Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Nightshade Clam Shack, by the Nightshade Noodle Bar team, opens today! Chef/Owner Rachel Miller’s Nightshade Clam Shack menu blends classic New England seafood with dynamic southern flavors. The Clam Shack will be open Thursdays to Sundays, from 11am-2pm. 

The Nightshade Clam Shack menu features five categories of lunch items: Brioche Rolls, Bánh Mì, Boxes, Viet-Cajun Seafood and Desserts. A sample menu can be found below and weekly specials can be found announced in real time on Nightshade Clam Shack’s Instagram. 

Brioche Rolls
--Fried Salt and Pepper Clam Roll (Green chili lime sauce, secret dressing) $30 Warm Viet-Cajun 

--Lobster Roll (Warm lemongrass cajun butter, crispy garlic, scallions) $30 

--Crispy Rock Shrimp Roll (Funky fermented red chili sauce, thai basil, fried shallots) $30 

Bánh Mì
--Chili- Ranch Soft Shell Crab Bánh Mì (Thai basil butter sauce, cucumber, pickled carrot + daikon, jalapeños) $28
--Blackened Catfish Bánh Mì (Picked green tomato remoulade, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, secret sauces) $26
--Cajun Lobster Cake Bánh Mì (Picked green tomato remoulade, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, secret sauces) $30
Boxes
--Fried Clam Box (Spicy tamarind + coconut ranch dips, shredded cabbage salad) $30
--Fried Smelts Box (Bột chiên fries, crispy sugar snap peas, dill pollen, gribiche) $28
--Big Ass Salad Box (Chilled shrimp, shredded cabbage, citrus nước chấm, spicy peanuts, every herb) $28
--Mixed Seafood Box (Fried clams, smelts, scallops + rock shrimp) with choice of two sauces (cabbage salad-gribiche, coconut ranch or spicy tamarind) $32
Viet-Cajun Seafood: All served in a bag of Nightshade Noodle Bar’s signature lemongrass cajun butter
add corn $1 | add potato $1 | add andouille $2
--Gulf Shrimp $18
--Crawfish $18
--Stone Crab Cluster $24
Desserts
--Banana Pudding Cup (Nilla wafers, bananas, whipped cream) $7
--Chocolate Pudding Cup (Oreo crumble, whipped cream) $7

Online ordering is available for takeout to enjoy at home, on-the-go, at Nightshade Noodle Bar & Sin City Superette’s patio seating or at nearby Nahant beach. Additionally, Sin City Superette’s indoor seating is available for Nightshade Clam Shack customers’ use. Pre-ordering is highly recommended and all orders can be picked up at Sin City Superette, located at 71 Exchange Street in Lynn, Massachusetts. Delivery is available via Toast (within 5 miles) and Uber Eats.

2) On Sunday, May 12, from 12pm-10pm, XOXO Sushi Bar is celebrating its first Mother’s Day in Chestnut Hill with a lavish eight-course prix fixe menu. 

For the first course, there is a duo of Island Creek oysters topped with rhubarb granita, Thai chili vinegar and micro mint. The next two courses celebrate treasures from the sea with the Sakura masu sashimi (cherry blossom trout smoked with cherrywood, served with pickled cherry blossoms and cherry blossom crème fraiche) as well as lobster dashi (lobster tail grilled over Binchōtan charcoal with saffron dashi foam, caviar and brown butter) before a robatayaki specialty makes an appearance in the fourth course, a pork belly bao bun (braised pork belly fried on a Taiwanese steamed bun with sweet chili miso, yuzu koshō and micro cilantro). After delighting in five-pieces of chef’s choice nigiri, there is crusted cod (consommé, mushrooms, tempura crisp and onion puree) followed by A5 Wagyu toast on homemade milk bread with soy-cured egg yolk, Wagyu carpaccio, caviar and chive topped with a quail egg yolk. The finale – “doki doki,” Japanese for “I’m excited” – is chocolate meringue with sake-braised strawberries, vanilla-blood orange cream, prickly pear and hibiscus ganache.

On the liquid side, there are two specialty cocktails: Toda Mariko – named after the strong matriarch in the television series, Shōgun – with citrus vodka, Aperol, fresh squeezed lemon juice and yuzu served straight up with a lemon-strawberry garnish ($18) in addition to the three-layered E(i)mpress Your Mother with rose simple syrup at the bottom, lychee, lemon juice and yuzu omoi sake in the center, topped with a float of Empress gin with a flower rim ($20).

Cost: $200 per guest (à la carte menu also available)
Reservations are recommended via Resy or by calling (617) 505-3378.

