The Odd Foodie

This week, I'm pleased to introduce a new restaurant review feature to Odd Broad Land, lovingly entitled:

First up is Bouchee, on Newbury Street, which bills itself as an Urban Brasserie.  This month, Hubby and I are celebrating eleven years of being together (that's over a third of our lives, y'all!) and we wanted to nosh on something extra special.

SERVICE: Friendly but neglectful.  Although there certainly appeared to be a plenitude of staff on duty, it still took five to ten minutes before anyone offered us any water, let alone booze.  (And if I thought it took forever to get our hands on a measly glass of sauv blanc (small pour) and a dirty martini, it took even longer to place our order.)  Our waiter was pleasant, but he kept performing a disappearing act.  (Was he cooking our damn dinner?)  As it turned out, he was preoccupied with two larger parties, which explains why Hubby and I were a forgotten little two-top.  As Hubby put it at one point in the evening: I just made direct eye contact with three different people and still nobody's coming over!  

DECOR: Hubby didn't like the way everything had its name inscribed on it.  (The napkins, plates and glasses all reminded us we were eating at Bouchee.)  As for me, I find personalization kind of charming so it didn't really bother me.  There were no candles on the tables and the lighting was rather bright.  Not really the stuff romantic meals are made of, but you live and learn. 

APPS: For appetizers, we opted for the warm olive plate and a crabcake special.  Much to Hubby's chagrin, the warm olive plate turned out to be literally just that: a dish of warm olives.  And nary a slice of crusty bread in sight!  The crabcakes were yummy though.

ENTREES:  Feeling snuggly, we decided upon the roasted chicken pour deux, which was served with au jus, pomme frites, garlic aeoli, and asparagus.  My spirits lifted at the announcement of the garlic aeoli, though once I tasted it they fizzled back down again.  (I'm a bit of a garlic aeoli snob, however.)   

Now, I adore a nice roasted chicken.  But I'm sad to report that the roasted chicken at Bouchee was terribly disappointing.  The meat was bland; and Hubby, channeling Gordon Ramsey, wondered if it hadn't been thrown into the deep fryer for a second before being served.  I have to agree the skin did taste mysteriously like it had been placed in a fryer.

DESSERT: We'd sat down a little before seven and it was now nearing nine, and so we opted to pass on our waiter's half hearted attempt at dessert.  By that point we just wanted to get the hell out of there.  

THE BROAD'S VERDICT: Two rounds of drinks, two apps and two entrees ran us about $117, including tax and 20% gratuity.  Personally, if we're going to shell out that much hard earned dough we expect dinner to be pretty damn tasty!  This isn't the place to go if you're looking for romance or to celebrate a special occasion, but having said that, I wouldn't categorize Bouchee as cheap and cheerful, either.  Taking into consideration the slow service, the dissatisfying French fare and the fact that this was our anniversary, my verdict is thus: One and a half glasses of Riesling.  Just not worth the moolah.  (Especially in this economy!)

 

Comments

[Jenna]

Thank you for your honesty....give it up Ramsey style!

[Keely]

I always wanted to eat there. Now, not so much. You've saved me some cash, thanks Odd Broad!

[sue]

I like this new feature! (that is my belief, Tom, i mean Odd Broad!) keep up the good work.

[the odd broad]

Thanks ladies!! xoxo Sometimes I fear I'm morphing into a Collichio/Ramsey/Padma clone!