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Journeyman
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
9 Sanborn CtSomerville, MA 02143
(617) 718-2333
- Nearest Transit:
-
Somerville Ave @ Stone Ave (85, 86, 87, 91, CT2)
Somerville Ave @ Prospect St (86, 87)
30 Prospect St (91, CT2)
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Hipster
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
86 reviews for Journeyman
Review Highlights
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"Amuse bouche: Corn droplet with basil oil." In 11 reviews -
"Palate cleanser: Corn custard with blueberries and clover." In 10 reviews
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"I've never had a duck egg sous vide before." In 8 reviews
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86 reviews in English
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Review from Sue H.
Boston, MA
5/1/2012
Journeyman is the epitome of cool. While it's definitely a fine-dining establishment, the ambiance here is just the perfect mix of laid back and relaxed elegance. The food was excellent, and the service was absolutely impeccable. Every little detail at Journeyman is clearly well-thought out and done with purpose. I have nothing but praise for the team that runs the place -- from the awesome servers in the front of house to the chefs cookin' up a storm in the kitchen -- everything runs like clockwork here at Journeyman, and it's an experience you'll want to have for yourself.
Lucky for me, my boyfriend bought me to Journeyman for my 21st birthday dinner. Kudos to him for a wonderful choice!
I'm going to avoid going into too much detail over every single dish I had because no matter what you order, be rest assured that it's going to be delicious. I got the 7-course tasting, and substituted a few of my meat dishes for vegetarians ones. The true standouts to me were the Squid, Rabbit, Polenta, and the Rhubarb. The amuse-bouche of Mochi filled with Clover was also a very interesting way to start off our meal. Oh, and don't even get me started on the petit fours! They were excellent. That house made caramel is to die for. I'd go back just for that alone!
Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and was able to answer the many questions we threw at him. He was just so great -- when I asked if one of the pairings we had was available for purchase anywhere in the greater-Boston area, instead of saying "I don't know," he went the extra mile and wrote down as much information on it as he could, so I could try tracking it down when I got home. He also gave me a freebie cocktail at the end of our meal for my birthday! So sweet and thoughtful of of him.
By the end of my meal, almost 4 hours had passed. Boy did I do a double-take when I checked the time. It sure didn't feel that long! I guess time flies when you're having such a great time. Journeyman is a great place to go, whether it's for a special occasion or just for a nice dinner. There's not doubt in my mind that I'll be back... and the sooner the better! -
Review from mimi x.
Cambridge, MA
5/12/2012
4.5 Stars.
My boyfriend planned a surprise dinner for me, and when we got out of the cab, I thought we were going to the Mexican place that dominates the storefront. I was getting ready to get my margarita on, but then he led me down a dark alley to what looked like a plant store and opened the door to Journeyman! I was already excited because I love hidden, off the beaten path places.
The food was very very good and well conceived, but 1/2 star off for price and pretentiousness! Although the place is casual in dress, the attitude of the place is "we are so cool, and we know it." The waiters wore skinny jeans and vests and although they were really nice, we really had to stifle our laughter at the over-the-top introductions to each dish of our five-course tasting menu. I have never found explanations to tasting menus to be bothersome before, but something about the tone and length made me feel like they were trying to boggle my mind with their use of food vocabulary rather than actually tell me what was on my plate.
We upgraded from the Veal to the Duck (+25) after the Veal was likened to a chicken mcnugget in texture, and I was very happy with our choice to do so. The duck was done two ways: we had slices of rare duck breast and then a pile of confit. YUM! Other highlights include the razor clams (fresh and great texture!), and bluefish with rhubarb which had a crispy, salty skin. The dessert had a grapefruit and absinthe sorbet on the side which was a bit wacky, and I didn't see how it went with the coffee foam on the same plate.
Although the plates were tiny, we were somehow full at the end. In all, it was a creative meal with motifs running throughout all the courses which made it feel like a complete story. I would recommend this place for adventurous eaters in a heartbeat. -
Review from Elizabeth E.
Boston, MA
4/27/2012
Oh my god! Talk about start to finish an amazing experience....is it worth every penny?? YES! The people that work/own journeyman obviously love what they do. It oozes out of every corner, dish and point of service. The menu was so well composed and full of passion.
I have done a lot of tasting menus at a lot of wonderful places and this right now is one of the best in the area for sure.
Go and enjoy every bite start to finish. This was such a special treat!!!! 7 course tasting menu with wine pairings....amazing! -
Review from Eric F.
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Journeyman has a warmer, more intimate and comfortable atmosphere than most fine dining establishments and it was refreshing to see that expertly prepared food could be had without having to dress up for the usual white tablecloth experience.
My bro and I both opted for the omnivorous tasting menu with the seared duck breast and confit of leg substitution for the beef. The Alliums had a lovely array of flavors, both hot and cold, that melded together harmoniously. My bro wasn't quite as much of a fan, but we did agree that the Halibut was the most delicate and flaky that we've ever tasted. The Rabbit and Duck were both very good as well, but not nearly as standout...the confit of leg was also just a TAD overcooked.
Now for anyone that makes the trek here, you MUST order one of the custom-made house sodas! Our wonderful server went through a little algorithm to get an idea of our preferences (fruity vs floral, spicy vs sweet, boldness, herbal notes, bitters, etc.) and we thoroughly enjoyed her concoctions. Funny enough, this was probably the highlight of the meal...not sure if that's a good or bad thing?
All in all, a top notch meal with just one flaw knocking them down to 4 stars: I had made a note that it was my birthday dinner and unfortunately, they must've overlooked it or forgotten... -
Review from amy s.
Somerville, MA
4/23/2012
I'm a cheapskate and I lean towards the vegetarian side of the scale. If you suffer from the same two character flaws, I would suggest avoiding Journeyman.
The reality is that, no five-course vegetarian prix fixe menu could EVER be worth 65 dollars to my cheap Asian a$$, but this is doubly true when the portions are "designer" levels of tiny, and I know that a six-dollar burrito is just four storefronts down the strip.
Granted, the chefs have skills, and they are serious about their sauces and herb-a-licious sprinklings. However, I think they were much better applied to my meat-loving husband's rabbit, sablefish, veal, and foie gras (which were priced at the same level as my vegetarian menu of cauliflower soup, aparagus, polenta, and such - boo).
The service was laid back but impeccable. I liked the serving uniform of skinny jeans, oxfords, and vests. The staff looked like they walked straight out of the neighboring Independent. And, I enjoyed the novelty of wearing a jean jacket and hoody to such a fine dining establishment. Very San Francisco.
Wonder how long they'll stay in business? Union Square doesn't scream upscale restaurant scene to me. Plus, that night, everyone in the joint seemed to want substitutions (rather than accept the higher order of courses that was designed for them). But who knows... maybe there is more wealth in Somerville than I ever fathomed. -
Review from Jill F.
This is not a fancy schmanzy restaurant for an average date night out. But this was no date. It was a triple birthday celebration with my two best girlfriends, quite possibly the best crowd to bring here. Our 5 course tasting menu paired with cocktails was experiential, flawlessly timed, and absolutely delicious. From caramelized onion ice cream, tobacco drips on top of roast lamb, and celeriac soup worth drooling over, you aren't going to want to miss a meal like this. But okay, I can see why people are skeptical to put down a lot of money on a meal when they aren't so sure how to pronounce some of the dishes, but lets get it straight. If your an epicure-adventurer or ready to have a unique dining experience in Boston, Journeyman the place to go.
From beginning to end, (which was over four hours) my friends and I received graciously humble, yet impeccably knowledgeable service. Their option of switching vegetarian dishes and carnivore dishes fully impressed me (being a cheating veg), and even though my best friend asked "I have a question about this dish..." over 15 times, our wonderful waiter and assistant manager Bradford never seemed to be exhausted by our overly-enthusiastic table.
Now, I could go on and on about each flavor of each course, but what I can tell you is this: just go.
For what you spend at a boringly average americanized restaurant, you could have a culinary experience you would have never dreamed of. Oh, and don't forget to get the cocktails. I even left with recipes of each old-fashioned that was made especially for me! We left speechless. We will be back for more.Listed in: Veg-Friendly, Classy Cocktails, Top Restaurants
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Review from Meredith D.
Somerville, MA
3/15/2012 ROTD 5/6/2012
My boyfriend and I got the 5 course meal. True, it comes out in tiny portions, but trust me - you WILL be full at the end of it. You will cry out in agony because the food. Never. ENDS.
...but don't let that deter you.
The food is innovative, presented beautifully, and ridiculously delicious.
The drinks are unique and tasty - even the beer. Brewed with juniper instead of hops? Yes, please.
The service is warm, friendly, and flawlessly timed. The servers know everything about the food and drinks, and they seem genuinely willing to answer your questions - although they answered any questions I might have had before I had a chance to ask them.
The decor is tastefully minimalist. The entrance itself, minimally marked and in an alley, makes you feel like a cool kid who has "the in" on some sweet underground spot.
We went for my boyfriend's birthday. The host overheard us mentioning that in a conversation, and waited until he went to the restroom to discreetly ask if I "wanted something to come out with a candle on it *wink* "
Unfortunately, this was a day after he caught a stomach bug. He was still really nauseous when we went and wasn't able to enjoy the food. He was probably in the restroom throwing up as she was asking me that, so I declined and told her he was sick and that we would have to leave early. Get this: they boxed up the rest of the food AND an extra box full of little desserts "for him to enjoy when he's feeling better later."
That was just an absurdly nice thing to do. I still can't believe it. My birthday's coming up soon, and you can bet we'll be at Journeyman for it. They're going to get as much of my business as I can afford to give them. -
Review from Jay P.
Somerville, MA
4/17/2012
I was shocked to find this place in Union Square. This is a super-ambitious restaurant. Some of the courses were spectacular. Others only good. Prepare to drop some serious coin, as the 5 course price fix is $65 and the 7 course price fix is $85.
The 7 courses seemed worth it, as the extra two courses included rabbit and foie gras, I think.
Highlights: The service was personable and outstanding. The place has a great vibe. Both the Amuse Bouche (beets 3-ways) and the dessert (something with rhubarb) were nothing short of sensational. The rabbit dish was sublime. The drinks were excellent and the dude serving them was awesome. They also cut us a couple of pieces of unrendered duck proscuitto which was off the hook. The asparagus 3-ways was gorgeous to look at. Oh and the little candy plate after the dessert was fabulous.
Only Good: I thought the Halibout sous vide plate with five different sauces was style over substance, though the fish was quite lovely. The Fois Gras terrine lacked the imagination of other dishes. The veal was beautiful to look at, though I wasn't knocked over by the flavors, though to be fair I was stuffed at that point in the meal. I took this dish home and my vixen cooked it with eggs the following morning, and it was fabulous.
Overall, strongly recommended. -
Review from D. S.
TRINITY, NY
4/27/2012
Excellent service -- very attentive to allergies and to their clients!
I like their 4/5/7-course menu choices, though, the dishes are small, so a 4-course might not be enough (I left a little hungry), maybe 5 or 7 is the way to go.
That said, the food is original and very good. -
Review from K L.
Boston, MA
1/23/2012
People, this is a CRAZY EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER BARGAIN. $85 will not buy you a 7-course tasting menu of this caliber anywhere else that I know of--especially not one where you can sit at the bar and watch the chef plate your meal right in front of your fat face. The food is innovative in so many ways, and the service warm, friendly, and adorably hipster. Despite its boutique-like feel, the kitchen is sweetly accommodating: when we expressed indecisiveness about one of the dishes--both the omnivore and the veg options sounded fabulous--we were given half-portions of each. The meal was accompanied by several simple, clever cocktails (which I'll bet are even more exciting now that they've opened their own bar) and to us felt like an absolute festival of earnest colors, flavors, and textures. And we were totally full by the end of it.
I hope this place does gangbusters. -
Review from Stacey H.
Somerville, MA
1/24/2012
Awesome place! My date and I went here to celebrate my birthday and each got the 5 course tasting menu. The food was awesome with a few little exceptions that are hardly worth mentioning (namely, I don't like cauliflower and I have specific texture issues with food). However, the presentation, the timing, the service was top notch.
We chose to sit at the bar and watch the food being prepared - which we typically love to do. Except (and this is where I didn't give it 5 stars) the lighting at the bar was SO BRIGHT. This pretty much had to do with the lighting in the kitchen (chefs need to see their creations, duh) but it seems like they could put in a separate beam/wall so that the glaring of the intense retina burning light didn't affect the ambiance of the bar dining area. My date and I both were perplexed by this, but if we wanted to, we could have sat in the main dining area with nicer lighting and minimalist decor.
Regardless Journeyman is a welcome addition to Union square and now one of my favorite dining options. -
Review from Andrew H.
Arlington, MA
1/7/2012
This place is awesome. Tucked in a little alley off Union Square near the Independent. The entrance has a kind of speak easy feel to it.
The interior decor is sort of warehouse style, but it is tastefully and artfully done. But honestly, who cares about decor when the food is fantabulous.
We all got the five course tasting. And yes, tastings are the only options here - you cannot order a la carte so if that's what you want, they won't do it, so don't come. But the tastings are inventive and aren't so weird that you might be turned off by any of the ingredients. And the secret of the tasting is that you are satisfied by the end of your meal, but not disgustingly full. All the plates have a small amount of food on them, but by the end of the night it is just perfect.
I won't bother to walk through the details of all the courses except to say that they were all really well thought out, tasty, and artfully prepared. Plus the beverage pairings that you can add are great! And don't miss a Journeyman Old Fashioned to start.
Service was really great, helpful, pleasant, and fun. We ended up being the last party in the restaurant that night - a five course tasting will take you 3 hours if you're taking your time - which we were. We didn't feel rushed or that they wanted us to leave.
Overall, just great in every way. -
Review from Kimberley S.
Charlestown, MA
3/9/2012
Journeyman was an epic experience.
Boyfriend and I came here for our Valentine's Day, and the meal was out of control.
We got a 5-course meal, which was more like 8 courses with the two amuse bouches and the extra dessert. We also got the beverage pairing, which I really enjoyed. Rather than beer and wine, our courses were paired with whichever alcoholic drink worked best with the meal. I wish I remembered the names of all the drinks. There was just so much information.
Courses:
Amouse #1 - Razor Clam risotto. Delicious.
Amouse #2 - Sliced beef heart, egg, and salmon roe. Eek! Never tried beef heart and was terrified! This course was a miss for me because it was ultimately quite salty. But I'm proud to tell people now that I've tried beef heart.
