Gargoyles on the Square

I had read plenty of good reviews of Gargoyles on the Square in Somerville. I had also seen their menu online and it intrigued me. So I finally went there this evening for dinner.

Located in Davis Square, Gargoyles is very close to Downtown Wine & Spirits and next door to Spike's Junkyard Dogs. The front windows look into the bar area which is located in the front of the restaurant. The bar area is very comfortable with a large bar, several tables and some very cushioned chairs. The dining area is in the back and is more intimate and darker. Though you might expect, because of its name, to see a gargoyle motif inside you won't find one. It is more simply decorated with photos on the walls and candles on the tables. A very nice ambiance.

The wine list by the glass is very small though reasonably priced. The list by the bottle has more choices and is relatively diverse, with wines from California, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina and more. Prices are good with a fair number of wines in the $25-40 range. There are only 3 types of Sake though they have a full bar menu, including some interesting martinis.

We had a bottle of 2003 La Baronne, a Rhone wine from France for around $30. This was an excellent wine with nice fruit flavors and not too overpowering. It was definitely Old World, more subtle than a California wine. And it paired well with all of our diverse foods.

The food menu is small, with only about seven appetizers and seven entrees. But, we certainly had difficulty making a selection because so many dishes sounded good. Each dish is quite unique with intriguing combinations of ingredients. You can also order a six course tasting menu if you are undecided.

Eventually we made some decisions, starting with a couple appetizers. The first was the Slow Cooked Kurobuta Bacon with carrot crumbs, escargot, potato spuma, and fried grapefruit ($9). The Bacon was a thick, square slab of what seemed like a pork belly. It was tender, flavorful and definitely had that wonderful bacon taste, though not as smoky. The rest of the ingredients were presented well on the large plate, and all of the flavors harmonized so well. This was am amazing dish. The second appetizer was the Buttermilk Fried Chicken “Oysters” with red velvet waffle, scarlett corn chow chow, and kalamansi-onion marmalade ($9). This was actually chicken which was made to resemble a fried oyster. The pieces sat upon this intriguing red waffle. Again, this entire dish was wonderful with some a melange of interesting flavors. A great start to the meal.

We then shared the Baby Iceburg Salad with jack cheese, cactus relish, and sangrita-agave vinaigrette ($8). This was a mini-iceburg letttuce with the cheese resting below it. The vinaigrette came in a shot glass, topped by a corn chip. The vinaigrette was milder than I expected but very tasty. A simple but good dish.

Our first entree was the “Signature” Hoisin & Honey Glazed Duck Confit with sweet sticky rice, mango, cashews, and young coconut milk ($24). I was initially disappointed with this dish as it came strewn with bean sprouts (which were not listed on the menu). I dislike bean sprouts and if I had known they were on the dish I would have asked for them to be left off. After pushing them aside, I began to eat. First, the rice was exquisite, with a nice coconut flavor and plenty of cashews and mango pieces. Then the duck! There were two duck confit legs and they were superb! Such a nice, crisp skin that was just perfect. The meat fell off the bone and was very tender. Our waiter said this was a favorite dish of many and I certainly can see why. If you like duck, this is definitely the dish for you.

Our second entree was the Tobiko Tempura Scallops with littleneck clams, forbidden rice, dried miso, spicy asparagus & sesame salad and fried shiitake. There were several huge scallops, encased in a flavorful and crispy tempura. Large scallops tend to be tougher but these were not tough at all. The clams were very good as well. This was an excellent meal and definitely something I would recommend.

For dessert, we shared the Butterscotch Fondant with black truffle ice cream, dried strawberries, and rice crispies! This was a good-sized dessert and very delicious. The ice cream was unusual but very good. The butterscotch fondant was creamy and had a nice butterscotch flavor that did not overwhelm.

Service was very good and our waiter, Mike, was personable and helpful. The rest of the staff was also very good, from the moment we entered the restaurant. The waitstaff at the other tables also appeared to be doing a good job. The other patrons in the restaurant seemed to be enjoying their meals as well.

Gargoyles certainly deserves its accolades and fine press. I was impressed and heartily recommend this restaurant to all. I will definitely return to try some of their other dishes. And for more Duck!