Avila
Monday, June 11, 2007
Overall Rating: The Sickest (90 out of 100)
1 Charles Street South
Boston, MA 02216
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Phone: 617-267-4810
Avila captures the flavors of Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and France. Creative, mouth-watering dishes make Avila one of the sickest meals in town.
Our History at Avila
Our first visit to Avila was on a Friday night at 9:00pm.
Appetizers
Small plates range from $4 to $8 and include cured Spanish olives, salt cod poppers, sauteed chicken livers, duck egg over easy, escargot, and Portuguese sardines. First courses range from $9 to $17 and include onion soup, foie gras, cast iron sizzling shrimp, grilled baby octopus, and gazpacho.
We started the evening with salt cod poppers ($6), cured Spanish olives ($4), and cast iron sizzling shrimp ($13). Five deliciously-soft cod poppers melted in our mouths; balsamic mayonnaise was included for dipping. Avila served a healthy portion of Spanish olives. The cast iron sizzling shrimp included three, large shrimp perfectly marinated in garlic, parsley and olive oil. The dish was sick, but three shrimp for $13 felt a bit skimpy.
Avila's bread basket included delectable mini-slices of white pizza. We also received tasty, complimentary morsels of tuna tartar served on a potato chip.
Rating: 9
Main Dishes
Pastas range from $18 to $42 and include hand rolled potato gnocchi, fusilli with jumbo shrimp and Portuguese sausage, and fettuccine carbonara served with butter poached lobster. Entrees range from $25 to $32 and include free range chicken, seared halibut, pork Milanese, grilled veal sirloin, and whole crispy bass. Eight specialties range from $22 for Za'atar spiced black pearl salmon to $41 for natural aged New York sirloin.
We decided to go with the whole crispy bass as well as one of the evening's specials, grilled swordfish. The whole crispy bass was substantial, served whole, including the head. We enjoyed the lightly dusted cornmeal crust that surrounded the delicious bass. The dish was served with sea salt yucca, arugula, and corn colada. Another gem, the grilled swordfish was topped with fried clams and served with hydrogreen salad and orange slices.
Rating: 9.4
Drinks
Wine is available by the glass or bottle. Reds range from $8 to $15 per glass. Whites range from $9 to $13 per glass. Avila's extensive wine list includes several bottles in the $20s and $30s amidst a diverse collection of more expensive offerings. Mixed drinks were expensive but solid. We enjoyed a pre-dinner champagne lemontini for $12, a mix of Ketel One citron, cointreau, limoncello, champagne, and mint leaves with a lemon twist.
Rating: 8.7
Service
We experienced prompt, friendly, and professional service from our waitress as well as the hostess, bartenders, and bus staff.
Rating: 8.8
Ambiance
Avila greets you with a long, alluring bar. A wide open kitchen with counter-style seating lies in the middle of the restaurant. Tall windows, an ultra-high ceiling, and a dim, candle-lit room create an upscale, urban ambiance.
Rating: 9
Et Cetera
Trivia: A bar menu is available from 3pm to 11pm on Sunday through Tuesday and from 3pm to midnight on Wednesday through Saturday. The bar menu features pizza as well as yummy first and second courses such as mini kobe beef burgers, pappardelle bolognese, a lamb tenderloin pita pocket, crispy calamari, and Philly cheese steak spring rolls.
Menu: Check out the menu here
Reservations: Avila is on OpenTable
Parking: Valet for $16 or park in the nearby Motor Mart Garage.
Dress: Business Casual in a fine dining environment
Hours: Dinner is served Sunday through Tuesday from 5pm to 10pm and Wednesday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm.
Labels: Avila, Back-Bay, Mediterranean, The-Sickest
