RRR's guest review of Boston's No. 9 Park - would it live up to the hype?

It is with great honor that I have volunteered to contribute to the acclaimed food blog. Having planned a food and wine packed weekend (sans Ms. F-for-Foodie) I thought this would be a great opportunity to try my hand at this blogging phenomenon.

We (Mitch and RRR) were graced with the presence of our friend BonBon who blew in from upstate NY for the weekend. Mitch chose No. 9 Park on Beacon Hill - one of several restaurants from well-known Boston chef, Barbara Lynch. We had been there probably 6 or so years ago, not too long after its opening. The only memories I can salvage were the bread pudding dessert (probably the best I've ever had) and the waitress with numerous tongue, ear, eyebrow jewelry (which I personally find distasteful during a fine dining experience, never mind even a coffeeshop trip) but I digress...

We all ordered appetizers. BonBon and I had the Ricotta Ravioletti, large pasta pillows busting with a light ricotta filling. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sage, sweet chestnuts and salty shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano blended perfectly. Mitch's Prune Stuffed Gnocchi, with seared foie gras was equally impressive - maybe even better. While I'm not a big fan of foie gras, it was more of a seasoning enhancement versus a star of the plate and added a richness to the creamy, flavorful sauce. Overall, I found these pasta appetizers to be the highlight of the evening's meal.

I ordered the Bacon Wrapped Monkfish. You pretty much can't go wrong with anything wrapped in bacon. I was anticipating the typical chewy texture of monkfish - but not here. The fish was fork-tender and coupled with a red curry 'nage' this broth made for a perfect melding of flavors, almost an Asian inspired twist. I'm not sure how the accompanying haricot verts were selected and while I love any green veggie, it seemed like a leafy green would have been a better choice, something to absorb the nage.

We were disappointed by the dessert selection - no bread pudding! Instead, we opted for a Chocolate Ganache Cake served with concord grape sorbet and a dusting of peanut. Being a big PB&J fan, I would have appreciated a stronger peanut presence. The Calamint Creamsicles, recommended by our waiter, were a disappointment - not much more flavorful that one of those low-cal frozen novelties. The only redeeming flavor was the white chocolate coating.

Overall, the No. 9 experience was similar to my first. A very good meal, with one standout - the pasta appetizers this time around. And I did leave with a much better impression of a more professional looking waitstaff. Given the endless dining choices in Boston, I probably would wait another couple of years before giving it another try.