Course #1 - Roast Carrot with Carrot Ice Cream. This was yummy considering I don't love carrots. They were well-roasted and tasty. Paired with beer.
Course #2 - Hake over crab salad, blood-orange reduction and spinach. I really enjoyed this but boyfriend thought that it was too lemony. Paired with white wine.
Course #3 - Curried cauliflower & fried egg. This was very hearty and delicious. One of my favorites. Paired with cider.
Course #4 - Rabbit prepared 3 ways. We had never had rabbit before and were certainly apprehensive. It ended up tasting like an ever-so-slightly gamey version of chicken. Our of the 3 preparations, two were outstandingly delicious while the leg preparation was a tad too greasy. The texture of the other two preparations were soft and the taste was salty and delicious. This was my favorite course and I can now say that I am a fan of rabbit. Paired with red wine.
Course #5 - Orange cake and cookies. This was pretty yummy.
Course #6 - an assortment of small pastries, again, orange tasting.
Overall we really enjoyed the experience. My only criticism was that it was outrageously expensive and there was no one thing that made me think that it was the best thing that I ever ate. I love food, and I have a lot of "best thing(s) ever" and nothing here quite made the cut. The service was outstanding throughout the meal. -
Review from Jamie G.
Three words- oh my god. I don't remember what I ate (and while I was eating I had no idea what it was that I was eating anyways.) but it all tasted absolutely amazing.
Wandered in here on a Monday night- it is like a little hole in the wall- it took me awhile to realize where the door was! Place was pretty empty- we decided to sit at the bar because they have an open kitchen and we wanted to see them prepare our food- which was really cool to see. The menu offers at 7, 5, and 3 course menus, all with optional pairings. Because It wasnt busy, we were able to get different options, so we got a 7 course with some really awesome old fashioneds, and a 5 course with the pairings. So here are a few things I actually do remember eating...
First there was this really funky 'salad'. They call it salad, but really it was an assortment of random vegetables with some sauces, all arranged perfectly on the plate. While they were preparing it, they would use these tiny tongs to boil, steam, or otherwise prepare the vegetables and place them on the plate. I didn't recognize most of the vegs, but it was all good and I ate them all.
I remember there was also some tortellini with mushrooms- this was okay.
I also remember there was a fish course- can't remember what it was but it was good.
Then there was the lamb 4 ways- the shoulder and the leg were good- the weird one was the liquidfied version of lamb- not my favorite.
A blue cheese platter- very good.
And there was some other food- it was all good too.
The dessert- this puff pastry thing with an apple ice cream- the ice cream was soooooo good!!
The courses were not huge, so I was pleasantly full, but not disgustingly stuffed, even though I tried all those courses of food!
.
My five courses were paired with beers, and wines, that were all delicious too.
The service was great- very friendly and knowledgable.
The one bad thing- the exorbitant price- $45 for 3, $65 for 5, $85 for 7, with pairings: +$25, +$45, +$65.
They change the menu all the time but I could only afford this place like maybe once a year for a special occasion! It was definitely a great experience and eventually I would like to go back! -
Review from John L.
Belmont, MA
4/30/2012
We had the 7 course tasting and it was superb. We added the duck to our tasting and that was better than amazing. Neither of us drink so our meal was fairly speedy about 3 hours. You definitely can't go wrong coming here for that special occasion.
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Review from Bobby C.
10/13/2011 8 photos
Seems like from the reviews that people either hate or love this place. My friend and I wandered a bit trying to find the place. It was down an alleyway. We did not have reservations but were able to get a seat at the bar/open kitchen area. The kitchen is a bit bright but wasn't too bothersome. The staff is very friendly, polite, and professional. Not sure how to describe Journeyman, but it was unique or artsy without the pretentiousness.
My friend started off the night with a Dark & Stormy while I had the Professor Plum. Drinks were great. We both went for the carnivore 5 course tasting menu.
The amuse bouche was a mini dough pastry with a vial of something (see photo). I had asked my friend, "Do we drink this?"
Salad was very colorful with a nice mix of veggies.
The shitake mushrooms with corn puree and a poached egg was the best dish! The flavors meshed well together. The poached egg was prepared just right.
The sea bass was runner up to the shitake mushroom dish.
The next course was lamb. It was just ok. Great presentation but wasn't feeling the flavors.
The caramel dessert was good.
We thought our meal was complete, but then they brought out some Italian seltzer with cantaloupe sorbet (see photo). Really enjoyed it.
The staff all took turns bringing out the dishes and explaining each one. They were very attentive and prompt in taking away our plates once we finished. One thing I did notice is that there was no background music or anything. It was actually fine since everyone was busy enjoying the food and conversation.
Can't wait to go back!Listed in: Pardon me, do you have any…
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Review from Benjamin A.
Watertown, MA
9/9/2011
This place is not easy to find, especially if you're not familiar with the Union Square area. Neither is it particularly cheap. But if you're in the mood for a culinary adventure, it's worth it.
All of the other reviews here have covered the basics -- Journeyman serves up a 3, 5, or 7-plate prix-fixe menu of gastronomically-interesting small plates. The focus seems to be on fresh ingredients (apparently they grow their own herbs, in wine crates stacked up by the front window), creative presentation, and "molecular gastronomy"-inspired preparations. They also feature a fascinating list of cocktails, many of which are spins on old fashioned drinks enhanced with various herbal- and fruit-based syrups and tinctures.
The good stuff: They bake their own bread, which is brown and sweet and delicious; the dishes are certainly interesting, and feature unexpected flavor combinations (for example, mackerel and pickled watermelons). Each plate is brought to the table and carefully explained by the attentive and friendly staff, which is a nice touch.
Also good: the atmosphere is pleasant (I hesitate to say "cozy" because, at least when we dined, it was a bit chilly; moreover the bathroom was out of order, so we had to trek over to the Thai restaurant next door) and low-key, with an open kitchen for those who like to watch their food being prepared. Also worth mentioning: at our table we had a couple of folks with some special dietary needs (no alcohol, no lactose, etc.) and the staff went out of their way to accommodate them. Finally, in addition to a cocktail menu, the beverage manager will custom-make cocktails according to your individual tastes.
Not so good: While I was intrigued by the flavors and presentation, I did feel the food was a bit too dainty for my taste. For example, the steak, while well seasoned and cooked to order, cried out for some kind of starchy accompaniment, like pommes frites or roasted root vegetables -- anything to sop up the sauce and round the plate out. Instead it was served with a tiny, gruyere-infused dollar pancake that barely stood up to the sauce, and a bruleed baby eggplant. Not bad in itself but it didn't quite feel like an entree portion. Likewise, the dessert (a trio of plum-based concoctions) was a little bit undersweet, and the plum cake was too dry.
After a five-course meal, I did not really feel all that full. To some this is probably a feature, but for my part I like my feasts to feel like feasts rather than samplers.
But all in all these are minor criticisms, and not every palette will agree with them. Most of the people in my party were thrilled by the meal and did not have that, "That was great, now I need to eat something" feeling. De gustibus non est disputandem, as they say. The creativeness of the menu and the careful way dishes are prepeared mostly compensated for the tiny portion sizes, and I will most likely be going back to see what their future menus look like. -
Review from Cecilia L.
Cambridge, MA
12/25/2011
Tucked back in a dark alley in Union Square and barely marked, Journeyman's space is part industrial warehouse chic, part midcentury modernist. The kitchen decides what you eat with offerings of 3, 5, or 7 courses. Some were breathtakingly delicious, others seeming to focus on technique over taste.
