I recently went to the opening of Whole Foods in Sudbury, and afterwards, a few of my friends and I stopped in to 29 Sudbury for dinner. A cute little spot with a great bar, two floors of dining, and a lovely little outdoor patio for when the weather is nice! We had a spacious round booth upstairs and basically had the whole floor to ourselves (or maybe it just felt that way). Service was excellent and the food was delicious. I’ve been back twice since that night and haven’t been disappointed.

If you know me at all, you know I can’t resist bolognese when it’s on the menu. Not only does 29 Sudbury have bolognese as an entree, they also serve it as an appetizer ($12) served with bread (YUM!!!) So of course I HAD to order it both for an appetizer and a meal. The pasta in the entree was cooked al dente, and the seauce is a mixture of beef, pork, veal and pancetta. The bolognese is finished with some sweet cream, parmesan and fresh herbs. What else have I eaten there? The artichoke fonduta ($12) is also very tasty – the kind of dish that you would literally lick clean if no one was looking. It’s a mixture of marinated artichokes, cipollini onions and garlic with a three cheese alfredo sauce (talk about indulgent). The pizzas can’t be missed. They come in flavors like wild mushroom: served with mushroom alfredo, white truffle essence, and spicy arugula; meatza: served with amatriciana sauce, thinly sliced meatballs, spopresatta and spicy sausage; or a prosciutto: served with diced peach, goat cheese, grilled onions and topped with prosciutto. The sachetti ($10) are these tiny “purses” or pillows served over a chive fondu (see large photo above). They are filled with a blend of three cheese and topped with crispy prosciutto, a vin cotton drizzle and shaved locatelli. The golden beet salad was a pleasant surprise in terms of presentation, it came with wild arugula and shaved endive, topped with fried Vermont goat cheese and cara cara orange segments. The crunchy pistachio vinaigrette was addictive! Also a surprise was the delicious saffron shrimp scampi ($28). The sautéed shrimp was served with marinated artichoke, capers, shaved garlic, roasted tomato, gavi wine and sweet butter. The saffron linguine was so delicious, it’s really the only kind of linguine I want to eat from now on! The portion was generous, certainly enough to make two meals out of it.

So what else is on the menu? A quick run down: fired grilled lolli chops, roasted mussels, beef carpaccio, Tuscan oreccheitte, chicken parmesan, oven roasted half chicken and wild garlic scape tagliatelle to name a few.

Need a place for Sunday brunch? Look no further, they have a well rounded menu so that everyone is sure to find something they want on the menu. French toast, Belgian waffles, spicy sausage omelette, eggs benedict (classic, crab of prosciutto, or chicken and waffles to name a few things. Don’t miss the colossal bloody mary or the champagne drinks (mega-mosa, man mosa, peach fizz, the peacock or the brunchin’ bee).

And feel free to bring the kids along, they have a great kids menu too. The pizza on the kid’s menu is enormous! We took 3/4 of it home!

29 Sudbury

29 Hudson Road, Sudbury, MA

www.29sudbury.com

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Let me start by saying that the photos that you are about to see don’t even do this place justice. The Backroom at Moody’s is one of the best places I’ve eaten in a while. I can’t wait to go back, but have to lose 10 pounds first. So you walk in off of Moody Street (street parking and metered lots close by) into the deli. Pick up some charcuterie or cheese or even a sandwich to go.

They expanded the deli to include a dining room out back, the backroom. It fills up quickly, so reservations are important. The bar is hopping and we grab a great table, from which we can see into the kitchen.

A little amuse bouche.

There is a huge selection of charcuterie, pick one, three or six choices:

We start with the “never the same wagyu meatballs” a mixture of their best cuts of meat, fresh herbs and tons of cheese. Heavenly.

The spaetzle, which is not on their current menu.

The Brussels sprouts, which again, are not on their current menu – they were delicious. Add bacon to any vegetable and I’ll eat it!

They had a great pickle jar filled with local vegetables that we gobbled up right along with our charcuterie plate.

The pasta was so delicious, I only wish that the portion size was larger, it left me wishing/craving for more. The “bacon and eggs” is bolognese, black pepper mafaldine pasta and a poached egg.

The smoked wagyu brisket was so melt in your mouth delicious, when we all took a bite, we immediately wished that this was the only thing that we ordered.

The gnocchi was delicious – again, no longer on the menu, but other current menu items that sound delicious are: shrimp and chorizo ravioli with farmers cheese, saffron cream and calabrian chili; the wood fired littleneck clams, or the rigatoni with 7x wagyu beef shank, confit tomato, parsnip crema and fried sage.

My husband wanted to try the breakfast sandwich that was on the deli menu and they were kind enough to accommodate us.