3) This Cinco de Mayo, Kane’s Donuts is partnering with High Noon, featuring the Cinco De Mayo Donut inspired by High Noon’s Tequila Seltzer. The donut consists of an airy light yeast ring dipped in a glaze made from High Noon Tequila Seltzer with real Blanco tequila and real lime juice and blended with Kane’s Signature Honey Glaze, then lightly salted. 

May also brings some other special flavor of the month, including: 

• Moose Tracks Donut: A light, airy brioche donut frosted with creamy vanilla frosting, mini peanut butter cups, and chocolate fudge stripes.
• Cherry Cheesecake Donut: This is a cherry cake donut with real cherries in the dough topped with cheesecake frosting and a dollop of cherry pie filling.
• Blueberry Filled: Kane’s fluffiest yeast shell donut bursts with the fruit and flavors of a homemade blueberry pie filling, then tossed in confectioners' sugar.
• Gluten-free Strawberry Shortcake: A cake-style donut with real strawberry fruit folded in the dough, dipped in Kane’s honey glaze, then frosted with a creamy strawberry frosting, topped with strawberry crumble and a dollop of whoopie pie filling in the center.
• Vegan Chocolate Frosted: A cake-style donut frosted with chocolate and then dipped in chocolate sprinkles. 

4) The South End Business Alliance invites you to their annual Spring Stroll to celebrate the changing season and their multitude of amazing businesses on Wednesday, May 8th, from 4pm-8pm. A short walk from Downtown and Back Bay, head to the 02118 where within the four walls of the neighborhood you can shop and dine locally from the South End’s multitude of businesses and restaurants. Shops will be offering beverages, discounts, pop-ups with other makers + the chance to grab your Mother’s Day and grad gifts in one fell swoop. After shopping around, head to their restaurants and bars for spring themed menus, specialty cocktails + promotions to those who mention the stroll. Reminder: patio season is finally here, so grab your friends and family and head to your favorite South End restaurant to sip and enjoy the Spring sun! 

Check out the Map of the Spring Stroll offerings, with over 65 participating businesses.   

The South End Business Alliance is a non-profit membership-based organization whose mission is to organize and unify SEBA members and promote their businesses in the South End community. SEBA has created a culture of inclusion and embraces our rich membership diversity, including culture/arts organizations, professional services, healthcare, hospitality, restaurants and retail, financial services, and health and fitness industries. We are committed to maximizing the visibility and success of all businesses that reside in Boston’s South End.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
******************************************************
1) The Nautilus Pier 4 is celebrating four years as a Boston Seaport staple in true "nauti" fashion with a Nauti Party featuring new tropical-inspired tiki cocktails on Thursday, April 4, at 8pm. Along with the new tiki drinks, Nauti classics can be enjoyed with a night of music and dancing. The party will also double as a launch for The Nautilus’ new ‘Tiki Thursdays’ programming. 

Every Thursday evening at 8pm, in the back bar, The Nautilus will host Tiki Thursday parties where guests can indulge in sultry vibes and tiki cocktails, only available on Thursdays, in their own little waterfront tropical oasis.

A sample tiki menu can be found below:
Mai (Nau)Tai (Hamilton 86 Demerara, Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, lime, orgeat, BROVO Orange Curacao, galangal)
Nights in White Satin (Mizu Shochu, coconut, thai basil, green chartreuse, lime)
Beyond the Horizon (Mezcal, guava, ancho reyes verde, soursop, angostura amaro)
Bird’s The Word (Planteray Pineapple Rum, blood orange, Campari, cinnamon, angostura)
Let’s Dance (Smith & Cross, Plantation 3 Star, cold brew, maple, banana, pineapple)
Time of the Season (Privateer NE, Plantation OFTD, chipotle amaro, cocoa bitters)
Rising Sun (Privateer Navy, orange, pineapple, coconut, nutmeg, served for 2 in a frozen pineapple)

2) The Dubliner, an authentic Irish pub, is prepping for patio season. Beginning Monday, April 1, weather permitting, The Dubliner hopes to open its private outdoor patio, a new beer garden with a retractable roof, and take full advantage of its front wall of windows that open to create an experience of outside dining, while technically indoors.

According to Chef Aiden Mc Gee. "Whether you want to sit on our front terrace (which seats 60), sit inside along the open retractable windows overlooking the downtown skyscrapers or our off-street beer garden complete with outdoor lounge furniture, couches, coffee tables, greenery, etc). This spot is perfect for a group of friends or colleagues who want to relax with a drink and share some food."  

