Caffe Nuovo

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Dena Raffa

I’ve been to Caffe Nuovo twice, both times for brunch, and to this day I can’t stop raving. Mozz caprese salad with basil pesto and scrambled eggs (and home fries AND toast)… WINNER. It was about time I tried their dinner menu.

Bread: A few small slices of white bread were served in a basket with a side of EVOO. It was a little disappointing but was a decent vehicle to mop up the pasta sauces later in the evening 🙂

Menu: Antipasti, Paste Artigianali (homemade pasta), and Secondi. There were at least 4 items I wanted from the Antipasti section but my heart was already set on the Lobster Ravioli.

Food/Presentation:
Crispy fried tender calamari rings, roasted garlic aioli and hot peppers
This classic app was served on a long dish with a red sauce rather than garlic aioli as the menu stated. I still enjoyed, as it was the right amount of crispy and chewy without being too greasy or oily.

The menu was so full of so many tempting options we couldn’t quite decide what to get, so Benno took matters into his own hands and ordered 3 pastas to share. Each entrée was served in a metal skillet rather than a bowl or dish. I tried a bite or two of each and my favorite was the carbonara; the al dente spaghetti and creamy egg yolk sauce was excellent. The gnocci dumplings themselves weren’t bad but what I really enjoyed was the sauce it came with. I would never personally order the orechiette dish but it certainly was tasty.

Classic spaghetti carbonara egg yolk and pancetta cream, sprinkles of ground pepper & parmesan

Gnocci dumplings with imported mozzarella tomato and basil

Orechiette pasta with broccoli rabe and sweet sausage

Lobster stuffed ravioli pillows in a touch of cream
For my entrée I needed a little one-on-one time so I ordered the lobster ravs all for myself! I’m not sure Caffe Nuovo and I have the same definition of “a touch of cream” – 7 ravioli came in a skillet loaded with cream sauce, chopped asparagus, and chunks of lobster claw. I couldn’t finish the meal but it wasn’t because I didn’t enjoy the dish, it was just heavier than I had imagined.

Bathroom: A small one room/one stall restroom with peach colored tiled walls. Nothing too special but it was clean and a good temperature (a lot of restrooms I’ve been in don’t have heat and on a cold night like this one I was happy to be warm and cozy throughout the evening).

Service: I’m not sure if our waiter was new, timid, or just annoyed because we were the only table in the restaurant, but he seemed a little unsure at times. He did a fine job overall but failed to mention their liquor license had expired until after my friends ordered their vodka sodas. Each course came on time, except for Julia’s mussels which didn’t come at all. Thankfully she also ordered the beet & arugula salad. After our meal we each received a complimentary glass of limencello which was a nice gesture.

Overall: I won’t judge on the emptiness of the restaurant because this was the first bitterly cold (and rainy) night of the season. The menu had a lot to choose from in each category and many items caught my eye. Prices were reasonable with most dishes under $20 except for a few Secondi items. I’d recommend for dinner but I strongly urge you to try their brunch first.

The Perfect Bite: The carbonara was delightful but the surprise chunks of lobster claw won me over so the Lobster Ravioli takes the prize.

www.caffenuovoboston.com/

The Salty Pig

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Dena Raffa

Now I’m probably the last person who would be excited to try an eatery that specialized in pig meat, but one look at the menu from The Salty Pig and I was intrigued. The sandwiches of course drew me in, as did the not-your-average pizzas (Fig Pizza: red wine fig jam, apple, goat cheese, truffle oil – are you kidding me?!). Located at 130 Dartmouth Street near Neiman Marcus in the Back Bay, The Salty Pig is a casual and hip new spot with a lot of character.

Bread: Four thin slices of white bread were served wrapped in a recycled menu in a tin. A red square dish of EVOO was brought for dipping, but I prefer butter with non-substantial bread.

Menu: For a Starter you can pick your own pig part/meat, cheese and spread. They also offer salads From the Garden, Main Plates, and Pizza. The online menu shows a “Sammich” section that I was really looking forward to but apparently sandwiches are now only available during lunch.

Food/Presentation:
Prosciutto Galloni (traditional 1 year aged ham), Pecorino di Pienza Morchiato, Fig Jam
I don’t love pig meat but felt we needed to try a pairing with the cheese and spreads, so I went the safe route with prosciutto and had the waiter determine which cheese would be best. All meats/pairings are served on a wooden board with pickles, toasted crostini, and Dijon mustard. The fig jam addition was a must. I’m really glad we tried this. Maybe next time I’ll be more adventurous with the… Pork Pate? Or the Saucisson Sec (salt & pepper dry cured pork).

