Boston (August 2010)

My spouse and I visited Boston for a 2-night stay in mid-August 2010. On Friday evening, we drove from Allentown to Boston. After checking into the InterContinental, we walked to nearby Oy Ya for dinner. But without a reservation, there was over an hour wait, so we ate at Sorrisso instead. (It was a good meal, but we had no idea how famous Oy Ya would become, so it was a huge mistake not to wait for a table.) On Saturday, we did touristy things like visiting Charlestown, walking the Freedom Trail, and visiting Boston Public Garden. We ate lunch at Sweetwater Café near the Gardens. In the evening, for my birthday dinner, we dined at Menton, which was great. The next day, we changed hotels to the Seaport, because my spouse needed to set up his trade show for the next few days. We ate lunch outdoors at the Chart House, and enjoyed watching the passengers embark on the ferry to Provincetown on Cape Cod. In the evening, we decided to ditch our previous dinner plans (at L'Espalier) and instead buy tickets to see the traveling Cirque du Soleil show, Ovo. (As with the other Cirque shows we have seen - KA and O in Las Vegas), this show was amazing! Afterwards, we grabbed a bite to eat at Legal Test Kitchen (LTK). The next morning, I took an early flight home, while my spouse stayed in town for work.

Hotels:

• Seaport Hotel Link to my review
• InterContinental Boston Link to my review

Restaurants:

• Sorriso Link to my review
• Sorelle Bakery and Cafe Link to my review 
• Sweetwater Cafe Link to my review
• Menton Link to my review
• Chart House Link to my review
• LTK (Legal Test Kitchen) Link to my review

 Activities:

• Charlestown
• Freedom Trail
• Boston Public Garden
• Cirque du Soleil OVO

Boston: Sorriso (August 2010)

My spouse and I ate dinner at Sorriso Trattoria in mid-August 2010. (The restaurant is now called Bel Ari.) Italian restaurant Sorriso is located in the Leather District (formerly considered Chinatown). Sorriso and sister restaurant Les Zygomates. Sorriso has a relatively nondescript front that opens into a well-appointed interior with a small bar sporting a nice beer selection and a dining area with a warm feel including an exposed pizza oven.

Boston: Menton (August 2010)

My spouse and I had dinner at Menton in mid-August 2010 to celebrate my birthday. Despite the fact that we did not tell the restaurant that we were celebrating, when my dessert was delivered, the plate was decorated with an appropriate message written in chocolate. (We think that the restaurant must have mined our data using our using Open Table profile.) Located in Fort Point, the neighborhood’s urban cityscape, with its blend of historic brick buildings and sleek, futuristic design statements, is the perfect setting for Menton, a modern interpretation of fine dining. With beautifully executed cuisine, an unparalleled wine program, gracious hospitality and a glamorous setting, we seek to excite, inspire, and transport guests for one memorable evening. Since opening in 2010, the restaurant has received numerous accolades, including a 4 star review from The Boston Globe, being named one of both Bon Appétit and Esquire magazine’s best new restaurants in 2010, and being nominated as a James Beard Foundation Awards 2011 finalist for Best New Restaurant. Menton received the Best Newcomer, Best French, and Best Service distinctions in the Zagat Boston Restaurant Guide 2011-2012 and is Boston’s only Relais & Châteaux, AAA Five-Diamond, and Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star property.

Boston: Legal Test Kitchen (August 2010)

My spouse and I had dinner at Legal Test Kitchen in mid-August 2010. Legal Test Kitchen (LTK) ventures into uncharted waters and pushes the boundaries of innovation in premium food and drink. Multicultural dining options and inspired seasonal cocktails cast a wide net in attracting those who have an appetite for fun. Located in the Seaport District, our restaurant is within easy walking distance to the Institute of Contemporary Art, the World Trade Center, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the Bank of America Pavilion, and hotels including the Renaissance Boston, Westin Waterfront, and Seaport. LTK is both a destination and neighborhood hangout and our extended hours of operation make us a late night lure. In season, you can eat sea fare while smelling the salt air on their patio.

Boston: Chart House (August 2010)

My spouse and I had lunch at the Chart House in mid-August 2010. For more than five decades, Chart House patrons have been treated to extraordinary cuisine and spectacular views. From the humble beginnings of our first restaurant in Aspen, Colorado, to the opening of our 28th location inside Golden Nugget Atlantic City, Chart House has developed a nationwide reputation for excellence. The Chart House concept was born on Independence Day in 1961, the brainchild of famed Hawaiian surfer Joey Cabell and U.S. Navy man Buzzy Bent. The first location was modest, with just a few tables in a converted diner. However, two principles present in 1961 remain staples of every Chart House location – great food and equally impressive views. In 2012, for the third year in a row, OpenTable released a list of the 100 restaurants with the most scenic views. Chart House dominated the list, accounting for 10 of the 100. Today, Chart House restaurants overlook the coasts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific, and other scenic locations in between. And while we stretch from sea to shining sea, every location remains committed and specialized to its local community. Whether you choose to dine at our location 750 feet above San Antonio in the Tower of the Americas, at our Cardiff by the Sea restaurant with the surf breaking right at your table or at our Weehawken location with breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, you can't go wrong with one of our signature fish specialties, slow-roasted prime rib and delicious salads. Our original Hot Lava Chocolate Cake is the perfect end to a memorable dining experience at Chart House. The pride of Long Wharf, Chart House Boston is renowned for its location and its menu. As Long Wharf’s oldest surviving structure, formerly the John Hancock Courting House, the restaurant is a fusion of history and modern style. The interior is full of bold colors, a hopping happy hour, and the kind of creative seafood dishes that draw a crowd.