We all wished that we wore sweatpants to this dinner because we were so stuffed. Yes, in a good way, with rich, delicious food, but we had to sit a while to digest, because we seriously couldn’t move.

I highly recommend you try out their restaurant, but if you can’t make it in, they also cater. They brought food to my old office one day and let me tell you that their sandwiches flew out of the kitchen. They aren’t your regular sandwiches, they are sandwiches kicked up to a whole new level. And to see PR girls devouring sandwiches, you know they MUST be THAT good. I can personally vouch that their charcuterie platter is both delicious and beautifully presented. Let me let you in on a little secret. Two words. TRUFFLE. CHIPS. They’re housemade and they are out of this world. In addition, they do a breakfast catering option, here are a few things to get you drooling:

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It feels like I haven’t had Sunday brunch with friends in forever! I was glad to head out to il Casale in Belmont for a day out with some great ladies that I haven’t seen in some time. Our meal started off with these delicious chocolate biscotti, dipped in chocolate. How could chocolate dipped in chocolate ever be bad?

These delicious fig pastries were a hit at the table – they were gone in the blink of an eye! Brunch is served every Sunday from 11:30am – 2:30pm and they have some great live music!

No brunch would be complete without a little day drinking. Their Bloody Mary is impressive, made with vodka, il Casale’s fra diavolo mix, castelvetrano olives, celery salt $12. I had the grapefruit flower, which was elder flower liqueur, white grapefruit, and prosecco $12. Sweet but not too sweet, a really nice smooth citrus flavor. The roses fizz was my second choice, made with lemony vodka, cranberry, prosecco, and orange peel $12.

S.L.T.  which is Nova Scotia smoked salmon, lettuce & tomato bruschetta, mascarpone, and served with a side of rosemary fries $16. The fries are PERFECTION. Crispy, thin, just the right amount of salt. How beautiful does that smoked salmon look?

Our meal ended with a shot of Limonio – a bright, not too sweet lemon flavored drink.

Disclaimer: I was invited to attend a brunch at il Casale with a group of writers. Our meals were provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

il Casale

50 Leonard Street, Belmont, MA

http://ilcasalebelmont.com

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Located in the old Rialto space, Benedetto is the new Italian restaurant from the team that brought you Giulia. The space is lovely and my favorite part was the pasta table in the back. By day they make fresh pasta on it and by night it is set for large dinner parties.

I was at the restaurant for a party for the Charles Hotel, but they were serving a lot of items that they have on their main menu. The polenta cakes were delicious, they just melted in your mouth. Very light and creamy. Other small plates they offer in the menu are things like warm semolina cakes with taleggio, roasted mushrooms, parsley and lemon; ricotta crostini with pomegranate, aged balsamic and sicilian pistachios or duck heart ‘speeding’ with picked red pearl onions, heirloom apples and cider agrodolce. Sfizi run from $6-$12.

Another popular dish was the octopus, fresh and flavorful! Other antipasti dishes on the menu include: prosciutto di parma with heirloom apples, escarole hearts, grilled rosemary flatbread and parmigiano; yellowfin tuna crude with bottarga di tonno, cucumber, radish and citrus or grilled mackerel with yucca ‘in soar’ (sun choke, pine nuts, golden raisins and coriander). Antipasti dishes are $15-$19.

I didn’t have a chance to snap a photo of the pasta that we tried, I guess I was just so excited to try it. Take my word for it, the pasta is delicious, it just melted in my mouth. I’m already planning my next trip back to try the bolognese (traditional ragu served with beef short rib, pancetta and chicken livers). Other picks on my list are the braised duck leg tortelloni served with broccoli rabe, dried cherries and parmigiano or the torchio served with lobster, roasted squash, burrata and Umbrian lentils. Pastas range from $19-$32.

Secondi options include branzino, a roasted duck breast, veal and a grilled swordfish.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of the Charles Hotel to a cocktail party at Benedetto. Complimentary appetizers and wine were served. All opinions are my own.

Benedetto

1 Bennett Street, Cambridge, MA (in the Charles Hotel)

http://www.benedettocambridge.com

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The ladies and I had been dying to try out Juniper in Wellesley. I love Sweet Basil in Needham and Juniper is Dave Becker’s second venture, a Mediterranean restaurant that opened in 2014. In addition to being a restaurant owner, Becker is also a potter. He makes unique dinnerware that is used in both Sweet Basil and at Juniper.

We start with the roasted cauliflower salad ($13) curry vinaigrette, arugula, spiced chickpeas, olives, toasted pine nuts and red onion (pictured top right). I love roasted cauliflower, it had a rich, warm flavor. A perfect start to our meal.

