July 15, 2023
Last night, I finally tried Urban Hearth. It has been on my list of places to get to for a while, but it wasn’t a place I wanted to try with my five-year-old, so I had to wait. The restaurant is tiny, 24 seats in total, with a little kitchen in the dining room. There are some additional seats outside too in good weather.
Our reservation was for 7:00 and it seemed like just about everyone sat down at the same time. All the empty tables and even some seats outside filled up at once, making for a slightly frantic start to the meal. I ordered a very nice Summer Boulevardier with bourbon, strawberry infused campari, and vermouth. I also got a bottle of French Chablis. It was Bastille Day after all!
The style is farm-to-table with shared plates, perfect for date night. We opted for five small plates, skipping over the larger ones. First to arrive were the Crispy Harissa Duck Wings which were falling off the bone like slow cooked ribs. They were intensely seasoned and served with addictive bread and butter pickles. I would have bought a jar to take home if offered one. Next came the scallops which were so beautiful I’m sharing two picture of them. They were garnished with a bacon agrodolce and bbq snow peas.
Next came my favorite dish of the evening, Smoked Bluefish Pâté served with grilled focaccia. This dish is worth the visit alone. I’m not one to sit out on Mass Ave, but I think I might go back and sit outside and just have the pâté and a glass of wine for dinner one night.
The last two dishes came roughly at the same time. First to arrive was an off menu special of squash blossoms stuffed with rice and goat cheese served over a fennel salad. One bite into it I was in heaven. The rich goat cheese and the fried blossom balanced with the acidic salad was perfect. A moment later the quail arrived. It was semi-boneless and halved, decadent with a bright green tomato sauce. Quail is one of my favorite meats and the preparation was outstanding.
There is a lot to like about Urban Hearth. The space is charming and the service is friendly. But the real reason to go is the food. Every dish was exceptional. Although the pâté was my favorite, I adored the squash blossoms almost as much. It still isn’t the place I want to bring my kid, but hopefully we will find a way to get back. Maybe he can sit outside with me while I eat pâté.
Concord Culinary Lyceum 
That looks and sounds fabulous!