No.9 Park — Restaurant in Boston

The debut restaurant of a chef who grew up in public housing projects in South Boston, No. 9 Park's name refers to its address on the ground floor of a Beacon Hill townhome in the heart of the city, virtually across the street from the State House. The location thusly attracts many of the kind of pols and businessmen responsible for the very policies and avarice that undoubtedly contributed to Barbara Lynch's early impoverishment. Vengeance would be tempting, but Lynch did better: she made No. 9 Park into one of Boston's best restaurants, and herself into one of America's most revered chefs and businesswomen.

Despite possessing elegance in spades, No. 9 Park is no dollhouse. Tables are minimally decorated, and unassuming chairs are provided for comfort rather than ornamentation. Brown wood paneling creates an upscale feel without necessarily being fancy. The food looks appetizing, but not in an OCD "let's break out the tweezers" way like at Lynch's newer, swankier, 'Relais & Châteaux'-listed flagship restaurant, Menton.

Here, the usage of cutting-edge culinary technology is kept minimal, along with flavors and ingredients that are kept basic. Despite that, there is perhaps more than meets the eye to a lot of the dishes, such as the famed Bolognese sauce that Serious Eats' J. Kenji López-Alt recently revealed was buoyed by pulverized chicken livers as its "secret ingredient" during his stint in the kitchen at No. 9 Park.

Barbara Lynch's restaurants love French and Italian cuisines and finding the interplay between both. The best example of this is No. 9 Park's foie gras-infused Gnocchi stuffed with prune purée, which has been on the menu since forever and is one of my favorite bites of food in all of Boston, if not all of anywhere. This is a complex dish, with a taste of prune that is delightful yet "fleeting," chased down one's gullet by an oaky nuttiness from the almonds. Another pasta dish I recently enjoyed was No. 9 Park's ultra-rich farfalle in its delectable gravy sauce made of braised boar, with fennel caramelized to the point of being crispy. Thankfully I had this as part of a tasting, because a regular entrée-sized bowl could stop hearts, both figuratively and literally. Similarly, the butter-poached salmon was about as rich of a salmon dish as one will eat. This is not a restaurant I'd go to while dieting.

Although non-Bostonians may mistake any collection of regulars in the saloon as evidence of provinciality, there is no mistaking the fact that No. 9 Park is a lively restaurant with a unique social atmosphere encouraged by jovial servers who react to your needs before you are even aware of them. In my half-dozen or so visits, I have always had fantastic service here. During my most recent meal, I casually shared with my waiter my preference for "whole" foie gras dishes over terrines and was surprised with a "bonus dish" with my tasting: a swoon-worthy plate of seared Hudson Valley foie gras over a pile of satiny duck confit and pomegranate with a pair of sweet potato agnolotti, which were beautiful little dumplings filled with nothing short of nirvana.

I consider the Chef's Tasting Menu one of the best-value dégustations in Boston, as there are always bonuses and treats added in addition to the stated courses, which are all of decent size. During my most recent visit (February 2018), the Chef's Tasting Menu was $125, plus 7% tax, plus tip. You could spend a lot more for a lot less in Boston.

No. 9 Park is turning 20 years old in a few weeks. In many other cities, it could qualify as a "historic" restaurant. Yet, to me, each visit to this excellent restaurant still feels new and fresh, which is part of what makes it a...

The best parts of the Prix Fixe menu are the "supplements." Out of the 18 items on this pared-down menu I have tasted 11. The clear winners are the Prune Stuffed Gnocchi, the Duet of Rohan Duck, and the Chocolate Soufflé. All of these items come with an upcharge ($6, $12, and $7). These dishes are clearly superior, so I would call this justified. There are clear losers on the menu as well - these being the Duet of Lamb, Wagyu Bavette, along with the Mango and Pineapple desserts. Overall a good experience, but I think there are better options in town (Tasting Counter comes to mind) for just a slightly higher price point. Follow my guide to the best dishes below to avoid the pitfalls, and let No. 9 shine for you.

