Good Grub at the Pub for Pols

By Bella English | Boston Globe | May 30, 2002

At the bar, legislative aides hoist beers with lawyers. Construction workers stop by for a quick bite. In the dining room, former House Speaker Charlie Flaherty, now a lobbyist, lunches with clients. ``The wraps and raspberry chicken salad are great,'' he says. Throughout the place lingers the ghost of JFK, who used to write speeches here. Or so legend - and the Boston Duck Tours, which pass by frequently - have it.
It is said that when Kevin White was mayor, he got more work done here than at City Hall. And whenever there's a roll call vote at the State House, across the street, someone will call over to the 21st Amendment and beckon the lawmakers back to their desks.

Located in the old Bellevue Hotel, which dates back to 1897, the Golden Dome was purchased eight years ago by Michael Conlon and Peter McCarthy, who renamed it the 21st Amendment. That's the one repealing Prohibition. Beacon Hill needs an upscale place like No. 9 Park for those expense-account lunches, but it also needs a place like the 21st Amendment for those of us paying our own tab. Nine beers are on tap, plenty more by the bottle. A gigantic glass canister full of something interesting sits behind the bar. It turns out to be Stoli Doli. Here's the recipe: take lots of pineapples, cut them up, soak them in vodka for two days, shake the concoction up, serve it in a martini glass. The result: a pretty, potent drink, garnished with a spiked slice of pineapple ($7.25). Served 4-7 p.m., along with wings, quesadillas, and nachos for $2.10.

But the food is what counts at the 21st. Try the house special soup: baked potato ($3.50 for a cup, $3.95 for a bowl). Sounds funny, tastes great. It's a creamy-and-crunchy combination, made with potato, leeks, Jack cheese, and chives, and studded with crispy bacon. The onion soup ($3.95) is a good bet, too, brimming with Swiss cheese and grilled French bread.

The wing-not's ($7.75) are popular here: moist chicken tenders with a buffalo sauce, cooled slightly by crumbled blue cheese, celery sticks on the side. The "original" quesadilla ($7.25) is a platter-sized portion of grilled flour tortillas stuffed with chicken, cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream. They're not particulary titillating to the tastebuds, but satisfying for tamer palates.

Salad lovers can choose from nine varieties, priced between $5.95 and $7.95, from your basic Caesar to the raspberry chicken salad (Flaherty's favorite) and smoked applewood bacon and blue cheese, our favorite. The latter consists of thinly chopped romaine, diced apple, and red cabbage, topped with a generous handful of crumbled blue cheese and crispy fried onions, served with ranch dressing.

An entire page of the menu is devoted to wraps and burritos, which are overstuffed with lettuce, tomato, and various fillings, including turkey, steak and cheese, and veggies. The Thanksgiving wrap ($7.95) covers an entire plate and is filled with a four-course dinner: turkey, cranberry, stuffing, cheese, and smoked bacon, for a moist, fragrant, and tasty concoction. Another page is devoted to sandwiches, which are well-made (try the turkey club - a tower of bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo - for $6.95).

But the real gems are to be found on the sheet of daily specials. We loved the creamy shrimp risotto in a basil and herb sauce, with red, yellow, and orange peppers adding zing and color ($9.25). The roast pork loin medallions ($8.95) are wrapped with proscuitto and stuffed with basil and shaved Parmesan. It's a moist, flavorful dish, garnished with a heady twig of rosemary and served with roasted rosemary potatoes and grilled asparagus. Like any authentic pub, no dessert is offered.

Lunch here can be crowded. We arrived at 1:30 and still had to wait for a table. Dinner is a good bet, with the same menu offered all day. Or try the Sunday brunch, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., when jazz greats are played (CDs, not live).

A main attraction is the Bloody Mary Bar. "We pour the shot and you do the rest," is the way Peter McCarthy puts it. The rest would be the spicy mix, along with 30 kinds of hot sauces, including jalapeno, tabasco, and one called "A- in Antarctica." Guaranteed to give you a good kick in the pants.

SIDEBAR: Oliviers and Co. 161 Newbury St., Boston. 617-859-8841.

Olive oil truly is the nectar of the gods: delicious and healthy and bursting with the sun and earth of the Mediterranean. This Back Bay store sells dozens of varieties from several countries: subtle to strong, sweet to peppery, lemon to basil. They're great for summer seasonings and salads. The shop offers tastings, and you can even wash your hands with olive oil soap at the end. Our favorite are the tapenades, concocted by French chefs and available in five flavors; try the black olives and candied lemon. It's $12.95 for a small jar, but it only takes a dab on a good cracker (there are plenty of kinds here) to make a lovely pairing with a glass of Chardonnay.