Chiara Bistro

Monday, November 30, 2009 at 03:09 PM | Posted by caroloc

569 High Street
Westwood, MA 02090

by Rachel Lebeaux

Atmosphere:
Who doesn’t love to walk into a restaurant on a Wednesday evening and find a wine tasting already under way? Such was our recent experience at Chiara Bistro in Westwood, where, for many diners, the 30-plus minute seating wait was muted by the chance to taste three Sangiovese reds being poured that evening. Sit by a stone fireplace and swill some warm reds on a cold evening? There are worse ways to wait for a table.

This classiness permeates Chiara Bistro, which opened more than four years ago. Mocha- and cream-colored curtains surround the windows, and an open bar and kitchen area overlook the expansive dining area, with high-backed chairs, comfy benches and even a sofa. Well dressed couples, friends and families fill the dining area, grateful for an elegant night out without the drive into the city.

The very personable executive chef and proprietor, Steven LaCount, visited our table to discuss his culinary craft. Depending upon the season, “the menu changes with the ingredients,” he said. But although he likes to switch up the menu, certain dishes must remain. “The regulars wouldn’t like too much change,” he said with a laugh, describing one couple who sits at the bar and orders the duck entrée whenever they visit. “They always look forward to the new presentation,” he said. “I’ve told her she’s going to get webbed feet.” The changing menu is a tribute to a restaurant that truly pays attention to the details.

Drinks:
The wine tasting before the meal definitely put me in the mood to sample another from the main menu. There are several by-the-glass options for $8 to $10, dozens of by-the-bottle offerings and some half-bottle selections, providing a large assortment of Rieslings, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs, Merlots and Roses, with prices ranging from the high-$20s up to $90. A list of cellar selections pushes into the $150 range for many bottles.  At our waiter’s suggestion, I went with a glass of the Albarino, Martin Codax ($8), a Spanish white wine known for low acidity and grapefruit notes. It came in its own little carafe and was very dry, crisp and fresh.  My companion joked that he’d had enough wine, and ordered the non-alcoholic Chiara Temple ($5), the restaurant’s take on the Shirley Temple. It was probably overpriced at $5, although he appreciated all of the cherries in it. There is also a list of seasonal cocktails, including martinis and Bellinis, for $9 each.

Appetizer:
Chiara started us out with an amuse bouche, tiny cubes of cinnamon-y ginger and pear with mint sprigs, served in a miso soup spoon. That was followed by a complimentary bread basket served with a pureed, curried white bean paste and a pat of half-cheddar, half-cream butter. Our waiter told us the spread changes according to the night and season; on another evening, it might have been spinach and arugula, or a tomato-based spread.

From there, we ordered four oysters on the half shell ($2.25 each). The oysters, from Duxbury, were fanned across the plate and served with cocktail sauce, a cucumber and onion relish, and mignonette. We slurped them down with and without toppings, and found them fresh and flavorful. The butternut-ricotta gnocchi ($10) was a rather small portion and, unfortunately, we found the gnocchi themselves rather heavy for this normally pillow-light dish. The sage-brown butter and mascarpone creme base was also a bit greasier than we had hoped.  However, the pearl onions, truffled brioche crumbs, seared mushrooms and large garlic garnishes were a terrific combination. The semolina-crusted calamari ($8) arrived in a rich brown butter pool with lots of breading. They were also somewhat heavier than expected, but several of the individual calamari were quite large, and the cherry peppers gave the dish a nice kick. The best of the group was a small plate of lobster arancini ($6). The three crispy-fried risotto balls were arranged in a pool of orange-saffron aioli. They were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a savory, delicious lobster taste. More, please!

Overall, we found some of the appetizers a bit too heavy for pre-entrée dishes. Maybe we should have gone for some of the salads instead, which also sounded fantastic: a beet salad with baby greens, feta cheese, Spanakopita and cucumber-dill yogurt vinaigrette ($8); or a spinach and frisee salad with an egg sunny-side up, bacon and mustard vinaigrette ($8).

Entrees:
The dinner menu changes periodically, and my companion ordered the beef short rib pappardelle ($25), which doesn’t always appear. Perhaps that’s the reason it wasn’t one of our favorite dishes of the evening. While the meat was juicy, with shredded chunks whipped with pasta ribbons and other vegetables, the sauce was rather bland, and the garlic chips sprinkled atop were actually too garlicky – which I didn’t think was possible. But it did go well with the side of smoked sea salt fries ($6), which came with crumbled, powdery horseradish on top.

My classic scallops dish ($28) was much more successful. The five large, succulent, pan-seared scallops, browned just right, were arranged in a row and sat atop a mushroom risotto with wilted red swish chard and rhubarb slices, crumbled cashews and a chestnut brandy cream sauce. The risotto itself could have had a more pronounced mushroom taste but, again, as with the gnocchi earlier in the meal, the mushrooms were bursting with flavor, and the seared scallops were perfect. The dish was also huge and afforded me a full plate of leftovers the following day.

Even if the short rib wasn’t a hit for us, there are a lot of entrees that sound really tempting. I’d love to try the pan-roasted free range chicken breast with mascarpone polenta, Marsala wine-plumped figs and walnut green beans ($23), the pumpkin seed-crusted salmon filet with sage bread pudding, acorn squash bisque, orange-cranberry compote ($25), and the current duck creation, cinnamon-rubbed duck breast with root vegetables, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and bacon and a maple-demi glace ($26). 

Chiara also offers a three-course prix fixe menu for $33, or $45 with wine pairings, including many of the dishes mentioned above.  For the quality, selection and ambience, it’s a can’t-miss deal.

Desserts:
Chiara really does dessert right. We initially planned to order only one, but our waiter talked us into the duo deal, 2 for $12. We ordered the signature chevre cheesecake ($7), with a gingersnap crust, spiced apple compote and caramel sauce. The caramel was very rich, the apple slices splayed beautifully from the top, and we liked the sweet, dark crust and the creamy base. In fact, my companion said the cheesecake was his favorite part of the entire meal. Also delicious was the chocolate-orange Valencia, with layers of orange Bavarian and dark chocolate mousse, a dark chocolate sauce and an orange-flavored Grand Marnier “kiss” on the side. The presentation of both was top-notch, and they paired well alongside a decaf cappuccino ($4.50) and South African Rooibos tea ($4.50).

Assessment:
A lot of effort goes into the atmosphere, preparation and presentation at Chiara Bistro. Our visit from the chef really made the meal, as we could see first-hand his love for his customers and craft. Suburban food lovers are lucky to have an option like Chiara in the neighborhood. It’s a little pricey, perhaps, but a cozy, classy spot for a special night out.

Address: 569 High Street (Rte. 109) Westwood, MA02090
Phone: 781.461.8118
Website: http://www.chiarabistro.com
Cuisine: Mediterranean, American
Price: $12-$32
Hours: Tue-Thu: bar 430pm-10pm; dining room 530pm-9pm; Fri&Sat: bar 430pm-11pm; dining room 530pm-10pm; Sun: bar 430pm-830pm; dining room 530pm-830pm
Features: fireplace, open kitchen, prix fixe menu
Recommendations: Lobster arancini, calamari, pan-seared sea scallops, signature chevre cheesecake
Public Transit and Parking: Parking lot
Reservations: accepted
Payment Options: all major credit cards