Teatro, Theatre District

 

Hello... I am Sarah, a good friend of Flower's and an avid foodie. I have lived in a variety of cities from the west coast to the east coast and I can say in full confidence that Teatro is my "Go To" restaurant in Boston. I define "Go To" to encompass location, food quality, and ambience. Teatro means "theatre" in Italiano and likewise is located in the theatre district of downtown Boston. The location itself merits the restaurant as a go to destination because it is easily accessible from the Boylston T stop. Its spot across from the Boston commons offers you to the option to stroll through the park afterwards. Who doesn't like going for a relaxing walk after eating a delicious meal?

If you are like me... ambience is a HUGE seller if your mission is to spend a decent amount of time eating, enjoying the flow of conversation, and simply enjoying a full bodied glass of wine. The architecture of Teatro is unique to any restaurant that I have eaten at in Boston. The white brownstone walls boast a tall neo-classical height that has a rococo-esque decor on the upper 3 feet of the wall. The open plan seating arrangement is limited by its large vertical length and narrow horizontal width- however, I must note that with this space limitation they were able to create an amazing blue light effect that is followed lengthwise and met horizontally with a red light display hovering above the kitchen and where the very talented chef works. I will admit that I originally chose to eat at this restaurant by the architectural design alone and although it is on the smaller size for one of the Columbus Group's restaurants they designed the layout to make one feel comfortable and very sexy. When I say sexy, I mean that the lighting truly does wonders to illuminate one's make-up, carefully blow dried hair and cute outfit. And lastly, when I say comfortable I am referring specifically to spacial dimensions- I wasn't distracted by anyone sitting near by and I didn't feel squished whatsoever when I walked to my table. The restaurant's atmosphere can cater to a romantic date and yet also be a great dinner spot for a couple (3-4) girlfriends for the evening.

Now for the most important part... the FOOD!!! I would classify this restaurant as a nouveau American restaurant- they create dishes with traditional European (particularly French & Italian) accents but remain humble to the freshness of local American ingredients and style. The chef seasonally rotates dishes on the menu, which in my opinion is quite smart because not only are they addressing what is in season, but it also creates an element of surprise for the returning guest who may just be looking for a new dish to try! For the evening, my date and I had...

Gorgonzola Formaggio with grape jelly on toasted baguette bites

Garbanzo, red chile, garlic, olive oil paste with baguette

Breaded Calamari with a dual garlic aioli and marinara sauce

Tuna Carpaccio with diced cucumber and a citrus vinaigrette drizzled on top

Grilled octopus sauteed with red onions, mushrooms, red skin skin potatoes and salami

Seared Scallops on a yukon gold potato blend with brussel sprouts, diced apples and onion

Vanilla Panacotta, with a honey glaze and candied walnuts and almonds as a topping

Overall: the food, location, and ambience make Teatro a complete "Go To" restaurant. There are of course other great elements to this restaurant including top notch service and reasonable price points that make this a fantastic, guilt-free dining experience. I suggest it to EVERYONE.

Love,

Sarah

Theme Song: Breathe by Telepopmusik