Boston (again) and Giulia Restaurant

A few weeks ago I visited my sister in Boston and for the first time in our whole lives, her and I spent a long weekend together, just the two of us. You would think that after twenty-some-odd years we would have had a least one day of exclusive time together, but I really can’t recall when that has happened. So in late October when I discovered I had an alarming number of vacation days left, I bought a plane ticket to Boston on a whim while sending a friendly text to my sister saying something like, “hey guess what I’m visiting you, I’ll sleep on the floor of your room :).”

Per usual, we spent the majority of the time migrating from one food-related activity to the next. There were afternoon beer tastings and enormous soft pretzels at Harpoon Brewery and a hearty southern brunch at Highland Kitchen and maybe a couple nights of Trader Joes appetizers for dinner while watching Frozen because, you know, sisters. But the night that really stood out for us was our dinner at a newer restaurant in Cambridge called Giulia, an Italian place specializing in handcrafted pastas.

We were lucky to score a table to two on a Monday night, getting probably the last seats available at 5:30. A line waited out front before the doors opened and an hour into our dinner, the place was totally packed. It's the sort of place that has a cool, informal vibe, low lighting, wood and brick décor, and a casual and friendly manner from the wait staff. Yet behind this easygoing atmosphere is a place that takes food very seriously and presents an incredibly innovative and memorable experience. My sister and I went for the 6-course tasting, leaving our experience in the hands of chef Michael Pagliarini who, for the record, personally came to our table for a quick chat to ask us how we enjoyed our meal. Each course, many of which were off-menu items, met us with sheer surprise and delight and introduced to me tastes I never tasted before and a brand new appreciation for Italian food. To say the least it was simply amazing. Thank you Giulia! Here’s what we had:

Course 1: A Selection of Sfizzi

Warm semolina cakes with squash and parmesan, duck heart skewer with pickled onion and apple, and mortadella mousse crostini with spicy olive relish

Course 2: Antipasti Platter

Fresh burrata cheese, slices of prosciutto, pear and arugula salad, eggplant caponata, marinated mushrooms, and a pickled marrow and radish salad with warm crusty bread and olive oil.

Course 3: First Pasta

Spaghetti with seared Nantucket bay scallops, lemon, butter, and parsley (though very simple this one was by far my favorite. The scallops were incredibly sweet and tender).

Course 4: Second Pastas

On the left a roasted veal breast and sweetbread ravioli with swiss chard, tomato, and parmesan and on the right an emmer farro casarecce with braised duck, matsutake mushrooms, kale and squash.

Course 5: Main Savory Entrée

Tenderloin of veal with lentils, parsnip puree, diced apple, autumn berries and warm locally foraged mushrooms

Course 6: Desserts

A sweet corn cake with caramelized figs, mascarpone cheese, and crispy orange peel and a vanilla bean panna cotta with pine nuts, sea salt, and pine bud syrup.