Giulia brings Italian to the table in Porter Square

With the slew of new restaurants sprouting up in and around Boston, Chef Michael Pagliarini and his wife, Pam, have added one more for the books on the Cambridge side of the river. 

Their restaurant, Giulia (pronounced, 'Julia), joins Chef Will Gilson's Puritan and Company for late November openings.

Like Gilson, Chef Mike worked at various kitchens in various positions, including the top position at Via Matta, before taking a step away in order to plan for a brick and mortar of his own.

Also like Gilson, I first met Chef Mike at a popup dinner thrown by a friend about a year ago.  One taste of his cooking and I was hooked and absolutely thrilled to hear about his restaurant in the works.

All this considered, it should come as no surprise how happy I was to be invited to the soft opening a couple of weeks ago. I brought a friend along and between the two of us...and the group of friends we ended up joining mid-meal, we managed to try almost everything on the menu:)

Unfortunately, the lighting, though great for atmosphere, was not conducive to taking pictures and the last thing I wanted to do was disturb other diners with obnoxious flashes (which tend to do no justice to the dishes anyways).  I did get a decent picture of their clam appetizer (pictured above). Spinach, chick peas and thick cut pancetta accompanied juicy and plump clams dressed in a light but oh so tasty white wine-based sauce. 

Of the appetizers, the burrata (imported from Italy) was another favorite, so fresh and creamy.

We went on to try most of their entrees, with a lamb sausage surprisingly being my favorite dish.  Above and beyond however, are Chef Mike's pastas.  All are made fresh in the kitchen daily and range from Maine lobster stuffed agnolotti to a delicious bluefish puttanesca with ripe olives, capers, anchovies served with maltagliati (long and wide pasta).  The pasta came out perfectly al dente with every dish and Mike gets extra brownie points for cutting his pancetta extra thick:)

The desserts were equally impressive and let's remember, this was all on one of their first nights serving to the public!!!! I loved their Italian cookie assortment, but was again taken by surprise when my favorite dessert was their panna cotta, light and creamy, and yet with a world of substance. 

The space is warm and welcoming, right near Porter Square.  As with most things on 'the other side' of the river, it may seem a bit far, but after the meal I had, which was wonderful, friendly and professional from the moment I walked in to the minute we all walked out, I will make the trip as often as I can...and you should as well:)

Pre and post-Nutcracker treats at Back Deck

This evening marks the beginning of  the 3rd week of Boston Ballet's new Nutcracker production at the Opera House.
With two weeks down and the month of December under way, Nutcracker shows will become more and more numerous.  It is just as well the Theater District and Downtown Crossing area has a growing number of options for both performers and spectators before or after a performance.

Newer to the area (as of this summer that is), is Back Deck, located a couple steps away from the Opera House on the corner of Washington and West st.  This grill-savvy restaurant offers show go-ers an array of options for before the performance with any of their dinner menu items.  Head here for a something light like their fresh and colorful Grilled Scallop and Bartlett Pear salad or a skewer or two of grilled meat or fish, or something more substantial like one of their Back Deck burgers.

Back Deck is also a fun and easy option for after the performance and to our delight, chef Paul Sussman has come up with a way to continue the Nutcracker magic long after the curtain has come down.  

Introducing the Nutcracker Suite: a platter of three desserts made up of a caramel pecan pie topped with a decadent chocolate ganache, three chocolate and espresso-filled macaroons and two sugared plums. 

My friends and I could not resist coming by to try it out for ourselves after a show last Saturday evening. Our favorite by far was the sugar plum rendition.

With Back Deck changing up their menu to correspond to the arts and holiday scene around them, they make for a perfect pre- or post-show (or both!) addition to your evening out at the ballet.
Come by and try them out on your way to the ballet...or after:)

Will Gilson's Puritan and Co. - a fine addition to Boston's growing restaurant scene

Boston's restaurant scene is frequently compared to that of New York City. I have always believed this comparison is unfair and disillusioned. Perhaps New York excels in terms of its incredible diversity, high level of competition and sheer quantity of food service options available, however, in the past few years, Boston has begun to stand out for its celebration of local, seasonal New England fare.  

Boston's restaurant scene breeds a tight scene of community and is largely based on the incredible work of a few great chefs and their restaurant empires: Barbara Lynch, Lydia Shire and Ken Oringer all come to mind. In recent years, a fresh crop of young chefs, many of whom were trained in these kitchens have strung out on their own and really begun to take Boston's food scene to the next level.

