“I am not concerned about how many other restaurants have cocoa nibs on their menus.” – Jason Bond

This past week, Devra First of the Boston Globe visited Bondir Concord for her weekly restaurant review.

However, unlike it’s Cambridge counterpart, First wrote that the Concord location just didn’t “feel quite as magical” and was lacking an “element of surprise.”

The recently-opened restaurant and sequel to chef and owner, Jason Bond’s, well-known Bondir Cambridge restaurant received two-and-a-half stars out of four.

And let’s just say – Chef Bond was none too pleased.

Today, the chef posted a lengthy response to his Facebook wall, passionately defending his Concord restaurant. While the chef did acknowledge certain points in First’s review to be true – he also explained his reasoning behind Bondir Concord’s ambiance and menu decisions.

“I was extremely disappointed to read Devra First’s review of Bondir Concord in the Boston Globe today: a ‘Good plus half a star’, appears to describe our restaurant as ‘Pretty Good’.”

The chef went on to explain that “Bondir Concord is not meant to be a boundary-pushing city restaurant in the country. It is a restaurant in Concord, MA and it must represent and exist for these guests.”

He continued, “I am not concerned about how many other restaurants have cocoa nibs on their menus. I am concentrating on cooking a good dinner and making people comfortable and happy.”

And I have to say that I agree (despite my love for cocoa nibs). Should a restaurant exist solely to impress and please a well-known restaurant reviewer? Or should it aim to fit the needs of Concord residents, who perhaps just want a nice, comfortable dinner out – without the hassle of driving into the city?

It’s certainly food for thought. In the mean time, check out Chef Jason Bond’s full response here, and tell us what you think in the comments below!

Image via Zagat