The Critics Ate Piles of Seafood and Short Rib This Week

This week, Rachel Slade went up to Top of the Hub for her Boston Globe review. She sampled the buttery lobster bisque and a duck confit pappardelle off the three-course tasting menu. A large short rib was "beautifully cooked" but "served on a bed of undercooked peeled root vegetables devoid of character." Slade wrote that the broth in the New England Fisherman’s Bowl was "listless," and the dish did not have a unifying flavor. The brulée was "disappointingly runny," and the espresso was unremarkable, but when Slade returned for a weekday lunch, "the food excelled." She called out the creamy clam chowder, the "well-appointed lobster roll," and a "perfectly cooked" grilled salmon sandwich. She recommended ordering from the a la carte menu as opposed to the prix fixe.

Meanwhile, Sheryl Julian headed to Twin Seafood in West Acton, which has outdoor picnic table seating and counter ordering. The "beautiful" heaping lobster roll was served on an Italian roll, and the fried clams were "crispy and juicy with luscious plump bellies." While the fried calamari were too chewy, the cod in the fish and chips was "surprisingly juicy but firm." Additionally, the grilled swordfish was "so fresh and perfectly cooked." She also praised the creamy clam chowder and lobster bisque. Overall, Julian wrote that the seafood was "so good and so nicely prepared."

• The highs and the lows at Top of the Hub [BG]
• The surprising place that serves great seafood in the rough [BG]