Artu- Beacon Hill

I had yet to visit Beacon Hill's Artu location before last Thursday. On my walk home from work, I habitually peaked down into the below street level cubby of a restaurant and thought, " I must come here, as in, NOW." This past Thursday my fabulous cook of a mom came to town. In typical fashion, she asked me to make a reservation at a "fun, ethnic place." Now, I would never think of an italian restaurant as ethnic, but I have heard such great things about Artu that I convinced her to stray from her one track mind and come along with me. My roommate and fellow foodie, Heather, recently went to Artu and raved for days about the amazing food, which further reinforced my choice.

Inviting Heather along, us three women beared the rain and walked the 300 yards to Artu. We were welcomed by two women who showed us to our primo table located beneath the street level window. Settled in our booth, we decided that a great bottle of Chiraz was a fantastic choice for a chilly night, paired with italian deliciousness. We were told that the meat and cheese plate, Assagio, would be perfect for three people with an affinity for meat and cheese. We also decided to split three dishes. We chose the Tagliatelle con Piselli e Prosciutto, the Pollo Farcito alla Donato, and the Spinach Ravioli special which was topped with shrimp and a light scampi sauce.

Little did we know, this was perfection in italian food form. I don't think we will venture to the North End for a while after this little bomb of fabulousness.

Our Assagio appetizer came to the table and it was DEFINITELY enough for three people. It was full of various italian meats, mozzarella, provolone, grilled vegetables, and roasted red peppers. This paired with the fresh french bread and olive oil at the table, we were in heaven. We sat back and leisurely ate our appetizer and sipped on our Chiraz and chatted about the authentic atmosphere and the intimate feel.

Just as we were finishing our Assagio, our amazing meals came, courtesy of the nice older lady who waited on us. Each of us had seperate plates and passed around the three dishes, too excited to even speak. Once we took a moment to actually stop and look at the dishes, we poured another glass of wine and dug in.

The tagliatelle was absolutely sinful. The cream sauce was thick but not overbearing and really allowed for the flavors of the procuitto, peas, onions and thyme to come out. I am personally a big fan of the texture of this flat pasta, so this combination was insanely delicious, in my opinion of course. I would recommend splitting this dish with someone because it is extremely filling, especially if your table has ordered appetizers.

The chicken was beyond mouthwatering as well. The chicken, which was accompanied by roasted potatoes, articokes and roasted red peppers to make a perfect bite, was a sight to see. The dish looked not only scrumptious but also, enormous. The spinach, mozzarella, and procuitto filling was spilling out of the crispy chicken, reminding me of a savory version of molten chocolate cake. As a group, we savored our first bit, piling on a little artichoke and red pepper garnish. My mom and I deduced that the chicken was most likely panko crusted, or something crispier than just normal breading. This chicken might just be the best stuffed chicken I have ever eaten in my life, and I have tried a lot of really great restaurant,s I will say. I will, without a doubt, order this chicken next time I go to Artu, which will probably be next week. It was tender, moist, and had the perfect stuffing to chicken ratio. The procuitto was not overpowering, but a perfect contribution to the dish.

Lastly, the spinach filled ravioli which was topped with shrimp and a light scampi sauce was very good. I will say, it was not the most inventive dish but it was very tasty. The raviolis were light and the butterflied shrimp really hit the spot.

I really wish we were able to fit in dessert, but honestly, we were too full to even finish our wine. Next time we will try the infamous canolis and a shot of expresso and/or the tiramisu which the gentleman sitting next to us was enjoying.

As we rolled our way back to our apartment, full, happy, and now extremely tired, my mom decided that ethnic food might not be her go to next time she comes. I have a feeling Artu might be her new favorite Beacon Hill spot for a good meal, great wine, and a fun atmosphere, because I think its mine.... for now!