Basho Japanese Brasserie, 1338 Boylston St (between Jersey St & Yawkey Way) Boston, MA 02215

(pictures throughout are from May and November 2012)

I love Basho's redesign.  It's more open and a tad brighter and more welcoming.

Sea Urchin-like Ceiling Candy!

The Tiger roll was amazing!  Made with eel, cucumber wrapped in smoked salmon and topped with torched squid, salmon roe and a mild, creamy, sweet miso sauce-this roll was a favorite.

Tiger Roll (front) and Rock & Roll maki (back)

I found the Rock & Roll maki good, but it came in second to the Tiger.

The Pork steamed buns caused several OMG moments with me and my friend.  The meat was so very tender and sweet.  The buns were perfect and even the pickle blew me away.
 

Pork Steam buns!

Edamame and Adegashi tofu with spicy daikon, scallion, and soy dashi

More from the robata grill: Spicy duck with mushrooms on left.  On right, pork belly  Both were tender and cooked perfectly.

We enjoyed the Cucumber martini (which I tend to order during each visit) and the Samurai made with Kaori sake, Belvedere vodka, fresh lime juice, St. Germain, and mint.

Our bartender Sharday was a doll as usual!

10/17/2011

We decided to try and formulate our own ten course tasting menu (a Kaiseki if you will)!!!  This menu was constructed for just such an event (a Monday in our world that is...)

SOOOOO....the teriyaki foei gras was removed from the menu (the new menu was a bit reworked which omitted the apparent french fusion elements).


My fave Spicy Lobster Miso Soup didn't disappoint!  I feel the portion may have increased, yet after you read what follows, maybe you'll agree it was all in my head (and primarily in my belly)...

The Small Plates, Tempura, & Robata menus played on repeat for us tonight!

The choices:

The Adegashi Tofu absolutely blew my mind.  The soy dashi sauce was a beautiful supporting role to Basho's awesome deep-fried tofu!  Was that coated in Panko by the way? Loved it!


On one platter we were served: The chicken thigh (perfectly grilled, boneless, skinless, juicy thigh), The Spicy Duck (strips of not so spicy duck...lacking the fatty-but-not-oily consistency that duck-lovers LOVE), and the Crispy Shrimp (coated in a nice spicy, cream-based sauce which could have benefited from both more spice and creaminess).

Chicken thighs and grilled asparagus with spicy mayo

I am usually not too turned on by tempura dishes, but my dining companion wanted to sample the Tempura scallops.  Not only am I not a fan of tempura, but scallops seldom move me, YET THESE SCALLOPS were fantastic.


Basho Ribs...what can I say??? I think I'm still speechless.  Ribs are one of my weaknesses!  These were FANTASTIC!  I guess I should make a new list: BEST RIBS!  The sauce was perfect, the meat tender and wonderfully charred!  I couldn't help leaving charm school rules behind and licking my finger tips...at least my leopard clad ankles were crossed!  I at least get points for that, no???

Beautiful ribs!

Hamachi kama:  There's no collar that tastes better!  This was the centerpiece of our Japanese tapas extravaganza!  Crisp tuna skin that served as a perfect finish to our picking at this beautiful chunk of tuna...It's always a lovely seafood touch to any Japanese meal!

Hamachi Kama!

I finished it all with a lovely Spicy Shrimp Maki roll with spicy mayo and tobiko!  Fresh and awesome as expected!  Loved it!


My foodie partner and I plan to attend the food happy hours to dig a bit deeper into this fantastic menu!


Basho:
Thanks for upgrading my/Fenway area neighborhood with fab food!



7/21/2011 and 8/2011

Photo by S. Higgs of Sheque Perfection (The Premiere Make-up Artist and Fashionista of Turks & Caicos Islands and beyond):    http://www.shequemakeup.com/

I love the high ceilings and dark interior of Basho.  It's dim atmosphere likely enhances your sense of taste, though the food does not have to depend on such strategy.  The space is massive with a few sushi bars and a nicely sized alcohol bar and seating area.  Outdoor seating is plentiful as well (relative to the neighborhood).

I am head-over-heels in love with the spicy lobster miso soup!  It was perfectly spicy with a generous portion of lobster meat.

The foie gras teriyaki revealed a perfect balance of sweet and savory...a lovely daikon cake, the sharpness of the cured cheese, topped with perfectly prepared foie gras was fantastic.

The sauteed shrimp was not my favorite, though the shrimp were a nice size and fresh of course.  The sauce was just a bit overpowering.

The Snow Mountain roll great! And the Rainbow Roll had the perfect amount of tobiko (my favorite)...most places skip on the red tobiko when it's listed as an ingredient.

My 'plain jane' dining companion in August opted for the chicken teriyaki...NOTE:  Stay away...stick with the different...break out of your shell...you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Though our server could have been a bit more attentive, the host and manager were awesome!  This place is around the corner from my home and will definitely be a place to frequent. 

www.bashosushi.com/