The MET Back Bay
Back in the Bay in Search of a Bloody
Back Bay, Boston - MA
Journey Date: 3.21.15
Bloody Name: Build Your Own Bloody
Price: $23
Skewer: Celery, lime, lemon, olives, hickory Smoked bacon, pickle, mini cheeseburger, and bacon salt on the rim
Mix: Ketel One Vodka with Worcestershire and their own MET Sauce. I just tasted tomato juice and vodka. Not really bursting with heat or any other flavors
Overall Presentation: Awesome presentation and the fixings were loaded on top of the glass! The burger was out of this world.
Chaser: NO CHASER?!?!
The Review:
This past weekend I found myself journeying through Boston and after a night of libations I was on the hunt for a Bloody Mary in the Back Bay. Through several recommendations I found myself at the MET Back with a “Build Your Own Bloody Mary” worksheet in front of me. There were several areas in which I could choose potentially life changing ingredients that would combine to make a personalized Bloody Mary. The only issue here is that I’m really the only person to blame if my Bloody Mary isn’t up to par, and lets get serious it’s a lot of pressure!
The vodka choices were all very classy, much like the restaurant itself. I opted for Ketel One Vodka. For the fixins and garnishes section I was faced with lots of tough choices, many which were hindered by the depth of my wallet. Each item was an additional $1 - $9, which I found added up quickly. I started off pretty standard with celery, Lime, olives and a pickle. Then I felt the need to splurge and add a few nontraditional items because well, why the hell not? I was on vacation and the options were too enticing to turn down. I went ahead and added some Hickory smoked bacon and of course a Mini Cheeseburger. Then for the actual Bloody I went with their House “Met Bloody Mary Mix”, MET sauce, and some Worcestershire sauce.
I placed my order and waited in anticipation for what my creative mind had just put together. The waitress brought the Bloody and I wasn’t disappointed. It was piled high with fixins and the burger was literally a mini cheeseburger masterpiece with all the garnishes. I waited for the chaser to arrive but came to find beer chasers or beer backs are only a Midwest thing and “everywhere else” a Bloody flies solo. I remained calm but began to speculate just exactly what type establishment I had let myself get involved with.
With the initial sip I felt it was pretty average and immediately thought back to the worksheet for what else I could have added. The taste was generic when comparing to your run of the mill Bloody Mary. No real standouts and the tomato juice was definitely prominent. While it offered very little heat at the end it had a few spices that included celery salt and pepper. I thought their signature MET SAUCE and mix would have brought some different spices or even a bacon flavor but it was mostly a salty tomatoey drink that satisfied my overall Bloody craving. I wasn’t blown away by it nor did I feel the desire to come back for another at a later date.
Once I satisfied my palette with the drink itself I moved on to the fixins. The burger was a mini piece of art. It consisted of red onions, Cheddar Cheese, Tomatoes, and a spicy Mayo. It was a juicy and well put together burger that was grilled to a perfect medium, with just a little bit of pink in the middle. I was impressed with their precision and care that went into the garnish. The Hickory smoked bacon and pickle were also fantastic and offered a nice change of pace as I finished off the Bloody before our food arrived.
As you all know it takes all parts of a Bloody Mary to earn a 5 out of 5 Pickles which is why I’m giving this one a 3 out of 5. The Bloody Mary itself was lacking and needed some more spice and or savory flavor. Also, no beer chaser? Things would have spun out of control fast if it weren't for the amazing burger and other garnishes. IF it weren’t for the fixins bringing everything back together I think this Bloody would have even received a lower rating.
Now the food… I’ll be quick. I ordered their biscuits and gravy which was very bland and had WAY too much spinach on it. I really wasn’t a huge fan and was certainly glad my Bloody Mary had a burger on it. My girlfriend ordered the Nutella Stuffed French Toast, which she was so gracious to share with me. After my first bite of that French toast I considered many things… Just how far could I make it if I took the plate and ran with this savory explosion of flavor? How pissed would she be if I just ate the rest? It seriously was the best French toast I’ve ever had. The Nutella inside paired with the perfectly crisp French toast and smooth maple syrup accent. IT. WAS. AMAZING. An entire plate of it would be too sweet for me, but WOW, it was good. Seriously if you go to the MET for brunch GET THIS! While you’re at it, build your own Bloody Mary, but be sure to add some more spice and the Cheeseburger on top. It’ll make for Boston brunch you won’t forget!
RATING:
