Where to Dine - Boston 2009 - page 132

up juices and sangria for washing it all down. Finish with “ubiquitous flan” or luscious
tarta de chocolates.
The owners of Dalí also run Tapéo at 266 Newbury St. ( & 617/267-4799 ), between
Fairfield and Dartmouth streets in Boston's Back Bay. It offers the same menu and
similarly wacky decor in a more sedate two-level setting.
415 Washington St., Somerville. & 617/661-3254. www.dalirestaurant.com. Reservations recommended; accepted
Sun-Thurs until 6:30pm, Fri until 6pm, Sat for parties of 6 or more until 6pm. Tapas$4.50-$16 (most less than $10);
main courses $20-$25; late-night menu $4.50-$9. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 5:30-11pm; bar serves food until 12:30am. T:
Red Line to Harvard, then follow Kirkland St. to intersection of Washington and Beacon sts. (20-min. walk or $6 cab ride).
East Coast Grill & Raw Bar SEAFOOD/BARBECUE Huge portions, a dizzy-
ing menu, and funky decor have made the East Coast Grill madly popular since 1985.
Just walking into the colorful, noisy restaurant is exciting, but the legions of repeat
customers know that the real excitement is on the menu. The kitchen handles fresh
seafood (an encyclopedic variety), barbecue, and grilled fish and meats with equal
authority and imagination. The influence of founder Chris Schlesinger, a national
expert on grilling and spicy food, is apparent in the exuberant menu descriptions
(“super-fresh catch o' the moment,” “wings of mass destruction”). To start, consider
the raw-bar offerings, or try the sublime fried oysters. The seafood entrees are excep-
tional—always check the specials board, because you may luck into something memo-
rable, like 13-spice grilled monkfish. Barbecue comes on abundant platters in three
styles: Texas beef, Memphis spareribs, and North Carolina pork. Vegetarians can opt
for the “all-vegetable experience of the day.” Desserts are tasty, but if you've played
your cards right, you won't have room. A note to parents: Because there's no children's
menu, I don't feel comfortable adding a “Kids” icon, but the menu includes plenty of
options for less adventuresome palates, and when I dined here (anonymously, as
always) with two well-behaved but active little boys, the staff couldn't have been nicer.
1271 Cambridge St., Inman Sq. & 617/491-6568. www.eastcoastgrill.net. Reservations accepted only for parties of
5 or more, Sun-Thurs. Main courses $15-$30; fresh seafood market price. AE, MC, V. Sun-Thurs 5:30-10pm; Fri-Sat
5:30-10:30pm; Sun brunch 11am-2:30pm. Validated parking available. T: Red Line to Harvard, then no. 69 (Harvard-
Lechmere) bus to Inman Sq.; or Red Line to Central, then a 10-min. walk on Prospect St.

Jasper White's Summer Shack SEAFOOD An enormous space with a
lobster tank in the middle of the floor, the Summer Shack feels like an overgrown sea-
side clam shack—but one that's been to cooking school. All the basics are here: raw
bar, excellent french fries, out-of-this-world tuna burger, lobster roll, and even a clam-
bake (a lobster, clams, mussels, potatoes, sausage, and corn on the cob). But check the
name again—Jasper White is nationally renowned for seafood, and his pan-roasted
lobster, on the aptly named “big bucks lobster” section of the menu, has been a local
foodie favorite for nearly 3 decades (since his days at the fine-dining restaurant
Jasper's). Yes, the contrast is incongruous, but it works. You might find yourself sitting
between a kid chowing down on a corn dog and a suburban couple savoring wok-
seared lobster with ginger and scallions or steamed mussels in wine-and-herb broth—
and they'll all be equally happy. You'll be able to hear them exclaiming, too: When it's
full, this is one of the loudest restaurants in the Boston area. Arrive early, ask to sit on
the second level (just a few steps up, but much quieter), and you might be able to have
a conversation.
The Summer Shack in Boston's Back Bay, at 50 Dalton St. ( & 617/867-9955 ), is
especially popular before and after Red Sox games and Symphony performances. It
also accepts reservations for parties of any size. From April through October, it's open

Kids