Twelve years after its much-anticipated opening, Westwood’s Chiara
Bistro still casts a culinary spell. Long considered one of the finest suburban
dining establishments in Massachusetts, the 100-seat Mediterranean bistro –
founded by executive chef/owner Steve LaCount and lovingly named after his nana
– continues to impress with its chic, upscale ambience, its polished, friendly
waitstaff, and its adventurous, well-executed fare.
Don’t
let Chiara’s suburban strip mall location (off of Route 109) fool you. There’s
elegance to be discovered inside the restaurant by way of warm woods
(California redwoods), Italian marble, ceramic tile, leather, windows draped in
glossy silk, square lamps, an alcove bar, and a modern exhibition kitchen.
Fortunately,
LaCount’s menu holds up against, if not exceeds the restaurant’s glamorous décor
(albeit at a high price point for suburban dining that is justified). A
complimentary bread basket arrives, which includes thin olive focaccia crisps
accompanied by a unique, refreshingly light, vibrant green-colored pesto feta
spread. An amuse bouche features spoonfuls of creamy cauliflower soup (much to
the dismay of my wife, who can’t indulge due to her dairy intolerance – this was
the only misstep of the evening from our otherwise excellent server, who knew
of this intolerance beforehand yet did not swap out the one spoon for an
alternate small bite).
Appetizers
were spot-on, beginning with a playful riff on a traditional Italian dish,
which resulted in some of the most delectable potato gnocchi ($13 for the starter,
$25 for the main course, the latter of which I’d highly recommend) I’ve ever
consumed. LaCount’s hand-crafted version features ethereal, ultra-light pillows
of the potato-infused pasta, whose flavor is enhanced by pairing it with
incredibly tender, thinly shredded red wine braised boar and beef shortrib. All
of this was topped with velvety sheep’s milk pecorino whose tartness beautifully
melded with the sweetness of the meat’s red wine reduction. It’s simply divine.
Almost as
equally memorable is the steak tartare ($15), a visually striking rendition
that consists of a generous, square-shaped wedge of precisely diced meat served
over sweet, house-made chips and a grilled baguette. The meat is nicely
seasoned and possesses the melt-in-your-mouth texture that a good tartare
should always, and yet (no pun intended) rarely ever has. The succulent grilled
lamb ($13) is served ‘lollipop’ style, is cooked to perfection (a nicely pink,
medium rare), and is accompanied by an intriguing array of Mediterranean-inspired
sides such as grilled eggplant, roasted fennel, tomato quinoa tabuleh, cured
olives, a welcomed dash of heat from harissa, and a cooling contrast of minted
lemon yogurt.
Aside
from that impeccable gnocchi, Chiara also nails the simpler dishes as well,
including four plump, tender, perfectly pan-roasted Gulf of Main shrimp served
over creamy mushroom risotto.
Similar
to its cuisine, Chiara’s cocktail menu is seasonally inspired, inventive, and
well-executed (most fall in the $12 range). Take for instance, this fun trio of
spirits: the Pilgrim Manhattan, made with bourbon and house made cranberry
vermouth; the aptly named Granny’s Redemption, rye infused with Granny Smith
apples and spices; and the Chiara Whiskey Orchard, blended with scotch,
bourbon, rye, chestnut liquer, a hint of maple syrup, and infused with roasted
pecans.
And don’t
forget to conclude your evening with dessert. My wife gushed over an exquisite
tasting, non-icy coconut sorbet, resulting in her exclamation that Chiara’s
version rivaled Mistral’s chocolate sorbet, the best she’s ever sampled (and
she’s sampled many) over the years. The specialty dessert – coconut cake – was surprisingly
light, drizzled with caramel sauce and paired with an equally good dollop of
pineapple sorbet.
Aside
from the minor hiccup over the amuse bouche, our server was extremely knowledgeable,
attentive, genial, and spot-on with her recommendations throughout the evening.
Given
its exceptional service, cuisine, and ambience, I’ll gladly overlook Chiara’s
unassuming, outside strip mall setting and enjoy the relaxed, yet upscale
ambience, top-notch service, and creative, superbly prepared culinary treasures
that are hidden inside.
