Eat Well, Spend Less

Photograph by Bob O’Connor

And Finally…Where to Blow the $$$ You Just Saved!

No matter how many Albanese pigs and Caspian roe–mongers deserve the job security, it’s hard to justify spending a week’s pay just to take a favorite chef’s cooking out for a test drive. But there’s also that rare multicourse extravaganza that doesn’t elicit instant hangover once the bill hits the table—and none strikes the balance better than the $80 romp at Craigie on Main. Rather than spending half the meal on culinary acrobatics (“A sea urchin–foam ‘Tootsie Roll Pop,’ monsieur?”), chef Tony Maws quickly gets down to the business of feeding your face, with a single amuse-bouche followed by five seasonally inspired dishes and two desserts. No liquid nitrogen. No exorbitant add-ons. And the wine pairings come gratis.

853 Main St., Cambridge, 617-497-5511, craigieonmain.com.