Close to BU and not far from Longwood, you can sample the flavors of Italy, Mexico, and America.
Anna Kushnir
Grille Zone: Good for your taste buds, great for the planet
One of the BU area’s newest eateries, Grille Zone aims to make delicious food in an environmentally responsible way. All waste is composted, including the biodegradable plates and utensils, and the equipment is energy efficient. The restaurant’s “green” approach only adds to the appeal of the strikingly good burgers and hot dogs.
The grilled hot dog at Grille Zone will leave you with no regrets.
The menu has just eight items, including a chicken sandwich and a grilled cheese, but the burger is the favorite. You can specify how you’d like your half-pound burger cooked. Thick, juicy, and charred, it tastes like a steakhouse burger but is half the price at $5.95.
The hefty grilled dogs have a sturdy casing that pops when bitten, giving way to a soft, meaty interior. Add on an order of freshly cut, skin-on French fries, sold not by container size but by the potato; you can order one or two potatoes’ worth of the pleasantly salty, lightly crisped fries. You can walk out feeling good, both about your meal and about your part in preserving the environment.
Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 566-9663_
Burgers: $5.95
Sandwiches and hot dogs: $3.95–6.75
La Verdad: From tacos to mole, delicious decisions abound
Your attention span can be put to the test at La Verdad. Between the large selection of tequilas and the long list of authentic Mexican tacos, you’ll need plenty of time to decide on your order.
The tacos, in handmade corn tortillas, are served three to a platter—mix and match or get three of a kind. The fish taco pairs lightly battered flaky fish with a squirt of avocado cream; pollo pibil balances tender shredded chicken with the crunch of pickled red onions.
Take your time in deciding between this traditional Mexican mole and all the different tacos at La Verdad.
The choices continue with the entrée list. La Verdad’s traditional mole sauce has a sesame accent and meaty taste. The mole, spooned onto roasted chicken, is accompanied by honey-glazed plantains and a fennel, red onion, and orange salad; the freshness of the vegetables breaks up the density of the mole and candy-grade sweetness of the plantains.
While the food is good, the service leaves a lot to be desired. A pitcher of margaritas made with freshly squeezed lime juice can help smooth out the bumps in the evening.
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 351-2580_
Taco platters: $9.50–12
Entrées: $14.95
Audubon Circle Restaurant and Bar: All your bar favorites and more
The Audubon Circle combines the best aspects of a bar and a restaurant into one sleek package. Those just looking for a drink can hang out in the small mingling area by the TV, but those looking for a good meal are treated to a menu of reinvented, not-your-average bar favorites.
The white bean spread appetizer is a souped-up version of hummus: beans and rosemary are pureed until silky, topped with olives, and piled next to long slices of grilled bread. The chicken salad exceeds expectations, with grilled chicken breast, dried cherries, and spiced pumpkin seeds on greens dressed with a tangy vinaigrette.
Audubon’s pressed Reuben sandwich is crispy on the outside and melted on the inside, with a perfect ratio of corned beef to sauerkraut and the right amounts of cheese and homemade Russian dressing. With dinner menu items that include tuna steak topped with a sweet banana salsa, baby bok choy, and white rice, Audubon breaks the bar mold.
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 421-1910_
Appetizers: $5–8.50
Sandwiches: $8
Entrées: $15–17
Trattoria Toscana: Food that channels the Italian lifestyle
The tiny Trattoria Toscana offers more than a taste of Italy’s cuisine; it immerses you in Italian culture and food philosophy. Nothing is rushed, no shortcuts are taken, and traditions are adhered to, with palate-warming results.
The antipasti include a variety of crostini—grilled slices of bread thinly spread with toppings such as warm chicken-liver pâté or a cured olive paste with mild, dried ricotta cheese. A hint of anchovies adds dimension to the saltiness of the olives.
The Bolognese sauce is a study in perfection: ground beef, red wine, and a hint of nutmeg are simmered until the flavors intensify. Just enough of the sauce is applied to dress but not drown creamy gnocchi.
Gnocchi with Bolognese sauce at Trattoria Toscana takes time to cook . . . and to savor.
Simple preparations dominate the entrée portion of the menu, such as a swordfish steak minimally adorned with olive oil, lemon, and capers, or perfectly salted sirloin strips atop lemony arugula and flakes of parmesan. It is the kind of food that requires you to take time and savor the meal.
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 247-9508_
Appetizers $7–10
Pastas $12–13
Entrées $15–20
Petit Robert Bistro: Classic French food without the classic high prices
French restaurants can evoke images of stuffy rooms with uptight servers and sky-high prices. Petit Robert Bistro breaks with tradition by providing a good, reasonably priced meal in a relaxed atmosphere.
Bistro staples are on offer, such as snails in garlic butter and assorted house-made pâtés. The pâtés lack refinement in texture and taste, but much can be forgiven when combined with a warm crusty baguette and grainy mustard. Heartier dishes include rabbit in a piquant mustard sauce with buttered noodles; the butter tempers the vinegar punch of the mustard. The pan-fried bluefish has a New England twist; it is served with mashed potatoes and a creamed corn and lobster sauce that condenses the flavor of a whole ear of corn into every forkful.
The dessert list is almost as long as the entrée menu. Petit Robert is renown for its ile flotante, a martini glass with a soft and airy meringue island floating in a pool of vanilla cream and generously drizzled with soft caramel.
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 375-0699_
Appetizers $5.50–8.50
Entrées $13.50–19.95
Desserts $5.50–10.00
Did we miss your favorite Kenmore Square restaurant? Post a comment about it here. And read our reviews of other restaurants in the Longwood area, South Boston, Kendall/Central Squares, the South End and "Harvard Square.":https://network.nature.com/boston/news/Review/2007/08/02/restaurants-in-harvard-square