Delicious Dishes of January 2026

With the onset of the New Year, I've already enjoyed plenty of delicious dishes in January 2026. I wanted to highlight some of those dishes, as, for various reasons, they wouldn't otherwise be showcased in their own articles. However, they are still worthy of being showcased, and the restaurants deserve the recognition. 

Il Ponte, one of my Top Five Favorite Restaurants, offered maybe my favorite dish of 2026 so far, which was a Special one evening. Home-made pasta, in a creamy black truffle sauce, and then topped by white truffles (which were shaved table-side). Decadent and delicious, earthy and creamy, with perfectly cooked pasta. Chef Beni Kurti and his culinary team never disappoint, and if you haven't dined there yet, then do so. All of their food is made in-house, from their pasta to their desserts, from their pizza to their breads.   

   

Thai Chili Basil, in Melrose, is a tiny take-out (or delivery) Thai restaurant with tasty food. I regularly order from here, dishes such as Kao Mun Gai Tod, Chiangmai Noodle, and Pad Thai Gai Grob. One of my favorite new dishes is their Soy Garlic Korean Wings (fried chicken wings grazed with soy garlic sauce Korean style), which can be ordered in 6 or 12 pieces. Honestly, these are some of the best chicken wings I've had in quite some time. They are large and meaty pieces, with an excellent crispy coating, and that crunch remains for quite some time. Some chicken wings don't transport well, losing some of their crunch, but these don't. The sauce is sweet and tangy, and the added sesame seeds add a mild nuttiness and enhanced crunch. The meat is tender and plentiful, and these would be a great choice for a Super Bowl snack. 

Fumi Hibachi, also in Melrose, is another tiny take-out restaurant, offering delicious Hibachi, Sushi, and Chinese food. I regularly order from here, especially if I'm craving Sushi. They offer Lunch specials, seven days a week, which include Sushi Specials and Bento Boxes. They offer 9 different Bento Boxes ($12.99-$17.99), such as General Tso, Hibachi Steak and Hibachi Seared Scallops. They come with salad, clear soup, fried rice, 2 Pork Gyoza, and 4 pieces of California roll.

The Sushi Specials include items such as a Sushi Lunch, Sashimi Lunch, or Sushi & Sashimi Lunch. I like their Maki specials, either two ($11.95) or three ($15.95) rolls of your choice (with 25 different choices available). These are excellent values, and you can save $5 or more off the price than if you had ordered the rolls separately. In addition, you receive a small salad and a bowl of miso soup, making it even a better value. Above, I ordered three Maki rolls, including Shrimp Tempura, Chicken Tempura and Sweet Potato Tempura. Certainly a hearty and delicious dish, especially with the addition of the hot and tasty miso soup. 

Anthony's Italian Specialties, in Stoneham, has some of the best, and largest, sandwiches in the area, and I've been patronizing this spot since I was a teenager. They have remained consistent over the years, never skimping on the size or quality of their sandwiches. They are most famous for their Italian sandwiches, which are stuffed with various meats and cheeses, and toppings. However, all of their sandwiches are worthy, from their Pastrami to their Lobster Rolls (available only on Fridays).

Above is their "Cadillac," the nickname for their fried chicken cutlet, Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, oil and balsamic glaze sandwich. You can also have it with roasted peppers. It's available on a bulky roll, sub roll or a braided roll (which I ordered). At $19.80, this sandwich is large enough to feed two people, or you can eat half and save the other half for another meal. It's an excellent blend of textures and flavors, the warm and meaty cutlet with its crispy coating, the salty prosciutto, the creamy mozzarella, and the sweet glaze. 