The Front Patio, abutting busy Cambridge Street, is a traditional, fenced-off area adorned with lush greenery, that accommodates 60 guests. In contrast, the Beer Garden, with a capacity for 50 standing guests, has been designed as a vibrant after-work social hub, ideal for sharing drinks and platters of small bites with friends and colleagues. Not intended for sit-down diners, the Beer Garden emphasizes a casual, sociable atmosphere. Plus, its retractable roof ensures you'll stay dry should the weather turn inclement.

In the first week of April, The Dubliner will refresh its menu. Diners can look forward to indulging in warmer weather dishes like Irish crab claws in garlic lemon butter with homemade brown bread; an Atlantic Seafood Roll, with Lobster, Crab and Clams, Roasted Chicken, local asparagus, and brown butter sauce; and Mini Irish fish cakes with mustard dressing, and Achill Island sea salt. 

3) Nightshade Clam Shack, by the Nightshade Noodle Bar team, returns to the North Shore for its third season on May 2. Chef/Owner Rachel Miller’s Nightshade Clam Shack menu blends classic New England seafood with dynamic southern flavors. The Clam Shack will be open Thursdays to Sundays, from 11am-2pm. 

The Nightshade Clam Shack menu features five categories of lunch items: Brioche Rolls, Bánh Mì, Boxes, Viet-Cajun Seafood and Desserts. A sample menu can be found below and weekly specials can be found announced in real time on Nightshade Clam Shack’s Instagram.

Brioche Rolls
--Fried Salt and Pepper Clam Roll (Green chili lime sauce, secret dressing) $30 Warm Viet-Cajun 

--Lobster Roll (Warm lemongrass cajun butter, crispy garlic, scallions) $30 

--Crispy Rock Shrimp Roll (Funky fermented red chili sauce, thai basil, fried shallots) $30 

Bánh Mì
--Chili- Ranch Soft Shell Crab Bánh Mì (Thai basil butter sauce, cucumber, pickled carrot + daikon, jalapeños) $28
--Blackened Catfish Bánh Mì (Picked green tomato remoulade, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, secret sauces) $26
--Cajun Lobster Cake Bánh Mì (Picked green tomato remoulade, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, secret sauces) $30
Boxes
--Fried Clam Box (Spicy tamarind + coconut ranch dips, shredded cabbage salad) $30
--Fried Smelts Box (Bột chiên fries, crispy sugar snap peas, dill pollen, gribiche) $28
--Big Ass Salad Box (Chilled shrimp, shredded cabbage, citrus nước chấm, spicy peanuts, every herb) $28
--Mixed Seafood Box (Fried clams, smelts, scallops + rock shrimp) with choice of two sauces (cabbage salad-gribiche, coconut ranch or spicy tamarind) $32
Viet-Cajun Seafood: All served in a bag of Nightshade Noodle Bar’s signature lemongrass cajun butter
add corn $1 | add potato $1 | add andouille $2
--Gulf Shrimp $18
--Crawfish $18
--Stone Crab Cluster $24
Desserts
--Banana Pudding Cup (Nilla wafers, bananas, whipped cream) $7
--Chocolate Pudding Cup (Oreo crumble, whipped cream) $7

Online ordering is available for takeout to enjoy at home, on-the-go, at Nightshade Noodle Bar & Sin City Superette’s patio seating or at nearby Nahant beach. Additionally, Sin City Superette’s indoor seating is available for Nightshade Clam Shack customers’ use. Pre-ordering is highly recommended and all orders can be picked up at Sin City Superette, located at 71 Exchange Street in Lynn, Massachusetts. Delivery is available via Toast (within 5 miles) and Uber Eats.

Back to Nightshade Noodle Bar: More Excellence

I recently dined at Nightshade Noodle Bar once again, and my experience was equally as delicious as my first visit. Check out my initial impressions of Nightshade Noodle Bar and now I'll add some additional commentary, discussing some of the additional dishes and drinks that I enjoyed. 

The Coconut Margarita ($14) is made with reposed tequila, smoked vanilla, lime and salt. The ample salt on the side of the cup was actually spicy, adding some intriguing heat to the tasty combo on agave and coconut, with a hint of smokiness. The cocktails at Nightshade have all been well balanced and not overly sweet. 

We also ordered a bottle of wine, the 2020 La Kiuva Rouge de Vallée, an Italian wine from the Valle d'Aosta. It is a blend of 70% Picotendro (a local Nebbiolo clone) and 30% of Gros Vien, Neyret, Cornalin and Fumin. It was a lighter red wine with a relatively complex taste, a melange of bright red fruits (especially cherry), but with hints of leather and earthiness. Intriguing and delicious, it paired well with a number of the dishes we enjoyed. It's also available by the glass (for $12). 

The food menu changed a little since my first visit, adding some new dishes. We ordered a few dishes we'd enjoyed during our first visit as one of my dining companions had not been to Nightshade before. The Curried Beef in Betel Leaves, Homemade Egg Noodles with Shredded Beef & Mushrooms, and the Dungeness Crab Fried Rice were just as delicious on my second visit as they had been on the first.  That consistency is very important in restaurants, and I'd highly recommend all three of these dishes. Each dish excels in flavor and makes you crave another bite, and then another. 

One of the Snacks & Bites was the Warm Sesame Olives ($5), with Southeast Asian aromatics. It seems such a simple dish yet was quite delicious, and would be perfect for enjoying with a cocktail at the bar. The warm, tender olives with the crunchy white and black sesame seeds, were enhanced by the subtle aromatics. I'd like to replicate this dish at home for the holidays. 

From the Small Plates section, the Wild Bluefin Tuna Tartare ($16) is made with tomato water, nuoc cham, tomato ranch aioli, grilled dilly beans, and is topped by a crispy rice paper (which you can see in the first picture). Silky, rich pieces of tuna lay in an intriguing and umami-rich sauce. 

The Nightshade Lobster Roll ($16) is made with local lobster and lemongrass cajun butter, sitting in a homemade brioche. The sweet, rich lobster was enhanced by the slightly spicy and aromatic butter, and the soft, fresh roll was a fine vehicle for the lobster. A decadent treat.  

The Chili Crisp Cream Cheese Crab Dip ($12) is accompanied by a toasted demi-baguette. Although I'm not usually a fan of cream cheese, this dish was compelling and delicious, in large part due to the spicy chili crisp atop the dip. Although the creamy and tasty dip was very good, the chili crisp elevated this dish to another level. And the baguette was hot and appealing, perfect for any bread lover. A perfect dish for sharing. 

As for decadent dishes, the Gratin Dauphinoise ($36) hit that mark! It's made of "fancy scalloped potatoes with fancy af gruyere" and a ginger scallion vinaigrette. It was then topped with Black Perigord Truffles, although you could also opt for White Alba Truffles (for $98). The cheesy potatoes were excellent, but of course the truffles were the star and the potatoes were an excellent framework to showcase the taste of the truffles. It's not a large dish, but there's an ample amount of thin truffles slices. If you want to splurge, this is a well worthy dish. 

The Garlic Noodles ($20) are made with angel hair pasta, confit garlic butter, candied lemon, and fennel pollen. You could also get it topped with lobster for an additional $14. The perfectly cooked pasta was topped by an almost creamy sauce, with a tasty blend of flavors, from the acidity of the lemon to the garlic and fennel. 

On my first visit, I didn't get dessert but did so this time. First, the Dessert Menu has eight after-dinner drinks, from Amaro to a Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer. I opted for the Thai Tea ($7), which is a tiny Thai Tea Mai Tai, and it was excellent! Refreshing and delicious, the tea notes went well with the usual Mai Tai flavors. It wasn't overly sweet and I craved a second one after I finished this one, although I didn't order another. I would enjoy this cocktail during my meal as well, and not just after dinner.

Only one Dessert option was available, the Chocolate Mousse ($10), made with Valrhona Caraibe 66%, china-china and sea salt. What a rich, creamy chocolate with a subtly complex taste with hints of citrus, dried fruit and spice. The sea salt was a fine accent to the sweet chocolate and this is definitely an excellent way to end your dinner. 

Once again, Nightshade offered a top-notch dining experience with some incredible and flavorful dishes. Service was excellent as well. I'm eagerly looking forward to dining there again later this week. 

Rant: Can A Restaurant Get Too Much Publicity?

Some people would prefer that their favorite restaurants stay under the radar, avoiding publicity, so that the restaurant never became too crowded, and that they would always be able to get a table. However, that selfish attitude does a significant disservice to the restaurant, which needs to attract sufficient customers to survive and thrive. 

Sometimes a restaurant receives a multitude of positive reviews and many mentions in the media. All that attention does make it more difficult to obtain a reservation. You often need to make plans weeks, if not months, ahead to secure a reservation. This means some people will complain that all that publicity has ruined one of their favorites. However, does that mean the restaurant doesn't need additional publicity? 

As I mentioned in an article last December, Nightshade Noodle Bar, in Lynn, is one of my Top Three Favorite Restaurants. Earlier this year, the James Beard Foundation chose Chef Rachel Miller as a finalist in the category of Outstanding Chef. She competes against chefs from New York, California, Michigan, and Washington, D.C. This is a great honor and I'm hoping that Chef Miller wins this prestigious award. 

