IT'S ALL ABOUT BOSTON*

*and we’re not talkin’ “Beans”

The Eliot Hotel Clio Restaurant370 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 267-1607

We have finally found our place in Boston; the Eliot Hotel is our new home away from home when traveling to Boston. It just so happens that it also houses the finest restaurant in this charismatic city, but more about that later.

The Eliot is right off Newbury Street next to the Harvard Club and offers seventy-nine beautifully and tastefully appointed suites. They are a perfect 450 square feet and although decorated traditionally, they are perfectly equipped with two plasma screens and luxurious baths. Make sure to request the front of the hotel, which affords the more scenic views (but can be slightly noisy); if the noise is a concern, the rear side of the hotel is quiet but you miss out on the charming city landscape. The staff is extremely helpful and courteous, rounding out the benefits from the “boutique” hotel experience.

One of the best parts about the Eliot is right off the lobby, the restaurant “Clio” and the fairly new “Uni Sashimi Bar” both headed by Chef Ken Oringer. And now we’re definitely not talking baked beans. The cuisine is superb and we opted for the 12 course-tasting menu which includes selections from both venues and considering the quantity and quality of food served, is bargain priced at $135. The menu varies every night and the nights we were there we were lucky to have experienced a menu with every course being a delight. The highlights include a Tomato Water Martini sans alcohol that was exceptionally light and included basil oil, caper berry and a tomato Popsicle. We also savored a two-hour egg with asparagus, ham foam and foraged mushrooms, which was a unique taste treat. We experienced exceptional service at the hands of our server Denise, who had recently moved from Los Angeles and had previously worked at Koi. The Coffee Truffle Mousse was a perfect ending to our evening. We were off to Maine after Boston and Sweet Butter Basted Maine Lobster with chantarelles was an excellent harbinger for our next few days.

Limoncello (617) 523-4480
190 North Street (North End), Boston

One should not leave Boston without experiencing the North End that is reminiscent of New York’s Little Italy (when there actually was a little Italy). The stand out was Maurizio Badolato’s Limoncello. Maurizio’s star rose when he won the lottery, which enabled him to open this homey restaurant. Don’t miss Maurizio’s mother’s balls, meatballs that is, and you’ll have to call a day or two in advance to request them for the ultimate home made treat. We highly recommend that you order the Rosette Al Montasio Ed Olio Di Tartufo ($20), which is a Rosette pasta with cheese, prosciutto and truffle oil. We would have to say that this ranks amongst the best pasta dishes we have ever tasted. The service was equally friendly and attentive. If you go to one Italian restaurant in Boston, it should be Limoncello.