You have your choice of the high-ceilinged dining room or bar seating facing the open kitchen. Husband and I were there early on a Sunday night and for most of our meal, the large space was uncomfortably empty. We chose the chef's counter, which I came somewhat to regret, as it's a little too open - the lighting isn't very romantic, and the loud whirring of the kitchen implements impeded conversation.
Now, I'm recalling these dishes with the most detail and accuracy I can muster, though I know I've forgotten some elements:
0: Tortellini of goat cheese topped with coffee crumb. Great burst of hot filling in the mouth.
1: Three-beet salad - one of them sous vide and rolled like a fruit roll-up - topped with rye bread ice cream and granola. Unfortunately I hate rye bread, but admired the ice cream, which really tasted just like rye.
2: Vichyssoise with clams and a house-made potato chip topped with uni. This uni potato chip thing was one of the most delicious bites I'd had in a while.
3: We got a supplement of bay scallop crudo, which was served atop chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard) and garnished with a tiny dollop of radish puree. The menu also said it incorporates ham, which was imperceptible to me. Both of us were a little disappointed with this dish, which we found too subtle and plain.
4: The perfectly pan-roasted monkfish and scallion with a succulent side of monkfish liver with pear gelee was my favorite course of the night.
5: Braised veal with sunchoke, shimeji mushrooms, and some other stuff (?). Most tender sunchoke I have ever had (sous vide?), but the umami-packed mushrooms couldn't rescue the veal's underwhelming flavor.
5.5: Palate cleanser of some crystally stuff with yuzu.
6: Dessert of trumpet mushroom ice cream, rosemary sorbet and chocolate ice cream topped with praline. Husband loved it, but I found the "savory ice cream topped with crunchy element" a tired echo of the first course of beet salad.
One thing that Journeyman pays exquisite care to is temperature. The hot squirt of filling in the amuse, the monkfish so hot from the pan, and the playful contrast of ice cream in a salad - these all had great effect. I also really enjoyed the Japanese influences in the meal. With a Craigie On Main sized bill, I'd give pause before coming back here again, but I applaud this creative new addition to the Boston food scene. -
Review from Sarah C.
12/30/2011 13 photos
I'm sitting here, trying to figure out how to write this review without it ending up in 10k words (I think the yelp limit is much less, though?). I can't quite figure it out but I'll try my best.
PRIOR: This place has been incredibly hyped up for me. Friends, press, industry, etc. I had extremely high expectations, and weariness due to various yelp comments (from people I trust) regarding length of the meal and the "pretentiousness" of the atmosphere.
ATMOSPHERE: I honestly have no idea what those people are talking about when the talk about pretention. This place is anything but. Yes - they do artsy food with crazy combinations. Yes, they speak like they know what they're talking about, and that's because they do! Just because there's no formal culinary training from the kitchen, they know what they're doing and the food speaks for them. The atmosphere is wonderfully laid-back - the type of place where I felt totally comfortable eating with my hands at various points. We sat at the chef's table and the bar chairs were so comfortable I forgot they were bar chairs. I hate bar chairs. I'm short.
SERVICE: Absolutely wonderful. Personal. Friendly. I think we had 4 different people talking to us throughout the evening. #1 - our first waiter. he was a little awkward, but well rehearsed and kind. #2 - our second waiter. delivered many of the courses, checked in on us, answered questions - super calm, happy, and friendly. #3 - Meg, one of the owners, and the beverage master. She is fantabulous. Super friendly, calmly chatty, and seemingly completely open to equal criticism and praise of not only her beverage pairings, but everything, really. #4 - A second of the three owners, the female head chef (I didn't ask her name). She was working right in front of us as we were at the chef's table, and while completely focused and quite busy, was perfectly happy to answer numerous questions about technique, ingredients, and decisions.
TIME FRAME: If you go for the 7 course, expect 2.5-3 hours depending on your personal pace. We did the 5 course and the 7 course, took our time, and from when we sat down to when we walked out it was 3 hours. It didn't feel too slow, or too fast - it was just right. I don't really understand the complaints about this - do you really want your next course 5 minutes after your last? Take some time to digest, enjoy your company and the staff, ask questions, explore the artwork/decorations, talk about the drink you've just received for the next course, and CHILL guys.
FOOD: If you do the 5 course, expect there might be 1 or 2 dishes that blow your mind, 1 that you don't really ilke, and 2 or 3 that you think are cool/weird/good/fun and ultimately are quite tasty. If you do the 7, increase two of those categories by 1. Remember - you are having a tasting menu, and quite reasonable prices for the caliber of food and the interesting-factor. Part of the experience is you get what you get. If you're not an adventurous eater, DON'T GO HERE. You won't like it, I promise. If you go in with the right expectations and a palette ready to skydive, you'll have a great time. If you do the 5 course, you might leave a little peckish, or totally satisfied. If you do the 7 I'd be really surprised if you weren't full when you leave. After all - there are 3 hidden courses - the amuse bouche (which in our case was 3 or 4 bites, not 1), the palette cleanser before the last printed dish, and the "hidden" dessert - in our case, a full plate of an assortment of cookies.
BOTTOM LINE: If you are a religious top chef watcher you will love this place (and vice versa - if you can't stand the show, likely don't bother). Expect an adventure with some hits and misses, and to pay for it. IMO it was way worth it, and I will be back, hopefully multiple times per year. -
Review from Ryan A.
Wakefield, MA
2/11/2012
If you like small plates and prix fixe meals, then you are probably into restaurants that offer tasting menus. This is one of the best in Boston.
Price:
Tasting menus are expensive, and for good reason: someone is cooking you several gourmet meals instead of just one. However, at only $65 for a 5-course meal, journeyman is a bargain in its class. Expect to pay less at journeyman than Craigie on Main, and get superior food.
Food:
This isn't comfort food. Journeyman is all about exploring culinary wizardry. Everything is creative and well-executed. Expect the unexpected (carrot ice cream?) and embrace the experience. My wife and I loved all our plates, and I would say it is at least as good as any tasting I've had at Upstairs on the Square, Ten Tables, or Craigie. And the quantity was impressive. In addition to our 5 courses, there were 3 other "hidden" plates, plus their two homemade breads.
Atmosphere:
More casual than most restaurants that specialize in tastings. Servers wear jeans and vests. The dining area looks more like a loft apartment than a restaurant. The open kitchen has counter seating. A little bit on the bright side for me, but I like to eat in the dark.
Service:
The staff is friendly and super-knowledgable, which is important due to the complexity of the meals. My wife had certain dietary restrictions, and they customized her courses without any trouble. Excellent drink suggestions, including fun and creative mocktails. Pacing of the meal was just right -- time to enjoy the plate and then take a few minutes off before the next one. Remember, a 5-course meaI here is more like 9 courses when you include all the hidden plates, so expect to spend 2.5 hours. If you do a 7-course, I would plan for 3 hours.
Vegetarian Friendly:
Most restaurants around Boston that do tasting menus will offer a vegetarian version, but journeyman is one of the few that lists the vegetarian plates directly on their menu right alongside the omnivore choices. This tells you how much confidence they have in their veg options.
I really think the owners have hit on something special with this place. It is a wonderful contribution to union square. I highly recommend it. -
Review from Fred S.
