Watch City Brewing: Time to Give It a Try!
Written: Feb 21 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Good pub food, brewskies and a reputable wine list.
Cons: Across the street from a GREAT local saloon (may be more fun!).
|
|
|
| vickie's Full Review: Watch City Brewing Company |
Fishboy liked the "good solid pub food", at Watch City Brewing Co and it is definitely one of the strengths of this menu. I recommend any of the following from the list of 14 appetizers: the Louisiana Hot Chicken Fingers (these are HOT! They are accompanied by cool, blue cheese dressing.); the Spicy Honey Chicken Wings (slow roasted with smoked chipoltes); Fisherman's steamed Mussels (in white wine, garlic & tomato broth, these are GREAT!); and the Pan Seared Crabcakes (served with marinara sauce). I am allergic to crab so I haven't actually eaten the crabcakes but they are highly recommended by my friends! Appetizers vary in price from $6.95 to $7.95. Portions are reasonable, but not huge so go ahead and order what your pocketbook will bear! I should add that I was disappointed in the Mediterranean Calamari (tasted like it had been frozen--just not special) and the Basket of Rings (the onion rings were tasteless).
Fishboy also recommends the burgers. There are 14 choices of burgers ranging in price from $5.95 to $8.95. Choices include a Lean Grilled Chicken Burger, for the health conscious, and a Vegetarian Burger for the non-meat eaters. Some of the more inventive selections include a Warm Portabell Mushroom & Red Pepper Sandwich (served on focaccia with provolone and a roasted garlic spread) and a Smoked Chicken & Provolone Roll-up.
I like to get the Warm Spinach Salad for lunch here ($6.95). It is served with warm bacon and shallot vinaigrette and crumbed hard boiled eggs. For an additional $2.00 you can get chicken served with it and for only $1.00 you can get marinated portabello mushrooms added! It's really good!
There are 6 pasta choices ranging in price from $9.95 to $12.95. I have no experience with any of these. Sorry! There are 8 entrees ranging in price from $11.95 to $12.95. Here I always get the Beer Battered Fish & Chips. They are a solid choice-but nothing that you would work hard to go get. Another choice that looked interesting on others' plates (but which I have yet to try) is the Portuguese Fish Stew (with capers, garlic, black olives and spinach simmered in a white wine herbed tomato sauce).
Watch City has an open, upscale and airy feeling. In addition to the different "brews", there is a respectable wine list here. There are HUGE glass windows in front with copper brew vats sitting in the windows. Interior ceilings are high and the management did a nice job of balancing bar space, booths and table space. Service is good, but not great. The people working here are pleasant and helpful-but the place is frequently short staffed. There is a public parking lot in back and a new movie theater that typically shows about 6 films simultaneously, so you can make a nice evening of coming to Watch City. The Charles River flows nearby and there is a lovely little walking park next to the parking area. It's safe and charming.
Watch City's private function space is hard to find in this area of greater Boston, which gives this brew pub a real "plus" if you want to get a bunch of co-workers together to "party hearty" or just "chow down". You don't need to worry about what people (loudly) say or whether others can overhear (can you tell I work in hi-tech and we're all paranoid?).
The "hi tech" is significant in combination with Fishboy's comment about the area's "revival", this is a changing community whose roots are a watch manufacturing complex. If you are (more) interested in drinking and eating at a premier "blue collar" pub (the kind that Boston is famous for), fo around the corner to Sadie's Saloon. This is where I often go for a much more spontaneous "good time"! Frankly, I prefer the food and service at Sadie's. I'll write a review on Sadie's as soon as it appears on the Epinions list!
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
vickie
|
|
Location: Waltham, MA
Reviews written: 75
Trusted by: 113 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.