Stephanie's on Newbury

In celebration in coming back to Beantown for graduate school, here is my first Boston restaurant post! 

Living in a one bedroom in Boston also means dining alone quite often. I was doing some shopping on Newbury Street and decided to do a lunchtime splurge on the well known establishment. I've heard a lot of mixed messages about Stephanie's, for it has great reviews on Yelp, but a close friend told me that their salads were horrific and the place is simply overrated. Clearly I had to try. I was seated in a comfortable corner, perfect for people watching, in which I realized most of the patrons were gossipy middle-aged women (...I have got to stop eating at these places and act my own age). The interior design was actually nicer than I anticipated, and for a moment, it didn't feel like I was in Boston. There's a nice outdoor area (again, if only it stopped raining in ...), a warm main dining room room, and a skylight in the split level space. And an additional plus, the servers were also very attentive and polite, making it a very pleasurable solo experience.  

I started with a beet salad served with candied walnuts and goat cheese. It was served over a bed of field greens that seemed over refrigerated (or left out in the cold) and tossed with a dash too much of the mustard green vinaigrette. Though meatless, it was a bit heavy for a salad, especially because I was trying to go for something that wouldn't overwhelm me for my second course. 

I have few things that I can say are my absolute favorite, and truffle is one of them. So naturally I ordered the  macaroni  made with three cheeses and the optional addition of truffle oil and prosciutto. I should have went with just the truffle. The prosciutto unfortunately took away from the heavenly essence of truffle oil that otherwise perfectly permeated the macaroni and cheese. However, it was the perfect hearty dish for a cold rainy day. 

All in all, just like the proclaimed college town that it resides, Stephanie's is a bit overrated. Perhaps try it out if you're trying to impress a date that doesn't go out too much and hope for a younger crowd at night. Or just go with a few girlfriends. You can never go wrong with sharing food and gossip. 

Stephanie's on Newbury
190 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116