Dining Before The Symphony

In honor of the birth of both Brahms and Tchaikovsky (they share a birthday this week!), we would like to offer some facts about the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Did you know that James Levine is its first American-born music director, or that the BSO recorded the score for both “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List” (both written and composed by former Pops conductor John Williams) at our very own Symphony Hall? Or that Symphony Hall is considered one of the top few finest concert halls in the entire world? A trip to our historically rich symphony is an experience every Bostonian should have once in their lives. Did you know there are lots of nearby places to eat right before you go? Of course you did. But here are some of our favorites - each in a different price range.

•$$: Pan Thai is often overlooked because of its location just beyond Tigerlily. While the prices are student-friendly, you will not find any scorpion bowl races here. Have a glass of plum wine with the beef mussamun curry, which is loaded with potatoes, onions, carrots, and peanuts.
•$$$: Betty’s creates a fun atmosphere with good music and sake-based cocktails and sangria. You can’t go wrong when you create your own noodle dish - they even let you try the sauces to find out which is right for you! A veggie bar allows the pickier eaters in your party the chance to eat healthily without performing surgery on their dinner.
•$$$$$: At the MFA, upstairs from that sun-drenched cafe at the left of the door, is Bravo. Home to the occasional wine tasting event, Bravo is a warm and inviting restaurant with a small menu of only the most delicious-sounding entrees. We are impressed with the seared pork loin with asparagus, fondant potatoes, and red wine demiglace. Bonus: two world-renowned Bostonian cultural institutions in one night.

Pan Thai [MenuPages]
Tigerlily [MenuPages]
Betty’s Wok and Noodle [Official Site]
Bravo [Official Site]

[Photo: Bach Cantatas]

Dining Before The Symphony