Dinner Indulgence - Sintra in Braintree, MA
As much as I try to eat healthy and as much as I love to cook, sometimes I need a break. Because just as much as I love to cook, I also love to eat out. Recently though I’ve been wondering why we bother to eat out. I always feel full and bloated and we spend too much. The meals are rarely as good as what I could cook at home.
My biggest pet peeves when we eat out - wasting money and wasting calories. If I’m going to splurge in either category while dining out it’s got to be top notch. Our experience last night was the first time in a long time that I didn’t regret the cost or the calories for a restaurant meal.
The restaurant is called Sintra and it had been recommended to us not that long ago. On a whim we decided to give it a try.
I liked the ambiance immediately - dim lighting, plain and simple decor, lots of lines. I felt like I was in Boston. There was a dining room to my left and a long bar straight ahead. We were told we’d have a 30 minute wait so we took a seat at the bar.
We were greeted with a friendly face and quickly learned that they offer beer and wine only. Not a problem for me, just an FYI for anyone looking for something more. Time went by quickly as we sipped our wine and we were told our table was ready. We headed to our table in the dining room.
The Food
It’s a small, quaint setting, with seating for around 40 people. For a Friday it was crowded, not swamped, and the noise level was appropriate which was nice. The server brought us fresh baked bread with dipping oils as we waited for our meals. I started with the butternut squash soup and ordered the pan roasted chicken with scalloped potatoes and sauteed mushrooms. Michael started with clams casino and for an entree the salmon with potato and chive ravioli and beets lyonnaise.
I have never been served food that was so fresh, served piping hot and quite frankly so delicious. Now, Michael and I have been to some nice restaurants both in Boston and along the South Shore and this was by far the most impressive. My soup was incredible - butternut squash with a hint of cinnamon and a dollop of cream with maple syrup that was melting right into the soup itself.
My chicken was tender and flavorful, cooked with the skin on. The Potatoes had just the right amount of cheese without being too cheesy and were served in a stack with thinly sliced potatoes.
I don’t eat seafood, so I can only say that Michael also enjoyed his meal - I didn’t try it.
We finished with a cappuccino (decaf for me) and shared the creme brulee. Creamy, rich vanilla bean flavor with a crisp top. Garnished with fresh cream and a single red raspberry. Creme Brulee is one of my favorite desserts and this one was absolutely the finest I’ve had.
Final Thoughts
Part of healthy living is allowing yourself to indulge once in a while! Certainly food provides the nutrients we need to live and meals are to be enjoyed. So go ahead and indulge at Sintra. They take reservations on any night for any number of people and there is plenty of parking. The restaurant has won several awards on the south shore and the owners both have impressive backgrounds (Mistral, blu, Top of the Hub). If you happen to live in the Braintree area of Massachusetts or are visiting I highly recommend making a stop at Sintra.
For more information on the restaurant visit the Sintra Website.
Sintra
906 Washington St
Braintree, MA
www.sintrarestaurant.com
Have you been there? What was your experience? I know I can’t wait to go back!
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