Neptune Oyster - A Pearl in Boston's North End!

I spent the weekend with RRR in Boston. We met up late Friday evening and after some deliberation, we wound up at Neptune Oyster, a tiny restaurant in Boston's North End that RRR has been to quite a few times (w/Mitch and Mr. RRR).

We wedged ourselves into the tiny waiting area with my duffel bag in tow. The other patrons were very patient and accommodating, perhaps because they all knew what a treat we'd be in for!

RRR and I were seated after a short wait and agonized over the menu and wine list. Since neither of us are raw bar aficionados, we passed on the raw bar offerings. We did share the luscious lump crab scampi appetizer with green garlic omelet crepe, fingerling crema and (my personal favorite) speck ham. The saltiness of the ham with the smooth texture of the creme and fresh tender crab was such a beautiful combination of ingredients and so imaginative! WOW!

I was initially a bit disappointed to find they were out of the roast monkfish and clams with charred broccoli, green olives, white cornmeal and black beans entree and from some other reviews I've read, Neptune has a tendency to run out of a lot of their entrees.

I decided on the filet of red snapper with sweetbread butter, artichokes, mortadella, green beans and pistachio artichoke lace. I was a bit concerned that the sweetbread butter was going to overpower the fish but it was so subtle and added an enticing level of flavor and texture to the dish without going overboard. I am also not a sweetbread kind of gal, but it was so tasty and so flavorful that if they didn't tell me, I wouldn't have known! RRR is also not Mrs. Sweetbread but equally enjoyed this fantastic entree.

As demonstrated by my dish, Chef David Nevins has a penchant for combining "surf" and "turf" but not in the traditional sense of filet mignon and lobster tail. This was certainly evident in RRR's vitello tonnato sandwich which is composed of tuna tartare, roasted thinly shaved veal, cucumber salad and a spicy mustard. The sandwich looked so inviting I couldn't help myself but to have a bite. (NOTE: You may remember I am neither a fan of tuna OR veal)

It was absolutely delicious! The spicy mustard really brought together the flavors of the fresh well-seasoned tuna and the thinly shaved veal, which was more like the roast pork you would find in a Cuban restaurant. Once RRR picked herself up off the floor (she couldn't believe that I even took a nibble!), she then had to pick her jaw up off the table when I helped myself to another bite!

The fries that accompanied the sandwich were a bit soggy but if this is the worst thing I could say about my dining experience, so be it.

Even though it is hugely popular, I must admit I was a bit hesitant to even write about this restaurant out of pure selfishness; I'd like to keep this little gem to myself!