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 It’s the biggest culinary question since the chicken and the egg.
What is the mess?
Customers love it, but have no idea what’s in it!
“The mess? Oh it’s my favorite, I love it. But they just won’t tell me what it is.”
“The mess? I don’t know what’s in the mess, but it’s good.”
“I love the mess, but nobody knows what’s in it.”
“I don’t really know what’s in it, Comella’s won’t tell you, but it is awesome.”
This much we do know. The mess can be found at Comella’s in West Newton. This is a cozy ten-seat, Italian restaurant, where customers order at the counter, and everyone feels like family. Except when it comes to that one big family secret… the mess.
J.P. Comella – Co-Owner, Comella’s: “I’ve been sworn to secrecy over the years. It’s a family recipe that has been passed down, and it’s not super super old, but I really can’t say.”
But Phantom has never been one to take no for an answer, so we tried to slip into the kitchen for a closer look.
J.P. Comella – Co-Owner, Comella’s: “I’m sorry, you can’t come back here, we’re off limits, we’re off limits. Thank you.”
It looks like there’s no getting past this guy, but the women of Comella’s seem a little more willing to dish about the mess.
Tierney Oslin – Manager, Comella’s: “It’s a pasta dish. Pasta, sauce, cheese. After that, the recipe’s secret, but you can’t get it anywhere else, and you’ve never had anything like it.”
Now we’re getting somewhere.
Tierney Oslin – Manager, Comella’s: “I can tell you it’s vegetarian to start with, you can get it roughly thirty different ways with different meat and vegetables and sorts of different stuff mixed into it.”
Yes, there is actually a multitude of messes. The menu lists dozens of them, each named after a Comella family member or friend.
Ma’s Mess is the original, and the foundation on which all other messes are built.
Pa’s Mess adds meatballs… While Bear’s Mess is topped with shrimp and eggplant… and contrary to the name, these messes actually look pretty good.
Tierney Oslin – Manager, Comella’s: “Well, it’s not that messy. It looks like a dish of pasta but it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen, I can guarantee that.”
Messes come in all sizes, like the single serving and the giant half-bucket.
But the biggest mess on the menu is Uncle Butch’s Bomb. It’s the ultimate mess, with extra everything… a full bucket of shells, lasagna, eggplant, chicken, veal, shrimp, meatballs, sausage, and vegetables.
Tierney Oslin – Manager, Comella’s: “First time I had it I was almost scared of it, I was like ‘Oh God.’ But it’s delicious, it’s fantastic.”
If you just can’t handle the mess, don’t worry. Comella’s, also offers a full menu of Italian classics, like Gnocchi with pesto, Chicken Parmesan with Fusilli, Porcini Mushroom Ravioli, and a piled high Eggplant Parm sandwich.
All the pastas are made in-house, so solving the mess mystery is almost impossible. And just to make sure no one can get too close to the truth, Comella’s is always changing the recipe.
Tierney Oslin – Manager, Comella’s: “We mix everything together, so somedays there’s more of one ingredient, less of another ingredient. It’s always usually the same type of ingredients, but that’s half the fun is that you never know what you can find in there.”
The mystery of the mess remains unsolved, at Comella’s, a Phantom Gourmet… Hidden Jewel.
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Review Date:
3/4/2006 |
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