Gastronomy

Asana at theMandarin Oriental: chic and contemporary

At the heart of happening Boston, on Boylston Street, the Mandarin Oriental, which opened in December 2008, blends contemporary charm with the Asian accents that are in synch with its roots. The restaurant Asana is no exception to this. A large, fluid expanse of lean lines, with exposed white stone walls and reflected light, it flanks the M Bar & Lounge which is the meeting place for hip young Boston. One small drawback to it: the noise from next door, which carries over into the open space of the dining room. 
This is the realm of chef Nicolas Boutin, originally from the Poitou region and having trained at Troisgros. After a stint at Lameloise restaurant in France and at the Landmark in Hong Kong, his no-nonsense, but contemporary cuisine and sprinkled with Asian flavors, brings you to Asana, the end of an adventurous trail. On offer is his signature dish « wild lobster with green papaya coriander, grapefruit and Thai vinegar» as well as his «fried Foie gras on a Donut with Vermont apples », a nod to America's traditional loveaffair with the Donut.
Tweaking classic dishes with his personal imaginative touch, this is innovative cuisine if sometimes a little heavily spiced. But the menu changes every 3 months and always looks fresh and interesting.
If you're looking for  privacy, try reserving the chef's table, a glass-enclosed nook which gives you first tier seating in the chef's kitchen.
Not to be missed.

North 26 at the Millennium Hotel: central and lively

Freedom's cradle that is Boston, Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston has become a hallmark destination for tourists from all over the world. With its striking stonework, the Millennium Hôtel has zipped its contemporary facade into the bosom of Boston's historic district. Bought in 1970 by the Millennium group and renovated in 2007, it lies on the threshold of history and its restaurant North 26 faces Faneuil Hall. Its modern design starts with a red lobby that is both surprising and yet discreet. A long library lines the walls, a fire roars in the grate and sofas are placed throughout. The elegance of the 201 rooms, 60% of which have their own flowered balconies, is the ensemble of black furnishings matched with light or gray walls and checkered leather headboards in bronze and chocolate.
And in the restaurant, it's the same feeling of light and space. In honey tones and pale wood, the room is framed by high ceilings and its huge bay windows that overlook the square. The chef, Brian Flagg, a renowned Boston foodie, interprets his New England cuisine, where traditional Clam Chowder (cream soup of shellfish and potato) nestles alongside tender herbed cod or roasted squid with capers and sundried tomatoes, served on a bed of polenta. The brunch menu is equally appetizing.
This is a restaurant for grazing, rather like the typical French brasserie -- reasonable prices and ideally located. Across the way is North End, where Little Italy is ready to greet you.

Guy Martin's Sensing at the Fairmont, Long Battery

The Freedom Trail or Chemin de la Liberté is a red brick line that one can follow on foot to cover the 6 kilometer distance between Boston's principal monuments.  Truly an historic journey, you must keep going as far as Battery Wharf, behind North End, to the Fairmont, and try Guy Martin's new Sensing to get the full experience.
The hotel, newly opened in 2008, belongs to the Fairmont chain. It is a striking modern structure anchored on the bay of Boston with contemporary style rooms that offer different bay views.
Sensing exudes its inescapable elegance and zen quality at first sight with its low ceiling, pale wood and aniseed accented banquettes. The overtones of this restaurant seem to be lightness and radiance.
Light also is the cuisine of its young chef Gérard Barbin (age 26), who works under the direction of the famous French chef, Guy Martin, and offers his choice of local Boston produce infused with gastronomic tastes and flavors. It includes « Rutabaga and Tom Yum soup, fig jam, comtécheese and cocoa nibs », a savory soup whose flavors explode on the palate as well as « Cod steamed in lemongrass, seasonal vegetables, coconut and grapefruit sauce » which is steamed codfish so artfully prepared that its presentation alone is a feast for the eyes.
With Guy Martin's full endorsement, this young chef has also trained under Pierre Hermé and GuySavoie. He is off to a promising start.  One to watch!
The prices will not startle and you can easily lunch on the excellent vegetarian sandwich for $11 or the Kobe beef one with tomato confit and Swiss cheese, for example.
What's more, there's a three-course set menu at dinner for $40, a nice surprise for a venue that is so zen-like. Why wait?

The Clink at the Liberty Hotel: contemporary hip

A former prison converted into a luxury hotel, restaurant and chic bar. What could surprise and astonish more? See for yourself. And keep in mind that the prison was in use until 1999.
Ideally sited at the foot of Beacon Hill and the antiques stores of Charles Street, this establishment still retains a few traces of its highly unusual history.
Principally, the cells that are now hotel rooms; a bar that is an electrifying nighttime meeting place  for the in-crowd; and, at lobby level accessed by an escalator, an immense hexagonal space where the prison walkways (the corridors leading to cell-blocks) converged, now reconfigured into balconies on the mezzanine.
The Clink adjoins the lobby and reconciles a contemporary look with the red bricks that line the lobby's walls.
The restaurant is lively at night and attracts an eclectic crowd.
The menu features quality produce, especially seafood and some excellent cuts of meat. This being the US, the portions are generous.  
As for wine, there is a wide choice of a la carte or affordable bottles and a good selection of wines by the glass.