Mooo.... 15 Beacon Street, Boston (617)670.2515 www.mooorestaurant.com
I respect vegetarians. Better yet I respect the idea of vegetarians. I'm not really impressed with their reasoning sometimes (healthier? I feel great after a huge steak), or how they look upon others who don't share their opinion (you are better than me? You most certainly are not - just different), and I'm REALLY not impressed with some of their explanations of habits (fish isn't a meat? What are you talking about of course it is a meat). I still think it is a noble endeavor to undertake - protesting the mistreatment and cruelty of animals by refusing to eat them.
I'm not going to do it though.
And so when I read about a restaurant that serves (primarily) meat dishes (steak specifically) and is named after the noise that you will never hear in there because it's filled to the brim with corpses of said animals I get a little excited. Not excited like I USED to get when a new Will Ferrell movie was coming out (you gotta win me back over man - the Landlord wasn't funny enough to make up for three terrible movies in a row) but pretty darn excited. I love good food and although I'll be damned if I'm going to be called a foodie I guess I kind of am. Luckily Boston is one hell of a city to be one in.
CIA graduate and Mooo.... chef/owner Jamie Mammano (also of Mistral and Teatro fame) does not cut corners. From the location (right next to the State House), to the interior (classy yet simple), and most importantly the food - he aims to impress with a little creativity and a lot of talent.
The meal started with Kobe Beef Dumplings, which come in a ginger, scallion, and soy sauce. Although Kobe beef in steak form is considered a delicacy (I'm not sure I like the idea of someone massaging my food before it's killed - kinda awkward) the ground beef seems to have flown under the radar (or maybe it's just a part of the cow that DOESN'T get a massage). It still has a unique taste to it and with this particular sauce and soft doughy shell it is pretty flawless as an appetizer.
Our waiter, bless his soul, seemed a little overwhelmed with life and as such brought the bread during the appetizer instead of before, which actually ended up paying off. More of a freshly baked pretzel with sea salt on the top than the standard pre-cooked bread even some of the nicest restaurants offer it went well with the sweet butter or with a little of the ginger soy sauce on it.
As a direct result of not being a millionaire or completely insane it was mere novelty that there is a $14,000 bottle of Heidsieck Monopole "Gout Americain" champagne offered (as I am sure it is for most folks) and we went for the MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir which ended up being the perfect subtle red wine to accompany our main course.
The main course was the expected highlight of the night and turned out to be that and more. Steak options are aplenty and although it may be tempting to order the Weiner Schnitzel or Lamb Chops it would be just downright foolish to do so and pass up the single most delicious Filet Mignon this side of the Mississippi. Coming with bone marrow butter (it's all about using every part of the animal - well, every part that isn't disgusting) it pairs nicely but works even better on its own. Ordered rare as recommended it literally melted in your mouth even with a slightly crispy outside it was a flawless piece of meat. In fact it was the only piece of meat I have ever had that could potentially convince me to order something Blue (that is the step BELOW rare ... yup, barely cooked red meat).
The truffled parmesan fries were delicious as well but there was no need for anything other than the meat to be present for this to be a truly tremendous meal.
This may be one of many restaurants that Chef Mammano has garnered copious amounts of praise for but there is little question that in terms of his work with meat - this is his masterpiece.