The short list of desserts features beauties like lemon pot de crème ($9), its velvety custard contrasted with brightly flavored huckleberries; the accompanying rosemary-tinged shortbread cookies would make a satisfying dessert by themselves. Service is brisk, amiable, and well-versed in the seasonal ingredients that drive the menu. The rather sparely decorated dining room and bar, little more than exposed brick walls and Edison bulbs, is loud when the house is packed. Your Bostonian friends might be skeptical, but alongside new neighbors like Farmstead Table, Sycamore makes the case that some restaurants in the 'burbs are good enough that they'd thrive in the city, too.
>> @MCSLIMJB
SYCAMORE :: 755 Beacon St, Newton :: 617.244.4445 or sycamorenewton.com
Related:
Roast Duck Breast at Farmstead Table, Grilled Lamb Skewer at Daddy Jones, Pat Woodbury’s roasted clams at BoMA Restaurant + Bar, More 
- Roast Duck Breast at Farmstead Table
How does a suburban restaurant compete with urban hotspots like Boston's Seaport, with its slew of chain outlets with big marketing budgets, easy interstate access, and abundant cheap parking?
- Grilled Lamb Skewer at Daddy Jones
If there's a word that annoys me in restaurant reviews, it's "authentic," as the writer is usually assuming some authority on the cuisine that is probably unmerited.
- Pat Woodbury’s roasted clams at BoMA Restaurant + Bar
Boston's South End is in the midst of a renaissance as a dining destination: recent hits like Kitchen, Yakitori Zai, and Vejigantes are soon to be joined by newcomers Cinquecento, Boston Chops, Five Horses Tavern, and Estelle's.
- Porchetta arrosto at Cinquecento
As a South Ender, I find it easy to admire the smooth professionalism and crowd-pleasing instincts of the Aquitaine Group, which operates six of its eight restaurants in the neighborhood, including Metropolis, Union, Aquitaine, and Gaslight.
- Lamb belly at Puritan & Company
By about the end of 2011, restaurant-industry PR people had already worn out the phrase "farm to table."
- A mobile farmers’ market revs up
The USDA defines a "food desert" as any location without a grocery store within a one-mile radius.
- Bee’s Knees takes flight: Chef Jason Owens readies his gourmet grocery
"There was a bit of a setback with the wood for the floors," Jason Owens says, a facemask hanging from his neck and a trucker hat perched on his head, his easygoing Nashville drawl rising above the sound of electric saws.
- The challenge? Turn Valentine’s candy into haute cuisine — no desserts allowed
As adults, we find ourselves missing those halcyon years when Valentine's Day was just a Halloween knock-off with no pressure and lots of processed sugar.
- On the Cheap: Banh Mi House
A newcomer to our city's unfortunately anemic banh mi scene, Banh Mi House is located in the urban hellscape we call Downtown Crossing, tucked into a small, difficult-to-find quasi food court.
- Five Courses with: Louis DiBiccari of Tavern Road
When chef Louis DiBiccari wants something, he makes it happen.
- The steep ascent of Tea Cuvée
We've all been told that once upon a time, angry Bostonians dumped three shiploads of English tea in the harbor to protest taxes, but let's be real here — it was probably just really shitty tea, and they were doing what any of us would do when continually plied with subpar beverage choices.
- Less
Topics:
Restaurant Reviews
, Newton, Food Coma, food features, More
, Newton, Food Coma, food features, Sycamore, Less
