62 Restaurant in Salem Massachusetts was quite “the surprise.” Sure, they have great appetizers on the menu ranging from chickpea and risotto fritters, grilled calamari, mixed (and oh so fresh) baby heirloom tomatoes with burrata mozzarella to their yummy braised pork belly served with a spicy red cabbage salad and sea salt.
And, of course they have fresh fish on the menu since Salem is on the sea – their filet of sole locally caught over a crispy polenta with salsa puttanesca and the pan-roasted day boat cod with potatoes, roasted fennel & black olives with a broccoli rabe pesto are both out of this world. They even had a to die-for duck breast, with cipolla dolce, wood grilled peaches & vin cott. (below)
But what I think Chef Antonio Bettencourt do so well that you’d be beckoned to come back again and again, is his homemade pasta. (made by hand). He and his team are dedicated to using the best locally -sourced, all natural ingredients in season and at the peak of flavor. They put a lot of heart into it to show its “true soul” with a deep commitment to what Bettencourt refers to as the pure “craft” of cooking. His pasta dishes and choice of ingredients are out of this world.
There’s the delicious tutta la pasta sono fatto a mano, the tagliatelle alla bolognese, the tagliatelle with a tomato, veal, pork & pancetta ragu & parmigiano reggiano. a potato gnocchi with white wine braised beef shortrib and tomato, aged balsamic vinegar & parmigiano reggiano, the raviolo al’uovo – ricotta raviolo, soft egg yolk, pancetta, cippoline, wild mushrooms & black truffle, the hand-rolled garganelli, red wine braised duck, dried cherries, pinenuts & tuscan kale (OMG), and the lobster pappardelle, which is wide cut pasta with fresh lobster, roasted corn, tomatoes, basil & toasted breadcrumbs.
Are you dying yet? Strong strong strong recommend from this homemade pasta lover who tends to steer more towards old world than modern cooking and yet he managed to do a great job at creating a perfect blend of both.
Then, for dessert all you Italian dessert lovers, check out the lemon panna cotta with fresh blueberry preserves, the chocolate terrine with hazelnut gelato & candied espresso beans, a warm toffee pudding with toffee sauce and whipped cream or the strawberry-rhubarb crostada with vanilla gelato! Need I say more? These photos should do the trick!
Details:
62 Restaurant
62 Wharf Street
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 744-0062
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