Smoked Cauliflower: wild rice, pistachio puree, golden raisins, mushroom
At first glance I didn’t even give this dish a second thought, until the waiter claimed it as the best meal on the menu. I wasn’t set on another particular option so I trusted him and boy was he right! The photo may look unappetizing, but it was one of the most delicious and flavorful entrees I’ve had in a long time. Each bite had a different texture and taste; salty, sweet, smoky, creamy. Really excellent meal!

Bathroom: They have 2 unisex stalls/rooms, and the one I used had comic strip wallpaper. I guess everyone needs a little reading material when takin’ care of business! I always appreciate something different.

Service: Our waiter knew what cheese to pair with our prosciutto and accurately described each entrée we had a question about. He checked on us regularly and refilled my iced-tea on cue.

Overall: What a great new place! They have a few seating options with high tops, low tables, and a bar. Decorated chalk board-beams lead up to high ceilings which makes this establishment feel a bit larger than it is. The Salty Pig has a clear voice & character; below is a customer journal/guest book that the check is presented in. I sure did let them know that I highly recommend this place! I’m 100% going back for lunch – now do I get the Chicken & Apple Panino or the Smoked Turkey & Avocado?

The Perfect Bite: Each and every single bite of the smoked cauliflower dish.

http://thesaltypig.com/

Top Shelf

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Dena Raffa

When meeting my family 1/2 way between Worcester and Boston for dinner we usually find ourselves at Papa Razzi or more recently The Met. I can only repeat a restaurant so many times (unless it’s one of my favs) and tonight was a special occassion – my birthday dinner – so I needed to find something different. I heard about a new opening on rt 9 in Framingham, Top Shelf, and decided it was worth a try!

Bread: More than enough rolls were served on a dish with rosemary & crushed red pepper EVOO for dipping. The bread was unreal – each roll was warm, flaky on the outside and light & fluffy on the inside.

Menu: Soups, Beginnings, Salads, Little Italy, From the Coals, From the Nets. All entrees (excluding the pasta dishes) came with a choice of 2 sides (choice of 6 including veggies & carbs). I was a little disappointed that the Seasonal Soup offering was Tomato Florentine – I was clearly hoping for some kind of butternut squash. But I was probably better off since I already had my heart set on a specific app.

Food/Presentation:
Lobster Quesadillas: house pico de gallo and guacamole
I wasn’t leaving Top Shelf without trying these, and I’m glad we did! Usually served as 4 quesadillas, the waitress had the chef cut each of them in half to accommodate our part of 6 so everyone could have a taste. Each bite had plenty of the lobster and their pico and smooth guac weren’t bad additions.

look at that lobster!

Lollipop Lamb Chops served with rosemary mint sauce
Three lamb chops were served between broccoli and a pile of sweet potato fries. I was looking forward to the fries the most and unfortunately they were a soggy disappointment – no crunch or crisp at all! The lamb itself was good though and you can’t really mess up steamed broccoli.

Chocolate Mousse Cake served with chocolate ganache
Divine! This was excellent, especially with a spoonful of the ganache, raspberry sauce and homemade whipped cream. Thank goodness I had others to share it with…

Bathroom: The restroom was pretty plain, with half painted half tiled walls. There’s plenty of empty wall space to add some pictures or photographs to give it some character…. I’ll chalk it up to”It’s a new estbalishment, give ’em some time.”

Service: We didn’t interact too much with the waitress but each course was served on time and she was able to answer a few questions we had about the menu.

Overall: If you’re not looking for Top Shelf, chances are you won’t find it. The store front itself is modest and barely looks like a restaurant. I was surprised they actually had an L shaped bar in addition to the 10 or so 4-top tables. I like that they had espresso as well as tea & coffee, and the cappuccino was actually good (except who only has 1 type of milk?). If you hate dealing with city parking and prices, I would recommend you try Top Shelf. Only 2 entrees are listed at $24 and most run $18-$20, while the salads and apps are all $10 and under.

cappuccino

The Perfect Bite: The bread was really addicting but every bit of that mousse cake was unbelievable: mousse, whipped cream, raspberry sauce, blueberry to top it off!

www.topshelfdining.com

Petit Robert Bistro

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Dena Raffa

I’ve visited Petit Robert years ago in the Kenmore location but this was my first trip to the Brighton Bistro, which was recently changed from Jacky’s Table (same owner/chef Jacky Robert). Other Petit Robert’s can be found on Columbus Ave in Boston, in Cambridge’s Central Square, and Needham.

