Highland Kitchen — Restaurant in Somerville

An established culinary gem that promises an array of flavors and dishes that cater to various palates since 2007 in the heart of Somerville. Here are some of the dishes I partook in during my visit.

Smoked Cape Cod Bluefish Cakes:

I kicked off my meal with the Smoked Cape Cod Bluefish Cakes, and they were nothing short of spectacular. The combination of the red onion, corn, and cilantro garnish provided a delightful contrast to the warm, perfectly cooked, and tender fish cakes. These cakes practically melted in my mouth, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that will be hard to forget.

Caesar Salad with Bouldering Croutons:

The Caesar Salad was a unique experience, with a rich dressing bursting with garlic. While the garlic flavor was intense and somewhat of an acquired taste, it added a distinctive character to the dish. The bouldering croutons, although slightly inconsistent in their saltiness, offered a soft and delightful crunch. The generous portion of sturdy lettuce showcased the attention to balance and quality of a classic salad dish.

Pappardelle Bolognese:

One of the highlights of my meal was the Bolognese pasta. This dish was a true masterpiece, featuring a perfectly balanced and rich sauce that complemented the pork and veal impeccably. The pasta itself was wonderfully fresh and al dente. This Bolognese is a must-try for anyone seeking a familiar Italian experience in an upbeat Boston bar.

The Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (Side Note):

While my dining companion ventured into the territory of the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, I couldn't help but take a cautious bite from my friends after my meal. To say it was fiery would be an understatement, with a heat level akin to Carolina Reaper peppers. This sandwich delivered an intense, almost overwhelming spiciness that overpowered the distinct flavors of found in fried chicken. While some may appreciate the fiery adventure, it's not for the faint of heart. Tread responsibly if you dare to try it, especially considering their no refunds policy on this sandwich!

Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae: Very familiar desert, as it's almost a pillar of American dining. Brownie was well baked, warm, topped with standard vanilla bean ice cream and what was believed to be fresh whipped cream. For what it was described to be and what I was in the mood for, it hit the mark quite well.

When we arrived it was around 7PM; peak dinnertime rush, and we were seated after a wait of only ten minutes. They move patrons steadily, but there's no rush with the meal, only with their incredible waitstaff! The servers ran dish out quickly, attentively refilled our water at a reasonable frequency, and got our orders correct to a T.

I was very happy to visit Highland Kitchen and I look forward to eating...

I'm astounded at how good the average rating is here.

My partner and I went here for dinner a couple night ago (on a Sunday night) and were impressed at how bad things were.

Here's how our visit went:

We arrived around 8:00pm, just ahead of another party of 2. We asked to be seated, and were seated at a 2-top between 2 extremely loud parties of 2. There was about 3 inches of space between the tables, and the 2-top we were seated at was extremely small. Typically, we would like being seated at a small table, but given how close we were to other people, it would have been better if the tables were larger. Notably, There were at least 3 2-tops not adjacent to more than 1 party, one of which was not next to any seated table, and at least 2 4-tops that were completely empty and not next to anyone. The other party of 2 was seated at a quieter, generally better table.

We received our menus and the waitress returned to ask about drinks. We ordered waters, and the tables were so tightly squeezed together that the waitress had to talk over one of our shoulders every time she came to the table. She reached over/past us repeatedly.

We ordered the Short Rib Gnocchi appetizer, which turned out to be really bad -- it was a flavorless stew. We also ordered the burger w/side of mac and cheese, both of which were pretty good. The food came out quickly, and was hot, but we were very disappointed by the lack of flavor in the gnocchi appetizer.

While we were eating, we were not checked on by our waitress, and we could hardly hear ourselves think, let alone carry on a conversation with one another because it was so loud where we were sitting, despite the fact that the restaurant side (as opposed to the bar side) was half empty.

When the waitress returned, we had finished our food, and asked for the nectarine blueberry crumble to go, and the check, as we were absolutely not going to suffer that atmosphere for any longer than we had to. Our dessert and check arrived fairly quickly, and we paid and left.

When we returned home (only a few minutes walk away), we took out the dessert, and were definitely disappointed. The fruit was pretty average, but there was no hint of seasoning to be tasted anywhere. No cinnamon or any other spice one would normally expect in a crisp/cobbler type crust, and nothing special about the dessert whatsoever.

The only good things I have to say here are that the food came out quickly and was inexpensive for the area. The atmosphere and service were terrible, and we've probably never been to a restaurant with 1000+ ratings averaging as high as this place does right now (4.7) in the Greater Boston Area, and had it be so bad. You've...

Writing this review to highlight an experience my group had on Sunday night. This was my third time at this place and I usually love it and have no complaints (except one server so overly-friendly that it's almost cloying, but what can you do).

We appreciated being seated quickly by a friendly and direct manager-type. Our server, though, was quick, quiet, and a bit cold. Our group of 5 ordered a bunch of food. The Mozz + Ricotta Fritters were STUPID good, the Fried Plantains were bomb, and the Catfish Po' Boy was great too. There was also Gazpacho, a Caesar with Shrimp, and a Shredded Kale & Brussels Salad (sadly pretty dry).

We had also ordered a special that night, a "Mushroom Risotto in Parm Broth." We were pretty shocked at what was put in front of us; it resembled mostly-cooked long grain rice sitting in a pool of broth, with slimy, cubed carrots and sliced mushrooms sitting in it. It was splashed up the sides of the bowl and looked a bit like a can of veggie/rice soup that had been microwaved. Unfortunately, it tasted like that too. It wasn't inedible by any means, but it was absolutely not even close to a caliber that a good restaurant should serve, and it DEFINITELY wasn't risotto. All 5 of us took one bite of it and agreed it wasn't worth a second.

Not ones to complain or send things back, we simply cleaned the rest of our plates and assumed our server would notice that just one of the dishes was basically untouched. He didn't say anything when he cleared the table, so when another server offered to bring the check we did ask for the Risotto to be taken off. Shortly after, our original server came back with the check and asked us, "was there anything specific you didn't like about the Risotto, or did you just not like it?"

When I worked FOH in a restaurant in Cambridge, I was taught to take customer feedback about the dishes seriously and let the kitchen know if there were any issues. Unfortunately, all 5 of us felt as if our server was asking us about what we thought of the Risotto in a rather accusatory way, implying that we were picky or unjustified. There was no tone of genuine curiosity/concern in asking us what the issue with the Risotto had been. Feeling a bit pressured, one of us awkwardly said that it "wasn't what [she] thought of when [she] thinks of Risotto." The server just said "okay" and dropped the check.

I love this place, and I'm only writing this review about this one negative experience because I know that things usually go down much better at...