Cambridge, MA
7/9/2011
Amazing food, ambiance, service. We sat at the counter, which is a bit less intimate, but great to see the food being prepared. I can see why this place doesn't suit all, but if you know what you're getting going in, I think they hit on all marks. Not a place I'd go every week or with a large group, but perfect special date place for foodies.
Details:
- Expensive (our bill for two with wine pairing and tip crossed he $300 mark). The only more expensive meal I've had in Boston is L'Espalier
- Set menu means you have to be adventurous. I believe there was a 5 and 7 course and you can opt for veggie only, but not a lot of choices other than that
- Very creative and use of many techniques (the sous vide flank steak was amazing) and ingredients
- Well thought through pairings (not all wine, we had a pear cider and a belgian style sour ale)
- Friendly service and the folks behind the counter are happy to discuss and explain
- Good pace, but it's a real 7 course dinner, so don't expect 90 minutes. We weren't waiting, as some of the other reviews suggested, but we were there for 3+ hours (and it felt more like our choice than theirs to do so) -
Review from Barry B.
Somerville, MA
5/27/2011
I'm not in the mood to be all literary today, so here's a bulleted list of my experience.
- No bar. F that.
- The menu, which was printed that very day, was handed to us. We were then informed that they were out of some of the items on the menu. What?! How is that even possible? We were the first table there! Did someone think, "Yeah, I know we're out of this stuff... but I'll just throw it on the menu anyway. No one will notice."
- The lack of music was so awkward, and when added to the Ikea furniture, caused the place to give off a very hospital cafeteria vibe.
- The drinks were AMAZING... yet definitely not worth the price. $14 for what seemed like a shot? No thank you.
- Hey restaurants: If you're going to have open kitchens, keep them clean. I don't want to see crumbs all over the place where you're making my food. If you want an unclean kitchen, that's fine. Just separate it from the dining room.
- Also, when there was is an empty glass in front of me, you do not need to interrupt my conversation to ask me if it's ok for you to take the glass... several times. The atmosphere was already awkward enough without the interruptions.
- The food was pretty good for the most part, but the wait between courses was utterly unreasonable... and we were the first and only table there! I couldn't imagine if we had arrived on a busy Friday night.
Overall, Journeyman was just not fun. My wife summed it up best when, after dinner, she said "I'm glad we got that over with."
We went to a pub afterward and had a pint of beer. We both agreed that the beer was more filling than our 6ish course dinner.
Next time, we'll go to Coppa, Cragie, or East Coast. We'll spend half as much, have food that's slightly better, have more to drink, and spend half as much.Comment from Meg G. of Journeyman 6/15/2011
Thanks for your review; while there is a lot of meat to your… More » -
Review from Rachael T.
Somerville, MA
2/20/2011
I admit I was a bit concerned with the huge gap in Journeyman's reviews. Why are the ratings 1s and 5s with very little in between? Having dined there last night I can now tell you.
The 1s:
* are watching their budget
* are not real 'foodies'
* cannot let someone else control their experience
* are in a hurry
The 5s
* appreciate culinary excellence and creativity
* are interested in new cooking techniques like sous vide and foam
* will engage with servers who are as excited about the food as they are
* enjoy lingering over each sip and bite
Put me squarely with the 5s!
Two of us ordered a 3-course and a 5-course prefix and added one of the 'specials' All tolled including amuse, palate cleanser and petit fours, we had 12 different dishes. I can honestly say that only one of the dozens of individual components on those plates fell short; a brownie on the dessert plate was not fudgy enough to deserve that moniker.
Some of the highlights were:
Salad of diced and mashed root vegetables - I watched the chefs plate these with chopsticks.
Bluefish with a blini-like potato pancake, sausage compote and green sauce. Literally the best bluefish either of us had tasted.
Lola Duck Breast - can't remember the accompaniments because the duck was so evenly cooked med-rare to rare, with just the right amount of crisp and flavorful skin
Perfectly Fried Oysters with green sauce
House Made Bread (Who does this? ) and local butter topped with sea salt
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The attention to detail in the kitchen is echoed throughout the dining room. Napkins are replaced when diners leave the table, silverware reset as needed, servers explain each dish in as much or little detail as needed and my favorite touch - haiku versions of the "Employees must wash hands" notice in the bathrooms. FUN!
To sum up here's some advice for your visit.
Plan to make it both your dinner and your entertainment for the evening
The 5-course seems to be the sweet spot. Those ordering the 3-course and not supplementing with a special or two seem to leave hungry.
For added fun - try one of the cocktails or the pairings
Long Live Journeyman!Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Jennifer A.
Medford, MA
3/22/2012
Amazing food! Dining here is a wonderful adventure in cuisine. I love how they serve local food and the menu is constantly changing. They also have there own herb garden in the front of the restaurant. My husband and I dined at the kitchen counter and so we got to watch the chefs prepare meals and interact more with the staff. Our waiter was incredible attentive and gave great drink suggestions. They have a great beer and wine selection and we tasted gourmet beers including jasmine and smoked ales.
We ordered the 7 course meal- be prepared to stay 3-4 hours if you do this. Each meal was explained to us and we ate food ranging from ribeye with huckleberry sauce, foamy eggs with salmon roe and rose macaroons. We got an additional 4 extra plates and we also got to taste test all the desserts on the menu- we were one of the last people in the restaurant so I think that helped. We also were served after dinner drinks on the house.
Even though the cost is a little pricey it was worth every penny. It was not just a meal but an experience! -
Review from Phil R.
Buffalo, NY
9/5/2011
I came to Journeyman with my wife after the owner stopped by our newly opened coffee shop a couple times and invited us to come out. It was a little tricky to find, but I am glad we were able to track it down!
First off, I have never spent that much money on a meal in my life!!!
BUT... I'm really glad I did:) Our meal lasted about 2 hours... which was perfect... The courses came out at appropriate intervals which gave us just enough time time to have a drink and talk about our experience. This isn't a place to grab dinner, this really is a place to grab an experience!
The food was very interesting and there was complete harmony in each course. The ingredients played off each other so well that we really spent time thinking about what we were tasting. Never had we had such an interesting meal!
While I can't really afford to come on a regular basis, I really encourage anyone to make it on a special occasion! -
Review from Sara H.
Cambridge, MA
2/22/2011
This was quite possibly the most insane meal I've ever eaten.
If you don't think a playful, imaginative menu, that you have no control of whatsoever is worth shelling out serious hard earned dollars for, then you probably don't want to go, but boy will you have missed out.
I took my friend here for her birthday, we did the 5 course tasting track, mine omni, hers herbi. We sat at the bar to watch all the goings on in the kitchen. (If you want romance, don't sit at the bar, the lighting is far brighter on that side of the wall, the mood in the table dining area is much more conducive to making eyes at your date from across the table (and my god she better put out after a meal like this!)) We got to ask questions about what was going on, played at what was what and what was coming next.
While each plating looks like modern art, and most items are deconstructed, eating all the flavors together in each course is a must. They are put together for a reason people! I started the salad course by eating a piece from each little pile, which tasted a little weird, then said, F-it and scooped up a bit of everything into one bite. Magically the little bits were sky rocketed into a whole new level of taste party sensation in my mouth. There really isn't any other way to describe it. These people at Journeyman have clearly taken the time to design dishes with flavors that are unique and EXTREMELY complementary to one another.