Bread: Three large pieces were served in a basket with a round of butter. Crispy on the outside and surprisingly warm on the inside which I always prefer.

bread

Menu: Soups & Salad, Hors D’oeuvres, Entrees, and Side Dishes. I had a hard time deciding on an entrée – a lot of items looked good but nothing was screaming my name. Rebecca & I eventually, after MUCH deliberation, decided on a soup each and an app and entrée to split.

Food/Presentation:
Carrot & Parsnip Soup: peas, carrots, potato
The waiter did mention that it was cream based but I was still expecting a pureed soup, which this was not. It was served extremely hot (maybe too hot) and wasn’t bad, but also wasn’t my favorite.

carrot & parsnip soup

Tuna Tartar Tartines and Frisée Salad
The tuna tartar was prepared on 3 slices of crostini with a side salad that was essentially inedible, only because I think frisee salad should only be used as a garnish.

tuna tartar

Beef Short Rib Bourguignon
This stew entrée was served in a large bowl with ½ of a small potato and greens beans, carrots & onions. Thankfully we were splitting this dish because the portion was more than I expected. The beef was good, tender, fell right apart, but I didn’t love sauce. It wasn’t bad – perhaps beef bourguignon isn’t for me.

beef bourguignon

Bathroom: The restroom is a one stall/one room adorned with some French pictures/paintings. I was extremely pleased to see that they offered 3 types of scented soaps and lotion – finally a bathroom that has lotion!! That’s all I’ve ever asked for…

bathroom

lotion & soaps

Service: Our waiter was a bit shaky and nervous at first. We ordered the carafe of house wine for $16 but he came back to tell us they were out of the house wine, and unfortunately they wouldn’t serve any other wine for that price in a carafe. Hmm, ok. So we each ordered separates reds but come to find out they’re also out of the Merlot that Rebecca ordered. Sheesh! Shouldn’t he have mentioned this before presenting the wine list? Ah well, no harm done. He later mentioned that it was his first night and it definitely showed. He was nice and friendly but just needed to relax a bit and study up on the menu.

Overall: This dining experience wasn’t bad. Each course was good, but didn’t blow me away. The waiter started off rough but for his first night did a pretty good job. There were a few other entrees we were eyeing (Spiced Marinated Pork Chop, Grilled Colorado Lamb Chop, Grilled Skirt Steak Frites), so I would try Petit Robert again but it’s not necessarily on the top of my list.

The Perfect Bite: A piece of the crunchy bread dipped into the carrot & parsnip soup.

http://www.petitrobertbistro.com/

Sibling Rivalry

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Dena Raffa

I’ve been to Sibling Rivalry a couple of times in the past but not recent enough to truly remember my experience. What I do recall is enjoying the atmosphere and the food, and tonight was no different.

place setting

Bread: A small variety of breads were served in a silver bowl with a side of softened butter in a square red dish. Of the three breads I tried – white, raisin scone-type breakfast bread, garlic & herb focaccia – my favorite was the latter.

bread

Menu: If you’re familiar with Sibling Rivalry you already know that the menu is divided into 2 sides/chefs, each trying their hand at a chosen ingredient (similar to Iron Chef). For the first course, Chef David and Chef Bob each presented a dish in a Curry, Pasta, Salad, Melted Cheese, and Seafood category. The main course offered Tomato, Fowl, Beef, and Fin Fish options. A unique menu set up which is the restaurant’s staple.

menu cover

Food/Presentation:
Pumpkin Ravioli with sage and brown butter sauce
We started with the appetizer special which was really delicious but overpriced for the amount we received ($14). The solid “pasta-wings” were cooked al dente but the actual pumpkin filling was minimal.

pumpkin ravioli

Mustard-Glazed Atlantic Salmon with Lump Crab Meat, Tomato Butter and Spinach
Matt, Dad, and I all ordered this entree and everyone’s plates were squeaky clean at the end of the meal. The salmon – prepared to your liking (cooked all the way through please) – was sitting between 2 small mounds of spinach and surrounded by a few chunks of red bliss potato, crab meat, and diced tomatoes. The fish was excellent and the tomato butter kept the dish moist without drowning any of the accompaniments.

salmon

Bathroom: Bright red-tiled walls, with 1 regular and 1 handicapped stall. Only 1 sink but I always appreciate the full length mirror. I also used a single stall by the bar which had electric purple tiled walls. I love that the bold colors are consistent throughout the restaurant, seen again in the plate chargers and dining room walls.

