somerville restaurants
I found the following reataurants in Somerville and was wondering if anyone can provide any info on them. Thanks
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DavisSquare
Aug 3, 2006 01:50 PM
Thanks all for the recommendations, even if I wasn't the one who asked in the first place. It was too hot to cook last night and my daughter declared in no uncertain terms that she wanted ravioli, so this thread came to mind. We ended up having quite a nice meal at Vinny's at Night.
I can't write a full review since it was late and we had a toddler with us (i.e. not concentrating too much on the chow), but I will say that the antipasto table was quite good and, if I were there again, I'd be tempted to make a meal of it. I had the pasta al forno which had great flavor, lots of mushrooms and eggplant, and some hard boiled eggs and plenty of cheesy bits. The pasta was a bit overdone, though. My sister had the rabbit which she said was dry. The ravioli didn't get an overwhelming stamp of approval from the toddler set (in fairness, it was awfully close to her bedtime), so I have them for lunch today. She did get a kick out of watching the goings on in the kitchen at the top of the stairs while waiting for the bathroom...
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Thanks for the feedback. We have been to Vinnys at Night and did enjoy it. I did not know that Lil Vinny's was owned by the same people. We will also have to put Trattoria Pulcinella on our list. We will be stopping in Somerville about 6pm Friday evening for a short visit and wanted to have a nice meal before hitting the road again. Thanks again
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hiddenboston
Aug 2, 2006 08:32 PM
How long has Tartufo been open? I tried to find a menu or a Web site on the place just now, but came up empty.
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re: hiddenboston
I think Tartufo has been open less than a year. This is their second venue, as I understand it, there's also one in Newton, although from what I read the Cambridge venue sounds a little nicer. I also cannot find a web site, but they are located on Sherman Street in the old brickyard building across from Danehy Park -- I think it was 147 Sherman. Still very quiet, undiscovered. Several chowhounds wrote about it (including me) at this link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/155664
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Well first of all, neither is in Somerville, although both are easily accessible from Somerville; both on Massachusetts Avenue-- Marino's in in North Cambridge, just a few blocks east of Alewife Brook Parkway. Olivio is in East Arlington Center, maybe a mile up from Marino's, across from the Capitol Theatre. Marino's is more well established-- I haven't eaten there recently, but it's still bustling; not the usual Cambridg clientele (my husband thinks of them as the upscale Medford Italian contingent). The food has always been very good, handmade pastas, organic meats and veggies. I understand that it is up for sale now that the original owner, Les Marino (CEO of Modern Continental of Big Dig infamy), has died and estate settling out. Marino's ex.chef now has his own little Trattoria down on Sherman St. in Cambridge, Tortufo-- same Abruzzi cuisine.
I went to Olivio for the first time with a gaggle of girlfriends recently; we had a very fine evening, same sort of menu, emphasis on hand made pastas, etc. Marino's is a nicer room, but Olivio's is a nice enough storefront location, both moderately priced.
Neither terribly exciting.
When I'm looking for this sort of Italian dining in the area, my favorite is Trattoria Pulcinella over on Huron Ave (www.trattoriapulcinella.net) located between Concord Ave and the North Cambridge Fire House. The Neapolitan Italian flavorings are a bit more intense and memorable, and Omar will do an excellent job of recommending a fine wine from their cellar. A very fine menu, and they have often prepared something off-menu when we had a craving (seafood diavolo comes up often!) They have a small terrace out back if you prefer outside dining, but inside is lovely and comfortable, and quite distinctive. Recommend reservations, although we often slip in without them, especially during the quieter summer months.
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hiddenboston
Aug 2, 2006 08:16 PM
Marino Ristorante is decent, but there are better choices for Italian food in the Cambridge/Somerville area. I hear that Olivio is good, but overpriced.
If you want to go to a good Italian restaurant in Somerville, try either Lil Vinny's on Medford Street or Vinny's at Night on Broadway. They are owned by the same family, and they are both excellent. Vinny's at Night is in the back of a convenience store, so it's a bit of a novelty at first, but the food is very good...
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