Beantown Cravings

So much attention has been given to Ivy Restaurant for its impressive $26 per bottle wine list that we might forget the equally delectable, reasonably-priced food.

Ivy Restaurant, not to be confused with similarly-named L.A. celebrity haven, is tucked away right off the Common, in what some choose to call the "Ladder District." (Multiple people have attempted to explain to me how the grid of streets in that area resembles a ladder; I have yet to understand.) Wall booths and a slick bar frame the narrow first floor while more intimate tables are found on the balcony level.

Although Ivy offers a more than respectable lunch menu featuring salads, small plates, and panini, the restaurant's glowing chandeliers, deep red hues, and high ceilings give it a bordello ballroom feel that seems more fitting for evening eating.

Any dinner at the Ivy should not be rushed. In the spirit of Italian dining, I suggest you block out at least two hours to savor multiple moderately-sized courses and bottles of wine. The Per la Tavola appetizers like the Formaggio (selection of cheeses, walnuts, fruits; $14) and the Italian Butcher Block (cured meats with fresh fig!; $10) are best picked over while sharing stories with two or three companions.

More formal appetizers come in the form of primi piatti. I can't say enough about the arancini ($8-9), deepfried balls of risotto that rest on a creamy dollop of sauce. The crunchy shell quickly dissolved into a smooth interior of soft arborio rice laced with prosciutto and black truffles.

Also of note was the fleshy tuna, lightly seared with a sesame crust ($12). The supple strips benefited from the toasted sesame seeds which added a nice crunch and charcoal flavor to the rosy fish.

Piatti are the culmination of any Ivy dinner. I chose well with the signature Grilled Double Cut Pork Chop ($26), served with mashed sweet potato and spinach and drizzled with port-current gastrique. The pork was cooked impeccably and reaffirmed my decision to give up preparing serious meat at home. I could never coax the level of juicy tenderness of those Ivy porkchops, which required only a dull knife to cut. On my next visit, I look forward to enjoying a similar effect in the lamb loin chops (with a two-bean ragou; $28) or the Steak Fiorentina (with gorgonzola compound butter, asparagus, and shallots; $25). The richness of these dishes doesn't naturally inspire any pairing with side dishes, but should you desire some accompaniments I suggest the truffled mashed potatoes or herbed frites ($5).

In addition to the consumer-friendly wine list, Ivy's mixed drinks are fresh and creative. The drinkmaster mixes his own syrup and infuses his own liquours which make cocktails like the Enzo and Tuscan Autumn taste purer and less like artificially flavored punches.

The dolce at Ivy are standard but substantial: a creamy tiramisu, creme brulee, and a sugary chocolate "turtle" cheescake served with dulce de leche gelato. Espresso and cappuccino are on hand to prolong pleasant conversation and create a warm, caffeinated glow that will shield you from the cold on the walk to the T.

At some point in marathon training it becomes unclear to me whether I run to eat or eat to run. Having completed my second longish run this past Saturday (13 miles), I feel extreme carb craving setting in.

Tonight I attacked and conquered a bag of Trader Ming's Won Ton Chips.

These delectable crispy won tons are an intense "Chinese Mustard" flavor and are less greasy than the standard version found at most Chinese restaurants.

Tomorrow night I'm eating at Ivy Restaurant in the Ladder District. For months CitySearch has been badgering viewers about their "take" on the Ivy. Whatever the outcome of tomorrow night's dinner, I promise to describe the food as neither "fantastic and inventive" nor "terribly disappointing".