Good choices: Pate plate; marinated mussels; chicken pesto with pasta; salmon with wild mushroom cream; Mediterranean seafood stew; tenderloin tips; Normandy apple crepes.
Hours: Both locations, dinner Sunday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 5-11 p.m.
Reservations accepted for any number in Charlestown; 4 or more, Brookline. No smoking in either location.
Credit cards: All major cards.
Access: Charlestown, fully accessible; Brookline one step up.
DUCKWORTH LANE BISTRO
83 Main St., Charlestown
(617) 242-6009
Restaurant reviewed 04/07/97 by Alison Arnett
The glow from the Charlestown restaurant window beckoned, and the greeting inside was just as heartening. Patrons laughed at the long bar and others chatted at the tables. There was a feeling of camaraderie and a graciousness to the way one was led to the table, the order for something to drink taken.
Another evening, a Brookline location: The maitre'd asked our party of women to move away from the door, then away from the bar, then away from a table. His brusqueness continued as we were finally seated and then seemed to be conveyed to the waiter who was not unfriendly but flip and impatient.
Two restaurants. Same name, same owners. To be fair, Duckworth Lane Bistro and Wine Bar in Charlestown is the much larger establishment of the two and part of the comfort of being there had to do with the feeling of spaciousness. But, at least on the night we visited, the busy Brookline Duckworth felt cramped in spirit as well as space.
It's all in the attitude. A restaurant can be a wonderfully soothing haven from the world, making the food almost a side event. Or the cool greeting at the door can give the evening a gray disposition.
These restaurants, owned by Barbara Russell and partners, are designed, she said in a phone interview, to be the casual choice in a neighborhood environment. And for this age of restaurant-as-living-room, the comfortable upholstered banquettes and soft lighting plus a wide range of menu choices and reasonable prices all combine to achieve that aim quite well. Even the paintings crowding the walls, described on the menu as "yard art," can jumpstart a flagging conversation. Many look like one of your talented sister's high school forays into portraiture; others are more amateur. One can imagine dropping by for supper after a busy day at work, settling in for a chat, chuckling at the artwork and sampling food that's comforting without being too challenging.
Some of the dishes on the long menu, the same at both locations, are definitely worth seeking out. The Charlestown chef is Ed McDonald; in Brookline, it's Jose Restrepo. Though influences from Mexican, Spanish and Indian cuisine sprinkle the mix, the homier, more Mediterranean and mainstream selections were better bets. A seafood stew in a fragrant tomato broth laced with fennel and saffron tasted of the ocean, its chunks of salmon and mussels nice accent points. But the fish itself was almost superfluous against the richness of the soup.
Tenderloin tips in a red wine sauce tasted very much like pot roast, but a good version. The meat was fork-tender, and went well with only slightly garlicky mashed potatoes, big chunks of intensely glazed carrots and buttered green beans. Trout with a spikey-flavored stuffing of olives, lots of parsley and bread crumbs was also pleasing with the same accompaniment of carrots, sweet with glazing.
A long strip of salmon in a light, creamy sauce with a few mushrooms was also good, accompanied by great mashed potatoes almost unadorned so one got the taste of the vegetable rather than cream and butter. A bistro plate selection of chicken, a light pesto and linguine made for a filling, if unexciting, meal.
But there were also a fair number of clunkers. Chicken and lamb korma, in a thick, pale sauce, bore almost no flavor, certainly not overpowering in spices, but then not discernibly Indian either. Little dishes of curried cauliflower, eggplant and lentils also were bland. And how did bananas, orange slices and a couple of cherry tomatoes find their way as garnishment onto this Indian entree?
Asparagus rolls - dried-out spears and slivers of red onion wrapped up in cold tortillas - seemed to be a throwback to cocktail party offerings of yore. Crostini was spread with a variety of toppings: black olive tapenade, romescu of roasted red peppers and almonds and pesto, but all were spare and dried out and the toast almost burnt.
Marinated mussels sandwiched between toast rounds were quite good, although the percentage of toast to shellfish was too high to make the dish generous. A smoky seafood and duck liver pate with toast was more satisfying. The modestly named garden salad which combined chopped tomatoes, peppers and onions over mesclun greens was a bounteous display and very good.
Duckworth Lane has a nice range of wines with prices in the high teens and 20s; the selection and prices of wines by the glass are particularly good.
Desserts aren't neglected here with a long list of rich-sounding concoctions. The best was one of Normandy apple crepes, a fine balance of fruit against thin crepes, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Chocolate terrine was frozen so hard that even diligent prodding by forks and spoons didn't dislodge much more than a few morsels. And a chocolate mousse layered with whipped cream was only so-so in taste.
When talking about restaurants, the whole experience ought to be taken into account, as much as possible. The Duckworth Lane bistros, under the same ownership as Chanterelle on Newbury Street, fill a niche. At their best, they're cheerful spots to dine and socialize. You wouldn't go there for the most spectacular cooking of your life, but then that's not what's always needed. These are everyday restaurants that fill a need in modern urban life.
Tips & hits
