The city of Lynn, once a bastion of manufacturing (shoes in particular) has some really great things going on, not the least of which is a female mayor, but that’s for another conversation. For example, if you love fabric like I do and can appreciate a bargain, then you need to check out Zimman’s which has been in business since 1909 and is filled to the rafters with all sorts of textiles, furniture and other odds and ends. There is also Lucia Lighting and Design which I recently visited to find some new pendant lights for my kitchen. Those are just a few mentions.
Recently, I visited Lynn after dark. Well, sort of given it was still August. My husband and I met our friends, Susan and Kevin for dinner at a restaurant named The Blue Ox. It was a good meeting point because our friends live on the North Shore. Let me tell you how I heard about the place.
With a few exceptions, I am not a big fan of competition based food shows. I do love the thrill of Chopped and enjoy Food Network Star because I like to dream. I did catch one episode of “Beat Bobby Flay”, but that was more about watching one of the celebrity judges, Jessica Seinfeld (cookbook author and wife of Jerry), than about anyone beating Bobby.
Turns out, one of the chefs who earned the chance to challenge Mr. Flay to a “throw down” of sorts on that episode was Chef Matt O’Neil of The Blue Ox in, you guessed it, Lynn.
Matt is a native of nearby Swampscott and is a graduate of Bates College and The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduation, Matt returned to Boston and honed his skills at such notable spots as Prezza, No. 9 Park and The Butcher Shop before branching out to open The Blue Ox with his wife, Joanna.
In his pre-competition interview he mentioned his restaurant was in “Lynn, Massachusetts” and he wanted to put Lynn on the culinary map. He challenged Bobby with his famous “Sin” burger (named for the city of Lynn) which has won him much acclaim. Matt and his Sin Burger (hand packed Prime beef, applewood smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, truffle aioli, lettuce and tomato on a Brioche bun) have won first prize in Boston Magazine’s Battle of the Burger for the past 3 years consecutively.
Unfortunately, he lost to Flay who is a “Burger King” of sorts, but I was not deterred and put The Blue Ox on my list of places to get to pronto. Let me tell you about our visit…
Located on a side street ironically right around the corner from Zimman’s, The Blue Ox is an upscale yet casual family-friendly restaurant with a menu that is broad and appealing to all types of diners, not just those seeking its famous burgers!
My husband and I arrived ahead of our 7:00 reservation and the restaurant was absolutely packed. Walk-in’s were hoping to luck out and get a table. We decided to wait for our friends at the bar (also packed). I surprised myself by requesting a dirty martini, not something I typically order. In any case, I had to laugh when a woman seated at the bar said “atta girl” as the drink was being handed to me! Guess I ordered the right drink (and it was very tasty by the way)…
The restaurant is separated into two rooms. There is a large bar, high top table seating and several dining tables in the main room. Adjacent to this room is a sizable dining area that had at least a dozen more tables. The walls display the artwork of Chef O’Neil’s friend, Traeger DiPietro, a celebrated artist from Martha’s Vineyard. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially if you want to dine on a weekend…
As I mentioned, the menu is broad with something for everyone. Appetizers ($9-16) ranged from a lemon hummus to crispy Rhode Island Calamari, Crab Cakes, Oysters, many “specials” and our selections.
First up, my husband ordered the Spicy Tuna Tartare that is one of the restaurant’s most popular appetizers. Mixed with fresh cucumber, cilantro, scallion, chive cream and Ox chili sauce, the tartare was served with homemade potato chips. This dish was packed with flavor and quickly devoured…
Kevin ordered one of the appetizer specials which was a plate of chicken wings that were Cajun rubbed and served with a Ox honey sauce and drizzled with a feta chive sauce. There was lots of sharing around the table and I really enjoyed this a lot. The sauce was just enough not to over power the dish and the chicken was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside…
Susan ordered the Lobster Tacos. Flour tortillas were grilled and held fresh lobster, avocado, diced tomato, scallion and chipotle aioli. Served with some lime wedges, these went down very easily. I am hungry thinking about them!
Summer passed me by without a single bowl of chowder. Maybe it was because I was meant to have this particular version that was served with applewood smoked bacon, chives and some vinegary Tobasco. I would say that the flavor here was outstanding and unlike many chowders, the texture of the chowder was smooth and creamy with a little crunch from the bacon. There wasn’t a bite left, but I think there should have been just a little more texture in the base of the soup if I were give one piece of feedback…
Salads include a Caesar, Heirloom Tomato, and a Pear with greens, hazelnuts and goat cheese. All are available on their own or topped with a grilled piece of chicken, hanger steak, shrimp or a crispy crab cake ($11 – $28 depending on the combination).
The Blue Ox offers a reasonably priced House burger ($13) along with their Blue Ox Burgers (two 1/4 pound burgers stuffed with gorgonzola) for $17 and of course, their famous Sin Burger, also for $17.
Pastas and entrees range from a vegetarian Swiss Chard Ravioli ($23) to a Pan Roasted Cod served with a delicious sounding grilled corn and lime risotto ($26) and a Grilled Pork Tenderloin served with mashed sweet potato, grilled asparagus and finished with a grilled red onion and maple vinaigrette ($24).
Several appealing specials were offered on the evening we visited, making it difficult to decide what to order! Here is what we went with…
My husband ordered one of the pasta dishes. Potato gnocchi were mixed with sweet Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, peppers and garlic and served in a Parmesan cheese broth. Yummy…
Kevin ordered another one of the pasta offerings, Rigatoni Bolognese. Chef O’Neil uses a unique mix of pork, beef and lamb to make his sauce which is accented with rosemary, a touch of cream and Parmesan cheese. Another winner…
Susan ordered one of the evening’s specials which was a porcini dusted ribeye steak that was served with chive mashed potatoes, asparagus and a port wine sauce. The meat was cooked perfectly. It was clear the potatoes were really infused with the chives! Delicious.
My choice was the Roasted Faroe Island Salmon that was served with Sardinian couscous and sauteed spinach in a smoky tomato broth. I loved this dish. The Sardinian couscous, similar to Israeli couscous, added such a wonderful texture and mouth feel to the dish. The broth was infused with so much flavor that I could have eaten it on its own (perhaps a vegetarian soup for the Fall?)…
The Blue Ox has a really creative and fun menu. Dishes are thoughtfully prepared, beautifully seasoned and artfully presented.
I have to say one thing about the service which was it was outstanding. Our server couldn’t have been any more delightful or helpful with our menu choices or repeating the many “specials” options when we couldn’t keep them straight. Our particular server had been with the restaurant since the beginning and shared that she loved working at The Blue Ox. It felt like that was the case for many of the staff we met that evening. Chef O’Neil was unfortunately not in the house so we are assuming Executive Chef Guaracyara Pimenta was creating the magic.
The Blue Ox has a few items on its Kid’s Menu and offers a Gluten Free Menu as well. The restaurant has an extensive beer and wine list and pours some very creative looking cocktails (not to mention that dirty martini).
The Blue Ox is open every night except Monday for dinner. Parking is available on the street or in nearby lots.
Lynn, Lynn, the city for some “din”? I think so!
Until next time…
One Year Ago: Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies
