Last night I stepped into South Boston’s newest addition, Stephi’s in Southie, for the very first time. The restaurant officially opens tomorrow night to the public, and I highly recommend adding it to your restaurant to-do list soon.
As you may have gathered from the name, Stephi’s in Southie is the newest venture by restaurateur Stephanie Sokolove, who also owns Stephi’s on Tremont and Stephanie’s on Newbury. And if you’re already a fan of those dining establishments, you won’t like this one any less.
Upon walking into Stephi’s in Southie, I was first struck by the bar (or bars). The high tables and extensive bar seating elegantly line the restaurant. There are flat screen TVs in the main bar and lounge areas as well as a ceramic-tiled, floating fire place in the dining room.
The main dining area is accompanied with its own wine bar, which I found to be exceptionally cozy. It even features its very own Enomatic elite wine dispensary (below) with an automatic pour. This pour allows the wine to touch air for only 3 to 4 seconds and keeps the the wine at a perfect temperature. If you’re a wine lover, you’ll be able to enjoy a three, six, or nine-ounce pour.
And if you’re looking for a non-wine drink option, you can head across the stylish restaurant to the chic main bar, where (given its large size) you will surely find a seat at one of the Ikat fabric chairs.
The restaurant certainly doesn’t have that typical dive bar atmosphere you might expect to find in Southie (gentrification, indeed), but I believe it will be a good addition to the neighborhood, offering an upscale option sure to attract many Boston residents.
The Southie eatery, located at 130 Dorchester Avenue near the Broadway T stop, will be serving a lunch, dinner, late-night and brunch menu. Below are some of Stephi’s American fare menu items, many of which I tried last night.
Appetizers:
- Old World Meatballs made with beef, pork and veal and finished in a rich pomodoro sauce.
- Crispy flatbread topped with roasted butternut squash, oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions, creamy goat cheese, baby arugula and aged balsamic.
- Brown Sugar Braised Pork Belly ginger, soy, and chili glazed with sticky rice.
Entrees:
- Pan Roasted Salmon with salsa romesco, pancetta and lemon aioli.
- Grilled Skirt Steak with red wine braised shallots and french fries.
- Wild Mushroom Risotto with braised shallots, white truffle oil, parmesan cheese and red wine reduction.
- Fish and Chips with caper remoulade and pickled cabbage.