Service: Matt & I sat at the bar for a drink while waiting for my parents and the bar tender was nice enough to add a cinnamon sugar rim to the pumpkin beer I ordered 🙂 Our waitress was charming and engaging. My mother trusted her enough to order the side of bone marrow with her braised short ribs.

Overall: Every bit of food we tasted was excellent. The staff was professional and welcoming. The menu is unique and has a little bit of everything to please most diners. The starter prices are a bit steep ranging $10-$14, but the entrees fall within $22-$32 which is typical for a higher end South End hot spot. Check out Fight Night Mondays (chef’s battle with a 3 course pre-fixed menu), Show & Taste Tuesdays (cooking & food demo), and their soon to be announced Wednesday Wine Night.

open kitchen

The Perfect Bite: The actual pumpkin filling in those ravioli were incredibly smooth & creamy without being overwhelming. Too bad the small appetizer only allowed for ½ a ravioli each!

http://www.siblingrivalryboston.com

Boston Local Food Festival

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Dena Raffa

The 2nd Annual Boston Local Food Festival took place on Saturday October 1st at the Fort Point Channel on what turned out to be a beautiful fall day. As part of an initiative by the SBN (Sustainable Business Network) Local Food Committee, this food fest featured dozens of businesses from the Boston area, each offering tastings of fresh and local fair. The event was free and while some booths were dishing out small complimentary tastings, most booths had a list of larger samplings from $1-$5. There were food trucks, savory bites, food demonstrations, sweet pastries, fruit preserves, farmer’s market produce and more! Below are some hi-lights of my Saturday afternoon.

My first taste of the day was this lobster taco from the Newburyport Crab Cake Company. A soft tortilla topped with warm lobster, cole slaw, and spicy aioli. Might have been the best thing I ate all day!

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This pulled pork sandwich is from the famous Redbones out of Somerville MA. Their food truck was on of the many present on Saturday along with Grilled Cheese Nation and The Dining Car.

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Sofra Bakery had sweet & savory pastry items like Shanklish Fatayer, Cornmeal Apple Snacking Cake, and Butternut Squash Tart. I opted for the Pumpkin Jam Tart which was to die for.

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The longest line I saw was at the Calendar Islands booth where people were anxiously waiting to try their Maine lobster cakes. Unfortunately I was full by this point, but thankfully had gotten my lobster fix earlier in the day.

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One of the items I regret passing up is the sunshine watermelon from the Rockville Market Farm from Starksboro VT. Along with fruit and butternut squash soup, RMF brought a mini farmer’s market and was selling organic veggies, pastured meats, and organic eggs.

For a look at my full photo album from the Local Food Festival, please visit “The Perfect Bite, Boston” on Facebook.

http://bostonlocalfoodfestival.com/

Sol Azteca

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Dena Raffa

Another dinner adventure provided by Groupon. I have driven by Sol Azteca numerous times and don’t think I would have ever stopped in if not for the explosion of daily deal websites.

Bread: We were of course served chips & salsa in place of bread & butter. The chips were lightly salted and the salsa was mild with a few chunks of tomato. Pretty standard.

chips & salsa

Menu: Apps, Soups, Salads, Traditional Plates, Specialties, Vegetarian, Dessert. The menu has a wide variety of authentic Mexican entrees, standard favorites, and even a kid’s menu with simplified dishes.

