Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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While the cuisine has a backbone of French influences, it is clearly American. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY RYAN tables. A gorgeous fireplace is the center- piece of the room. This thoughtful design is the backdrop to some excellent food. Kennealy, who was edu- cated at Harvard, is herself a Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef. She brought on Mathew Malloy, formerly of Lumière and Beacon Hill Bistro, as executive chef. While the cuisine has a backbone of French inf luences—think confit tomatoes and braises in white wine—it is clearly American, with an emphasis on all things local and fresh. Spring specialties such as asparagus soup with a crispy poached egg and salsa verde make the point. Eggs and asparagus are a classic culinary combination, but Malloy offers a preparation that is wholly his own, chilling the perfectly poached egg before dip- ping it in panko crumbs and frying it lightly. It adds just the right texture to the creamy soup, while the salsa verde brings brightness. All the pasta has the toothy feel of being made in- house, which it is. Malloy pairs it with traditional sauces, but also lighter, vegetable-based braises like a baby artichoke barigoule. Malloy serves lamb, the season's most tender protein, two ways— as a braised shoulder and a belly cut. And Malloy isn't afraid to add a touch of artistry to the plate—he removes the bones on the shoulder cut and shapes the meat into a neat and savory medallion. The cocktail program highlights some of the same fresh fruits and CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Pappardelle pasta with artichokes à la barigoule; the 54-seat dining room; duo of Niman Ranch lamb with spring vegetables and mint. continued from page 68 herbs Malloy uses in the kitchen, says General Manager Daniel Braun, formerly of Newport's Castle Hill Inn. Ninety of the restaurant's 100 wines are "a tribute to American tradition," says Kennealy, and are priced for value and experimentation. Kennealy, a beer connoisseur, is as excited about the beer list—much of it small-batch, local microbrews— as she is about the food. For Kennealy, the restaurant is the formalization of what she has been doing for friends and family her whole life. During her childhood in Puerto Rico, she remembers her family and neighbors cooking and hanging out together, a sort of open house 365 days a year. Friends here in Boston attest that she still embodies that philosophy. It's a rare dinner when only Kennealy, her husband, Michael, and their three children are seated at the dining table. More typical are epic backyard barbecues and beer tastings. Kennealy first began to put this same energy into a formal catering busi- ness, Artistry Boston, three years ago. She also owns AK Bistro and Artistry Kitchen in Franklin, a restaurant and a gourmet market that sells Malloy's homemade pastas and other prepared foods to go. Kennealy's new venture in Lexington extends her Artistry empire to an exciting frontier. 2027 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, 781-301-6660; innathastingspark.com BC 70 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM SO MANY DINNERS 068-070_BC_ST_SMD_V2_LateSpr14.indd 70 4/7/14 4:56 PM