In the dark, Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant was dressed to the nines in beautiful white Christmas lights, illuminating line upon line of vintage-looking wine bottles displayed in the front window.

With a menu featuring gourmet American dishes, every bite was a little piece of heaven bursting with flavor. Be warned, though — if as a college student you are desperate to try this amazing hidden jewel, bring a wealthy benefactor with you. It isn’t cheap. But since you can make a reservation, it’s also an ideal spot to take your parents.

We arrived at the restaurant right on time for our reservation and were taken directly to our table. Our waitress brought us glasses of water, a basket of bread and salted butter while we were settling into our seats. The bread was a mix of freshly made crunchy baguette and soft multi-grain slices.

The menu was a metal clipboard with a paper printout stuck to it by a magnet, suggesting that the menu is updated or changed regularly. The ambient lighting cast the room in a soft, mellow haze, creating a feeling of seclusion between tables. Fortunately, I could still easily read the appetizers list. I chose the autumn flatbread pizza, which was topped with roasted grapes, squash and shallots, rosemary, pine nuts and Piave cheese.

When the pizza arrived, it was the size of a small-to-medium dinner plate. At first I was disappointed by its small size, but one bite in, I was so deep in piping hot, sweet, cheesy, nutty bliss that I forgot what the definition of disappointment even was. The base was thin and crispy, and the sweetness of the potato-and-onion base layer was offset by the light, chewy, salty cheese. It was perfectly finished off with the pine nuts generously sprinkled on top.

For the main course, I ordered a Pascale small plate staple — a Pascale burger — recommended by the waiter. The certified angus short rib and chuck burger, with bacon, cheddar cheese, pickled onion, chive mayonnaise and thin crunchy French fries was $14. It was brought out at the same time as the pan roasted chicken entree with roasted leeks, maitake mushrooms and heirloom squash, farro and black truffle butter. I ordered an additional side of seasonal vegetables, mainly consisting of parsnip, radish and yellow squash. But for the price, the side really wasn’t worth it.

Everything else I ordered, though, was made to perfection with close and loving attention paid to every detail. While the portion sizes were fairly small, the food was so decadent that I was perfectly content at the end of the meal. I couldn’t even squeeze in one of the fantastic-sounding desserts.

The burger buns had been pre-buttered before being toasted. The burger, which I asked for medium rare, was cooked on point and was so juicy that the sauces ran down my fingertips. The addition of the smoky bacon and melted cheese made for a really decadent burger experience. Even the fries were impressive — crunchy and golden but still filled with soft potato on the inside without that typical deep-fried greasiness.

The chicken entree was two chicken breasts served on the bone, with spiced, crunchy skin. When pulled back, the flesh beneath the skin was so tender it ripped easily off the bone. It was centered on a bed of beautifully mixed textures, which included crunchy lentils, softly sautéed leeks, mushrooms and thick squash chunks. The squash added a really nice and complex, sweet element to this rich dish. While the seasonal veggies were delicious, they were nothing special, and honestly, a slight letdown after the amazing flavors the rest of the meal had offered.

This restaurant is proof that the best things come in small packages. I would go back to this restaurant in a heartbeat — as long as I am not the one picking up the check at the end of the meal.

Published on February 1, 2015 at 11:01 pm