The Alpine Restaurant Group, owners of Davis Square’s Posto, Painted Burro and Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar, opened an upscale Italian eatery in Waltham, Massachusetts last Fall. Osteria Posto is perched above 128 with easy on and off access to the highway, making it a very convenient meeting place. We have actually visited the restaurant twice since its opening and I am sharing pictures and thoughts from both experiences with you today, a first for the blog.
Both chef/owner, Joe Cassinelli and Executive Chef Richard Fathom have extensive experience in Boston kitchens. Cassinelli had his start at Seasons in the old Bostonian Hotel, moving on to Teatro (an old favorite of mine), Stella in the South End and L’Andana in Burlington. His upbringing in an Italian family, working in these restaurants combined with a culinary tour of Italy in 2009, inspired Cassinelli to open his first restaurant, Posto in Somerville to bring a heartfelt approach to Italian food to the Boston area. Osteria Posto is a continuation of this theme.
Originally from the midwest, Fathom has worked on the west coast, his hometown of Cincinnati and has been in Boston since 1992. After 5 years as Executive Chef at Grill 23 & Bar, Fathom moved on to work at The Federal in XV Beacon, The Red Lion Inn in Cohasset and most recently, Les Zygomates before joining his friend, Cassinelli to open Osteria Posto.
The restaurant is beautifully appointed and feels luxurious. An extensive bar seats about 20 and while there are several television screens for company, once you move into the dining room they are not noticeable. The dining room is a combination of leather banquettes, booths and tables. A private room is also available for functions which one of the managers shared with us…
On our first visit, we were joined by our friends, Chris and Bredt. On our second visit, we went with one of our daughters. On both occasions, the restaurant was bustling. We ironically had the same server, Tommy on both visits and he was extremely helpful and knowledgable about the menu, wine and cocktail selections. Service was attentive and the courses were delivered in a timely manner.
The menu has a little something for everyone and allows diners to choose several a la carte dishes to share or to create their own unique dining experience. To begin, you can choose between Charcuterie and Cheeses, Raw Bar offerings, Salads or selections from the Small Plates appetizers.
These were some of our selections…
Lamb Meatballs with smoked tomato sauce, mint and goat cheese was delicious. Tender meatballs were substantial enough that one per person was plenty as an appetizer. The smokiness of the sauce combined with the mint and goat cheese made a very flavorful combination…
Mushroom Arancini were flavored with fontina and parmesan cheeses, fried to perfection and topped with a black truffle aioli. These were my favorite of all the appetizers we enjoyed. A must order…
Beets were served with labneh, za’atar, pickled melon and toasted pistachios. Since this wasn’t my order, I only got a taste but this dish was bright and light as a contrast to our richer selections. Combining the earthy beets with the creamy yogurt-cheese, crunchy pistachios and tangy melon really worked well here…
Crispy Pork Croquettes with fontina and asiago were served with a creme fraiche mustard. We ordered these on our second visit to try something different. While they were tasty and we thought the sauce was well seasoned, I would suggest the Arancini if you want to stick with one fried dish…
Also on our second visit we ordered the Mussels Gratinate. Mussels were baked in a bechamel sauce with pancetta and some breadcrumbs. This dish was so luscious that it is a must order if you are a fan of mussels…
The menu offers several pasta dishes, meats and fishes that you can order a la carte or entrees that are prepared with accompaniments.
This is the pasta dish I ordered on my first visit. Gnocchi were served with braised short ribs and topped with a parmesan crema. The dish was delicious, although the presentation was a bit lacking….
Tagliatelle with traditional bolognese sauce was a winner…
And on my second visit, I ordered tortellini filled with lobster served with the parmesan crema in a spring pea brodo. All of Osteria’s pastas are made in house. These tortellini were light and perfectly cooked. The flavor combination of the creamy lobster filling was tasty, but I was wondering how much lobster was really in this dish for $32. I might have liked a few pieces of lobster in the actual broth to add some texture and meatiness to the dish…
The menu has morphed a bit between our two visits and there are more entree offerings in addition to Osteria’s offerings of top quality steaks and selection of fishes. Bredt ordered this proscuitto wrapped cod, served with a celery root puree and root vegetables served in a thyme marsala sauce. She really enjoyed the dish..
Osteria offered a few specials on both of our visits and this was my husband’s selection. A grilled veal chop was served with gigante beans and some braised fennel. Earthy, rustic cooking at it’s best…
On his second visit, he ordered a rib-eye tenderloin steak that is part of the regular menu. Served with a balsamic reduction, the meat was cooked well and seasoned beautifully…
Salads and sides are available including this arugula and parmesan salad…
and Blistered Snap Peas with Shishito peppers and mint that were fabulous…
The kitchen was kind enough to prepare a plate of gorgeous grilled artichokes for our vegetarian daughter who spotted them on the menu as an accompaniment to a filet. Smart girl…
One dessert was ordered and shared. Apple Crostata served with some vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of honey. This menu item has been replaced with a strawberry rhubarb version, but it was delicious so do consider ordering it. The pastry was perfectly cooked, flaky and tender and the apples cooked well but still retaining their beautiful shape…
Overall, we had two very nice dining experiences at Osteria Posto and I obviously would recommend it since I have been a repeat customer myself! You get the feel of being in a downtown restaurant with none of the hassles of the drive or the parking! The menu is diverse enough that there is something for everyone, the food is overall very good and the service was excellent. If there was one area for improvement, I would suggest they continue to grow their vegetarian offerings, perhaps with their specials on occasion.
Until next week…
One Year Ago: A Passion for Food – article about BiBi Cafe in Westwood and Pepe Bocca in Somerville
One Year and a week Ago: Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Two Years Ago: Truffled Ricotta Dip
[…] One Year Ago: Review of Osteria Posto in Waltham, Massachusetts […]
Thanks for the tip Valerie. I will add this to our “go to” list!