Tag: bolognese

Piattini for Pasta, Pizza, Panini, and a Pretty Patio!

As you may have noticed, we've been featuring restaurants, like Piattini Wine Cafe on Newbury Street, that have earned their place in our rotation and yours.

Update: In October a two-alarm fire that began in an art gallery above Piattini caused damage to the restaurant.

Fans, like us, are hoping for the restaurant to be up and running soon. You can check in with Piattini's site or follow them on social media. We'll help spread the word when they big reopening happens.

Piattini's scampi with sautéed shrimp, garlic, olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and white wine over linguini is one of Penny's favorite menu items.

Penny's pal Linda introduced her to Piattini years ago. While this little Back Bay gem has expanded over the years, they have not compromised on the quality of the food and the warmth of the service.

For a recent lunch, Ed chose a daily special of chicken piccata over angel hair pasta.

We mentioned to a neighbor that we were going to Piattini for lunch and she broke into a smile and began to tell us how much she enjoys the place. We hear that a lot from those who live in the area. It's good to have a few local places serving good food in a neighborhood overrun with mediocre chain restaurants.

The "Wine Cafe" in the name means that the wine list is well-matched with the food. In fact, we often order one of the house wines like the Pinot Grigio with our meals. This one was a great match for these lighter, warm weather pastas.

On a cooler day, we paired this meatball panini with a Chianti from the wine specials list.

A Nero D'Avola from the regular wine list was perfect with the Piattini bolognese with homemade fusilli.

This time of year, we often opt for a seat on the patio when there is an open table.

Well-tended flower boxes serve as buffers from the busy street. They change their look throughout the seasons. The combination of sunken patio, sheltering umbrellas, and tall greenery makes these some of our favorite sidewalk dining seats.

And we are not alone. We arrived early but before we finished lunch, every seat on the two-sided patio was filled. One table of four was having a great time passing dishes and sharing laughs and food as if at the home of an Italian Nonna.

This is the perfect patio season, so add Piattini to your seasonal bucket list!

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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September 28, 2016
Grotto – Don’t Overlook This Longtime Boston Gem

We love the city in summer. We've been enjoying more lunches out this season and have a list of old favorites to revisit. Grotto (map) was at the top of that list. (We've even had a Post-it note on our kitchen mirror for awhile that says, "Lunch at Grotto.")

We arrived right at opening on a Thursday afternoon in late July and were pleased to see the tiny basement level space full of happy eaters before we left.

Bolognese: Tagliatelle, San Marzano tomatoes, Lamb, Pork, Beef

We chose two $15 a la carte "Secondi" items from the lunch menu that we would both be happy to share. On the current menu, at lunch, you can order a la carte or have two courses for $23 or three courses for $28. Dinner is also a great value with two prix fixe options at $35 and $40.

Spaghetti: Meatballs & Grotto's insanely fabulous tomato sauce

It should be said that Penny makes great meatballs and Ed grew up with an Italian Mother and Grandmother who set his standard for fabulous sauce. We were both enamored with Grotto's versions of these classics.

Since it opened in 2003, this is a place that we have recommended to people who ask for a romantic but inexpensive restaurant with good food.

We've suggested it as an alternative to North End restaurants when someone wants great Italian-American food. And we've listed it as the place to reserve for special days.

It's that simple, little neighborhood spot where you can drop in for lunch or dinner and know you'll have a great meal at a good price. The wine list is a great match for the food and, again, is priced to please.

The service was warm and the jazz soundtrack was pleasing. Everything about the place called for a return visit soon. And, perhaps, the gathering of a group for Grotto's next Big Night event or their Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 18, 2016
Grotto – Don’t Overlook This Longtime Boston Gem

We love the city in summer. We've been enjoying more lunches out this season and have a list of old favorites to revisit. Grotto (map) was at the top of that list. (We've even had a Post-it note on our kitchen mirror for awhile that says, "Lunch at Grotto.")

We arrived right at opening on a Thursday afternoon in late July and were pleased to see the tiny basement level space full of happy eaters before we left.

Bolognese: Tagliatelle, San Marzano tomatoes, Lamb, Pork, Beef

We chose two $15 a la carte "Secondi" items from the lunch menu that we would both be happy to share. On the current menu, at lunch, you can order a la carte or have two courses for $23 or three courses for $28. Dinner is also a great value with two prix fixe options at $35 and $40.