Donuts With A Difference, in Medford, is an old-school doughnut shop, which makes a variety of more traditional donuts in their kitchen. They are delicious and inexpensive, and sometimes they are even warm when you receive them. You can get a dozen donuts for $19, less than half (if not more) than you'll find at many other donut shops. They only sell donuts, and not breakfast sandwiches, bagels, or other such items. They also have coffee and tea, and their fresh-brewed iced tea is my beverage or choice. Their customer service is also excellent, and if you don't see a donut available on the shelves, you can ask them when it might be available. And if it's only a short time, you can sit and wait at the counter for it to arrive. And that wait is more than worth it for a fresh, warm donut. Last week, I waited for their Coffee Rolls (only $2.79 each) to be available, and it was superb, warm, soft and sweet. They are quite large and I often order at least one when I stop here. 

What were some of your favorite dishes in January? 

2025: My Top Five Favorite Restaurants & Four New Restaurants

As 2026 approaches, it's time once again to reflect upon the past year, to remember and savor pleasant memories. It's the time for my Annual Year-End Favorite lists, from restaurants to wine. And I'm starting this year with my Top Five Favorite Restaurants of 2025 & Four New Restaurants. 

These end-of-the-year lists should provide a comprehensive summary of my favorites, allowing my readers to more readily locate such gems, the best of my recommendations. I'll note that last year this list included only my Top Four Favorite Restaurants. However, this year, I decided to add one more restaurant, which continues to impress me with its consistent excellence. It's more than worthy of being on this list, but the other four restaurants already on the list remain worthy as well. So, this year, there will be a Top Five list, to accommodate this new Top Favorite.

This list is also in no particular order, and is purely a subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. However, all of the restaurants here earn my heartiest recommendation and I hope you'll enjoy them as well, as so many others have done. For more Restaurant reviews, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

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My Top Five Favorite Restaurants are those exceptional spots which are consistently excellent, offering great food and drink as well as top notch service. These are the five places which first come to my mind when I want a celebratory dinner, or just want a sublime dining experience. They receive my unqualified highest recommendation. These are also the restaurants I most frequently recommend to others when I'm asked for my top restaurants. And those people who then go to these restaurants usually become big fans of these restaurants too.  

Krasi Meze & Wine (Boston)

Part of the Xenia Greek Hospitality group, this Greek restaurant is amazing, where nearly every innovative dish is exceptional. Their menu consists of a wide selection of small plates, perfect for sharing, and offers creative Greek cuisine, with roots in tradition but it's not afraid to experiment. Their Greek wine list, the largest in the country, is superb with so many delicious and interesting options. Service is excellent, and the servers are very knowledgeable of the food and wine. Krasi never disappoints. This past year, I celebrated my Anniversary there, and it proved once again that it's thoroughly worthy of being one of my Top Five restaurants. 

Nightshade Noodle Bar (Lynn)

Offering inventive and delicious French/Vietnamese inspired-cuisine, with their own unique spin, this restaurant offers Tasting Menus, of various number of courses. Their dishes are exceptional, bursting with flavor, and creatively composed. Plus, they have an excellent wine list and cocktail program. I like their homey vibe, service is always excellent, and they have an open kitchen, which I've always loved. Be adventurous with your palate and you'll be amply rewarded. This year, they were also awarded recognition, and duly deserved, by the Michelin Guide. 

A Tavola (Winchester)

This excellent Italian restaurant in Winchester is owned by Chef Joe Carli, who is very talented and personable. His Italian cuisine is as good as anything you'll find in the North End. The restaurant is relatively small and intimate, perfect for date night or a business dinner. Much of the sourcing is from local farms. I especially love their superb home-made pasta dishes, as well as when they have Duck Wings as a special. Their wine list concentrates on Italian wines, and there are many good choices. You also should check out their event list, which includes fun and tasty wine dinners and cocktail classes. Recently, they also introduced a special Pasta tasting menu on Wednesdays, but only for those seated at the chef's counter. 

Il Ponte (Woburn)
Chef Beni Kurti of Il Ponte has brought his deep passion, lengthy culinary experience, and charm to Woburn. It's a homey restaurant, with a casual elegance, and the Italian cuisine is top notch, from home-made pasta dishes to exquisite Neapolitan pizza. During this past year, I've thoroughly enjoyed so many different dishes here, such as the Lamb Lollipop Milanese. Their Swordfish Puttanesca, which is a Special all the time, is amazing, an ample piece of tender and moist Swordfish with a compelling puttanesca sauce. Service is excellent, the servers being genuinely personable and attentive, without being obtrusive. It's consistently superb and every person I've recommended has raved about their own dining experience.  

