We were in the area last week and decided to grab an early dinner at Neptune for the first time in a few years. We’ve always had great meals at Neptune in the past, but the overall hassle (location, crowds, service) made it a place we only go once in awhile, and somewhere we never plan to meet others. The experience this time was definitely downhill, with food quality and value not being what it once was and the negatives being ramped up a bit.
The restaurant was already full at 5p. A couple literally tried to run in front of us as we were about to ascend the first step in the restaurant. We entered and pushed forward enough so they could come in out of the cold. When the server managing the list came over a minute later, the woman in the couple tried to blurt her name immediately. The server had seen us enter and looked at me asking our name first. People make me laugh. We were quoted a 15 minute wait and they took our cell# (still a great system); this estimate was pretty much spot on. There were several tourists in the restaurant documenting their meals using large DSLRs. I own such a camera as well, but there is a time and place. It is odd to have people panning back with zoom lenses in such a small place. One of the paparazzi was seated right by the door when we first entered with the Cioppino in front of her. The same dish, barely touched was still in front of her when we returned for our table, and still there when we left after finishing our meal.
We shared a bunch of raw bar and dishes. The oysters were very fresh, but surprisingly not as well shucked as usual. I’ll chalk it up to an off night as Neptune generally has some of the best shuckers to be found anywhere. However we had a few oysters with shell bits, and few others in which the liquor was not retained. Also very strange was the mignonette. It was relatively flavorless and had oil droplets floating in it. When the waitress came by I asked if this was the mignonette. She tersely replied that yes, they make it with Lombroso and quickly left before I could even follow up (in typical Neptune fusion). I do not prefer mignonette with oil, and don’t remember being this way at Neptune in the past. I assume someone in the kitchen messed up and forgot to add vinegar as well. At any rate, it was a terrible, flavorless mignonette and we just used the cocktail sauce.
The octopus cocktail, a favorite on past visits, was disappointment. The octopus was not tender and the portion size seems to have shrunk while the price increased. They had live uni served in the shell, which was delicious. Few places in the area have or serve live uni, so this was a treat. Also the special snapper crudo with black garlic was delicious.
The food was definitely hit and miss. For Neptune to be worthwhile the food really needs to be unequaled. Also the portions felt small and the bill high for our meal. Neptune is still booming based on their reputation and the tourist traffic, however I am thankful there are new options in the area. The bottom line is I will take Select Oyster or Row 34 over Neptune 8 days a week.
For an oyster bar with full time shuckers, having shell bits and liquor not retained seem to suggest they have a newbie on staff. But even that is not a good excuse as their more experienced staff should pay attention on how the newbie is doing. For an oyster bar, that just shouldn’t have happened.
I always found it imposssible to park, overpriced, and unless you timed it exactly correctly, difficult to get into.
The “Be glad you are here” attitude of the owner was extrordinary and the staff usually overwhelmed.
Full disclosure, Its fish. Dont overcook it and its all the same. Even the huge fan I used to go with has given up on it and that is just fine with me. I go over to Courthouse, or New Deal and cook it at his house.
Much better, though it still makes terrible leftovers.
We were not seated at the bar, but at a table all the way in back so I did notice. However I think I remember hearing that Michael Serpa had hired some of Neptune’s talent when he opened Select.
I looked at Select’s web site and their operation person is from Colombia. No mention of shuckers. So perhaps there is additional ‘Colombian talent drain’ going on.
My significant other is adverse to lines/crowds, so I’d never been to NO. However my second SO (Spring Onion) is game and she suggested we try NO while my spouse was on a business trip. We arrived around 4:30 on a Friday. There were about 4 groups in line ahead of us, but we were seated in around 20 minutes, which passsed quickly since it was great to catch up with my daugther. During that time there were multiple persons trying to jump the line, but the hostess was pretty attentive and managed to deflect every one.
We were seated at a two-top that had been joined with another two-top to create a four-top, with two men who had been ahead of us in line sharing the four-top. It was …cozy, but we were starving and grateful to be seated, so it didn’t phase us. We started with an assortment of oysters, a plate of white anchovies, scallop crudo, and sardines with burrata and crispy prosciutto. Glasses of a nice picpoul from Marine Layer that we ordered with the oysters didn’t arrive until we finished our 4th plate, even though I asked what happened to them. Next we shared the famous lobster roll, tuna crostini, and one sea urchin each. The lobster roll…well the lobster was generous and fine, but the roll was spongy. I wouldn’t put theirs in my top 5, so I don’t quite understand why it gets the accolades. Row 34 does a better lobster roll…and many places in Maine. We finished with the johnny cake, and with its sweet honey butter, it actually made a nice desert. That was by far the most unique dish. We enjoyed it.
I loved the vibe of NO - it reminded me a bit of the original No Name, before they expanded.
Did you get the lobster roll with hot butter? I haven’t been to NO for well over a decade, but I did enjoy it the last time. There was a lot of hot butter so not surprisingly the roll did get a tad soggy. The lobster was fantastic. I remember loving the peekytoe crab salad, clam chowder, and especially the oysters “piggybacks”, fried oysters on pork confit.
You two put away a lot of food! I hope the cost was worth it.
It was a long time ago that I was last there…before we adopted our son, and that anniversary is coming up in a week…18 years ago. Would love to make it back soon. In the long ago past, we had good luck going mid afternoon on a weekday, and parking at the Boston Public Market.
We went with the cold roll…with the $10 caviar bump. The sponginess was inherent to the roll…seemed like a supermarket hotdog bun. They are dealing in luxe ingredients, too bad they don’t avail themselves of fresh brioche buns available all over.
It was a lot of food…we ordered while hungry and should have dialed it back
oh, cold and soggy…supermarket hot dog bun…sounds very unappealing! And yes, fresh brioche buns are widely available. Not good! If I make it back anytime soon, will avoid lobster roll.
I remember getting the available at the bar only lobster grilled cheese in our neighborhood at Bergamot many times years ago. For a while it wasn’t available because the chef wasn’t happy with the available bread and decided to make it himself. Admirable attention to detail and it was spectacular.
I can understand the eyes bigger than the stomach…especially on a special occasion, and the menu descriptions sound so tasty.
Interesting. Perhaps they have changed recently to supermarket buns. Their website says they use brioche rolls, and although these can also be found in supermarket packs these days, other searches suggest that in the past, at least ,their source was Iggy’s.
