465 adds even more art to MFA
By Matt Robinson
Anyone who is a regular visitor to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (www.mfa.org) has surely enjoyed feasting their eyes on some of the most delicious and sumptuous art in the world. The collection is an international banquet in which each patron can taste cultures from all over the world all without leaving the historic building at 465 Huntington Avenue.
With the recent opening of 465, the Museum is offering a perfect place to dine on internationally-inspired cuisine while taking a break from the visual banquet or even as a destination of its own.
Sparsely but smartly decorated with a friendly front bar area, business-ready tables, cozy cubicles, private areas, and an al fresco patio, 465 makes for a comfortable and contemporary spot to take a break from a day of viewing, to look over your own commercial creations, or to celebrate with family and friends.
The experience begins with freshly-baked bread which adds an olfactory element to the multi-sensory enjoyment of 465. Among the “small plates” options are Sriracha-dusted chips, roasted Japanese eggplant, an heirloom tomato tartine, hand-cut pappardelle with a kale and pinenut pesto and ricotta salata, and a sous videwatermelon with whipped feta and pickled jalapenos, For those wit a larger appetite (or who want to follow these smaller starters with even more enjoyment), there are also painterly plates of grilled chicken paillard, a fully-dressed tuna nicoise, pan-roasted dayboat haddock with herbed brioche crumbs, and a dry-aged sirloin for two with grilled broccolini and caramelized onion Pommes Anna.
While there is no kids menu per se, the attentive staff is more than happy to help your young artist create their own meal masterpieces with the help of the creative kitchen. And mocktails like the coconut water-based Fruit Basket and the effervescent Island Mule (that combines ginger beer with lemon and pineapple juice) can make any guest feel sophisticated without getting sauced. For those who want to spice up their meal even more, the bar offers an international wine list, beers from such local faves as Sam Adams, Downeast, and Jack’s Abby, as well as such creative cocktails as a Ketel One cucumber martini and the Ginger Trail that merges Bushmills Whiskey with ginger syrup, crystalized ginger, and fresh lemon and pineapple juice.
For the final stroke, be sure to save room for the tasteful sorbet and berries with cookies, the guava strawberry mousse cake, or the Nutella-stuffed skillet cookie for two, which, like so many other 465 offerings, is an artfully-presented treat that is worth the trip on its own and that will surely leave a good impression no matter when you visit.