Trade Boston

When my cousin and her family came into Boston over the Thanksgiving holiday for an extended visit, they wanted to do dinner at one of the many restaurants she sees on this blog!  They were staying at the Marriott Long Wharf, so I was trying to think of a good place to meet up that would be simple (tougher than one might assume in Boston!).  Finally it dawned on me - Trade, Jody Adams' new restaurant at Atlantic Wharf.  Between the buzz surrounding Trade and the fact that it's a straight shot from the Marriott I immediately made some reservations.

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving I headed over to Trade after work and was there a bit early, which gave me some time to snap a few shots of the amazing interior and a beer.  I decided on the Delirium, something I had never had before, but a Belgium Ale that happened to be a bit higher in alcohol content sounded perfect to me!  That, and the cute elephants on the tap and the glass ;)

Delirium

The interior of Trade is quite striking with the combination of the washed out industrial I-beams, the con-caved brick ceilings and the fun lighting throughout.  The contrast in style really comes together in the cavernous space to make a place you want to come and hang out at.

The Bar Area

Trade has quickly become a go-to space for after work, so even though we were there on a Tuesday night the place was packed.  Once the 4 of us had all arrived, we were quickly seated at our table in the front of the restaurant along the huge windows looking out over the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

The Trade menu is made of up dishes inspired by Adams' trips across the world, including anywhere from India and Asia as well as right here in New England.  Needless to say there is an eclectic mix of food on the menu.

My cousin decided to start out with a steamed artichoke drizzled with some oil and garnished with parsley, served with an aioli for dipping.  This is a nice appetizer you do not see at many restaurants - a nice clean dish.

Artichoke

Nick went with something a lot less traditional: the grilled squid and fried tentacles with Borlotti beans and vinegar peppers.  Nick enjoyed this salad with all the good flavors and textures.  The vinegar from the peppers added a great tangy bite to each mouthful.

Grilled Squid and Fried Tentacles

While there were a number of great looking menu items, I of course went for the burger - by now any reader of this blog should not be surprised!  The Trade burger is served with pancetta, Vermont cheddar and grilled onion.  The burger was a good and solid sandwich.  Mine was a tad overdone - more medium than medium rare, but I am used to that by now!  However, the one thing I wish came out more was the pancetta as it got a bit lost in the mix.

The Burger!

I guess I can officially say I am now on a brussels sprout kick.  Turns out I actually like them as long as they are not boiled or soggy!  These brussels sprouts were roasted with Allepo pepper and nuts.  Loads of good flavors mixed in with the roasted sprouts - who knew these were going to become one of my go-to's?

Brussel Sprouts

With the open wood fire pizza oven well displayed behind the bar when you walk into the restaurant, I was not surprised by the number of flat-breads on the menu.

Pizza Oven

Nick decided to go with the rosemary, ricotta salata and sea salt flat-bread, which he really enjoyed though it was a bit on the small side.  The pizza crust had a nice bite at the top but was soft and fluffy on the inside.  While I did not have a taste, it did look a little sad when it was brought out to him.  I did love that it was served on a nice wooden board. 

Flat-Bread

My cousin's husband wanted seafood when he came to New England, so he went directly for the fish special.  I cannot recall the exact type of fish, but our server likened it to a sea bass.  When served, it came out complete with head and all.  While it did require a bit of work to eat, it was worth it.

Whole Fish

I had glanced at the menu during work that day to help better prepare myself and determined that I would have to hold off on an appetizer to make sure I had room for dessert - the options just looked too good!  Being in the chocolate mood (even though I was splitting with Nick) I decided on the Taza chocolate budino with sea salt, rosemary and a hazelnut wafer.  I loved this dessert!  The flavor combination was incredible and the texture of the budino was smooth and delicious.  I really enjoyed the salt and rosemary cutting some of the sweetness of the chocolate out.  I would highly recommend this!

Budino

My cousin and her husband decided to split the Maine apple crostada with sweet cream and caramel, which they enjoyed - there was not one bit of it left on the plate!

Crostada

Overall I really enjoyed the ambiance of Trade - it was definitely bustling with an after work crowd that flowed directly into diners enjoying an evening out.  The food is good but I expect it will only get better.  I highly recommend you take a trip to Trade and enjoy the new Atlantic Wharf!