Taberna de Haro
Brookline, MA 02446-5609
Phone: (617) 277-8272
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- St. Mary's Street
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-11pm , Sat 5:30pm-11:30pm
Editorial Review for Taberna de Haro – by Gerrish Lopez
The Scene
In Spain, a taberna is a relaxed, informal spot for hearty food, good conversation and a glass of wine. Taberna de Haro fits this bill and then some, both indoors and out. A breezy sidewalk patio proves popular during the summertime, and when it's cold out, crowds pack the rustic interior and fog up the windows. Pleasant servers are careful not to interrupt conversations while keeping water glasses filled.
The Food
Taberna de Haro's open kitchen aims for authenticity with dishes like brandada con pimiento rojo asado--bread slices sporting a savory puree of codfish and garlic, topped with slices of roasted red pepper slices. Pinchos like escalibada (a salad of roasted eggplant, peppers and onions), imported Jamon Serrano and peppery chorizo prove popular. Compared to the area's other Spanish spots, Taberna stands out for hard-to-find offerings like butifarra (veal sausage), fried shark and Asturian bleu cheese that's whipped with hard apple cider.
Hits
This is a must-stop for fans of Spanish wines--the restaurant's all-Spanish wine list includes several hard-to-find varieties, plus plenty of sherries and apertifs.
Misses
Those looking to make the most of the romantic dining room can play it safe by avoiding big game nights--there's nothing like having your date ruined by a neighboring table of Yankees fans.
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Insider Tips
Know Before You GoWhile the restaurant does not take formal reservations, it does offer call-ahead seating, which is wise on weekends and Red Sox game nights.
User Reviews for Taberna de Haro
06/05/2008 Posted by FredericT
This is my favorite restaurant in Boston. I have spent most of my life traveling to Spain, and find that Taberna de Haro is better than most Spanish restaurants in Spain. The dishes are simple. "We are not creative here," once said Julio Haro, one of the founders of the restaurant, "We just make the traditional dishes," and thank goodness someone does. Julio and Deborah Haro started the restaurant as a typical Madrid tavern, which means that it serves dishes from all over Spain. Everything here is good, but you would have a hard time going wrong with the specials, which range from game to fish to vegetarian dishes. Three dishes is a good start for two people. Then, if you have room, order the natilla, a Spanish custard, or the flan. Deborah, now the sole owner, travels to Spain every year, and discovers new wineries. She has an encyclopedic knowledge and a passion for Spanish wines, and she tries to impart that knowledge to her young staff. She also charges very reasonable prices for the wines. She once said that she doesn't believe that restaurants should charge a lot of money for wines they aren't to keep around for a long time, and most of the wines here are young. If you want to have great Spanish food and interesting wines from new wineries, this is the best place in the United States, far better than trendier places in Boston or Washington. If you're going from Thursday to Sunday, get there by 6:45 PM, or you'lll have a wait if you don't have a reservation. Then again, you could do a lot worse than wait at at the bar while Deborah prepares tapas for you, or offers you a few slices of Manchego cheese and suggests a sherry to go with that. Expect to spend about $50 a person.
Pros: Food, wine, expert knowledge on the part of the owner
Cons: Noise
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
05/23/2008 Posted by TSlank
I am shocked by the negative reviews for this wonderful find! The food was absolutely delicious. Service was polite and well paced. A fabulous experience!!!!!! Can't wait to go back...
Pros: intimate
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
