Pescatore or Out of the Blue?

[eggplant333.livejournal.com]

Hi friends, I'm wanting to make a dinner reservation for a family visit (6 ppl) later this month. I'm thinking Italian/Seafood is safe, since there will be grandmothers in tow, and it seems like people really like Pescatore and Out of the Blue. Any recommendations either way?

Thanks!

Comments

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I've never been to Pescatore, but I've enjoyed Out of the Blue. It's not exceptional, but the food is quite decent, portions are hefty, and the prices are reasonable. Plus, they carry Duvel, which IMO is the perfect accompaniment to their seafood fra diavolo (nicely spicy, btw).

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

They both have very good food and very high quality fish. Pescatore is a little bit more intimate (dim lighting, slightly more formally decorated space); the food is a little more 1st generation Italian I'd say.

Out of the Blue is a slightly more casual setting and the menu strikes me as a little more like a classic later-generation immigrant seafood place (also, I think the menu is Italian-ish but the owners are Greek.)

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

If you want to venture a little further, there's a wonderful place called Mount Vernon's on the corner of Broadway and Mount Vernon street (near highway 93 and nearish Sullivan Square). http://mtvernonrestaurants.com/

It looks like a dive from outside, but inside it's very home-y. One thing this place has going for it is that "old people" seem to congregate there for the early bird specials; this means that the value is excellent, and your grandmothers-in-tow will definitely be happy. Don't miss out on getting their popovers (which come as the free "bread" with your meal); they're huge but hollow and fresh out of the oven yummy. They often have a special for lobster - 2 smaller lobsters, boiled, for $20 (or less, sometimes $14.95), which you can't beat that price. The only items to be wary of are the cooked veggie sides: often they are "grandmother-style" which means "overcooked until the greens are greyish and mushy". So get the salad instead of side veggies, and you may decide, like my hubbie and I have, that this place is your standard "good food/nice place to go out to eat" place.

ps: they also have two much nicer looking locations: in Revere Beach on Rte 1A, right on the wharf with wonderful views, and on Rte 1 in Saugus, they are the restaurant that looks like a big old sailing ship.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

My issue with Mt Vernon was them not letting us know, when they offered a side salad with dinner, that it cost extra.

I have no problem with it costing extra.
I have a problem with not saying "would you like a side salad for $x.50?"

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

OMG Pescatore! One of my favorite restaurants in the whole Boston area. I've never had a bad meal there. The seafood fra diavalo is WONDERFUL, full of lobster and shrimp and scallops. Their new pizza is also very good, caesar salad is excellent, and they have an extremely affordable wine list. It's a pretty small place so you may have to wait for a table. I've never been to Out of the Blue.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

Correction: It's actually called Fusilli Amalfi, not seafood fra diavolo... There's a picture of it in the top right-hand corner of their webpage that's making my mouth water :)

[georgy.livejournal.com]

I agree, I looooooooooove that dish there.

[houlette.livejournal.com]

I've been to both places, and while Out of the Blue is good, Pescatore is my favorite seafood/Italian place in the Boston area. The haddock paisano... amazing!

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

I've never tried Pescatore but I agree with the comments on Out of the Blue.

I have always wanted to try Moulton's in Medford, which has good reviews.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/moultons-seafood-restaurant-medford

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

Moulton's is great take away. I have been underwhelmed by out of the blue on 3 occasions. I find the fish overcooked, underspiced, and generally under whelming considering all the great seafood places around here.

Like Dolphin outside Harvard Square or East Coast Grill in Inman. Heck, Summer Shack can pull off some dishes (though you'll pay for em. Aside from Oysters, they are overpriced). B+G also can dish out some great seafood (and awesome oysters). East Ocean in Chinatown is also a show stopper when it comes to seafood.

[tom-champion.livejournal.com]

I have eaten at Pescatore twice and at OotB many times. That stat is indicative of my preference -- although I know people who sincerely love Pescatore.

My personal experience on both trips to Pescatore was that the service was friendly but erratic, the small dining area was surprisingly drafty, and the food had lost some of its heat by the time it made it to our table.

OotB is always dependable and sometimes just wonderful. Their recipe for monkfish medallions in marsala wine sauce with sun-dried tomatoes is one of Somerville's great culinary achievements (although I always order rice or pasta in lieu of their ubiquitous baked sweet potato).

As noted above, OotB isn't strictly Italian -- more pan-Mediterranean -- but I think of that as a plus.

If I were responsible for a party of six I would definitely go to OotB just because I think they would be more organized in service and timing for a larger party.

For me, "homey" can be a nice part of the restaurant experience, but it's trumped by "professional" every single time.

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

I don't think you can go wrong with either place. I also recommend Al Fresco which is in the location formerly occupied by Out of the Blue.

Lil Vinny's in Magoun Sq is also tasty.

[eggplant333.livejournal.com]

thank you everyone!

[tom-champion.livejournal.com]

Please let us know how it goes . . .

Thanks!

[eggplant333.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that I took my family to Pescatore for graduation dinner last weekend, and it was great. The inside of the restaurant is open and bright with lots of windows, and it wasn't noisy at all, even with a few kids wandering around. The food was really delicious, nice bread with olive oil, fresh salads, and delicious entrees. Just beware if you order one of the specials that the waiter/waitress tells you about {and isn't listed with a price in the actual menu}, it might be quite pricey!

Thanks as always for your advice.
-R