Finding a bar for every taste is a tough task, but Somerville's Tall Order lives up to its name
Will Faraci
The pair had long been on the prowl for a standalone space close to Swisher's home near Union Square, which is indeed a tall order. But the effort paid off: They opened in March, enlisting Juan Pedrosa (The Glenville Stops, Yvonne's) to craft a menu that would complement their drinks.
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'We wanted a welcoming and approachable neighborhood cocktail bar. We have domestic and local craft beer on tap. We have Guinness on tap. We want to be the kind of place where you can stop in for a beer, have dinner out with your friends, have a more involved cocktail if that's what you're looking for, but also just a vodka soda or a High Noon,' Swisher says.
Pickled mushrooms at Tall Order.
Will Faraci
The food
: If you can't decide between onion dip, a massive scoop of pimento cheese with a side of Saltines, pickled button mushrooms, or steak tartare, this is your place. Get wild with crispy blocks of tofu glistening with honey and Gochujang (my recommendation), or play it safer with roasted cod over saffron rice, a dish that's simple enough to be spa-like. Swisher recommends the grilled broccoli with pecorino Romano and breadcrumbs, perhaps not a typical bar offering, but that's the point.
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Bar snacks top out at $9 and are generously apportioned; share plates are $19 and under; entrees are in the $25 range.
At Tall Order, low-ABV cocktails are creative and affordable.
Will Faraci
The drinks
: 'We really just want to compose drinks that we think are tasty and compelling, from standard cocktails to low-ABV drinks to cocktails without any alcohol in them, in interesting flavor combinations,' Swisher says.
That's the nice thing about this place: There are plenty of booze-free options, including a 1,2,3,4, which tastes like a citrus-fueled vanilla milkshake dolloped with a cloud of mango foam. The low-alcohol Little Panda is an aromatic elixir of vermouth, sherry, lime juice, and a quarter-ounce of Rhum Agricole, stirred up with an olive.
'It's really crisp and refreshing. It's got a lot of character, especially for a drink that's kind of on the lower-ABV side,' he says.
Drinks are about $14. And there's also $5 Miller Lite, with casual (but prompt) service to match.
The takeaway
: A welcoming refuge when your date wants chips, dips, and beer, but you require an elegant bespoke cocktail accompanied by steak tartare or a proper plate of pork, peppers, and potatoes. Oh, and they take reservations.
At Tall Order, larger dishes like pork and potatoes offset a long roster of bar snacks.
Will Faraci
Tall Order, 70 Beacon St., Somerville, 857-214-0678, www.tallorderbar.com
Kara Baskin can be reached at
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