Prior to this announcement, Nightshade Noodle Bar had already received lots of publicity, including receiving a Five Star review from the Boston Globe. Since the announcement, Nightshade Noodle Bar has received much more media attention. So, it's far more difficult now to secure a reservation at this superb restaurant. At the start of each month, reservations open for two months out. For example, on May 1, reservations for July opened up. And reservations fill up very quickly. The more flexible your plans, the better your chance of getting a reservation.

Now, despite the fact Nightshade Noodle Bar is so popular, booked a few months out, does that mean they don't need additional publicity? Hell, no! Especially in these tough economic times, all restaurants need as much publicity as they can obtain. It's a very tough industry, and we've already seen too many restaurants close during the last few years. Currently, a couple of the major problems facing all restaurants are obtaining a sufficient number of employees and dealing with high food costs. And there are plenty of other issues they are confronting as well.

In addition, people sometimes cancel their reservations, sometimes with little to no notice, at the last minute, and restaurants aren't always able to refill those spots. Plus, media attention can be fickle, and although a restaurant might receive plenty of attention for several months, the media might then move onto another restaurant to triumph. Thus, no restaurant can receive too much publicity. To survive in these trying times, they need all the help they can get. Having difficulty getting a reservation is a small price to pay for your favorite restaurant to survive. 

I've got a reservation for Nightshade Noodle Bar at the end of July, as that's where I wanted to celebrate my birthday this year. I'll be there with family and friends, and we will celebrate well. I already know we'll enjoy a compelling dining experience, as the restaurant, on all levels, is consistently excellent. I want Nightshade to succeed and thrive, so it deserves as much publicity and attention as it can get. And I feel the same about all of my favorite restaurants. They can never get too much publicity and attention. 

Nightshade Noodle Bar: A Birthday Celebration

It was one of my top dining experiences of the year, a 14 course extravaganza which occurred this past weekend. In a recent article, Choosing a Special Occasion Restaurant, I provided some recommendations for excellent restaurants for celebrations. On Saturday night, for a special dinner to celebrate my birthday, I chose one of my own recommendations, Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn.

Over the course of nearly four hours, five of us thoroughly enjoyed 14 courses of delicious and inventive food, along with wine and cocktails. Although we had only ordered the 12 course dinner, Chef Rachel Miller served us two additional courses in honor of my birthday. Service was excellent, attentive and accommodating, and we were never rushed. Although we had a primary server, MJ, other members of the Nightshade team assisted at times, and each one of them provided top-notch service. 

There are roughly 25 wines on their list, and it's a well-curated list with plenty of interesting choices. We began with some celebratory bubbly, the 2019 Avinyó Brut Cava Rosé, a delicious choice which helped to set the festive mood of the evening. We also later ordered the 2021 Troupis Moschofilero Hoof & Lur, a Greek Orange wine, which was intriguing and tasty, pairing well with many of the dishes.

The food! The dishes are inventive and well-composed, delicious and intriguing. We enjoyed quite a variety of dishes, our palates tantalized by such a diversity of flavors and textures. When you order a tasting menu, you can mention two dishes from the menu which you'd like to be included, and the rest is selected by the Chef. So, nearly every dish is a surprise when it comes to the table, and a very pleasant surprise it is. This is a dining experience which will long live in my memory.     

Here are photos of all of our dishes, but please note that some photos don't do proper justice to the exquisite taste of the food.

Nightshade Caviar Service, with bowfin caviar, eggspuma dip, crispy garlic, and potato chips (like kettle chips). A decadent and fun way to begin your dinner. 

East X West Coast Oysters. Acadian Pearl (NB) oysters with black truffle mignonette, & lemon. Shigoku (WA) oysters with roasted coconut, grape, & aloe. A nice comparison of the differences between East and West Coast oysters.

Chilled Portuguese Percebes with a black pepper and lime dipping sauce. It's rare to find Percebes at local restaurants, and they are quite tasty. 

Grilled Coconut Sticky Rice Pop, with tamarind brown butter pork floss. A decadent treat.

Kabocha Squash Bot Chien, with rice cakes, green chili sauce, fried duck tongues, & pickles. The duck tongues are delicious! The flavors in this dish work so well together.

Tamarind BBQ Moulard Duck, with braised yuba in a smoky hu tieu broth. One of the dishes I chose and it was a great choice. 

Live Santa Barbara Sea Urchin Brûlée, with a red curry hollandaise & torched cinnamon. A creamy and briny with hints of sweetness.

Grilled Striped Bass, with a sherry & smoked raisin glaze, peanut romesco, and grilled garlic scapes. Tender and flavorful, with an excellent romesco sauce.

Australian Black Truffle, with red crab, pho broth, parmesan, and fresh pho noodles. It may not look attractive but it's rich in flavor.