Row 34 (Burlington)

This year, I've decided to add Row 34 to my Top Favorites, as this seafood restaurant has continued to impress me since it replaced Island Creek Oyster Bar. Fresh seafood, from raw oysters and crudo to lobster rolls and fried clams. Every seafood dish pleases the palate, even something as simple as their delicious Tuna Melt. They have an excellent wine and cocktail program, and service is always top notch too. Whether I want a tasty lunch or a celebratory dinner, Row 34 doesn't disappoint, and is well worthy of being included in my Top Five.

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I want to now address four restaurants, which were "new" to me this year, and impressed me. One of these restaurants recently moved their location, and I hadn't dined there for several years, so I now consider it "new" to me. These four are definitely restaurants I want to dine at again, and which are worthy of a hearty recommendation. 

Karma (Winchester)

This high-end, Asian fusion restaurant is part of a small chain, with locations in Westford, Concord, Burlington, and Andover. Though each restaurant shares much in common with the others, they also have some of their own identity. They have superb Sushi, and many other delicious dishes, from Soup Dumplings to Wagyu Beef. They offer tasty and reasonably priced Lunch specials, a great way to experience their cuisine. 

Posto (Somerville)

Posto recently moved their location from Davis Square to Assembly Row. I hadn't been to the Davis Square location since before the pandemic, so had to check out their new location. And the food was just as delicious as I remembered, which is why it used to be on some of my prior lists of Favorite Restaurants. For example, their Roasted Garlic pizza was amazing, with maybe more garlic than any other pizza I've ever had. Thus, it has earned its space back as one of my Favorites. Posto has also recently opened a second location in the South End.

The Cormorant (Newburyport)

With a diner-like vibe, this small restaurant serves a killer burger and fries. The Brioche type bun was butter grilled, and was soft and flavorful. The large, smashed patties possessed a nice meaty, grilled taste, enhanced by the toppings, which added a touch of smoke and salt, as well as a mild sweetness. A top notch burger! The French Fries were also delectable, with a great salty crispness to them. They also serve alcohol, and I enjoyed their Bourbon and Cream Soda cocktail. They have other appetizers and sandwiches, but the burgers are certainly a star. I can't wait to dine there again.

Sung Kong Restaurant (Malden)

Though I haven't yet reviewed this spot, I plan to in the near future. The restaurant gives me a Chinatown vibe, and it's well known for its Dim Sum, which is available every day. I have enjoyed lunch there several times, and most of the food has been excellent, from the fried rice to the sesame chicken. It's very inexpensive as well, and they provide complimentary hot tea. I still need to check out their Dim Sum, especially as the menu is intriguing.  

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What were some of your Favorite Restaurants this year?

Portuguese Lunch at Adega in Woburn: First Impressions

On Main Street in Woburn, nestled within a small complex of stores, including a laundromat, cleaner's and hair salon, is an unassuming sign, Adega. Unless you were specifically looking for it, you might drive by without giving it any attention. You might not even realize it was a restaurant. Yet it has existed in that location for 10+ years. 

This is the Adega Restaurant & Bar, a Portuguese restaurant which has existed since 2014, and is owned and operated by Chef Helder Teixeira, who is a native of the Portuguese island of Madeira. The restaurant seems to often fly under the radar, receiving little publicity or mentions on social media,  but is worthy of much more attention. 

Adega is open from Tuesday to Sunday, for both Lunch and Dinner, and it's a homey and clean restaurant, which seats around 50 people.  

There's also a small bar, and in 2022, the restaurant acquired an All Alcohol license, an upgrade from their previous Wine & Malt license.  

