Summer Lunch Series Part 7: Anthony's Pier 4

A historical splurge worthy seafood institution that has long capitalized on Boston's prime waterfront views is Anthony's Pier 4. The original owner, Anthony Athanas, immigrated to the United States from Albania with his parents in 1916 at the age five. Dedicated and hardworking, Athanas rose the ranks to eventually personify the American Dream, opening a number of successful restaurants before his flagship Boston establishment came to fruition in 1963.Immediate success and praise was followed by years of hosting the likes of US Presidents, Government heads, athletes, entertainers and more; as displayed proudly by a collage of photographs covering the walls in the large entrance way. Athanas passed away in 2005 and today the restaurant is owned and operated by his four sons.Considering the fact that the South Boston Waterfront is now home to a number of modern steakhouses, seafood restaurants and others, including big name franchises or local expansions, I think it is important to embrace the history associated with Anthony's and the success it has seen in this area for decades. For all the more recent additions to Fan Pier and Liberty Wharf that have been met with tremendous praise, Anthony's deserves an equal dose of my affections. The decor embodies a time in history where Rum Rooms existed, their very own displaying weathered furniture and dusty floors. The expansive dining room is filled with Captain's chairs crafted of sturdy wood and leather and an expanse of thick patterned carpet still remains underfoot.An open air lobster tank greets you upon arrival and the bar is crafted to form the likes of old schooner. Anthony's certainly has a distinguished look and feel whether it translates as older generation elegance or nautical kitsch. I think that it is a welcome combination of both.And lets not forget the panoramic harbor front views. No matter the buildings atmosphere, the views remain timeless.Adam and I started off with a round of draft beers, poured in appropriately labeled pint glasses (I love when restaurants pay attention to these small details) a Harpoon IPA ($4.95) for him and a Sam Summer ($4.95) for her.
A basket of fresh Popovers and slabs of soft butter were delivered right after we placed our orders. Breaking into the hollow muffin shaped roll, the swelled batter in addition to releasing piping hot steam, was light, eggy and moist on the inside and delicately crunchy on the outside. Popovers are certainly a highlight of the experience here.

We continued our lunch with 1/2 dozen Oysters ($14.95). Last Friday just so happened to be National Oyster Day so was it fitting to enjoy a freshly shucked batch of bivalves. However, I would have been slurping these down regardless of the declared "food holiday".Our platter consisted of three Norwalk Bluepoint Oysters from Long Island Sound, Connecticut and three Penn Cove Oysters from Samish Bay, Puget Sound, Washington. Adam preferred the Penn Cove which were firmer with a bright brininess and cucumber finish. I liked the Norwalk Bluepoint best, they had a moderate saltiness with a sweet gentle finish.

If last Friday wasn't the epitome of the perfect summer lunch, I don't know what is.Behold the beauty that is my bucket of Ipswich Fried Clams ($19.95). Once I saw this special listed on the chalk board just outside the dining room entrance, I was pretty much sold.

Batter dipped and deep fried, this iconic New England delicacy is prepared with whole soft shell clams, the bellies left intact to impart a richer flavor. Anthony's served an impeccable, large proportioned batch alongside thick creamy and tangy tartar sauce, lightly dressed coleslaw and your standard cut french fries. Unfortunately, the fries were lackluster. Adam said they were great as he chowed down on the portion that came with his Lobster Roll ($19.95), but I felt they were too soft, lots of potato and not enough fry. By the way, he loved his lobster roll. I commented that it looked heavy on the mayo but he was quick to correct that this was not the case. Those were some extremely large chunks of fresh claw meat. (And the camera lens became foggy as I reached across to get that shot - from the steam rising off my clams!)

Service was smooth and well paced. Our waiter, dressed head to toe in a pressed sailors uniform was friendly and efficient. All the details were attended to without us having to ask. Waters were refilled and plates were cleared promptly. Tabasco and horseradish were delivered with the oysters and ketchup with the meals upon arrival. Lunch today was mostly comped, the lovely Amelia Mango of the company responsible for Anthony's website development hooked me up with a $50 gift card awhile back. I was under no obligation to review the restaurant, however I can't say I would have been persuaded to visit otherwise! (Simply wasn't on my radar.) Adam and I were so glad we did though, especially with the recent announcement of its impending closure.*We enjoyed a leisurely harbor front stroll from the North End and back, stopping afterwards for a visit to the neighboring Institute of Contemporary Art where the free Friday admission (one time only on that day) persuaded us in. But not before a goofy photo shoot with the parking lot locomotive...Yes, all four of these were necessary.

