Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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TASTE RIGHT: Zebra's New England– style sangria. MULL IT OVER Warming spices make the Fall Apple Cider Sangria a hit. ABOVE: Smoky bluefish pâté on crostini. LEFT: Aleppo peppers, soy, and miso spice up the offerings on Zebra's seasonal menu. continued from page 88 Craig Neubecker, in Wrentham. Pelley's menu offers house-made seasonal pickles, and many dishes are seasoned with his homegrown herbs. One of his tastiest starters is fried chickpea balls, crisp on the outside, soft inside, piping hot and garnished with beet yogurt and spiced tahini vinaigrette. For mains, his pan-roasted rosemary chicken is garlicky, moist, and covered with crackly skin. Then there are his braised short ribs, slow-cooked for three hours in red wine with brown sugar and soy for that "umami" touch, and topped with spicy, grated horseradish from his garden. Instead of dessert, do as the French do and end your meal at Zebra's with some runny cheese. Pelley has seven-plus offerings each —BRENDAN PELLEY night, like a stinky Muenster from New York, creamy Great Hill Blue from Marion, and a butterscotch-like Gouda from Holland. All cheese plates come with a toasted baguette, Concord grape jam, local honey, and spiced seeds and nuts—perfect for pairing with a dessert wine from Zebra's well-curated wine list, filled with reasonably priced new and old-world offerings. When asked how he wants diners to feel when they walk through the door, Pelley says, "I want them to feel welcome, comfy, and relaxed. I want them to trust me and let me cook for them. And when they leave, I want them to say, 'Wow, I can't believe this place is in Medfield; it was really amazing.'" Zebra's Bistro and Wine Bar, 21 North St., Medfield, 508-3594100; zebrasbistro.com BC After noticing how much everyone loved his traditional sangria, beverage director and manager Phil Marshall decided to come up with an autumnal version—the Fall Apple Cider Sangria cocktail—made from apple cider, red wine, fresh orange juice, mulled spices, and Cognac. "I serve it on the rocks with a splash of club soda and a fresh apple slice. People can't get enough of it," says Marshall, who sells at least 100 of the cocktails each week. In fact, he adds, "I've sent out over a dozen e-mails with the recipe to customers who requested it so they can make it at home." "I use whatever techniques I want to make local ingredients taste awesome." 90 SWEET SEATS If you want privacy or a power spot at Zebra's, one of these tables is guaranteed to please. What's the best table in the house? It's a toss-up: Table 61 oozes romance and is perfect for that tête-à-tête moment when you want to be more alone. Tucked away in what's called the Champagne room, this two-top is set back to offer discretion in a quieter space. Table 31 exudes power and pleases those parties of two, four, or six who want to sit in their own little nook and either face out to view the entire dining room or face in and have their own private moment. BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 088-090_BC_ST_SMD_Holiday_13.indd 90 11/1/13 12:44 PM