Ten Tables

This past Sunday night was a blustery, rainy one, a night that called for a cozy meal, and after a busy week and weekend, some quiet time for the hubs and me. We had a reservation at Ten Tables, and if you want to dine here, I suggest booking at least a few days in advance.

Located in Jamaica Plain (with a newly opened Cambridge location), Ten Tables is teeny. It literally has ten tables, and one of them is partially blocking the front door. The small dining room leads up to a 2 person bar and then an open kitchen. How they keep a kitchen that is so small and so busy as clean as they do is beyond me. It is so completely spotless and well organized, a welcoming sight.

I didn’t take any photos at dinner, but if you visit Ten Tables’ website, you will be able to view several lovely photo galleries. It was just not a place where  I would feel comfortable taking photos, too small, too intimate, and it would have been to invasive to other diners.

We were seated promptly when we arrived and brought a jug of water that was refilled several times throughout the evening. I started with a glass of Marquis de la Tour sparkling wine, which was nice but had a little bit too much of a pear aftertaste for me. Our server also brought some very fresh bread and poured a dish of fruity, new olive oil.

We both decided on the vegetarian four course tasting menu. Ten Tables uses local produce from Parker Farms in conjunction with Heron Farms, and their farm deliveries are provided by Metro Pedal Power bicycles.

The first course was a panzanella salad: OUR PANZANELLA SALAD : SOAKED BREAD, FARM HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, WHITE ANCHOVIES, CUCUMBER AND RED ONION

This also contained fresh herbs, which gave it so much fresh flavor. The tomatoes were absolutely perfect, the way they get when summer is over, I think just to tease us that we will have to wait through a brutal winter to have such deliciousness again. The cucumber was super crunchy, a perfect contrast to the soaked, slightly soft croutons.

The next course was to die for:

LOCAL GREEN TOMATO SOUP WITH JASPER HILL CLOTHBOUND CHEDDAR

Velvety tomato soup with large crumbles of salty homemade cheese. Being that it was such a chilly night, the soup felt warm and amazing, and definitely had that green tomato taste which I love.

The third course was roasted baby brussels sprouts and braised fennel. I love fennel and brussels sprouts, but I think I would have liked something a little more substantial for this course. It was quite delicious though! I was just a lil hungry. . .

And then there was dessert:

We were brought two different desserts which was a nice touch. He had the upside down banana cake which was fluffy and moist and tasted like my mom’s banana cake, one of our all time favorite family desserts. I wanted a whole cake’s worth! I was served creme caramel with pink peppercorns and a sauce which I can not seem to remember. Holy flavor! The sweet and buttery caramel paired with the pink peppercorns made for a burst of different flavors as the creme caramel went through my mouth. The pink peppercorn was the final taste at the back of my mouth, and it was perfect. I don’t know why I haven’t tried this combination before, but pepper in dessert is amazing.

Ten Tables is very well known and loved, and I can see why. It was delicious, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere was cozy and comfortable yet also very special. I think we are going back for a friend’s birthday next month, and I can’t wait!