Grotto | Beacon Hill

The Breakdown:
- Occasion: Date night or dinner with 1-2 friends. (It's tiny!)
- Attire/ambiance: Casual/dressy; dim, cozy interior with rustic brick walls.
- What to order: For the appetizer, beef tenderloin tips with cheese fondue. For the entree, gnocchi with short ribs. And dessert, the caramel-drenched banana bread pudding. So good.
- Reservations? Yes. Go for dinner - they have an incredible daily $38 prix fixe menu.

Grotto is an inconspicuous little Italian place nestled away on the back side of Beacon Hill, MA. For being #1 on Yelp’s “romantic restaurants in Boston” list, it’s surprisingly hard to find and pretty cramped inside. Luckily, the food / ambiance more than compensate for that.

Below is a view of this historic New England neighborhood known for its colonial-style brick row houses, gas lamps, and narrow red brick sidewalks. Today, Beacon Hill is widely regarded as prime (and very pricey) real estate in Boston. 

We started off with a spinach and beet salad with spiced walnuts, goat cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette. Loved the fresh ingredients, with a nice mixture of fruity and savory flavors. 

The next appetizer was amazing - juicy beef tenderloin tips and portobello mushrooms dipped in a creamy, aromatic cheese fondue with aged balsamic and truffle oil.

My entree was heavenly - the best gnocchi I've EVER had, with melt-in-your-mouth short ribs and a rich mushroom and gorgonzola sauce. The clear winner of the night. 

Another great entree was the Fra Diavolo, or butter poached lobster linguine in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce. It was slightly lackluster though, compared to the gnocchi. 

For one of the desserts, we got the Cioccolato - a decadent molten chocolate cake, served warm and dripping with melted chocolate, paired with vanilla ice cream and a fine layer of mocha powder. 

For the other dessert, we got the Budino - banana bread pudding, caramel ice cream, and spiced walnuts, drizzled all over with a rich caramel sauce. I was already too full, but this dessert was too good to resist. 

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the entire meal. Every dish was on point, and beautifully presented. Definitely can see how they earned their #1 Yelp rating.

French Tapas at Pair | Seattle

The Breakdown:

- Occasion: Casual and/or romantic dinner.

- Attire/ambiance: Casual or dressy; quaint, rustic European decor.

- What to order: the gougeres (cheese puffs), banana bread pudding, pan-seared trout, and the risotto special - if it's still on the menu.

- Reservations? Yes.

I had my first taste of French tapas (think dim sum or assorted appetizer-sized dishes) from Pair, a cozy little wine bar & restaurant in Seattle. Perfect spot for a date night. 

Everything we tried was delicious in a very refined way. Nothing was overly seasoned, and the flavors/textures were all nicely balanced. 

We started off with the gougeres or cheese puffs - light, flaky biscuits with warm, melted cheese inside. So good. Then we had the special, a creamy duck risotto with a poached egg on top, as well as the pan-seared trout. Both dishes came with beautiful plating.

Not pictured, but we also got the steak frites, a very rich but satisfying dish of tender, juicy beef slices and thin fries covered with flavorful blue cheese crumbles. 

For dessert, we went with the banana bread pudding (which got rave reviews) with candied walnuts, dulce de luche ice cream, and caramel drizzle on top. Needless to say, it was incredible. Just look at that masterpiece...

Bistro du Midi | Boston

The Breakdown:

- Occasion: Good for an anniversary dinner or fancier date night.

- Attire/ambiance: Smart casual, with elegant surroundings and cushy seating on the upper floor.

- What to order: The grilled octopus appetizer, seared duck entree, and chocolate souffle for dessert.

- Reservations? Yes.

Bistro du Midi is a classy little French spot, perfect for a nice anniversary dinner or date night. We loved our appetizer – a harmonious blend of flavors featuring grilled octopus, eggplant cavier, sundried tomato, pine nut and basil oil sauce, and pear slices. Although it was only 4 tiny pieces, each one was crisp, juicy, and flavorful.

It’s hard to say which dish was better, the appetizer or my entree. I had the seared duck breast, with chickpea croquettes flavored with lemon, black olives, almonds, grilled figs, and a fragrant lavender sauce. The flavors were great together, the skin was done to a caramelized crisp, and the inside was perfectly cooked to a tender medium.

More close-ups of the duck. (Not pictured, but we also got the wild boar ragout cavatelli pasta with pear and ricotta salata on top – a nutty and mildly salty cheese. Also amazing but very tiny portions. Do NOT expect to get full after that dish.)

For dessert, we opted for the Grand Marnier souffle instead of the more popular chocolate one. The texture was deliciously airy and fluffy, but the taste of liqueur is almost overpowering. I'd probably stick with the chocolate next time. Overall, wonderful experience.