Innovative, palatable, and eye-opening, these are the three adjectives that crossed my mind when I had my first dinner at Table Boston back in February. Not only had I never see a restaurant interior having just two single tables, but it was also my first time having a seven-course meal where I enjoyed every course. In my curiosity to find out about the story and inspiration behind Table Boston, I interviewed owner and chef Jen Royle.
The Journey Behind
Having been a private chef for four years and wanting a change, Jen's next step was opening her own restaurant. Regarding the location of the restaurant, "the North End just made sense." She had lived in the area for a few years and had the most experience in Italian cuisine, the North End's specialty. The highlight of the interview was hearing Jen talk about the process behind choosing the concept and name of the restaurant. It all started with Jen going to a private dinner at a friend's house. During dinner, her friend brought up how she wished her dinner table could be big enough for twenty, so she could host a cocktail party for her husband's birthday. "That's it, a table for 20" went through Jen's head. She wanted a restaurant where customers didn't have to choose between having dinner or a cocktail party. With one big table, where twenty people sit side by side, it is easy to meet others or grab a meal in groups, hence the restaurant's name Table Boston. Although she ended up having two tables in the restaurant, one for 18 and the other for 14, due to the space layout; "I still got my concept and am thrilled I chose that route."
Breakdown Of The Seven Course Meal
Now let's talk about the food. Unlike other North End Italian restaurants where you go in, look at the menu, and order what you want, Table Boston has a prefixed course menu. This idea came from Jen's trips to Italy where restaurants had food come out in large platters for groups to share. In the beginning, Table Boston served one platter for every six guests. With COVID-19, however, people only share food with their friends and families, so the restaurant now serves one dish for each customer. Moreover, the restaurant operates only at night with designated seating times. By having everyone eat the same food, the workflow is more productive. Back in February, the menu consisted of Burrata e Prosciutto, Insalata di Spinaci, Polpo Scottato, Sorbetto alla Frutta, Polpette e Ricotta, Ravioli a Costilla Corta, and Budino di Pane alla Nutella, in that order.
Each dish has its own unique flavor. The combination of mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes cannot go wrong with a refreshing taste, and the small chunks of pistachios add crunchiness to the first dish. Serving another type of cheese in the second dish in a mouse texture harmonizes well with the other ingredients spinach, pear, and pancetta. The octopus in the third dish is cooked just right to have a smooth chewiness, and the nutty taste of the fennel balances out the somewhat saltiness of the octopus. The next dish strawberry sorbet serves as the perfect refresher to prepare for the upcoming main menus ricotta meatball and short rib ravioli. Table Boston's homemade ricotta cheese enhances the creamy flavor of the juicy meatball, and the tender short rib adds a more delicious taste to the ravioli. Lastly, the dessert menu decorates the finale of the course with sweet bread pudding that is crispy on the outside and fudgy on the inside. When asked about how she came up with the different dishes, Jen responded "I only cook and serve things I like." Instead of having her customers eat something that she hates, like pesto, Jen prefers to rather think "everyone must be so happy right now because the dish is DELICIOUS." When asked about her favorite dish, with full confidence, she replied "Ravioli a Costilla Corta." (Article continues below images)
Future Goal
"There's a new challenge every day," says Jen. Oftentimes, this female small business owner will walk into five different issues from various staff. Without a business partner, assistant, or manager, Jen heavily relies on herself and her staff of twenty-five, and she was sure to mention how appreciative she is for each of the staff members' hard work. In the future, she wants to move back to New York City or somewhere warmer in a tiny Italian neighborhood to avoid the frequent snow in the NorthEast. Table Boston changes its course menu every season, so go check out the fall season menu!