Boston: InterContinental Boston (August 2010)

I stayed here for 2 nights in mid-August using a Priority Club award, which I feel was a great usage of my accumulated points. I was pleased with the hotel location along the Fort Point Channel - it was possible to walk everywhere, yet also close to the water taxis, ferries, bus terminal (South Station), and subway lines. I walked to Fanieul Hall, the Seaport area, Financial District, Chinatown, etc. The lobby is very modern looking, and there is a small gift shop, fitness center/spa/pool (which I did not see), sushi restaurant (Sushi-Teq), French brasserie (Miel), and rum bar (RumBa). There is some outdoor seating on the promenade along the river, so if it's a nice day, you can eat and dine outside while enjoying the view. There is a small, pretty park outside the front door of the hotel. The guestrooms and bathrooms were spacious. I had read some reviews about the sliding frosted glass panels between the bathroom and the bedroom areas, and I found them to be an interesting artistic touch that didn't hinder our privacy too much (although it's not as private as a traditional wall, obviously). The bathrooms have a separate standing shower and soaking tub, and bathrobes are provided. The bath products were standard Holiday Inn issue - disappointing for their flagship brand! There is a safe and umbrella in the closet. The rooms have mini-bars, but guests are warned not to touch or move anything, because they use an electronic system that charges you for things that you merely touch but do not consume. Parking was not included, but offered for $39 per day. The ICON garage is just passed the hotel entryway. I'm not sure if the rates are better if you park your car yourself (we used the valet); it is all covered/underground parking. I would definitely stay here again. 

Boston: Seaport Hotel (August 2010)

I was pretty pleased with this hotel overall. I stayed here for only one night with my spouse while he was attending an event at the BECC (Boston Exhibit Convention Center). It was a Saturday night, and there were many weddings and social events in the hotel. Our room was on the fifth floor, the floor above some of the event rooms, and it was a little loud at times. The location is great for the convention center; it's an easy walk over a bridge on an extremely low-traveled street. The lobby area is small but attractive, with beautiful floral arrangements that they seem to change every Sunday (when I arrived on Saturday, the flowers were not the same as when I left on Sunday). There is a gift shop, coffee bar (Seaport Cafe), a more formal restaurant (Aura), and then a more casual bar/restaurant with some outdoor seating (Tamo). I saw the fitness center, which seemed well-outfitted, but not the indooor pool. There is a very small outdoor garden space on the plaza level if you feel you need to relax outside. Parking is included in this hotel, as are all tips - very unusual in the USA. The valet parking attendant and bellman would not accept tips, telling us that service is included. The rooms are a decent size, with a small seating area with two comfy chairs. Bathrooms were a good size also, and stocked with Gilchrist & Soames products. There was a bathrobe, safe, and umbrella in the closet, and there's an empty small refrigerator for your personal use (it was only filled with four bottles of water - which were not complimentary). There is a 7-11 convenience store as well as a Dunkin' Donuts across Seaport Boulevard, so it's easy to buy things to bring back to the room. But beware of bringing wine or beer into the hotel - we were told that it was against Boston city law to bring alcohol into a hotel room. We were stopped in the lobby and asked to check out cooler containing beer (and it was just a 12-pack, enough for personal use for 2 people for 2 days; it wasn't like we were rolling in a keg!) There are a few restaurants within walking distance: the Barking Crab, Daily Catch, Legal Test Kitchen (LTK), Mortons, Wicked Priest, Anthony's Pier 4. The hotel location is really close to the traveling Cirque du Soleil production called OVO, and we were fortunate to score great seats at the last minute. We weren't sure what to expect, having seen permanent shows like KA and O in Las Vegas, but it was excellent. It was very easy to get to Logan Airport from this hotel, a 15-minute trip costing only $2 per person. There's a subway station for the gray line right outside the plaza-level door. (It's a bus, though, not a subway train that drives you to Logan.) I would stay here again if I were in town for a convention or trade show. While it's a short walk across a bridge to the Downtown/Financial District area, it's probably not the location that I would choose for a stay unrelated to a convention-center event. On the other hand, it's really easy to reach the airport from this hotel, and since you can even see the planes lined up on the runway across the river, it could be a viable option for an airport hotel (without the noise) that still allows you to enjoy the city.

Boston: Sorelle Bakery and Cafe (August 2010)

Sorelle Bakery and Cafe on Monument Avenue is the "original" Sorelle (there are other locations on Congress Street and City Square), which has long served as the social epicenter of Charlestown's Main Street district. Woven tightly into the fabric of the neighborhood, it serves up gourmet coffee, local favorite scones, muffins
and assorted pastries that are baked on the premises. Sorrelle also offers a wide assortment of sandwiches and salads made to order, as well as daily specials and soups. On any given day, you'll hear lively discussion on topics of local politics, current events, and Red Sox pitching over a bowl of soup or a sandwich.