Circle

CLOSED!
ttyl
;(

I’ve never written a review before and for the first time I feel this restaurant warrants one.
First I want to start out with positives. The wait staff could not have been better. Friendly, attentive and prompt. Décor, was pleasing too. Its a nice space.
Okay, now for the bad stuff. The food was very average. We also had to wait quite awhile for it to arrive despite the restaurant only being ¼ full. The restaurant then proceeded to run out of sauce for our salmon (how do you run out of sauce); salmon came out ½ cooked; there was no coffee available; and again, they ran out of cheesecake.
With all these mishaps, let me mention again the restaurant was only a ¼ full, I ordered another drink. Very humorous that the reveiw right before had mentioned that the bartendar could not get their drink right… same thing happened to me… how do you screw up a vodka soda… go figure.
I really wish I liked this place, especially since the staff was great… but I will never go back.

Stopped by Circle on Tuesday night for a few drinks before heading over to Wally’s for some music. I was very impressed by the selection of drinks, including bottled and draught imports and domestic brews. They also feature an extensive cocktail list.
The staff was very friendly, the owner came over and introduced himself. I plan to head back to check out their Thursday exclusive late-​night menu.
Very conveniently located near the green and orange line. I know many people in South End thinks the world ends at Mass Ave, but its with the one block excursion into the unknown.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. The service was excellent and the food was beyond. Beyond. We ordered the sole, the roast chicken and the steak. I don’t recommend any of the three over another because they were all cooked to perfection and everything we’d hope for. So just ask yourself, do I want some perfectly buttery fish that melts in my mouth? Or would I like some flavorful and juicy stuffed poultry. Perhaps I would like some red meat that is dangerously tender. Oh, I’ll just try all three! The chevre cheescake was AMAZING and it haunting my tastebuds as I type. So unique, fluffy, and rich. YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE.

We live about 1 block away on St. Botolph, so a new restaurant in the neighborhood that promises to be a «neighborhood» restaurant is exciting. With Sasso, Petit Robert, and other small, inviting upscale restaurants a block or two away, it’s nice to have more choices.
If this was summer, the décor would be loud, but on this cold winter day, it was very warm and inviting. At 6:30p, we were the only people in the restaurant.
The service was a bit confused, but the restaurant has only been around for a month, so I’m okay with that. In 6 months if it isn’t smoothed out yet, then there’s a problem. For the first month, you expect jitters.
The wine list is nice, though the french wines are a bit overpriced. The drink list is innovative.
The food itself is very good. Fall Verrine, a slow cooked quail egg with tarragon gelée, foie gras mousse and nutmeg. That was wonderful. I liked the Charcuterie, particularly the duck confit and the local mushrooms. The asparagus crusted salmon was cooked to a consistency I like (rare) but many would not. I liked it, though. It lacked flavor and the asparagus crusting looked nice but didn’t add much other than color.
There was a loud altercation at the bar with a «pimp”-dressed fellow and someone who used to run the restaurant back when it was Bob’s. A few threats were lashed out by this fellow who threatened to «kill» the other guy if he didn’t get his envelope ontime. I guess just because Bob’s left doesn’t mean this guy still didn’t expect his payment on time. He then drank a drink and refused to pay before threatening the serving staff who was trying to get him out, «touch me and i’ll fucking kill you.»
It didn’t ruin the evening but it made it clear that the restaurant is still in transition and training. It’ll get there. The pieces are there. It just needs to gel together. Hopefully it will.