Roasted Gulf Shrimp, with a super lemongrass cajun butter. Plump and flavorful.

Shredded Cabbage, with green apple, mistake mushrooms, mint, and a buttermilk-maple nuoc cham. 

Garlic Noodles, with angel hair, parmesan, candied lemon, & fennel pollen. Another well-composed and delicious dish.

Lobster Glace, with smoked vanilla chili vinaigrette & sea foam. Another dish where the photo doesn't do it justice. Excellent flavor with pieces of sweet lobster at the bottom of the glass.

Lemon Verbena & Aloe Palate cleanser

With a candle within it, I received the Honeydew Froyo, with a magic shell and watermelon pop rocks. Creamy and crunchy, with rich honeydew melon flavors.

We also received their Salted Chocolate Mousse, made from 66% Valrhona Caraibe with Cognac. Sweet and salty, with intense chocolate. 

As for the photo at the very top of this post, it's from the Sin City Superette, the market connected to Nightshade. They have renovated the market from its previous incarnation, and now it offers various prepared foods for lunch and other times. Baguette sandwiches, a Steam Bar, Bahn Mi, Po Boys, and more. Various desserts are also available, from Sweet Bread Pudding to Chocolate Fish Sauce Caramel Tart. I need to stop by at lunchtime and check out their offerings soon. 

Final Note: Today, Nightshade has opened up reservations for October. If you want to dine there, make a reservation here ASAP.

Nightshade Noodle Bar: Compelling Vietnamese/French Cuisine in Lynn

Last week, I finally dined at Nightshade Noodle Bar, in Lynn, for the first time. I'd read the raves about it and had been intrigued by their menu. The pandemic certainly delayed plans but I finally made the journey, and now I look forward to returning, to try more of their delicious cuisine and drinks. It's a worthy restaurant destination for their Vietnamese and French influenced menu. 

There's plenty of on-street parking available near the restaurant, and I was actually surprised at how many open spaces there were on a Friday evening. Nightshade has a good sized patio, and they also offer take-out and delivery. There's a medium-sized room for indoor dining, with a bar to the left of the room, high tops to the right, and an open kitchen to the back. It has a comfortable ambiance, and I love the open kitchen concept. To dine inside, you must show proof of vaccination, which is a reasonable request during these times.

The kitchen is headed by Chef Rachel Miller, a Virginia native, who has worked at a variety of restaurants in Boston, including notably as the Chef de Cuisine at Clio. For over two years, she also worked as a private chef and conducted numerous Nightshade Pop Up dinners. In October 2019, she opened Nightshade Noodle Bar, and the last couple years have obviously been difficult due to the pandemic. Not the best time for a new restaurant. 

I want to provide my preliminary thoughts on Nightshade Noodle Bar, and please note that these are based on a single visit. After I dine there more, I'll update my thoughts in an additional article. 

For this visit, I chose to have cocktails rather than wine, although the wine list is interesting and I would like to explore it on future visits. The Drinks menu has 8 special Cocktails, priced $11-$15, with lots of diversity to the type of drinks available, often with an Asian flair.

The Nightshade Mai Tai ($15) is made with Privateer rum, almond, lime, and Vietnamese cinnamon. It's fruity, smooth and easy-drinking, with an intriguing hint of cinnamon, and is much different from the usual Mai Tais you find made with orange and pineapple juices. 

The Moon Rabbit ($12) is made with Tito's vodka, guanabana (also known as soursop), lychee, and lime. Another fruity, but not overly sweet, drink with a pleasing tropical flair.  

 

They offer a nonalcoholic drink, the Nha Trang Beach ($6), made with shiso, coriander, guanabana, lemon, lemon, and soda. However, you can add Mezcal (+$6), which I did. Another well-balanced, tasty cocktail, with the flavors meshing well with the taste of the Mezcal. 

 

My favorite of the cocktails was the Saigon Cigar Club ($13), made with bourbon, Thai banana, and black cardamom. What an intriguing and delicious drink, almost like a tropical version of a Manhattan, and the addition of the banana leaf was a cool visual touch. 

The Food Menu has plenty of interesting options, broken down into several different categories. There are Snacks & Bites, 5 choices ($5-$16), from Shrimp Toast ($5) to Chili Crisp Cream Cheese Crab Dip ($16). The Small Plates has 8 choices ($10-$18), from Pho-Smoked Shrimp Cocktail ($14) to Sungold Tomato Salad ($10) and they have two Rolls, Fried Clams or Lobster ($16). There is also Viet-Cajun Seafood, a 1/2 pound of Wild Carolina Shrimp ($16) or Steamers ($12). In addition, there are sections for Noodles, 4 choices ($20-$32), and Rice, 3 choices ($20-$28). Finally, for a splurge, there are a few special Caviar dishes, with options to add caviar to some of the other dishes as well. 

