A few months back, I bought an Eversave coupon for Buona Vita in Arlington - and last week, Z and I finally had a chance to use it.
I'd heard a lot of great things about Buona Vita, despite it's unimpressive exterior and tiny dining space (the restaurant only has about 12 tables). But the biggest thing I heard about was their authentic Italian fare - so I was excited to check it out.
We started with fresh bread, served with quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar (a fantastic combination).
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| Don't mind Z's fingers in this photo... |
I wanted to just relax and enjoy the meal without writing every little thing down, so unfortunately, I don't have the actual names and prices for these dishes. I fail as a blogger.
The appetizer we split was asparagus served with cheesy polenta and a balsamic drizzle. This dish was simple, yet wonderfully flavorful, and the asparagus was cooked to "snappy" perfection.
For my entree, I went with the seasonal ravioli - which changed my life forever. It was fig ravioli with gorgonzola cream sauce (and more balsamic). Unreal. Besides how innovative this dish is, the flavor was also spot on, and the combination of the sweet fig with the salty cheese was borderline magical.
Z went for the gnocchi for his entree, with obviously-homemade marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella and basil.
I can't say for sure, but both of our pastas tasted like they were made right at the restaurant. Everything was incredibly fresh, authentic and full of flavor.
Our Italian waiter was also welcoming, knowledgeable about the menu (he even made some recommendations for vegetarians) and attentive. The prices were also very reasonable - our Eversave voucher covered just about all of the food - and, as a bonus, Buona Vita gave every patron that night a $25 gift certificate for their return visit. We'll definitely be returning!
What's your favorite restaurant in Boston to get authentic Italian food?
Wow, that fig ravioli may actually tempt me out of the city for once! I'm going to check if this 'Arlington' place is reachable without a car.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Italian places are Nebo, Grotto, Erbaluce, and Terramia. I love Rino's but they don't take reservations and I'm not keen on standing around for 3 hours waiting for a table.
The fig ravioli sounds AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteFrederick, It's pretty accessible via bus, but not by the T. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteAnd Michelle - it was! I need to go back there just so I can order that again before it's off the menu.
Michelle - reading your descriptions of the meal and the entire experience really makes me want to go there. I'm not put off by how the reviews on Yelp and UrbanSpoon are so different for this place, in fact, that just entices me even more.
ReplyDeleteNot crazy about the idea of a bus ride, a tedious slog even when the weather is nice, but I suppose if I can justify it for Fusion Foods in Chelsea, I can somehow reach Arlington too.
The ravioli and the gnocchi both look amazing! We'll have to trek over there!
ReplyDeleteI knew I should have gotten that Save! That ravioli...holy moly!
ReplyDeleteWow. This looks incredible! I have a new obsession with figs that started at Russell House Tavern. That asparagus dish looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!
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