Dinner at Coppa

I've heard fantastic things about Coppa, in Boston's South End but I've apparently turned into one of those people. Those people, meaning the people who only eat in their own neighborhood or town. Now, there's nothing wrong with being one of those people, especially if you live in a neighborhood like mine (Central Square) with an abundance of fantastic restaurants. Now don't get me wrong, the South End isn't far away, but it's been a miserable winter and the last thing I want to do is walk/wait for the bus/train. I know I'm not the only one.

However, I've heard so many great things about Coppa that I have been anxious to go there and check it out. So, I made the trek across town....and am I glad I did.

Coppa does not take reservations. Like most restaurants in the South End, it's small (but that's not a bad thing) but cozy. the 10ish seat bar is a good place to wait for a table. We were quoted a 45 minute wait for a table for two. We took a look at the drink list and I headed to the bar. Before even making eye contact with the bartender, the people in front of me stood up to get seated - so we took their seats at the bar. Most of the time I prefer eating my meal at the bar, so this was perfect.

Everything we ordered was fantastic. We started with the duck proscuitto and the coppa salumi, and somehow the meal went up from there. Everything was so fresh - the meats were sliced to order and most of the small plates were prepared right at the bar - one of the benefits of my front-row seat was to see everything being prepared.

The next few small plates - burrata (fabulous, with a touch of sweetness in the honey), beef tongue (interesting texture and taste) and anchovies (white ones, my absolute favorite) were enjoyable, and I appreciated that they were staggered so we could enjoy each on its own without mixing flavors.

Our 'main course' was the carbonara and the brussel sprouts. I loved carbonara, and it's not something I order often because of it's richness, there's only so much you can eat. The portion appears to be small, but because of the richness of the dish, it's just right. It's was a good entree to share, since we had already had a good amount of starters. The brussel sprouts are oven roasted and drenched (in a good way) in horseradish, and were a wonderful accompaniment.  We finished the meal with my favorite dessert - cheese and a Miller High Life pony.

Coppa is a must-try. I am looking forward to the warmer weather to enjoy some of their great food and drinks on the patio!