Delfino Restaurant
Wednesday, September 01, 2010 at 07:08 AM | Posted by caroloc
Delfino Restaurant
754 South Street
Roslindale, MA 02131
By Rachel Lebeaux
Atmosphere:
Delfino Restaurant, nestled in Roslindale Village, has expertly crafted Italian cuisine and is considered by many the culinary crown jewel of the Parkway. Ruben Diaz, the chef in training alongside longtime head chef JoAnne LeBlanc, says diners might shrug when they see Italian staples like chicken parmesan or pasta with red sauce on the menu, but the high-quality food is prepared with a lot of care, and he swears Delfino’s take on these dishes will probably be the best you’ve ever had.
“Even the tomato sauce is meticulously cooked,” Diaz said. “[Owner Stephen Judge’s] philosophy on our food is it’s got to be made with love, and if he doesn’t love it, it doesn’t leave the kitchen.”
The restaurant thrives on word of mouth and its neighborhood reputation. On a recent Wednesday evening, it was packed, and the maitre d’, Michael, clearly knew many returning customers well. 
The dimly lit 15-table dining room is brightened in the early evening by a gorgeous bay window with a rounded booth tucked into it. Food-themed murals decorate the upper walls, colorful depictions of pastoral picnics in the Italian countryside resplendent with wine, fresh fruit and vegetables. The open kitchen is tucked into the corner, where you can watch the chefs prepare your dishes and see them occasionally lean over the bar to chat with customers. Upbeat jazz music sets a breezy feel, and the conversation level can get a little loud but it’s nothing you can’t chat over. So settle into your seat, study the menu and prepare to dive into a low-key, memorable feast.
Drinks:
The wine list at Delfino isn’t long but it’s packed with good-value wines that pair well with the kitchen’s classic Italian fare. The Saint M Riesling from Chateau Ste. Michelle ($5.50/glass, $22/bottle) is a bubbly, sweet wine with peach and apricot flavors and a crisp acidity that goes well with the chicken and seafood specialties. The Malbec Catena ($7.75/glass, $30/bottle), according to our waitress Emily, would stand up well to my main course, and she was right: The deep, dark red was robust, spicy and aromatic, with fruity and floral notes and a luxurious finish. There are also beers on the menu for $4.95.
Appetizers:
The simple preparation of seafood dishes here relies on hearty helpings of quality ingredients. The mussels ($8.95) come with a choice of red, white or fra diavolo sauces, and we opted for the white, with garlic and olive oil. They weren’t kidding about the garlic: If the baddies from “Twilight” ever appear at your doorstep, you’d be well served to have this dish as your defense. Fanned across the plate with parsley sprinkled around the edge, these mussels were absolutely suffused with giant slices of fresh garlic and a not-too-oily sauce that I lapped up with the leftover bread from the bread basket. Addictive? I’d say so, and a heaping portion for the price. I’m already planning a return visit to sample the other two varieties.
On special this evening, the two baked figs ($9.95) wrapped in prosciutto nailed the sweet-and-salty contrast, but the real highlight of the dish was the dreamy gorgonzola fondue slathered underneath them. 
It was a little odd – there’s a part of me that felt like the elements didn’t hold together as well as they could have. But the gorgonzola paired with the soft figs and thin layers of prosciutto reminded me of a great pizza I tried last year, minus all that bread – never a bad thing, considering how carb-heavy other Italian courses tend to be!
You can also start your meal off with pan-seared scallops dressed in a truffle vinaigrette and served with sweet corn ($10.95), broccoli raab sautéed with sliced garlic, hot pepper flakes and extra virgin olive oil ($8.95), the classic Caesar salad ($5.95) and grilled Tuscan bruschetta with roasted eggplant caponata, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese ($9.95).
