Boston Restaurant Reviews, Providence Restaurant Reviews

	A sk most folks what they are looking for in a restaurant and you might be surprised at their answers. It's not the obvious food or atmosphere, but more about feeling comfortable and welcome and enjoying a great experience. As a result, one of the strongest trends in the foodservice industry is toward creating neighborhood style restaurants,
even if they are not in a residential area. The basic idea is to address the needs of the regular diner who eats out several times a week. Making these folks feel comfortable and developing a menu that is changed often enough to keep them happy, has the side effect of making a restaurant a great place for visitors or occasional diners as well. Exchange Street Bistro is in Malden (oh, go on, guess which street?) on Exchange Street is just such a location. It looks inviting from the road and offers free parking in the multi-story parking garage directly opposite. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable with several distinct areas that each have their own atmosphere. As you walk in there's an open seating area, a bar, an area of booths and a private dining room in the rear of the building. My choice is always the bar or a booth. The bar offers a great selection of cocktails that are apparently equally as popular among harnessed commuters stopping off for a "quick one" on the way home as with the late night crowd and diners wanting an appetizer at the bar.


John Carlino, GM/Owner. John was a chef before opening Exchange Street, so he knows what goes into a good meal. He is very keen to provide a comfortable and enjoyable environment for his guests.
We chose a booth and under the guidance of our waiter Tom tried out some items from the new menu. Chef Enrique Paniaqua changes the menu regularly and likes to experiment with new flavor combinations. But not to worry, the menu is very approachable and as you can see from the food shots the food is well presented with generous, but not over sized portions. I loved the tuna, which was absolutely first class fish. It was severed with a delicate green peppercorn sauce. Delicious!


Enrique Paniaqua, Executive Chef changes up the menu regularly. He likes to experiment and ensures that regulars don't get bored with the menu.
One of the outstanding things about the restaurant was the "by the glass" wine list. The wines on offer were excellent (see below) and good value for money. I have been off Pinot for a while, but loved the Mark West Pinot. It was reminiscent of a rich Merlot with a lovely ruby color and black cherry and spice aromas, finishing with nice balancing acidity and light tannins. It's one that I will hunt down at my local liquor store.


Tom Doucette, our waiter was a cheerful and helpful guide to the menu. He made us feel really welcome and helped with our choice of dishes and wines. His suggestion of a French Chardonnay with the tuna was excellent.
You can't get comfortable if the service is anything but excellent. I was both impressed with our waiter (Tom) and the other members of staff who helped us out. With owner John Carlino in the background, the restaurant hums along with a satisfying feeling that everyone is being attended to, but not fussed over. If I lived closer, it is certainly a place I would visit when hunger or the need for a convivial evening struck me - an ideal neighborhood restaurant. They have a great lunch trade and the bar is popular for drop-ins and as a meeting place. All-in-all Exchange Street hits the right note for the area and the clientele. They have a terrific menu, excellent wines and cocktails, and the service is just right.
Wines:


There was a terrific selection of house wines. We tried the following - all which were well above average for house-wines and went well with the dishes that we tried. Shooting Star, Chardonnay, California Fourteen Hands, Merlot, Washington State Mark West, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Novellum, Chardonnay, Southwest France

Daily Tapas (Chef's choice, changes daily) Nice combination of different flavors from sweet to savory. Good mix of ingredients with both hot and cold selections. The Broccoli Rabe Spring Rolls were excellent.

Sea Scallops with Lobster Raviolis - Pan seared sea scallops over lobster ravioli served with baby zucchini in a pink lobster cream sauce. The scallops were perfectly seared, cooked to medium rare. The scallops were very sweet and the lobster ravioli were a tasty complement to the scallops.

Crab & Filo - Fresh crabmeat, leeks, wrapped and baked in filo with lobster sauce and petite salad. Loads of crab in a filo basket on a lobster cream sauce.

The rack of lamb was cooked to medium rare and served with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled zucchini. It was topped with a roasted garlic demi-glaze. The sauce was rich and gravy like and added a nice flavor to the lamb.

The Ahi tuna was lightly seared and served rare. It was delicious and perfectly cooked. Served over a scallion potato pancake with a mild green peppercorn sauce with wilted arugula and pickled ginger and wasabi. The wilted arugula added a nice balance to the overall flavor.

4 Layer Chocolate Cake - Delicious and decadent.

Loads of different seating options and areas make this feel like a small intimate bistro.

The bar is excellent for either a pre-dinner drink or to just hang out and enjoy a signature martini.

I loved the booths.