Restaurant Review: Gaslight Brasserie

For restaurant week, I met my friend & former publishing colleague Lindsey for dinner at Gaslight Brasserie in the South End. I know restaurant week gets a lot of mixed reviews — people tend to think chefs put in less effort and just focus on churning out cheaper dishes that are quick and easy to prepare. But I like it because it gives me the chance to try out new places that I wouldn’t otherwise go to and serves as a reminder to get out and sample what the town has to offer.

The South End has a lot of hype, but overall, the meal was pretty good. We started off sharing a portion of escargot, which was good… but not great. It’s hard to compare to the ultimate BEST escargot I’ve ever had — at Bistro Citron in the New York City’s Upper West Side. My sister Claire and I also spotted McKee from AMTM sitting outside enjoying a glass of wine and their escargot one summer. But she was coming out of the Subway next door.

Next up Gaslight was a goat cheese salad, part of their restaurant week menu. It was also pretty good, but would have been amazing if they’d served the goat cheese warm.

For the main entree, Lindsey and I both ordered the tagliatelle with red-wine braised chicken and bacon lardons. First of all, everything tastes better with bacon, and second, the chicken was soft and tender. Restaurants routinely overcook chicken and serve it dry — a pet-peeve of mine and the main reason I never order chicken out at restaurants. But I was pleasantly surprised with Gaslight’s dish.

Plus, they incorporated a complimentary glass of Merlot as part of their menu. Nice touch.

Grade: B+