First Experience at Giardino@Encore

Haven’t seen friends in months, and a cancelled flight unexpectedly brought us together for a spontaneous gathering 😄. The six of us ended up at Giardino inside Encore Everett — so on a Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed a mixed brunch-and-dinner-style meal at a brunch spot ☀️🍽️. The regular menu clearly leans toward brunch options, heavy on carbs. Fortunately, the server brought over the chef’s weekend special menu, which changes every week. Following our usual habits, we focused on steak for this meal 🥩🔥. The wagyu steak was quite tasty — we shared three orders among six people. Although we all ordered medium-rare, the doneness varied noticeably when cut: one was cooked to at least medium. Still, the flavor was good, and the asparagus served with it was tender and well-seasoned, so everyone enjoyed it 😋. As a brunch restaurant, each steak firmly came with two eggs (cooked to your preference) and four slices of toast 🍞. Anyone who could finish this entire plate alone must have a champion’s appetite 💪. This weekend’s special menu listed a “Tomahawk” that turned out to be pork, so we all passed 🐷🚫. The lamb chops had nice flavor and texture — even though some at the table are seasoned pros at making delicious grilled steak and lamb, we were satisfied with what we got here 👍. We ordered two flatbreads: one with Italian ham, the other with steak 🍕. Both were rich in flavor with a hint of vegetable freshness, and the thin crust was just right — highly recommended 👌. Their juices were average, not tasting freshly squeezed, and rather pricey 💸. The vegetable soup from the weekend menu came in a huge bowl, easily enough for one full meal 🍲; those who ordered it were noncommittal about the taste and left quite a bit. Probably better to share a bowl for a taste. The fries, burger, and Italian meatballs were all decent 🍟🍔. The fruit tart’s container felt more valuable than its contents — perhaps because the holidays were ending and pre-holiday stock was still being used, but the cranberries were nearly all mushy, some even showing signs of mold 🍓⚠️. The bananas also had discolored spots 🍌. Overall, the fruit quality was disappointing, definitely a downside 👎. Since this spot doesn’t serve dinner, food prices — though higher than at casual street eateries — likely aim at the brunch crowd, with simple meals costing tens of dollars per person. We “hungry” folks treated it as dinner and ended up around $100+ per person 💵. Recommended for the ambiance, service, and the steak/lamb chops ✅. #BostonFoodExploration #EncoreEats #BrunchRecommendation #SteakLover #GroupDiningSpot