(Pictured left) They have a nice selection of dips and spreads (served with yummy flatbread), you can order them for $6 each or 3 for $15: muhummara (red pepper and walnut), matbucha (tomato, red bell peppers,  garlic and chili pepper), tzatsiki (yogurt, cucumber and garlic), hummus (chick peas, tahini, olive oil), skordalia (potato and garlic), and baba ghanouj (eggplant and tahina).

(Pictured bottom right) I HAD to try the lamb bolognese ($16) saffron pasta, roasted tomato sauce, chili oil and yogurt. A totally different flavor profile than traditional bolognese, but every bit as tasty. This dish has comfort food written all over it, perfect for cold New England days.

The restaurants generally only open for dinner service on Sundays. This Sunday, January 8th, for one day only, they will be opening their doors for brunch with a special guest chef, Avi Shemtov, of The Chubby Chickpea. He will be preparing a Middle Eastern-inspired brunch, including his signature Shakshuka from 11:30am – 2:30pm. Call the restaurant for reservations. If you can’t make it in for this special pop up, make sure to try it out for lunch or dinner at another time, the food was delicious.

Service was excellent, we were there for a weekday lunch. Parking is on street at meters.

Juniper 

13 Central Street, Wellesley, MA

http://www.juniperwellesley.com

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Recently a childhood friend of mine got married in Italy. With a new baby at home, we unfortunately had to miss the wedding. So for the time being, the only Italian flight I’m experiencing is the pasta flight at Terramia. I loved the restaurant, it was cozy and inviting. While they have been recognized with awards for their food, Terramia still remains authentic (no tourist trap here!).

Every Monday night from 5pm -10pm, Terramia will be serving pasta flights for $25. Mix and match 3 pastas from the following list:

Rigatoni con Salsiccia

Baked rigatoni with sausage & broccoli rabe, San Marzano tomato & basil sauce & Parmigiano cheese

Spaghetti con Pomodoro

Abruzzi style, spaghetti, San Marzano tomato sauce, basil & Parmigiano cheese

Gnocchi Amatriciana

Potato dumplings, buffalo mozzarella, red onion, basil, smoked pancetta, spicy Collina tomato sauce

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti, smoked pancetta, sweet peas, egg & Parmigiano cream sauce

Pappardelle alla Bolognese

Pappardelle pasta, traditional ground veal, beef and pork meat, tomato ragù, basil & Parmigiano cheese

Risotto

Chef’s creation of the day

We started something not included on the pasta flight menu, but it was just calling to us – the Frittelle di Aragosta. Fresh Maine lobster fritters (market price) topped with a mountain of sweet potato strings and leeks and a delicious balsamic honey glaze that we scooped up every last bit of! Those sweet potatoes were heavenly – not only were they great here but would also be a nice addition to a salad!

I can never make up my mind when it comes to pastas because they all sound so delicious. Give me all the pasta!!! So the flight is a great choice for me, I get all my favorites on one dish!

Of course I chose the bolognese! I liked that this was the real bolognese, with a blend of meat (not just ground beef).

I enjoyed the presentation of the carbonara and the cream sauce was just right, not too thick but still creamy.

The gnocchi was an untraditional shape for me but I liked the kick to the sauce and the smoked pancetta.

In addition to the pasta flight, we tried the Raviolone Aperto ($25). It’s a sheet of fresh pasta topped with shrimp and scallops and topped off with another sheet of pasta. The sauce is a lobster mascarpone reduction which we proceeded to eat the rest of with out bread! This is a can’t miss dish – over the top!

There VERY limited street parking. There is a lot just behind the restaurant on Cooper Street for $20. If you park at the Parcel 7 garage (just a short walk from the North End) the restaurant will validate you.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to Terramia for dinner. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Terramia

98 Salem Street, Boston, MA

www.terramiaristorante.com

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Ciao Pizza and Pasta is a little shop located just across the street from the Chelsea courthouse. The newly renovated eat in area features about 10 seats at the bar – but most people come in for takeout. The restaurant features coal fired pizza made in 90 seconds and pasta made from scratch.

We had a chance to sample a not yet on the menu appetizer, the shrimp bruschetta. The bread is the pizza dough and it is light as a feather – I love the flavors of this dish- bold flavor but not heavy at all.

Of course I tried the bolognese made with housemade campanelle pasta ($14). The chorizo bolognese is not a traditional one, but it puts this bolognese near the top of the list for all time favorite bolognese dishes. It’s lighter than its creamier counterparts and topped with Parmigianno reggiano and bacon.

The porcini fettucini was an unexpected favorite – served with mushrooms, black truffle butter and Parmigiano reggiano. This is the kind of dish that you would expect at a high end restaurant, and at $12, it’s a steal!

The herbed gnocchetti ($18) was light as air, served with red wine braised short ribs, root vegetables and Parmesan cheese. A great choice on a cold rainy day – comfort food at its best.

