Batter’d and Fried

Our second adventure took us across the Cumberland River to the historic East End of our city. While we rarely visit the unfamiliar Five Points area, the legend of its laid back and eclectic atmosphere always proves to be intriguing.

Tonight’s choice: Batter’d and Fried. The restaurant coins itself as an authentic Boston seafood restaurant with a sushi bar on the side.

As we arrived, the area was alive and the numerous restaurants and bars must have all been busy because finding parking was a challenge, but we didn’t let that ruin our appetite.

When we walked in the front door, the hostess greeted us and offered our choice of indoor or outdoor seating. Even though the crowded patio would’ve provided a lively environment for our dinner, we opted for a more quiet experience inside and next to the sushi bar. The Boston Red Sox décor all over the walls made it obvious and pretty much impossible to forget that we were in Boston territory…. Tracy, having been born and raised a Yankees fan, tolerated it for the sake of the meal.

The expansive menu left no stone unturned. In addition to a variety of fried fish, seafood and sushi, the menu offered various salads, pasta dishes and sandwiches. So if seafood isn’t your thing, don’t worry, you have some other options.

With so many options, we each found it impossible to choose just one dish, so we decided to go family style (a common occurrence when we get together). We started off ordering the Boston clam chowder ($2.75 cup) because, why wouldn’t you at a Boston themed restaurant? And keeping with the Boston theme, Ben also ordered a Sam Adams Boston lager on draft. It came in one of those weird glasses that have recently made appearances in Sam Adams commercials. While they’re a bit gimmicky, Ben thought they contoured nicely to the lip. For the main course, we opted for the seafood platter ($16.99) and a Red Dragon sushi roll ($13.29).

On top of that, we also decided to take a walk on the wild side and ordered a couple oyster shooters. They came in a small martini glass, instead of the customary shot glass, making it difficult to “shoot” them. But we didn’t mind.

Soon the clam chowder arrived. Being in Nashville, we were glad to see that this sometimes watered down soup was creamy and thick, true to the Boston style. Each spoonful offered a bit of sweet clam and potato goodness and would’ve kept us warm during a cold Northern winter. We found ourselves scraping the bottom of the cup, wishing we had ordered the bowl. It was a great way to kick off the meal.

But before we could get too attached, our attention was brought to the steaming seafood platter set in front of us. Deep fried shrimp, clams, cod and “oysters” sat on top of a bed of seasoned French fries. Accompanied by tarter sauce, cocktail sauce and cole slaw. We say “oysters” because that’s what we were SUPPOSED to get, but instead we received a helping of fried sea scallops. Ironically enough, they were our favorite part of the dish. Overall, the platter was what fried seafood should be. The cornmeal-based breading was crisp, but not overbearing. And the food wasn’t overly greasy. Our least favorite part of the dish was the cole slaw. We found it too heavy and not as refreshing as we would liked.

Before we could make much of a dent in the seafood platter, our Red Dragon roll was brought out. The hefty roll was filled with spicy tuna, avocado and unagi inside, had unagi and tuna outside, and was topped with tobiko (flying fish roe) and unagi sauce. The use of unagi, rather than the English translation “eel,” was a good move as the thought of eating the animal might deter the unadventurous eater. Of course, we had no problem digging in.

The roll presented several complex flavors and textures without one overwhelming another. The sauces had a bit of sweetness, the avocado was a creamy and the spice from the tuna left you with a slight (and pleasant) after burn.

To finish off the meal, we went with the Brownie Decadence ($4.99). This was a massive fudge brownie, served warm and topped with chocolate sauce, vanilla bean ice cream and toasted walnuts. We were REALLY hoping for some Boston cream pie, but unfortunately it wasn’t an option.

The experience as a whole was very, well, Boston. The casual atmosphere combined with tons of food choices makes this a place we’ll be destined to revisit. It’s affordable enough to be part of the regular rotation. All we need to do now is get us some Sox gear for the next time we visit!

Pros:
Thick and creamy clam chowder
Attentive but relaxed service
Boston atmosphere

Cons:
Parking
Mixed up item on platter (which turned out to be a pro!)
Oyster shooters weren’t, well, shootable

Price: $$
Location: In the hustle and bustle of Five Points
Food quality: The best slice of Boston you’ll taste in the South
Drink Quality: Good selection with several Boston-themed cocktails
Service: Attentive and easy going
Ambiance: Casual and fun, unless you’re a Yankees fan. Great for a night out with a small group of friends

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