First Course: Raw Bar - I can't say firsthand, but my tablemate seemed satisfied by the selection. Red Snapper Crudo - The flavors dance in this well-balanced dish. Ricotta Fritters - If you want dessert before your meal, this one's for you. The sweetness of the honey is lovely alongside the puffball fritters. Simple, but good. Steak Tartare - A solid choice. The well-seasoned tartare is paired with what I can only describe as "elevated chips (crisps) and onion dip." And that isn't knocking the pairing, as it works surprisingly well.

Mid Course: Gnocchi - Hard to resist when the server says it is the signature dish, and I can see why. The fois gras is seasoned and seared to perfection. Prune actually works here, and isn't overpowering.

Entrées: Octopus - Solid, great flavor, though the crispy bits were a bit too crispy. Duck - Superior in every way. Well rendered fat, cooked to perfection. Lamb - Lamb itself was lacking in gusto, there was too much black garlic puree on the plate. Wagyu - Not a good steak. You're better off with a filet at a chain restaurant.

Dessert: Mango - Uninspired. Pick around until you find the good parts. Pineapple - Basically the same dish as the mango, but with a different fruit. Soufflé - Powerful, but not too decadent. Perfect note to end the night.

Drinks: For drinks, just go with cocktails. The wine pairing is good, and the story that come from the sommelier is always pleasant.

Wine: I would say that unless you work with your sommelier about your likes and dislikes, you are better off getting a few glasses of your favorite.

Cocktails: "Science? Math? Economics?" - A great drink. Well balanced with the acidity of the rice vinegar, which is the perfect pairing for sesame.

Son of the Sun - The Yellow Chartreuse shines through on this one. Good, but I can't say it is my favorite Chartreuse drink by a long shot.

Naked-Groni - It is naked all right, and smooth as a baby's bottom. It is almost too smooth. This could be right for you if you aren't expecting to be blown away...

A good fine dining experience is the trinity of unique menu, masterful execution, and flawless service. As Barbara Lynch's flagship restaurant, No. 9 Park nails each of those aspects, and is at the equivalent level of a Michelin 1-star.

Ms. Lynch's signature style comes across as the playful juxtaposition between sweet and savory notes. The signature dish, the prune stuffed gnocchi, was emblematic of such a style: the rich sweetness of the prunes contrasted beautifully with the buttered texture of the gnocchi. Another standout dish was the scallop crudo, where the gooseberrries' tartness served as a compliment to the sweetness of the chilled scallops.

The menu at No. 9 park is laid out as a 4 course prix-fixe, with optional wine pairings. This was a welcome depature from the 'tasting menu' or 'chefs whims' menu style, as No. 9 Park allowed us to tailor our dining experience. There were several items with 'supplements', such as the famous gnocchi, the additional pricing of which felt a bit tactless (I would rather just pay a slightly elevated base price for the entire meal, regardless of item choices).

We opted to pair our first two courses with the cocktail menu and were delighted by their creativity and cohesiveness. While an unconventional approach to fine dining, this direction elevated the No. 9 Park dining experience to a new level by highlighting the restaurant's creative approach to flavors. The 'Science, Math, Economics' was a unique spirit forward gin concoction with a rice vinegar finish that is worth experiencing. Another standout cocktail is the 'Mise en Rose', in which the fenugreek pulls together plum, scotch and rum with an ethereal finish.

In each of the courses, there was demonstration of masterful execution. The scallop crudo was chilled, which had a lovely interplay with the room-temperature snap peas and radishes. The plating was executed well, if not daringly creative. Only the foie-gras has some playful plating elements with the splatter of cherries.

The dessert portion of the meal was like sliding securely to home base. Crowd favorites like the chocolate soflee would please any chocolate fan and the pineapple dish was a light, fun way to finish a meal for someone who prefers a fruit-forward dessert. The simplicity in the dessert course nods to, rather than upstaging, the preceding courses.

Finally, our server/sommelier, Nick, was attentive, knowledgeable, and efficient. His wine pairing suggestions for our main course were creative, expanding our taste profiles by recommending both a comfy Bordeaux and a palate expanding Austrian red. Service was impeccably timed, and led to very pleasant dinner conversation.

In conclusion, I would recommend No. 9 Park as the pinnacle of Boston...