chicken

Mixed feelings are the words I would use to sum up my first experience at Beacon Hill Bistro this Sunday.

A belated birthday celebration for my friend Raija, dinner was a long-awaited occasion, and once we were settled at our cozy table, decided to toast with some bubbly.

I ordered one of the wine specials, a sparkling rose of Malbec. Our waitress seemed a little surprised by our order, despite the fact that there were only three wine specials, and I think we were the surprised ones when she returned, unable to find the wine.

She had the manager come over to awkwardly suggest something else for us. In this situation, I would have thought an apology or even the offer of a more expensive option at the same price of the missing wine would have been a nice touch. It just felt very awkward.

We decided instead on a bottle of Mumm Napa Brut, a favorite of mine since our first visit to Mumm. Cheers!

A basket of bread and butter made it to our table, and I decided to pass it up, anticipating the appetizers ordered.

First came the mussels: Steamed Maine Mussels with Leeks, Roasted Tomatoes, Stella Artois and Herb Aioli. I usually don’t order mussels out because I can make them so easily at home, but I snagged one and it was plump and perfectly cooked.

I was more excited about the special we ordered, fondue. A pot of hot cheese arrived with a plate heaped with crusty bread, boiled potatoes, cornichons, carrots, and greens.

I ate  LOT of the fondue, especially with the dressed greens and cornichon. I loved the tangy pickles with the creamy cheese. I could have eaten the entire pot of fondue, but I saved some room for my entrée, seared scallops with duck confit.

AMAZING. There were so many flavors on this dish, and the duck confit and scallops just worked. I very rarely clean a plate, but other than the few bites I shared with my friends, I ate every last morsel and wanted more. This definitely rates up with some of the best dishes I have ever had.

My friend Meghan ordered the steak frites, and while I passed on the steak, I helped myself to the perfect, crispy frites.

Raija had the tagliatelle with braised chicken, mushrooms, and kale. The pasta was everything it should have been, and the rich chicken sauce made it a wonderful wintry dish. Why does my pasta not turn out like this?

Throughout the meal, the service was just a little odd. Our server was flippant and a little brusque, definitely not the friendliest service I have experienced. There were also a lot of children in the restaurant, several who were running around which I thought was strange.

Overall, I would definitely return to Beacon Hill Bistro for the exquisite food and comfortable bistro setting in the heart of Beacon Hill.

Have you ever had a weird or uncomfortable experience with a waiter/waitress or other guests at a restaurant?