Row 34 Boston

It took me far to long to make it to Row 34, but a few weeks back, my better half made reservations there for our anniversary. He made me close my eyes the whole way there, while I blindly guessed where we were going based on the turns and the perceived speed of the car, and while I got pretty close guessing the neighborhood, I had no idea we’d end up at Row 34. Even though it took us ages to make it, it was worth the wait.

In true New England spirit, I love seafood, but for some reason I don’t find that I frequent seafood restaurants. After Row 34, I might have to change up my game! We split a bottle of wine and a couple of apps before we dove into dinner, including a handful of fresh Wellfleet oysters, which were wonderfully fresh and briny and wonderful. I think oysters should probably be one of the main food groups.

We also ordered this Tuna Crudo with black garlic and avocado, which was so simple but perfectly balanced and incredibly fresh. I was impressed at the size of the serving, though simultaneously could have had at least another plate to myself.

In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, we ordered this Mushroom Casserole as a side for the main course. I’m borderline obsessed with mushrooms, so it seemed like a natural choice for me, but perhaps an odd pick for a seafood restaurant. These mushrooms were no joke — swimming in butter, super meaty, and packed with flavor. The crunchy breadcrumb topping was the perfect garnish, and we loved every bite of these.

While it took me a while to decide on what I was going to eat, it was a no brainer for K. He’s completely obsessed with lobster rolls, so he went with the classic Warm Buttered Lobster Roll, which came with creamy slaw and crunchy chips. I can safely say this was one of the best, if not the best, lobster roll I’ve had. It’s absolutely packed with lobster, and it’s just slightly, ad oh-so-perfectly seasoned, so the lobster steals the show. As it should.

After much hemming and hawing, I decided on another potentially questionable choice for a seafood restaurant: the Bacon Cheddar Burger. It came with caramelized onions, and the choice to add fried oysters with togarashi aïoli and cole slaw, which to me was really no choice at all. I went all in, fried oysters and all, and it was incredible. Not only were the fried oysters perfectly executed, the burger itself was amazing. The meat was a perfectly pink medium sear, so tender and juicy, and loaded with flavor. The bun, even, was soft and buttery, and the perfect bookends to one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten.

Row 34 was the perfect backdrop for an anniversary dinner – classy, classic, and just a touch romantic. We sat at the bar, where the service was laid back but super helpful and friendly, and we felt comfortable hanging out for a couple full hours. I can’t wait to go back!

http://www.sweetlyserendipity.com/