I'm not going to go into detail on every course, as the menu changes and you don't get to pick what you order anyway. All meats were cooked beautifully, as best to bring out their best flavors and textures. And was one of the most creative sets of herbivore offerings I've seen.
So try Journeymen, special occasion or not. Get a reservation when going with friends, or spoil yourself and go alone to try and snag a seat at the bar. -
Review from Jason N.
North Chelmsford, MA
1/11/2012
Just had dinner at Journeyman last weekend and had a very enjoyable experience. There were 4 in our group. 3 of us went with the 5-course Omnivore and 1 went with the 5-course Herbivore offerings. We all also decided to go with the wine pairing. I must say, the food was very adventurous and right up my alley. I like trying new things, especially the out-of-the-ordinary dishes that JM serves up.
Our main dish was a pork belly dish and it was delicious. We were originally told it was going to be beef, but none of us were upset when the pork belly came out.
After the meal was over, I have to say I had a bit of a sour taste in my mouth in regard to the wine pairing. Where I expected this meal to be expensive (it was), I was a little upset to do some math in regard to the cost of the wine pairing. For a 5-course wine pairing, the cost per person is $45. That comes out to $9.00 per glass. $9 per glass is reasonable for a good glass of wine, but not a tasting glass! Each pour was about 1/4 of a full glass. I had a great experience here, but that's a bit much, and I'd like to see the pricing become a little more realistic. I'm sure they don't charge $36 for a glass of wine.
The bill (including tip) for the 4 of us was $630. Not a cheap night out. But the food WAS good.
Just an honest opinion. -
Review from Marcia W.
Cambridge, MA
3/11/2011
I did not have a lot of expectations going in for this meal and did not read any of the reviews here ahead of time. While elements of the meal were delicious, the service was slow and awkward, some of the food was served cold when it was advertised as hot and much of the food was way too precious to be enjoyed. We had a difficult time getting silverware and when we asked about the pacing of the meal (90 minutes in and only an app), we were told that mixing 5 course and 3 course menus slowed things down as did the very large size of our party. There were only 5 diners in our party. The problems of mixing 3 course and 5 course menus was only mentioned well after the fact. After a 3 hour incomplete meal, we decided to leave before the dessert course.
I have seen other reviews here stating that the only reason a low rating would be given is if the reviewer had no appreciation for fine food or was in a hurry. I disagree. I have a great appreciation for fine food, and was a chef for years. I cannot fathom how a restaurant has that much difficulty serving a meal. Three hours for a 3 course meal? I think not. The kitchen may be well intentioned but the finished product leaves a great deal to be desired. -
Review from Jessica D.
Somerville, MA
1/27/2011
Just tried Journeyman last weekend. We anticipated a pleasurable dining experience, and instead we spent $$$, left hungry, and are still talking about what a freak show of a meal it was.
We ordered the 3-course prix fixe, and the plates ranged from disappointing to disastrous. Some of the food was too offensive to the senses to eat beyond one taste (i.e. the jasmine and yuzu in the oyster shooter were incredibly overpowering, at once heavily floral and acidic; the panna cotta smelled like deodorant). It is not an exaggeration to say that there were moments when I felt my primal instincts to reject food out of self-preservation come into play, like knowing to avoid bitter poisoned berries in the forest. Some of the components of these dishes tasted, smelled and/or looked seriously wrong, and for that reason it was the worst "nice" meal out that we had ever had. By far.
It was a toss-up, but we decided that the dessert was the most troubling plate: a ration of hard tasteless cake surrounded by severe aromatic smears of creams and a coffee grind-flavored foam. Attempts at molecular gastronomy so surpassed the importance of appealing flavors and textures here that it seemed more like a cooking school lab than a restaurant. The "palate cleanser" - a viscous, transparent citrus gel and runny foam that followed the second course - really should not be near a dinner table.
When the food doesn't taste good to the point of leaving it behind on your plate, you don't tend to complain about the small portions. But I will add that you can't get a glass of red wine for under $12 at Journeyman.
A local restaurant that supports local farmers and local vendors: could be a very good thing, could be precious and overpriced. That the food was also so poorly prepared was the biggest tragedy; a waste of ingredients that really should be celebrated in the kitchen. One can hope that the place will pull it together - it does have a good mission, and an earnest staff - but as long as the concept and menus are so painfully over-thought it's hard to imagine how things will turn around. And those mishaps are not going unnoticed: half of the tables were empty last Saturday night. -
Review from John S.
12/8/2010
I've been thinking about this review for a month and I really can't decide whether I love or hate Journeyman. I honestly could make a strong case for each.
In terms of pure culinary chops, this place has it in spades. The caliber of food is unlike what most people on Earth have ever eaten. Technique is as much the star as the ingredients, and you find yourself talking your way through the dishes the same way you'd dissect a novel in a book club.
The decor was hip. The herb boxes stacked to the ceiling along the front wall were a delightful mix of industrial design and functionality. The activity of the open kitchen created an ambiance of a small dinner party in a chic apartment.
So that's the good. And that good is really, really good.
But there were issues, and they are issues inherent to the style of restaurant Journeyman is. The price was nothing short of extortion. You could theoretically spend $100 a head (excluding booze) and walk out hungry. I'm sure the rent and ingredients cost quite a bit, but I feel as if the cost is specifically set to be a boundary to entry. As if they only want people who would be willing to spend that much to enjoy their food.
Almost as clawing as the price was the pretentiousness of the whole affair. I called the day of my reservation and asked what was being served for the evening and was informed that they never share the day's menu. I was stunned. I had to make up excuses about food allergies and sensitive palettes to even get as much as a "well, lamb is on the menu" from the woman on the phone. Is it so wrong to know what I am about to eat?
The third negative was that the meal took over three hours soup to nuts. That's too much. The longest meal of your life should be at a grand old steakhouse, or as part of some knee-buckling 20 course menu. But for five courses, three hours is a slothful pace. An offensively slothful one.
When you add everything up, I think the Journeyman experience will play out like this: You will love every single bite of food, playing through the vivid flavors of the courses in your mind for days. But you will hate yourself for sinking so much money and time into the experience. If you love it afterward, it's likely that you had to convince yourself that you love it. If you hate it afterward, you'll feel guilty about not being "foodie" enough.
So I send you on your way, Yelp. Good luck here. Tell me how it works out. -
Review from R T.
Somerville, MA
12/20/2010
Have you ever heard the expression 'food porn?' This is it. Journeyman is the place where you will writhe in culinary ecstasy and beg for mercy when you really want none.
The other reviews here do a very good job of summing up the facts: prix fixe, number of courses, local/fresh/organic, all that jazz. I would like to re-emphasize a few things I enjoyed.
First, I relished the fact that the restaurant was quiet and low-key. We dined for two hours, right next to the kitchen, and we could talk throughout in a low voice while still hearing each other. I've said this before in other reviews but it bears repeating: if I have to shout to converse with the people I'm with, a good part of the dining-out experience is ruined for me.
Second, I loved the portions. When the meal was over (eight courses in total, based on the five-course omnivore edition) I felt satisfied but not stuffed. So again, yes, this is the antithesis of The Cheesecake Factory in serving size _and_ ambiance, but that's the point.
Third, the flavors. Great googly moogly, the _flavors._ You only think you've had steak and clams and root vegetables and spinach and shrimp. And the quince sorbet with matcha brulee? Heaven. My tastebuds died several little deaths and it was heaven.
