Little Donkey
| Cuisine | |
|---|---|
| Price | $$$ (31-50) |
| Rating | 5/10 |
| Last Visit | March 9, 2020 |
| Location | Boston: Central |
General Notes
Little Donkey is one of the more unusual restaurants that I've been to. A self-proclaimed international tapas restaurant - indeed many of the items on the menu are quite unique and blend all kinds of different cuisines. Hence the lack of a cuisine for this restaurant. I've heard some pretty amazing things about this restaurant but I was overall a bit disappointed. Indeed, many of the combinations are completely new to me but some of the dishes just don't make any sense. I'd give Little Donkey an average rating - slightly above average food (some items, like the Foie Gras, are fantastic), but relatively overpriced.
Positives
> I came here right after daylight saving time started. It also happened to be unseasonably warm that day in March, so the windows were open. I'm a huge sucker for that kind of ambiance.
> Although the food can be a bit hit or miss, at the very least you're likely to see some stuff you've never had before. All traditional rules for a "theme" go out the window and you could really go wild with what you order.
Negatives
> Quite expensive. It might not seem that way at first glance, but as this is a tapas restaurant you'll probably want to order around 2-3 items per person. The burger for example, is more akin to a large-ish slider size and still costs $15
> From what I've seen on Yelp, it seems like the food can be pretty hit-or-miss. Although more realistically, some of the dishes don't make any sense (like the ramen cacio e pepe or burger). The menu description can also be pretty misleading - apparently the Vietnamese Bologna (listed under the charcuterie section) is essentially a salad with a tiny portion of bologna.
Dishes Tasted
- ★☆☆☆ Octopus a la Plancha -- Charred onion vinaigrette, potato tostones. I probably would have rated this higher if it were not completely drowned in olive oil. I'm actually a big fan of the charred onion vinaigrette. The octopus, while moderately tender, had an unpleasant exterior - it was hard instead of crisp and didn't have those characteristic charred flavors.
- ★☆☆☆ Burger -- Dry aged beef, buffalo pickles, onion soup mayo, foie gras, jalapeño chips, cheese. The bartender hyped this burger up but it's honestly just disappointing. The flavor is okay (the dry-aged beef actually tastes quite nice), but the texture is just wrong. I really don't like untoasted buns for burgers, and the crispy jalapeno chips just don't work. It's also overly greasy - I guess I'm thankful that the dish came with a wet towel. The cheese is meh at best. Just not a very interesting dish.
- ★★★★ Foie Gras -- Apple butter, candied walnuts, sherry gastrique. This dish is fantastic. I love that the foie gras is seared and not served cold. The dish is also incredibly well-balanced, with excellent acidity (sherry gastrique + a little bit from the apple), texture (creamy + good toast + candied walnuts), and just the right amount of sweetness. My only minor complaint is that I might have liked the foie gras to be cooked slightly shorter.
Octopus a la Plancha
Burger
