Historic Tourist Trap

     Faneuil Hall  was constructed in 1742 as Boston's first public market.  Farmers and merchants from the area used the facility to sell their produce and foodstuffs to the city's residents.  Eventually the building became inadequate for the demand and Quincy Market was built on a landfill to provide supplemental retail space in 1824.  (65% of Boston is built on landfill).  That seemed to suffice for over a century.  But then in the 1970's the meat and produce purveyors decided to move to larger and more modern facilities and the two buildings fell into disrepair.

     But with a combination of private and public funds developers resurrected the buildings, along with adjoining North and South Market and in 1976 was reopened.  Now the space is filled with more than 14 restaurants, 50 speciality shops and business offices.  There are 40 food court stalls offering a plethora of cuisines serving up gyros, lobster rolls, pizza, cupcakes, smoothies, wraps and even Philly Cheesesteaks.  But when I questioned the staff whether they were using Amoroso rolls with the steak sandwiches they just gave me a quizzical look.

     I went there immediately after checking in to my accommodations in the North End hoping to get an authentic Yankee meal.  But I was sorely disappointed to find little to entice my palate.  What I did find was store after store of National brands like Gap, Victoria's Secret, Starbucks, Crate & Barrel, Coach and even Harley-Davidson.  And the advertised "artisan pushcarts" were laden with nothing more than cheap trinkets made in China and stamped with the Bean Town moniker.  The food court was overcrowded with school kids and bus tour patrons.  Seating in the bi-level central rotunda was inadequate and there was no WiFi.  And to add insult to injury the adjacent parking garage charged the full daily rate of $39 after only 80 minutes.  The food was sadly reheated and woefully overpriced but the throng that packed the place didn't seem to mind.

     It was an ignominious beginning to my culinary exploration of historic Boston.