Now the price _is_ pretty steep by comparison to other restaurants in Union Square. But I promise, it is worth it. It is so exquisitely, definitely, incomparably worth it. -
Review from Kalun L.
Boston, MA
1/24/2011
Once upon a time, I had dinner at a private supper club called Love + Butter, the food was amazing and the evening was incredibly fun. Then one day, the brains and cooking chops behind Love + Butter decided to go public and start a restaurant called Journeyman. I finally had a chance to eat at the restaurant last night with a friend and had a great time.
Journeyman serves a pre-determined menu of three, five, and seven vegetarian or omnivore courses that can be augmented by specials like a charcuterie plate, so you need to be prepared to surrender control over dinner. You do get to choose drinks from a thoughtful wine and cocktail list if you want.
My friend and I got the five course option and augmented it with oyster shooters and the charcuterie plate. The shooters were perfect little oysters in shot classes with yuzu and jasmine foam. The yuzu was a good complement to the briny oysters and the jasmine foam was a surprising taste of jasmine tea. If you know me, you know I like charcuterie and the plate we got was fantastic. The plate had head cheese, duck liver, duck rilette, smoked duck breast, and pickled cauliflower.
The salad was a warm plate of cooked spinach, turnips, beets, radishes, potato puree, a picked onion, and a carrot chip. I've been remiss in eating my veggies, so the salad was welcome. The presentation was beautiful, with vibrant colors. My favorite element of the dish was the potato puree. My least favorite was the black radish. It had nothing to do with how it was prepared, I just dislike black radishes.
Next came the sardines and Meyer lemon, my favorite dish of the night. The sardines came gently and perfectly-fried, served with tobiko and another "roe" that turned out to be something called finger lime, radish, and Meyer lemon. It was one of those dishes that surprises you and makes you smile at how good it is. I'd travel great distances for their sardines.
After the sardines came the bivalves, it was bowl of two perfectly cooked clams with a barely warmed oyster, baby bok choy, mushrooms(?), and agnoletti.
The main course was a skirt steak served with a kim chee sauce, a stuffed cabbage, and rye spaetzel. The steak was served rare, and my friend said that it would have been better had it been medium ... I think that may be a matter of opinion. The kim chee sauce was very good, and my friend and I loved the stuffed cabbage. I was meh on the spaetzel, but it may be that I don't like spaetzel.
For dessert, we got a plate that included an oat cake, torched meringue, rice pudding, and a Meyer lemon sorbet which was a great way to end the meal.
Journeyman focuses on locally-sourced and seasonal food and as a result, the menu changes week to week. Accordingly, you may not be able to get what I ate.
Service was great: friendly, thoughtful, warm, and very knowledgeable about the food and wine pairings.
The decor is modern and efficient. I particularly like the herb boxes that line the front of the restaurant.
The take-away:
Food is delicious, fun, and inventive.
Service is great.
Make sure you try the milk punch. -
Review from Shane B.
Quincy, MA
This was an excellent dinner. We had the 7 course tasting menu and although it was a 3 hours affair we didn't feel as though we were waiting for food. They included three additional amuse bouches throughout the dinner. It was a nice surprise. I would reccomend it if your into that type of food experience.
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Review from Henry P.
Boston, MA
11/14/2010
I've eaten here twice now and had extraordinary meals both times.
It's only been open about 8 weeks and as I have said in reviews of other start-ups, I don't think it's useful to micro-criticize a place in its first hundred days. So, here's the big picture:
The feeling of the room is an airy industrial loft space, rather peaceful with blue grey tones and light colored wood. It's unlike any other dining room in the Boston area. The kitchen is open to the seating (in fact you can opt for seats in the kitchen). Herb garden in front of a wall of windows, up to the high ceiling.
The dinner is prix fixe and each plate is stark, monochromatic edible art. Both times I went, the fish course stood out above all others in my memory, just perfect textures and soaring flavors. The first time it was whiting with some smoked blufish wrapped in a lettuce leaf, the second time it was striped bass with spinach in vichyssoise.
Also stunning and memorable: I had wine that was seriously different from anything I've ever tasted before. (It was Sicilian, 100% frappato, by Ariana Occhipinti.) I know alot more about Italian wine than the average bear but this was a revelation. The wine guy is the real deal.
The young chef-owners are serious, focused and humble. This place is a first venture for them, the whole team is newly assembled, and it's like seeing enormously talented rookie ballplayers in their first season in the big leagues-- it's delicious to think this is just the beginning.
Bottom line: I look forward to seeing Journeyman evolve into one of New England's most exciting restaurants. -
Review from Calli C.
11/2/2011
To celebrate Pete's success at his job, we had dinner here last Friday night - no problem at all making 7 PM reservations, and in fact the place was never more than 2/3rds empty while I was there. Since for a good while it was just us and another couple, we sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen, which was quite a show - no matter how busy things got, the chef/ninja extraordinaire remained calm and focused, never slowing but never neglecting the final touches that made this meal spectacular.
We opted for the five-course meal with the drink pairings, with me taking the veg option and Pete taking the omnivore, so we could taste all the options; the staff was unfailingly friendly, sincere, knowledgeable, and respectful. They clearly care about the kind of the experience you are having here and want it to be the best possible. Our menu was as follows:
-started with an amuse bouche of cream of tomato soup foam with toasty bread and sprinkle of soy sauce, delightful
-1) a disencorporated salad with smears of delicious sauces, especially one with eggplant, plated with tender slices of beets, turnips, potatoes carrots greens, served with a great Reisling
-2) a plate smeared with ramp "pesto" with variety of mushrooms, including mushroom cream foam/fluff of heavenly deliciousness and a crispy potato gratin cube, served with a Cisco wheat beer
-3) I had raw grassy cows milk tortellini which was an explosion of flavor!! I could've done without the coffee ground "soil" and coffee foam, but it was a sensual experience beyond all. Pete had bluefish or salt cod? with mashed parsnips, and slice of lardo. He reallly enjoyed it, and the fish was cooked very well. Served with a sav blanc.
-4)I had sous vide duck egg with pool of garlicky pistachio "gazpacho" and crunchy potato cakes that tasted like chorizo but without the chorizo - brilliant! This would be wonderful for brunch! Pete has sous vide lamb with a sear and braised duck, which was very flavorful and tender. This came with a great red wine, I think Scoppettini?
-Surprised with a palate cleanser of greek yogurt ice cream and watermelon jelly, perfect perfect
-5) dessert of braised pears with brioche buns with cinnamon and sugar and fluffy cream that kind of tasted like bacon, along with the best apple sorbet in the world
-And if all THAT wasn't enough, there were these final bites of decadent chocolate brownies, a spoonful of creme brulee/flan/custard, and housemade marshmallows that had rose geraniums in it.
Over 3.5 hours, 5 courses + 5 pairings + 3 small delights add up to one magnificent evening. -
Review from Josephine L.
Boston, MA
10/22/2010 ROTD 3/20/2011
It took our party of 12 five hours to complete a five-course meal here. I think the main reason was there were only two chefs/cooks in the kitchen. No....I think that's pretty much THE reason.
Journeyman is a locavorian, organic, natural, socially-conscious foodie's dream. If you can find it at its barely-marked, dark alleyway, middle of nowhere location, you're in for a treat.
