If you’re looking for a place to have an intimate dinner in a friendly atmosphere, go to Bernard’s in Cohasset and sit in the glass-enclosed room up front. With the lights down low, it feels a bit like being in a kid's tent – all cozy and hidden away with a spy's view of … [Read more...]
Phin’s Restaurant
Sitting at a bare wooden table at Phin's Restaurant in downtown Scituate waiting for my lunch last week, I wasn't expecting much. The restaurant's interior is so uninspiring that I couldn't imagine that the food could be good. But it is. It's very good. Just for the heck of it, … [Read more...]
Rustic Italian
The bar at Trattoria San Pietro in Norwell If it’s true that a taste for simple rustic dishes is emerging as the culinary zeitgeist of the moment, Trattoria San Pietro is likely to become even more popular than it already is. First clue: Instead of serving a plate of olive … [Read more...]
The Fours
I admit it. I was skeptical about the possibility of getting a good meal at Norwell’s new The Four’s Restaurant & Sports Bar. Yet, its frequently full parking lot and pretty patio beckoned every time I passed the place. So when a friend reported that the food was good, I was … [Read more...]
Real home cooking, French-style
In an antique house in a quiet neighborhood a few minute's walk from Plymouth's main street is a most rare and wonderful South Shore eatery. Chez Ducrot -- French for "the home of the Ducrots" -- is indeed the home of Linda and Philippe (cq) Ducrot. Philippe, however, happens … [Read more...]
Well-trained team serves up fine food
Thinking about the dinner I had at Chiara Bistro recently, I keep picturing the Los Angeles Lakers' coach (sorry Boston) Phil Jackson running things in the restaurant's open kitchen, not the real chef Steven LaCount. Seated at a table with a clear view of the cooks, I had … [Read more...]
Artisanal Coffee Roasting
As Bob Weeks offers me a cup of coffee made with a stock of organic Ethiopian beans he'd roasted the day before, I can't wait to see how he's going to prepare it. His kitchen is outfitted with choice coffee-making hardware, including a restaurant-caliber espresso machine and a … [Read more...]
Italian dishes are better outdoors in Scituate
I'm starting a list: South Shore restaurants that have outdoor dining. I don't think it's going to be very long. So far, Riva in Scituate is number one because although it's sheltered from zooming traffic it's open to village street life. On the mid-week early evening I had … [Read more...]
Chef’s star power prevails in Hull
They had me at the olive oil. One dip of crusty Italian bread in the fine extra-virgin liquid, and I was in. After that, each of four courses had their way with me, igniting childhood memories, a reverie on food alchemy, and a longing to be back at my family's simple Italian … [Read more...]
