With the recent openings of Drink and Sportello, chef Barbara Lynch continues to dominate the Boston culinary scene as the go-to gal for atypical dining experiences that still rank in the A+ range. Currently a semi-finalist in the “Outstanding Chef” award category from the James Beard Foundation for her French-Italian restaurant No. 9 Park, Lynch’s more recent ventures have garnered equally as positive praise. Drink is loved by what seems like every cocktail enthusiast this side of the Mississippi, and now Sportello, the space just one flight of stairs up from Drink, is receiving extremely favorable buzz as well, receiving four stars from the Phoenix’s Robert Nadeau just this week.
Reminiscent of a traditional lunch counter with only stool seating, you won’t mistake Sportello for a truck stop after you catch a glimpse of the menu. Soups such as pasta fagiole and chestnut bisque are hits with the crowd, but are also hits to the wallet. They cost around $12 each, making Sportello a pretty costly place to drop in for lunch. The pasta dishes, such as ricotta ravioli with nutmeg, brown butter, and parmagianno, are clearly favorites with diners, but are equally as expensive at $17 a dish. But if price is no object and you’d rather spend your lunch hour at the newest and hottest lunch spot in Boston, then Sportello is going to be your salvation from the workplace.
Sportello [MenuPages]
Sportello [Official Site]
[Photo: Zagat]
