Sorry for being slow, but here's Grotto which I went to last week with my dad. I read a lot of raves on Chowhound about their small tasting menus. My dad and I both went with the "Chef's Whim," a 4 course meal for $40 without wine. Other people ordered off the regular menu.


sauteed foie gras au poivre, glazed cherries, broccoli rabe, veal glace


pan fried crispy cod, braised oxtail, parsnip puree, ramps


homemade tagliatelle, ragu of five hour braised wild boar, olives, and goat cheese


ginger-lemon panna cotta with raspberries These were the 4 courses included on the menu. A great deal for $40. The foie gras was well executed, with a right amount of pepper and smooth texture. The cod and oxtail was the most interesting dish, and mixed together very well. The tagliatelle was good too. My dad brought back this store-bought wild boar ragu from Italy the last time he was there, and that was really good, which got me a bit excited for this dish. The pasta was great and the sauce had a nice tangy flavor. The panna cotta was great - not too gingery, which is what I'm usually scared of with any ginger dessert. Very refreshing.


rabbit stuffed with figs and olives, with polenta and veggies


crispy chicken with mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and gravy


pan-roasted salmon Here's a few of the other things around the table. I only got a real taste of the chicken, which was very good. Surprisingly tender. Honestly can't remember what was in the sauce of the salmon. All around, it was a great meal, and I hope to go back some time.

Here's another Italian meal from a couple nights ago, at Il Bico near Kenmore Square. It's in the bottom level of a brownstone.


penne with salmon


chicken marsala I actually came here once last year... It was good then but for some reason I never went back until now. The penne was very tasty. The salmon and sauce had plenty of flavor. The chicken was pretty good, but I think I like the Carlo's version better. This one had less of a sauce to it (which I love with marsala) and the chicken was a little on the dry side. The place only had one waitress working all 7 or 8 tables in the restaurant. Service was slow, but no because of lack of effort by her... She seemed so overworked that I actually started feeling bad for her despite Becky's empty glass of water. I remember the same thing when I went last year. I think management should invest in another waitress, even though it was a weeknight...

Went for Bertucci's a while ago. They added some new seafood stuff on their menu.


shrimp scampi appetizer


veal picatta I think I'm starting to like Bertucci's less. Their rolls are damn good, but I'm realizing that the entrees and stuff really aren't that cheap. Carlo's down the street has far superior food... it's a proper restaurant, and now that I think of it something like a chicken or veal marsala is about the same price. Gonna go there again soon - went once and didn't have my camera. The rolls at Bertucci's are still awesome though. About the rolls though... a lot of people know one of my pet peeves is the "too-friendly chain service" that Bertucci's exemplifies so well. The first time I went to Bertucci's, the waiter asked if it was the first time we were there, and naturally we said yes. Little did I know he would go into a 5 minute tirade about how at Bertucci's, they want to create the authentic Italian experience. The rolls came, and he went on and on about how in Italy people eat bread with olive oil. We could even season it with some salt if we wanted to! The next time I went, it was the first time for someone else, and imagine that - the same thing happened. Now I'm sure to say no every time. Gimme a break guys, you're a chain Italian place that focuses on decent brick-oven pizza. The food snob side of me wants to smack those waiters and demand some balsamic vinegar. I appreciate friendly service at these not-fast-food-but-sit-down-chain restaurants, but often it's so obviously prepared/trained that it's just weird.