Boynton | Mass Food & Wine

Charcuterie board from Boynton in Worcester

Whiskey and Beer and Cider dinner at the Boynton? Say no more, I am there.

I am always up for something new and when I the invite came out for the most recent Fall Equinox Whiskey and Beer dinner at the Boynton, I didn’t have to think twice about going. It also wasn’t hard to get some friends to come along for the night and no one left disappointed. There was a good crowd of about 40 or so people attending the dinner which was held in their upstairs side function room. It was a cozy fit but I was glad to see smaller tables for 5-6 people so my friends and I could still feel like we were going out to dinner together. It’s not something you see all the time but it was nice to have the chef come out before each course to describe the food and the pairing while being supported by representatives that could speak to the Whiskey, beer and cider. I think the excitement in the room grew when one the beverage representatives highlighted there were “freebie” take away items (e.g. glasses, t-shirts) for guests to take home – people started strategizing on what they were going to get. But that was easily forgotten for a short bit as the opening course was set on our table.

Opening Course

Large charcuterie board of home cured meats and cheese – good sampling that we could all share and still leave some on the board. Hard to do but when you have more courses coming you have to stop yourself. Paired with a Maine Brewing beer called “Zoe” – a darker than normal Amber Ale and a little heavier for me for the kick off drink.

First Course

Bright Orange Carrot Leek Soup with bacon chutney and crème fraise garnishing the dish, served with a Cider Creek Hard Cider. Loved the soup – how can you go wrong with bacon in it. Normally, I am not able to eat a lot of soups like this due to them being cream based but this one was perfect without the need for cream for the flavor.

Second Course

The surprise dish of the night – Pastrami Cured Gravlax Salad – the taste of pastrami but we were eating salmon. Good pairing served with our first whiskey beverage – Jameson cocktail over ice.

Intermezzo

This one stumped a few people – a shot sized glass of Algonquin served with beef skewer laying on top. The Chef instructed us to dip the beef skewer into the drink for the best effect. Many were nervous to try something so unusual. While it seemed like a cool thing to do I think it failed as it made the drink oily and not a pleasure to drink. Thankfully it was only a shot size.

Third Course

Described as stir fry of local cherrystones, this was the big hit of the table. The spice meter of the broth was high but not too high you could not eat it. I think everyone at our table couldn’t get enough of the broth as there was nothing left behind. Served with a double IPA – Southern Tier Unearthly. Note the glasses of beer got smaller as the night went on.. which was probably good with so many courses.

Fourth Course

Considered as our “Main” dish – rack of lamb, polenta (more like polenta fries), crispy Brussel sprouts with pan jus. A friend at my table suggested the best way to eat the dish was to take a small piece of each of the items – and all agreed it was the best for flavor tasting. It was a good balance for the main dish but I was so full I ended up taking most of the dish home to enjoy later. Accompanied by a American Strong Beer – Coronado Red Devil.

Fifth Course

Finally another whiskey beverage, Jameson Black to balance the Whiskey Glazed Cider Donuts. I am not a sweets person, give me savory anytime, so was glad to see the donuts were balanced with a touch of whiskey flavor in the glaze.

This dinner had a lot of components to it and the wait staff at the Boynton did a great job keeping the food and drinks flowing and ensuring all at the table were eating at the same time. By the end of the night it felt like everyone in the room knew each other – might be due to the casual atmosphere, the # of beverages or just a fun crowd. All at my table agreed that we had a fun time, food was great and a good balance between whiskey, cider and beer beverages. Though some of us might have preferred more whiskey beverages versus beer. I have been to many similar dinners to this but I have to say this was one of the better ones for fun, value and food. Be sure to check out their next dinner as I bet it sells out fast.

Every time I have ever frequented the Boynton, the atmosphere has always been frenetic. However, amongst the constant chaos, there always seems to be something systematic and controlled about the wait staff buzzing around, trays of food being brought out of the kitchen. While the atmosphere is more or less like many of the bars in Worcester, there is something comforting about your surroundings…run of the mill enough to feel like you have been there before, while still with an edge that only the City of Worcester can provide.

When reviewing the menu, I found that it was very overwhelming. The menu is massive, spanning several pages. However, it was filled with a lot of comfort food classics, as well as a wide variety of pastas and seafood to satisfy anything that you might be in the mood for in a given night. When all was said and done, we decided to start with fried pickles ($5.99). This is always a dish I gravitate towards whenever I see them on the menu. The combination of the tanginess of the pickle and the crunchiness of the batter is a great way to activate the taste buds. When these are paired with their spicy Russian dipping sauce, you cannot go wrong. When it came to picking a meal, I wanted to go off the beaten path a bit. I find myself usually drawn towards burgers, or seafood, so I didn’t want to be a victim of my own menu choices. I decided to order the Boynton Chicken Bomber ($7.99), after it came highly recommended by another Foodie. This sandwich is shaved chicken steak is grilled and sautéed onions then topped with American cheese and mayo, served on a toasted Italian loaf with a side of French fried potato wedges. The flavors that this sandwich presented me with were great. The shaved chicken reminded me of a great cheesesteak, and the sautéed onions provided a nice sweetness to the sandwich. The bread was a great vessel for the sandwich, being light and fluffy on the interior but having a nice crunchy exterior. The only downside was that I would like to have a better ratio of bread to meat. The bread engulfed the filling to the point where I had trouble finding the meat with each bite. There can always be worse problems to have than that though.

The waitress that was assigned to us for the evening seemed to be very attentive to all of our needs. For a Tuesday night, the restaurant seemed unusually busy (although I’m told that the Boynton is busy like that almost every day). I would have like to have seen the waitress around a few more times over the course of the night, but I know the hospitality business is a hectic one. When she was around, she did a fantastic job. Her absence did not detract from my overall experience for the night.

The Boynton on Highland Street is an institution within the city of Worcester. It is nice to see how they have built it up and grown over the years into an establishment that is synonymous with great food, a large bar selection, good atmosphere and who could forget those “Boynton Buckets”. Whether you are looking for a night out on the town with your friends or a nice sit-down meal filled with a wide array of options, you would have a tough time finding a better place to satisfy your culinary wishes than the Boynton.

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Boynton’s Whiskey, Beer, and Cider Dinner