Blogging has always been a labor of love for me. It’s a constant work in progress because I like to do justice to each post, particularly if it’s one where I’ve dined out. Writing about something I love has proven to be more challenging than I’d originally thought when first embarking on my official Katie Eats Boston adventures. There are definitely times when I’ll drag my feet. Then, there are times when I’m so excited to post that my fingers can’t possibly type fast enough.
Pizza and Pasta
My experience at Asta had me joyfully jotting down notes throughout my meal, eagerly building this magnificent piece in my mind. Co-owners Chef Alex Crabb (hailing from a 5 year run at L’Espalier) and girlfriend Shish Parsigian opened Asta in January 2013, taking over the former Café 47 space. What they created was a dramatic dining experience that sitting at the bar, had me right in the action. The decor was simple, highlighted by this hilarious and awesome drawing on the wall of Zeus wielding a lightning bolt. The owners have taken out of the box flavor pairings and elevated foods to levels that not only could you not believe could be achieved, but also levels that you could no longer imagine coming down from.
Alex and Shish make being bad ass bosses look adorable
Mr. E treated me to an early birthday dinner at Asta. We were immediately greeted by Matt, our bartender who poured me a glass of champagne. Upon learning of Mr. E’s choice to not drink alcohol, Shish swooped into the conversation ready to offer a mocktail of Pinot Noir grape juice topped with some San Pellegrino. I find this level of flexibility and willingness to serve invaluable to a restaurant. It’s as much about feeling welcomed as it is about the food itself.
Lured in by the dramatic cooking stage
Sweet corn salad with corn butter
The ending summer sweetness of the corn was captured in this simple salad of onion, chive, a light vinaigrette, and corn butter. Yes, corn butter. RUN TO ASTA NOW!
Honeydew melon, zebra tomato, mushroom
The melon was served with the classic mint pairing but also had some pleasant hints of anise running through the background. The very thinly sliced tomato offered just a breath of acidity to the fruity sweet melon punctuated with umami of the mushrooms.
b.l.t. gazpacho
Again, in the essence of bringing summer to a close, Asta offered a light gazpacho playing off the flavors of a standard BLT. The soup was garnished with bacon, charred lettuce, oregano, and a very punchy horseradish cream. Mr. E described this as “campy”, an adjective he likes to use when there is any level of smokiness to a dish. If I was served this in the outdoors, I’d definitely be a happy camper.
mushroom on a rock
This was a beautiful lobster mushroom served with charred eggplant puree and porcini rice chips. The lobster mushroom held a tremendous amount of moisture, imitating a juicy piece of meat. The chips were a neat addition, contributing a light mushroom-y crunch. Plus, I got a good kick out of the presentation and the fact that you had to go caveman style by foregoing your utensils.
duck breast, fennel, and carrots
This dish seriously flirted with strong fall flavors that enveloped me in a forward homey, earthy hug. Excellent contrasting textures here with the light crisp of the fennel and the heartier crunch of the carrots. The duck dressed in one serious “au jus” was reminiscent of an enchanting Thanksgiving.
sweet & sour eggplant
Mr. E couldn’t even with this dish. He described this as “an ice cream snickers bar left in the sun… in the tastiest of ways!” I too believed this dish toyed with some heavy dessert tones, but in the end the savory notes rang true. Shish brought out an unfiltered sake to pair with the eggplant. It was creamy and strong and had the right amount of milkiness that really emphasized the hyssop and sweet and sour. The eggplant was smooth and silky, hardly able to hold its form. Peanut puree brought an interesting mouth feel and chopped peanuts lent a much needed crunch.
pork rib
Brilliant presentation! I felt like I was rolling around the farm with the poor little pig that ended up on my plate. The pork practically fell off the bone with little coaxing. The rib was served with a sauce of apple and the braising liquid. The hay, the apples, the pork totally embodied the concept of terroir.
seared foie gras
Some people think seared foie gras is overplayed. I am very much not one of them. Shish and Alex sent out this additional treat, which happened to be my favorite of the night. Thanks guys! The foie gras was served on the sweetest of sweet potatoes and surrounded by a broth that I believe was flavored by coffee malt or actual coffee. If you asked me, I don’t think I could name you a more perfect bite. The combination of the sweet potato and the coffee reminded me of my morning joe. The bitterness of the coffee offset some of the heft of the salty rich liver. The combination of the sweet potato with the bitter coffee, the herbaceous freshness of the cilantro, and the salty rich liver gob smacked me. Every flavor was in harmony.
strawberry and rose ice
I wasn’t a huge fan of this little palette cleanser only because I’m not a huge fan of rose. At first bite, the temperatures and the rose laced strawberry flavor was refreshing. At bite 2 and 3, I felt like I was sucking down perfume. Mr. E happily ate my portion and I’d imagine anyone without a hypersensitivity to rose would enjoy this.
fig leaf panna cotta
I had a small bite of Mr. E’s panna cotta dessert. It was served with tomato and nectarine, which was a combination I wasn’t overly excited for, but tasted pretty darn good. I can’t say it was a standout amongst other panna cotta I’ve eaten and it certainly was a hard battle to outshine some of the earlier dishes of the meal.
blueberries, milk bread, lemon verbena
Sweet delicate crumble topped the milk bread. The light tartness of the blueberries cut through the creamy milk the bread floated in. The bread was very tasty with a nice almost caramelized outer “crust.”
Crazy lady notes – can never take too many notes right?!
Thanks Mr. E!
To close, I say [H]asta la vista, baby! And because there can never be too many Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes, I’ll be back!
Asta
47 Massachusetts Ave
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 585-9575
Katie Eats Boston 