gelato

An absolute must-visit, A Tavola in Winchester ended up being our Saturday night, pre-marathon date. Initially we had reservations to go out in Boston’s North End and decided to head in to town early to have a drink and wander around.

Crazy town. Between the marathon, the Red Sox, the Bruins, and the beautiful holiday weekend, Boston, and especially the North End, was packed. I was already anxious about being in the sun or on my feet too long, so we picked the first spot that looked opened, had a quick beer and tried to figure out dinner plan B after my husband noted that town would be even crazier after the hockey game let out. I was not in the mood for crowds.

Luckily, I had spoken with Richard at lunch earlier in the week, and he had mentioned A Tavola as a great spot for dinner. I quickly looked them up on my phone, gave them a call to make a reservation, and we were on our way to Winchester.

The quiet town common and quaint streets were a nice change from the swarms of people in Boston. I was nervous, and I needed to be in a calm and cozy place. A Tavola was it.

We were seated right away at a sunny table and went over the menu; the top boxes are Piattini, meant for sharing, while the other options include larger appetizers and entrees.

We also went over A Tavola’s wine list which is comprised solely of Italian wines, many of which are offered by the glass or quartino. Since it felt so summery out, we decided to share a bottle of the Masciarelli Rosato. We have tried and love Masciarelli  Trebbiano D’Abruzzo, and we equally loved the Rosato. It was perfect for our Piattini as well as our entrees.

For Piattini, we decided to split the house-made Sopressata with pistachios an pickled vegetables and the ricotta with olive oil and lemon zest. Both were simply heavenly, and based on the options available, you could easily make a meal out of small plates.

I didn’t photograph our entrees, but we enjoyed dishes of fresh, house made pasta. I had the Bigoli al Pomodoro, thick spaghetti with a tomato sauce, while my husband had the Rigatoni Bolognese. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the sauces were flavorful and rich. The tangy tomatoes and thick ropes of pasta in mine were exactly what I wanted.

We feasted on Piattini and pasta, but I did save room to share two desserts. I had this vanilla gelato with hot fudge and hazelnuts while my husband had the house-made doughnuts. There was, of course, sharing involved. These were SO good.

After our dinner the chef came out of the open kitchen to check on how our meal went. He was delightful, and it was a nice touch.

The service at A Tavola was outstanding, making for a really enjoyable date night that left me dreaming of bowls of homemade pasta. A Tavola definitely requires a return visit.

It’s only my second day of work this week, but I am ready for the weekend. How about you?