Puritan & CompanyGreat Food, Service SpottyThe food was fabulous--we tried a duck and a lamb dish, and a few apps. All quite good. Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. Seems like they don't quite have their table pacing down. Our server was less than enthused. I think when we ordered an initial round of drinks (beers) and some of their snack-sized appetizers while we were looking through the menu, she pegged us as a cheap check, and service was commensurate with this judgment. When, after finishing apps, entrees, and another round of drinks, and we didn't have room for dessert, she was done with us. I would go back, but I would hesitate getting a table again. Maybe better to enjoy the food at the bar.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat night outFood and service is exceptional, with thoughtful details throughout our meal. Everything from the house made rolls to the dessert, exceeded our expectations. After finishing our wine, the sommelier asked to clear the bottle, it was very good, I asked for him to write it down for me.. He did me on better, placing the wine label on a card from Puritan for me.
At one point, my friend spilled on her blouse and our server brought over a Tide to Go pen to see if it would help to remove the stain. Wow..
Food was wonderful, the duckliver mousse starter was smooth and rich, the assiette of lamb tender and flavorful and the wagyu was perfect. The chocolate tart with lavender marshmellow was a delightful ending. We are definitely going back.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMYummyInnovative fresh food - fabulous oysters with incredible swordfish pastrami. Excellent wine selection - no bar for those cocktail lovers but otherwise great5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother Inman Square WinnerGreat place. Creative uses of fresh ingredients, combining unique flavors and preparations with excellent service and attention to detail. Nice, airy space, in a great location. Worth a visit.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was by all accountsThe food was by all accounts excellent - three of us had steak, one had the black pepper pasta, and another had the chicken. The appetizers were great too. Salads are small, I would say, for the price. Tasty but small. Also we were celebrating my friend's upcoming baby and they wouldn't allow us to eat our own cupcakes without paying a "plating" fee. I suppose that would have been OK if they had had to actually cut some cake, and plate it. I also know this is also standard practice but seems a little silly.
In any case, I would go back in a heartbeat. Great food, nice service.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMwhat we've been waiting for...an unpretentious, friendly atmosphere with equally unpretentious (yet creative) and delicious food.
I moved to boston from portland, or seven years ago and have missed the food scene the most. while boston has great food, the scene is lacking a welcoming casual vibe while still remaining in good taste. puritan and company was a great mix of both. my husband and I will be back for sure, and hopefully with friends!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMFoodie heavenBest restaurant in Boston! It's about time Boston learned from San Fran and got a cool spot like this. Small plates are to die for5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMA great new restaurantWe had a great time at Puritan & Co, and the food was outstanding. I wish we had reason to be in Inman Sq. more often so we could come back regularly. My one critique is that is isn't vegetarian-friendly; on their menu section marked "vegetables," 4 out of 5 had meat, and there were few other options, and almost none if you were vegan. I hate when chefs think that veggies can't be yummy without meat or dairy. The pasta I did have was fantastic, and my husband does eat meat, and thought the lamb might have been the best he ever had. The service was terrific, if a little languid, but for once we weren't running off right after dinner, so it was nice to just relax and enjoy.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat find in CambridgeGreat food, great wine list, quite a bit of options for carnivores or not so carnivores! The ambiance and decor are nice. Two minor details: the server brought us a wine that we couldn't stand, offered gladly to change the bottle for something else, and another person came by making us feel bad asking if we were "described the previous wine correctly"... Awkward! Also, they have lamb belly and pork belly on the menu, they confused the 2 while taking the order. The food was great either way!