Bit of the past, bite of the present

Stoddard’s historical decor mixes with comfort food/fine dining menu

July 21, 2010|Devra First, Globe Staff

Nobody ever gets his shoes shined here.

Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale is a tribute to “those great Bostonians that walked these winding streets long before us,’’ according to the menu. The building that houses the Downtown Crossing restaurant dates to 1868. It’s been a corset store, sewing machine retailer, bait and tackle shop, and cutlery. The owners make the most of its historical aspects. The space is decorated with reclaimed wood and exposed brick, with tin ceilings and indoor lampposts modeled after ones that appeared on Boston streets of the era. Antique sewing machines, meat grinders, and other gadgets are on display (as is a selection of corsets, though these look brand new). There is a long bar lined with taps, a lineup of multiple cask-conditioned ales, and a list of old-school cocktails.

And there is a shoeshine station. No one’s ever seated in it. Boston just isn’t that “Mad Men’’ yet, at least not in summer. “Everyone wears flip-flops,’’ one waitress explains.

At least half the customers seem to. They are the ones also clad in shorts and T-shirts. The other half of the crowd wears plaid button-downs and grandpa caps. It looks like a turf war between frat boys and hipsters, but everyone comes in the spirit of friendship. It’s not good for the soundtrack, which is half big band, half classic rock one recent evening, an aurally confusing mix. But Stoddard’s is one of the few downtown restaurants that serves its purpose equally well for tourists and residents, of all stripes. And if the kid fresh off the Freedom Trail with his parents wants to know why there are bras hanging on the walls, well, chalk that up to continuing education.

In this history theme park, in a neighborhood catering to out-of-towners and those looking to quench a post-work thirst, it’s a relief to find that attention is also paid to the food. It’s a relief, in fact, that Stoddard’s is open at all. The restaurant began operations in April, after so many delays it appeared it might be history too.

It’s co-owned by the people behind nightlife group 6one7 Productions and Italian restaurant Ivy, right across the street. Executive chef Mark Cina has put together a menu that falls somewhere between comfort food and fine dining, with plenty of clever little snacks for the tipplers.