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Have you ever needed that perfectly in-between place to dine in Watertown? Somewhere nice, but not too expensive. Somewhere you can dress up if you want, but without high fashion expectations. Somewhere tasty, but not overwhelmingly gourmet. If so, we've found that Stellina is a slam-dunk for all of these criteria.
Located in Watertown Square, Stellina is fairly easy to get to from Watertown, Waltham, or Newton. One of the best things about Stellina is the fantastic patio hidden behind the restaurant (and hidden from the huge parking lot right next to it. This romantic and fun little area boasts a beautiful fountain, flowers, and even grape vines, complete with real grapes. Unfortunately, we’re past prime outside time, but maybe if you familiarize yourself with the staff this fall and winter you can get good seats come spring.
Stellina’s boasts a basically Italian menu with an overall Mediterranean flair. On our most recent visit, we started with a pumpkin soup featuring chipotle as the special ingredient. When we first read the soup description on the menu, it didn't quite reel us in. However, as our waitress was bringing us our butternut squash ravioli, she informed us that an extra soup had accidentally been plated, and offered it to us. We never turn down free food, and fortunately it turned out that the soup was really quite good. The chipotle gave the dish an unexpected yet welcome kick, and the base of the soup was rich and hearty without losing any pumpkin flavor or tasting too sweet. It's those little things, like having our waitress offer us the extra soup, that stand out at Stellina. (Not to mention we have a new favorite spice for pumpkin soup.)
The butternut squash ravioli with fried sage leaves and brown butter was absolutely fantastic. The pasta was fresh and supple and the filling was a successful balance of squash, sugar, sage, and ricotta. The salty, smooth butter was accented perfectly by the slightly crunchy burst of flavor offered by the sage leaves. Odd as it may sound, this Bostonist will definitely be dreaming about this ravioli for months to come.
Tasty starters aside, the entrées are where Stellina can sometimes go awry. This Bostonist has had everything from acceptable pasta to fantastic swordfish at this little restaurant. While their pastas are generally decent, Stellina truly shines when preparing meat or fish. On this visit, we tried the steak with sautéed mushrooms and shallots, featuring spinach and polenta fries. Tender and cooked precisely as asked for, medium to medium rare, the perfectly salty steak was nicely accompanied by almost-caramelized shallots that prompted everyone at the table to have a taste. The shallots' role in the sauce lent a fantastically rich and slightly sweet addition to every polenta fry. Crunchy on the outside with soft, slightly creamy polenta on the inside, these polenta fries were almost worth the trip on their own.
We finished the evening with a lovely Tiramisu. Though Tiramisu is sometimes better in concept than execution, nothing in this light and flavorful dessert was overpowering. The lady fingers had been soaked just long enough, the cream was fresh, and the chocolate was of the finest quality. It was a wonderful way to end a fine evening.
In addition to these delicious dishes, Stellina offers an extensive wine list and surprisingly strong cocktails. You can check out Stellina’s menu (including the wine list) on the restaurant's website, though keep in mind that the many seasonal and daily specials won’t be listed online. Of note about Stellina is that they take reservations; a wonderful convention that more Boston area restaurants should consider adopting. The next time you're looking for a fun but not too fancy night out in the Watertown area, give Stellina a try.
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