Taranta
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Overall Rating: Sick Meals (84 out of 100)
210 Hanover Street
Boston, MA 02113
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Phone: 617-720-0052
Located on Hanover Street in the North End, Taranta fuses Southern Italian cuisine with a Peruvian twist. Dining at Taranta proved to be a sick culinary adventure full of robust flavors and aromas.
Our History at Taranta
Our first visit to Taranta was on a Friday night at 8:00pm.
Appetizers
Appetizers range from $9.95 for caprese to $13.95 for coccio di pesce e legumio, baby octopus, cuttlefish, clams, and chickpeas in a spicy tomato sauce. Our party sampled the antipasto as well as calzoncini fritti, a trio of mini calzones stuffed with leeks and mozzarella, beef tenderloin, and baccala.
Taranta's antipasto presents a delightful medley of capicolla, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, grilled zucchini, fresh mozzarella, marinated olives, and artichoke hearts. Although we would have liked a little bit more meat, the dish succeeds in priming your palate for more southern Italian sickness. The antipasto is $12.95 for one and $19.95 for two. We ordered the antipasto for one and equitably shared it among three people.
The mini calzones resemble hearty, stuffed pastries. Leeks and mozzarella, beef tenderloin, and baccala delivered an exciting mix of tastes and textures.
Rating: 8.8
Main Dishes
Choose from pasta, chicken, fish, and meat dishes. Six pasta selections range from $18.95 to $24.95. Seven chicken, fish, and meat plates range from $21.95 to $33.95. Our party shared pan-seared tuna for $26.95, Macadamia crusted salmon for $26.95, and orecchiette with sausage for $22.95.
Cooked to perfection, the rare, pan seared tuna was served over braised leeks and crispy potatoes with a sauce of sweet roasted peppers and capers. A slightly-crunchy Macadamia crust infused the salmon filet with flavor; the salmon was served over a herbed risotto cake and Peruvian asparagus. Finally, tender orecchiette with sweet Abruzzese sausage provided a satisfying complement to our tuna and salmon dishes.
Other notables include espresso crusted fillet mignon and grilled lack of lamb.
Rating: 9.1
Drinks
A bottle of wine starts at $32; wine is also available by the glass. We sipped several tumba chola martinis, a sweet mix of Peruvian Pisco, limoncello, and white grape juice. Taranta also features a score of aperitivi and digestivi. Three after-dinner grappas sent us stumbling onto Hanover Street.
Rating: 8.5
Service
Our waiter rendered manic service. He was sometimes charming - mostly when speaking to my lovely female companions - but brusque and careless at other times. Upon sitting at our table, it took him over 15 minutes to acknowledge our presence. He forgot about my first drink order; when I reminded him, he proceeded to bring the wrong drink.
Rating: 6.9
Ambiance
Soft Italian guitar music wafts through the air, played by a friendly gentleman who strolls around the restaurant. In nice weather, the front windows unfold, opening up a ripe scene for prolific people-watching.
Taranta is a nice spot for a romantic dinner or a night out with close friends.
Rating: 8.6
Et Cetera
Trivia: Taranta offers several recipes on its web site.
Menu: Check out the menu here
Reservations: Taranta is on OpenTable
Transportation: Taranta validates at the Parcel 7 Garage for $1.00 for up to two hours and $3.00 for three hours. Valet is available for $20. Via the T, take the Green Line or Orange Line to Haymarket.
Dress: Casual
Hours: Dinner is served seven days per week from 5:30pm until 10:00pm.
Labels: Italian, North-End, Sick-Meals, Taranta