Nowhere is this fresh and exciting energy more apparent than with the fresh opening of Chef Will Gilson's very own restaurant in Inman Square, Puritan and Co.

For many years now, Chef Will has been planning this venture, holding popups in and around town ( a few of which I had the opportunity to attend) to experiment with dishes and ingredients and otherwise going over every single detail in order to make his first opening everything he wanted.  Puritan and Company was going to be something more than just another restaurant, it was going to be a place to share his cooking and vision of seasonal, modern American-New England cuisine, but also and perhaps more importantly, a tribute to his farm The Herb Lyceum  and family in Groton, Mass.

Last Wednesday, I was able to make a visit amid the craziness of The Nutcracker and all the anticipation as well as my high expectations were met.

Walking into Puritain and Co. is like finding yourself in a New England kitchen, many elements of the restaurant are refurbished or vintage pieces from Will's farm (the host stand is in fact an old oven from the Herb Lyceum dating back to the 1920s) and the menu reflects hand picked, seasonal ingredients and ideas.

Everything my friend and I had was delicious.  From an assortment of charcuterie options, the hand-carved cured ham was the best I have tasted (and I have been all over Spain).  Chef Will serves it in irregular cuts to add variety and extra taste to each piece.

The grilled oysters came out plump and juicy and the moxie-glazed lamb belly was unlike anything I have eaten.  Amazingly, one of Will's salads was my favorite.  A frisee topped with a fried farm egg, foie cubes, duck crackling and johnny cake made for an incredible mixture of salty and sweet, runny and crisp and deeply savory.

It was a magical salad!

Of their main entrees, we opted for the wood-roasted Muscovy duck.  Two pieces, perfectly roasted and crispy were served with quinoa, mushrooms and freshly picked thyme (literally, their is a herb garden set up along the charcuterie bar in the back ).  The duck was exquisite and that they could serve so many excellent dishes at this stage in their opening was astounding. 

We tried a few other items, none disappointed and I cannot wait to get back to relax in this familial atmosphere.  

With Chef Will's new restaurant, as well as the openings of other young and talented chefs in the coming weeks, there is no doubt that Boston's restaurant scene has entered into a new phase of its development, one which it can be proud of in its own right.

Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker...the sparkle and hair gel:)

 Following a day of gorging out on Turkey, we opened our very new and very fresh production of The Nutcracker.   Boston Ballet's dancers, artistic staff and production teams have been working on this new version for close to a year now; changing our most popular ballet, a token of tradition in the city of  Boston and indeed throughout the country, was a daunting task to say the least...

However, following the incredible opening night performance in front of a sold out audience, not to mention the endless applause and standing ovation we received, there was no doubt that our team, headed by Mikko Nissenen, was successful in building the road to a continued and respected tradition.

Of course, behind all the costumes, glitz and dazzle on stage, there are lots of perhaps less dazzling elements that keep us dancers pumping throughout the Nutcracker season.  Let's be clear, even though we just wrapped up week one, which for any regular production of our season would mean we were halfway through, there are 6 weeks of this baby...a total of 43 shows!

Here are just a couple things that become integral parts of our everyday lives in the dressing rooms:

Various kinds of goop to put in our hair.  Sure, hairspray is pretty common...but some dancers have stubborn bangs....or short curly hair..(ahem...ahem) and need a little extra assistance.  I would like to point out the yellow bottle in this instence, and yes...it is for all purposes, hair glue.  

The sentence that sums these products up is undoubtedly, 'whatever works':) 

 We are very lucky at the Boston Ballet, our company is like a small family and we are very supportive of each other. (It would be far too difficult if things were any other way!) In the corps ladies' dressing room, we have a 'snack space' where we set up various treats for the room to enjoy.  My personal favorite is the Sunday morning appearance of Stacy's Cinnamon Pita Chips, courtesy of Corps member, Sarah Wroth.

By the time Christmas rolls around, we have an all out buffet going on here...and it totally keeps us going:)

Throughout the 43 shows, the hair gels and snacks, Nutcracker performances become a routine.  Luckily, we have many different roles to perform, so we are not doing the same dances every single night.

With opportunities presented to us, The Nutcracker becomes a time of bonding and challenge.  Despite the length of the production, it would be difficult to image a Christmas time without it.

In the ballet business, we do not say 'break a leg', but instead, we borrow the eloquent 'merde' from the French.

So to all at Boston Ballet, MERDE for the Nutcracker Season 2012!

Purchase your tickets now!! You do not want to miss this Nutcracker Premiere:)