Superb Dining at the Hardcover in MA

For Mother's day we wanted to take our mom somewhere special, yet unpretentious. Most of the upscale Boston eateries were long since booked, but we were able to snap up an 8pm dinner reservation at the Hardcover the Friday before, giving her all of Sunday to relax and prepare for a great meal.

Located just 15 miles north of Boston on Route 1 in Danvers, you wouldn't expect such attention to detail or elegance, yet inside you are greeted by the rich woods and stones of an 18th centurty gentleman's library. Proper dress is required, but is more relaxed near the bar. Our hostess escorted us past the softly lit main dining room to a more intimate space one floor below and nestled us in a very pleasant nook.

The service was excellant, as was the wine; to start we had a light, crisp White Zifandel. The Hardcover offers Classic American cuisine done to perfection, with an ala carte menu of the freshest vegatables available.

My crab stuffed mushrooms were earthy, with a touch of sweetness. The escargot was seasoned with just the right amount of garlic and butter and unlike the restaurant in "Pretty Woman" there was no fumbling with the shells. Everything was done to accomodate the diner.

For our entrees we dined on filet mignon that was perfectly rare, Alaskan crab legs and mom had Beef Wellington that was as pretty to look at as it was to eat. The crust, flaky and tender, melted in your mouth.

From the impressive wine list, we chose a lusty merlot to accompany our meat selections.

After dinner, the hardest choice was which dessert to sample. I had the Fried Ice Cream with caramel, rum sauce, mom enjoyed down home apple crisp, while my sister opted for just a specialty coffee, which was a dessert in itself.

The only thing I didn't like about this meal was the "Salad Bar". At an average of $35.00 per person, I believe that diners should be served their salads and not have to trek up a flight of stairs to fetch them. Granted, the array of salad items was fair and the slice-it-yourself cheese and baked breads were delicious, but I would have preferred to avoid the balancing act of plates while I negotiated the dim staircase.

As we were getting set to pay the check, the waitress arrived with Mother's Day flowers and chocolates--a nice touch to end an enjoyable relaxed evening with excellant food and service.

I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a special event or simple romantic dining option. There's plenty of parking, it's less crowded than Downtown Boston and it is a sparkling gem amongst the string of franchised and chain restaurants you usually find on Route 1.

For more information contact the Hardcover, directly

15 Newbury St Ste A
Danvers, MA
01923-1014

Phone: (978) 774-1223