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Mount Blue
Two years ago, Jane and Patrick Bowe left Boston for the 'burbs; the city's loss has been the South Shore's gain.
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MOUNT BLUE
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Where: 707 Main St., Norwell.
Telephone: 781-659-0050.
Prices: Appetizers $3.75-$8, entrees $8.25-$23, desserts $3.75-$5.
Good choices: BBQ chicken and roasted corn taco; baked cherrystones; pad Thai; penne, beets and creamy Gorgonzola; pork tenderloin with roasted shallots; chocolate marquise; blueberry bread pudding.
Hours: Sun.-Mon. 5-9:30 p.m., Tues.-Thurs. 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 5-10:30 p.m. Lunch served 12-5 except Sundays.
Noise level: Moderate.
Credit cards: All major cards.
Access: Fully accessible.
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The couple, whose resume includes running Harvest in Harvard Square and Rocco's and the Noodle Bar downtown, have hit upon a winning combination of dining and decor with their latest venture, Mount Blue.
The Norwell restaurant occupies a spacious spot vacated by an old tavern. Jane Bowe redesigned the space, painting it various shades of blue - natch - such as periwinkle and indigo, with warm accents of orange, purple, and green. Everywhere are funky pieces of folk art, from the art-deco lamps on each of the 5-foot-long, cushioned booths, to the wooden chickens roosting on the rafters.
The menu is American cafe style with ethnic twists, such as Cuban pork ($13), roasted slowly and served with black beans, rice, and plantains; and pad Thai ($12-$14), spiked with cilantro, peanuts, jumbo shrimp, and chunks of chicken. The latter is better than what we've had in Thai restaurants.
For a happy start, try the baked cherrystones ($7), which share their shells with oven-roasted tomatoes, bacon, and shallots. Or the taco plate ($6.50), which pairs barbecue chicken with roasted corn and melted pepper jack cheese rolled up on a bed of mesclun.
The fried haddock and homemade chips ($11) are served on a brown paper bag. The fish, a hefty chunk, is surprisingly light, the crisp waffle chips salty and addictive.
Room must be found for dessert, especially the chocolate marquise ($5), a rich flourless terrine bathed in a pistachio creme anglais.
It's obvious that the Bowes have children: The kids' menu includes the usual suspects (from burgers to pizza) at $4 each.
Service here is attentive and informative without being intrusive. Aerosmith rockers Steven Tyler and Joe Perry are partners in the business; maybe that accounts for the high-quality bands that play here Wednesday through Sunday nights.
- Bella English
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