect the way it is.

We love to hear that. Our big Boston dining news right now is that the Michelin Guide is finally coming here—for better or worse.

As they should! Well, that’s good, it’s only good, because it means that there’s a big enough restaurant scene—and a worthy-enough restaurant scene—for Michelin to take notice, and so that will bring more attention to the restaurant scene.

Here’s hoping! There are some mixed feelings here. One worry I’ve heard is that some restaurants might actually dull down their creativity in an attempt to appeal to Michelin, sort of the equivalent of teaching to the test.

Listen, critics are critics. Every critic is different and has their own particular taste. Now, I know that you can’t be a three-star Michelin unless you have white tablecloths, but if you’re not going for that, the people who give a restaurant one star on the Michelin Guide love creativity, and they love food that’s great without being fancy. And isn’t that what most people like?

Slices of raw scallop are garnished with big toasted corn kernels and sliced green chili peppers, all sitting in a bright yellow broth.

La Royal’s scallop and blue cod ceviche. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Based on what you experienced while you were here, let’s say you’re Boston’s one-man tourism board: How would you sum up what we have to offer?

History. Diversity. Beauty. Excitement. Wonderful people.

You’re hired.

That’s what the city has. It’s true.

When filming an episode, do you have a chance to go out quietly exploring without the cameras?

Yes, I have downtime—I need the downtime. When I first did a trial run of the show, like, 15 years ago for another company and another producer, I went to London, and they had me booked into mostly three-star Michelin restaurants—and 27 meals in seven days. By the second day, I wanted to die. I realized if I ever had my own show where I got to do what I’d like to do, I’m not going to eat more than once or twice a day, and then I’m hungry when the food comes. You want to be like, “Oh boy!” not “Oh no.”

A long, skinny baguette on a plate with an iced green drink, silverware, and a pink flower.

Verveine. / Photo by Brooke Elmore

Anything else that you want people to know about this season?

Honestly, this is our best season. We go all over the world; I’m thrilled that Boston is represented. I can’t think of anything I’d want to change in this season.

And next up, you’ve got a tour starting in August (including a September stop in Boston)—what can people expect from the tour?

We show a little highlight reel of the season, and then I come out with a different moderator every show. They can ask me whatever they want, and I tell hopefully funny stories about my life and my career—everything from Raymond all the way up to getting this show on the air and what it takes to make the show. And then the second half of the show is all Q&A with the audience. I just love getting up there. This is my biggest North American tour ever—many, many cities, and many cities I haven’t been to yet. It’s also very good research for the TV show.

Anything else you want to tell Boston?

Nothing other than “I love you.”

This interview has been edited and condensed.

A lobster roll stuffed with ample meat has a side of fries.

Neptune Oyster’s lobster roll (the buttered version). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Go where Phil goes in the Boston episode:

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