Eating Boston

East Coast Grill
After twenty-two years, Chris Schlesinger’s East Coast Grill remains one of the best seafood options in Cambridge—it’s that rare unpretentious eatery that manages to get everything right. If you love wood-fired fish and shellfish, real Southern barbecue, and foods front-loaded with big flavors and plenty of hot chilies, then the ECG is for you. Focus on the fish. Start with the thinly sliced fluke sashimi with watermelon and smashed plantains, share a plate of the chipotle-glazed crispy chicken livers and a platter of the Asian-style chili-garlic pork ribs, and then grab a grilled fillet of fish. While the scallops, tuna, salmon, and halibut are always first-rate, this is one of the few restaurants in town to serve bluefish, a rich local treat that comes in a wok-seared motif, but I always order it grilled  with lemon and butter.

Schlesinger loves the global food pantry—I recommend dining here on Hell Night, a three-evening–long food fest that takes place several times a year. The menu is devoted to ultra hot foods, attracting a legion of chili lovers. 1271 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-491-6568

New Jumbo Seafood
This Hong Kong–style restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown stays open till the early morning hours, making it a great option for dining after you go to the theater. Jumbo is one of the best places in town to enjoy simple and flawlessly cooked Chinese–style seafood. Start with some steamed shrimp, the hearty sliced roast pork, the sweet-tart jellyfish salad, and the killer pan-fried dumplings, then segue into the main attractions. The steamed oysters with black bean sauce are as good here as that dish gets, and the whole fish plucked straight from the tank is best eaten simply dressed with ginger and scallions. We always order some of the wok-tossed baby bok choy and some scallop-crowned tofu, a Dungeness crab or lobster with chili and garlic, and wash it all down with pots of strong oolong tea. 7 Hudson St., 617-542-2823

Other Hot Spots . . .

Uni
Ken Oringer may be the best chef in Boston, and his teeny sashimi den that opened in what was the lounge of Clio (see below) serves little treats, such as thinly sliced hamachi with sea urchin, yuzu, and onion seeds. This—and Oishii—have the best high-style Japanese grub in town. 370A Commonwealth Ave., 617-536-7200

Clio
A not-to-be-missed dining experience in the Eliot Hotel, featuring Ken Oringer’s singular Japanese–French cuisine. Recent menus featured standouts such as lacquered foie gras with yellow peaches, and sweet butter–basted lobster with chanterelles. 370A Commonwealth Ave., 617-536-7200