Monday, August 15, 2011

Jumping Giacomo's - Boston



Get in line. And stay in line because the pasta is worth freezing for. Get there early in Boston winter because the line forms before the place opens and is always pretty long. Bring your conversationally-competent, low-maintenance, Italianophile date/friend/parent/sibling/relative because there is no loud music to mask the awkward silences. Although I was too busy savoring my lobster ravioli to talk anyway… Leave your high-maintenance, must-eat-all-5-courses-with-the-right-fork friends at home because the dining here is no frills. The décor is simple: wooden tables or high stools at the wooden bar. But the kitchen is bustling, the servers are warm, and the extensive menu is written on a blackboard in a pretty array of colored chalks. Cash only is a downer, but the North End doesn’t lack ATMs, and the prices are great at this practical symbol of all that the North End respresents. Split the caprese appetizer for the extra-fresh mozzarella and let the basil whet your appetite. For your entrée, avoid the bland chicken marsala and stick to the pasta. Have the tender lobster-filled, al dente, creamy-but-not-too-creamy ravioli, wash it down with a glass of Chianti, and just smile.

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