Inside Season to Taste Find the Table But Don’t You Dare Be Late

The uncertainty I felt upon approaching The Table was quickly conquered once the doors were opened. Obscured among apartment complexes and a handful of small and spread out businesses such as a liquor store, this hidden jewel is a curious surprise. With a total of seven tables, the intimate feel is definitely achieved. Hearing your neighbor’s entire conversation is also achieved. Sit at the “bar” and the intimacy is with Chef Carl Dooley and his victuals. The atmosphere’s focal point is a painting by Bernard Mink, a friend of owner Robert Harris. It is giant, blue yellow, and it’s open for interpretation.

The almost hip looking bearded host approached me after twenty minutes of my arrival to inquire about my date. I explained that a disabled train in Davis square coupled with a lost Uber driver who circled around the intricate one ways of Somerville had been the culprits and that my date was on his way. In a perfect world, this conversation which required a lot of explaining on my part should’ve ended there. But it isn’t a perfect world. The host continued to press for a specific time of my date’s arrival, proceeded to explain that his tardiness is becoming an issue since our table is scheduled to be used by another couple at 8 pm, then asked if I will be eating quickly since the table had been held up for close to a half hour. Shocked at such rigidity and wanting to diffuse the cornered feeling that overwhelmed me, I repeated that my date was on his way and that he should be arriving soon. Thankfully the host set out of my space.

After the arrival of my date, I asked the boniface to repeat what he had said to me so that he may rethink his approach in the future. Sometimes reenacting a situation in front of a different audience member brings upon a reflective perspective. He took that opportunity to clarify that he had meant to ask that I look into ordering a shorter menu, not that I eat quickly. Maybe the clarification would’ve redeemed him had the two empty tables filled up during (or after) our dining experience. When we were leaving, way before 8 pm, there were plenty of open tables. The pomposity could’ve been avoided.

This small hitch was masked by the chef’s delivery of the house-made pita bread, pistachio bean and roasted red pepper hummus spreads, and a pseudo smile. It was then that I understood why the smell of burning toast filled up the place sporadically. The open concept kitchen seems to be the new trend. I find it a bit overrated and actually degrading to the dining experience. I don’t mind appreciating a skillful artistic creation, but let’s keep a glass wall between us. The last thing I want is to smell like the smokes of grilled food. At some point during this experience I couldn’t hear what my date was saying. All I could think of was how much I wanted to eject myself outside for a fresh breath of air to clear my smoke filled lungs.

The menu is prix fixe, a four-course meal for a fitting $69. The chef must be playing on the primacy and recency effect for the first and last courses were the winners. The house-cured Scottish sea trout with cucumbers and lemon yogurt fulfill the qualities of a palate opener. While its counter choice, the Vietnamese-style beef tartare steals the show with a refreshing and a perfectly balanced garlic flavor of nuoc cham. The second course received praise from its deliverer as he claimed that it had taken the chef six weeks to perfect the making of the whole wheat ramen. Why take the gluten-free out of the noodles? I don’t know. Its al dente texture and lack of flavor made drinking the broth something I looked forward to with a fighting urge to ask for salt. Though served in the same plate, a glazed California asparagus and house-cured bacon failed to couple. Enjoyed separately, they were cooked to perfection; melting bacon, and thoroughly trimmed and meaty asparagus. The third courses were delivered by the chef who seemed in a rush and uninterested in a small chat about the viscosity of the curry sauce. The roasted sea scallops red curry needed the pork and shrimp sausage as an accompaniment to lift it up. Its perfectly squared snap peas, an indication that spring is here, added a nice green contrast to the orange sauce. Still, the first courses overshadowed the mains.

On the other hand, the finale of the meal, a good sized dome of praline completely filled with silky hazelnut chocolate pastry cream and a to die for malted milk ice cream was the star of the parade. To contrast it, a second choice of fruity tangy dessert was served with a juicy succulent tres leches cake and a passion fruit sorbet.

The after dessert free granola bar found its way into my purse and was an extremely delicious snack the next day, leaving me wanting to go back to The Table soon.