Tavolo
1918 Dorchester Ave
Dorchester, MA
While you were all at home sleeping it off on Saturday, I was out cruising the sunny streets of Dorchester, headed to Tavolo for an early afternoon demonstration and tasting.
Together with Mayflower Brewing Company, Tavolo provided an opportunity to learn, dine and drink for the reasonable price of $45/person. This fee encompassed a tutorial/demonstration on the anatomy and butchery of a Lamb, a 3 course meal, Mayflower beer pairings for each course, a cute take home guide, measurement magnet (which we should all have) and a key chain bottle opener. I love goodies.
This event was full of groups, couples and families. Me? I was flying solo. It was a bit of a bummer not to have anyone to chat with, especially when I saw the chefs carry out a full lamb on their shoulders and plop it down on the demo table. I would like to have had someone there I could have made an inappropriate joke to or something! The demo itself was fascinating. I feared it might be too overwhelming for my threshold, but it was tasteful, clean and unobtrusive. I learned a lot and felt educated about what I eat, where it comes from and the hows/whys/whats I never would have considered asking. This may seem odd to you, but I really like food and it's interesting to me.
One thing I learned is that Lamb is pretty pricey for restaurants to buy. Over the years it has gone up in price quite considerably because it's such a premium meat. And unlike other meats, you're not going to be cooking anything in lamb's fats. Lamb stock/fats, apparently, are not desirably for cooking, the way, say, duck fat is.
To be honest with you, I'd never really eaten a lot of lamb. It was never served in my house and it has never occurred to me to order it out at restaurants when/if I've seen it. The 3 course meal they served was very exciting for me.
1st course: Braised Lamb ribs w/ citrus slaw, balsamic glaze, spicy nuts
Pairing: Mayflower Spring Ale
Another thing I never really eat: ribs. I have to say, these were delicious. Initially I began using my fork to eat the meat off the bone, but after I while I just thought, "Screw 'em, Angus" and used my hands. Looking around me, everyone else was, too. The seasoning had a nice little kick which was offset by the slaw. The group of guys next to me loved the kick.
2nd course: Lamb shoulder ravioli w/ fava puree, sheep's milk ricotta, shard and pecorrino
Pairing: Mayflower Pale Ale
If this could be an every day menu item, I would eat at Tavolo every night. Fava bean puree? I'm going to be in my kitchen for a week trying to replicate this. Maybe longer, a week is giving me too much credit. The ravioli itself was perfect and addictive. I really like the shard and the cheese together with the lamb. I can't get over how good this was.
3rd course: Lamb Rib Chop w/ sunflower seeds, farro salad, olives, arugula
Pairing: Mayflower IPA
This is the dish that made me laugh out loud. Not because it was funny, but because it was so good, I couldn't believe I was experiencing this on my own. In particular, I thought of Roomie, who was missing out on an incredible ending to an incredible experience. There was not too much going on with the lamb, other than the fact that it was cooked perfectly and tasted so fresh. The farro salad was amazing and hearty. I even ate the olives because I was so happy!
In regards to the beers that we tasted, I have to say that my favorite was the Pale Ale. The only times I really talked was to the nice group of gentlemen who were kind enough to include me in the conversations comparing each beer. There was much debate.
The experience at Tavolo was rewarding in many ways, so hopefully I can snag some partners in crime the next time I go! Aside from that, I will definitely be frequenting Tavolo for regular dining occasions and you should, too.
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