Phantom Gourmet: Townsman In Boston
BOSTON - Chef Matt Jennings has loved food since an early age. So when he opened his American style brasserie in Boston, he decided to surround himself with a talented staff that felt more like family. Now food lovers from all over the country are talking about his restaurant.
"I grew up cooking," Matt said. "I come from a family of people that sat at a table together, that broke bread and enjoyed the meal time as a real convivially opportunity to connect, and that's something that we're trying to promote in all we do."
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Now it's your turn to feel right at home, at his restaurant named Townsman. Located on the corner of Essex and Kingston Streets, Townsman is set in the newly rejuvenated neighborhood just off the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
"Some people in the past have referenced this area as the middle of nowhere. We feel like it's the middle of everywhere," said Matt. "We are between the Leather District, Chinatown, the Financial District and Downtown Crossing."
Inside the restaurant, you'll find a lively space with a bustling bar, intimate dining room and seats just along the open kitchen, where you can see all of that culinary creativity happen.
Nothing interests customers more than Townsman's Grand Plateau, a spin on your typical seafood tower that features both seafood and charcuterie. At the base, you'll find a layer of fresh oysters and clams plucked from local waters. Just upstairs is a selection of house-cured meats, and on the penthouse level, there's everything from seasonal pickles to pork rinds.
"It's almost as though you're able to experience the entire restaurant on one tower," Matt said.
Other ways to kick off your dining experience include their upscale spin on clam chowder; mussels steamed in a Narragansett lager with roasted garlic and brown butter; and some of Chef Matt's signature Fried Dumplings, which change seasonally.
"Right now they're squash and cheddar. They are rich and decadent. They have a nice bite and chew to them," Matt described. "They're just a great way to warm up on a cold day."
One dish that's guaranteed to fill you up is Townsman's Burger.
"It is a beautiful half-pound burger that is a house grind. We like to serve it medium rare with a homemade pepper jack cheese and a homemade potato roll," explained Matt. "We also serve it alongside of what we call our Combat Sauce, which is a tip of the hat to the old Combat Zone, which used to be not too far from where we're standing right now."
Forget what you know about fried chicken, because the fried chicken sandwich at Townsman is poultry perfection. Just take Matt's word for it.
"We think that our fried chicken rivals any of the best fried chicken in the country. You have this incredible crunchy exterior, a little bit of hint of sweetness, beautiful dark meat in there. It's just a beautiful chicken sandwich, served with a buttermilk ranch dressing. It's like a slice of the south on a plate."
Entrees are equally impressive, with Curried Lamb artfully plated with roasted squash, and Hanger Steak cooked perfectly pink, served over farrow and topped with veal sweet breads and fried peppers. For those with an enormous appetite, order the fork tender Pork Shank.
"It's not for the faint-hearted. It's a 20 ounce pork shank, and it's coming with a beautiful polenta that we make that has some shaved grana cheese in it, an au jus that we create out of the pan sauces, and then a little apple salad on top," Matt described. "It's finished with a mostarda that we make here in house, which adds just a little bit of acidity and a little kiss of that mustard oil to kind of cut through the richness. It's beautiful."
Just as spectacular are all of Townsman's desserts, like Frozen Lemon Meringue and a handmade Pear and Almond Tart served with cranberry sorbet.
"Texturally it has the crunch from the tart shell. It has that nice pastry cream on the inside of the tart to give it that almondy sweetness. It's a really spectacular dish," Matt promised.
Even with the endless grind of operating a busy downtown restaurant, Matt is always there smiling because he's doing what he loves.
"I would do nothing else. I love it, and if I can just meet one person a day who loves food and loves the experience of dining in our restaurant then I'm a happy guy.
You can find Townsman at 120 Kingston Street in Boston, and online at townsmanboston.com.
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