Dinner at Ironside was pitched as a place you could return to again and again. The executive chef, Bob Cina, described the menu as American comfort food built on honest ingredients and traditional recipes, with simple dishes prepared with close attention to detail.
Starters
The launch announcement mentions baked littleneck clams with chorizo and green-garlic crumbs, and a New England clam chowder with smoky bacon and a hot-sauce butter. The chef is described as a native of Boston, which explains the chowder.
Main courses
Entrées spanned several traditions. Latin-style whitefish came with a shrimp escabeche, a pickled-style sauce. A game hen was roasted in a skillet, and a flat iron steak rounded out the grilled side. For lighter or quicker meals there was crispy thin-crust pizza and a bison burger.
The house sandwich
The Cuban sandwich was called the house specialty. It was served pressed, and a magazine named it among the city’s sandwiches worth queuing for. A vegetable version existed for those avoiding meat.
Sides and desserts
Sides included macaroni with cheddar and gruyère, with bacon as an add-on. Dessert was seasonal ice cream and sorbet, plus cookies baked in the house each afternoon.
Drinks with dinner
Beer was served on rotating taps by the pint and pitcher, and wine was also on tap, an unusual arrangement at the time that the team said saved distribution steps and cost.
The setting
Dinner took place in a restored loft with industrial details left from its shipbuilding past. For daytime options see lunch, breakfast and the home page. Menu details are historical.