Food/Presentation:
Nacho Grande: tortilla chips, beans, salsa, jalapeno pepper, cheese
I don’t remember seeing any salsa on the plate, but it was definitely packed with beans, peppers, and melted cheese. This was the only nacho option (except for a smaller version minus the salsa) which was surprising, but it was well done leaving the chips coated with cheese but still crunchy.

nachos

Tortilla Soup: tortilla strips, avocado
I fell in love with tortilla soup when I tried it for the first time at Qdoba (yes, the chain you often find in mall food courts). Their version is cheesy, spicy, and truly delicious. Unfortunately Sol Azteca could not live up to my expectations. There was close to zero flavor! I was essentially eating soggy tortilla strips with chunks of avocado in chicken broth. Disappointing.

tortilla soup

Ensalada con Pollo al Grill: mesclun mix salad with house dressing, topped with grilled chicken strips, tomatoes, avocado, and guacamole
A pretty simple salad but that’s really all I wanted. The house dressing was lightly mixed with the greens and was surprisingly delicious. They were generous with the amount of avocados and guacamole which you don’t see very often. Both Matt & I (he devoured his Enchiladas Verdes) were completely satisfied with our entrees.

grilled chicken salad

Pastel Azteca: Light Coconut Cheesecake
We brought this home because we were both so stuffed. As soon as I presented the plate to Matt he asked if it was really cheesecake because it sure didn’t look like it. The top resembled flan and there was no graham cracker crust in sight. The menu mentioned “coconut” which there was none of and the sauce it came with wasn’t great. Good thing I had an ice cream bar in the freezer…

cheesecake

Bathroom: A small 1 room/stall bathroom with a peach ceramic sink and decorative tiles around the mirror. The ladies/men paintings on the doors added character.

ladies room door

bathroom stall

Service: We had to wait a little longer than we would have liked to be greeted by the host, but that was forgotten once we were seated on their outdoor patio. Our water glasses were filled regularly and each course was brought in a timely manner. We had little interaction with the waiter but he was pleasant when we saw him.

Overall: I was disappointed for a restaurant that boasts about its award-winning Mexican cuisine. Even Matt’s margarita was sub par, served in a tiny wine glass for $7. If you’re looking for some all around great Mexican food, I won’t be quick to recommend Sol Azteca. While our entrees were the best part of the meal, I was still underwhelmed with the food in general. I’m sure their tacos, fajitas, quesadillas etc kick butt.

The Perfect Bite: For this review I have to go with the perfect sip, being the Red Sangria. While it lacked fruit (a lime wedge does not count) it still had enough flavor and pop to overly satisfy. Worthy of the “Best of Boston” award it received.

sangria

http://www.solaztecarestaurants.com/

EVOO

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Dena Raffa

Fourth and final stop for Summer Restaurant Week 2011, tear. Much like Harvest, I heard this Cambridge eatery was a must-try so I crossed the river yet again to see if it was worth the drive…

Bread: The iron bread basket came with small slices of white along with herb bread sticks. On the side was a small square dish of pesto EVOO with grated parmesan. I always prefer EVOO to butter, and it’s even better with a cheesy twist.

bread

Menu: EVOO regularly has a 3-course pre-fixe menu that changes daily, as well as a few staples that remain consistent on the menu. The Restaurant Week menu was in fact their standard daily pre-fixe (but for $33 instead of $42) so we had about 6-8 options per course. For Starters I was stuck because there were too many temptations to choose from (salad with nutty granola crunch & creamy yogurt dressing.. gazpacho with all the fixings.. smoked rabbit.. the list goes on!). Deciding on an Entrée wasn’t any easier…

Food/Presentation:
Pate with Jam, Pickled Fiddleheads, Dijon Mustard, and Crostini
I’ve had pate once or twice and it was when I was in Italy last year. I think there needs to be a general food rule that whatever you eat in Italy is going to be 10 times better than its counterpart in the US. Nothing against EVOO, but the pate I’ve had in the past was a smooth creamy spread, and this was more like a minced meat medley. It wasn’t bad, especially after I spread in on the bread with all the accompaniments. Glad I tried a fiddlehead though!

pate

Braised Lamb Croquette with Roasted Eggplant Puree, Purslane, Pickled Cauliflower, Kalamata Olives, Mint and Lemon Cream
Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, but it wouldn’t have done it justice anyways. The lamb was flash fried, crispy on the outside but more importantly tender on the inside. I wish there was more eggplant puree but I think that was more of a garnish. This dish definitely made up for my faulty appetizer order.

Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding with Warm Buttermilk Caramel
Oh wow. The bread pudding was sitting in a shallow pool of warm caramel (my dream come true!) and topped with powdered sugar. Heavy and so rich, I could only eat about ¼ of it. But really amazing.

choc-banana bread pudding

Blueberry-Peach Crisp with Almond-Oat Topping and Sour Cream Ice Cream
Thank God mom got this b/c I was torn between the bread pudding and this dessert. I love anything “crisp” and this wasn’t any different. The warm fruit was covered with the almond-oat crisp and topped off with cool ice cream. I love fruit but the crisp can make or break the dessert and this was really excellent.

blueberry-peach crisp

Nectarine-Basil Sorbet with Randy’s Lime Sugar Cookies
Dad opted for the sorbet which was 3 scoops in an old-fashioned ice cream soda glass. I love when they have interesting flavors (ahem, pay attention Aragosta!) and basil fro yo/sorbet happens to be a favorite of mine. I enjoyed it, but the other 2 were more up my alley.

nectarine-basil sorbet

Bathroom: Cool tones with blue tiled walls and dark grey countertop. There were 3 or 4 stalls that weren’t pretty enough to take a picture of. Nothing super fancy but I liked the mirrors!

bathroom

Service: Our waiter was essentially the encyclopedia of EVOO. I knew it was a “farm-to-table” restaurant but he was able to describe each meal from soup to nuts: how/where the meat was raised, how it was cooked, how it was prepared etc etc etc. Very impressive and knowledgeable. Mom thought he was slightly impatient with her hundreds of questions – the menu had a lot of uncommon terms/foods – but I think he handled it just fine!

Overall: After my first visit I can confirm that EVOO is known for their exotic meats and the way they’re prepared (and the pickling of any vegetable!). It’s definitely a popular spot – the bar/lounge area was packed by 6pm. I’d tell you to check the menu before making a trip to Cambridge only because it’s not a typical chicken/beef/white fish kind of place. But if you’re adventurous with your food choices then EVOO is a must!

The Perfect Bite: I’ve never had lamb prepared that way before. Topped with some eggplant puree, really excellent! But I do need to say that the 1^st two desserts mentioned were to die for.

www.evoorestaurant.com

Harvest

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Dena Raffa

For Restaurant Week stop #3 I choose Harvest for me and 3 of my girlfriends. It’s rare that I cross the Charles into Cambridge but force myself to do so for the sake of a great meal. If you weren’t looking for Harvest I’m not sure that you’d find it. Off of Brattle Street in Harvard Square, the neon sign (completely uncharacteristic of the venue) deep within an off-street walkway led us to our destination.

Bread: I love when they offer more than one type! Bite size pieces of cornbread, raisin bread, and a plain rustic were served with a side of softened butter. I of course tried each one and all were good, but the cornbread was the best, especially with the butter.

bread

Menu: The menu itself was placed inside a study booklet made out of material which matched the patio furniture. It differed slightly from the online RW menu (I really wanted that mocha semifreddo!) so we were thrown for a small loop, but I think everyone was confident with their decisions.

Food/Presentation:
Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho: cilantro, crème fraiche
The chilled soup was served in a large but shallow bowl and decorated with crème fraiche and a few cilantro leaves – definitely the prettiest gazpacho I’ve ever seen. I’m used to having chopped veggies in gazpacho but this soup was all tomato, as if the tomatoes had been mashed and liquefied (you can see some seeds floating around in there). Light & refreshing, just wish there was more to it.

gazpacho

Wild Mushroom Risotto: grana padano, mascarpone cheese, english pea coulis
I’m not a huge mushroom fan but the chicken and red fish options just didn’t excite me. Risotto however does excite me and I’m glad I ordered it. A perfect portion, cheesy but not too rich, full of flavor, and just the right amount of mushrooms for someone who generally fears them. Really excellent!

risotto

Chocolate Mousse Torte: raspberries, crushed pistachios, while chocolate drizzle
The chocolate treat was topped with white chocolate sauce and placed next to raspberries and pistachios. I’m a chocolate lover but tend to shy away from desserts that overwhelm you with it. This did nothing of the sort! It was lighter than it looks, so moist and delicious. I was thankful I didn’t have to face a heavy dessert after having that risotto.

chocolate mousse/torte

Bathroom: 3 stalls with dark brown wooden doors. The earth tones of the tile, counter, and baskets matched the overall feel and décor of the restaurant.

bathroom

Service: Our waiter was fine and nice but didn’t engage us too much. The first round of drinks took a longer than we would have liked but other than that we appreciated the time in between each course.

