Sel de la Terre

When you think Provençal and Southern French country fare, do you think duck liver mousse, braised rabbit and lard? Well that's what you'll find at Sel de la Terre in Back Bay, a restaurant, bar and boulangerie that's as très chic as its Boyston Street location.

While I did not opt for the various pates or butchered baby animals, my date couldn't resist to get the lardo - the Italian urge prevailed - a traditional Tuscan salume (Italian charcuterie.) Lardo is made by curing strips of fatback with rosemary and other herbs and spices; in this case the clever Mediterranean fusion of what else? Herbs de Provence! The lardo arrived with an impressive bread basket from which diners could choose their preference from the varied bread selection - French baguette, focaccia, sourdough, the works. Now if you're hellbent on consuming a pot of fat, this is the way to do it.

As he indulged in the lard-smearing, I opted for the fresh, handcrafted burrata, arguably one of the greatest cheeses ever. Burrata has the unique texture of a solid mozzerella shell and creamy interior, creating the most wonderful consistency. "Burrata" in Italian means buttered, and this soft cheese is so delicate and moist that it seems to melt on your tongue like butter. Paired with a little fresh fruit and you have the perfect simple culinary masterpiece.

I would have been happy with that alone, but we moved on to the first course of razor clams and squid in a savory broth - this was my first time trying the long molluscs which are regarded as a delicacy, and though too salty for my taste, it was undisputably fresh and authentic. For the main course I chose the salmon served with haricots verts over farro with za'atar sheep's milk yogurt and golden raisins, which was delicious. Farro is a wheat grain with an appearance similar to brown rice but a nuttier flavor, and combined with the subtle cream of the sheep's milk it was an ideal compliment to the perfectly-seared piece of salmon. Za'atar are Arabic herbs mixed with sesame seeds, dried sumac, salt and hints of spices, ground to a nice blend - this rendition had a soft majoram flavoring, which provided a nice undertone throughout the dish. All the elements came into perfect harmony on the plate, peppered by the surprising golden raisins, unexpected little amber nuggets of pleasure that burst in your mouth. Then came dessert: amaretto crème brûlée bigger than the moon!