A Quaint Dinner in Boston...

I've never spent enough time in Boston.  In college I was in Boston a fair amount, but just blazing through to play hockey games with no time to actually explore the city.  On my way to a wedding in Marion, MA last weekend, I was able to spend one night in painfully quaint Beacon Hill.  I LOVED it! One of my oldest friends from grade school picked me up that evening and following orders that I wanted to go somewhere I wouldn't otherwise discover, took me to the Russell House Tavern in Cambridge.  This New England styled brasserie is just steps away from Harvard Square.  The food is seasonally inspired American fare and I very much enjoyed my seared arctic char with asparagus.  They are also known for their cocktail menu which celebrates familiar favorites and cutting edge, hand-crafted inventive creations like the "Sun Rays Illuminate Smoke Filled Haze," made with Lillet, Laphroig 10yr, Averill Plum Liqueur, Lemon, Honey and Victory Golden Monkey.  While the dining room is downstairs and perfectly pleasant with ambient lighting, exposed brick, and comfortable banquettes, request to sit at the upstairs brasserie bar to feel a part of the bustle of Harvard Square.  Soak up the energy while sipping a Harvard Yard, made with Rittenhouse Rye, Dubonnet, Benedictine, Allspice Dram.  Sounds serious.  It is Harvard after all.