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat inventive food and serviceHighlights of my dinner to start were rolls. Probably the single most delicious bread any restaurant has ever served to me. The oysters from Maine were some of the best I had.Perfectly shucked too, no shell pieces and the juice still intact, I really liked the fresh shaved horseradish. The grilled oyster were very amazing.The farmers cheese was another home run. Loved the pickled vegetables they only made want more. The parsnip soup and broccoli salad I both really enjoyed.The pork belly and razor clam was a little disappointing, very delicious, I wish there was double the pork belly and I couldn't find any razor clams in the sauce.Wasn't a big fan of the special octopus, the lamb was good but it needed something to cut through its richness4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMI'd go back to Puritan & Co.I'd go back to Puritan & Co. every weekend just for the potted foie gras - hands down one of the best starting courses in the Boston area. Our main courses (duck and steak) were also excellent. Pair the superb food with exemplary service in a well-designed, cool looking room (check out the antique oven converted to a hostess stand), and this is a great addition to the Cambridge food scene. We really enjoyed the music selection as well.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious and stunning presentationDelicious and stunning presentation of local ingredients. Will Gilson definitely has a passion for food!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMNeighborhood Gem!Love this place. Food was great and service was excellent. Have been twice and found both experiences to be great. The server made excellent recommendations and when asked to describe several beers and wines, we found her descriptions to be spot on. We will continue to dine here again and again.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMamazing food that was wellamazing food that was well thought out, great staff eager to recommend combinations and just a great atmosphere.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific dinnerEvery dish was outstanding. Lots of unusual offerings, but everything worked. For example, "swordfish pastrami" - ordered because it sounded amusing, and it turned out to be a thinly sliced peppered fish appetizer that was sensational.
Most of our party had a duck entree, one had a lamb entree, and everything was delicious. The atmospheres was relaxed. Helpful waiter. Thumbs up, all around4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMVery comfortable atmosphere,Very comfortable atmosphere, like you're in someones farmhouse. Excellent service, great dishes with complex flavors...what's not to like? Don't miss the Swordfish Pastrami appetizer and leave a little room for the Chocolate Cake.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSat at the bar and had a wonderfulSat at the bar and had a wonderful time! Duck was incredible, as were the halibut and desserts. The cheesy bread puffs that come with your meal are a lovely twist on the before-meal bread. Service was attentive and knowledgeable as well as super friendly. They even hailed a cab for us at the end of the night. Couldn't have asked for a better experience. Great menu! GO HERE!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place, relaxed and warmGreat place, relaxed and warm atmosphere. Attentive, friendly and knowledgable staff. Farmer's cheese and gourgets as snacks while exploring the imaginative menu, swordfish "pastrami" as an appetizer was excellent, peppery slightly cured fish on top of a pumpernickel "paste". Lamb chops and lamb sausage was perfectly prepared. Finished off with a pavlova and coffee. Perfect evening, we will be back!!4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't wait to go backThis was my first time at Puritan & Company, the menu was really interesting, seasonal and well executed. We had a small group and tried a lot of dishes, and two of the standouts for me were the Lamb Belly appetizer and the Roast Chicken Entree. This chicken was perfection, and I'm not really a chicken fan. The service was really helpful and knowledgeable and made some great wine recommendations as well, the wine list is quite interesting.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMThe best food I've eaten lately.The best food I've eaten lately. 6 of us left nothing on our plates. Appetizers , main course, desert, all were absolutely delicious!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI felt like I was in San Francisco!I felt like I was in San Francisco! Very hip, upbeat surroundings, outstanding food, crowded/ vibrant even on a wednesday night. Bravo!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMI loved it. We went for aI loved it. We went for a birthday and they really made it an occasion. The food was delicious - i had the black pepper pasta, the gougeres were awesome and unique. I was initially put off by the ambitiousness of the menu - but it was just great. The great food was complemented by excellent service, nice to see a server with an opinion and a sense of humor. i'd definitely recommend, and would go again!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband had the farmers'My husband had the farmers' cheese plate to start -- two cheeses with a small bowl of pickled veg and some lightly toasted bread. It was very good and eaten quickly! I had the broccoli salad, which came with some pickled slaw. Very refreshing and light. For main courses, I had the duck and my husband had the steak. Both were cooked perfectly, very tender and juicy. We both cleared our plates. Our desserts (butterscotch pudding and chocolate cake) were good. I think next time I would skip dessert and order an extra dish from the oyster or charcuterie selection.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMScarlet Letter Upgraded = A+Beautifully presented food.
