Dining: From the moment you enter this local neighborhood eatery, you will know you have discovered something special. From the wood floors to the brick walls, the cozy eco-friendly restaurant takes great care in being consciously aware of the environment with recycled chairs and a bar of reclaimed wood.
Instead of the typical bread basket, our server arrived with a small bowl of sweet and tangy bread and butter pickles. Our server told us the popcorn of the day was a foie gras sampling, which sounded intriguing but we went with the deviled eggs. Three perfectly boiled eggs arrived with a flavorful yolk sitting on a bed of chopped black olives. Don't miss the chef's charcuterie platter, a combination of duck prosciutto, pate and homemade linguica served on a wood board made from church pews complemented by a side of mustard, pickled onions and a crunchy baguette. The grilled beef skewers were just as good, tender and juicy, cooked with a sweet teriyaki sauce.
The neighborhood restaurant from the creators of Coda Bar and Kitchen in the South End and Common Ground Bar & Grill in Allston serves up sophisticated American comfort food. For example, the creamy baked mac and cheese that's served with taleggio cheese accompanied by a side salad tossed with a flavorful balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The wood grilled burger topped with lettuce, tomato and pickles was a little undercooked but the addicting fries more than made up for it. The hailed winner of our table was the Guinness beef barley stew loaded with egg noodles and topped with a creamy dollop of sour cream.
The menu here was developed by Canary Square's new Executive Chef Marco Suarez. In addition to his duties at Canary Square, Suarez is also a member of Mayor Menino's Urban Agriculture Working Group, which serves as an advisory board to the city on green and sustainable practices. He will also be appearing in the next season of Chopped on the Food Network.
For dessert, we couldn't resist trying the deep fried Twinkies-two sweet treats arrived dusted with powdered sugar and lightly fried for a crispy decadent indulgence. The creamy butterscotch bread pudding was served with a scoop of ice cream and provided the perfect ending to an enjoyable dinner.
Canary Square is located at 435 South Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, MA. For more information visit www.canarysquare.com or call (617) 524-2500.
