Meal Review - BENNIGANS

Bennigans 8 Park Place Boston MA My S.O. and I have taken to going to Bennigans quite frequently lately. It's only two short stops from our place of work on the T, and it's located in the theatre district, which means on that occasion that we are going to the area, there's a decent place to eat. We've been going to the area a lot lately, for shows at the Boston Common movie theatre, and so Bennigans is a good place to go. It's located in the Boston Transportation Building, and you can enter either from the street, or from a door inside the building's food court. We usually opt for the former, since the latter means you're coming in from the backside and end up looping around much of the interior of the restaurant before getting to the person on duty who's seating the patrons. And you pretty much feel like an idiot as people stare at you as you walk by. Tonight, we're shown to a table and told by our seater that our waiter's name is Charlie and that he'll be by in a moment to take our order. He informs us of the new "Fridays" ripoff deal that they have, which is to mix and match several items for a full meal, and then departs. The first thing we notice is that they've completely changed the menu from our previous visit there just two weeks earlier. The Teriyaki Salmon that I found so delicious two weeks earlier is no longer on the menu, replaced by Cajun Salmon...no thanks. The second thing we notice is something that Bennigans has been pleasantly devoid of on all our previous visits. Several servers gather at the table next to us, and loudly proclaim (as if we could avoid hearing them), "Attention Everybody! We've got someone over here celebrating a very special birthday!" They then proceed to sing their birthday song in off-key voices and clap loudly along. Call me a scrooge, but I HATE these ridiculous displays. I always have, and we and our friends have an agreement - whenever we go out for birthdays, we NEVER mention it to the staff. And anyone who causes one of these asinine displays at our table will be flogged - BADLY. Not only does it deeply embarrass the guest of honor (something which Texas Roadhouse restaurants have down to a science), it makes every other guest in the restaurant completely uncomfortable...and sympathizing with the poor schmo who has to endure it. Friends do NOT embarrass friends in public...not intentionally at least. Charlie, our server, arrives, introduces himself, and takes our drink orders (two Pepsi's - big thrilling lives we have) and an order of potato skins. I then start to peruse the new menu, but I start to panic first because I'm reaching into my backpack and cannot find my glasses. I think that maybe I've left them at work, but a few frantic moments produces them from a pocket I normally don't put them it - I had been distracted when packing my stuff up for the night, and put them in the wrong place. We just make up our mind when Charlie returns with our drinks and we both order the Tempura Shrimp. Kim had these last time we were here, and they were delicious, so we decide on them again. But neither one of us like cole slaw, so we substitute Garlic Mash instead. As we talk about the day's work and our meal, and Charlie brings our Potato Skins, I realize that the chef must think we're crazy - our meal consists of golden battered shrimp and THREE different kinds of potatoes - the skins as our appetizer, and the garlic mash and french fries that come with the shrimp dinner. Just what we need - starch, starch and MORE starch. The meal is brought to the table, and as last time, the shrimp is GB & D. Whatever kind of batter Bennigan's uses, I want the recipe. The batter is thin, crispy, buttery, and melts in your mouth. It really is the perfect batter. The shrimp are tender and juicy, and as we both love shrimp anyway, they're the perfect thing for this Friday evening. On the previous occasions we've been in, our servers have been young, with that "I know everything" attitude you get so often these days, and barely attentive at times. Charlie has been the complete opposite. He's friendly, a little older than other servers that work here (probably in his late 20s or early 30s), extremely attentive (he brought us both refills on our Pepsi without asking when he saw our glasses getting low), and stops by frequently to make sure we're enjoying our meal. We are. Charlie definately gets a big tip. We skip dessert because our trips to Bennigans are really just to get a good meal before our TRUE destination - the Cold Stone Creamery ice cream parlor just down the street (a review will be forthcoming) and the real reason we come down here. All in all, this evening's experience was very pleasant, and we'll continue to patronize this place because it's close to work, has good, decent, everyday food (even if they don't have the Teriyaki Salmon any longer) and down to earth prices. SCORES Atmosphere - 3.5 Wait Staff - 4.5 Food - 4.5 Price - 4.5 ____________ Total Experience points = 17 (out of 20)