Stella Sera puts forth Stellar Italian

Last weekend my calendar boasted an Italian double-header:  Friday night Kensington’s Modo Mio and Saturday night Chestnut Hill’s Stella Sera.  Surely you can imagine my excitement—two nights in a row of homemade pasta and the opportunity to compare two local Italian BYOs.  Sweet.

I know it is vital to remain impartial in matters of this nature but, I confess—I couldn’t suppress my opinion (and trust me, I tried)—I fully expected Modo Mio to take the cannoli on this one. Boy was I wrong. 

I discovered that we have a gem in Chestnut Hill—Stella Sera. Though not without a few minor flaws, it's on track to satisfy all that is required of a small Italian fare wielding BYO. They dish up a surprisingly lengthy menu that features freshly made pastas in a seemingly unending variety of shapes and sizes; and most importantly, they do it well.

When we arrived rudely 10 minutes late for our reservation, the hostess was incredibly welcoming: thanking us for calling to alert her and ensuring us that it was no problem at all—very convincing though I know from experience that arriving late to a small restaurant can really complicate their efforts for a flawlessly timed evening.

After being seated, she noticed that we did not have wine with us and offered to hold our table if we wanted to pick up a bottle at the local Wine and Spirits shop. Though impressed with her hospitality, we declined.

Our server arrived shortly after we were seated to tempt us with specials—one, a salt encrusted head-to-tail bronzino was soon delivered to a neighboring table where it was expertly filleted table-side (with a spoon and fork, rather than a fish server, none-the-less very professionally handled). We did not taste the bronzino that night but based on appearance and aroma I will be ordering it on my next visit if it is offered—the “oooohs and aaaahs” were audible. 

Immediately after placing our order, we received a basket of sliced baguette accompanied by a dish of delicious herbed olive oil. Additionally, we each received a tomato basil bruschetta as amuse-bouche. The tomatoes were not ripe so were not at the peak of their flavor, but it was seasoned perfectly and appreciated.

Our first course consisted of two spectacular starters—the filet carpaccio and the fried calamari—my guest and I could not settle on which was the star between the two. The carpaccio was tissue thin and laid a top a handful of mixed baby greens. Testament to this delicate cut is the fact that when placed on the greens it resembled a Frank Gehry building—so fine that it took on the structure of the stems and ribs beneath.  It was beautifully marbled, tender and delicious and was enhanced delightfully by curls of parmesan and a drizzle of lemony truffle extra virgin olive oil.

The calamari was a generous portion of pale straw-colored rings fried to perfection and finished with a chiffonade of basil. It was paired with the usual suspects, a lemon wedge and a dish of fresh marinara sauce likely made with san marzano tomatoes, as it had a lovely natural sweetness to it.

Up next, were two pasta dishes—the pappardelle misto and linguine l’aragosta.  “Pappardelle” stems from the verb “pappare” which translates as “to gobble up”, and gobble it up I did. Before going into more detail about either dish, I must take a moment to attempt to capture the fine handling of both the linguine and the pappardelle. They were remarkably thin and perfectly al dente and I was impressed that even as thin as they were, they maintained their integrity of form, beautifully, beautifully done.

The misto accompanying the pappardelle consisted of ground sausage, chicken, peas and mushrooms in a creamy brown sauce. In terms of flavor, the dish was balanced well, savory and creamy simultaneously. Though minor, it would have been enhanced had the chicken and sausage not been overcooked. The linguine was coated with pink cognac sauce and studded with rock shrimp, and asparagus then crowned with a lobster tail and claw. The seafood was tender, which as we all know is not always an easy feat, especially when paired with a creamy sauce that maintains heat well. Bravo.

When a staff member arrived to present the dessert tray (there were at least eight choices, all made in house), I reluctantly bypassed the tiramisu and the cannoli and ordered my guest's choice when it was promptly endorsed by the server—chocolate cappuccino cake. In the end, it was indeed a fine choice, layers of moist chocolate cake were engulfed in alternating layers of chocolate and cappuccino mousse that were so cloudlike that they offered the illusion of being lite.

Along with dessert arrived the biggest disappointment of the evening—coffee and espresso. It is unfortunate that the finale of such a remarkable performance had to be tarnished by lukewarm and subpar coffee. The other thing was the rickety and uncomfortable chairs.

Alas, we will return—the service was excellent and it was clear that they were busy. Additionally, the menu is moderately priced with appetizers ranging from $6 for soup to $14 for a seafood crepe and entrees priced between $15 and $24- and there are over 25 to choose from. The atmosphere is fairly bland, the most interesting feature being the carpet. With dim lighting and candles, it provides an excellent venue for a date or dinner with friends and family.

One odd note worth mentioning: neither our server nor the hostess could tell me who the chef was. After going to the kitchen to check the hostess informed me Manuel was cooking that night. I was looking for the chef who is credited with the menu. Chef, whoever you are—fantastico!