The Food Menu offers many traditional Portuguese dishes, and there's always a list of Specials, commonly including 2-4 appetizers and 6-8 entrees. The regular menu includes Appetizers (9 options at $10-$15), with items such as Steamed Mussels and Flame Grilled Linguiça. The Meat & Poultry Entrees (8 options at $20-$30), includes dishes such as Sautéed Pork, Sautéed Chicken, and Black Angus Sirloin Steak. The Fish & Seafood Entrees (12 options at $25-$35) include dishes like Salted Codfish, Portuguese Seafood Stew, and Grilled Octopus.

I've dined at Adega for lunch on two occasions, and the food was consistently delicious. Let me provide some of my initial impressions on my experiences.

One of the Appetizers is Lapas Grelhadas ($15), grilled limpets served with a garlic butter sauce and lemon. Limpets are a type of sea snail with a single shell, a speciality in the Azores and Madeira. I've previously enjoyed them elsewhere, and this dish was quite tasty. The limpets are a little chewy, like escargot, with a briny taste, enhanced by the garlic and butter. It was an ample-sized dish and the sauce was an excellent place to dip your bread. If you've never eaten limpets, they are well worth checking out.

Another appetizer are the Pasteis de Bacalhau ($13), Fried Codfish Cakes with a black-eyed pea salad. The codfish cakes were nicely crisp on the exterior, with a fluffy interior like salty mashed potatoes and cod. Again, a delicious and ample dish, with 6 cakes, for a very reasonable price.

As for the Entrees, the Espetada de Carne e Linguica Caseira com Batata Frita Portuguesa e Vegetal do Dia ($25) is a Beef and Homemade Linguica Kebab with Portuguese Fries and the Vegetable of the Day. A visually impressive dish, the meat was tender and flavorful with a nice spice to the linguica.  

The Portuguese Fries were excellent, a nice combination of crispness and fluffiness. 

Of the Seafood entrees, the Arroz a Valenciana ($35), similar in some respects to a Spanish paella, is composed of sautéed chicken, pork, linguiça, shrimp, mussels, scallops, calamari, clams, and a half lobster. What a combination of meat, poultry and seafood! The broth is made from garlic, olive oil and saffron, and it's all served atop rice. Everything was tender and flavorful, with quite a delectable broth. It's certainly large enough for two people to share, or one very hungry person. 

Overall, Adega earns my hearty recommendation, and I'm eager to try more of their menu items. It's reasonably priced and the dishes are ample and delicious. Service is very good, and the restaurant has a homey vibe. 

Have you dined at Adega before?   

2024: My Top Four Favorite Restaurants & Three New Favorites

As 2025 approaches, it's time once again to reflect upon the past year, to remember and savor pleasant memories. It's the time for my Annual Year-End Favorite lists, from restaurants to wine. And I'm starting this year with my Top Four Favorite Restaurants of 2024 & Three New Favorites. These end-of-the-year lists should provide a comprehensive summary of my favorites, allowing my readers to more readily locate such gems, the best of my recommendations. 

I'll note that last year this list included only my Top Three Favorite Restaurants. However, this year, another restaurant has risen to the top of my attention, thoroughly impressing me with its consistent excellence. It's more than worthy of being on this list, but the other three restaurants already on the list remain worthy as well. So, this year, I chose to make this a Top Four list, to accommodate this new Top Favorite.  

This list is also in no particular order, and is purely a subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. However, all of the restaurants here earn my heartiest recommendation and I hope you'll enjoy them as well, as so many others have done. For more Restaurant reviews, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

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My Top Four Favorite Restaurants are those exceptional spots which are consistently excellent, offering great food and drink as well as top notch service. These are the four places which first come to my mind when I want a celebratory dinner, or just want a sublime dining experience. They receive my unqualified highest recommendation. These are also the restaurants I most frequently recommend to others when I'm asked for my top restaurants. And those people who then go to these restaurants usually become big fans of these restaurants too.  

