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Lucca
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
226 Hanover St(between Cross St & Mechanic St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End
(617) 742-9200
- Nearest Transit:
-
Haymarket Station - Outbound (Orange Line)
Haymarket Station - Inbound (Orange Line)
Congress St @ Haymarket Sta (191, 192, 193, 325, 326, 4, 92, 93)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 1 am
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
183 reviews for Lucca
Review Highlights
-
"They have a fantastic wine list." In 25 reviews -
"It was pasta with a red sauce and had wild boar." In 22 reviews -
"For dessert, we split the Flourless Chocolate Cake." In 5 reviews
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183 reviews in English
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Review from Jonathan Y.
Stoneham, MA
3/28/2012
The food here is as amazing as the service. It is simply the best and worth going into the North End. My only compliant is that I hate being sat by the bar. You constantly have people hanging over you and rubbing their butts up against you while you're eating a pretty expensive meal. Not exactly what I ask for when spending over $200 for two people.
However I have asked after being sat in the bar area if I could be moved and was instantly moved to a better section of the restaurant. Great service! -
Review from Sudha S.
Quincy, MA
3/18/2012
I don't understood what is the hype about this place. Yesterday I was there with other friends for dinner and birthday celebration for one person in that group.
Good ambience , we had a reservation too. Since its in North end you shouldn't expect to have any parking.
We had dinner, drinks and a birthday cake ordered. Three of us ordered drinks to start with. I had Aviation and Spiced Pear from their cocktail menu, which was OK.
Now the entree. I ordered the pollo $26 from the secondi menu. My friends ordered Capesante, Maiale and a Veg pasta (customised). The food arrived, my plate was full with a big chicken piece. It was funny to watch the friend who ordered the scallops (capesante) his plate was not even half full.
I digged into my food, just to discover that the chicken is poorly cooked and No flavors of any sort. I found difficult to finish the whole food. For a big piece of chicken it should have been cooked well with some flavors. Did I pay $26 for this? Yes I did.
The birthday cake was OK, at least that was something more enjoyable than the food.
My friends also indicated their food was mediocre. The person who ordered pork complained about the big bone. The food menu is also very overpriced.
Why I gave 2 stars?? The staff was nice. Drinks was also OK, though drinks are also overpriced.
Would I go there back again? Not for eating dinner......,may be for drinks.. -
Review from Fritz H.
Somerville, MA
2/17/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Went here for Valentine's Day with my girlfriend, and I was impressed. We had a reservation, and were seated right away -- refreshing, given how often I find myself waiting 5-20 minutes many places with a reservation.
The service was mostly very reliable (just a couple of things, like having to wait for a while on a water refill after the glass was empty) even though it was the dreaded Valentine's Day. The food was quite good, especially the mussels and duck appetizers. We also shared the carpaccio and a lamb special, which were good, but not amazing. The highlight ended up being the surprise of poprocks on the special dessert they offered that night. The wine our server recommended was also quite good.
I'd give five stars if the food was a little bit better-- it was solid, but nothing amazed me. It wasn't cheap (we spent around $180 after tip for three appetizers, an entree, a bottle of wine ~$40, dessert, and coffee), but I didn't feel cheated by the meal, either. -
Review from Mohun K.
Mechanicsburg, PA
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very good food. Had the beets for appetizer and the tenderloin for the main course. Nice ambiance. Wanted to try the desserts, but went to Mike's Pastry instead. Will visit again!
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Review from Jenn B.
Boston, MA
5/24/2012
Awesome food, amazing service!!! Great chicken dish. Never had chicken cooked so perfectly before. Would highly recommend this place for anyone that loves authentic Italian food and spectacular service!
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Review from Katherine S.
Dallas, TX
5/2/2012
Excellent food, great wine. Went with a big party in the wine cellar. They did a great job with a big group. Service was pretty slow, but I didn't really mind. Tiramisu was excellent!
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Review from Dale E.
