Last Wednesday night I got together with a couple of my college roommates,
Tricia and Corinne, for a little
North End Restaurant Week action, as well as some much needed catching up! I chose
Bricco because both these ladies had never been and the menu (at least the antipasti and secondi courses) had a plethora of good looking options from which to choose.
Bricco gets a variety of mixed reviews; word of mouth, I've heard everything from absolute adoration to just acceptable, to "it's overrated", "I've had better down the street" and a whole lot of "it's too expensive-s". After having dined here for the
first time in December, I was content to express my enjoyment, but wasn't calling it a North End favorite since really only the entrees impressed and I definitely didn't understand certain high price points. Clearly, I liked it enough to give it a second try, and I'm grateful that I did. And there isn't much to complain about by way of prices when you're paying a prix fix of
$33.11 for three courses. (Yes, I'd encourage a restaurant week visit!)
Their cocktail menu is superb, and while I realize this looks like a standard glass of white wine it is actually a
Left Bank ($12) Hendrick's gin, St. Germain, dry white wine, twist.
This was a delightfully inventive cocktail. The sweet elderflower liqueur was balanced out by the dry white wine and potent gin. Tricia enjoyed a sugary sweet cocktail of a different nature, the
Limoncello Martini ($15) Pallini limoncello, Ketel one citroen, mionetto prosecco.
For the Antipasti course, of six dishes from which to choose,
we somehow all ordered the same thing; the
Eggplant Bake layered with bufala mozzarella, tomato coulis and eggplant. After a few bites I was confident we had ordered the best appetizer on that menu. Obviously, I had not tasted all the others, I just had a feeling this was one of the good ones.
A refined eggplant lasagna if you will, one with about 10x more layers of paper thin al dente pasta that is baked tender. The spongy texture of the eggplant with its mild flavors benefited from a vibrant burnt orange pool of a flavorful tomato sauce. The golden brown surface layer was bubbly and crisp was topped with olive oil soaked basil leaves.
The Secondi
course followed with
Agnolotti al Plin. Beautiful pillows of flattened pasta with curvy ribboned edges are stuffed with braised veal and beef that mingles with fresh ricotta cheese. A perfect portion sits in a rich velvety truffle cream sauce topped with spinach. This was a fantastic entree. It was certainly a pasta filled meal for me, which is just what I was craving. Bricco most definitely knows their pasta.
Corinne enjoyed the
Veal Saltinbocca proving to be an elevated version of an Italian classic. I had a bite of the veal, a well prepared thinly pounded cutlet, breaded and bathing in savory juices, highlighted with crispy salty prosciutto and pungent earthy sage. That potato cake was a playful element that not only added to the presentation, but complimented well the veal with its crisp exterior and flaky, buttery layers. A side of spinach also accompanied.
The Dolci course paled in comparison to the former two courses. My thick piece of
Bread Pudding was actually quite good, spiced with vanilla and drizzled in a gooey caramel sauce. I happily enjoyed it but I really wish they would have offered more choices from the regular dessert menu. Perhaps the Torroncino Semifreddo or even a traditional tiramisu. I also noticed the bread pudding on the regular menu is served with Banana Gelato, so I felt jipped! Gelato would have perfectly complimented this dessert.
Speaking of feeling jipped the
Molten Dark Chocolate Torte was pretty much the definition of the word. Yes it was a tasty bite of rich chocolate sauce contained in a warm cakey-torte, but that's all it was,
a bite. We actually had a good laugh about it as it was placed in front of Corinne. I almost feel bad saying that, the poor little dessert, but....yes, we laughed at it!
Despite some uninspiring dessert offerings on their Restaurant Week menu,
Bricco on the whole has definitely won me over. I'd even go so far as to say it captivated me.
Good food is easy to praise compared to trying to put into words a feeling you get when you enjoy an experience to the fullest. Good company never hurts to maintain the fondness associated with a meal and an evening in general; but it is also the bustling urban atmosphere of this modern enoteca with a large yet intimate dining room, a sleek wine bar pouring inventive cocktails and a gorgeous open kitchen putting out remarkable dishes that makes it a North End destination I truly adore.
