Restaurant Pava Shines

[emilief]

Returned to Restaurant Pava in Newton Center last night. Unlike the last few times we were there, the place was hopping. The service, which was at times spotty in the past, was excellent. I think the key is that they now have a separate staff whose only job is to bring the food upstairs from the kitchen as soon as it is ready. The food was over the top excellent. Susan St. Regis is obviously a very talented chef. I hope she stays there a good long time. For appetizers had a combo of Maine shrimp and smelts crusted in cornmeal and deep fried. Oh! those little shrimp with heads and tails and shells vey crunchy and served with an aoili. The smelts perfectly done. One dC had the arugula salad with fennel and proscuitto - the dressing was so good the other three kept sticking their forks in dc's salad. Three of us had the evening special- roasted cod with cockles and chourizo. This was amazing. The Fish was moist and flaky, the cockles delicious and the chorizo extremely juicy although not spicy, but flavorful. Dessert was a lemon tart with lemon granita on the side and a dish of caramel gelato in a home made cone with an assortment of tiny delicious cookies on the plate. Having been to Alta Stada the night before, the difference in the quality of the food was shocking. No comparison.
Although the atmosphere is somewhat stark, when the place is full it feels more cozy and welcoming.

[onefineleo]

I couldn't agree with you more about this place. It's a winner. Point of clarification: It's Susan Regis.