Brunello Bistro

Following a weekend of reflection (Yom Kippur – also new for me), we managed to jam pack this weekend full of fun new activities. First, the food. Brunello Bistro is new to Somerville. I think it’s only been around for a year or so. We found it on Groupon, as we do so many of our activities, and decided to go for a “date night.” Basically I wanted to dress up, and go out for some good food. Driving up to Brunello, you would not expect to find a romantic mecca. I think there is a Quiki Mart right across the street. But Brunello does a great job secluding the customers with large bushes, so you can sit ot on the patio, take in the landscaping, and forget where you are.

The traditional bread basket that came out before the meal was great. I’m one for bread, but this was nice. The bread was crusted with herbs, and came with a tasty pesto. The meal itself was fantastic. The boyfriend (J) got the lamb osso bucco. When we go back, that is what I’m getting. The lamb was delicious, and the polenta was a perfect side. I got the filet (regular, not the special cut). That was pretty good too. I was just blown away by the lamb. The wine list was nothing special, all a bit expensive so we got the cheapest bottle, and it was fine. The featured dessert, tiramisu, was good, but it had too much powdered chocolate on the top. We both made the mistake of breathing in while taking the first bite and a bit of hacking ensued as the chocolate powder flew into the backs of our throats.

Still, I was super impressed by the service. Our waitress was great, attentive, but not overly-present, and one of the owners (Mario) stopped at our table to ask how we heard of the place and chat a while. He was friendly and charming, remembered our names, and spent some extra time chatting with J about his cooking and his skydiving. All in all, I want to go back. It is a bit pricey, but they have discounts on restaurant.com, and the food, as well as the service, definitely make it worth the price.