And as if I couldn’t fit another bite in, we decided we just had to try a pizza, so we picked the sopressata ($12) that was topped with garlic confit (!!), cherry peppers and pecorino cheese. The crust is amazing and the toppings are generous. The pizzas are personal sized, so don’t feel bad eating one all by yourself (I will not confirm or deny that this may or may not have happened when we went back for takeout).

Another item not to miss on their menu, the housemade potato chips! Light and salty, with a little bit of a kick from paprika.

Thanks Richard from the Passionate Foodie for the awesome suggestion!

Ciao Pizza and Pasta

59 Williams Street, Chelsea, MA

http://www.ciaopizzaandpasta.com

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I love Italian food. I was excited when Leah and I had the opportunity to check out La Motta in the South End. The restaurant comes to you from the same folks that run Aquitaine, Cinquecento, Gaslight and Metropolis.

I love the decor here: the warm lighting, the tin ceilings, the high back banquets, the tall windows, the exposed brick all contribute to the ambiance. They are working on an outdoor patio in the back, can’t wait for it to open!

My favorite thing about this menu is that there are a ton of small plates – they may have even been (*just a tad*) bit better than my main meal. I love to try a little of everything when I go out to eat, so small plates are right up my alley. We started with the Brussels sprouts ($12) that are skillet roasted and are tossed with truffle pecorino and toasted sesame. Yes please! This dish is really speaking my language – just enough pecorino on it to make it feel decadent (and less healthy ).

A complimentary pickled vegetable plate came over to the table which was delicious! I think the cauliflower was my favorite.

Try the meatballs! You can order 1 for $3 or 4 for $11. We had the spicy pork, veal and oregano and the classic beef, veal, pork and Parmesan. All meatballs are served with polenta and rage Siciliano. The meatballs were delicious, flavorful and just the right consistency.

The burrata ($13) is served over an eggplant caponata, and topped with smoked sea salt. While it comes with olive oil crostini, I preferred it with the softer bread that came to the table with the pickled vegetables. The burrata was so smooth and creamy – dreamy! And frankly, I could have eaten the caponata straight for my next 10 meals, it was that good.

For our first main dish we shared the Anatra gnocchi ($26), served with crispy duck, tallegio crema and marsala. I found this to be an interesting combination – the cheesy sauce, almost heavy, with the rich crispy duck – good thing that the portion wasn’t huge. While the combination was interesting, I did like the flavors of both parts – the crispy duck was excellent.

And if you know me at all, you know that I can’t go anywhere new without trying the bolognese ($25). This came with a wild boar sugo and was topped with Parmesan cheese. The sauce was light and a little creamy and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente.

For dessert we tried the panna cotta ($8) vanilla custard with Amarena cherries and landed pistachios. I liked the individual flavors of this dish and the presentation was beautiful.

And of course we had to try the hazelnut skillet cookie ($8) that came out bubbling hot served topped with fluff and caramel sauce.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of La Motta. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

La Motta

1357 Washington Street, Boston, MA

http://www.lamottaboston.com/

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Siena is an Italian restaurant located in Mashpee Commons. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating.

Of course I ordered the bolognese. It was served with linguini and the sauce was a combination of beef and pork. The serving size for lunch was generous, but the dish was average.

We also ordered the blue crab cakes that came served with a lemon caper aioli. These were pretty tasty. Service was spotty at best even though it was past lunch hour.

Where is your go-to place in Mashpee Commons? I’m still looking for a good place to eat.

Siena Italian Grill

Mashpee Commons, 17 Steeple Street, Mashpee, MA

http://www.siena.us

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Barbalu was just around the corner from the hotel we were staying at. Barbalu is the marriage (literally) of husband and wife team Stefano BARBAgallo and Adriana LUque. The couple rebuilt their new restauarant in the same location as their old restaurant Barbarini, which was completely destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

We arrived in the city late and had GrubHub deliver.

Fettucini bolognese ($17) was ok, but came out more like lasagna since all the noodles were stuck together. The presentation for take out doesn’t do the restaurant justice. had I just based my review on the take out alone, it wouldn’t be as favorable.

The Meat lasagna ($17) was tasty, but nothing to write home about.

Two nights later, we needed a casual spot on the fly to grab a bite, so we dined in the restaurant with my aunt and my cousin.

I started with the burrata salad ($16) which was delicious – although I wish the tomatoes had been a bit more ripe. The burrito was smooth and creamy.

The Spaghetti alla Chitarra ($17) with sausage and cream alla Norcina was delicious, I devoured my meal. We had a much better experience when we dined in – the restaurant has two rooms and a patio in the back. The service was excellent, for the majority of our meal we were the only ones in the room off the the right.

Barbalu

225 Front Street, New York, NY

http://barbalu.com

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