Trade, a restaurant from Chef Jody Adams of Rialto fame, is my one of my favorite restaurants in Boston, and a place I find myself again and again. Living in the Leather District, it is also luckily (and dangerously!) close to home, and when we get home to find the fridge bare we often take the short walk to Congress Street. Because we have tried the menu so many times, I’d like to share some of what I’ve found to be the best dishes on the menu.
The space, by Fort Point Channel at the intersection of Congress Street and Atlantic Avenue, is airy and industrial, with lots of warm wood and exposed brick. The long bar area is a favorite of the after-work crowd, and is often filled with people from downtown looking for a drink before heading home. And with good reason: the drinks are delicious, especially their gingery cockney mule.
As great as the bar scene is, it is so worthwhile to stay for dinner. The menu is served in the bar area as well as a more formal seating area at the front of the restaurant. While there are larger entrees on the menu (between $22 and $28), sharing the small plates ($7 to $15 each) is a delicious way to try several dishes. In line with the aim of using fresh local ingredients, the menu shifts with the seasons to feature the best produce available.
There is always a crudo, and it has been delicious every time I have tried it. One memorable version featured fluke in a delicate coconut broth. The current menu includes a tuna crudo with wasabi, radish, chilli, and yuzu – yum!
A perennial favorite of mine and a constant on the menu is the black bean enchilada with Taza mole, cabbage, and avocado. It is cooked in a small cast iron skillet in the huge pizza oven, which also crisps up several varieties of flatbreads. Another favorite is the crispy potatoes with paprika and cumin, simple but oh-so satisfying.
Vegetables really shine, including avocado served with an addictive green mango-tamarind-peanut chutney, Brussels sprouts with harissa and dukkah, and gingered beets in a grainy mustard vinagrette.
The menu often features burrata, a fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream. A version we tried recently paired a zingy quince jam and toasted nuts with the rich cheese, for a perfect decadent forkful.
While there are several interesting deserts on the menu, we always come back to the baked Alaska. The flavor of ice cream or sorbet changes with the seasons, but the meringue shell is always crisped beautifully in the hot pizza oven. It has consistently been a perfect ending to some of my favorite meals in Boston. If you try Trade, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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Food & Drink in Northbridge
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Zem Han Mediterranean Restaurant
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Northborough
$30 $16
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Brian's Restaurant's 110 seats play host to dining on authentic New England homestyle pub fare categorized on the menu. Sample one of the daily dinner specials, such as Monday's all-you-can-eat prime rib rubbed with a house seasoning and slow roasted for hours ($15.99) or Wednesday's family-style chicken with pasta, fries, and a soup and salad bar ($8.99). Seafood entrees such as the fried-seafood plate with Atlantic haddock, Maine clams, Bay scallops, and shrimp ($19.99) delights coastal carnivores, and land-based meat eaters can enjoy one of Brian's delectable beef or chicken dishes. A selection of old-time favorites such as meatloaf with roasted onion and mushroom gravy ($9.99) and chicken pot pie ($9.99) conjure up memories of home, family, imaginary childhood friends, and imaginary childhood bosses as patrons feast in Brian's wood-paneled dining room.
91 Providence Rd
Northbridge,
MA
US
Red Rock Grill and Bar's chefs seek out seasonal ingredients, whenever possible, from local sources to craft homegrown favorites and American comfort foods. Using fresh meats and produce, they braise pot roast in a blend of Guinness and smoked jalapeños, make marinara sauce in-house, and infuse macaroni 'n' cheese with fresh lobster. At the bar, a selection of microbrews and cocktails keep patrons spacing out their mugs of ice water. Beyond the menu, Red Rock entertains visitors by hosting regular performances from live musicians and loaning out canoes and kayaks with which to explore the nearby waters through Good to Go Kayak Rentals.
66 W Main St.
Upton,
MA
US
Pepperoni Express
Bright reds and yellow oranges color the exterior of one Pepperoni Express location, signaling the tangy tomato sauce and gooey cheese commingling on pizzas inside. The other location sports reddish-pink walls, which resemble the spicy sausage that inspired the eatery’s name. In each kitchen, cooks make fresh dough each day, which forms the base of pizzas studded with ingredients such as shrimp, broccoli, and mushrooms. They offer a choice of more than 20 ingredients for build-your-own pies and rectangular 18”x24” party pizzas; rectangles suit parties because they have edges and thus are more likely to attract U2 guitarist The Edge. Pepperoni Express’s thin-crust pies brim with Italian ingredients such as olives, oregano, and prosciutto, as do italian authentic subs. Wine and beer can grant a hydrating reprieve for any dining session.
72 Worcester St
North Grafton,
MA
US
Melted butter and housemade cracker stuffing coat the succulent pieces of tail and claw meat inside Bridge Street Bistro's lazy lobster pie. The name cheekily undersells the rich entree, as well as the bistro's culinary team, whose extensive menu showcases a commitment to cooking that's anything but lazy. Dishes range from panko-crusted pork chops to Italian-style entrees such as haddock parmesan and flatbreads topped with pesto-infused mozzarella. Besides hearty lunches and dinners, the bistro's cooks add upscale twists to brunch with options such as pumpkin-stuffed French toast, which, at the stroke of noon, turns into a carriage for your ride home. Gluten-free dishes are available at any of the bistro's mealtimes.
10 Bridge Street
Grafton,
MA
US
