Dining Out

Traditional fare with a modern twist

November 25, 2007

Blue Pointe Bistro

With the arrival of the Greenbush train line, the historic neighborhood of Weymouth Landing is a happening place these days.

There are still plenty of long-established stores and restaurants on the stretch of Washington Street that's considered one of the city's four town centers. But there are also lots of new businesses popping up, presumably to cater to the young, hip population that's expected to flock to this bustling area now that the MBTA station is a stone's throw away.

One of those businesses is Blue Pointe Bistro, at the corner of Washington and Front streets, which opened in March. If this restaurant is representative of where this neighborhood is headed, then I'd say the future of Weymouth Landing is bright. We found its menu varied, its food satisfyingly good, its service exceptional, and its prices very reasonable.

It's a small place, but each square foot seems to be put to creative good use. Owner Todd Barclay greeted us in the bar area, which doubles as the restaurant's entrance. Painted a deep blue, the bar features colorful tiles, a giant TV screen (which, Barclay says, attracts a crowd for Patriots games), windows facing the street, and warm, muted lighting, provided by eclectic purple fixtures that hang throughout the restaurant.

We were led into the dining room, where the walls are painted in various neutral hues and striking original artwork is on display. Our friendly waitress told us the paintings were on loan from a local artist; Barclay rotates the artwork regularly.

We started with the crispy calamari ($9), which was lightly fried, delicately seasoned, and served on a bed of arugula with finely-diced red and green bell peppers - a very pleasing combination. The toasted pumpkin ravioli ($8) were served with a fragrant sage-walnut oil. The ravioli were filled with a deliciously sweet and nutty pumpkin filling, though the toasted corners of the pasta were a trifle chewy. The autumn salad ($8) had mixed greens, cranberries, cucumbers, goat cheese, tomatoes, and walnuts. It was fresh and well-dressed, and all ingredients were cut or torn into bite-size pieces.

Our entrees were equally good. The swordfish ($17), topped with lemon butter and served with mashed potatoes and green beans, was pronounced "better than tasty" by my husband. The shepherd's pie ($16) came in a generous portion and was made with mashed potatoes, ground lamb and beef, peas, carrots, and spices. The mustard-crusted chicken ($16) was a bit overcooked - though the rice and vegetables on the side were very good - and therefore, the only real disappointment

All desserts were created by chef Vincent Smith and prepared on the premises, so we gladly sampled chocolate cheesecake ($8), which was good, and creme brulee ($7), which was better.

The wine list is varied and reasonably priced, and there are a number of enticing specialty cocktails. I particularly enjoyed my autumn apple martini ($8), which was almost too pretty to drink.

Barclay and his wife, both graduates of the hotel and restaurant management program at Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island, have lived in Weymouth for 12 years.

He said they aimed to create a place that served "traditional American food with a contemporary twist" and are excited about the Weymouth Landing's newfound vitality.

"Every single day it's changing around here," said Barclay, citing the just-completed restoration of Sacred Heart Church, which was destroyed in a 2005 fire, as an example across the street. "It's such a great neighborhood."

KATHLEEN McKENNA

© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company