Audubon Circle – restaurant review

I don’t know how I used to blog every day – I swear days just fly by! Despite having a crazy long backlog of posts, I wanted to prioritize this one. A few bloggers and I were treated to a fantastic dinner at Audubon Circle this past Thursday and I wanted to make sure I share it with you before the details escape me.

Audubon Circle is just a few (walking) minutes from Fenway (right between 3 T-stops: Kenmore, Fenway and St. Mary’s) and seems to be a little hidden gem in the area. Adam and I have actually been there a few times when we lived in the area and every time were impressed with their beer list and food.

The atmosphere is great too – space is quite sleek and has crazy high ceilings. It’s a little dark – nice and cozy [They also have an outdoor patio which is MONEY in the city].

This dinner was a fantastic way to taste A LOT of the menu items at Audubon Circle. I was excited. I also had 2 glasses of the Clashwood Pinot Noir (the wine was actually not great – a little too sweet for me but I was too lazy to look at the menu and choose a different one for my second drink. The conversation and food took priority. )

If it’s cool with you, I’m just going to dive right in to all the dishes we tasted. We were kind of bombarded… in a good way.

APPETIZERS

Artisan cheese selection + seasonal jam

White bean puree with grilled bread

Special of the day – local scallops over corn and salsa

New England-style crab cakes with chipotle aioli

Mussels, garlic, spicy tomato, grilled bread

Watermelon, feta, micro greens, sherry vinaigrette

Heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella

The favorite of the bunch was hands down the white bean dip with the grilled bread. It was kind of perfect. Super smooth and garlicky – and the bread was soft and chewy with a bit of smoky flavor from the grill. It took a lot of will power not to just polish this baby off (it happened to be directly next to me!). The rest of the dishes were fresh and quite delicious as well. The crab cakes were the only thing I would not order again. Too fried for this girl.

PLATES AND SANDWICHES

Grilled local striped bass, fregola media, arugula

Pork schnitzel, arugula and pickled onions

Papardelle bolognese, pecorino romano, garlic toast

Pressed turkey, bacon and swiss sandwich + Asian slaw

Hmm, hard to choose a favorite here. I’m going to say the panino was the best. I know it sounds really simple but somehow this sandwich really stood out for me. The smokey meat and melty cheese – definitely a hard combo to beat. The Asian side salad was also incredibly flavorful. This was definitely one tasty meal.

With that said, a few of the above dishes deserve a little shout of of their own. The striped sea bass was delicate and light; the Israeli couscous was the perfect accompaniment to it (didn’t overwhelm the fish but still stood up for itself ). The parpadelle was also amazing – it definitely tasted freshly made and soaked up all the bolognese goodness… and the garlic toast. Mmm, you can never go wrong with garlic bread, can you? (totally rhetorical. We all know the answer to that question).

DESSERT

Chevre cheese cake, oreo crumb

Audubon offers only one dessert and really there is no need for anything else. The goat cheese adds a bit of tang to the typical cheesecake dough and the oreo crust is always a crowd pleaser. The perfect ending to a great great meal!

I love bars that don’t serve food as an after-thought. Audubon’s Circle’s menu is well thought out with high quality, mostly seasonal, ingredients. Thanks again, Jayne, for inviting me and reminding me of this fantastic spot. I think Adam and I will make the 25 (gasp) minute treck from our new home. (I know he’s going to be jealous once he sees this post).

If you’re looking for a place to grab a beer or a bite to eat when in the Fenway area, I’d definitely recommend this spot. The fact that it’s a little hidden means you’ll probably be able to get a table without a problem and won’t have to elbow fight for a drink.

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For other restaurant reviews, check out my Restaurant Reviews page.