This is one of those places where everything was perfect. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does – treasure it. Dinner at Island Creek Oyster Bar [500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215] was one of the most memorable meals I’ve had in a long time. Reservations weren’t available until 8PM, we did not feel like waiting that long for dinner and chanced it at the bar tables. One was available right away, no different from any other table. We’d been eating like pigs all weekend, and this was the last hoorah! Go big or go home. Let’s start with the bread.
Hunks of stretchy dense delicious bread with intense butter so thick I thought it was cheese. Yes that’s done right. This is an oyster bar so you should really get their oysters, but I’m not really a raw oyster person. Lucky for me they have crispy oyster sliders, just $4 a piece and they are the bees knees, dream about, write thank you letters good.
First of all the brioche bun was something I’d like to sleep on for all eternity. It was light and buttery, toasted just right. The greens were fresh and perfectly proportioned. The pickled onions added great acidity. The lime chile aioli added creaminess and heat. The oysters themselves were fried to perfection, moist but not greasy. The whole combination had every flavor and texture you could desire, we started with one but ordered another. I could have eaten an army of them if I didn’t have more food coming! Will power though, the clam chowder was worth it.
It was incredible, quite possibly the best I’ve ever had. A thick creamy broth chock full of hand-dug clams, house cured bacon, three buttermilk biscuits which floated like golden orbs. What is with the bread here, they must have a divine baker behind the scenes. The biscuits were amazing, I wish I had a ball pit full of them. We had dessert for lunch there was no justifying another dessert, unfortunately, I can imagine the positive trend would have continued on. Happy, full, and a two mile back to our parking garage to walk it off a bit. The parking garage by the way was the best I’ve ever been to. Garage at Post Office Square [Zero Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109], $9 a day on weekends which is a steal, below a lovely little green square lit up magically at night, clean bathrooms, nice elevator, color coordinated, centrally located…loved the place!
But back to the food!!! It was amazing, do yourself a favor and eat here on your next trip to Boston, you’ll be floating on air walking back to the parking garage, or wherever you’re going next!