You may remember our previous excursion to have a happy hour (read - excuse to leave work early) at McCormick and Schmick’s.  I was told that Rustic Kitchen also had a happy hour which was worth trying, so Kenny, Charles, Vernon and I decided to go check it out.

I expected a slightly higher class of happy hour at Rustic Kitchen compared to McCormick and Schmick’s, as Rustic Kitchen is a better restaurant.  I was very pleased to discover free freshly fried chips on the bar counter as soon as we arrived.  The chips were somewhat soggy (they had likely been there less than an hour based upon my inherent chip sogginess instinct), but still very delicious and, most importantly, free.

Charles recently converted to being a pescatarian, so he and I decided to share a few of the happy hour plates.  Unfortunately, there were only two vegetarian plates (the rest were neither vegetarian/pescatarian friendly), so we each ordered one.  Unlike the McCormick and Schmick’s $2-$3 appetizers, Rustic Kitchen’s happy hour dishes were $6 each, so you already start expecting a lot.  Charles ordered the arancini, rice balls filled with mozzarella cheese.  I never understood the fascination with arancini, and for me the rice balls were just too greasy, and the tomato sauce was not robust or tart enough to temper the fattiness of the arancini.

The cheese pizza was decent for the price, though if it were a few dollars cheaper, you’d really feel that the hour was happy.  There was nothing particularly special about the pizza, which makes me wonder just how good the $18 pizza actually is for dinner.

The Rustic Kitchen happy hour is pretty disappointing, not just on the minimal selection of vegetarian options (who’d have thought that a seafood place would be more vegetarian friendly?), but also because their happy hour appetizers are quite expensive.  At best, I’d say the food at Rustic Kitchen is pretty good, though they have limited vegetarian selection for happy hour (there is plenty of pasta and pizza options for dinner).  However, I would say the price is prohibitive for the quality of food that they serve.  So, for that, I can only give them three cheese sandwiches.

Rustic Kitchen
210 Stuart Street
Boston, MA 02116-5426 
(617) 423-5700