Does anyone have suggestions for a place (ideally near Camberville) which serves a generous enough portion of octopus that it could be eaten as a main? Most places which serve octopus relegate it to the the “Small Plates” or “Appetizer Bites” sections of their menus, and while I’m aware I’m free to order any number of these, most of the time the octopus content is best described as a garnish on plate-spanning portions of potatoes, beans, or salad greens. It doesn’t even have to be a platter Peter Luger’s Octopus House would serve, but it should feature more octopus than would fit in a pinch cup.
I can actually provide one answer: Desfina, a good neighborhood Greek restaurant in East Cambridge - they list it as an appetizer but it’s a decent sized plate of just grilled octopus that’s always tasty if occasionally a bit dry on the outside from the grilling. This is usually my go-to for octopus, but my current DC didn’t like the charred flavor of their grilling style (which I think adds to the dish, but clearly others disagree). So I’m looking for an alternative to make DC happy without ordering a fleet of Octopus Nibbles and murdering a potato field. Any tips?
Great question! Octopus is one of my favorite foods & I have been known to order whenever I see it on a menu, whether it be in Boston, NYC or where I just was, Perugia. My wife always laughs at me when the dish appears and it is one measly tentacle on a big plate, usually priced at $27
That said, I don’t really have an answer, as I’ve perhaps learned my lesson and not ordering it, even though I crave it. My favorite preparation is actually in a salad( Lisbon!), but in Perugia we ordered it twice- in a salad, which was a generous portion, as well as a grilled version, which had three large tentacles, connected, which is much more like it. Probably cost between 10-15 Euros.
I look forward if anyone can provide you a good restaurant!
I don’t have recent experiences to share so can’t speak to the portion size. I do see octopus on a lot of menus, but always as an appetizer or a first course. I am waxing nostalgic about Izzy’s in East Cambridge, which was a great hidden neighborhood place for excellent Puerto Rican food. They did a delicious octopus salad that was always tender and for a very reasonable price. Was something I’d get maybe once a week. RIP Izzy’s.
Not in Camberville, but I recall the serving at Toro in the South End being large-ish for a tapas-style item (although still not “main” sized). We also really enjoyed the octopus at Kava (also South End) but I have no recollection of the size and it’s listed as a small plate on the menu.
I could have sworn we had an excellent octopus dish at Moeca (in Cambridge near Harvard Sq), but the current menu doesn’t list it, so either it was seasonal or I’m losing it.
Since octopus is so overpriced in the US, you won’t find really entree size portions anywhere at a reasonable price. Not the answer you are looking for but plan your next summer vacation in (Southern) Europe and you can feast everyday on spectacular octopus for cheap prices
Not Camberville but Waltham - Amuleto recently had a 1/2 grilled octopus for $29. My dining companion and I split it as our main. Came with a side salad of arugula and tomato. It was a special that day, so you might want to call ahead to see if they have it before you go.
jumping in car to head to Waltham after wiping up drool…
That looks amazing!
Agreed, I’ve mostly had generous portions out of country. There is a hole in the wall seafood place in Ponta Delgada, Azores, right on the harbor that serves an octopus that would exactly fit the bill…
Ooh, that’s perfect - exactly what we’re looking for! Thank you @Amandarama!
I just called Amuleto to see what the deal is. They say they still have it as an ongoing special every day, but they only prepare a small number of them each day, so they run out (especially on weekends?). Go early! And maybe still call to see if they have it.
And thanks for the tips, @kumquat - I’ll be seeing what I can find out about how much octopus is in those dishes.
@kobuta, I miss Izzy’s too.
Going to have to find consolation in an Amuleto half octopus! /2
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