Sanford, FL
5/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable
After a long day of sightseeing, our plans changed so we arrived 90 minutes before our scheduled reservation. No problem - we we were welcomed and given window seats, immediately. That was a sign of good things to come - and they did. Food, starting with the Barbietola (roasted beet) salad, was incredible. Highly recommend the Insalata Verdi, also - basic but the greens were dressed and tossed perfectly. Since our plans had changed (hence the early arrival) and we were a little pressed for time, so we only had a glass of chianti, salads and primi/pasta courses but all were outstanding. Highly recommend the Gambieri and Pappardelle Bolognese (FYI: like some of the North End restaurants, Lucca offers one gluten-free pasta option that can be substituted for the traditional pasta). Overall, great meal and great service; would definitely go back!
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Review from Gerard M.
Boston, MA
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent place, myself and the wife had a short rib appetizer, than a sirloin steak, then a pineapple turnover cake. It was a great night in the north end !! Hope to return soon!
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Review from Lindsay T.
Boston, MA
2/15/2012
Went here with 6 people. Wine selection is good. Food was amazing. I had the Orecchiette and it was excellent. Everyone was happy with food.
Made a reservation, we were seated right away. This is definitely a step (or 2) above the average North End Italian restaurant. -
Review from Samantha P.
Auburndale, MA
2/9/2012 2 photos
Lucca might be my new favorite restaurant!
My boyfriend and I went for our Anniversary this past weekend, and it was wonderful. We both loved our appetizers and our entrees. The service was also great! I can't wait to go back and try some other things on the menu! -
Review from Laurel D.
Manchester, NH
1/7/2012
Absolutely loved it.
I'm not super into stuffy restaurants, which is kind of what I expected here. Imagine my surprise when it wasn't stuffy and instead felt intimate and comfortable. We had an amazing dinner capped with an amazing dessert.
My ravioli (mushroom and marscapone) was to die for. The right amount of spice and sweetness. It's nice to be at a place that puts some thought into their vegetarian options; a lot of places are like, "Here's a cheese pizza!" or "Would you like the world's most boring salad?" This was the exact opposite--lots of delicate flavors layered for optimum deliciousness.
Absolutely mouthwatering garlic bread, too.
Also a decent wine list. Not to mention a tiramisu that made me wish Malinda was local so I could drag her in for a bite. (My best friend is a tiramisu connoisseur.)
The prices seemed pretty reasonable to me, though past-Laurel probably would not agree with that statement.
Ian wasn't quite as impressed as I was, but he's a lot pickier than I am, so...yeah. But this is my review and he hates the internet, so I'm sticking with five stars! -
Review from Stefanie R.
Boston, MA
5/19/2012
waiter was a creep!!! ugh so unappetizing. beet salad was really good. wild boar rigatoni was also really good. bread was AWESOME! not sure if i would truck back for the prices though.
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Review from Jeff M.
3/13/2012
Lucca is a pretty solid North End option serving everything but pasta with red gravy, which, at least for me, is relieving. Nothing was bad, but at the same time no dishes were stand outs. This would be a pretty awesome romantic date location. I'd go back.
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Review from Dougie H.
Boston, MA
3/31/2012
The food was good, but not great. Also, not a very good value. The steak was tough, and the appetizers were friggin tiny. I think there are other nice Italian restaurants nearby that have better food and are a better value. Service was good though.
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Review from David C.
Boston, MA
2/23/2012
Lucca's was referred to me by a longtime friend and restaurant owner. My expectation were high, my experience was anything but.
We arrived before 6pm midweek, the restaurant was completely empty except for the staff. The maitre'd asked us if we had reservations, we replied no and he acted like we had ruined his entire evening. Not a good start.
We were seated and the server asked my guest if she wanted a drink, she responded that she wasn't sure. The server walked away without asking me if I wanted a drink.
Another group came into the restaurant and they were seated at the table immediately beside us. So there's only two groups in the restaurant and they seat them right next to each other? So much for privacy.
