This See-and-Be-Seen Boston Spot Serves Excellent Scallops With Chewy Gnocchi

"My Girl is the kind of spot you go to see and be seen, a Latin and Japanese restaurant in Post Office Square, tucked underneath the trendy Cuban restaurant Mariel in downtown Boston. Formerly the club Mariel Underground (also by parent company Coje Management Group), it's now a lounge built for bottle service and small bites. It's the venue for an evening where half the time will be spent sipping cocktails and scanning the room,"

"The Nantucket Bay scallops ($29) may be the best dish. The soft scallops are contrasted with delightfully crispy, chewy mochi gnocchi and shiitake mushrooms, and bathed in a creamy ceviche butter. After a few cocktails, soak up some alcohol with the beef empanaditas ($19). Soft, dense short rib is cut with tangy blue cheese, and brightened with smashed avocado, all tucked into a tiny empanada shell. The dirty martini ($23) takes on a delightfully savory flavor profile with olive oil-infused vodka, dry vermouth, brine, and chimichurri oil. When I visited on a Tuesday night, the crowd was young, mostly groups of friends with flashing digital cameras, and a few couples."

My Girl occupies a subterranean space beneath Mariel in downtown Boston and blends Latin and Japanese influences into a lounge built for bottle service and small bites. The menu highlights include Nantucket Bay scallops with mochi gnocchi and shiitake mushrooms, beef empanaditas with short rib and blue cheese, and a savory dirty martini infused with olive oil and chimichurri. Decor channels 1950s Cuba with tropical prints, Art Deco mirrors, and couches where a dance floor once stood. The music stays lively but conversational. The venue suits drop-in drinks and socializing more than a full dinner.

Read at Eater Boston