Living in the North End, I certainly get my fair share of Italian food. Maybe that's why I have never thought to cross the river to get it before, even if the restaurant did win Boston magazine's "Best Italian" award in 2008. However, last weekend Skylar, Michelle, and I were feeling adventurous and decided to try dante in the Royal Sonesta.
The first thing we were surprised by, besides the brevity of the cab ride, was the beautiful and sleek restaurant's decor. This is not your average restaurant in a hotel: The lounge area is sexy, the dining area elegant. Our table was right next to the windows overlooking the Charles and with a gorgeous view of the Boston skyline.
And the food? Even more beautiful than the scenery. We tried quite a lot of different dishes. First, we feasted on some of the restaurant's "sfizi" (small plates): creamy Tuscan chicken liver crostini; smooth burrata cheese; olive oil cured tuna; and sopressata with pecorino.
One of our favorites was the primi dish of Barolo braised boar with a chick pea gnoccho. We also loved the spaghetti "a la chitarra," dante's version of spaghetti carbonara with salty guanciale, organic egg, and hearty Parmagiano Reggiano cheese.
Perhaps our favorite though was the fish special for the evening-- a trout that was similar to an artic char, on celery root puree with an orange sauce (terrible description). It had such unique and fresh flavor; Michelle embraced her inner Italian and sopped up the remainder of the sauce with some fresh bread.
Finally, we finished with three desserts (we were definitely naughty this night): the zambaglione; the lemon panna cotta with sour orange gelee; and the fritelle -- Venetian style fried dough with four different dipping sauces (chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, and caramel). The fried dough was hands down my favorite-- what I wouldn't give for that right now. But the panna cotta was an unexpected winner as well, a refreshing end to a rich meal.
dante has the potential to be pricey, but it also has the potential to be quite affordable. Right now (not for restaurant week, has been like this for awhile), you can get three courses for $35-- or order a la carte from the same menu. No stingy portions, and no same old "salad-hanger steak-chocolate cake" pri-fixe.
All in all, a fabulous restaurant, and a TERRIBLE time to forget my camera =( I know, bad Dish Gal... but something tells me that when the weather starts to warm up, and they open their beautiful outside seating, the ladies and I will be back again...
The first thing we were surprised by, besides the brevity of the cab ride, was the beautiful and sleek restaurant's decor. This is not your average restaurant in a hotel: The lounge area is sexy, the dining area elegant. Our table was right next to the windows overlooking the Charles and with a gorgeous view of the Boston skyline.
And the food? Even more beautiful than the scenery. We tried quite a lot of different dishes. First, we feasted on some of the restaurant's "sfizi" (small plates): creamy Tuscan chicken liver crostini; smooth burrata cheese; olive oil cured tuna; and sopressata with pecorino.
One of our favorites was the primi dish of Barolo braised boar with a chick pea gnoccho. We also loved the spaghetti "a la chitarra," dante's version of spaghetti carbonara with salty guanciale, organic egg, and hearty Parmagiano Reggiano cheese.
Perhaps our favorite though was the fish special for the evening-- a trout that was similar to an artic char, on celery root puree with an orange sauce (terrible description). It had such unique and fresh flavor; Michelle embraced her inner Italian and sopped up the remainder of the sauce with some fresh bread.
Finally, we finished with three desserts (we were definitely naughty this night): the zambaglione; the lemon panna cotta with sour orange gelee; and the fritelle -- Venetian style fried dough with four different dipping sauces (chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, and caramel). The fried dough was hands down my favorite-- what I wouldn't give for that right now. But the panna cotta was an unexpected winner as well, a refreshing end to a rich meal.
dante has the potential to be pricey, but it also has the potential to be quite affordable. Right now (not for restaurant week, has been like this for awhile), you can get three courses for $35-- or order a la carte from the same menu. No stingy portions, and no same old "salad-hanger steak-chocolate cake" pri-fixe.
All in all, a fabulous restaurant, and a TERRIBLE time to forget my camera =( I know, bad Dish Gal... but something tells me that when the weather starts to warm up, and they open their beautiful outside seating, the ladies and I will be back again...
The scene during warmer months...photo courtesy of bostonmagazine.com
1 comment:
i love how you said you were naughty. my fav part- BUT i do want to go to Dante when its nice out!
Post a Comment