Asking a native where they would take an out-of-towner to eat for a classic regional meal has worked well over the years. Our source for finding 75 Chestnut was our hotel desk clerk, who explained that it was a neighborhood restaurant that she would like to go to more often herself. We crossed Boston Gardens to Charles St., walking north until we found Chestnut, a few blocks from Beacon St , then turned left. This was a neighborhood bistro packed with patrons from the surrounding Beacon Hill neighborhood. Luckily we had prebooked our reservation, because we still had a long wait.
The menu is filled with classic American fare; steaks, chops, chicken, salads, soups, desserts, and New England standards like chowder and fish. We had been to Martha's Vineyard, so passed on the clam chowder and selected the daily special of tomato bisque ($7), which was lighter than most bisques yet still rich in flavor. The salad ($9) was composed of Boston Bibb lettuce, goat cheese, dried cranberries and toasted pecans. I thought the dressing could be improved with a bit of honey. The menu indicated apples in the salad, but I don't recall any, nor do I see any in the photo. Roast chicken breast ($18) was served with a salad and fingerling, roasted potatoes, nicely moist, perfectly cooked.
The grilled Porterhouse pork chop ($20) was also moist and nicely cooked, drizzled with pan juices, and came with steamed green beans and potatoes. It walked away with "best selection of the evening" honors. The shallot mashed potatoes are worth a mention on their own, so creamy and light. I may try duplicating them at home. All in all, this was as comfortable as comfort food gets. But I do need to mention that the overcrowding caused service delays, as well as reservation delays. Still It was a good experience to feel like a local in a neighborhood establishment off the beaten path.
617) 227-2175
75 Chestnut St
Boston MA
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