We both ordered pasta dishes, mine was overcooked and salty. Not worth the $25. My guest did not finish her dish so I can only assume that she had similar issues. The vegetable side we ordered with the pasta was not up to par either.
Overall it was a negative experience. I will not return and will definitely not recommend. -
Review from Caitlin C.
Denver, CO
3/12/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The service was good, as was the salads we had, but the Osso Bucco was not very hot and excessively fatty. Have had better entrees in the past, but like the restaurant overall.
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Review from Erik C.
Boston, MA
12/14/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I've been to Lucca many times over the past few years. Always greeted at the door by management, very nice, pleasant and professional. This place has amazing tasting quality food, nice variety in the menu, extensive wine list, great ambiance, classy design, great bar and professional staff. It's a bit pricey but WELL WORTH IT.
My absolute favorite place to eat on Hanover St./North End! -
Review from Kris F.
New Haven, CT
11/13/2011
I went here Saturday 10/28/11 with a friend while visiting Boston for the evening.
We ate at the bar and EVERYTHING was absolutely delcious, wine and food were fabulous. We had The Piemonte Barbaresco...yummy. The duck and the carpaccio appetizers and split the veal for our entree. The ambiance was very romanticand is perfect for a date.
The service and food were definitely worth a return trip...I would drive 2 hours from Connecticut without a 2nd thought. Definitely a wonderful evening all around. -
Review from E K.
Boston, MA
2/20/2012
We had a fantastic dinner here a couple nights ago. We started with the duck antara appetizer. I am usually not a fan of duck but this was really good. A little bit firmer than I have had duck cooked before and a delicious pastry shell. Of the pasta dishes we ordered, the Orecchiette was the best. Lots of cheese, which is always a good thing, and fresh sausage. We also had a fantastic Italian red wine-- the Palazzo della Torre. The wine list is huge. For dessert we had a flourless chocolate cake with vanilla bean gelato.. yum!! Perfect location in the North End too.
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Review from Chris S.
Haverhill, MA
6/15/2011
I dined here last night with three co-workers and we had a great time.
It was not too busy on a Tuesday night but the service was very attentive and quick. The Manhattans were magnificent - which is really the most important thing.
I had the ravioli - which was a bit more 'busy' than most places which I actually enjoyed. There were a lot of ingredients in the sauce which gave the dish a lot of flavor.
We skipped dessert because of the restaurant's proximity to Modern Pastry Shop.
A great location for intimate dining - you can't go wrong here. -
Review from Kathleen H.
Newport Beach, CA
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is the go-to place for my family's weekend brunch. We love sitting at the patio and the friendly service- although the patio looks into a mundane stripmall, the staff at weekend brunch are jolly and pleasant.
We come here at least once or twice a month because of the food:
1. my husband's fave - Eggs in purgatory: eggs with the delicious ooozzzzing yolk covered in a spicy tomato salsa topped with melted cheese. It's absolutely flavorful and tasty.
2. my dad's favorite - Eggs Lucca: Lucca's version of eggs benedict with poached eggs served over yummy baguette instead of toasted english muffins. Very tasty.
3. my sister's favorite - French rolled omelete: It's light and fresh and not too overwhelming. She loves this and always shares with me!
4. My favorite - specialty pancake (or their pancake combo on the menu): most recently, I had the peach pancake which is absolutely delicious. Usually, I order the
5. My brother-in-law's favorite - Irvine scramble: the oven roasted tomatos on top's awesome. The scramble with ham and cheese and spinach is savory and tasty. He always jokes about getting a tortilla and wrapping it up like a breakfast burrito.
6. Group favorite - PAIN PERDU - we each get our own breakfast entree AND THEN, we order a pain perdu (challah bread french toast with orange creme fraiche...almost tastes like grand marnier!) for the table to share!! I'd skip the cinnamon roll - we've ordered it a few times and it's too sweet and too soft. I didn't love it...BUT the pain perdu is just perfect!! -
Review from Steven H.