*I read yesterday on Boston Restaurant Talk that Anthony's is closing its doors because the space it occupies is slated for replacement by a one acre public park. There is potential of it re-opening in a nearby location on the property. Construction for the park won't begin until Spring 2012 so it looks like you still have time to visit this Boston landmark before it no longer remains in its original form! For additional details about the construction scheduled to transform the Seaport District's Pier 4 check out this Boston Globe article.*

VIP at Del Frisco's

A small collection of nationwide restaurants that embrace the deep rooted American steakhouse tradition, Del Frisco's most definitely knows its prime grade steak and lucky for us New Englanders, a thing or two about seafood. Be that as it may, there's a lot more to the recently opened Boston location than just the food. Hesitant to make the jump from your tried and true upscale steakhouse in favor of the new kid in town? Here is a look at what you can expect! Entering into the first floor off a vibrant section of Northern Avenue known as Liberty Wharf, you continue up a grand staircase into an impressive space housing a swank circular bar with views of the downtown skyline; and an equally as stylish dining room inlaid with plush gray semi-circular booths overlooking a stunning harbor expanse.The media dinner I attended on Thursday evening was held in the appropriately named Harbor Room, housing within its massive wine rack enclosed walls are sweeping red curtains surrounding tables boasting crisp white linens and elegant leather chairs. Commanding attention overhead are two giant chandeliers, the sparkling crystal figures hang to resemble exposed light bulbs. Spectacular, grand, impressive, massive, giant, I'm pulling out all the "go big or go home" esque adjectives; Del Frisco's atmosphere embodies that mantra to a tee.And as the rooms namesake would imply, views of the harbor aren't too shabby either. Not to mention, the coveted outdoor patio space is easily a huge draw to the restaurant in the warm months. The dinner was based on a four course menu and was completely free of charge to attendees.After glancing over the regular menu, everything appears to be fairly expensive. But as usual, I've included the prices in my round up to let you be the judge. At Del Frisco's, you can't go wrong with a signature cocktail. After one a taste of the Absolut Orange Vodka that has been house infused with pineapple and shaken to creamy frothy martini perfection, "The VIP" ($13) will have you feeling just as the namesake touts. The Blackberry Ginger Cocktail ($14) made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, fresh blackberries, fresh lemon juice, mint and a splash of ginger beer, was also a winner. Boasting an extensive wine list (if the glass walled wine racks were any indication) A Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Washington state was poured to compliment our starter courses. Once we made our way to the steak, a Cabernet Sauvignon made just for the restaurant was also nicely paired. The bread here is worth indulging - a full loaf is served warm, soft baked and studded with sesame seeds, be sure to break off a piece and slather it in some of that whipped butter. An extensive spread of shared appetizers began with the Shrimp Cocktail ($19) and Shrimp Remoulade ($19). I enjoyed the presentation with a vivid cocktail sauce layered over a row of jumbo shrimp on a bed of bright green lettuce. Both sauces were nicely flavored, however, I've had better tasting shrimp. I would skip this in favor of another appetizer, especially considering the price point. I wasn't overly impressed by the Ahi Tuna Tartare ($16). This one paled comparison to some of my Boston favorites, although the toasted bread with balsamic on the side was a nice touch. The appetizer worth splurging on is the Crab Cake ($19) with this one you get all the crab and none of the cake! A glorious mound of exceptionally tender and well seasoned crab meat is served over a creamy cajun lobster sauce. Order it if you are a crab lover for sure.I would also recommend the Prime Beef Carpaccio ($14) served with a creole mustard and dotted with capers, the thin but lengthy slices of raw beef were generously layered on the plate. Given a choice of salads, I opted for the Blue Cheese Lettuce Wedge ($11). With smokey bacon, fresh crisp lettuce and springy cherry tomatoes halves the components were lovely despite an overwhelming presence of blue cheese. The dry cheese crumbles are more than welcome in abundance but all that creamy dressing was too much for the wedge to handle.For the steak course, our waitress explained the degree of cooking runs towards rare, so in essence what is actually ordered medium would be cooked medium rare. (Or something along those lines, fair enough.)The supreme quality of beef was evident with each bite of my 8 oz Filet Mignon ($38) cooked to their ideal medium as desired with a fully pink center, retaining its flavorful juiciness. The fork tender filet was liberally seasoned with black pepper and salt. It was an excellent steak indeed. Vegetable sides run the gamut from simply steamed Broccoli ($10), to lightly blanched Asparagus ($11) with shaved almonds, to Sauteed Mushrooms ($10) bathing in savory pan juices. The Chateau Potatoes ($9) are a perplexing side, I guess because I am not really sure what a "chateau" potato is supposed to be. A dish of heavy waxy mashed potatoes with butter and cracked pepper are good, nothing extraordinary. A tower of the thickest Onion Rings ($10) I've ever seen are sensational, while the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese ($16) would prove more swoon worthy had actual chunks of lobster appeared within the cheesy sprinkled with buttery breadcrumbs sea of elbow pasta. Behold the dessert platter, a sampling of their Lemon Cake, Banana Bread Pudding and Molten Chocolate Cake. Each of these proved something incredible. Usually I can pick a favorite dessert, but this time around, I was at a loss. The Creme Brulee and Berries and Cream offer something lighter compared to a cake or bread pudding. Not that you didn't save plenty of room after all that steak! I am content to recommend any of the five as worthy contenders to end a meal here. The service executed by the waitstaff was friendly, helpful and attentive. The pacing of the meal, however, was considerably slower than expected. I took the opportunity to relish the time, enjoying the company of friends and new faces, appreciating the overall fantastic food and drink.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House located at 250 Northern Avenue on Boston's Liberty Wharf is defined by a spectacular waterfront location where dining in luxury is met with extended hospitality. Come here to celebrate a special occasion, conduct a business meeting over lunch, relax after a long day in the office or have an extravagant night out!