My husband and I found a rare evening to ourselves during our annual Christmas visit with my husband's family in Boston.  Being the ever-hungry Foodies that we are, all we wanted to do was find a great place to eat! 

That's not to say that we hadn't been eating all week.  I had the opportunity to conquer my very first (and most likely, last) 5-pound Maine lobster, and I did a magnificent job with the aid of my trusty hammer.   

My husband and I decided to venture the streets of Watertown, MA (his home town) and search for a new dining experience.  We parked the car and started walking down Main Street (yes, it is actually called Main Street) and started to look for a promising prospect.  We first came upon “Not Your Average Joe’s,” but without a menu posted outside, we just waked on by.  We also spotted a Mexican restaurant, but again, they failed to post a menu for passers-by.  We then came upon Stellina, a cozy little Italian restaurant.  They had a very appetizing menu posted out front, and it was early enough that there were tables open.  From outside, the small restaurant looked inviting and intimate—just what we wanted!

We walked in and were immediately seated.  We both spotted a lovely lobster and pasta dish with a three-cheese sauce—bingo!  I’m also a fan of calamari, so we ordered some as an appetizer.  That and a Cosmo for me and we were all set! 

The waitress brought out a cone filled with a tasty assortment of breads and my Cosmo.  Mmmm.  Then came the fried calamari.  Now, I’ve tried calamari in many restaurants, and I do have to say that this was very unusual.  It was fresh and crisp and not overly greasy or overcooked.  It also was served tossed with hot peppers, Kalamata olives and orange slices—a novel and delicious combination.  The main course, the lobster pasta, was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.  The cheese sauce was made with unconventional cheeses including a lovely brie.  Dessert was a little bit of a let-down—I had a fallen chocolate cake and hubby had an apple cake.  My dessert was served with a paltry bit of Crème Anglaise on the plate, and while rich and tasty, it would have benefited by a scoop of ice cream.  Hubby’s cake was way too sweet and undistinguished.  Regardless, it was a really pleasant and delicious meal, and much more than we expected when we set out on our search. 

What surprised us was the fact that Stellina had been a Watertown favorite for over 20 years.  We had driven by so many times and never noticed this gem.  It’s good to take some time and just walk around…you never know what you’ll discover.  We are happy we did, and we wonder what other gems we're missing--much closer to home!