Boston has always been chock-full of enticing seafood restaurants reliant on the city's harbor and coastline and, now, serious foodies have an even more legitimate reason to descend on the land of baked beans: for the first time ever, a Boston eatery has received a Michelin star.
Japanese destination 311 Omakase has officially earned one Michelin star, considered “worth a stop” by the guide.
For $250 per person, diners can enjoy an 18-course tasting menu helmed by founder and executive chef Wei Fa Chen, who crafts splendid nigiri at the intimate chef's counter using fish imported from Japan.
"The chef's omakase features impressive nigiri showcasing high-quality product, much of it imported from Japan; and the range of fish could include fluke, striped beakfish and goldeneye snapper," reads the official Michelin write-up about the restaurant. "Cooked items precede the sushi and highlight a particular cooking method, such as delicately crunchy fried longtooth grouper with ponzu sauce or a simmered bowlful of amadai and abalone in dashi."
Clearly, chef Chen knows what he's doing, having honed his craft alongside Masa Takayama, the chef-owner of the first-ever Michelin-starred Japanese and sushi restaurants in the U.S., Masa in New York City (which recently lost one of its Michelin stars).
"My goal is to create exceptional traditional Japanese cuisine that reflects the artful use of ingredients and meticulous mastery of preparation techniques, while infusing classic dishes with my own creativity and style," chef Chen said in an official statement. "Each dish is crafted with care and attention to detail, using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients to offer our guests an authentic and exciting dining experience. We are committed to pushing the limits of ourselves to achieve Michelin-level excellence in all aspects of our restaurant, from the food we serve to the service we provide."
Can't get a reservation at 311 Omakase any time soon? Worry not: the Michelin Guide also released its list of six Boston-area restaurants that have earned Bib Gourmand ratings, the organization's designation for restaurants "offering excellent value for the quality of their cooking." The list includes the Fox and the Knife and Bar Volpe in Boston proper, and Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, Pagu, Jahunger and Mahaniyom in Cambridge. See you there?