Taranta Awards

Taranta Restaurant Review:

For all its character, the North End doesn't have many true originals; Taranta is one of the few. The affable proprietor, José Duarte, hails from Peru; as he brings his knowledge of that land's cuisine to bear on his flair for Italian fare, lo, a fascinating new hybrid is born. In a narrow, three-story space with a more spare, urban look than most of its homey neighbors, Duarte and his chefs turn out such robust, spicy creations as cassava-root gnocchi with green lamb ragù and double-cut pork chops with sugar cane-rocoto pepper glaze. Pisco, pallares (giant white beans) and pancas (a type of chile) pop up almost as often as pancetta and mozzarella. The wine list likewise excites, as it bounces around both southern Italy and South America. Purists, however, can rest easy over items like mussels pan-roasted with bacon in Marsala and parchment-baked fusilli, which may even elicit that old chestnut: “Now that's Italian!”