East Coast Grill is consistently ranked as one of the best restaurants in the Northeast, so I had to try it before I left Boston. I've eaten in Inman Square a few times, but since I don't live in the area and the closest T stop is a 15 to 20 minute walk away, Cambridge Street doesn't usually figure into weekend plans. But what a shame...with cozy neighborhood restaurants like East Coast Grill, Ole Mexican Grill, Punjabi Dhaba, and Magnolia's within a three-block stretch, Inman is where I'd live if I were to stay in Boston. At the moment, I'm also immersed in Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page's Becoming a Chef, and chef/owner Chris Schlessinger is mentioned on practically every other page. Needless to say, I couldn't wait until my farewell dinner to eat at the restaurant.
We went on Friday, and the hour and a half wait gave us ample time to study the menu and handwritten specials on the outside. Seafood or barbeque? I'm a seafood fanatic and always seeking places with with freshest fish, but Schlessinger has co-written 8 books on barbeque and is a noted fanatic on the topic. I had to incorporate both into my meal.
For the appetizer I forced myself to forgo the raw bar in favor of the "Chile-Crusted Black 'n Blue Tuna Tacos," pan seared tuna with arugula, jimaca, and an orange chipotle glaze. The tuna skin was perfectly crisp, and the raw inside was velvety and tender.
As for the barbeque entrees, there's no need to decide between different styles or cuts of meat. The Uncle Bud's trio platter offers a sampling of Memphis style dry rubbed pork spare ribs, Texas style beef brisket, and Eastern North Carolina style shredded pork. I wasn't a huge fan of the tanginess of the shredded pork, but the spare ribs and beef brisket were delicious. Served with corn bread, cole slaw, and watermelon, the platter is one hefty feast. (And I love the aesthetic effect of steak knife stabbing corn bread.)
I didn't get to try the "WMD...Wings of Mass Destruction...From Hell! Smoked, Jerked, then Grilled & 2Hot4U Real Inner Beauty Sauce, Fried Plaintains & Grilled Pineapple ," but I'm sure I'll be back for them. (This is enthusiastic menu writing at it's best.) And being the heat-seeker that I am, I may have to return to Boston in October just for the restaurant's Hell Night.
Food alone is not what attracts hoards of locals and tourists alike to East Coast Grill. The service is impeccable, with attentiveness from waitress, hostess, manager, and busboy alike. Even the bartender flashed us an "Hope you're enjoying your meal, and by the way I love working here!" smile. I like observing the workers when I eat out. Through the course of my meal, waiters passed each other with smiles instead of exasperated looks, busboys strolled by humming to the music, and at the end of the night the manager and hostess shot the breeze over a meal at the bar.
The positive energy definately transfers to the diners, making the food taste even better.
East Coast Grill - 1271 Cambridge St., Inman Square
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