Krasi Meze & Wine (Boston)

Part of the Xenia Greek Hospitality group, this Greek restaurant is amazing, where nearly every innovative dish is exceptional. Their menu consists of a wide selection of small plates, perfect for sharing, and offers creative Greek cuisine, with roots in tradition but it's not afraid to experiment. Their Greek wine list, the largest in the country, is superb with so many delicious and interesting options. Service is excellent, and the servers are very knowledgeable of the food and wine. Krasi never disappoints.

Nightshade Noodle Bar (Lynn)

Offering inventive and delicious French/Vietnamese inspired-cuisine, with their own unique spin, this restaurant offers Tasting Menus, ranging from 7-30 courses. Their dishes are exceptional, bursting with flavor, and creatively composed. Plus, they have an excellent wine list and cocktail program. I like their homey vibe, service is always excellent, and they have an open kitchen, which I've always loved. They recently instituted a 30 course tasting menu and one of my desires for 2025 is to partake of that epic dinner. Be adventurous with your palate and you'll be amply rewarded. 

A Tavola (Winchester)

This excellent Italian restaurant in Winchester first made my Top Three list last year, and it continues to impress. Chef Joe Carli is very talented and personable, and his Italian cuisine is as good as anything you'll find in the North End. The restaurant is still relatively small and intimate, although this year they enlarged their space a bit, adding a small bar and some additional tables. Much of the sourcing is from local farms. I especially love their superb home-made pasta dishes, as well as when they have Duck Wings as a special. Their wine list concentrates on Italian wines, and there are many good choices. You also should check out their event list, which includes fun and tasty wine dinners and cocktail classes, like the A Tour of Italian Noble Grapes and BBQ & Bourbon events I attended this year. 

Il Ponte (Woburn)
Chef Beni Kurti of Il Ponte has brought his deep passion, lengthy culinary experience, and charm to Woburn. It's a homey restaurant, with a casual elegance, and the Italian cuisine is top notch, from home-made pasta dishes to exquisite Neapolitan pizza. During this past year, I've thoroughly enjoyed so many different dishes here, such as the Lamb Lollipop Milanese (pictured above_. Their Swordfish Puttanesca, which is a Special all the time, is amazing, an ample piece of tender and moist Swordfish with a compelling puttanesca sauce. Service is excellent, the servers being genuinely personable and attentive, without being obtrusive. It's consistently superb and every person I've recommended has raved about their own dining experience. Besides dining there numerous times this year, I also celebrated my birthday there and it was a memorable event. Il Ponte also recently added a special Gelato machine, and the gelato is silky and delicious. There's no need to drive into Boston for Italian cuisine with restaurants such as Il Ponte north of Boston.  

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I want to now address those restaurants, which were new to me this year, and impressed me. These are definitely restaurants I want to dine at again, and which are worthy of a hearty recommendation. 

XOXO Sushi Bar (Chestnut Hill)

This high-end Sushi spot opened in March and it's a superb spot, offering some of the best Sushi in the area. They serve Edomae-style sushi, which includes the used of aged and preserved fish, and they even have an intriguing glass case behind the sushi bar showing the aged fish. They serve other Japanese specialties as well, and they are as delicious as their sushi offerings. Their beverage program, from Sake to cocktails, is excellent as well. This is a restaurant well worth a splurge. 

Greco (Burlington)

I was very excited this past year when a branch of the Greco chain opened at the Burlington Mall. I've been a fan since the first Greco opened in 2017 on Newbury Street. It's a fast casual restaurant, specializing in Gyros and Loukoumades (Greek donuts!). Everything is made fresh, so you can enjoy whatever your food preference. You can opt for a Pita, Plate or Salad, with both meat and veggie options. The Greco Fries, with French fries topped by feta cheese, are delicious. And you have to end your meal with sweet Loukoumades, available own three flavors. 

Pinoy Kabayan (Boston)

There's only 3 Filipino restaurants in the Boston+ area, and Pinot Kabayan is the only one in Boston proper. This new restaurant is a fast-casual spot which does plenty of take-out. The food is authentic, delicious and reasonably priced. Many of the dishes are very approachable, such as Tocino (sweet cured pork) and Tapa (Filipino jerky) while other dishes are for the more adventurous. For example, Dinuguan, which roughly translates "bloody soup or stew," is commonly made with pork, offal and pork blood. However, I found it delicious, especially atop some garlic rice. I eagerly look forward to dining there again soon.

