Romaine's

You'll wish you brought more friends to this new Northborough eatery -- so you could have stolen the food off their plates

by Margaret LeRoux

299 West Main St. Northborough 393-8889 Hours Fri.-Sat. 5-10 p.m. Sun. 5-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs. 5-9:30 p.m. Major credit cards Full bar Handicap accessible

If you're in the mood for a restaurant that's upscale but not at all stuffy, and for food that's creatively prepared with a distinctively Cajun accent, jump into your car and head to Northborough. It's worth the drive to Romaine's, a delightful new place on the site of the former Pepe's Trattoria.

Romaine's is the creation of Erin Clifford-Romaine and Richard Romaine; she's the charming maitre d' and he's the chef. Romaine was born and raised in Louisiana and trained in notable kitchens such as the Charles Hotel's and the Ritz Carlton's in Naples, Florida, before opening his own successful bistro in Gloucester.

One glance at Romaine's menu made me wish there were more of us at the table; I wanted to try everything. But it was only a friend and me, so we reluctantly narrowed down our choices. We started with a shared appetizer of smoked-trout-and-onion tart in a horseradish custard ($6.95). It was a generous wedge and one of the most flavorful versions of quiche I've eaten. The tart shell was crisp. The custard was silky, with the horseradish giving it a nice little kick. The trout's smoky flavor was noticeable but not overwhelming. Served with a mound of frisée dressed in vinaigrette, this was an auspicious beginning to our meal. On our next visit, I want to try venison sausage with cheese grits and sweet-onion jam ($7.95) or barbecued shrimp with jalapeño cornbread and chive aioli ($6.95).

For our salad course we shared mesclun greens with Roquefort cheese, spiced pecans, and Dijon vinaigrette ($4.95), another interesting combination. If you're inclined to nibble on your salad bowl, try the restaurant's namesake romaine hearts with smoked red-pepper dressing in a Parmesan bowl ($5.95).

Along with our salads came a basket of baked-on-the-premises breads: French, olive, corn, and a jalapeño muffin. Besides butter, we were offered a cruet of olive oil and a bulb of roasted garlic. A more prudent eater would have been satisfied with appetizers (and had room for dessert), but we proceeded.

There's a interesting assortment of thin-crust pizzas, but not what you'd get in most pizzerias. How about smoked salmon with apple, red onion, and crème fraîche ($6.95); or Oriental barbecued duck with grilled corn, spinach, and cilantro pesto ($7.95); or roasted chicken and vegetable with goat cheese and tarragon ($6.95)? The two of us know our limits, so we skipped the pizzas in favor of the main courses.

Lots of rustic dishes and comfort food here -- the sort you'd get at home if Mom were a graduate of a culinary academy. We considered braised lamb shank with whipped sweet potatoes and haricot verts ($16.95); polenta lasagna with arugula, roasted red peppers, oyster mushrooms, and asiago cheese ($11.95); grilled salmon with celery root, roasted beets, and fennel broth ($15.95); and crawfish-lobster etouffe with eggplant, creamed spinach, and crispy onions (19.95). We caught a glimpse of this as it was being served at a nearby table -- a formidable dish.

From the evening's specials I chose pine-nut-encrusted cat fish fillet with roasted Yukon gold potatoes, creamed leeks, and parsnip chips ($17.95), while my friend ordered from the menu: roasted duck with turnips, shallots, and figs in a garlic and port-wine reduction ($17.95).

My dish was a construction of fish fillet resting on a base of sliced, roasted potatoes. The crispy, pine-nut crust was topped with the braised leeks in a delicate cream sauce. Strewn over the plate were paper-thin strips of crispy, fried parsnips. The resulting variety of flavors and textures -- rich pine nuts and firm, sweet fish and creamy leeks -- was complex and delicious.

The duck was falling-off-the-bone tender, the garlic-port reduction a delectable complement to the meat. Figs and turnips? I never imagined them together, but here they paired nicely.

My friend's choice of wine, Echelon central coast pinot noir ($6.50 a glass) was a perfect accompaniment.

We'd eaten so well, dessert was simply impossible, though we were sorely tempted by fallen chocolate soufflé with raspberry tarragon coulis ($5.95) and cinnamon bread pudding with butter-rum sauce and creme Chantilly ($4.95). Our bill, including tax but not tip, was $66.59.