Table for Two at Rendezvous

Nehru (saffron, gin, lemon, cardamom) and The Mint & Cucumber

One of my new favorite restaurants is in Central Square, right next to the Middle East, and it’s called Rendezvous. Two criteria make a restaurant a favorite; one is quality of food (freshness of ingredients and execution of those ingredients to make a tasty dish); the other is customer service. Danny Meyer explains customer service well in his book, Setting the Table; good customer service is when you feel something is happening for you, while bad customer service feels like something is happening to you.

The owner and chef of Rendezvous, Steve Johnson has been a fixture in the Boston restaurant scene for over 20 years. He’s a hands-on owner and his attention to detail, care for farm-fresh and organic foods, and care for customer service sets the bar high for restaurants all over the country.

Braised pork and veal meatballs with toasted oriecchiette

Each bite at Rendezvous was better than the last. The menu is inspired by the flavors and aromas of the western Mediterranean–Italy, France, Spain, and North Africa.

Summer chowder of lobster and mussels with corn, cherry tomatoes and basil

After our unforgettable meal, the busboy who cleared our dishes summed it up best when he said, “I absolutely love my job, I get to eat here free every day!”