“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” – Luciano Pavarotti
All photos by Dean Igoe
There is no question that the most memorable meals that we have in life are made by the people we share them with. It's not just the food. It's the conversation, laughter, interesting ideas and sheer fun. So, we kicked off our first meal of 2016 with brunch at Precinct, at their invite, not with our usual crowd but with a competitive weightlifter and an up-and-coming chef, a bright start to a new year. Precinct Kitchen + Bar is in the lower floor of the Loews Hotel. Many will recognize the historically significant location as the former Headquarters of the Boston Police Department.
Before we even looked at the menu or ordered drinks a Charcuterie Platter was presented to us. A cheese assortment, fruit and a still-warm bowl of grilled, sliced baguette and four hungry guys. It was massacred. The Berkshire Bleu was excellent.
The Roasted Chicken and Nueske's Bacon Flatbread also disappeared as we talked food, restaurants, relationships, finances and finding clothes that fit well. The toppings were all high quality but we'd prefer a slightly more crispy crust. Still good.
My Back Bay Eggs Benedict With Tater Tots. Served on a buttermilk biscuit with cured Irish Bacon, it was rich and filling. The Tater Tots were perfectly crispy.
Dean and Tom both went with the Steak And Eggs with Garlic Buffalo Tots. I tried a piece of the excellent steak.
Austin had the Omelette, with a side of Blueberry Protein Pancakes, of course, because that's what weightlifters do. I tried a piece and they tasted slightly of chocolate, probably from the protein powder, but were not as dry as I expected. We all sipped White Sangria.
And then there were the Beignets. Two perfect trays of sweet goodness and little pots and spoons that Austin had never seen before, used for the dipping sauces. These were excellent, served still warm as a beignet should be.
But Tom did not miss a beat digging in. He had us laughing all day, after just a few hours sleep, fitting right in in this swanky hotel, a Loews property. Overall, a great way to kick off 2016.
After brunch we toured the place. It's actually quite luxurious. We charmed and manuevered our way into the Fitness Room where Austin gave us a mini weightlifting class, mostly laughing more and taking pics.
Who's there? As it is a higher end property the dining room and bar were filled with a typical, diverse group of well-heeled travelers, families and couples. The bar scene was evenly split between a large group of twenty-something quasi-hipsters and middleagers enjoying a sip, or perhaps a hair of the dog, on New Year's Day.
When to go? The brunch was actually great and and reasonably priced with mains in the $4-18 range, Flatbreads $16, great for sharing, and our Sangrias, which were great, fruity, fresh and not overpowering, were $13. We'd certainly go back for brunch and may even be tempted to revisit for dinner.
Favorite things: Location. Parking, for some strange reason, is always pretty easy in this area making it a good meetup spot. The contemporary American design was comfy. Service was great.
What we'd tell a friend: A reasonably-priced, great brunch when you want to meet up with friends in the City without the pretension of more formal spots or the ear-ringing decibel levels of others. Yes, you can actually have a conversation here.
154 Berkely Street
Boston, MA 02116
Telephone: 617.532.3827
Twitter: @PrecinctKitchen
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