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Photograph by John Soares
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When I was handed the bill at Hamersley's Bistro, I read with alarm at the
bottom of it a sentiment in type a quarter of an inch high: "Life Is
Nothing without Garlic."
Garlic seduces and betrays me, which is to say I eat it with joy, often
oblivious to what I'm getting into, and regret it in the morning, feeling
more or less unclean.
"Have we been garlicked to death?" I asked my wife.
"No," she said.
She spoke the truth. My terrine of smoked tongue, pork, and parsley was
a chunky mosaic of delicate taste. My wife's chopped vegetable salad was
simple and colorful with a light vinaigrette sauce of sherry vinegar and
orange zest. Neither her pan-roasted lamb chops nor the rich pan gravy they
came with was redolent of garlic, and goat cheese, not garlic, enlivened
her tasty ratatouille. I ate grilled pork tenderloin and baby back ribs
with a lively mustard sauce, the classiest barbecued ribs I've ever had,
and the ideal accompaniment to them, watermelon salad.
Perhaps these dishes had a touch of garlic behind their ears, but the perfume
was subtle. A house specialty, however, is a grilled mushroom and garlic
sandwich. And while the menu changes quarterly with the seasons, it invariably
features roast chicken with garlic, lemon, and parsley. Hamersley is famous
for his chicken. Thirty percent of his guests order it. I wouldn't dare.
Lust would be punished.
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Photograph by John Soares
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The lamb was a bit gamey for our tastes and the desserts were nothing special,
but we give Hamersley's Bistro high marks. Founded in 1987, it is regularly
designated in guides as one of Boston's best restaurants. Gordon Hamersley
began cooking while at Boston University in the early 70s. He trained on-the-job
in Los Angeles and Boston, and with his wife, Fiona, spent a year in France
for intensive eating out. Last year he was named the best chef in the Northeast
by the James Beard Foundation.
The Hamersleys' restaurant is roomy and attractive, smoke free, noisy but
not too noisy. The chefs in the open kitchen wear baseball caps but do serious
work. The guests come in all ages and stripes and are variously dressed,
up or down, some as artistes, some as tycoons, some as L.L. Bean ads.
When you're handed the bill, the number on it will be about what you expect
for an excellent meal in town, $100 or so for two. Not including wine. You'll
want to have some because the wine list, Fiona's responsibility, is extensive
and irresistible, with unusual offerings, among them many after-dinner temptations
for lingerers-ports, liqueurs, single malt scotches. And not including the
tip. You'll want to be generous about the tip because the service is warm
and pleasant.
~ C.R.
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