Return to Bergamot

And so very happy about it! Our last visit to Bergamot, the year-old Somerville restaurant, was last summer, and you may recall that while we loved the food and beverages, we thought there were some service issues that needed to be worked out. We knew we would return, but it just hadn’t happened.

For quite awhile, my friend Megan has touted Bergamot’s deliciousness, especially the creativity of their dessert chef, and over Twitter one day, we decided we had to go. Daisy, Emily, and Amy joined the conversation, and soon we had a dinner date.

I was first to arrive, and I would like to note that the above photo was taking at around 6:45 in the evening. Hooray for daylight! Even though it was a chilly evening, it was starting to feel like spring, and I enjoyed having fun plans for a Sunday night, typically a time of dread.

Once Megan arrived, we sat down at our table and waited for the others. I got another chance to look around and remembered how much I love Bergamot’s sunny and welcoming décor. It is so pretty.

Once everyone arrived, we ordered a bottle of sparkling Schloss Mühlenhof  Dass 1st Müller-Thurgau

We were each presented with an amuse bouche of a yellow beet with pickled onion. This perfect little bite reminded me of summer, and I could have eaten an entire bowl of it. I love beets!

Unable to decide on appetizers, we opted to share a few, the salmon pastrami, Berkshire pork belly ravioli, grilled Griggstown quail, and the grilled marinated shrimp.

The quail was probably my least favorite, but I still enjoyed it, especially the creamy polenta that it was resting on. The grilled shrimp were another blissful reminder of summer, flavorful with that just-grilled taste, served with crunchy greens, oranges, and perfectly fried olives. My favorite of the four was definitely the pork belly ravioli, served in a creamy sauce and stuffed with rich pork belly.

After hearing the other ladies speak highly about Bergamot’s cocktail selection, we decided on a round of cocktails to go with dinner. It was tough to choose from the creative cocktail menu, but I finally decided on the Chambery Gimlet made of Beefeater London gin, rosemary, lime, and Vermouth.

I loved the tartness of the lime and the fragrant rosemary.

We all had a pretty difficult time deciding on entrees as well, and the chef kindly sent us each out a serving of the trout, one of my top choices on the menu and the entrée I am definitely ordering next time. It had crispy skin and a rich, meaty, and buttery texture. The beet fondue and apples underneath were an incredible addition to the fish. Yum.

As during my last Bergamot experience, I ordered the plaintain gnocchi, little balls of crisp-on-the-outside plantain topped with a rich, perfectly salty. Creamy avocado and black beans round out the dish.

Think I liked it?

If all of that food wasn’t enough, there was dessert. I knew there was no way Megan would let us leave without having dessert, and after checking out the menu and wanting every single thing, I suddenly knew what she was talking about.

The five of us decided on four desserts, the Bergamot-scented panna cotta, Meyer lemon beignets (with tequila ice cream!), chocolate-chipotle cake, and the special, a pine nut baklava with a goat cheese cream whose name I can not recall.

Bergamot also sent out a plate of their version of carrot cake for us to share. Carrot cake isn’t always my favorite, but this take on it was elegant, with silky cream cheese frosting and rum-soaked raisins.

The chocolate-chipotle cake was one of the best desserts I have ever had It combined my love of spice and smoky flavors with rich quality chocolate in a dense little cake. The beignets were bursting with tart lemon flavor, accented by the tequila ice cream for a sunshine-y dessert. The baklava was crunchy, buttery, and sweet with goat cheese perfection, the panna cotta firm and aromatic, one of the best panna cotta’s I have had, and I am not always a fan.

It was a FULL dessert table, but somehow we managed to eat them all! I have to say, and you know I am not a dessert-eater, I would order dessert at Bergamot again in a heartbeat. We mentioned it a few times during dinner, but the portions at Bergamot are really nicely-sized leaving room for said desserts.

The service at Bergamot was fantastic. It seems Bergamot has hit its stride and has become a favorite for many people throughout Boston. I for one can not wait to return!

What is the best dessert you have eaten recently?