Food rating: 93
Hamersley's Bistro: Wonderful South End restaurant with meals that range from very good to great
We go to Hamersley's several times a year, but somehow I haven't gotten around to reviewing it.
Hamersley's is in the South End, which means parking can be a hassle if you don't want to pay to valet park. I know lots of people who rarely head to the South End for this reason, but Hamersley's makes it worth the trip.
The interior at Hamersley's is quite large with most seats in the main dining area providing a view of the open kitchen. The atmosphere is fairly upscale and formal, and people are dressed anywhere from casual to suits and ties.The noise level is moderate; certainly not to loud to have a conversation at a table for four. The waitstaff are typically helpful and ready to make suggestions.
That said, we find eating indoors at Hamersley's can be a bit stuffy at times, and in good weather we always try to eat at one of their outdoor tables next to a small park looking out onto Tremont St. This is just a beautiful location for dinner, both inviting and romantic.
Unfortunately, winter approaches, so we were eating indoors tonight. Gordon Hamersley was front and center cooking in the kitchen.
We ordered a couple of specialty cocktails: a pomegranate cosmopolitan and a "Green Mountain Manhattan made with maple syrup. The cosmopolitan was too sweet, and the flavors in the Manhattan were only okay.
Bread was served that was good but not great tonight. The bread selection can vary, and sometimes the breads are wonderful.
The menu varies seasonally. For an appetizer, I got a curried acorn squash and apple soup served with smoked shrimp. There was Greek yogurt and some green herbs to mix in. This had an interesting and unusual flavor and was very good.
For an entree, I got a special: a veal osso buco (yes, sorry about that) that was excellent. My wife got the pan-roasted lobster with chickpeas, couscous, and spinach that was great. It comes with a spicy sauce that the waiter strongly hinted she should get on the side rather than mixed in and that seemed like the right choice since it overwhelmed the other wonderful flavors on any bite it was added to. We got a side dish of Brussels sprouts with apples and walnuts that was also great.
For dessert, my wife got the pot de creme, which she thought was delicious though seemed less interesting to me. I got the apple upside down cake with maple walnut ice cream, which was incredibly good.
Before tip, the meal (including two drinks and a glass of wine) was $165. This was a lot of food. I have had better meals at Hamersley's but various dishes were really great. The food came extremely quickly, which made things feel a bit rushed, though this seems to have been caused mainly by our snapping up one of the last two orders of the osso buco.
If you haven't been there and like fish (or even if you're only lukewarm on fish), I'd suggest getting the spicy halibut. I've gotten this many times, and it is always amazing. Hamersley's is also known for their roast chicken, which lets you see what a great chef can do with roast chicken but still never seems as interesting to me as some of the other dishes.
Overall, Hamersley's provides a reliably excellent meal, and sometimes the food is just incredibly good. So, if you're willing to brave parking in the South End, this is really a great place to go.
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