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There are a few other new restaurants I've dined at this past year, but for which I haven't yet written reviews, but which are still worthy of recognition. They include Sogne (Woburn, Italian cuisine), Fiorella's Cucina (Burlington, Italian cuisine), Adega Restaurant (Woburn, Portuguese), Bar Mezzana (Boston, Italian cuisine) and Feather & Wedge (Rockport, Seafood). Reviews of these restaurants are likely to come in 2025.

What were some of your Favorite Restaurants this year?

Recent Top Restaurant Dishes

I want to highlight a few worthy restaurant dishes I recently enjoyed, which are from some of my favorite restaurants. These dishes are some of the best dishes I've eaten so far this year, and which may also be some of my top dishes at the end of this year.

This past week, I was thoroughly impressed by a Rabbit Pappardelle special at Il Ponte in Woburn. It's one of my favorite Italian restaurants, and the cuisine is always delicious. This dish consisted of house-made pappardelle, with an excellent texture, covered with a rabbit ragu and topped by a scoop of ricotta. With a great depth of flavor and a nice balance of spices, each bite brought such pleasure to my palate. Rabbit is such a great protein, and with its mild flavors, most people would enjoy it if they can get past the idea that it once was a fluffy bunny. My dining companion was also quite taken with this dish.

The short movie shows a bubbling dish of Chicken Claypot, my favorite dish at Soall Viet Kitchen in Beverly, an excellent Vietnamese restaurant. This dish is made with small pieces of tender chicken in a caramelized sweet and savory sauce, with a couple chili peppers. It's accompanied by jasmine rice, or noodles, with some pickled and fresh veggies. It's also served bubbling hot and the aromas are so enticing. The chicken is moist and tender, and the sauce possesses a great depth of flavor, nicely balanced between sweet and savory, and with a mild bit of spicy heat. The veggies act as a nice palate cleanser to the richer sauce. They also make a Salmon Claypot as well. 

The Clam Box of Ipswich is my favorite clam shack, for the quality of its fried seafood, the quantity you receive, and its excellent service. Others may prefer other places, but the Clam Box has never disappointed me. This dish was a combination of Fried Clams and Fried Scallops, with an ample pile of onion rings and French fries. The Fried Scallops are superb, tender and sweet, and the fried clams are delicious as well, both with a clean, light fried batter. The dish is large enough to share, or to have leftovers for another meal. 

What have been some of your favorite restaurant dishes lately? 

Il Ponte: Compelling Italian Cuisine in Woburn

Chef Beni Kurti of Il Ponte has brought his deep passion, lengthy culinary experience, and charm to Woburn. I highly recommend that all of my readers check out his excellent Italian cuisine, from home-made pasta to Neapolitan pizza. 

Back in December 2023, I wrote an article with my First Impressions of Il Ponte. I've now dined there three times, plus got take-out once, so it's time for a more in-depth review. As I wrote before, I've known Chef Beni Kurti for several years, as he's a regular customer at the wine shop where I work, and he often spoke of his desire to open his own restaurant. Last fall, his dream came true when he opened Il Ponte in Woburn. I wasn't aware of his new restaurant until recently but once I learned of it, I've been there several times. 

Beni, a native of the Umbria region of Italy, has lived in the U.S. for about ten years or so and has about 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. His wife, Hortenca Sheshori, who is also a native of Italy, also has numerous years of restaurant experience, and she works at Il Ponte as well. Even Beni's son works there, a true family affair. 

The homey restaurant, with a casual elegance, seats about 50 people, and has a small bar with about seven seats. The restaurant is often busy, so I'd suggest making reservations, especially if you want to dine there on the weekend. The bar seats seem to fill up fairly quickly as well, although sometimes those guests are only there for a cocktail or glass of wine, so their seats free up after a relatively short time. The full food menu is available at the bar, and I sat there on one of my visits.  

