Twice a year, many of Boston's finer eating establishments offer discounted three-course meals. For two weeks each in March and August, you may enjoy relatively-affordable haute cuisine at restaurants participating in Restaurant Week. By now, so many restaurants participate that one may try several new restaurants each Week. The most recent Restaurant Week period ran August 10 through 15, and 17 through 22. Of those 12 nights, I dined out on three, and each of those three nights provided a multi-course meal to remember.
The last course, obviously, was dessert.
Icarus, in the South End off of Tremont, offers eclectic nouveau-American dishes in a refined dining room tucked below street level. The decor, for such a well-reputed restaurant, was rather uninspired, but the same cannot be said for the food! My appetizer - grilled flatbread with tomatoes, cucumbers, and seasoned hummus, all lightly drizzled in mint yogurt - was delightful, and my main course - roasted chicken breast in a savory vegetable sauce, with potatoes and julienned onions - was quite possibly the best chicken I've had in a Boston restaurant. After such a meal, I didn't think I would have room for the flourless chocolate torte I chose for dessert. The small slice, drizzled with raspberry sauce and topped with a dollop of whipped cream, packed a richness and heaviness in spite of its size! Each bite was intensely flavored with bitter chocolate, and the cream gave it a density that was hard to stomach. The lighter flavors of the raspberry sauce and whipped cream provided a pleasant contrast to the chocolate. In the end, the dessert was more than I could handle, and I had to leave a few bites on my plate. If I eat at Icarus and order the torte again, I will be sure to share it! However, I think it is similar to many flourless chocolate tortes you will find at fine restaurants.
Harvest, in Harvard Square, is a hidden gem of a restaurant serving modern New England fare. To get there, you head down a brick path leading away from Brattle Street; with each step, you are transported away from the Square's cheerful mayhem toward a calmer place. The restaurant itself, sandwiched between retail shops and office buildings, has a traditional entrance and bar area, but is distinguished by an open-air courtyard with tables scattered among trees strung with white lighting. In this beautiful atmosphere, I enjoyed my birthday dinner. For an appetizer, I had sweet corn soup with crabmeat and chanterelle mushrooms; both the crab and mushrooms complemented the corn puree to create an interesting medley of tastes, and the mushrooms in particular provided an unexpected burst of earthy, juicy flavor. My main course was haddock with pesto, potato puree, and cooked tomatoes and onions. I could have used more pesto and potato puree, but the meal was delicious and perfect for a warm summer evening. The dessert, however, was exceptional. I departed from my usual chocolate indulgences and ordered the "short cake" with peaches and vanilla creme fraiche. The short cake was not very cake-like; I would more accurately call it a thick, savory cracker glazed with a hint of sugar. The peaches were barely ripe and hardly sweet; their tartness was their most noticeable feature. The creme fraiche, in contrast to the prior ingredients, was light, sweet, and cool. When all three elements were combined together, the resulting dessert was the most interesting combination of sweet, savory and tart that I have ever tasted. Savory and tart won the battle among the solid dessert components, but to top it off, I had a dessert wine that had been selected specifically to complement the cake. The wine, overly sweet when sipped alone, was beyond perfect with the peach confection. I was, for a few blissful minutes, in dessert heaven. Harvest will definitely get my repeat business.
The Ivy is an Italian small-plates restaurant whose swanky, club-like interior belies its location in gritty Downtown Crossing. Their Restaurant Week special departed from the usual three-course plan; instead, the diner ordered four small plates. I enjoyed three-cheese macaroni, ricotta ravioli, pappardelle in bolognese sauce, and cornmeal-crusted shrimp. I was very full after eating so much pasta, but even a full-to-bursting person could have made room for the miniature dessert served once the dinner dishes were cleared. Ivy offered a "tasting" - what amounted to a half-scoop in a tiny ramekin - of their signature homemade panna cotta gelato. This dollop of ice cream was pure, creamy goodness, swirled with ripples of praline. Imagine the frustration when I tasted such a delicious treat, only to be told that the half-scoop was all I would get! Needless to say, I left the restaurant rather demoralized...and wanting more. Maybe I should try some gelato next time I'm in the North End, rather than always defaulting to Mike's Pastry's chocolate mousse cannoli.
After such a successful Restaurant Week run, I'm already thinking about where to dine in March. Hopefully you will see a review of Sibling Rivalry's desserts in a few months' time!
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