I booked our second tour, Freedom Trail: Small Group Tour of Revolutionary Boston. While I’m an avid reader, when exploring a new city, I prefer the experience of being guided to major historical points. It also helped that our guide, Drew just finished his degree from the Boston Fine Arts Theatre Arts. His flair for drama enriched the stories he recounted on our tour. For this post, let’s listen to “Freedom 90′” by George Michael. 

The significant points of interest for me were the Old South Meeting House, where the famous Boston Tea Party began and the Old State House, where the speeches sparked the rebellious acts of defiance. Drew walked us over to Little Italy, where we passed Paul Revere House, the oldest building in Boston, and then concluded the tour with a patriotic speech overlooking Bunker Hill. 

At around 1:00 p.m., I dragged my beloved to Neptune Oyster, but the line was so long that we wandered over to a pub for a beer and fries. By the time we returned, around 2:15 p.m., the line was shorter. We waited about 40 minutes, and in that time, I regaled the customers in front and behind me of the delicious gloriousness that awaited them at Neptune Oyster. I could tell that waiting in line exhausted L, as he was still tired from the day before, and my hyping up crowds under the scorching sun didn’t help.

When we received our drinks, there were some empty seats around us. The mood changes when it’s not jam-packed with customers. Employees clustered around regulars and chatted with them about their day. An employee slipped out of the kitchen and sat at the bar to enjoy a meal. There’s nothing more comforting in my eyes than an employee taking a moment to eat a meal at their workplace. 

I tried L’s beer, which was the best pint on the trip. I enjoyed the tiny bubbles and clean flavour profile ($11). I tried the rose ($14) from the day before, as our server recognized me and remembered that “everyone was drinking that rose that day.”

I ordered four of the Cherrystone clams ($2.90) while encouraging L to try the oysters ($3-3.50). Ah, the clams were just as good as yesterday, salty, sweet and tasting of the ocean. The plump meat was cold with a satisfying chew to it. L noted Neptune’s oysters were far better than the Bostonia Public House. 

Next, we supped on Bluefin Tuna ($21). The tuna was buttery and smooth, but it was the addition of the crunchy seeds and salt made the crudo pop. I liked the dollop of olive oil and nutty flavour from the sunflowers. 

We ordered the Neptune Johnnycake ($19); I knew immediately he would like it. L has a sweet tooth, and nothing makes him happier than dessert. Holy smokes, this is a winning dish. 

We sat silently, slowly picking away the cake, enjoying the sweet, savoury flavours. The contrast between the honey butter, creamy smoked fish puree and sturgeon caviar was unusual and delicious. L raved that this was the best dish he’s eaten on the trip. He loved the crispy texture and the unique flavour combination. 

For dessert, I ordered Fried Clams ($28). I don’t think Neptune, the godly chef from the previous day, cooked this order of clams. It might have been his apprentice because while it was good, it wasn’t out of this world like it was when I first tried it. The difference was that the clams weren’t as fat, and the batter was crisper, so it didn’t crumble and melt in my mouth like the last time. The clam belly was firmer, more like a standard fried oyster than a jiggly gift from the sea.

As my new friends from the lineup left the restaurant, they came to thank me for my recommendations. Perhaps I missed my true calling as a hype person for rap music. L agreed with me that Neptune is worth the lengthy lineup. I tried to pay for the meal, but L swiped my hand away and told me to quit it. Thank you, L, for humouring me and taking me out one last time at Neptune Oyster. Hitting the Sauce gives Neptune Oyster two phat thumbs up.