They have a full bar, with a number of Signature Cocktails (most about $14), from the classic Aperol Spritz to Beni's Limoncello Martini. The Aperol Spritz was a hefty-sized cocktail with a pleasant and well-balanced taste. The bourbon selections include choices such as Blanton's and Pappy Van Winkle. They also carry four beers, from Moretti to Heineken. 

The Wine list has recently been revised and expanded, and now they about 40 choices, mostly Italian, although with 9 choices from France, California, and Argentina. There are 14 choices available by the glass, mostly costing $12-$13, with one at $14 and one at $21. Most of the bottle prices range from $42-$99, with about 25% being more splurge choices, costing $110-$590. There are Italian whites, made from grapes such as Grechetto and Falanghina, and Italian reds, including Barbera, Barolo, Amarone, and more. When ordering wine here, I'd recommend you choose an Italian option. 

From the list, I've enjoyed two of their wines, including the 2015 Carus Gaudio Chianti Classico Gran Selezione ($59) and the Gianni Gagliardo Barbera d'Alba ($54). Both were delicious, interesting and went well with the various dishes. There are plenty of other wines on the list I want to explore in future visits.   

Each table receives a complimentary basket of fresh, warm and tasty bread and foccaia, with a small tub of olive oil and garlic cloves. What an excellent way to begin your dinner! I love warm bread, and each time I've dined here, I've smeared garlic and olive oil on my slices. 

The Food Menu has plenty of tasty and interesting options and there's usually a couple of Specials each night, such as an Appetizer and an Entree. You can begin with their Antipasti, which offers 10 choices  ($14-$32), such as a brick-oven Octopus, Beef Carpaccio or Prosciutto & Burrata Umbrian Style. The Insalate offers 4 choices ($13-$14), including Caesar Salad, Braised Beets Salad, Arugula Salad and a Soup of the Day. 

The Le Nostre Paste, their Pasta dishes, are all made in-house. You have 10 choices ($21-$26), including Spicy Rigatoni, Squid Ink Pasta with Polipo, and Gnocchi all Sorrentina. Their Pizza Napoletana is wood fired at 900 degrees, and there are 8 choices available, including 4 Red and 4 White Pizzas ($18-$24). Finally, their Secondi, main entrees, has 8 choices ($28-$47), such as Honey Lavender Duck, Tonno al Pepe Verde, and Pork Tovarisch. Based on the high quality and quantity of each dish, the prices are reasonable. 

As for Antipasti, the Crispy Shrimp ($18) is a new addition to their menu. The spicy shrimp are in fagioli all' uccelletto, a Tuscan dish of cannellini beans in a tomato sauce with fried sage and garlic. The plump and tender shrimp had a light and crispy batter, allowing the shrimp to shine and not be overwhelmed by the batter. The beans, sage and garlic were a nice addition, everything cooked perfectly. 

This dish seems to be a variation of their Prosciutto and Burrata Umbrian Style ($20), which has two pieces of puffy fried dough (without any sugar or cinnamon), topped by prosciutto and mortadella, with creamy burrata and a balsamic reduction. A delightful combination of textures and fresh flavors, and the fried dough was an intriguing variation. 

The Asparagus alla Bismark ($18) comprised an asparagus gratin, sunny side egg, toasted hazelnuts, and truffle in a cacio e Pepe sauce. This dish was a big hit at my table, with tender, thin asparagus, the crunch of the hazelnuts, and the subtle truffle and sauce. It was said to be one of their favorite asparagus dishes in a long time.  

An Antipasti Special one evening was a Raviolo al' Uovo, a huge ravioli, stuffed with ricotta and a runny egg yolk, in a brown butter sauce. The video above shows the ravioli being cut into, and the egg yolk seeping out. This was another delicious and well-balanced dish, with perfectly cooked pasta, lots of creamy ricotta, the rich taste of egg yolk and a delightful sauce. Highly recommended.

