La Padrona - Review - Back Bay - Boston - The Infatuation

"La Padrona is the latest addition to Jody Adams’ Boston restaurant empire, and it’s arguably the crown jewel of the lot. A burgundy-soaked space, all mirrors and dark corners, with some of the best Italian food in the city. It’s a bit like an Olive Garden for people who have access to olive gardens at their Tuscan villas, with fennel-flecked grissini instead of chunky breadsticks and camel-toned leather seats in place of squeaky vinyl. It’s the kind of place where proposals, both wedding and business, happen over plates of hand-cut pasta and baskets of warm focaccia. La Padrona can get a bit loud, and the acoustics aren't great, so you might have to shout to get your point across, but a strong Birth of Venus cocktail with oyster-infused vodka and sherry will help. Get the Tagliatelle Emilia-Romagna, a tangle of creamy pasta that wears a racy little stripe of aged balsamic down the middle, and save room for the tiramisu, too." - Grace Kelly