Boston, USA: a Tasting Tour with James Salomone
Boston, USA: a Tasting Tour with James Salomone
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Chef James Salomone of Parsnip restaurant shares tips for exploring Boston's food scene so you can eat like a local.
23 July, 2018
If your impression of Boston cuisine is limited to clam chowder, then think again. The city has come into its own in recent years with a culinary wave of exciting new restaurants helmed by dynamic young chefs making their mark nationally – and winning awards in the process.
One such chef is James Salomone, Executive Chef at Parsnip, an elegant spot in Boston’s historic and famous Cambridge district that is home to academic giants including Harvard and MIT.
Salomone and team pride themselves on creating globally-inspired Modern American cuisine using locally-sourced ingredients. French influences are frequent on the menu – indeed, one of the giants of American cooking, Julia Child, lived in Cambridge for decades and wrote many of her seminal works there including Mastering The Art of French Cooking.
There’s a distinct sense of camaraderie amongst the city’s chefs as local pride ensures that successes are shared – and celebrated. Here Salomone shares some of his favourite spots and restaurants in Boston.
Comfort Food
"Franklin Café is an unpretentious and great place to relax with my team after work. There is always something for everyone and it’s a lively hangout. Their lamb & tomato sugo and skillet smoked PEI mussels are not to be missed.
Erbaluce
"Erbaluce is an intimate restaurant in the middle of Boston serving simple Italian dishes that are very reminiscent of my Italian upbringing. Using the best seasonal ingredients and adding a contemporary twist, Chef Charles Draghi’s restaurant is a hidden gem!"
Seafood
"Parsnip sources oysters from Island Creek Oyster farm in Duxbury Bay and everything is very fresh. At their restaurant in Boston near Fenway Park, they serve a host of seafood from local farmers including bay scallops from Martha’s Vineyard, hand-dug clams from Ipswich for chowder, lobsters from York Harbor in Maine, and salmon from Maine. It is a true New England tradition!
Casual
"I love their Japanese Spanishmash-up of dishes they serve. Pagu is an energetic and hip restaurant and Chef Tracy Chang’s attention to detail is beautifully translated onto the plate. My favourite dishes are her squid-ink oyster bao with shisho and purple cabbage, tamari glazed beef short rib, and of course Guchi’s midnight ramen."
Night Market
"My friend Chef Jason Tom serves fun Asian Street Food inspired by his trips through Asia. The restaurant is located a few steps from Parsnip so I like to go there to relax with a group of friends for after work drinks and share his seasonal specials ranging from curry carnitas tacos, tea smoked duck crostini, and fried chicken wings with tebasaki sauce."
Outlook at The Envoy
"Chef Tatiana Rosana of Outlook grew up in Miami in a traditional Cuban family and brings her sunny flavors to this happening spot in the citty’s fast-changing Innovation district. Her dishes mix her heritage with her wife’s Korean background, as well as classical French training and New England ingredients. A recent dish of Kurobata pork chop with sunchokes, pickled mustard seeds and Cuban Mojo Criollo is a great example of her work."
Fine Dining
"Uni is a lively, contemporary izakaya, an icon in Boston where I had the pleasure of working at under Chef Ken Oringer when I first moved here. I can never have enough of the sashimi and nigiri here and I also highly recommend the smoked Uni spoon, rock shrimp tempura, and grilled oysters."
