Back Bay Guide
November 14, 2003

The SoWa Union

by Martha Ballard

Restaurants are popping open all over town, and the Washington Street corridor in the newly dubbed SoWa district of the South End is brimming with dining options. This revitalized area, one that barely offered a pizzeria or a breakfast diner as the new millennium rolled in, is now a Mecca for the hungry hordes.

The latest entry is the Union Bar and Grille, which opened this fall on Washington, just across from the Cathedral, on the corner of Union Park Street. It's a new concept from the Aquitaine Group, the culinary band that brought us Aquitaine and Metropolis on Tremont Street and manages the reinvented Armani Cafe in Back Bay.

It's a fine concept for this reinvigorated area, beginning with a stylish bar large enough for gathering, and understated, neutral decor in the large main dining room, created by restaurant design wizard Peter Niemitz. The feel is open and airy, with high ceilings, shiny black leather banquettes, and quirky neo-Medieval candlestick chandeliers. Carefully positioned tilted mirrors behind the banquettes give wall-facing diners a view of the constantly changing scene, keeping everyone in on the activity.

The food is straightforward, designed to deliver uncomplicated, contemporary cuisine. Designed by Executive Chef Seth Woods in collaboration with on-site Chef de Cuisine Stephen Sherman, the menu promises solid choices and a hearty style.

We started with a selection of appetizers, some substantial enough to serve as mini meals. The smoked Menemsha bluefish was an almost translucently thin sheaf, the texture soft, melting away in your mouth and leaving a smoky essence behind. Accompanied by a refreshing mixture of small cubed apples, walnuts, and celery, it was a great starter. The spaghettini was made with finely chopped crabmeat, delivering the scent of the ocean, and highlighted with lemon, parsley, and marjoram. Our favorite was a robust risotto, made with whole kernels of sweet corn, green onions, and roasted peppers, accented with chunks of Andouille sausage, which gave the dish an overall resonant flavor.

Entrees are complete, hearty meals in themselves. The grilled swordfish steak was sweetened with a balsamic brown butter and served atop a chunky, savory hash of halved brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. Rib eye steak was served with a bourbon cream, grilled onions, and whipped potatoes. The substantial grilled poussin dinner arrived with a mound of chicken pieces, including 2 legs and other assorted cuts, a perfect hands-on meal. And in this season, of course there is rack of lamb, here finished with a mission fig glaze and accompanied by an interesting Jerusalem artichoke gratin. Surprisingly, there were also offerings on the sandwich side: a burger of beef and Andouille sausage with cheddar cheese, and a classic ReubenÑboth served with fries.

Desserts, created by Pastry Chef Joshua Steinberg, were engaging and flavorful. The brown sugar cheesecake, served with an apple confiture, was light and creamy, with pistachio in the crust adding a crunchy note. The lemon cream tart came with raspberries and a dollop of basil ice cream, and the dark chocolate offering was a fondant, paired with huckleberry sherbet.

The wine list is an American symphony, traveling from the Willamette Valley in Oregon for pinot gris to Long Island for the final cabernet sauvignon, only venturing abroad for sparklers. It's a great idea for a restaurant named "Union." As with the other Aquitaine Group restaurants, it also has a full bar, and stocks some interesting after dinner options, including an atypically soothing camomile-infused grappa by Marolo, and a tart lemoncello, an ideal final treat for a satiated palate.

A Sunday brunch is scheduled to debut later this year, a very fortunate note for the neighborhood that is quickly filling with new condo dwellers, from Rollins Square to Minot Hall.

This portion of Washington Street is booming. With Union joining Pho Republique, Caffe Umbra, and Gallia, all within a very short walk, a wide variety of dining options are now available in a very concentrated area. Slightly further afield, the Red Fez, Dish, and the Franklin Cafe offer even more variety. It's a critical mass, enough to make this part of the South End a dining destination. Union is a solid addition to SoWa, and to the Washington Street restaurant row.

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