BY JOHN HWANG
The Indy reviews the restaurant Drink.
Hidden underneath Sportello, this gastropub is a must-visit gem. Barbara Lynch’s Drink doesn’t fail to seamlessly provide an incredibly open and relaxing milieu to make conversation and laugh with friends.
But, the wait was long. Our party of five showed up at 6 o’clock and had to wait 30 to 45 minutes to get to a table. But once you’re in, it’s hard to imagine that you’d ever want to leave, especially after being a drink or two deep (or more).
Drink’s specialties are its drinks (obviously), but don’t get distracted. The food they serve is absolutely exquisite, yet simple in construct. As almost all their dishes are finger food. Drink’s food is great to share and is a social interaction unto itself.
From its abnormally large French fries, served with a side of malt vinegar aioli, to its eclectic mix of House Made Charcuterie, Drink’s cuisines gave me the sense that they weren’t trying too hard or too little. Other delicacies on the menu I’d recommend you try are the Maine Trout Rillette, the Steak Tartare with truffle aioli and the Rhode Island Calamari.
In each dish, it was easy to tell that the chef wanted to balance the flows of different flavors exhibited by the selection of a specific type of bread or aioli to compliment the salty and bitter tastes coming from the selection of Charcuterie.
And don’t let me forget their burgers. At 6pm, a message board on the wall reads: four burgers remaining, and I couldn’t resist tasting one. These burgers are limited but they are unquestionably worth having—it tasted completely of itself.
Now, onto the bar –walk in and you might think you’ve stumbled on an ordinary bar, but you’d be wrong. What makes Drink such a unique place is that it, ironically, doesn’t have a drinks menu. Instead, bartenders are on call to help craft the drinks of your dreams. It’s simple, tell the waiter what kind of flavors or tastes you prefer, and they’ll be sure to make you a drink worth sipping on.
The words that best resonate with the culture of Drink are written on a board behind the bar: “Dedicated to those merry souls, who make drinking a pleasure, who achieve contentedness long before capacity and whenever they drink prove able to carry it, enjoy it and remain Ladies and Gentlemen.” And I agree.
If you plan to visit the gastropub, I would highly recommend getting there early to get your first Drink.
Location: 348 Congress St., Boston, MA 02228
Drink of the night: Moscow Mule
Recommended dish: House Made Charcuterie
John Hwang ’17 (jhwang01@college.harvard.edu) has quenched his thirst.