I arrived at the complimentary blogger dinner to a table set for ten with bread baskets and accompanying red pepper and herb infused olive oil, uncorked bottles of wine ready to be consumed and a waitress eager to take our drink order should wine not suffice. 
I helped myself to the bread and started with the 2009 Colterenzio Pinot Bianco Weisshaus a light bodied combination of fresh fruit with a hint of minerals that paired nicely with the array of appetizers that shortly followed. 
Each antipasti presented was impeccably prepared with an unmistakable Italian authenticity. I would not hesitate to recommend every single one, the only deciding factor should come down to what you're in the mood for. 
The Arancini ($8.99) deserves my highest compliments. Living in Boston's Little Italy, I've tasted some of the best and this is right up there with it. Melted cheese encased by ground meat cascades out of crispy fried rice balls. Flavorful marinara, fresh grated Parmesan and a chiffonade of basil prove no detail was overlooked. 
In the Melazana ($8.99) breaded eggplant is layered with tomato basil sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked and generously topped with a silky, creamy, basil pesto alfredo sauce. That sauce was something to appreciate, often individual toppings are a pesto or an Alfredo, however, the combination of both, to me, felt adventurous! (Maybe I have just been missing out?)
The egg battered Shrimp Grand Mariner ($11.99) offered something entirely different to the antipasto round up. Foregoing the typical savory sauce, the citrusy orange liqueur is reduced to a sweet glaze that complimented the well cooked, lightly battered shrimp. 
The next appetizer is simply labeled on the menu as Sausage ($9.99) which is a grilled garlic and cheese sausage over a bed of spinach and cannellini beans. That flavorful broth lent a comforting element to the dish, proving another worthy antipasti choice. 
Often the defining factor of an Italian chefs prowess, the Bolognese ($17.99) uses Chef Contarino's own special recipe combining beef, pork and veal in a white wine based sauce. When the hearty flavorful sauce meets with long flat strands of undeniably fresh homemade tagliatelle, this dish outshines even some of the most satisfactory Bolognese I've tasted in the North End. (I can't help but compare!) 
At this point I decided a glass of the red wine was in order. The 2006 Villa di Vetrice Chianti Rufina Riserva is a classic Italian dry red wine, it had rich red berry notes and a clean finish. 
For my entree I chose the Veal Saltimbocca which was one of the evenings specials. Given a choice of homemade pasta, I chose the Fusilli at the strong urging of the waitress. 
Two generous slabs of breaded veal are pounded thin and topped with melted cheese and salty slices of prosciutto. Long thick grooved ribbons of al dente fusilli were tender while remaining firm, their freshness unparalleled. Bright, lemony flavors bring the dish together enhancing the veal and fusilli all the more. 
The entire table was equally as impressed with their entrees, many ordered the same thing as me, others the classic Chicken Parmigana and Grilled Swordfish. 
Preceding dessert, we were offered coffee or espresso. I added a "tini" onto the latter and our waitress happily obliged. With a full bar and a lengthy martini menu to match, it only felt right to sample one at some point. The cold frothy Espresso Martini ($9) did not disappoint. 
Neither did dessert. 
While it's not made in house, imported Italian sweets include Tiramisu ($6), Cannolis ($6) and Profiteroles ($6.50). The desserts remain traditional with exception of the profiteroles, which are filled with cappuccino gelato! (Usually it's vanilla or pastry cream.) I loved this swap! 
Our waitresses genuine hospitality resonated throughout dinner; as well all our dishes were delivered timely and with precision. As for Chef Contarino, I could embark on a paragraph about the characteristics that make him who he is, and as a result, this restaurant what it is. However, I'd simply like to let this snapshot speak for itself. 
If you find yourself seeking an alternative to all that city dining entails, look no further than Woburn's TreMonté Restaurant & Bar. I actually found it refreshing to experience Italian fine dining outside the confines of the North End. Serving up hearty portions of Italian cuisine from the classics to some new creations in an unpretentious space with reasonable prices to match, Tre Monté is deserving of all the praise I have to offer.
