A new year, a new tapas restaurant, this one right next to a new Boston Chicken and only a few steps away from a new Italian “ristorante.” Does the word “ubiquitous” come to mind? Piatti, the newest kid on an already overcrowded tapas block, needs to offer more than good food to get post-Christmas, pre-tax-season depressives out on a cold night. Fortunately, owner and executive chef Sami Signorino has come up with a visually exciting venue, a sophisticated and varied tapas selection that ought to compete with the best of them, and refreshingly reasonable prices.
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Piatti is full of witty, functional art, all of it created by Signorino’s talented family. Codesigner, artist, and carpenter is brother Michele; sister Sallie is responsible for the epoxy switch-plate covers and clocks; and Judy Signorino (mom) showcases her ceramic plates (“piatti” means plate in Italian) and tiles. You name it, it was either handcrafted or handpainted: the etched-glass vestibule, the halogen-lit grappa cabinet, the wine rack shaped like a sea anemone, the yards of mosaic tile interspersed with fanciful fish tiles, the free-form rice paper lamps. There’s even a charming outdoor side patio, complete with a 12-by-15-foot waterfall. Of course it’s not operational right now, so huddle around the grappa cabinet and sample the tapas.
Kamut grain (also called Egyptian or ancient wheat) with spinach, mushrooms, and feta cheese ($1.95), although flavorful, was very chewy, almost like an undercooked rice. It’s a taste I have yet to acquire. Grilled vegetables with lemon raspberry vinaigrette ($1.95) looked wonderful but had disappointingly little flavor; and crab fingers in a garlic citrus sauce ($4.95) were undercooked and overpriced when you consider the size of a crab’s finger. Pear granita, a complimentary palate freshener, was too cloyingly sweet.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/David Schulz.
