Last month I was out to dinner with my college roommate and her husband and they mentioned how much they love dining at 75 On Liberty Wharf in the Seaport. I responded by admitting, "I've actually never been there." When it came time to plan our monthly dinner date for December, it seemed only right to enjoy a meal there together.
The night we met up it was dark, cold and rainy. I felt like I was in Gotham City.
Despite the dreary weather, 75 On Liberty Wharf glowed from the warmth and spirit of their holiday decorations.
Right at the front door, the menu is illuminated by a sparkling wreath.
The back side of the restaurant faces Boston Harbor and as such, has floor to ceiling windows for diners to fully enjoy the view.
It's a bit tough to see in these evening shots, but there are very impressive boats lined up along the Fish Pier.
Mimicking its nautical neighbors, 75 On Liberty Wharf has a whole wall outside the restaurant filled with boat-themed embellishments.
The night of our dinner coincided with the weekly Wine Wednesday menu special. Don't mind if we do!
I decided on a glass of Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc.
My dinner date, in the 36th week of her pregnancy, went with one of the mocktails on the menu, the cranberry sparkler. The color of the drink was so rich and beautiful and it was topped with fresh cranberries.
While we looked over the dinner menus, our waitress brought us a basket of freshly baked bread. They literally took it out of the oven and sliced it just a few moments before it arrived on our table.
It was so warm that the butter melted right into the bread the minute it made contact. Yum!
To begin, we shared the Mediterranean platter which was tabouli, marinated artichokes and olives, red pepper hummus and grilled lavash.
The charred lavash added extra flavor and grit, especially combined with the smooth taste of the hummus.
Continuing our Mediterranean theme, for her entree my dinner date went with the ravioli served with pine nut pesto, feta cheese, roasted vegetables and grilled chicken.
After a few bites she said, "The ravioli is cooked well, as is the chicken - not overcooked. The pesto was a bit oily and I could have used more variety in the veggies, instead of just roasted tomatoes."
I also selected a ravioli dish, the pumpkin ravioli. On that bitterly cold night, a piping hot bowl of pasta sounded like the best possible scenario.
The pumpkin ravioli was served with a vodka sauce, cubed butternut squash and the world's most generous shaving of parmesan cheese.
I loved the pillows of pumpkin ravioli, the rich and creamy taste of the vodka sauce and the heaping pile of parmesan. My old gripe was the addition of the cubed butternut squash, it just felt unnecessary. That component felt too firm alongside the soft textures of the other ingredients.
After clearing our ravioli plates, our waitress asked if we'd like to see the dessert menu. Clearly she didn't know who she was talking to.
The header on this dessert menu is perfect. "The Grand Finale" is absolutely correct way to describe the dessert course.
After a quick deliberation, we opted to share the brownie a la mode. When it arrived, it was topped with strawberries and blueberries. As my loyal readers know, I hate fruit on dessert. The fruit wasn't listed anywhere on the menu description, had it been, we might not have chosen that.
The brownie had walnuts, giving it a nice crunch. It was served warm, which helped to melt the vanilla ice cream. Sometimes I forget how delicious pure vanilla ice cream is. You really can't beat this classic a la mode combo.
Our meal at 75 On Liberty Wharf was lovely, but I can't help but think about how nice it would be to return in the summer and sit on their outdoor patio.
Who wants to meet there in June?
