Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Maybe it's that I live in Boston and some little part of me harbors a "Cheers" fantasy. I have a secret desire to go to the same restaurant enough times that I become a regular. The host greets me by name, the bartender starts making my drink when he sees me come in, the waiter lets me know that my favorite special is on the menu that night... Naturally, in my dream, this place is right in my neighborhood (not more than a walk on a warm summer night) and I get to know the other local regulars and, each time I go in, town gossip immediately ensues ("I know, did you see the new sign at the florist? So gaudy."). Here is the problem... Boston has become such a foodie town, there are hundreds of great places to eat and I can never quite justify eating at the same place again and again, when there are so many tempting options to try. However, I think that, if I was going to have such a place in my life, it would be Geoffrey's Cafe in Roslindale Village.

Geoffrey's is new to me, but it has a long-ish history in Boston and a loyal following of diners (if you don't believe me, Google it... I've never seen so many blogs, postings, consumer reviews of a neighborhood joint). The original cafe opened in 1990 and has made its home in the Back Bay and the South End, before finally landing in Rozzie Square. I am not quite sure what brought the owners here, but I feel lucky to have a such a chic little place in our own backyard. Apparently, I am not the only one that feels that way either. In my two visits to Geoffrey's - both on "quieter" nights, a Sunday and a Wednesday - the place has been packed.

Let's get one thing out of the way right up front - the food at Geoffrey's, while very reasonably priced, is only ok. However, the food is not really the charm of the place. It's a small restaurant with a bar area in the front and snug dining room in the back. The paint colors are earthy and retro Italian prints adorn the walls, with a few cool, creative touches sprinkled throughout - like a "polka dot" series of mirrors in the dining room. All of this, however, pales in comparison to the staff. Everyone at Geoffrey's is warm, friendly, and attentive. You feel so welcome by them, it almost doesn't feel like service, but rather like you are a guest in their home. It makes you want to go back every night. At one point, I dropped my (paper) napkin on the ground and, as I reached down for it, our waiter scurried over and took it from me and then insisted on getting me a new one. That's more impressive than what you might experience in some of the city's four star establishments.

Having said that the food was only ok, it's worth clarifying that everything I've eaten there in my two visits has been tasty, well-prepared, and well-presented, if not overly inventive or, what I might call, excellent. The menu is certainly punctuated by a few terrific options. On my most recent visit, I started with a blueberry martini with a squeeze of lemon. They make the blueberry vodka on-site and it was like a big taste of summer in the middle of the snow and ice. We were out to dinner with a couple we didn't know especially well, so we talked a lot before even touching the menu. The waiter was patient and gracious as he checked in a few times to see if we were ready. We finally settled on an appetizer of the grilled sausage, which is homemade by Tony's Market, the little shop just next door to Geoffrey's. The sausage was full of good fennel and anise flavor, and served with a dollop of whole grain mustard and carmelized onions.

Both guys ordered the ribeye steak from the list of specials, which was served with sides of mashed potatoes and grilled zucchini. Again, not terribly inventive, but kudos to the server for offering suggestions on how to have it prepared - both looked perfectly cooked. Hands-down, the best looking entree was a ginormous bacon-cheddar burger served with homemade potato chips. Based on the mere crumbs that were left on the plate at the end of the meal, I would guess that it tasted as good a it looked. I ordered the seven-vegetable couscous "stew." Couscous is my favorite starch and I generally love middle eastern food, so this seemed like a good bet. The stew's broth was mildly-spiced, with a hint of saffron that gave it a great color, but the vegetables were largely indistinguishable. One of the almost tasted a little pickled, which was not a good pairing for the dish. The couscous was fluffy and well-made and was a great way to soak up some of the broth.

I tried to be intentionally good in ordering the vegetarian dinner, in that I knew before we even walked in the door, that I would be ordering a giant slab of cake for dinner. Last time we were at Geoffrey's we have Devil's Food cake with buttercream icing. I'd been dreaming of it ever since. I hogged nearly the whole piece for myself, giving Paul only the most cursory of bites. As I remembered, the icing was to die for - sweet, thick, and smooth. The cake was a little on the dry, crumbly side from having been refrigerated, but I was willing to forgive it for its heavenly topping.

I'd give Geoffrey's Cafe, at 4257 Washington Street in Roslindale, a B. If making your way in the world today takes everything you've got, head to Geoffrey's. Order a burger and bask in the warmth of the servers doting on you. Oh, and tell Sam I sent you.