Burtons Grill

The dining scene in Burlington is heating up.  Suddenly, there seems to be a plethora of dining spots and over the past few months we've been invited to sample several spots for memorable meals.  We began the tour at Burtons Grill, which has been there for years but we had never been.

Firstly, all of the food at Burtons is made from scratch following the new wave where even chain restaurants don't relay on entrees prepared way ahead of time.  Everything we tried from appetizers to desserts was very fresh, starting with the Beet Salad pictured above.  A constructed salad, this was beautiful on the plate and certainly creditable. Goat Cheese, Roasted Sweet Onions and Candied Walnuts provided nice layers of both texture and flavor.

The Risotto Fritters were just as good:  Mild Italian Sausage and Provolone Cheese was deep fried to a golden crisp and served with a fairly spicy tomato sauce.

The Pork Loin was served with a colorful, flavorful Cranberry Chutney and Cider Mustard Jus.  I love pork tenderloin and this was, again, very well done, served with a nice stuffing.

The Scallops we sampled were served over a bed of fresh corn and Baked Stuffed Zucchini were sliced paper thin and stuffed with an herbed cheese (neither pictured).   Again, fresh, flavorful and very fresh.

All of the desserts are also made in house and this Key Lime Pie was exceptional.  Let's face it, most places do not go to the lengths of making desserts like this every day.  The difference is easy to discern once you've had the good stuff.

The clean, modern design is about what one would expect for suburban dining, the place was absolutely packed with a lively bar scene and the service was very good.  It's clear that Burtons is maintaining their high standards in order to keep up with the growing competition.

Burtons Grill
Middlesex Commons Shopping Center
Middlesex Turnpike
Burlington, MA
Telephone:  781.221.2281

Bonefish Grill

We stopped in at Bonefish Grill, a new restaurant at Wayside Commons in Burlington, recently for an early dinner. We are always skeptical of chain restaurants but seeing the place was packed as we arrived, we were intrigued. We began with a cocktail, the Winter White Cosmopolitan: Stoli Cranberi, Cointreau, fresh lime and white cranberry juice.  Very nice, indeed and a fine way to warm us up on a cool night.

For appetizers we had one of their most popular dishes:  Bang Bang Shrimp.  The tender shrimp was fried to crispy perfection and served with a creamy, slightly spicy sauce.  An instant hit.  We could have devoured a platter but, of course, wanted to save our appetites for the other dishes to follow.  There is no wonder it is so popular, though.  It was our favorite.

We also tried the Bacon Wrapped Atlantic Sea Scallops.  The scallops were perfectly white and wrapped in slabs of bacon not too crispy or raw, just right.  Served with a burst of flavorful salsa and drizzled with a mango sauce, it was full of crunchy, sweet, spicy and salty tastes.

I ordered the Spinach Bacon Gorgonzola Atlantic Salmon.  I'd never tried this combination before but have to admit I liked it.  My side was the Jasmin Rice, a sticky rice with a delicate flavor and the nightly side special of squash. Main dishes come in two sizes, regular and a smaller portion.  We both went with the smaller and found the meal to be filling without making us stuffed.  Great idea!

My dining companion chose the Wild North Atlantic Haddock with Feta and Artichokes.  Grilled, topped with a Garlic Crumb and drizzled with Lemon Basil Butter, it was served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  The few bites that I tried were excellent.

I couldn't resist a taste of locally-made Slumbrew Porter Square Porter.  Creamy and rich, this is a real treat if you're a fan of the darker brews.

The Flourless Brownie with Chocolate and Raspberry Sauce was served with a side of Ice Cream. Surprisingly light, it was a great way to end the meal.

We also sampled the Mango Cheesecake, which, again was good.  We were anxious to try the Pumpkin Creme Brulee but, unfortunately, it was so popular that night it was sold out.

The service was great, the crowd lively.  The bar was absolutely packed.  All in all, we were pleasantly surprised and will easily return for more dinners.  A great addition to the area!

Bonefish Grill
4A Wayside Road
Burlington, MA  01803
Telephone:  781.273.0768