8/1/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I have eaten at Lucca at least four times over the past couple of years and have always enjoyed it tremendously. The salads and pastas are wonderful, and the service is excellent, as is the wine list. As for the pastas, any one that has a ragu-style sauce is a must-have in my opinion.
I have also had very nice seafood and pork entrees here, and the desserts are quite good. If you go while it is still light out, the tables along the sidewalk are prime real estate here. The interior tables are kind of dark.
I have attended a work dinner here for a fairly large group (16-20 people), and they did a great job both food and service-wise. A Boston favorite, and I will keep going back. -
Review from Lisa C.
5/5/2011
About 25 of us were booked here for a dinner and I had high hopes that this would quickly become my favorite go-to spot in the North End. Too bad those hopes were dashed by inept wait staff and some really assholic guy at the bar essentially telling me he'd have spit in my food if he knew prior to serving it that I wasn't a Celtics fan. I'd expect that kind of stuff in Southie, but really? At Lucca? Ugh.
Their mediocre food wasn't even enough to get me to look past the service (including wait staff who clearly don't know what vegetarian means as they tried to serve meat to a coworker in three separate courses after we explicitly asked not to do so). -
Review from Phil H.
West Newton, MA
1/29/2012
This is the best restaurant in the North End. The superior wine list is a bonus given the fabulous service and fine dining.
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Review from Vanhnida B.
Woburn, MA
9/29/2011
The food here at Lucca is fantastic! I was a part of a large party celebrating a birthday. We all work in the restaurant industry and i can honestly say the entire party was so pleased with everything.
If you don't want to drive around for 20+ minutes to find parking, spend the $20 for valet. You'll thank yourself when you re overstuffed with good food and wine, and have to roll yourself out the door. It's worth it.
Very nice atmosphere. The staff was so pleasant the moment we walked in the door. Our server was great too. He was so attentive and very knowledgeable about the wine list and the menu.
Every dish that hit the table was delightful.
Suggestions for apps:
Oysters with cider mignonette, Anatra: Duck confit in puff pastry, Carpaccio & sweet corn soup
Wagyu steak special was unbelievable. SO ridiculously good. And for only $45!!! If you like wagyu, then you know that's the best deal in the whole city. The tagliatelle with lobster was delicious! It made a non lobster lover, LOVE lobster. The Scallops were amazingly sweet and tender. The Bisteca, pork & salmon were perfectly cooked.
I had never been to Lucca for dinner, only for drinks. So i had no idea what to expect. I loved everything! Everyone in our party loved everything. Such a great experience. We will definitely be back for more. Our new favorite spot to dine in the north end.
I gave it 4 stars b/c i had to pay $20 for valet. 5 stars will be given when i actually find street parking -
Review from Brian H.
Weston, MA
6/5/2011
Our table of four was seated downstairs next to a group of about 30 so we knew we would not be in for a quiet evening. Though no fault of Lucca, we could barely hear each other and found ourselves literally shouting across the table to be heard. Maybe the restaurant is that loud every night and if so I would never return for that fact alone.
Two of us had the halibut special and the others had the bolognese, both of which were very, very good. The suggested bottle of wine was completely unremarkable, but again I can't fault the tastes of our quite competent waitress. An oenophile I am not.
My absolute biggest complaint about our experience was that the wait and bus staff could not turn our table quick enough. They hovered over our nearly finished plates like vultures on carrion and had to be shooed away on numerous occasions. We finally relented and got dessert at Mike's instead of feeling like we were intruding on the next reservation. We sat down at 7:00 and were out the door just after 8:00, likely not to return for a very long time. -
Review from Aimee G.
Salem, MA
5/19/2011
So, I am just now realizing that I have never reviewed Lucca, after eating there several times, so here goes...
Made a reservation for a Wednesday night at 8:45 pm. My boyfriend was running late, so I called them and they said there was no problem holding our reservation. I arrived first, and they insisted on seating me at our table rather than making me wait at the bar. There is valet parking and even a coat check, which was very on a rainy night.
