Of course with so many amazing restaurants around town it's difficult to settle for a mediocre (or overpriced) meal in your hotel if you can't convince your crew back out into the world. So we were very excited when we heard about the new restaurant opening in the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel from two Maine favorites (and James Beard Award winners) Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier. Their Arrows Restaurant is known worldwide for its farm to table philosophy, and they've combined that with some inspiration from the Italians of the Renaissance period to open M.C. Spiedo.
The Italian cocktails all have a New England twist (Bully Boy vodka from Boston or Cold River Blueberry vodka from Maine) and Sam Adams shares menu space with Peroni. Our favorites, Campari and Aperol, are well represented and you can see my at-home version of the Cosimo de'Medici here. As you'd expect the wine list is very impressive and heavy on the Italians with lots to choose from by the glass.
The pasta is all made in house and by hand and I love that you can order a half portion from the dinner menu, which is all you'll need after a few cicchetti. Meat and fish courses are hearty, rustic, and absolutely delicious. The golden crispy skin on my guinea hen pasta dish was absolute perfection and what I always hope for (yet never get) when I bring home a rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods.
We didn't have cocktails in the lounge (I had Ritz Carlton on the brain) before dinner but it certainly will be at the top of our list for next time. There's plenty of room to spread out and the low tables and couches are perfect for lounging with coloring books, cocktails, and charcuterie. Floor to ceiling windows look out over the arrivals and departures from the hotel and are ideal for people watching.
Even if you aren't staying at the Renaissance you should put M.C. Spiedo at the top of your kid friendly cocktail and restaurant list for your next trip to Boston. But if you're smart you'll book a room at the Renaissance, because the perfect ending to your amazing meal is heading upstairs when it's time to hit the pillow.
No comments:
Post a Comment