Doors open at Delfino

By Deborah Eisner
STAFF WRITER

After months of anticipation, local residents finally have a new place to dine in the heart of Roslindale Square. Delfino, the new Italian restaurant at 754 South St., opened its doors on Sept. 18 to its first customers.

Restaurant owner Stephen Judge said all the tables, representing a 49 person seating capacity, were full on opening night. "Everything's going [well]. We're very excited, and it seems that the patrons are very excited," he said.

Delfino is the first of three new restaurants expected to open in Roslindale Square this fall.

Although Judge had anticipated opening sooner, he said he postponed the opening in light of the terrorist attacks the week prior. "Everyone was sort of deflated," he said. "I know I was drained and that was part of it."

But now that the doors are open, Judge said everything is running smoothly. The restaurant which is at the site where the King Pyhhrus Restaurant used to be, is an intimate setting, complete with beautiful murals painted by Roslindale Kat Brennan.

His chef, JoAnn LeBlanc , is also excited to be serving customers in Roslindale.

"I love Roslindale. It's close enough to downtown that you don't feel isolated, and it's an incredibly diverse area. I love that" said LeBlanc, who has lived in Roslindale for three years. She said Delfino will act as a perfect substitute for locals looking for a fine dining experience without having to travel into Boston or Cambridge.

LeBlanc, who comes to Delfino after eight years at Cambridge's Upstairs at the Pudding, said the menu at Delfino is a mixture of LeBlanc's and Judge's different, styles. Judge, she said, is a master of pasta, taking many of the pasta dishes from the menu at his old restaurant Giacomos in the South End.

"He's probably the strongest person I've ever seen in terms of pasta ... it's perfect every time," said LeBlanc.

On the other hand, she said her cooking style is more gourmet geared toward a fine dining experience. "I have the European philosophy If you're coming to dinner, you're not coming to dinner to rush. You come to linger," she said.

All the dishes at Delfino are made fresh to order, which means customers wait a little longer to get their food, but LeBlanc said the dishes are worth the wait

Pressed to choose her favorite dish, LeBlanc was tom between the duck and the rack of lamb, but said all the dishes on the menu are exquisite. The three-seed swordfish has been very popular among the customers, she said.

Entrees on the menu, which include seafood, meat and poultry dishes, range from $10.95 to $17.95. Also on the menu is a wide variety of beers and wines. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 4 to 8 p.m.