New England Clam Chowder at the Barking Crab Restaurant.Home to the Freedom Trail, Hester Prynne, and some serious New England clam chowder, Boston is a pescaphile's paradise. Perched on Fort Point Channel, The Barking Crab Restaurant is an iconic seafood shack in Boston. The menu focuses on fresh seafood, of course. And not a dish did disappoint.
Beer in Boston seems only appropriate; I began with the Ipswich Ale. The well-written menu (graciously appealed to the tourist crowd) gave great descriptions of the beer selections and their origins. The ale, named one of the World's Best Beers by Wine Spectator, was medium bodied and slighty hoppy with a malt aftertaste. By the weekends end, it became one of my favorite regional beers.
Next up: New England Clam Chowder, you can't get a more traditional and revealing food item. It was soupy - as a true chowder should be, no cornstarch thickening here- with meaty chunks of savory clam, potato and celery. All in all, it was simply prepared, a very flavorful classic. For our main coarse, we had the Barking Crabburger. Surely, the namesake crabcake burger was served with a spicy aioli on a "bulkie roll". (Note: I had to Wikipedia this one, it is a traditional New England crusty sandwich roll.) A very good crabcake but it paled in comparison to the paper thin, oh so greasy, fried onion rings.
Service was brusque, perhaps even "barking", but adequate. Dishes were served as they came out of the kitchen- an notion I greatly appreciate. All in all, The Barking Crab is an ecletic introduction to casual New England seafood.
FYI: Ask to sit on the patio/pier; a difficult request during the busy lunch and happy hour times but worthy of a wait.
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Beer in Boston seems only appropriate; I began with the Ipswich Ale. The well-written menu (graciously appealed to the tourist crowd) gave great descriptions of the beer selections and their origins. The ale, named one of the World's Best Beers by Wine Spectator, was medium bodied and slighty hoppy with a malt aftertaste. By the weekends end, it became one of my favorite regional beers.
Next up: New England Clam Chowder, you can't get a more traditional and revealing food item. It was soupy - as a true chowder should be, no cornstarch thickening here- with meaty chunks of savory clam, potato and celery. All in all, it was simply prepared, a very flavorful classic. For our main coarse, we had the Barking Crabburger. Surely, the namesake crabcake burger was served with a spicy aioli on a "bulkie roll". (Note: I had to Wikipedia this one, it is a traditional New England crusty sandwich roll.) A very good crabcake but it paled in comparison to the paper thin, oh so greasy, fried onion rings.
Service was brusque, perhaps even "barking", but adequate. Dishes were served as they came out of the kitchen- an notion I greatly appreciate. All in all, The Barking Crab is an ecletic introduction to casual New England seafood.
FYI: Ask to sit on the patio/pier; a difficult request during the busy lunch and happy hour times but worthy of a wait.
