Toscano

Toscano's can be somewhat intimidating from the outside. A classy black corner restaurant with gold foil lettering in all caps? It's hard to miss. Walking up to the menu, I imagined the prices to be outlandish, lavish, --basically, expensive.

I was pleasantly surprised. Yelp lists the "price range" as $11-$30, which is accurate for one dish. Main dishes will cost you $18 and upwards, and it. is. worth it.

The first time I went was for a dinner date. It was already dark and I felt a little underdressed, but nobody seemed to notice or care. We had a beautiful meal.

But the second time I went was an experience. We walked in with a reservation for 11 and they seated us right near the open windows facing Brattle Street. It was a beautiful day for lunch with some family and everybody left full and happy.

The pastas here are the best I've had in Boston (you heard right, INCLUDING the North End.) They are all cooked wonderfully al dente, in a way that doesn't feel chewy but also is not soggy or soft like other pastas in the area. I highly recommend getting a pasta dish with some form of meat sauce. The menu shifts a little bit depending on the season - but I have never left disappointed in my choice.

We got 'all' the appetizers and shared them -- same for dessert. What a treat! I am lucky enough to be born into a family with a great love of food and sweet treats. The dessert platter was impeccable all-around. Elegant tiramisus graced the plate and my personal favorite, below, was a blueberry cheesecake. The blueberries were extremely fresh and the cake was fresh -- not too dense or sugary. 

Toscano is located at 52 Brattle Street in Cambridge
with another location at 47 Charles Street in Boston

Let me know your dessert favorites in the comments below (especially if it's something in the area!)
617,
Nishat