The Independent Restaurant and Bar (Somerville, MA)
Posted by Lena on April 22, 2011 in Boston, Featured, Photos, Restaurants
Tags: beer bars, grassfed burgers, Independent Restaurant, MA, Patrick Dyer Wolf, Sally O'Brien's, Somerville, Union Square
This post is by Eat With Me contributor Lena!
The social aspect of living in and around Boston is often defined by where the T (subway) stops; main hubs like Porter Square, Harvard Square, and Davis Square get the lion’s share of the traffic and attention. But the smaller squares in between, like Union Square in Somerville, also have their own set of charms. Union Square is home to a dozen pubs, restaurants, bars, international food markets, and coffee shops. One of these is The Independent Restaurant and Bar, a cozy establishment in the heart of Union Square with an extensive beer selection and friendly, neighborhoody vibe.
The interior is paneled in dark wood, with a large decorative faux fireplace on one wall. The bar runs along the right side as you enter, while tall tables line the opposite side. It’s a place without pretense; upon entering, we were greeted by a four-year-old caught mid-waddle, staring up at us with his arms and legs seemingly stuck together. “I’m a penguin,” he informed us. We nodded, gravely acknowledging his undeniable penguin-ness.
Our server was a friendly guy who didn’t bat an eye when we told him our musician friend Patrick Dyer Wolf needed to get to his own concert and was looking for the quickest thing on the menu. It was too bad he had to go, because The Independent, for all of its self-effacing aw-shucks attitude, has a killer menu.
Matteo ordered the House Gnocchi and Oxtail Pearl Onions, Mushrooms, in a Braising Reduction.
I went for the Oysters Served on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette and Cocktail Sauce: Cotuit (Cotuit Bay, Massachusetts) and Umami (Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island) and the P.E.I Mussels in a Tomato, Roasted Garlic and Pepperoncini Broth with Grilled Baguette while Matt ordered the special, a Grass-fed Cheeseburger with French Fries and House-Made ‘Katsup.’
Everything was delicious; the mussels arrived in a steaming, savory broth that was rich and flavorful. The fresh chopped parsley sprinkled liberally over the whole thing set off the tanginess of the slightly spicy broth. Matt’s cheeseburger, he reports, was excellent; fresh, very lean and full-flavored, the burger was accompanied by the perfect amount of sea salt and the house-made ‘katsup’ – spelling notwithstanding – was perfect.
It was a great meal and we would have lingered longer, except we needed to make Pat’s show at nearby establishment Sally O’Brien’s. For more info on Pat, visit his website at PatrickDyerWolf.com.
