Monday, April 18, 2011

Publick House, Brookline

There are some places that just seem to be made for groups.  They invite you in with a diverse menu full of approachable options, they offer ample seating where all can gather comfortably, and perhaps, if you're into that sort of thing, a pretty substantial beer menu.  The Publick House, in Brookline, offers all of those things.  Invoking the name of the age old public houses located throughout Britain, these drinking establishments were, and are, places for all to gather to enjoy a pint (or two) of  beer and catch up with neighbors and friends.  Wider known, these spots are often called Pubs.  However The Publick House in Brookline evokes all of these ageless traditions- offering long communal tables, a selection of European beers, and a menu of classic comfort food without any pretense.

Friday evening Jen and her husband Carlos, Katie, Aimee, Richard and I gathered at The Publick House to catch up, and enjoy some of their delicious fare.  I have been to Publick House several times- however I always order their Moules Frites, which I have been disappointed with the past few times I've been, so last night, since we were all buzzing about their veggie burger, I decided to change up my order.  Their veggie burger is a mix of carrots, zucchini, cilantro, and in a twist from the norm, green peas.  There are a whole list of customizing options that you can choose from- and I went for topping mine with blue cheese and chili aioli.  They also have a list of possible side options, and I decided to go with the side salad, especially since we were ordering their thin cut fries as an appetizer to share.

The fries that were served as an appetizer were good. They were hot, some were very crisp, some were not, but they were all well flavored and very natural tasting. They were served with a beer mustard, and a garlic aioli (though I'm not positive of that one-the beer based mustard was too fantastic). Though I normally enjoy a more universally crisp fry, these had a very homemade feel which I really liked.

Finally thigh the long awaited moment arrived and my burger was served. Looking at my plate, I was a little disappointed as it was served with French fries, as opposed to the side salad I requested. However, as disappointed as I was at the error I was far too excited to dive into the burger to complain. Now if you haven't been able to tell-I am a burger fan-I love a good red meat burger. The reviews though of this pattie made of vegetables made me want to give it a good ol'college try. I have to say-this was one of the best burgers I've had. They achieved a perfect crisp on the outside that crackled as it gave way to the dense interior. What really stood out though was the flavor combination. The cilantro gave off that wonderful fresh flavor that it's known for, but did so in a way that wasn't overpowering. The peas stole the show though-their light, sweet flavor was a perfect compliment to the rest of the patty and made it truly unique. I loved the combination of their sweetness with the pungent flavor of the liberally applied blue cheese. My own personal favorite flavor combination (of the moment) is blue cheese and spice, so the chili aioli was delicious and added great spice to the burger.

I really loved this burger. It's flavor combinations, texture appeal and my own personal additions made it hearty and satisfying both to my hunger and my cravings. Publick House has once again won my heart as a freat spot for food, and a fantastic spot to relax with friends and enjoy our time together.

5 comments:

Emily @ A Cambridge Story said...

The Publick House is such a great place to meet friends. Love the beers and simple comfort food!

Meghan@travelwinedine said...

We used to live around the corner from the Publick House (then Anam Cara) and have always had amazing food and beer there. It is one of my favorites!

Jen said...

So glad the veggie burger lived up the all they hype! As I've said time and time again, I always get it at PH. So much fun hanging out on Friday. See you soon.

toenail fungus treatment said...

What I love about the place is those great veggie burgers and ice cold drinks.

Anonymous said...

Everything comes to him who waits.

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