A Long Boston Weekend: Part 1
We arrived in Boston mid-day on Thursday. The weather was set to be good for the entire weekend, and it was actually on the warm side by later afternoon. After settling into the condo, we headed to the Four Seasons’ Bristol Lounge for a pre-dinner drink, because there’s no finer way to kick-off a long weekend than with a smart cocktail.
On the menu was “A Perfect Pearing” – a pear martini that was slightly on the sweet side for my dry-favoring palette – but I gave in mostly due to the cute moniker. (I’m a sucker for a silly cocktail name.) The sun slanted down on the Public Garden across Boylston where only a few months earlier we were married. Now the summer was drawing to its close.
Inside the Bristol Lounge it is calm. Andy sinks into a chair that looks cozily like it’s been upholstered in someone’s winter suit jacket, and claims it is one of the most comfortable chairs in which he’s ever sat. I lean into the velvet-backed couch and the afternoon passes perfectly. A perfect pairing indeed.
Across the street the wind blows through the willows and Andy recounts how he used to swing on their long branches as a kid, just like Tarzan.
Before we leave, I scoot to the bathroom to see what kind of soap they have. Yes, I judge establishments by the soap in their restrooms. In this case it is orange blossom – the sweet fragrance that will always remind me of summer in Boston.
We have reservations in the North End, so we make our way to the Green Line and ride the few quick stops to Haymarket.
When I lived in Boston, I didn’t make it into the North End as much as I should have. (I’ve been a South End boy from the beginning.) But Boston’s own Little Italy has charms all its own, and some of my most special dinners have taken place around Hanover Street.
Tonight dinner is at Mamma Maria – one of the original contenders for our wedding weekend. It is said to be one of the culinary bastions of the North End, and we couldn’t wait to try it out.
As on so many other Boston trips, I had not planned ahead to see what events were taking place this weekend (I have an unfortunate history of scheduling every Spring trip during the Boston marathon), and this weekend the city was in the midst of their latest restaurant week.
Usually I avoid this sort of thing – not wanting to battle with crowds or sub-par service – and I would rather try the menu as it was intended by the chef. However, I was happily surprised that in all our restaurant experiences this weekend the special deals afforded us an ample sample of dinners, at about half what we would usually pay.
I’d had my cocktail earlier, but I was very much impressed with the fact that they offered a Negroni – made with Hendrick’s gin – enough so that I took this photo. Even so, I opted for a white wine.
Our table was on the second floor, overlooking an Italian-like scene below.
I love any restaurant that begins with olives. A rustic bit of bread provided a suitably rough canvass for the accompanying bowl of pesto.
In all my years of trying anything and everything put in front of me, this was my first time sampling the traditional melon wrapped in prosciutto – and I’m glad it was Mamma Maria who broke my ham-&-cantaloupe cherry. This was amazing.
Almost as good as the pasta-wrapped lobster for my main meal.
It was all so good, I lost track of the rest of the meal, except for Andy’s dessert. (Someone ate mine before I could get a decent picture of it.) Here’s Andy’s:
[Bathroom soap: Camay-like traditional soapiness.]
First night in Boston to be continued…