Immensely delicious-tasting as well.
Food and wine both accurately & expertly described by my waitress.
Warm and friendly service -- attentive, thoughtful, efficient and never cloying!
I had the steak. Yum! doesn't even begin to describe how good it was.
My mouth/palate/taste buds -- everything in there! -- thanked me, proclaiming
that they'd never tasted anything like it.
Later, I think my soul said something similar too.
Overall, it was a great experience, and I look forward to spreading the good word about
this place.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous food, exceptional serviceSuch a great experience. Rolls so good. Appetizers (scallops, gougeres, swordfish pastrami, pate) all stellar. Entrees were also excellent. Duck was just about perfect. Cod was very good, though not quite as interesting as other dishes. The meringue dessert was a huge hit. The chocolate cake & butterscotch pudding were not especially good. Wine wonderful. Sorry to say we never got our server's name, but he was one of the best servers we have ever had. Right up there with Menton's service. He took us on a journey, had enthralling anecdotes for our questions, and made us feel so at home with his enthusiasm, passion and eye-opening knowledge. Such a gem. You guys need to keep this guy around. Move aside, East Coast Grill, Inman has a new star!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat space. Great Food. TheGreat space. Great Food. The Pretzel Rolls are to die...YUM!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThis would have been an outstandingThis would have been an outstanding experience, if only the meat had been cooked. Obviously the chef prefers the duck and lamb to be ordered medium rare (the waiter asks "is medium rare okay?"). We ordered medium, but what arrived at the table was completely rare. The sides and sauces were delicious but I absolutely prefer my lamb to be cooked. We will not be returning here -- there are plenty of great restaurants who are willing to cook meat the way their customers prefer it.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMYummy BellyTerrific food and very knowledgeable staff. Make sure you try the lamb belly!3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMCool beautiful oasis for great foodReally interesting food. Very adventurous chef who takes meat and fish to the next level with reasonable prices. Casual in appearance but great room energy and open kitchen. Vegans need not apply. No frumpy food here! In the laid back Inman Square bar scene, this place has enough class to attract the Craigie St. crowd. Similar inventiveness with each plate and its beatiful presentation.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience overall!Great experience overall! Definitely a Foodie haven!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThe service was amazing, IThe service was amazing, I really can't say enough good things about it.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous!We are devotees of the Inman/ Cenral Square restaurant scene. Puritan & Co is an outstanding addition to the "family". This was our first visit and we celebrated my wife's birthday. From the starters thru the desserts, the quality of ingredients, the preparation and the presentation were beautiful. Don't miss the seared sea scallops and the cauliflower soup!3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed our experienceReally enjoyed our experience . Only criticism is that is difficult to comfortably negate in conversation.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFood is absolutely fantastic,Food is absolutely fantastic, service is so, so genuinely personable and knowledgeable. Really great industrial feel, but very warm. I'm a big fan!3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food. I love thatExcellent food. I love that there is so much variety in their meat selection and that they have more exotic meat products such as sweetbreads, foie-gras and lamb belly! Very delicious and I highly recommend.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMPuritan & Company is a rarePuritan & Company is a rare gem on Cambridge Street. The food is elevated with the chef's using molecular gastronomic techniques (albeit unsuccessfully. The foam on the sausage did not add any distinct flavor to the dish.) But when they used more traditional cooking methods, the dishes are extremely successful. The lamb with lamb sausage is incredible. The wagyu steak was great as were the grugeres and the mackerel pate. However, their desserts are lacking. But after informing our server of their mishap, they quickly took it off the bill, not charging us at all. That showed classiness and an understanding of their own limitations. All in all, bravo! This receives a solid recommendation.3/11/2013 12:00:00 AM