Beacon Street Tavern

I was really excited to hear that a new restaurant had opened in Audubon Circle at St. Mary's T-stop. Beacon Street Tavern is owned by the same establishment as Washington Square Tavern. From the reputation of WST, I had expected BST to be slightly upscale, but assumed it would also cater slightly to the pre-game crowd. Not so. The menu is small and can hardly be considered "pub food." Salads and appetizers range from $8 to $12, while the least expensive entree was $17 (the crispy eggplant and mozzerella napolean, which Molly had). Other entrees included meat and fish, all with sides of mashed potatoes.
I only really wanted a salad and ended up choosing the almond-crusted goat cheese on arugula and brioche toast with citrus. It was definitely more of an appetizer than salad, as the arugula was merely a small bed of leaves suffocating under the weight of a warm slab of goat cheese. The cheese was delicious--encrusted in browned almonds and baked, it was smooth and creamy. Unfortunately, the two slim brioche toasts and handful of arugula were crushed by the weighty cheese. I am very careful about my food--I never run out of guacamole before I eat the whole burrito--but in this case, the "good" stuff needed more back-up. The cheese was delicious, but I ran out of arugula, of brioche, of mandarin oranges. I ended up spreading the rest on table bread, eager to savor every bite of what I realized too late would qualify as a "very small dinner."
Molly faired better. Her toasted eggplant, layered between layers of mozzerella and tomatoes, was an upscale version of eggplant parmesan, sans pasta. A pesto vinaigrette lined the plate. The flavors of eggplant, basil, tomato, and cheese blended seamlessly. Definitely a dish I'd order on a future visit.
Our wines were both delicious, although I was slightly irritated when we received the check and learned that the waitress had billed me for the most expensive sauvignon blanc when I had specifically requested a certain brand. I wasn't in the mood for confrontation, though, so we just paid the bill and left.
That wasn't the only problem I had with the service. My water glass was empty before the meal was served (it was a hot, hot night), which I really think is a management problem, as the glasses are TINY. One gulp and half is gone. The waitress didn't bring our meals--they were merely dropped off without a word. It was then that I realized I had forgotten to order the side of mashed potatoes that I wanted, but by the time she checked on us--well after the "few bite" industry standard, I had given up. It was only when my water glass hit empty that she revived it, then cleared our plates and brought the check without asking if we needed anything else. Considering that tables were not longer in high demand and that we probably would have ordered more wine, it was slightly insulting to have the check slapped down.

Ratings (which reflect my personal experience, how I saw the meal as an industry professional, and enjoyed myself as a single woman on a budget--basically, what it comes down to is not "would [insert celebrity name] love this place" but "can my friends eat here, leave happy, and not feel like their wallets were pillaged and they were taken advantage of." And yes, "location" is centered around my residence. What can I say, I like to walk to my destination.)

Menu: 7/10--Upscale for a "tavern," no flexibility for picky eaters, fries are of the sweet-potato variety
Food: 8/10--everything was delicious, though cheese needed more greens
Portions: 6/10--this is not a place where a salad can serve as dinner on a hot night
Service:5/10--waitress overcharged for wine, was rarely seen
Value: 6/10--Molly's eggplant was excellent, but $17 for vegetables?
Atmosphere: 8/10--very nicely styled. I wouldn't object to a drink here in the summer. Only one TV, though--isn't trying to cater to sports fans (not necessarily a bad thing, but when Fenway can be seen from the door...?)
Cleanliness: 9/10--Bathrooms were clean, dishes were cleared semi-promptly
Location: 10/10--Near Kenmore, central location, easily accessible, outdoor dining
From Industry Perspective: 13/20--Hostess quoted our wait-time perfectly, though didn't ask for our dining preference (we wanted to be outside), water glasses empty, check dropped without asking


62/100 = The food is tasty, but be prepared to break out the credit card. Dropping in for a drink in the summer will be nice, though, since outdoor seating is always a plus.