Jena Performing Local: Bergamot!

So I've been doing a bit of wining and dining the last few weeks! I've been rather into going out to eat solo. I've found eating at the bar is a fun way to check out a lot of the restaurants around town, and i usually end up chatting with rather interesting people. Who says you need someone else to go with you to go have a fabulous meal! So here's some of the places I've checked out Recently.

One of my new favorites is Bergamot on the edge of somerville and cambridge. I've probably driven past it a ton of time and never noticed it, but its on the corner its on the corner of Beacon and Washington Street sort of behind Inman Square. Its super cute. I liked the atmosphere of the bar (casual, fun, classy) and found the dining room (while cute and slick) a little stuffy. The kitchen is open to the dining room and you can see the chef's cooking. I got to chatting and it turned out the old general manager and bartender from my restaurant Pigalle worked there and so I ended up with soo much food. All the staff was very kind :-)

They had a very decently price Bar Menu around 10-12$ and even the dinner menu was decently priced with entrees around 20-25$.

I started with a momisette sour to start which has Genever, Pastis (french anis flavored liquor), Orgeat (syrup made from almond, sugar and rosewater), and Classic Eggwhite sour. I had never heard of Genever, but Paul the bartender explained to me if gin and whiskey had a baby, this is what it would be. Its the herbs and flavors of gin, but its distilled like whiskey and is actually what gin evolved from. It was absolutely delicious. Its interesting, I've been seeing a trend around the city of bringing back classic prohibition era inspired cocktails. Very interesting....

They sent out a little amuse from the chef but i forgot to take a picture (with my crappy iphone camera) and I can't really remember what it was but it was yummy :)

Next I had fried oysters crusted with potato napa cabbage slaw,

carrot-raisin emulsion and fried capers. $11

Grilled Griggstown Quail chickpea-manchego puree, chorizo dust, napa cabbage, piquillo pepper vinaigrette. I went CRAZY for the chickpea manchego, sooo good. I can't wait to try making it. I've definitely been in love with beans lately. $12

The best of the night was the lobster melt. Cheese and seafood are usually such a culinary fopaux, but this was the most amazing thing I've ever had. Lobster grilled cheese. At 11$ its so worth going for. The bartender said before he worked there, he worked at craige on main, and came every monday on his day off for the lobster melt. I will definitely be back for that!

They were kind enough to send out a side of brussels sprouts tossed with ham and roasted. So delicious. My favorite veggie find of the winter for sure. I had never really had it until it showed up on the crispy duck dish on the menu at my restaurant. What and under valued vegetable! I don't really understand why its always had such a bad rap i my mind, but they were definitely super tasty. I guess its a generational thing about how its cooked and if you've never had any how would you know!