Our server informed us that the menu is generally meant to be shared, and she recommended that we order three dishes per person. It might remind you of a Spanish tapas menu, where you get the opportunity to sample a variety of dishes for dinner. Service was excellent, with our server being personable and attentive. 

From the Snacks & Bites, we ordered the Curried Beef in Betel Leaves ($8), in a sweet chili sauce. This was my first bite of food, and it captivated me from the moment I tasted it. Juicy and flavorful  with a hint of spicy heat accented by the mild sweetness of the sauce. Pure deliciousness, and it boded well for the rest of the meal that was to come. I've had beef in Betel leaves before, but this was certainly the best version I've ever tasted. Highly recommended! 

Also from the Snack & Bites section, we ordered the Grilled Coconut Sticky Rice Pop ($6), topped by a brown butter tamarind pork floss. A well-balanced dish, the flavors worked together harmoniously, nothing over powering the others. The coconut, tamarind and pork each played their role, creating an intriguing and tasty appetizer. 

The Viet-Cajun Steamer Clams ($12) were served in a "super aromatic lemongrass cajun butter", and that butter was compelling, with lots of aromatics and a touch of spicy heat. In general, the clams were very tender and good, except a couple were a bit too gritty. I suspect the Viet-Cajun Shrimp dish would also be quite delicious.  

From the Small Plates, we chose the Kabocha Squash Bot Chien ($12), Vietnamese rice cakes, crispy confit duck tongues, green chili sauce, duck egg, and pickled carrots & daikon. An intriguing and creative dish, which was a fine blend of textures and flavors, all meshing well together. The crispy duck tongues were a nice addition and unless you knew what they were, you probably never would have guessed that they were tongues.  

The Dungeness Crab Fried Rice ($28), housed in a crab shell, is made with black garlic-chili sauce and a ginger scallion vinaigrette. Savory with sweetness from the black garlic and crab meat, this was another compelling dish, and I could have easily eaten this all on my own. The cool presentation also adds to the allure of the dish. Highly recommended. 

The Chicken Curry Noodle Soup ($20) is made with Vadouvan chicken broth, thick tapioca noodles, braised chicken thigh, crispy ginger, thai basil, and coriander. Again, another excellent dish, bursting with flavor, with an amazing broth, tender pieces of shredded chicken, and thick, chewy noodles. You'll be drinking the broth straight from the bowl.

The Homemade Egg Noodles, made with caramelized garlic sauce, peanuts, Thai basil, and chili crisp, comes with either braised mushrooms, shredded beef or both, and we opted for both ($24). A superb dish, with immense flavor, lots of umami, and a great balance of textures and flavors. I would have loved to experience this dish with an umami-rich Kimoto/Yamahai Sake. Highly recommended!  

Overall, we enjoyed an excellent dining experience and the food was stellar, creative and flavorful. I'm eager to return and highly recommend that my readers dine there as well. 

I'll note that a 20% admin fee is added to every check and that money is supposed to be split among the whole team, including the back of the house, to make everything more equitable. "Additional tips to the restaurant are not necessary but are appreciated!"

Nightshade Noodle Bar: Tasting Menu Delights

Nightshade Noodle Bar is one of my Top Three Favorite Restaurants in the Boston+ area. It's consistently excellent, with killer cuisine, an interesting drinks program, top-notch service, and a cool ambiance. It earns my highest recommendation (check out prior reviews) and I have encouraged numerous people to dine there, who also loved their own experiences there. Thus, when I was deciding where to have a celebratory dinner for my birthday, I chose Nightshade. 

For this visit, I opted for the Blind Tasting Menu option, where you simply choose the number of courses and then the Chef decides which dishes to serve you. You can suggest a course or two you would like included in the menu. The Tasting Menu options include 7 courses ($85), 9 courses ($110), 12 courses ($140), and 14 courses ($160). In addition, on Wednesday evenings, they offer a special 5 course menu ($50). For an additional fee, they can also create Custom Drink Pairings for your dinner.

This was my first time trying one of their Tasting Menus, and I chose the 9 course dinner, without the custom drink pairing as I decided to select my own wine. I also asked for the Dry-Aged Duck Breast to be included in my tasting menu. I was thoroughly impressed with my dining experience, greatly enjoying the various dishes, which presented a nice variety. Some of the dishes were presented in a single dish, to be shared with my dining companion, while others were presented in individual dishes, one for each of us. By the end of the evening, I was sated and very, very happy. A wonderful birthday celebration.

