Mike wanted to show Mishi some place nice so we checked out Great Bay, which I heard a lot of good things about. Keith and I tagged along. Great Bay is a seafood restaurant inside the new Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. The place has a pretty cool underwater theme going, with an "island" in the center of the room which puts out raw food and appetizers. A nice-looking bar runs along one wall. We sat in the back part of the main room. I've read numerous reports that Great Bay is the best place in Boston right now for good, inventive seafood preparations.
halibut tacos, mango salsa, pickled onions, avocado - $12
maine diver scallops, blood orange, leeks, Carolina white rice risotto - $32
I thought the food was really good. The halibut had a nice fresh taste with a slight tang. The shells were crisp and held their form well. The mango salsa was sweet and refreshing. My scallops were also wonderful - big, plump, tender, and tasty. They had a beatufiul smooth texture. The blood orange sauce went well together with the risotto. Very good scallops overall - Ahrie, you'd like these.
Food around the table was not as successful. The prices are fairly steep here, and Mike and Keith didn't find their dishes very exceptional or worth the money (they had salmon and cod, I believe). The big problem with this place however was the service. Our waiter was generally friendly, but there is something very strange with the timing here that needs working out. We went in the middle of the week and the place was mostly empty, but for some reason we waited an hour in between courses. We ended up staying there for something like two and a half hours, which was far longer than we wanted. By the time our mains came, everyone was so hungry and frustrated that we were probably angry at the food. I guess I was lucky to have picked the best dish. That said, come dessert time, we figured we were there for that long already so we may as well stick around a bit longer.
homemade butterscotch pudding, caramelized pecans, whipped cream - $9
We were so glad we stayed. Their signature butterscotch pudding is absolutely decadent - rich, smooth, creamy, and just all-out awesome. One of the best desserts I've had in a long time. That said, it's definitely quite heavy, and the four of us barely finished it.
In general I thought my food was pretty good, but the place certainly isn't cheap. I really hope the timing issues were either bad luck, or get worked out, because it really ruined the whole meal for us. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if I stopped by just to eat that pudding again...