| Bay Village may be Boston's smallest | | | | artichokes and jasmine rice. You can also get a |
| neighborhood but its location next to the Boston | | | | riff on the classic French steak-frites - at Pigalle, |
| Theatre District means that Bay Village | | | | it's a juicy flank steak with peppers, French fries, |
| restaurants are top choices for before-show | | | | and creamed spinach. |
| dinners and after-show drinks, as well as fine | | | | Dessert choices at Pigalle also run to the classics - |
| dining on any other occasion. You'll find one of the | | | | creme brulee, a pineapple tart with mascarpone |
| city's best French restaurants, a top steakhouse | | | | pastry cream and chocolate sorbet, a cheese |
| located in a castle, a couple of highly regarded | | | | platter, and other tempting daily specials. |
| Italian restaurants, and a couple of more casual | | | | Erbaluce (69 Church Street) is the newest of the |
| choices tucked away in this conveniently-located | | | | Bay Village restaurants, and Boston diners are |
| neighborhood. Here are two mouth-watering | | | | quickly becoming addicted to Chef Charles Draghi's |
| options to consider. | | | | Piedmontese Italian cuisine. Named for an Italian |
| Pigalle (75 Charles Street South, next to Radisson | | | | grape, the restaurant features dishes that are |
| Hotel) is a long-time favorite with theater-goers. | | | | flavored with herbs, fruit and vegetable essences, |
| This award-winning French restaurant specializes in | | | | and cooking techniques such as roasting that bring |
| using the freshest local ingredients to prepare | | | | out the flavor of each dish - no heavy creams or |
| classic French cuisine. Chef Marc Orfaly offers an | | | | sauces here! |
| a la carte menu with daily specials, as well as | | | | The menu changes a few times each week, |
| several other options: a 3-course prix-fixe menu, a | | | | depending on what's in season and freshest in the |
| casual bar and patio menu featuring $1 oysters on | | | | markets. You'll find organic meats and produce, |
| the half shell plus many other yummy items, and | | | | plus dishes based on game such as wild boar that |
| special chef's tasting menus, with and without | | | | you don't usually find in restaurants. One of my |
| wine pairings. On Wednesdays, there's even a | | | | favorites is the spaghetti with clams in |
| "kitchen vs. bar battle" that pits 3 tastes from the | | | | fennel-tomato broth with bottarga, a pressed |
| kitchen against 3 drinks from the bar - this may | | | | block of cure tuna or mullet roe that's shaved on |
| be a battle, but it's also a win-win! | | | | top of the pasta, giving it an incredibly buttery, |
| What should you try here? For starters, think | | | | sort of caviar-like flavor - try this and you'll |
| about the spiced carrot soup with calamari and a | | | | immediately start planning your next visit to |
| touch of chorizo, or the arugula salad with fried | | | | Erbaluce. |
| goat cheese fritters. The crabcakes, and the | | | | With even more Bay Village restaurants to try in |
| charcuterie platters are also wonderful. Plus Pigalle | | | | nearby streets, you may decide to skip the |
| makes some of Boston's best French onion soup | | | | theater and just concentrate on eating. Be sure |
| with fabulous 4-cheese croutons. | | | | to walk around Bay Village afterwards to admire |
| For main courses, consider the crispy comfit duck | | | | the early 19th century Federal architecture and |
| with herb spatzle and creamed Brussels sprouts, | | | | work off all those calories! |
| or the halibut baked in a flaky crust with creamed | | | | |