The other night, for Jodi’s special birthday treat, we headed to No. 9 Park. This restaurant, overlooking Boston’s Beacon Hill, is one of the top restaurants in the area. The seven course tasting menu had many appealing and interesting items, and seemed like the best way to sample Chef Barbara Lynch’s offerings in our first trip to this eatery. We rely mostly on home cooking, so on the rare night out with a baby sitter at home, the splurge of the tasting menu with wine pairings seemed like the thing to do, and we weren’t disappointed.
Seven courses seems like a bit much to recap in full detail, so I’ll relate the highlights (which are a bit hard to choose there were so many tasty plates!). The first course was one of my favorites, a chilled tomato soup with fruits de mer. Now, I’m not usually a big seafood fan, especially shellfish. But this dish could change my mind. Little pieces of scallop, mussel and octupus (a first for both of us!), rest in an oh-so-delicate consumme that seemed to be comprised of a bit of olive oil and light seafood broth. But what really made the dish was some amazingly fresh and tasty small heirloom tomatoes that just burst with the flavor of summer, a great match for the fresh fruits de mer.
The other dish I especially liked was a “Duet of Duck”. This plate was comprised of a super-lean, rare duck breast contrasted by a hearty, deep fried drumstick. On the side were a variety of melons smoked in chammomile tea; not exactly everyday cooking! The smoky sweetness of the melon nicely tied together the two very different pieces of duck.
But picking favorites here is like being asked to choose your favorite children. The pork cheek ravioli and seared salmon were also wonderful. The staff had a chance to demonstrate their customer service when the polenta cromesquies accompanying the salmon did not function properly. To explain: the idea of this side dish was to cut open a small deep fried fingerlike bit of polenta and have a melted parmesan concoction ooze over the plate and serve as a little sauce for the salmon. This worked perfectly for Jodi, but mine was empty. The server was mortified when I pointed this out to him, and he quickly rushed to the kitchen. After a few minutes I thought he’d forgotten about it, but he soon returned with another one that had obviously been freshly made. Now that’s service!
I was slightly disappointed with the wine lineup overall. It started quite well, with a Nieddera Rose from Sardinia. This was richer and more full-bodied than most roses I’d had, apparently because it was made with grapes that come harvested later in the season. The Monastero Suore Cistercensi, made by nuns, was a refreshing blend of Italian white grapes trebbiano, grechetto, and verdicchio, a nice match for the salmon. The reds I thought did not match the high quality of the food, starting with a pedestrian blend from the Languedoc region of France that had a slightly bitter aftertaste. This was followed by a Syrah from Santa Barbara that had some good elements with hints of chocalate and blackberry, but tasted like it could use a year or two more in the cellar.
The most interesting wine pairing was their choice to go with the pork cheek ravioli. I would have thought a medium to full bodied red to match the hearty meat, but they paired it with a 2005 Chidaine Montlouis sur Loire. This white chenin blanc had a hint of sweetness and good clean finish, making for an appealing contrast with the dish.
All in all, No. 9 Park was a wonderful dining experience. Next trip I’d like to try ordering a la carte, having a sense of some of the dishes they do especially well along with the opportunity to choose from their wine list, which is pretty extensive.
Joe
I find that restaurants always have wines that are too young and not ready for drinking. That’s why I prefer to bring my own wine…