Flavorista

Birthday Bolognaise

January 16th, 2009

Andre Baranowski for Saveur

Last weekend, I snuck away for a visit with my friend and fellow flavorista, LJ, in Watertown, MA.  We had a lovely visit and an even lovlier meal at 51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands.  LJ and I have been eating out together for over 18 years; we’ve had many a memorable meal.  LJ generously treated me to this meal for my upcoming birthday.

The menu at 51 Lincoln was appealing and varied.  This restaurant recently made the cut in Boston Magazine’s "50 Best Restaurants."  The chef/owner, Jeffrey Fournier, has an impressive resume and this restaurant demonstrates his talent and skill set.  I started with an apple currant collins, an updated version of the sour lemon cocktail.

We had a simply, but fantastically prepared salad of butter lettuce, beets, candied nuts, whipped honey goat cheese and blood orange vinaigrette.  The kitchen was nice enough to split the salad onto two plates for us because LJ and I tend to share plates.  The bread basket offered moist cornbread, crispy baguette and delicious focaccia.

After consulting with our waiter, I opted for the "Famous Rigatoni Bolognaise."  Saveur magazine recently offered a primer on Bolognese sauce written by Nancy Harmon Jenkins and I have had every intention of whipping up some authentic Bolognese, but seriously, there is no such thing as "whipping up" a Bolognese sauce.  It is a slow cooked, authentic and richly flavored Italian meat sauce.  Often, it calls for cuts of meat and ingredients (fresh lard, chicken livers) that I don’t have in my pantry.  Simply, it is a dish that requires intention and I just haven’t gotten around to it.

The "Bolognaise" sauce (I am unsure about the French spelling) was superb.  It caused me to take a few deep breaths and a few truly appreciative bites just to take it all in.  It was deeply flavored, somehow creamy, velvety and "so good."  The only thing that could have made it better was homemade pasta (tagliatelle maybe).  LJ had a splendid plate of crispy, juicy duck breast with a cherry sauce and creamy parsnips.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate peanut butter cake which was very good but quite frankly, I was too stuffed from the Bolognaise to indulge in any more than a few bites.  The decaf coffee was good, always a plus for the coffee obsessed.  It is a big treat to find a city quality restaurant, technically in the burbs with easy parking and stellar fare.

Entry Filed under: Restaurants