Though the dining room is cramped with tables — on a busy night you’ll have little more than eight inches on either side of you — this adds to the warm, loud, busy, comfortable feeling of the neighborhood place the Front Room is.
A bar runs along the front windows and the kitchen is partly open to the room, letting you see and hear the chef light a pan on fire.
The Celtics play on a small TV in the corner, and a handful of striped-shirt waitstaff lean over tables, reading the evening’s specials above the din of the room.
We went on a Tuesday night and the room was packed, though we were seated as soon as we walked in. Our waiter apologized as he stumbled over the specials menu written in his notebook, but we couldn’t fault him — the menu he was reading seemed longer than the regular one in front of us, and full of intriguing dishes (quail stuffed with proscuitto; pan-seared haddock with capers; a salad with pear and nuts and blue cheese, prices not stated).
The regular menu is slightly less colorful, offering grilled meatloaf ($14), mushroom ragu ($13), pan-fried potato gnocci ($13) and grilled salmon ($18). Seafood is all over the menu, and nearly everything is served with “mashed.”
We start things off on the regular menu with Anne’s goat cheese ($8) — spoonfuls of soft, grainy-smooth cheese to be spread over grilled slices of homemade brown bread.
The apps menu has much to offer, including scallops & bacon ($9), crispy duck leg ($9) and house-smoked salmon pastrami ($9).
With an understanding smile, the waiter offered to read us the specials again, and we were thankful. Though we were salivating at his every word, we manage to settle on one special — marlin with a balsamic reduction, swiss chard and pesto mashed ($19) — and one regular — Casco Bay scallops in a mustard sauce with spinach and mashed ($18).
We asked the waiter for a wine recommendation and he gave the cautious “anything white” response, so I opted for a glass of the Oyster Bay Sauv Blanc ($9), which I’ve had before. He redeemed himself by pointing my friend toward a far less expensive vino verde from Portugal ($4.50), which turned out to be both the better wine and the better pair to both of our meals.
Our food arrived and we’re happy to begin — conversation is not easy in the loud restaurant and, although we weren’t complaining, we find it easier to communicate via satisfied groans and facial expressions than with words.
The marlin was delicious, with hints of orange and citrus to cut the balsamic flavor with a sweetness that did well for the meaty fish. The scallops, though, won the day. The slightly mustardy sauce paired well with the fat, flavorful, perfectly prepared scallops — inside they were still sweet; outside they were crisp from being pan-fried.
Our neighbor read our shared smiles and ordered the same.
We barely had room for dessert, but agreed that the glassed-top custard of crème brule ($6) would be a perfect end to a satisfying meal.
Though it may be crowded, the Front Room’s good reputation is well-deserved. On the slightly expensive side, the food was well-worth the cash, and the waitstaff and customers are so friendly that it’s easy to forgive the noise and accept it as a part of the neighborhood feel that the East End does so well.
— Sarah Trent
The Front Room is located at 73 Congress St. at the intersection of Congress and Howard. It is open for dinner Mon.-Sat. 5 pm-10 pm and Sun. 4 pm-9 pm. Brunch is served every day from 8 am-2:30 pm, and the bar is open nightly until 11 pm. Call 773-3366 or visit www.thefrontroomrestaurant.com.