Ristorante Toscano

RISTORANTE TOSCANO
Channeling Italy in Beacon Hill

I passed this quaint restaurant Friday on my way to work a shift at the 97 Charles Starbucks and was immediately drawn to its warmth. The street on which it is located, historical, picturesque Charles Street, is part of the exclusive Boston neighborhood known as Beacon Hill. I immediately went about making plans for a date at this restaurant and soon felt my instincts were validated by the high recommendations of those around me as well as multiple online reviews I found. Upon dining there tonight, I realized why the restaurant has stuck around for the past 20 years: it successfully channels Italy while maintaining unique qualities and the comfortable, romantic atmosphere I felt merely walking past the front door.

Ristorante Toscano does take reservations, both by phone and through an online web site, though I found we did not need them when we arrived for an early dinner. As the night progressed, the restaurant slowly filled. I would expect it to be quite packed on a Friday or Saturday night. Another quick detail: valet parking is available.

The service was prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. Our waiter's heavy Italian accent gave more weight to the restaurant's Italian credibility, but he was sometimes difficult to understand. Still, he was helpful and obviously knew the menu (and wine list, with appropriate pairings) quite well. My water glass was refilled frequently enough that it was never less than half full. Our meals arrived quickly (though at that point, there were not very many other tables). The waiter was polite and respectful throughout the entire meal.

I ordered a salmon dish that came with grilled asparagus and a mustard sauce on the side. Frankly, I love asparagus; I don't know very many other people (who are not in my immediate family) who like it nearly as much as I do. Almost equally as rare is a restaurant that does grilled asparagus right. If it is over-grilled, it loses its natural vegetable crunch and is instead a little dry, with a crunch that is obviously inspired by excessive cooking, and may even be greasy. Many seem to forget that chicken, not asparagus, is for blackening. This asparagus was delicately grilled so that it had a somewhat smoky flavor which did not overpower the natural flavors, but still had the soft crunch of normal asparagus. The chef also avoided the mistake of over-seasoning.

The salmon was an obviously fresh piece that had been carefully spiced and cooked and was quite tender and delicious. Its smooth flavor blended with the tangy taste of the mustard sauce well. In the past, when my family did salmon and asparagus together, the flavors complemented each other well, so when I saw this item on the menu, I knew they were a good pair. However, my family did it completely differently: the asparagus was boiled and served with a French cream sauce, and the salmon was coated with herbes de Provence and broiled. Those were a good pair as well. I'm not sure what the secret is to pairing these two delicious food items and balancing them well, but it is well worth the effort. The salmon was arguably fresher than the salmon I had last night at Legal Sea Foods and had no overpowering flavor that often accompanies lower-quality catches.

Seafood and white wines go together well, but I knew only a few things about a couple of wines on their wine list, which was unique and drew my curiosity (if only I could have tried more...). There were a few chiantis on the list that specifically gained my attention, and I would have ordered one, but I was not having any red meat or pasta. I asked the waiter for a recommendation, and he offered the Verdicchio found under the Vino Bianco category. It was quite dry, which appealed to my taste in wine in the past, but went with the salmon and asparagus quite well.

Dessert consisted of a small slice of cheesecake that had an overwhelming lemon flavor to it. It was quite different from most cheesecakes I have ever had, but it was still delicious. I might recommend trying the tiramisu instead.

All in all, for such a meal at this restaurant, expect to pay more than you would at a chain, but the restaurant and its quality food, wine, and service is well worth it. If you're looking for a little piece of Italy, Beacon-Hill style, definitely give Ristorante Toscano a try.