Overall: The portions were small – they usually are for Restaurant Week – but I think we were better off that way. I liked the cool & comfortable atmosphere. They have a great outdoor garden patio, cozy & informal, like we were in someone’s backyard. I would definitely recommend but beware of their regular daily prices as the current cheapest entrée is $28.

The Perfect Bite: A forkful of risotto WITH mushroom 🙂

http://harvestcambridge.com/

Aragosta

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Dena Raffa

The first time I heard of this new restaurant in the Fairmont Battery Wharf was at their booth at the Taste of the Naton food event. I don’t remember what it was that I tasted from Aragosta, but it was certainly delicious enough to register as a “must-try”. And so goes Restaurant Week stop #2…

Bread: On a small slab of wood came 4 small pieces of bread with a tiny bowl of EVOO and olives. The bread was great, and I guess smaller bread portions are better so you don’t spoil dinner, but I always appreciate a good hearty piece. Luckily they brought another bread board soon after we finished the first.

bread

Menu: The online Restaurant Week menu differed slightly from the menu we saw but not enough to throw me off my game. The courses were taken directly from their regular menu which consisted of First Courses, dishes To Share, Pasta, and Secondi. After looking at the actual prices of the entrees we ended up ordering, there’s no doubt we got a good deal! I just wish they represented their namesake on the RW menu with a lobster dish… oh well.

Food/Presentation:
Chilled Tomato Soup, Truffle Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Probably my favorite food combination of all time. The 2 sticks of grilled cheese was the best part, filled with some kind of soft cheese (maybe goat?) rather than a melt-y cheese which I was expecting. The tomato soup itself was disappointing. I understand it’s summer and that was probably their reasoning for serving cold tomato soup – and that’s ok with me if it’s gazpacho – but this was liquidly and lacked flavor. Ok for dipping the delicious sandwich in though.

grilled cheese & tomato soup

Baked Mezzi Rigatoni, Veal Meatballs, Nonna’s Gravy, Pecorino Toscano
This short pasta was served in a cast iron bowl topped with pecorino and mozzarella. I’m impressed with the use of “gravy” and not sauce – I usually get harassed for referring to marinara as gravy. I don’t know that I’ve ever had veal meatballs but they were excellent, perfect texture and toughness.

baked rigatoni

Gelato & Sorbetto, Almond Biscotti
When I asked about the flavors I was told they were vanilla (which is a waste of my time & calories), stracciatella (chocolate chip flavor, not bad), and coffee (which I was most excited for), but when dessert was delivered I noticed it was lacking the flavor I was actually looking forward to! Not sure what happened there but I was slightly disappointed with this last course. I’ve have way better biscottis in my time and these are probably the 2 most boring flavors I can think of. Bummer.

gelato & sorbetto

Bathroom: Might be the coolest bathroom ever. When I first walked in I was slightly confused by the lighting and the mirrors; wasn’t sure which way to turn! The center of the restroom holds a circular, double-sided sink area with stalls encompassing the right side. Make your way to the back left and there is a row of about 10 more stalls with decorative mirrors as doors. The aspect I found most intriguing were these 4 “solo sinks” placed in the walls around the center of the room. Not sure I can do it justice with my description, but it was pretty awesome. (I must note that these restrooms where part of the hotel and not exclusive to Aragosta itself).

center of bathroom

stalls

solo sink

Service: We started with one waiter who took our drink order but then another gentleman (perhaps a manager of some kind) took care of us the rest of the evening. He was able to adjust 2 courses to fit Sophie’s Kosher/veggie needs which was nice. I was getting a little antsy waiting for our starters but the rest of the courses came out within a reasonable time.

private dining, open kitchen

Overall: I really love the space, details, and atmosphere of Aragosta. It’s a comfortable setting with just the right amount of trend. Open kitchens are popular but I really loved the “private rooms” in the middle of the dining room that were sectioned off by thin curtains. The dark red dining table and color-speckled water glasses really caught my eye. Unfortunately I was underwhelmed by the food. My entrée was the best part, but perhaps I ordered the wrong dessert (the Strawberries with Zabaione Gelato sounded delicious). I would definitely try it again as the regular menu looked pretty impressive (I see you bolognese…).

table top

The Perfect Bite: Mezzi Rigatoni, Veal Meatballs – just like Gram used to make!

http://www.aragostabistro.com