Eat My Words: We review Taste of Lithuania in Boston

I’ll admit I’m a sucker for good marketing, but I’m not sure I’ve ever been tempted to part with my cash by a spoonerism before.

That was until I wandered past Taste of Lithuania one lunchtime.

For those wondering what I’m on about, a spoonerism is the name given to the occasion you accidentally - or mischievously - switch the first letter or so of two words to create another meaning… or a frankly ridiculous sound.

For example, stating your cat popped on its drawers, mispronouncing grilled cheese as chilled grease or getting yourself clean by shaking a tower.

It’s also a solid reason why you should never call your daughter Dora York.

On the day when I finally succumbed to this spoonerism, I was wandering down Dolphin Lane, a side street in the centre of Boston, when I spotted the slogan ‘Puck Futin’ in the shop window, boldly spelled out in the unmistakable blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag.

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Message received, loud and clear.

Like all clever marketing, it instantly caught my eye and made me want to know more. So in I went.

Boston has a sizeable Eastern European demographic, many of them Lithuanian, and judging by the shop window, it was pretty clear where the owners stood on the current Ukraine conflict.

Lithuania, a former member of the USSR , now with its population of less than three million people on a landmass a quarter of the size of the UK, doesn’t share a border with Ukraine, but does with Russia, due to its pocket of land on the Baltic.

But inside there was no further suggestion of anything political, it was life as usual in any cafe, the window perhaps saying just enough to let you know what was thought.

Taste of Lithuania (or it’s direct translation Lietuviskas Skonis, as it is sensibly dual-branded to appeal to two separate markets) is a delightful-looking, modern, two-floor cafe/restaurant put together by someone with an eye for design - little touches such as the noughts and crosses toilet roll holder in the bathroom almost as memorable as the ‘Puck Futin’ sign.

The clientele was a mixture of British and Eastern European (a huge thumbs up to the latter who all arrived impeccably dressed - the men and boys all in their tucked shirts and slacks - for their meals out), while the menu had no English influence, opting for traditional Lithuanian dishes or kebabs.

Having seen a giant pitta being served up I forced myself to resist temptation and, instead, go for the grilled chicken, washed down with a Pepsi.

A packed plate, complemented with chips, side salad and tangy sauce was presented to me by a helpful waitress, who then kindly and patiently helped me get into the wifi after I misheard the password one time too many.

Grilled chicken always sounds such a basic dish, which is what makes me wonder why we often struggle to do it so well in this country.

But this was cooked to perfection, a lingering aftertaste letting you know exactly how my meat was cooked, while the side was no sad ballad at all.

There was a a real freshness to the salad, livened by a lovely sweet dressing, while the fries had just the right crispness.

At £2 a tin, the Pepsi was a little overpriced for me, but everything else was great value.

So, in the true spirit of spoonerisms, my grub at the Laste of Tithuania was doody blelightful.

Out of five:

Food: The grilled chicken was a marvellous dish ****

Drink: At £2 the Pepsi was a little overpriced for me **

Decor: The place had a lovely modern feel ****

Staff: Friendly and helpful ***

Price: I paid £14.50 in total, which I thought was fair. The drink price annoyed me, but £12.50 for the main evened things out ***

Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk