If you read social media reviews about Strega North End – Boston you might notice a wide range of opinions. They are all over the map from gushing praise to raving madness.
We craved authentic Italian and there aren’t many better places than Boston. Restaurant publicity hyped the beautiful decor, excellent service, the opportunity to celebrity watch – and the food. The menu looked inviting and my heart set on tasting their signature dish, “That’s Amore”. The rigatoni alla vodka finished tableside in a wheel of parmagiano-reggiano was everything I hoped for. Perfect pasta with a creamy, cheesy sauce and incredibly satisfying.
All the dishes of our meal were wonderful, but sadly that’s where the accolades end and tarnished the total experience.
The dining room is attractively adorned with crystal, but we experienced such a tight table it was claustrophobic. Shoehorned into a two-top banquette from which there was no escape we literally rubbed elbows with adjoining diners instead of celebrities.
The noise, oh the noise, frequently exceeded 95db on my hand held meter. Even now I have trouble understanding how it was so loud, because the good weather allowed them to open the front window-wall. The deafening roar made us grateful for the extremely rushed service, because we wanted out of there. We skipped dessert to achieve a faster departure and walked down the street for a cannoli instead.
Am I glad we dined here? Yes, for the excellent food and tableside service. Would I return? Never say never, but time will have to pass until the negatives fade away.
Our Meal at Strega North End – Boston
The signature Verano Manhattan with Katz rye, averna, sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters got things off to a good start.
House bread with focaccia and a mix of olive oil with balsamic for tasty dipping.
Mamas famous meatball made with veal and mushrooms paired with marinara and ricotta was a fabulous appetizer.
The beef and veal bolognese with peas and a creamy tomato ragu was a hit.
Things got exciting when the wheel of parmagiano-reggiano arrived!
The hot pasta began to melt the cheese as it was stirred.
Finished!
The signature dish is everything I expected with a creamy, spicy, cheesy vodka sauce.