opened by jason bond in 2010 and still one of massachusetts’ most celebrated farm-to-table restaurants today,bondirhas received almost universal praise ever since opening and although only 28 seats with a single nightly menu, a recent visit showed the restaurant every bit on par with the mentons and l’espaliers in terms of its execution, now under the direction of chef de cuisine pierce kelly.
often described as an unexpected location, the tiny broadway storefront across from some sort of upcoming bar or brewpub presenting convenient access to both harvard and mit, entry tobondirsees diners face-to-face with a small hostess podium adjacent fireplace and small waiting area, the dining room extending back to the kitchen with wooden pews lined up around the edges and chairs at the center.
not particularly a comfortable setting, though pillows do help cushion the bottom while wide spacing and soft music shield the sound from surrounding diners, each night sees the chef create a different tasting based on availability of products, and although accommodations are made for allergies or indiscretions the best course of action for most is to trust the chef’s discretion, giving the kitchen their complete trust.
going great lengths to present a menu in tune with the season, wines offered as pairings or by the bottle for those who choose to imbibe, palates were cleansed by way of a herbal mead on this particular evening and doing best to limit the housemade sourdough it bears mention that this will be harder than usual thanks to the cultured butter that itself would warrant its own “course” in trendier restaurants, an opening course of heirloom tomatoes in rice milk with pea shoots instead officially kicking of the degustation with the inspired addition of sizable raspberries tip-toeing a fine line between sour and sweet.
getting fresher by the minute by way of squash blossoms, some gently charred while others were fried crisp beneat, course two complimented the courgettes with crumbled pistachios and whole blueberries dressed in garden herbs and garlic, the follow-up of thinly sliced scallops delivering their intrinsic sweetness alongside similarly layers of potatoes beneath salsa verde and local bee pollen.
more substantially portioning each plate than the typical “tasting menu only” venue, course four presented locally caught striped bass in dashi with ribbons of seaweed and aromatic oils of chili and garlic, the light linger on the lips soon to washed away by cucumber sorbet with yogurt, candied sunflower components and a crunchy brittle a texture like granola but the flavor of root vegetables.