The staff is very attentive and made sure that I was comfortable while waiting for my date. The tables by the windows are very romantic as the lights are dim and each table is candle-lit. Love the ambiance there.
I settled in and order a glass of Pino Grigio. Upon ordering, we decided on the Antipasto, which is always very tasty, the Orecchiette, and the Tagliatelle. As usual, we were not dissapointed. The bread is fantastic with their freshly made "basil spread" and the entrees are always full of flavor. For dessert, we split the Flourless Chocolate Cake. It was delicious.
One thing I wish they had on the menu regularly is their Butternut Squash Rissotto. It is to die for, but the only times I have seen it offered are while attending special functions. I will add that they have 3 very nice private rooms for events.
This is a great place for a date night or a special night out on the town and is definitely one of my top dining choices in the city. -
Review from Ashley H.
6/5/2011
Went here for a bit of a celebration last Friday. Made a reservation at the last minute and got a table for 2 that night. We arrived on time for the reservation and were seated promptly, the staff was so nice from beginning to end.
We sat in a quiet area in the basement near the wine cellar. A spectacular sight for me to behold, as I was very thirsty and in need of alcohol after a rough week.
Our waiter Bill was awesome. He recommended a great red wine in our price range and it was some of the best I've had, as I am more prone to drink white wine. The complementary bread was fantastic.
My boyfriend ordered some sausage pasta deal, and it was pretty good I have to say even though I am not a big sausage fan.
I was torn between the wild boar pasta and the swordfish special. Bill told me if I didn't like the Boar he would bring me the special. Well I hated the Boar. It tasted like pot roast on pasta. Not a fan. Much to the disgust of my boyfriend, I informed Bill I did indeed not care for the boar. He immediately whisked it away and put in an order for the special. Good choice because it was about a thousand times better.
The food was out so quickly we barely had time to enjoy our wine, although we found a few spare moments to drink the bottle. Our experience there was great and we loved Bill! -
Review from John M.
Charlestown, MA
3/5/2012
They have the friendliest staff and best bar menu in the North End. It attracts a nice clientele and the food is consistently great an a good value at the bar.
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Review from Brandon W.
Fullerton, CA
1/6/2011
Good stuff: Delicious food, in particular the bread and butter and pasta. Friendly service.
Bad stuff: Somewhat pricey, like most restaurants on this street.
I went here on a Thursday night for dinner. Though the bar was quite loud and busy, we were seated in the restaurant section immediately and were given quick, friendly service.
The restaurant serves two in-house breads: a delicious foccacia and a decent standard french roll. Bread came with a pesto butter and also a very creamy, almost cheesy white butter. Both breads were very good and I remember commenting that I wouldn't mind just eating them for the rest of the night.
Since I wasn't terribly hungry, I just split a caesar salad and the bolongnese pasta with my friend. The caesar salad is served with the lettuce, cheese, and crouton all uncut. All components tasted very fresh, but it was lacking in dressing.
The bolongnese was very good. Unfortunately, the pasta was undercooked, but the flavor of the pasta and the sauce easily made up for it. The pasta had their own flavor and the sauce was so good that I wiped it clean with the delicious foccacia bread.
In conclusion: It means something when I walk into a restaurant not feeling hungry but manage to finish each plate easily. I can't comment on how it stands up against the other 20 or so Italian restaurants on the block, but I can say that if this restaurant were near my homecity, I would definitely return. -
Review from Joe D.
Margate City, NJ
7/12/2011
What a find. We walked up because we liked the open air feel of the place, and were very happy to find such a great place. The food was excellent. According to my daughter, the pasta was the best she has ever had.
Service was wonderful, decor and atmosphere were very nice, and our food was fantastic. -
Review from Steven S.
San Diego, CA
3/7/2012
I personally think this place is overrated. Food is OK and the service is good, but it is not worth the prices they charge. I have eaten there several times and have been underwhelmed each time.
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Review from Michele B.
