I don't have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to write about how wonderful my meal was last night. It certainly will go down in my memory as one of the best meals I have had. The food, service, ambiance, and attention to detail all combined to make for a fantastic experience from start to finish at Jody Adam's Cambridge restaurat, Rialto at the Charles Hotel.I arrived there at around 5:45 and found a cozy bar stool in the corner to wait for Dan to join me. I had initially only planned on attending their complimentary wine tasting, which takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 on Wednesdays. Dan and I were going to eat a light bite at the bar after he finished up his teaching from their affordable bar menu, but I decided that having a meal in the dining room was long overdue, being that Rialto is such a mainstay in the Boston/Cambridge culinary scene. My birthday is coming up soon, so I figured a little impromptu splurge dining experience could be justified.
I had met Brad Nugent, sommelier, earlier in the day at the Austrian wine tasting event that day. I was at once reminded of how small Boston is. Brad was congenial and solicitous, asking about my trip to the museum earlier that afternoon and pouring me two tastes of wine: Crios Torrontes and Torbreck Shiraz. Both of the wines were tasty, and I couldn't believe that this is offered every Wednesday for free. Some complimentary appetizers arrived, and a few minutes later, chef Jody Adams herself came over.
