New To My List Of Favorites: Coda Bar & Kitchen

How is this cute little place not bigger on my foodie radar?  Coda, (http://www.codaboston.com/) situated right by Back Bay Station (literally right around the corner from Cleary's) is the exact definition of a "hidden gem".  Being the food geek that I am, I researched the place before going and learned that the kitchen is run by Chef Charlie Redd, an individual with a passion for travel and using ingredients directly from a local source.  (My kinda guy)  With this knowledge in hand, I knew I was in for a treat.

Marked only by a red flag bearing its name, this place is easy to miss, but the effort should be made not to.  With intimate seating, this is an ideal spot for a date or even a nice little meal out with friends.  The menu isn't overwhelming and offers a hearty array of choices.  The beer and wine selection is fantastic, drawing on local as well as foreign breweries and offering old and new world wine selections.  I sipped on a delicious Franziskaner, which is a  German Hefeweizen while being served a nice crusty kalamata olive bread with freshly made hummus.

For dinner, I absolutely could not resist the balsamic marinated steak frites served with arugula and handcut shoestring.  It was out-of-this-world good and costing a modest $20.  The steak was seasoned to perfection.  It had a buttery feel to it and sweet little tang from the balsamic and the fries were a great compliment.  Salty and warm, they were tiny slivers of deliciousness.

The best part to me, was the fact that Chef Redd was walking around and talking with customers.  At one point, he was playing around with one customer's daughter.  Seeing things like that, immediately make for a friendly and inviting atmosphere where yuo can almost feel the sense of community.  I would highly recommend this place if you're looking to try something new.