Taranta

I finally made it to Taranta! After meeting Chef Jose Duarte at the Spoonful of Ginger event in the spring, my interest in Taranta grew and grew, and the more I heard about his innovative use of QR codes and his devotion to a green, sustainable restaurant, the higher it went on my Boston dining list.

Taranta

Taranta is right on Hanover Street in Boston’s North End, and for our early reservation, we got a nice table right by the window. To start I ordered a cool glass of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc which was the wine special of the day. I didn’t get to see who makes this wine, but if you would like to try Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, I highly recommend Santa Carolina.

Chilean Sauvignon Blanc

This wine had a nice acidity to it, and it went perfectly with my entrée:

Pan seared tuna served over braised leeks, and crispy potatoes with a sauce of sweet roasted peppers, capers and “Rocoto” (Spicy)

I ate every single bite of the perfectly cooked, fresh and meaty tuna, which rested on a bed of creamy leeks and tangy sauce.

tuna

My husband had the fish special, paiche, which is the largest freshwater fish in the world. It was served with a watercress salad, fragrant risotto, and three tender clams. The paiche was meaty but also flaky, making it a great choice for a summer dinner. These dishes, as I had hoped highlighted Chef Duarte’s expertise in choosing and preparing fish. It was spectacular.

fish special

While we cleared our dinner plates, we still had a little room to share a hazelnut mousse. Served in a light pool of dulce de leche, the mousse had a layer of fluffy hazelnut, a thin layer of chocolate cake, and a layer of flaky wafer. It was divine, the perfect portion to share, and not too heavy for the 90 degree evening we had to step into after our meal.

hazelnut mousse

The food at Taranta was exceptional. The service was a little absent and then rushed. We were handed the bill while eating dessert, before we asked for it. I would have likely had an espresso or another glass of wine. There were four empty tables in the dining room, and it was after 7:00 so it is not even as though people were waiting for us to leave.

After dinner, we wandered the Greenway, one of the most perfect places to be on a summer night, before heading to The Grand Canal  for a celebration to send Michelle off to her new home in style!

Tags: Boston, Dining out, Food, North End, restaurant, wine

  1. Emily @ A Cambridge Story’s avatar

    I’ve never been to Taranta either – based on the mousse alone, I’m in! One of my biggest restaurant peeves is service that is absent then rushed. You describe that situation perfectly!

    Reply

  2. Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic’s avatar

    I echo what Emily said! I will go even for just that hazelnut mousse!

    Reply

  3. Michelle’s avatar

    Both of those fish dishes do look spectacular! Thanks again for coming out on Saturday night. We had a blast!

    Reply

  4. Erica’s avatar

    that mousse dish is beautiful! Sounds like a great meal – too bad you could not have had that extra glass of wine!

    Reply

  5. Meghan’s avatar

    I love Taranta! The gnocchi with the spicy green lamb ragu is mouth-watering.

    Reply

  6. Daisy’s avatar

    I know you had been wanting to check this place out. Your dishes look incredible! I am glad it lived up to the expectations, but that is strange about the service…too bad!

    Reply

  7. MelissaNibbles’s avatar

    The tuna looks incredible. I’ll be adding this to my list.

    Reply

  8. Di’s avatar

    I love Taranta!! I went a few years ago and it was SO good. Your meals looked excellent!

    Reply

  9. Jean’s avatar

    That dessert looks AMAZING! To bad the service wasn’t better and you felt rushed 🙁

    Reply

  10. Megan’s avatar

    That dessert looks incredible! I still haven’t been to Taranta but would definitely go just based on the dessert.

    Reply

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