100 versions of martinis, and plenty to eat
March 12, 2006
Martini's
659 Washington St., Norwood
Telephone: 781-769-3333
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 4 p.m. - 1 a.m.
All major credit cards
Full liquor license
Handicapped accessible
Success seems to follow restaurateur Paul Femino, whose latest triumph is Martini's. This contemporary lounge, which opened last September and offers a limited menu for the hungry, is a hot hangout in town, especially for 25- to 45-year-olds. It's casual, but not that casual. Leave your sneakers, T-shirts, and backward-baseball caps behind.
Martini's joins Femino's Abbondanza cafe (pizza, subs, typical takeout) and Abbondanza II (fine Italian dining), which opened next door in the 1990s.
''I know nothing about pubs and sports bars. I wanted to do something a little different," Femino says. Martini's space was formerly occupied by Finbar's, an Irish pub. Femino and his wife researched the lounge scene in Boston and in New York City, his wife's hometown, to gather ideas. The result is a wildly different scene.
Except for a large stone fireplace, a remnant of its former self, the place has had an extreme makeover. Under a shiny pressed tin ceiling lit with tiny spots of light, the room now has an edgy sophistication about it. Customers lounge on black sofas and cube ottomans and in red tub chairs when they can find a seat at all. The space holds 125 patrons.
Votive candles flickering on Lucite and chrome tables add to the clubby, romantic atmosphere. Three flat-screen TV sets dominate the busy bar. More than 100 versions of martinis are dispensed under yellow and red pendant lights. The bar's illuminated back wall changes colors every few moments, all to the beat of throbbing tunes. At 9 p.m. a DJ starts manning the rear booth, and couples hit the dance floor. Singer/guitarist Chad LaMarsh performs every Thursday evening and has built up quite a following, according to Femino. Martini's also hosts an eight-minute dating soiree every six weeks. All this under one roof!
Martini's menu is small, but there is nothing small about the portions.
''I didn't want to do tapas. That's too fancy," said Femino, who has opted for his trademark abundance here.
From the nine appetizers offered, we dug into the ''Martini Platter" ($11), a fried food lover's dream consisting of luscious coconut shrimp, crunchy string beans whose spicy coating had us reaching for our drinks, red hot chili peppers, and a pair of spring rolls, whose pale golden wrappers told us that, thankfully, they hadn't spent too much time in the fryer.
A vegetable panini ($8) shared a huge platter with a mountain of sweet potato fries enlivened by a ramekin of red pepper mayo. The melted Asiago cheese-topped panini consisted of grilled eggplant, zucchini, and portobello mushroom. The latter -- the hamburger of vegetarians -- was slightly salty but nonetheless succulent and satisfying.
The ''fully loaded" Martini burger ($9) was a giant feed for one carnivorous cohort. The 8-ounce ground sirloin was buried under a mound of sauteed onions, mushrooms, bacon, and melted cheese. The bulkie roll supporting it all was barely visible as lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion rings, and garlic fries vied for room on the plate.
My choice, listed as a grilled steak panini ($10), came as a large, 8-ounce open-face sandwich with the same accompaniments as the burger. The steak, while generous in size, was well done rather than medium rare as requested, a disappointment. Note to chef Brenda Elliott: The garlic fries are addictive.
Of the five desserts offered, a cocoa-dusted chocolate caramel pyramid ($7) from Italian dolci maker Bindi was too tempting to pass up. But where was the caramel center? Where was the cocoa powder? Only a drizzle of chocolate syrup was pooled around the base. Not fair.
Still, all in all, Martini's is a swinging addition to Norwood's ever-expanding restaurant scene.
BRENDA MARCHAND
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.