Bourbon’s Kitchen & Cocktails
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover
“I think the first thing that you feel when you walk into Bourbon’s is a little bit of a surprise. The outside of the building is pretty unassuming, to put it lightly and it's just an amazing feeling to walk into. It can be a Tuesday night, and you have this weekend energy.
At Bourbon’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Framingham, it’s what’s inside that counts. Because every item on the extensive, eccentric menu is packed with big, bold flavors.
“It's really great to be undefined by your menu. We really can put on anything that we like. So whether it's a taco, a fun salad, a burrito, a burger, something in between… it's kind of our playground.”
Growing up in the hospitality business, owner Luke Foley has taken his love of cooking and turned it into a bustling restaurant that’s become a local favorite.
“I grew up as a fat kid. I love to cook. I'm not formally trained. I just really enjoy it, whether it be going to other restaurants and getting inspiration, traveling, reading cookbooks, blogs, social media, whatever it might be. If we have an idea, we make it, we'll have the entire team taste it, will feature it for a week, maybe two weeks, and if it does well enough, we'll put it on the menu.”
And he poured all of that experience into creating a lively and fun space to dine, featuring brightly colored art and a spacious bar.
“So when you walk in, you have a darker, moodier atmosphere. You can feel the music. You can feel the energy and I think that that captures what I was looking for, to really bring that city vibe out here to the suburbs.”
Bourbon’s has an extensive shareables section. From this Pupu for Two served in an old school wooden platter, featuring Steak & Cheese Egg Rolls, Fried Chicken Wings, Maple Glazed Sweet Potato Fries and Whiskey Coke Rangoons served with a variety of dipping sauces. To Crispy Chicken Bao Buns.
But, the number one seller every night is this delicious mountain of nachos.
“So it starts with super thick house fried corn tortilla chips that we're doing every single day.
We have Jack cheese and we have Cotija cheese. Then we have a seasoned crema. So then we have our street corn mixture and we just pile those layers again and again and again until it really just makes this mountain.”
Another great sharable option is the fan favorite, Korean Beef Sliders.
“Bourbon’s faithful love the Korean beef sliders. So you have a warm, pillowy naan with sweet and spicy beef bulgogi, which is a Korean marinated beef in there that's topped with House pickled veggies for some crunch, a Sriracha Mayo and some scallions that are diced up on there. I mean it when I say the Korean beef sliders are the best bite of food on the menu.”
Bourbon’s is also known for their tacos, like the BBQ Pineapple Pork Taco. It’s their interpretation of a classic al pastor with pineapple and Japanese Togarashi mayo. They also make one of the best Birria Tacos around and it only gets better when you dip it into the beef consomme on the side.
“It just starts with incredible short rib that we're going to braise down in a ton of spices and aromatics, and we let that slow cook so it just shreds beautifully. We hit that with freshly grated jack cheese on a crisped up tortilla. And I don't know if there's anything better. It's an absolute must try.”
If you’re in the mood for something a bit heartier, try the flavorful Cubano or a tender Sliced Filet Mignon Sandwich. But the true passion project of the Bourbon’s team is the Double Smash Burger.
“So we started with the best patty that we could find. We're pressing that onto our grill to develop a little caramelization, hitting it with our sauteed onions, putting some of that new school American cheese on there to get extra melty, perfectly. Toasting a bun, stacking those patties up, hitting it with our house burger sauce, it is messy. It is juicy, but it's worth every single bite.”
You can’t dine at a place called Bourbon’s Kitchen & Cocktails and not have a delicious drink. They see it as another opportunity to express themselves through classic, canned and creative cocktails.
“If it's whiskey, you might see a pour on a beautiful, clear ice cube, or a properly stirred Manhattan up in a coop. But if it's something fun, something Tiki inspired. Yeah, you might see it in a big Swan with a lime that's on fire and a bunch of flowers heading to a table of four to six.
And it's a big to do. I mean, generally those are, those are the things that one goes out, and then the rest of the dining room will order them.”
“You've had our cocktails, you've tried our food, and now, how do you finish an experience at Bourbon’s? Well, I'll tell you what you do with dessert. But we don't have very many because this guy doesn't bake.”
But the kitchen is baking up some beautiful Bread Pudding served warm, and drizzled in caramel sauce. And this may not be the North End, but they do serve some amazing, fresh-filled cannolis with a bit of a tropical twist.
“The Toasted Coconut Cannoli is such a delicious, fun bite. It's so rich and creamy and nutty, and that little bit of chocolate just ends the meal perfectly.”
And from cocktails to cannolis, tasty tacos and a burger that’s a smashing success,
Bourbon’s Kitchen & Cocktails will have you coming back for more.
I truly mean this without being corny, everybody who walks through that door consistently really does become family here. There's so many of the guests at this point, whether it's a handshake or a hug, it just happens. We're seeing first dates. We're seeing groups of friends. So it was really cool. You're a part of the community.”
