Going out to eat is one of my favorite things to do. I love the experience of searching for a new restaurant, exploring the menu, and enjoying the ambience of a new place. I’ve been spoiled by going to school in New Orleans and having a plethora of dining experiences at my fingertips in a relatively small vicinity. Sadly (only sad because I’m running out of new places!), in my four years at Tulane, I’ve actually managed to dine at the majority of them. When it comes to Boston though, I feel as if there are SO MANY joints that I have yet to discover or dine at. So every time I return home for breaks, I make it my mission to dine at at least one new place. And I plan to make this one of my full time missions when I return home in May.
You may be wondering how I choose the spot, since there are an overwhelming amount of choices. Usually, I stick to word of mouth or Boston-based food accounts and go from there. Boston Magazine also has a very reliable and consistent list of restaurant reviews and recommendations.
Since I tend to lean towards the health oriented restaurants, I usually make that my first priority and examine the menu to ensure that there’s at least one healthy option. Here are my top three Boston restaurant recommendations that I’ve dined at in the past couple of months. Hopefully when I’m back for good at the end of the semester these top three can evolve into more and become frequent posts. For now, I hope this gives you some inspiration for the next time you choose to treat yourself.
1. Sarma
My parents first went here with friends and came home raving about it. They knew that I would love it because of it’s small plates style and numerous healthy options. I highly recommend that if you want to dine here you make a reservation at least two months in advance. In September I tried to make a reservation here for Thanksgiving Break and the only options I had on a Saturday night were 5 PM and 8PM. So either make reservations in advance if you want to go on a weekend or if you want to drop by go at an unusual time on a random weekday.
The atmosphere in Sarma is warm and inviting and the first thing I noticed when I walked in was the beautiful wall of plates. I love when restaurants turn something so simple into something so elegant—this did not disappoint. The cocktail menu was delicious and unusual, with many choices to choose from. I got the Woodsman’s Bribe, a simple drink made with grilled lemon vodka, blackberry, and oregano. You can actually taste the smokiness of the lemon, which made the drink stand out among others.
The food is incredibly veg-friendly and some of my favorite things we ordered were the Kale Flowers, Brussels Sprout Bravas, and the Circassian Quail. The kale flowers were out of this world and I was basically licking the plate clean. What’s also nice about Sarma is that in addition to the menu, waiters and waitresses come by with items that aren’t on the menu, similar to dim sum.
Check out the menu and Sarma’s offerings here
2. Tico
I first went to Tico last New Years Eve. The party was hopping and the restaurant was filled with festive people ready to grab some tapas and ring in the New Year. Tapas are one of my favorite dining experiences because I love trying small tastes of each dish.
Tico’s menu offers a wide variety of ceviche, small plates, tacos, and meats. The Hamachi and Tuna ceviches were delicious, as was the Spanish octopus. I’m very picky when it comes to some good octopus, mostly because if it’s not that tender it usually ruins the overall taste for me, but Tico’s did not disappoint. But out of all the things we ordered that night, the brussels sprouts stole the show. They were made with hazelnuts and tart cherries and cooked so that they were just the right amount of crunchy. When I went again in the summer, however, they took them off their menu and they still haven’t returned. So Tico, if you see this, PLEASE BRING BACK THOSE BRUSSELS SPROUTS. They were heaven.
Tico also has a funky bar and a patio with outside seating. When I went this summer we ate out on the patio and it greatly improved our dining experience. There’s nothing better than a warm Boston night and some tapas, am I right?
To learn more about Tico and explore their menu, visit them here.
3. Tiger Mama
Thai cuisine is one of my favorite foods, so when Tiger Mama opened last month I knew I had to go. Tiffany Faison’s latest restaurant is a fusion of Malaysian, Thai, and Vietnamese flavors. When I first walked in, it felt like I walked into an adult Rainforest Cafe (that’s meant to be a compliment). The jungle, or “live” wall as they call it, made you feel like you were in the tropics, along with the palm trees. It’s a great dining atmosphere and features two bars, one in the front and one in the back.
To start, I had a fantastic drink that I can’t remember the name of and the drink menu isn’t online. But I do know that it had rum, coconut, and thai basil. Look for that drink when you go and if you love coconut, then it’s definitely the drink for you. Not too sweet, but just the right amount of coconut flavor. For food, we had a combination of meat and veggie dishes, but the two that stood out were the Coconut Cured salmon and the Yu Shiang Eggplant. The marinade for the eggplant was so tangy and definitely topped the list.
Discover Tiger Mama here and their menu here.