First look: Dante

Chef Dante Boccuzzi is back and right where he wants to be. Since closing his restaurant and turning it back to the original Lockkeeper’s owners, he’s faced several challenges, both personal and professional, on his way to reopening. Now nestled in the former Third Federal Savings and Loan building in Tremont, chef Boccuzzi believes Dante, a much more intimate restaurant compared to the latter, is a truer reflection of him.

Food: The modern American menu is sectioned into three tiers, with several options in tier two available as a taste, appetizer or main meal (much like his menu at the original Dante). Our server explained that several of the dishes took shape at Boccuzzi’s home during the past year. Apparently, a few of the dishes came together by mistake but worked so well they made the menu (like the barley and braised root vegetables).

This is one menu that will have you coming back again and again. That’s because nearly every dish is begging to be tried. And if you can’t make a decision, a tasting of five dishes (pre-selected) is available for $50; or $85 if you’d like it paired with wines.

On our visit, we tried the tasting menu sans wine, along with the braised fennel gratin over arugula with hazelnuts and orange slices ($7), chilled oysters served atop seaweed with a hot pepper purée ($12), the Hawaiian tuna tartare with poached egg and olive caper remoulade ($12), and a tasting of the Arborio with porcini ($4). We should note that we actually ordered a tasting of the barley with root vegetables, but this risotto came out instead.

The fennel was a perfect start to the meal and an instant favorite. All vegetables should taste this good. The incredibly fresh and nicely presented oysters were another winner. They had just the right amount of heat that was not overpowering and finished nicely with a single cilantro leaf. The beautifully-constructed plates continued with the tuna tartare surrounded by a delicate nest of tiny fried potato strings. Another must-try dish.

The only somewhat disappointing course was the risotto. Perhaps that’s because it’s not what was originally ordered as aforementioned. None the less, we happily dove into the generously-sized tasting portion. While the porcini was nicely represented, there wasn’t necessarily anything memorable about this dish that would make us eager to try again.

Libations: Wine lovers will happy to discover Dante’s 50 bottles of wine available by the glass. The restaurant has a natural method of preservation that prevents wine oxidation and allows them to properly store and keep wines. If you prefer the entire bottle, the wine menu is sectioned into taste preferences, like curvaceous and long-lasting reds, spicy, crisp and fruity and not quite red, not quite white. There’s also a full bar and several beers on tap and by the bottle.

Décor:  If you missed the earlier mention, the new Dante was formerly a bank. A lot of the architectural elements from the space’s former life remain in tact. The ornate, decorative ceiling details, the vault room complete with safety deposit boxes and even the original bank decals on the front door remain in place. However, Boccuzzi did invest a lot in the transformation of the space from bank to fine dining establishment. The combination of old and new create an eclectic space that fits right in with the neighborhood.

Service: Several staff members happily followed Boccuzzi to his new digs, which says a lot. And while our server, who happened to be part of the original staff, was friendly and knowledgable about the food, space and chef’s cooking style, the service itself was borderline inexcusably slow. It should be noted that this visit was at the end of opening week. And during the first few months of opening any restaurant, several hiccups are to be expected while the staff works out any kinks. But in this instance, we were seated at 7 p.m., received our first course at 9 p.m. and were finally finished being served our meal by 10:30 p.m. This was simply too long of a wait, opening week or not. Neither our server nor the general manager acknowledged the wait or offered an explanation, despite our questions. This is something we can only assume will be worked out in time, but unfortunately took away from our initial experience and otherwise enjoyable evening.

Insider tip: If you’re planning a special night out, or just want to be seen, the bank’s vault has been transformed into a special four top with a nice view of the former safe deposit cage which now houses all the house-made cured meats.

Come May, look for Boccuzzi to open a sushi restaurant in the basement. He featured a popular Sushi Blues night at the former location and was once the head chef at Nobu Milan. Spring plans are also underway for a courtyard.

Bottom line: Despite a few opening hiccups, in time, Dante will no doubt prove to be a popular dining destination within Tremont, especially with the incredibly talented Boccuzzi at the helm.