A Good Sport

I started my first professional job about two weeks after I graduated from college. I was so excited to get into the world, make some money, and start my "real" life. Moron. If I'd only known then what I know now, I would have spent the entire summer at my parents' house, sleeping till noon and having my dad make me dinner every night. More than a decade later, I have a true appreciation for time off - especially when that comes in the form of playing hooky for the day.

Skipping work is just what Paul and I did last Monday. We thought that we'd make a day of it and head down to the waterfront, have a late lunch, and take in the Shepard Fairey exhibit at the ICA. When looking for a hooky-worthy lunch in the Fort Point neighborhood, there is only one destination - Sportello, one of the newest stars in Barbara Lynch's restaurant constellation. Lynch must feel that the formerly-all-but-deserted Fort Point area is pretty darn special - Sportello is only one of three establishments that she is now running there. The others include Drink, a sleek, modernist cocktail bar and 9 at Home, her catering business that she relocated.

Sportello is italian for "counter service" and, according to the restaurant's website, it's "a modern interpretation of the classic lunch counter." Well, if a lunch counter can turn out dense, handmade pastas, an exquisite, hand-picked wine list, and desserts worthy of a magazine cover, than, sure, this is a lunch counter. Sportello's design and atmosphere is pretty much just what you'd expect - a smallish room, with a white counter that snakes through the space, a long open kitchen, and a cooler in the back with takeout specialties and a case full of chocolates and dessert. Typical of Lynch's style, the restaurant is clean and bright, and almost austere. We arrived on the late side and we were able to snag stools at a corner, which made for easier conversation. While sitting at the counter was totally appropriate for lunch, I am not sure how it would translate for dinner - definitely not a good choice for a first date, that's for certain.

While we scanned the menu / paper place mat (in quintessential lunch counter style), I sipped a glass of superb Italian red whose name - regrettably - I can't recall. At lunch, there are only three varietals of red and three whites available by the glass. Though the list is concise, the server was very helpful in choosing something that matched my request. While choosing our meals, we were also treated to fresh, chewy bread served with a small pot of semi-sweet ricotta sprinkled with sea salt and a drizzle of honey, dotted with golden raisins. It was an unexpected pairing and quite tasty.

Out first was a large bowl of the spicy tomato soup with caraway grilled cheese. While I didn't find the soup remotely spicy, it was divinely creamy and smooth, with bright tomato flavor. However, the star was the sandwich served on the side - unbelievably thin slices of long Italian bread with a delicate filling of sharp cheese, grilled to crispy perfection. It was so good, I wanted to figure out how to fashion it into a spoon to scoop up the soup. For our entrees, Paul ordered a pressed sandwich with prosciutto, Gruyere, and a sweet-tangy pepper relish. The sandwich was fairly standard, but the relish gave it a unique pop of flavor. I ordered the rabbit with green olives, served over homemade strozzapreti pasta - 'cause, you know, if you're playing hooky - go big or go home. It was spectacular. The rabbit was light and meaty, nicely balanced with the briny olives. The pasta, bathed in a simple, broth-y sauce, was dense with the perfect al dente bite. And for $15, it was an absurd bargain. Did I mention that I am newly a big fan of lunch? It's a great way to go gourmet, but still watch your wallet!

Ok, the meal was great. I expected it to be great... I mean, it's Barbara Lynch, for goodness sakes. What I didn't anticipate was dessert. When you are skipping work for the day, you gotta get dessert, right? I ordered the caramel pudding cake, while Paul sampled a few chocolates from the dessert case. The chocolate was nice, but nothing remarkable. The pudding cake, however, was - hands down - one of the finest sweets that has ever met my mouth. The cake was moist and rich with an almost burnt sugar essence, topped with a drizzle of creme fraiche that kept it from being too cloyingly sweet. Sprinkled on top was salted toffee that finished the dish perfectly, balancing both the flavor and texture of the dish.

In the end, it turned out that the ICA is closed on Mondays and our day didn't quite come together the way we expected. But it didn't really matter... when you get to have lunch at Sportello, you have to consider it well-worth the vacation day.

I'd give Sportello, at 348 Congress Street in Boston, an A-. Remember, when you reach the pearly gates, you are never going to think to yourself, "I sure wish that I'd worked more." Take the day off. Treat yourself to lunch.