Rendezvous Central Square

This past weekend I had dinner at Rendezvous in Central Square. I've been to this restaurant a few times, but I've never actually had dinner there, (they have half-priced tapas on Monday nights, so I've done that a few times) so this was a welcome change. 


Rendezvous is a locally owned and operated restaurant that has green initiatives including a rooftop garden where they grow many of their herbs. They have a french-style menu, with many local and in season ingredients.


We started the evening with cocktails, while we looked over the menu. Cocktail choices of the night were the Mint and Cucumber (Hendricks Gin, mint, cucumber, lemon) and Orient Express (pomegranate, lemon, rose and vodka), while I had my usual (Grey Goose, dirty, with olives).

Appetizers for the evening were Rendezvous charcuterie assortment, Selection of farmhouse cheeses from Formaggio Kitchen, Potato gnocchi with braised oxtail, brussels sprouts, fresh horseradish and piave and Grilled lamb sweetbreads with smoked octopus, chick peas and romesco sauce. 


All of the appetizers were fantastic, but the entire table agreed that the gnocchi would have been a perfectly-sized entree for one. My favorite on the table was the sweetbreads, because I loved the accompanying flavors of chickpeas and romesco, the sauce was outstanding! 

For dinner the various entrees were skillet-roasted skate wing with broccoli rabe, meyer lemon and hazelnut brown butter, Gascon-style duck three ways: sliced breast, garlic sausage and confit leg, Braised pork and veal meatballs with toasted orecchiette, maitakes and piave cheese.


My entree was the duck, something I love to order when I am out. The confit leg was outstanding. The meat pulled away form the bone and it was tender and the skin was crispy - perfect. I also really loved the pork and veal meatballs, they had such wonderful flavor and the orecchiette was slightly browned, which was a great touch.

The wine with dinner was a Chante Cigale l'Apostrophe Rouge, from 2009, which was a very smooth-drinking wine.

The food at Rendezvous is creative yet comforting, and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with good laughs and great company.