the menu (with an unfortunate shadow of my photo skills)
Spreads: Tuscan beans, whipped ricotta, roasted garlic, grilled bread | 12
Chitarra Carbonara: guanciale, pancetta, pink & black pepper, farm egg | 19 
Lasagna: ragu bolognese, gruyere, mozzarella |23 
Daily dessert special- lavender cheesecake with kumquat marmalade $ Priceless
Twas a brisk March night, when i got the call….Do you want to go out to eat at Tavolo's ?
Tavolo i responded with a slight bit of confusion. For i must confess, i had never heard of this establishment. Well i have to tell you , i may not have been familiar with it 2 weeks ago, but baby i won't be forgetting it anytime soon.
Located just a stones throw from Ashmont station in Dorchester, this Italian restaurant had some of the best pasta i had in a long time. We started with a cocktail, i can't recommend the mango punch enough. it was fruity, and flavorful, but had just the right kick to it; stung but not too strong.
We then had the Spread appetizer(pictured above), a great combo of spreads for perfectly grilled bread. The roasted garlic was my favorite , but mixing that with the whipped ricotta…utterly delightful.
My dining compadres the Dr. and the Dean enjoyed the lasagna ( while i was graciously offered to try, i declined as i don't like to mix pasta sauces) but i have to say i was terribly envious of the Dr.'s piece of lasagna, as it was a corner piece with just a little crispy edges ….which is my favorite. They both devoured their meals, and declared that it was some of the best they had in a long time. The gruyere was an especially nice addition.
I had one of my go to pasta dishes, the carbonara. A dish i have cooked at home, with some success, but not even in the same ballpark as the entree at Tavolo's. The pasta, cooked perfectly, the right amount of saltiness from the pancetta, the egg was blended in just right , with just the right amount of pepper in the seasoning. I know for sure i will attempt to replicate this dish at home, but even if i fail. I know its a short train ride to Ashmont for the real deal.
We had an outstanding waitress that evening, who was friendly, offered great suggestions and answered all of our questions. One of her recommendations was the dessert we split 3 ways. The lavender cheesecake with kumquat marmalade. wow is all i can say, so smooth and creamy and the addition of the kumquat marmalade i regretted not getting my own instead of sharing. ;-)
Our waitress also taught me an interesting fact, that the kumquat is the only citrus fruit you can eat the skin along with the meat of the fruit. I didn't know much about the kumquat other than its a fun word to say, but it makes a scrumptious marmalade.
I can't wait for my next visit to Tavolo's and i recommend you try it yourself.
Have a great night and an even better meal
Kevin B.
http://www.tavolopizza.com/menus/
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