by Nancy P. on First the Open table reservation system doesn't take reservations for Friday night. I tried several times and it was always no tables available even trying a date out in October. So we chanced it and went. The parking garage is a short walk up the street. They also have Valet parking but I don't know the cost as I didn't use it. BF got there early to get us a table. It wasn't necessary as it wasn't that full, actually it was dead. They brought us to our table in the back room. Back room Again!!! Seriously, I have to interrupt this review for a Public Service announcement. RESTAURANT OWNER ATTENTION!!!! It has been OVER eight years since "The Incident". I no longer drink until I'm shitfaced. I no longer dance on tables, well at least in public. Quit putting me in the back room. The service was okay. Nothing special or off-putting. He was knowledgable but not that friendly. BF already ordered a beer so the waiter came to take my drink order. Dirty Martini, house vodka is fine, light on the dirty. I have to admit it was very good but small. It was a bit of a wait to get it to me. When he brought my drink he took our food order. BF ordered another drink, this time a margarita. He liked it. That gave me time to look at the décor. Wait staff was formally attired in black pants and a white shirt. Rich dark woods paneled the column which gave it a high end look. The table cloths were typical red and white checkered lending a casual feel as a contrast to the dark wood. We nibbled on our bread to hold off the hunger. The bread basket consisted of two pieces of Ciabatta bread, one toasted and one not. It was served with olive oil and Balsamic vineger. I tried it and I perfer the season plain oil for dipping. Still waiting for dinner. So we people watched. A little girl having a birthday dinner with her parents, I know because they brought her a cake. A big party of young adults celebrating a birthday also. The girls were dressed to the nines and the boys all in jeans. After over thirty minutes our finally food arrives. My Veal Piccata was three large pieces of veal and a separate bowl of the angel hair pasta seasoned with garlic olive oil with flecks of parsley and red pepper. The veal was cooked perfectly and the sauce....OMG. It consists of Butter and lemon with capers, each element could be tasted without overpowering the other. The pasta was the perfect accompaniment as it enhanced the veal. I scored a big winner. BF ordered one of their specials. It was a seafood medley in red sauce over linguine. The red sauce was good not too overwhelming. I tasted a piece of lobster and it was meh. It was chewy and lacked flaver. We both got To Go boxes which the waiter packaged for us. Neither of us had any more room to try the desserts. We agreed to come back and just order appys and dessert. The final cost was about 70 bucks. A bit much of Italian food and the level of service.
by Layla Shaker on This is my go-to bar in Old City, whether I'm by myself or with a lot of friends. They accommodate the latter surprisingly well at the tall tables, which seat around 8. The service is always good and friendly without being overbearing. I absolutely love the terrariums and have to give props to the decent bathrooms. The avocado and grapefruit salad is amazing and I don't even usually like grapefruit. The rest of the menu is decent (almost exceptional for bar food, not quite as amazing for a restaurant) and they have a long addendum to the online menu with plenty of specials. I wasn't crazy about the calamari (I like it lighter and crunchier) but the fries and everything else are quite edible. Try the infused liquors for even more fun (bacon infused vodka and jalapeno infused tequila last time I asked). One time I sat at the bar during a quiet Saturday afternoon, and Ben Franklin was the only other bar patron. Fortunately, it wasn't the same one from The Office.
by Kellee Donndelinger on The Middlesex Lounge is one of the few spots in Boston that attains the chic, urban underground status of the multitudes of similar spots found in New York City, San Francisco, and Montreal. Boston has a legacy of being unable to fill this void...and finding truly talented DJs playing non-commercial electronic dance music is limited to a rotating collection of similar bars, private house parties, and of course, RISE. On a good night (as in early in the week or on a Forced Exposure Thursday), you are guaranteed to meet some very cool & eclectic people, hear some great non-commercial music, drink some delicious cocktails and do I dare say it...DANCE. The minimalist decor, high ceilings, intimate lighting, great acoustics and impeccable sound system all assist in accomplishing this feat. Unconfirmed observation: did you know that there is a LARGE subwoofer built into one of the wall columns near the windows in front? This is why the entire room oozes with deep bass at times. Brilliant!! So why only 4 stars you ask? I have certainly been to the Middlesex a few nights where the line gets ridiculous (they even put up the velvet ropes) and the crowd leans towards the younger, downtown "Euro" crowd or whatever you want to call it --- but this is an inevitable part of evolution for any spot as hip as the Middlesex. The trick is to get there early or go on a Monday or Tuesday, especially when they are offering any sort of Ambient or Downtempo night. I once made it down for one of these "special event" nights. Had some dinner (the small plates are wonderful) and a few drinks and ended up staying until close! No cover, no lines, great people, awesome DJs; and they were even projecting trippy images and movies up on a screen and on the two LCD displays above the bar. Needless to say, I'm fairly confident that the Middlesex has been around long enough to be smart and survive the trend of a really cool place opening, generating a lot of hype, playing awesome music for a time...but then changing their "program" to pop music or hip hop, or just closing down altogether. See you there!
