Ostra is fabulous. Some have described it as Boston’s answer to Le Bernadin, which is a ….stretch. But I agree it is very good.
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Eh tu, Digga? And my Spring Onion is entering her junior year.
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I’m with you. Been to the now-closed Summer Shack location in the Back Bay, which scratched the place off my list.
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Just chiming in to say that friends took me for a milestone birthday dinner to Ostra and it was truly exceptional!
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Fifthing (at least?) the others here in saying that I don’t find Summer Shack to be worth a trip. I like all of @MaxEntropy 's substitutions and would also throw in Waypoint just outside Harvard Square. The seafood is excellent (we tend to go for the oysters and the seafood pastas, but there is also fish and chips, fish sandwich, etc. for the classics) and there are also a few non-seafood things (pizzas, etc.) should someone prefer that.
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Thanks for the reminder about Waypoint! I need to add it to my “summer in the city” list of places to revisit.
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Yes! Especially on a nice night when they open the front windows. We like to wander down late on a sunny Sunday afternoon for the $1 oysters.
We had a wonderful time in Cooperstown and Boston – both on and off the diamond. Our trip was exponentially improved by the dining suggestions we obtained from this thread so a big thank you for all the suggestions and tips.
After retrieving our Turo we went for breakfast in Cambridge. Our plan was to check out Friendly Toast, but a plumbing issue caused them to close for the day. Instead, we went to Tatte Bakery – the food was good. We enjoyed the smoked salmon breakfast sando, avocado toast and shakshuka. It hit the spot and was super convenient for the few hours walk around the Harvard campus that followed before heading to Albany.
Albany - shout out to MaxEntropy for recommending the Cheese Traveler – great sandos indeed. Our favorite was the sweet and savory with the smoked duck breast. We also stopped at Ted’s Fish Fry before heading to Cooperstown. The fried seafood was good, not great. I would return if convenient but wouldn’t go out of my way to dine there again.
From what I can tell, Cooperstown is somewhat of a culinary wasteland – unless average pizza and burgers are your thing, so I won’t spend much time on the Cooperstown dining adventures. I will mention that the food served at the Otesaga was the best we had in town.
Boston:
Our first dinner in Boston was at The Daily Catch. The Monkfish Marsala was spectacular. So too the squid ink pasta with scallops that were perfectly seared. The Lobster Fra Diavolo was tasty but less successful. We were hoping for more heat but instead found the sauce while flavorful, not particularly spicy. We also had the fried calamari starter which was fine but we’ve had better.
Midway through the Freedom Trail we stopped at Neptune Oyster – around 11:45. It took us about an hour to get 4 seats at the bar. The food here is special. Both of our boys destroyed their lobster rolls – hot w/butter. I think the star was the Spanish octopus starter – perfectly charred. The fritto misto sandwich was also very flavorful and satisfying. We also shared some tasty crudos.
Next, we dined at Select Oyster, another standout seafood experience. I’m not generally a fan of swordfish but the version served at SO is spectacular and easily the best I’ve ever had. The Spanish octopus was outstanding but not quite as good as the one at Neptune Oyster. Both crudos we tried were vibrant and fresh. One of our boys enjoyed the whole roasted sea bream – I didn’t get a chance to sample the fish but can report that it looked nice on the plate and judging by the pace of consumption was tasty. Finally, the bouillabaisse was nice and filled with lots of good fish, but it wasn’t nearly as successful as the other items we ordered.
Peach Farm – the next day while walking through Chinatown we stopped for lunch. The lobster with ginger & Scallions was our favorite dish. The chicken lo mein, and a spicy chicken dish recommended by our waitress were enjoyed by all.
Our visit to Seaport was cut short by rain, we’re LA weather wimps, so rather than continuing with our walk we grabbed a table at Row34. I sound like a broken record – another successful seafood experience. Boston does seafood right. The oyster sliders were spectacular. So too the chilled blue crab soba noodles. My fish sandwich was very satisfying, and our boys enjoyed the oyster po boy and shrimp bucatini.
Saturday night was spent at Fenway. To honor the striking workers, we decided not to eat in the stadium. After walking the perimeter of the park, we stopped at Sweetgreens. Better than average, fast casual dining but nothing to write home about. I believe they have a few outposts here in California.
We tried to get into the Bleacher Bar – if for no other reason than to check out the men’s room but 2 hours before first pitch the line was already absurdly so we passed. Digga – I’ve got to know what’s the deal with the men’s room? Tomatotomato – we pre-ordered Backdoor donuts as we were departing the stadium. I can report that the apple fritter did not disappoint and kept the boys from complaining on the walk back to the hotel.
Finally, while walking around the town, we stopped at and enjoyed both Flour bakery and Bova’s Bakery. IMO, the cannolis at Mike’s are a bit too sweet. Our boys enjoyed them.
Thanks again for all the wonderful suggestions.
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Just about 160 
Wow, you navigated your visit like a true all-star! Thrilled that you and your family enjoyed. And the apple fritter from Back Door Donuts apparently did its designated job. 
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You ate very well indeed! Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for reporting back.
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You hit it out of the park! While you sampled more highlights than I thought possible, there’s still more to Boston. I hope you’ll bring the family for another visit. Fall is spectacular in New England.
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Wow, thanks for the detailed report, which will help visitors to Boston as well as those of us who live here. I’m so glad that you all, including your sons, enjoyed the seafood here. And that your wait at Neptune Oyster was “only” an hour and you thought it was worth it.
The chef owner of Select Oyster used to be the chef at Neptune Oyster. He’s said he didn’t want to replicate the Neptune recipes. I’m trying to decide whether to request Neptune or Select for my upcoming birthday.
I hope you’ll all return someday!
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I like that Select takes reservations and is less crowded inside, with tables that are spaced further apart. Those are the reasons Select would get my birthday reservation.
The food itself (as I know you know) is amazing at both!
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Foodwise, you can’t go wrong. IMO, the preparation at SO is a bit more refined than NO. I think on balance we enjoyed the food - top to bottom - slightly more at NO. But for a celebratory dinner I think I would lean SO. We never felt rushed at NO but it was clear that they are looking (for obvious reasons) to turn tables quickly. It’s not a place to linger. I seem to recall signs about SO’s oyster happy hour. I think the move would be to make a reservation shortly after the end of HH, arrive early and have some oysters and drinks at the bar before taking your table. We sat outside and it was delightful.
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Stand in line at NO or make a reservation for SO. Seems like a no brainer for a birthday celebration.
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Great report! Glad you were able to get in a lot of good eats, and that you enjoyed your visit.
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