Category Archives: Reviews

A few of the articles and vibes in the press that have appeared. We’ve only put the good ones in. Click on the headings for further reading.

We Say It’s Delicious

Reviews, ,

The Haven – Scottish Pub
2 Perkins St. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

www.thehavenjp.com (617) 524-2836
*In JP, between S. Huntington and Centre St, next to the MSPCA

Seth & Ren, + 2 guests

Fullers ESB
Joker IPA
Glass of Mulled wine
Dark & Stormy
Bengali Tiger (beer)
Braveheart (cocktail)
Scotch Deviled egg wrapped in sausage
Brussel Sprouts w/ bacon
D Haven Burger (med rare)
Crofters Pie (like a chicken pot pie but w/ lamb)
Duck confit salad
Haggis & Neeps (yes we did)
Two deep-fried Mars Bars w/ whip cream
$130.54 w/ tax ($41.00 in drinks)
Seth: This week was another restaurant we could walk to right from the apartment. I really enjoy discovering and trying out the local joints. I had been here before but for nothing more than drinks and snacks. A full dinner was warranted. This place is really nice. They’ve really worked with the space they have, creating a warm inviting place to enjoy. They’ve also done well with the food. The Haven Burger I had was delicious. Cooked just how I asked for and with complementing toppings that sealed the deal. I tried everyone else’s dishes as well. This was a first for me with the Haggisand it’s definitely different. Since it has liver in it, it has that distinct flavor in the background. I wanted to like this more than I did. I mean, the flavor was good, but the execution seemed off. It was a little dry and didn’t seem to quite come completely together. It came with mashed potatoes that were really good. The Crofters pie was nicely done. The chunks of lamb were big and tasty. Ren had that duck confit salad that was as good as duck confit usually is with a great salad component to go along with it. Our appetizer was the deviled eggs wrapped in sausage! Brilliant idea that its execution was as good as the innovation. The filling had a nice mustard and perhaps a little horseradish zest to it. Our side of Brussels sprouts with bacon were done just right. I always enjoy the heartiness of Brussels sprouts. We were all pretty full at that point but can’t close out a meal without dessert. We ordered one deep-fried mars bar to split between the four of us. Our waitress had different plans though. She figured one just wasn’t enough and gave us a second one on the house! This was just the cap on a night of very good service by a fun and enjoyable waitress. My favorite thing: Still thinking about those wrapped deviled eggs. Delicious and going to have to try making them.

Ren: My roots, my roots they are a calling me this week, so I listened and our eating adventures led us to our local Scottish retreat the Haven this week. A blessed five-minute walk from our apartment, which was a perfect pick for our tired feet and my Scottish longings. I have been here a handful of times but only once for dinner and I always thoroughly enjoy my visits. From the warm welcome you get from the owner Jason, to the eclectic decor, and the pickled vegetables placed on every table, you will definitely be drawn here more than once. I started off this cold rainy evening with a warm glass of mulled wine and a crispy sausage wrapped deviled egg. For dinner I moved on to a delicious salad containing duck confit, roasted squash, frisee, golden raisin vinaigrette, and a warm mustard. I paired that with a dark&stormy, a generous helping of my friends Haggis, a few bites of lamb pie, and a few of my brothers onion marmalade topped burger (a Haven special). We were so full by the end we decided to split the must have fried dessert (deep-fried Mars Bar this week) thinking a bite couldn’t hurt. To our stomachs delight and dismay our waitress decided one would never be enough for the four of us and brought us a second; my stomach revolted but it was delicious. On a side note: I didn’t feel like beer this evening but their selection is enough to tease your taste buds. I will be returning soon for a beer and a burger. My favorite thing: My duck confit salad!

Ave Price/Person: $25-35 w/ Drinks: $35-45

Food: Seth 7.5 Ren 8 Food Ave: 7.75 – Good Scottish food done well

Service: Seth 8.5 Ren 8.5 – Really nice and sincere waitress. She was helpful throughout the night and actually gave a free second fried Mars Bar because she thought us splitting one wouldn’t be enough.

Decor/Atmosphere: Seth 8 Ren 8 – Cute little spot in JP. Really neat antler chandeliers. Some folk art on the walls.

Total: 8.083 – All around good restaurant. Great service, good food and cute place. Bring a date and try some new comfort food.

One bad thing: The Haggis was a little dry, but we have no other experience to compare it to.

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December 19, 2011Leave a reply

The Mighty Rib Review

Reviews

http://themightyrib.com/?p=4526
Here’s one of the latest reviews for The Haven.
Restaurant Review: The Haven

You get a restaurant review every Monday. This one is a media tasting.

Ever had authentic Scottish food? I hadn’t…well, that was until last Sunday evening. I joined two fellow food bloggers for a media tasting at The Haven in Jamaica Plain. I’m excited anytime I get to try a new cuisine.

It’s hard to convey in words, but sometimes an establishment just has a great feel…as was the case with The Haven. It was cozy, intimate, friendly, and above all else…Scottish! I knew the food would match the atmosphere. And sure enough, it did.

Fall Vegetable Bridies

We started out with a pair of Fall Vegetable Bridies, Steamed Mussels, Scotch Egg, and…wait for it…Haggis and Neeps! Bridies are flaky pastries filled with veggies. They reminded me a little bit of the Russian piroshki—very enjoyable. I was excited about trying the Scotch Egg. I had often seen it on menus, but because of cholesterol issues, I always passed on ordering. When a free one is sitting right in front of you, cholesterol is out the window. The egg was good, not great. But I could see how someone would think this version is done right. Mentally, there’s just something about an egg wrapped in crispy sausage that’s hard for me to digest (figuratively).

The biggest hit of the dinner were the Steamed Mussels. Fresh, plump, and soaked in Alba ale—these puppies are not to be missed! Lately, I’ve just been plain tired of eating miniscule mussels. If you share this sentiment, I highly recommend heading over to The Haven. These were the best mussels I’ve had in a long time.

Haggis and Neeps

Did you think I’d forget detailing the Haggis and Neeps? Hell no! In a word–earthy. It was definitely not my style, but I have to give the people at The Haven credit. It took guts serving up this dish to a table of inexperienced, haggis-eating food bloggers. And I respect that. You don’t know what haggis is? Google it. And one more thing…it was very well prepared. I imagine if you were Scottish and grew up on this dish, you’d love what The Haven has to offer.

White Pudding Sassitch and Mash

Next, we each chose a main course entrée. I went with the White Pudding Sassitch and Mash. The plate was comfort food at its finest—highlighted by a house-made chicken sausage and mashed potatoes. The dish looked like it weighed forty pounds, but actually was somewhat lighter than expected—due to the chicken sausage. I also had a bite of the Fish Supper (beer battered haddock) and it was excellent as well.

I will definitely go back to The Haven…and that’s not because I only live a short, 10-minute drive away. This week, I caught myself thinking about the food, the beer, and the atmosphere. And when that happens, a return visit is a guarantee!

The Haven
2 Perkins Street
Jamaica Plain, MA
617-524-2836