Spaghetti: Meatballs & Grotto's insanely fabulous tomato sauce

It should be said that Penny makes great meatballs and Ed grew up with an Italian Mother and Grandmother who set his standard for fabulous sauce. We were both enamored with Grotto's versions of these classics.

Since it opened in 2003, this is a place that we have recommended to people who ask for a romantic but inexpensive restaurant with good food.

We've suggested it as an alternative to North End restaurants when someone wants great Italian-American food. And we've listed it as the place to reserve for special days.

It's that simple, little neighborhood spot where you can drop in for lunch or dinner and know you'll have a great meal at a good price. The wine list is a great match for the food and, again, is priced to please.

The service was warm and the jazz soundtrack was pleasing. Everything about the place called for a return visit soon. And, perhaps, the gathering of a group for Grotto's next Big Night event or their Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 18, 2016
Keep Supporting Local Restaurants Like Piattini on Newbury Street

One of the places we visited a couple of times during the dreadful winter of 2015, and recommended to friends, is Piattini on Newbury Street. I have to thank my friend Linda Cox for recommending and meeting me at this lovely cafe. Thanks Linda!

Ed and I find the lunch menu to be a good value and it's a great way to sample the dishes on offer. And, we were happy to see the dining room hopping on our recent visits.

The Scampi: sautéed shrimp in a garlic lemon white wine sauce over linguine was $9.95 on our last visit. It was more than I could finish. In fact, when I lunch with Linda, I'll often take part of my meal home.

Ed did finish his plate of Bolognese: homemade fusilli, traditional meat ragout. It was also $9.95 that day. And, he enjoyed some of my linguine.

We found wines well matched to the food. Plus, they come with a bit of information on small cards.

This is the type of restaurant we hope you will continue to support in the months ahead. Soon, the patio will be attracting new customers to Piattini. But, they need your support in winter and on rainy days, too. Small, local shops and restaurants will be in recovery mode from the winter woes for many months to come.

If you follow such things as I do, there have been a lot of restaurant closings since the winter began. We lost another favorite when Petit Robert Bistro in Kenmore Square changed hands. It was always a place we could recommend for value meals day-in and day-out and especially on holidays.

If you have a favorite places that you want to remain or if you've been meaning to try a small local cafe recommended by a trusted friend like Linda, get out and spend some money in your community. And, do it this month, next month, and in the many months to come.

If what you need is not local or if you are one of our readers from another part of the world, BostonZest is also a local business. When you are going to buy from one of the businesses that advertise here or pay us commission, we appreciate your support. One of the easiest ways is to start all your Amazon shopping on one of our pages.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny Cherubino

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March 31, 2015
Keep Supporting Local Restaurants Like Piattini on Newbury Street

One of the places we visited a couple of times during the dreadful winter of 2015, and recommended to friends, is Piattini on Newbury Street. I have to thank my friend Linda Cox for recommending and meeting me at this lovely cafe. Thanks Linda!

Ed and I find the lunch menu to be a good value and it's a great way to sample the dishes on offer. And, we were happy to see the dining room hopping on our recent visits.

The Scampi: sautéed shrimp in a garlic lemon white wine sauce over linguine was $9.95 on our last visit. It was more than I could finish. In fact, when I lunch with Linda, I'll often take part of my meal home.

Ed did finish his plate of Bolognese: homemade fusilli, traditional meat ragout. It was also $9.95 that day. And, he enjoyed some of my linguine.

We found wines well matched to the food. Plus, they come with a bit of information on small cards.

This is the type of restaurant we hope you will continue to support in the months ahead. Soon, the patio will be attracting new customers to Piattini. But, they need your support in winter and on rainy days, too. Small, local shops and restaurants will be in recovery mode from the winter woes for many months to come.

If you follow such things as I do, there have been a lot of restaurant closings since the winter began. We lost another favorite when Petit Robert Bistro in Kenmore Square changed hands. It was always a place we could recommend for value meals day-in and day-out and especially on holidays.

If you have a favorite places that you want to remain or if you've been meaning to try a small local cafe recommended by a trusted friend like Linda, get out and spend some money in your community. And, do it this month, next month, and in the many months to come.

If what you need is not local or if you are one of our readers from another part of the world, BostonZest is also a local business. When you are going to buy from one of the businesses that advertise here or pay us commission, we appreciate your support. One of the easiest ways is to start all your Amazon shopping on one of our pages.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny Cherubino

Related articles

What's Happening Around Boston in April 2015

Where to Dine in Boston on Easter, April 5, 2015

March 31, 2015