Good Eats: Speed Round

Today I felt like doing one big recap of a few new places I’ve tried recently. I’m thinking bulletpoint style because there’s really no good way to connect all of them. Let’s just go with the flow…

The Jerry Remy’s near Fenway has a fantastic roof deck. You can see the ballpark right across the street and feel the action (no view of the field though). There is plenty of cover for shade and oscillating fans with mist to keep you cool even during the dog days of summer. And if you want to know about the beer selection up there and how it compares to downstairs in the main restaurant, well, don’t take my word for it.

Sticking in the neighborhood, I had my first bite of a Tasty Burger last weekend. It was delicious. What I remember most was the speed in which it was ready, the “special” sauce they used and the mess that it made (always a sign of a good burger). I would probably rate it 2^nd or 3^rd on my list of casual burger places after Five Guys, right there with Fuddrucker’s, ahead of UBurger and lightyears better than B.Good.

To the North End we head and an overachieving hole in the wall known as Ernesto’s. Apparently, North Enders know this spot but we were clueless. The slices are HUGE. If you want 2 normal slices, order 1 Ernesto’s slice. We made the mistake of ordering 2 slices for each of us so we had a full 8 slice pizza on our hands. And boy is it a hidden gem. It’s hard to find the entrance because it barely exists. Studio apartments are bigger than this place. There were 4 tables crammed inside so come prepared to eat your food on the way out the door. As you may have figured, none of this would be worth it if the pizza wasn’t top notch and you certainly won’t be disappointed. They have a wide variety of selections so you can try something new or enjoy an old favorite.

If you head down Atlantic Ave a couple blocks you will run into Littlest Bar. I have passed this bar numerous times on my way to The Times right next door but this week I decided to take my first foray. As the name suggests, it is in a small space. It shares the first floor of the building with The Times and receives maybe 20% of the space. They legitimately had a door behind their bar that opened up into their neighbor’s back room, which is bigger than their entirety. But what was really great was their outdoor patio which was quite spacious and caught me by surprise. We happened to be the only ones out there (rain was in the forecast and it started sprinkling just as we asked for the check) but it seemed like it could be a really happening spot.

Last but not least, let’s cross the bridge to Charlestown and visit Tavern on the Water. I had a vague familiarity with this place (in name only) and did not know what to expect from our venture. It ended up blowing us away. Whether you get a table upstairs or snare a stool on the outer edge of the main floor the views are amazing. We also got fooled into checking out the bar downstairs which had fake sand and was cash only (don’t waste your time with this nonsense). And they may not have nachos but try the chips & guac.