This is their wood-fired Pizza Oven, which fires at 900 degrees, and it's visible from certain vantages in the dining room. Such a compelling view!

I previously wrote about the Quatro Formagi Pizza, and now I'll discuss two more of their scrumptious pizzas. I'll note that in all of these pizzas, the crust is perfect: light, airy and crisp, with some slight charring. And they look beautiful too. Above is their Pepperoni Pizza ($20), with tomato, mozzarella, cacio, and olio santo. A tasty sauce, plenty of meaty and slightly spicy pepperoni, lots of cheese and that perfect crust. 

The Fico va a Parma Pizza ($24) is comprised of fig, mozzarella, walnuts, goat cheese, cacio, prosciutto, and arugula. In the first picture above, you can see the pizza before the prosciutto and arugula were added, showcasing the ingredients which are later covered up. The bottom picture shows the completed pizza, the prosciutto and arugula concealing the bottom toppings. Another absolutely delicious pizza, with sweet, salty, and slightly bitter flavors, enhanced by creamy, crunchy, and crisp textures,

This is one of the best places in the Woburn area for Neapolitan pizza, and it's well worth getting it even just for takeout. 

As for Pasta dishes, I previously wrote about the fantastic Tortellini all Norcina. Another recent addition to their menu is La Gricia ($24), made in a traditional Roman style, with house-made rigatoni, cacio e pepe, and guanciale. A relatively simple dish, but expertly created. The rigatoni were nicely al dente, and the guanciale was excellent, crispy, meaty and salty. There was a richness to the dish with the cheese and the fat of the guanciale. 

As for Secondi dishes, I previously wrote about the amazing Veal alla Petroniana. One of the Secondi Specials one evening was Swordfish ($46), parmesan crusted with a puttanesca sauce and accompanied by a chive risotto. The top photo is how the dish arrived at the table, and the bottom photo shows the swordfish with the removal of the greens, so you can see the puttanesca sauce. This was one of the juiciest swordfish dishes I've enjoyed in quite some time, enhanced by that beautiful and crispy crust and the tasty puttanesca. It was also quite a substantial piece of swordfish too. The creamy risotto was a fine accompaniment as well. Highly recommended.

The Pollo ai Funghi ($32) is essentially a variation of Chicken Marsala, with two good-sized and tender chicken escalopes, smothered in mushrooms, in a light Marsala sauce and accompanied by pasta. The Marsala sauce was mildly sweet and rich in flavor, and it gently coated everything, rather than  forming a pool beneath the chicken and pasta. Delicious, cooked perfectly, and a fine entree.   

The Dessert menu has 6 choices ($9-$13), from Tiramisu to Cannoli, and the desserts are generally made from scratch. Above, the photo shows two desserts, the Bombolone (warm donuts with chocolate chip gelato, served with English cream and chocolate sauce) and the Semifreddo (pistacchio and honey mousse, with mixed berry gelato, English cream, and brutti ma buoni biscotti). Both were quite tasty, especially the gelatos, and each dish was a pleasant mix of flavors and textures. The mousse was quite intriguing and delicious. 

This was a Special one evening, with a molten Chocolate cake (made from scratch), a mixed berry gelato, English cream, and more. I didn't get the exact name of this dish, but its taste is quite memorable. The cake was rich, creamy and chocolately, with bright red fruits in the gelato. A heavenly dessert. 

Service was excellent on all of my visits, the servers being genuinely personable and attentive, without being obtrusive. Although you have one primary server, the servers work as a well-oiled team. Chef Kurti, during the course of the evening while he's working in the kitchen or at the pizza oven, makes time to stop by numerous tables to check how the customers are enjoying their dinner. He's such a charming man, with a deep passion for Italian cuisine, and a great culinary talent. 

On each visit, I enjoyed an excellent, delicious and consistent dining experience. I'm so impressed with Il Ponte and it earns my highest recommendation. I'll be returning there again soon, and hope all my readers visit this restaurant as well. You won't be disappointed.