dinner with m and v (lyn)

V has picked the restaurant for dinner, “One of the top 50 in Boston.”  M is not impressed.  She  tells me she has simple tastes and would have preferred a little seafood place in the north end called Neptune Oyster.   “But V's choice is a  good one.  I looked on the menu and there’s nothing I want.  It’s the theater equivalent of a restaurant.”  M hates theater.

We get ready at M's house (where I'm spending the night) and T takes a picture of us before leaving.  

We arrive at Bergamot in Somerville, and there is no parking.  We go down a little side street and there are plenty of spaces.  But there are also plenty of signs warning, “Permit parking only. Cars will be towed.”  M ignores the signs and pulls in.  I ask her if she’s sure.  “F**k it; it’s Saturday night.  I’m sure we’re safe.”  (She guesses right).

We have an 8:15 reservation.  The place is charming, and very Cambridge-like.  The clientele ranges from grey-haired conservatives to a couple of women who look like Medusa and K.D. Lang.  

We get a great corner table.  The offerings are few…about five choices for each of the appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  By nine, a few of the choices have already been eliminated.  We’ll just have to imagine what the Duxbury fried oysters taste like.

For an appetizer, we get a risotto with root vegetables and pasta with squash appetizer.  Both are truly amazing, especially the root vegetable one.  The entrée I get is salmon, which is good but not exceptional.  The dessert of little chocolate pieces and olive oil ice cream is superb.

We get back to M’s car, which is still there, unticketed.  In discussing the night, we agree that the ambiance was great.  I remind M that the restaurant is rated as one of Boston’s top 50.  M adds, “The Corner Falafel place we just passed is probably on the list too.”