La Padrona
This is one of those restaurants that’s so cool… and so hot… it can be tough to get a reservation. But we always want you to be in the know, because this is a place food lovers will want to go. So let’s get a taste of La Padrona. La Padrona is a beautiful new Italian restaurant. It’s located on the ground floor of the Raffles Hotel in the Back Bay. And this is one of the most talked about new restaurants in Boston.
From a design standpoint, they really knocked it out of the park. It’s a big place, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming, because there are lots of cozy nooks and booths and bars and different areas spread out over two floors. Everything has a rustic yet elegant kind of look, there’s a very European feel. There are tall ceilings, custom fabric imported from Italy, lots of dark woods and brass. Bring a date here, have a business meeting here, and you’re going to impress, that’s for sure. It’s the next best thing to be transported to a glamorous Italian villa.
As for the food, they’re extremely dedicated to sourcing the finest possible ingredients from here in New England, from the seafood to the meats to the vegetables. So you end up with really simple, fresh flavors, the way great Italian food is supposed to be.
And the bread service is a perfect example. First, you have these awesome, tall, crispy housemade breadsticks. They’re baked with some cheese and fennel, and they’re awesome. But the breads themselves might be even better. There’s a beautiful Cacio d Pepe Focaccia. This has lots of cracked black pepper and Pecorino Romano. Plus, the Toscano al Pomodoro, which is a more traditional focaccia made with cherry and sungold tomatoes, rosemary and roasted garlic.
To start with something on the lighter side, we recommend the Tuna Crudo. You gotta love the presentation here, with the vibrant red tuna, along with potatoes, Meyer lemon, yogurt, chili sauce, and dill. Perfectly balanced, with very vibrant flavor.
All the pastas are made in house here, so you should order one or two to share. You can keep it traditional with the Bucatini alla Napoletana. So you have those nice, al dente noodles, with a light and fresh tomato sauce, stracciatella (which are like shreds of creamy mozzarella), and basil.
Or, you can go for something a little more daring and go for the Roasted Cauliflower Agnolotti. This is a stuffed pasta, similar to a ravioli. It has a beurre blanc sauce, so it’s nice and buttery. Along with charred cauliflower, white sturgeon caviar, and sage. As far as fancy pasta dishes go, this one is a keeper!
For the main course, you have some seriously delicious, meaty, hearty options. Just take a look at the Osso Bucco. It’s veal that’s slowly braised, so it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender. It’s plated up with some polenta and Borolo wine. And it’s served traditionally with the bone sticking out, you can grab the delicious marrow right out of there, which I know some people don’t like… but I love it, it’s like “meat butter” baby!
If you really want to go big, go for the Roasted Rack of Lamb. This is definitely big enough to be shared, you get 8 lamb chops. They’re full coated and seasoned with rosemary, lemon, garlic, and mustard crumbs. And if you can find a better rack of lamb anywhere in Boston, I want to know about it.
Or, just keep it simple and get Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin. This is inspired by the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy. The steak is super tender, topped with some mushrooms and black garlic and porcini butter. And it comes with a mouthwatering demi-glaze made with roasted fennel, onions, grapes, and Lambrusco wine.
You’re going to want to save room for dessert here, and I’ll show you why in a just a second. So, if you don’t want to get weighed down by the beef, order the Seared Black Cod. The fish is absolutely pristine, along with some braised tomatoes, basil pesto, and lemon.
Even something as simple as carrots get the start treatment here. They’re simply roasted, along with some Ricotta pesto, marsala, ginger, and pine nuts. So there’s your veggies… and now let’s get to the really good stuff.
Dessert. At an Italian restaurant, I’m always thinking Tiramisu. And La Padrona makes a beauty. You have all the traditional ingredients and flavors, so marsala mascarpone cream, lady fingers, rum, cocoa powder, shaved dark chocolate. But they serve it up almost like a layered parfait.
And the number one gotta get it dessert is the Chocolate Cake. I mean, tell me this isn’t edible art?! You have layers of rich devil’s food cake, chocolate ganache, mascarpone, and almond feuilletine which adds a little crunch. Pretty much every table order it, and every table should! And now you know why everybody is going to La Padona in Boston’s Back Bay.
