Bin 26 Enoteca - Boston

On a recent trip to Boston, we coincidentally happened on Bin 26 Enoteca, a trendy Beacon Hill wine bar/restaurant I'd read about in Food & Wine ("Best New Wine Lists"). I remembered how they had ironically put Thunderbird on the wine menu, which I thought sounded clever (my unfounded fear was that it was a little too clever)...

Inside, it was a fairly typical setup. Small front-room, albeit with a nice, sizable wine bar, and smallish back room. I would ask for a table up front, by the street-facing window (but then I'm a people-watcher). The food was what I guess I'd describe as gourmet Italian with a seasonal menu (wouldn't it be refreshing for a restaurant to advertise their penchant for frozen fish and canned vegetables?) - interesting takes on traditional Italian fare (seemingly all regions, but I could be wrong). At the risk of getting all socio-political, it had the too-familiar homogenous ethnic makeup of Boston (that always amazes me), but, of course, that had no impact on my meal. My food:

Red & Yellow Pepper Bruschetta
Beef Carpaccio w/ Tarragon Citronette
Cocoa Tagliatellee with Porcini Ragout scented with Nepitella
Strawberry Millefeuille

As an aside, I had no idea what either Nepitella or a Millefeuille were. After some digging, Nepitella is a wild mint from Tuscany (not sure I could taste it) and a Millefeuille is a layered pastry...

Everything was very good. Nothing great, nothing bad. My friend's Hanger Steak, however, was perfect. The best I've ever tasted. My other friend's special pasta was also a better order than mine (what else is new). The dessert was outstanding. I can't recall, but it's possible I licked my plate...

The wine list was impressive. Broken down a couple different ways and comprehensive by the glass. We started with a bottle of Seghesio Zinfindel, which was great. For my dinner, I put myself in the hands of the helpful/attentive waiter who paired my pasta with a Pinot Noir from Northern Italy (Grosjean Freres, Valle D'Aosta). Tremendous Pinot Noir, quite different from what you normally drink from California. Of course, I can't pinpoint how. Trust me, it was a great glass of wine. I've found it online for $22/bottle, and I plan to order a few bottles ...

Definitely worth a visit...

Rating: 7.0 / 10.0
Cost: $$$

Bin 26 Enoteca
26 Charles Street
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
617.723.5939