|
|
>
Bin 26 Enoteca
|
Bin 26 Enoteca in posh Beacon Hill gets its wines from small producers from around the world and ingredients for its Mediterranean-centric menu from local farmers. With more than 300 bottles (50+ by the glass), from cheeky (Thunderbird at $8 a bottle), to classic (Rioja) to more esoteric, value-priced bottles (Argiolas Perdera from Sardinia at $35), there's something for everyone. - Annie B. Copps
Bin 26, 26 Charles St., Boston, 617-723-5939
|
|
|
>
Bonfire
|
|
Bonfire brings the cattle-range cuisines of the world to Boston's downtown, with an accent on Argentinean flavors both on the plate and in the glass. The latest from Todd English, who feels the Latino attitude toward steak is more sensual than our he-man cigar-and-sirloin attitude, the room is overtly sexy, with ember-red flourishes, phallic bar lamps and hanging lights that look remarkably like giant lace-covered brassiere cups. The main focus of the dining room, however, is a "firewall" in the open kitchen where swords drape meat vertically over open fires. To wash down all that beef, Glenn Tanner has assembled more than 200 mostly South American picks, among them 29 malbecs and three carmenères. For a lighter bite or a stronger draught, head to the taqueria at the end of the bar, where gorditas, empanadas and tacos can be chased with any of 50 premium tequilas and mescals.
- Anthony Giglio
Bonfire at the Park Plaza Hotel, 64 Arlington St., Boston, MA; 617-262-3473
|
|
|
>
Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks
|
Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks anchors Boston's bustling Kenmore Square, inviting diners with its vivid red awning and dramatically lofty ceilings. Chef Jamie Bissonnette puts flavor front and center in moderately-priced comfort dishes like ribeye and veal schnitzel. To match, wine director Ed Mancuso created a value-focused wine list with a hefty selection of New and Old World wines, with 12 wines by the glass and a carafe program that makes sampling an affordable option.
- Erin Byers
Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks, 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA; 617-532-9100
|
|
|
>
Gaslight
|
Gaslight backs up its brasserie menu with an all-French wine list (20 wines by the glass) and a selection of Francophile cocktails.
The signature Fleur de Lis is an elegant blend of violet and peach liqueur with white grape juice and a float of Champagne;
the Edith Piaf evokes the songbird herself via Grey Goose with a hint of Lillet.
- Annie B. Copps
560 Harrison Ave.; 617-422-0224; gaslight560.com (reviewed W&S 4/08)
|
|
|
>
Meritage
|
Meritage boasts the most focused food and wine menu in Boston. Chef Daniel Bruce and wine director Ed Costa aim to remove wine-pairing fears by grouping entrees by wine style, including poached lemon sole in Prosecco cream under Sparklers, ballottine of Cornish game hen with Full-Bodied Whites, or foie gras with pinot-cherry compote under Fruity Reds. They also offer small portions of the $28 entrees at $14, giving diners more chances to focus on their 50 wines by the glass and ever-changing, largely American, 28-page list. With such opportunities, it's like having the annual Boston Wine Festival all year 'round.
- Ken Sternberg
Meritage, 70 Rowe's Wharf, Boston, MA; 617-439-3995
|
|
|
>
Toro
|
Toro takes Boston's love affair with Chef Ken Oringer to new heights. Eight years after opening the modern American restaurant Clio, and later Uni, a sashimi bar, he's introduced Toro, in the South End. Here he serves up Spanish tapas in a modern, Peter Niemitz-designed dining room with a roaring stone fireplace. Wine manager Erin O'Shea's all-Spanish wine list offers a vast array of salty Sherries, spicy Riojas and crisp whites like verdejo-many by the glass-to enhance the flavors of dishes like paprika-dusted grilled octopus and roasted stuffed suckling pig under a Pedro Ximenez glaze.
- Erin Byers
Toro, 1704 Washington St., Boston, MA; 617-536-4300
|
|
|
>
Vinalia
|
Vinalia embodies its Latin namesake for wine festivals with 40 wines by the glass, 150 by the bottle, daily wine-pairing menus and a bar dedicated solely to vino. Owner Ed Costa, the brains behind the Boston Wine Festival, and chef Justin Villa offer New England-inspired entrées along with an extensive, American-focused wine list. Try Atlantic salmon over red rice and chardonnay chive butter with a Bethel Heights Pinot Blanc, or an Iron Horse Thomas Road Pinot Noir with sweet potato ravioli in a truffled cream sauce. The expansive wood- and glass-paneled space is as sleek and inviting as the cuisine.
- Ken Sternberg
Vinalia, 101 Arch St., Boston, MA; 617-737-1777
|
|
|
|