So, it was a tough decision between 223, Porticello (for some reason I can only find their MA location online, but assume that the menu here is similar if not the same) or Bistro Sophia. 223 is yum, but we'd been there before and I was feeling adventurous (Serena the haggis eater). The Porticello menu intrigues me, but decided on Bistro Sophia in the end.
Their website currently has the January menu online, and since they had sample menus by the door, I snagged one so you could see what was on offer...
We had a gluttonous evening (surprise, surprise). First things first, I chose a bottle of Kenneth Volk Vineyards Pinot Grigio. It was light and not too sweet - just right (I'm always interested in the restaurant markup on wine, and while I'm sure it's just as ridiculous in this case, it still wasn't too costly).
Mr. got the country pate to start with. I've had some fairly awful versions in the past and was actually a bit hesitant, but it was soooo tasty! Our revenge on the geese that keep fouling the lakes here. It came wrapped in something along the lines of pancetta and with the other little sweets/savory bits on the plate, it was great.
We both ordered the roasted beet and spinach salad. It was simple and scrumptious. We are not necessarily big beet fans. I think that usually people add way too many and they overpower the whole plate. Also, it should be noted that there is a big difference between canned and ordinary beets (think of spam vs actual ham on this one). So, this had just four bites of beet which made an interesting compliment to the chevre and spinach.
Next we were on to our main courses. He got the special which was a gynormous serving of flounder, some Israeli couscous and haricot vert (that's green beans for the rest of us nincompoops). I was impressed at how much my dear got thru, but he did admit to being in a wee bit of discomfort by that point.
She (hey, that's me) ordered the seared duck. It's not something that I often seek out, but figured this was the place for it. It was delectable! They recommended it medium-rare, but Curt made sure it was medium. That was a smart intervention on behalf of my immature palate. They could have just served me a plate with the sauce and I would have been content.
He ended with a glass of Kopke 30 Year Old Fine Tawny Port and I went for a pot of earl grey to sober up on and a beautiful lemon tart with a pistachio crust and some kind of crazy-delicious wine/berry sauce.
Part of the great pleasure we got from this dinner was the relaxing atmosphere (the whole place seemed really clean - I even noticed a lovely floral smell that did not seem to emanate from a nearby glade plug-in). In warmer weather, they have a back patio with pretty landscaping around. We also got to enjoy this view as the room we were in had big picture windows. Our waiter Alex was great about not rushing us, making good suggestions and spending time talking with us. The next time, we will be looking for him.
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