Boston, MA
3/4/2012
We had a great meal at Lucca tonight, the staff and bartender where friendly and welcoming. I had a pizza and my husband had a pasta dish that was fantastic. Sunday's is a nice night to go because you don't deal with the tourist and crowds. We will go back for sure,
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Review from Georgina C.
Wayland, MA
2/23/2011
I LOVE Lucca and I love the staff, especially my favorite bartender Casey!! He is hilarious and genuinely interested in making everyones experience there a good one.
The food is always fantastic (antipasto is a great starter) , service is impeccable and the decor and atmosphere is perfect for groups OR a romantic dinner. -
Review from Ulli R.
Boston, MA
4/18/2011
Had a wonderful meal with fantastic service at Lucca.
We made reservations Saturday afternoon without a problem. Seriously people, just make a reservation unless you are agoing to your neighborhood pub. It's Saturday night...plus, marathon weekend in Boston ;) So, lots of Pasta consumers. All the food was absolutely delicious. The Tiramisu, NOM NOM and extra NOM :)
So yes, definitely worth going to. Group or romantic dinner for two, either way works. :) -
Review from sarah m.
Watertown, MA
4/7/2011
Checked it out with 5 girlfriends during restaurant week. It was totally stereotypical restaurant week. The waiter gave mediocre service at best, not even giving us or offering us salt, pepper or grated cheese. I found the food to be good, but not great. Portions were big, which is nice, but the regular menu is so expensive! Certainly not mind-blowing. I have better Italian food in the 'burbs.
Cute mood, great date place, romantic, but special occasion meal for shizzle. -
Review from Joe C.
Hull, MA
12/5/2011
They nailed it. Excellent food, service and decor. Also menu variety was super. My new #1 place in the North End
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Review from Vicki G.
Boston, MA
11/13/2011
I went here for a special occasion a couple of weeks ago. While the food was quite good, the service was not. Our waiter could not wait to turn our table - even after I asked him not to rush us. It was not a very pleasant experience and I will never go back on a weekend night. Perhaps during the week it is better. I will be sure to avoid this tall oafish man waiter that we had - he is in the wrong business. Zero people skills. Arg. SO disappointed.
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Review from Christine L.
Dedham, MA
11/4/2011
The food here is so good, I have never had food like what I ate here anywhere before, it is definitely not your average restaurant. Everything tastes so fresh and gourmet. This place is truly fantastic.
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Review from Krsna V.
7/1/2010
A group of public health professionals decide to eat dinner after a long day at the conference. One of them remembers that he ate at this restaurant in the North End neighborhood few years ago and he liked it.
We set out on a hunt to find this restaurant without knowing the name or address. The only information my colleague had was that the restaurant is located near another Italian restaurant in this neighborhood. That's like saying that a Chinese restaurant located next to another Chinese restaurant in NYC Chinatown. North End neighborhood is littered with Italian restaurants.
You would think that people who are responsible for creating public health policy in this country would have a better memory and direction. Nobody said we have to be good outside of work. Anyway... after walking around a few streets, we finally find Lucca. That's when my colleague remembers it is the place we've been looking for.
The maitre d' remembered my colleague from dining a few years ago. How impressive is that? I think he remembered my colleague's wife better than my colleague, but we didn't want to burst his bubble. In spite of being busy they offered us a nice table, facing the window, within 10 minutes. Remember, we didn't have reservations.
Started off with a few appetizers. The mussels cooked in a spicy broth with chorizo, fennel, and sambuca are to die for. I loved them so much to order another serving for dinner. My colleagues had the daily special of salmon, rigatoni with wild boar meat, and the scallops. The food was the only thing that made us chatter boxes stop talking for a moment. It was that good. I also ordered a side dish of goat cheese risotto, it was divine.
We were offered dessert on the house, probably for making the trek and coming to the restaurant without knowing the name or address.
Service was spot on, drinks were well made, and the house red wine was incredible.
Peroni on tap!!
A definite visit when I go back to Boston.