Our 5-course non-vegetarian prix-fixe consisted of:
October salad - Fresh, fresh vegetables perfectly cooked/seasoned. The array of colors was gorgeous. You feel healthier just looking at it.
Corn risotto with mushroom - Tasty, though the mushrooms were too salty and the risotto too hard and bland.
Swordfish with thyme potatoes and spinach - Served family-style, which means one honking piece of fish passed down our banquet table. Tender beyond belief and deliciously sauced.
Lamb, with beet pate with nuts - Underwhelming compared to the others. The lamb was well-done but that pate was like eating a granola bar made of cardboard and slightly flavored with spinach.
Complimentary cucumber sorbet with gin and tonic gel to cleanse the palate before dessert. So refreshing!
Marshmallow, 2 types of panna cotta, graham cracker, brown sugar sauce - A lovely, tasty sweet dessert though I usually like more exotic pastry-making and combination of ingredients. A very fall kind of dessert.
We also got complimentary shots of an undefined vermouth that tasted like flat ginger ale to me (not a bad thing), and glasses of an amazing sparkling Italian wine that tasted like sweet cider and got raves from my non-alcohol-drinking boyfriend.
Oh, and a second complimentary dessert of pot de creme with tea gelee and biscuits. Very nice of them to throw in so many freebies.
Other stand-outs from the 3-course and vegetarian 5-course: Scrambled egg mousse with hot sauce pearls (say whaaa?) and the rabbit.
Not that any of this breakdown will help you because their menu changes continuously depending on what's available and fresh. The thing to know before going in is that, whether it's tea, spirits, food or wine, you'll encounter offerings at Journeyman that you will probably not find anywhere else. That alone is worth the excursion.Listed in: Date Night ($100+)
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Review from Jeannie H.
Boston, MA
5/15/2011
4* ATMOSPHERE - I, personally, liked the atmosphere. It's like a giant artist's studio loft that got converted into a restaurant. The wall of herb planters mounted by the window like an old fashioned bookshelf was brilliant. The space was industrial yet organic. It's spartan but not sterile. My only complaint is that if I'm going to have to sit there for 2+ hours, they need to do something about the chairs, which is just about as uncomfortable as it gets.
4* SERVICE - The courses were not particularly well paced throughout the evening. Actually, it was just plain sluggish. I do think there is a disconnect between the level of training in the front and back of the house. The wait staff was verging on clumsy, which did the food a disservice.
4.5* FOOD - There is something very unfettered about the cooking. The kitchen staff obviously has great skill but there were moments I felt the dishes could have used a bit of editing. Some of the courses had tons of components and seemed unfocused.
Charcuterie - Smoked beef heart (the best choice by far), currant lamb terrine, rosemary lamb terrine, and smoked pork rillette.
Spring Salad - Greens of all varieties strewn everywhere with 3 varieties of dressings smeared on the plate. It was delicious but was a little busy.
Ham and pea risotto - Perfectly seasoned and al dente.
Swordfish with tofu, morels, and snow ear mushroom - The swordfish was sous vide, moist, and flavourful.
Poached duck eggs and greens - This was absolutely delicious. I love duck eggs...the yolks are so dense, creamy, and rich. There were also some scattered green almonds that added a hit of sweetness to the dish.
Pork belly - I love pork belly but the lack of crispy skin saddened me a bit. There were bits of hard tofu simmered in 5 spice. It's a good dish but not an amazing dish.
Veal with shortbreads and artichoke - The veal was a little dry but the sweetbreads were delicious.
Dessert - Macaroon with meyer lemon sorbet, elderflower whipped cream, something akin to molasses ice cream, sugar crisp, pistachio sauce, and crumbles. It was a nice light dessert to conclude the meal but again, a lot of flavours on a dish.
I'm an ominivore and therefore, chose that menu without hesitation. However, I ended up liking the veggie courses more. All the vegetables were cooked to perfection. I applaud them for the creativity but do think some of the courses were a little messy in the flavour profile. -
Review from Sarah S.
Somerville, MA
1/8/2011
Went in for the first time for dinner last night. You can tell that they really want to please you but are not entirely sure how to do that. The service was extremely slow and somewhat awkward, definitely not enough servers for a full friday night dining room. The food was extremely slow to emerge - we sat down at 7, ordered the three course meal, and had our main dish come out at 8:45. Since we had to be somewhere at 9, they rushed out our dessert, which was a nice gesture. When he was there, though, our server did a pretty good job.
Now for the food. We both got the three course omnivore meal ($39), and added the foie gras special for $15, and I got the wine pairing ($25) while my boyfriend got a beer ($12). Let me break it down by course:
1. Cauliflower soup with mortadella and pickled cauliflower. Since i do not eat pork, my soup contained a poached egg and mushrooms rather than the mortadella (a fancy pork bologna). The soup was great - a nice presentation and sublime flavors.
2. Foie gras with grapefruit and some flavored foam (forgot the flavor). this looked hideous, like cat food. The small plate came with a small pile of frozen and shaved foie gras. There were no contrasts in colors or textures, with the plate basically containing a pile of brown mess. The taste wasn't that good and there could have been some other element to balance out the rich creamy flavor.
3. Pork shoulder with endive and lentils, and my non-pork substitute was lamb with eggplant and chickpeas. These were the most disappointing dishes of the evening. The huge slab of pork shoulder looked great but was extremely dry inside and lacked the flavor usually associated with pork shoulder. It came on a pile of dry flavorless lentils and the grilled endive, although it looked delicious, was extremely bitter and basically not edible. My boyfriend did not eat most of the dish. They gave him a complimentary drink because the chef agreed about the pork. The lamb was chewy, the sides were boring, overall not a memorable dish.
4. Dessert was a semolina cake with raisins, orange blossom merengue, meyer lemon cream, meyer lemon sorbet, and coffee cookie crumble. The dessert was well thought out and each item was delicately placed in a small amount on the plate for just a small taste of each. All items were delicious, although the cake was a bit dry.
Extras: Before anything, we got an amuse bouche of butternut squash soup with pork cracklins for him and sesame for me, and it was yummy. After the main course, we got a palate cleanser of coconut foam and lime jelly and it was absolutely superb. After the dessert, we got a shot glass of rooibos pannacota with a brownie and a butter cookie. It was very good.
All in all, if the main courses were as good as the soups or the palate cleanser, this would be a four star review for the food with a sad side note about the extremely slow service. The main course, which was the bulk of the food, was such a let down that, combined with the very slow service, makes this a place that I would not come back to for $82 per person. If you're going to drop this kind of money, you want everything to be good, not just the small extras between courses. Right now, I would much prefer to go to Oleana or Hungry Mother for a pricier meal in the area. -
Review from Rod K.
St Petersburg, FL
10/13/2011
We ate there last evening w/friends (see Kathryn K's review) I have to give this restaurant 5 stars for ambience...flavor...being clean...great staff...presentation As mentioned in other reviews: this is not for everyone...this is for those looking for a dining experience with a new flare to it. I was a little skeptical at first w/the lamb or veg selection ... But was offered the fish The owner dealt with every table like a pro and made every guest feel right at home. I will go back and I will recommend
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Review from Dan L.
Somerville, MA
5/13/2011
Best. Food Experience.Ever.
Journeyman = Food Art (both in taste and presentation).
Exceptional service / perfect drink pairings.
Location is a bit tricky, but WELL worth it.
We'll be back for sure.
F'ing yum.
