Rebecca Newell and the Beehive's lobster pot
The Beehive is a hotspot for live music that attracts Bohemians of all ages, but it’s also a neighborhood spot for homey food that’s evolved from a fairly Middle eastern themed menu to one that’s a little more steak and seafood.
For the summer, Executive chef Rebecca Newell makes this New England steamer pot that includes a half-lobster from Maine, clams, andouille sausage, Yukon potatoes, and grilled corn on the cob, served in a garlickly butter sauce that’s great for dragging a piece of bread into afterward.
It’s filling and a nice mix of sweet and salty and seafood, which bar manager Andy Kilgore recommended with a Harpoon IPA, while Newell suggested a Clos St. Thomas white from Lebanon, and the general manager, Bertil Jean-Chronberg, was a fan of a wine from Georgia, as in Russia, a crisp Pinot Grigio-style white with hints of pineapple. It’s a bar that loves supporting wine from around the world, as well as making a cocktail that will make you forget about Cosmos. They’ll talk your ear off if you have the time to talk wine and food.
Newell loves a good wine pairing, but she’s also a mixture of no-nonsense and relaxed attitude. She loves what she tastes, but also appreciates the value behind the dish, at $24 a huge plate of tastiness. In return, her eye on working within the restaurant’s means has meant a good year despite the economy. “We’ve been doing really well,” said Newell, who has been introducing more seafood and fish dishes since she started two years ago. “I love local fish, I love Spanish food. Sometimes having a dish that’s $24 …. Is a tough sell next to the $10 grilled cheese, and the ribye is a big seller for those willing to drop more than $20. But … we’ve been selling a lot of fish, like ceviche and tuna tartare.
She has an English degree from the University of Maine, but decided to later study at the New England Culinary Institute. Newell learned to cook fish and do spices, jerk and jambalaya in Naples, Florida, and came back here to work at Aquitaine Bis and Union Bar and Grille, before flying into the Beehive to cook for a sophisticated late-night crowd.
The Beehive, which just turned two years old in the spot next to the Cyclorama and other South End artistic enclaves, aims for worldliness – it’s modeled after the 1920s Paris “La Ruche” salon where artists would congregate to exchange ideas over good, inexpensive food. Jean-Chronberg is excited to have Newell on his staff, to introduce his clients to his food philosophy.
"Life is simple, people complicate it. Simple is expensive, but it’s a question of choice. We want to serve the rustic, earthy country food, real food, not soul food, not American comfort food.,” said Jean-Chronberg. “It’s not Italian Tuscany food -- the food is not designed to be beautiful on the plate, it’s designed to be beautiful in the heart. It feeds your soul. … Rebecca understood right away about this vision.”
See this link for YouTube video on Newell's lobster recipe demonstration.
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