CANTINA ITALIANA - BOSTON, MA

CANTINA ITALIANA

346 HANOVER ST

BOSTON, MA

617-723-4577

https://www.cantinaitaliana.com/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/cantina-italiana-boston

https://www.instagram.com/cantinaitalianaboston/

https://www.facebook.com/CantinaItalianaBoston/

So excited to be in Boston and to try authentic Italian food in the North End.  Made a reservation weeks in advance at Cantina Italiana and arrived to find the place packed with a long line of people standing in front.  The Hostess and her assistant were the worst ever.  They did not communicate or let you know when your table would be ready.  We waited and waited. Asked and asked and they just gave us blank stares.  Never had seen anything like this.  Waited for over an hour from our reservation time before we were finally seated after getting in front of both of them and asking about our table.  Total joke.  When we got seated the guy that was running the restaurant and waiting on tables made up for the hostess mess with a great personality and dedication to customer service.  I ordered a Super Tuscan wine to put me at ease and it was nice.  We started with a Burrata and Proscuitto Plate that included Roasted Peppers and a small Artichoke.  Not bad but not great.  The Burrata had very little flavor.  The Gnocchi with Sausage and Mushrooms to me was great.  Loved it.  My favorite dish of the night.  My Wife however said it was just ok.  I ordered a Special of the homemade Bombolotti Pasta with Sausage and Meatballs.  Loved the Sausage and Meatballs but not a big fan of the Pasta.  Would have preferred Spaghetti or Linguine.  My Wife ordered the same Pasta with Lobster and Shrimp.  Again she said it was just ok.  Not the best Italian food so we were a bit disappointed.  Would probably not return here again.

CANTINA ITALIANA 

MAKE A RESERVATION AND BE READY TO STAND IN LINE

SERVING ITALIAN FOOD IN THE NORTH END SINCE 1931

CANTINA ITALIANA MENU

BREAD HAD NO TASTE

BURRATA WITH PROSCIUTTO, ROASTED PEPPERS AND ARTICHOKE

BURRATA WAS FLAVORLESS AND ACTUALLY GET BETTER IN HAWAII

GNOCCHI ALLA NORCIA WAS DELICIOUS!

BOMBOLOTTI PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND MEATBALLS

FIRST TIME EVER TRYING THIS TYPE OF PASTA

SPICY BOMBOLOTTI PASTA WITH LOBSTER AND SHRIMP

GIARDINO - ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

GIARDINO

ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

1 BROADWAY 

EVERETT, MA 

857-770-7000

https://giardinoencore.com/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/giardino-everett?osq=giardino

https://www.instagram.com/giardinoencore/

https://www.encorebostonharbor.com

Excited to be in Boston and was super ready for some good Chowdah and Lobstah.  We hit Giardino at the Encore while we were waiting for our room.  The place was busy but our server did a nice job handling the tables.  She was very nice and worked hard.  I ordered the $16 Clam Chowder with excitement thinking it would be the best ever because this was Boston.  Very disappointed as the Chowder was pretty bland.  Full of potatoes and very little clams.  Should have been called Potato Chowder.  The $40 Lobster Roll was a huge disappointment too.  Lobster was dried out and didn't seem fresh.  Not much flavor if you did not soak it on butter.  My Wife ordered the BLT for $23 and it was the worst ever.  Bacon was very thin and looked and tasted like the bacon you buy at Costco that does not have to be refrigerated.  I do a better BLT at home.  Disappointed in this $200 lunch big time!

Click link below to view post on Encore Boston Harbor;

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2024/10/encore-boston-harbor.html

GIARDINO - ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

GIARINO MENU

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

MAIN LOBSTER ROLL

$40 LOBSTER ROLL

LOBSTER WAS DRY AND PRETTY TASTELESS

ONE OF WORST BLT'S EVER FOR $23

ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

1 BROADWAY 

EVERETT, MA 

857-770-7000

https://www.encorebostonharbor.com

https://www.instagram.com/encorebostonharbor/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/EncoreBostonHarbor/

I liked the Encore Boston Harbor but it does not have five star service.  Rooms are excellent and clean.  Restaurant options are great even if expensive.  There is absolutely no seating areas in the lobby or anywhere except restaurants and casino bars.  We arrived early and had to hang out a bit until our room was ready.  My Wife does not drink or like to sit at bars so she fell asleep at a slot machine tucked away in a corner.  They really need so comfortable seating somewhere near the lobby.  Service is no where near five star and at most times non existent.  Valet staff while friendly did not welcome us or provide a high level of service.   There are no wine glasses or wine opener in the room so I had to request from room service.  The hotel is located about 20 minutes away (depending on traffic) from the main tourist attractions in Boston.  They do have a nice boat that takes you back and forth for free.  We took it one way and then relied on Uber to get us back to the hotel.  This was a business trip and the conference center was nice.  Food served at the functions was pretty good.  No complaints.

Would I stay here again when visiting Boston?  Probably not.

Click link below to view post on Giardino at Encore Boston Harbor;

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2024/10/giardino-encore-boston-harbor.html

ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR

LOBBY WITH ABSOLUTELY NO SEATING AREAS ANYWHERE

VIEW OF HARBOR FROM ROOM

IPAD CONTROLS TV, CURTAINS AND LIGHTS

FREE BOAT SHUTTLE TO AND FROM THE NORTH END AREA

TAKE THE ENCORE BOAT TO THE CITY

 

UNITED AIRLINES - LOS ANGELES TO BOSTON

United Airlines outdid themselves with the worst airline food ever.  This tasteless and hard Chicken was uneatable.  This seems to be a pattern on United.  Service however was good.

UNITED AIRLINES - LOS ANGELES TO BOSTON

COULD BE THE WORST AIRLINE MEAL EVER