Sorellina- Boston

I dined here this past week and I must say the restaurant itself is beautiful. It's got the dim lighting for a romantic atmosphere but at the same time, has this modern vibe to the place as evidenced by the bar and fixtures as well as the black and white photography that decorates the walls. The center of the dining area is populated with sleek, white sofas and appropriately, there's that nice, relaxed lounge music playing in the background. As for service, our waiter, although he was polite and entertaining, did not come around to check on us enough. We actually had to wait for quite a while to get our hands on the dessert menu. Then there's the rest of the waitstaff. Not only do they look glum and unhappy, but also were downright rude and unwelcoming. But hey, the food held up its end of the bargain so I can't complain about that.

Polpo- Grilled Octopus

it's a little difficult, if not impossible, to see from this photo but underlying the grilled octopus is a bed of cous cous cooked in squid ink. the octopus itself had a wonderful char on the outside but thankfully, it wasn't overcooked as overcooking can oftentimes turn the octopus into a chewy, rubbery mess. i enjoyed the bit of heat from the spicy peppers and the cous cous was a good, mild balance to the seasoned octopus on top.

 

Maine Crab Risotto
this risotto was a little al dente but perhaps it's due to the fact that carnaroli rice was used as opposed to the more common arborio rice (i definitely had to look up the menu again to find out the rice type haha). carnaroli rice is a medium grain and is a little firmer in texture, while arborio rice is a short grain. either way, the risotto was still delicious and the creamy cheese sauce that it simmered in was absolutely delightful. the crab meat is broken up and cooked right into the rich, cheesy goodness.

Pan Seared Scallops
six plump, meaty scallops cooked to perfection with a nice sear on the outside, while retaining that softness on the inside. even more impressive than the scallops though, would definitely be the cream sauce underneath. i don't know what sauce they used and the menu doesn't say, but it was similar to a bearnaise or hollandaise. believe me when i say this remarkable sauce puts these scallops over the top. the cauliflower and what i think is sauteed diced onions also add quite a nice dimension to the plate in terms of texture.

Panna Cotta with Almond Milk Espuma

unfortunately, the dessert was probably the least exciting part of this meal. not that the panna cotta tasted bad, but it's not a "must-try" or "must eat" by any means. the cranberries gave that tart contrast to the smooth, silky custard. as for the foam, i could've definitely done without it because almond milk, itself, is pretty mild so i didn't pick up much flavor from it in foam form.

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