As I was there more for a celebration, I took photos but no notes, so I don't recall all of the specific details of each dish. Our server, who was personable, knowledgeable and attentive, did explain each and every dish. Some of the dishes were prepared fairly simply, while others were more complex, with a greater amount of ingredients, and each dish was well balanced, with both taste and texture. 

We started our dinner with a glass of a Brut Nature Cava, as all celebrations should begin with some bubbly. It was a very dry and flavorful Spanish sparkling wine, which ended up being a great choice for our initial food courses. 

We began our dinner with Caviar Service, with an eggspuma dip, garlic, and crisp potato chips. The caviar, slightly sweet and mildly briny, went nicely atop the creamy dip and the salty chips. There is some creme fraiche in the intriguing and tasty dip too. I liked the fun pairing of caviar with potato chips, rather than the usual blinis. 

The Second Course included more unique treasures from the sea, Percebes and Uni. The chilled Percebes, also known as gooseneck barnacles, commonly come from Spain and are very dangerous to harvest. They are found on rocky coasts, in dangerous surf, in Galicia and the fishermen risk their very lives to obtain them. Their shell almost looks like talon, and you simply need to twist off the shell to get the tubular meat inside. The meat is tender, lightly sweet and briny, a definite taste of the ocean, and they were served with a Vietnamese lime pepper dipping sauce. A delicious and unique treat. It's been a long time since I enjoyed percebes, so it was a pleasure to have them again. 

I've long been an Uni fan, so was also pleased to enjoy some again too, this time in the shell with some Thai basil. Creamy, salty, and tasty, the Uni also went very well with our bubbly. This duo, of Percebes and Uni, was one of my favorite dishes of the tasting menu. 

For the Third Course, we received Kabocha Squash Bot Chien, which is composed of Vietnamese rice cakes, crispy confit duck tongues, green chili sauce, duck egg, and pickled carrots & daikon. As I've said before, this is an intriguing and creative dish, which was a fine blend of textures and flavors, all meshing well together. The crispy duck tongues were a nice addition and unless you knew what they were, you probably never would have guessed that they were tongues. This is a fine example of a more complex dish, which is well balanced and works extremely well. 

The Fourth Course was Peach Bahn Mi, with green chili citrus butter and pickles, atop toasted bread. A nice treat, with some sweetness from the peach, a nice crunch from the toast, more crunch from the pickles, as well as good acidity balancing the sweetness. 

It was difficult to get a good photo of the Fifth Course, as it was deep down inside a a small cup. It was Dry-Aged Duck Breast with braised yuba, smoked pork broth, and a tamarind bbq sauce. The duck was exquisite, tender, moist and flavorful, and I could have easily devoured a much larger dish of the duck. What looked like thin, wide noodles was the yuba, dried tofu skin, which was a little dense and sopped up the broth and sauce well. Highly recommended.

The Sixth Course: The Homemade Egg Noodles, one of my favorite dishes on their menu, made with caramelized garlic sauce, peanuts, Thai basil, and chili crisp. A superb dish, with immense flavor, lots of umami, and a great balance of textures and flavors. I think I've eaten this dish every time I visited Nightshade, and I'm sure I'll eat it again many times to come.

Onto the Seventh Course: Amarena Cherry Claypot Caramel Foie Gras atop grilled coconut sticky rice. A decadent dish, with delightful textures, including the silky foie, and a nice blend of flavors, from the cherry to the coconut. 

As a palate cleaner, our Eighth Course was light and refreshing, although I can't recall exactly the components. Our Final Course, of which I didn't get a photo, was a small dish of Chocolate Mousse. a rich, creamy chocolate with a subtly complex taste with hints of citrus, dried fruit and spice and enhanced by a touch of sea salt. And there was a lit candle in my dish for my birthday. A nice little touch. 

During the course of the dinner, we drank a bottle of the 2018 La Tintorera “Kira-9” Rosado, a Spanish Rosé made from 95% Mencia and 5% Dona Blanca. It was fermented and aged in stainless steel. Delicious, dry, and full of bright red fruit flavors. Easy drinking and very food friendly, it went well with the various dishes we enjoyed. Great summer choice! 

If you haven't dined at Nightshade Noodle Bar then you should make reservations to do so soon. If you have been there before, why not visit them again? I'll also note that I made a brief stop at their new Sin City Superette, which is adjacent to the restaurant. The small shop has a wide variety of items, from basic essentials to Sushi, from fresh veggies/fruits to frozen meats, from cheeses and tortillas, and much more. You can get Nightshade's Chili Crisp! And earlier during the day, you can get freshly made sandwiches, such as cheeseburgers and special hotdogs. I need to return there to spend more time checking out everything they have for sale.