The ultimate question you have to ask yourself after going to a new restaurant for the first time is, «Would I go back?» In this case, it’s doubtful. And here’s why:
Circle is having some sort of identity crisis. The service doesn’t quite jive with the atmosphere, the décor is distracting and jarring, while the fare itself just doesn’t warrant the price range.
The hostess who welcomed us was very warm and friendly, offered to take our umbrellas and sat us immediately, opening our dinner menus for us. Our server was a very enthusiastic gal who was nothing but bubbly and polite, if a bit over eager in continually coming to the table to see if we were ready to order. She was one of the best things about our experience here.
There are about six different types of lighting fixtures in three different colors. Red, white and yellow. Red and white bulbs covered two different walls, track lighting on the ceiling and inset yellow lights placed above the exposed brick. The yellow lighting and red couches seemed to clash and, although the exposed brick and warm wood details and flooring were cozy and inviting, the white tablecloths seemed stiff and out of place. Plus, it was really, really bright in there.
A glance at the menu (all in very chic cork-​bound books) would lead you to believe you were in an establishment hovering in the neighborhood of trendy chic french bistro. On the single-​page food menu, you’ll find foie gras with lavender, butter-​poached lobster, verrine, suckling pig, and a charcuterie platter. The two-​page cocktail menu featured a list of signature drinks and a list of classic drinks.
We began with cocktails and I ordered one of my favorite all time classics, the Sazerac. Though it arrived in a timely fashion, I surprised to see it in a martini glass, as they are usually served in rocks glasses. It looked suspiciously clear as well and, upon the first sip, I knew I’d be sending it back. It was pure rye and it was also kind of warm. I let the waitress know and asked to see the cocktail menu to choose a replacement.
She said it was no problem and then she asked me if I’d ever had a Sazerac before. Um, yes, quite a few times. In some of the best bars in Boston, NY and San Francisco. This one was just not well made. She took the drink back to the bar while I chose a replacement: The Absinthe Minded. When she returned and I ordered it, she commented on what a nice choice that was and scurried off to the bar, only to return a moment later and say «The bartender wanted me to ask you if you’ve ever had absinthe before.» Wow. Really? Yes, I’d had absinthe before. Just like I’d has a Sazerac before.
When she returned with the drink she apologized for asking about the absinthe, saying she knew it was kind of rude to ask, but she was just doing what the bartender had asked her to do. Don’t shoot the messenger. Right. I understand. But that whole experience kind of set the tone for the rest of the meal.
We decided on sharing a few smaller plates and one entrée, which was plenty of food for two. We began with the Fall Verrine, a slow cooked quail egg with tarragon gelée, foie gras mousse and nutmeg. This was actually amazing. For people who like the taste foie gras but not the general consistency, it’s perfect. The moose was light and fluffy and all of the flavors melded together perfectly.
We also shared the Assiette de Charcuterie for two (a sampling of house-​cured meats, pickles, mustards, vegatables), the Mac n’ Cheese (fontinella, romadur, vermont chevre, tempura crumb, truffles) and the Artichoke Agnolotti (fall vegetables, hazelnuts, brown butter, lemon-​thyme air). Everything we sampled just sort of fell short.
The meats were bland, though the mustards they were served with were spiced well and not overwhelming. The mac and cheese was truly disappointing. The consistency was pretty watery and the pasta itself was way overdone… to the point of being rubbery. The agnolotti was very well done… little artichoke-​stuffed raviolis surrounded by perfectly cooked vegetables… a great end to the meal, even if the portion was really small considering it was an entrée.
With so many option in this area, I just don’t see the draw in coming here. I wasn’t comfortable in the atmosphere, the cocktails didn’t really measure up and the food did not hit the mark. Three Apps, one Entrée, two cocktails = $ 90.

Nice, quiet ambiance with friendly wait-​staff and hosts, this place seems like it’s quickly becoming quite the hot spot in the South End. If you are a «foodie» and want to sample some delectable food and drinks with your friends, this is the place for you. The portions are on the smaller side and it is a bit pricey, but the drink selection and flavor more than makes up for it.

I looooved the Circle! I went in with one of my friends and really liked the atmosphere, food, and especially the signature cocktails. I never order chicken when I go out to a restaurant, however the server recommended the chicken roulade and it was delicious!
The two cocktails we tried were the dowry and lava lamp. Both were very tasty as well as fun-​looking, the dried cranberries floated to the top exemplifying the name of the drink. I will definitely be back again and will be recommending it to friends.

Décor: modern but very red. Feels a bit more like a pimped out nightclub/​lounge than a restaurant.
Service: young and inexperienced, but also very friendly and attentive.
Food: mediocre, and not sufficient to feed an adult person, as my whole party agreed. We walked in hungry, ordered dinner, received a few pieces of bite sized food on oversized plates, kept asking for extra bread and butter to fill the void, then paid lots of $$$ and finally walked out hungry.
Prices: in line with competition, but definitely out of whack given my point above.
Overall: won’t do this one again, unless Unilocal feedback indicates improvement. Can we have the old «Bob The Chef’s» back?

We’ve been there a couple times now and it was awesome. Circle has the style of a Trendy South End Bistro but without the pretense. It’s a very friendly, laid back crowd and atmosphere. It’s also very cool looking inside – exposed brick, plush suede seats and booths, and a curved bar that is completely tiled in these little circle-​shaped tiles. We had the pleasure of meeting Malcolm, the owner and manager. He’s very friendly and he’s practically always there. He’s very knowledgeable about food and drink and is eager to recommend things to try. He even treated us to a round on the house. The cuisine is contemporary-​French. I tried the Coulette Steak en Sous Vide (steak and fries) and it was delicious. The steak was tender and exactly the right done-​ness. Circle only just opened a few months ago. I have a feeling this place is going to become very popular but for now it’s still a well kept secret.