A Tremendous Meal At True Bistro

Recently, I discovered a restaurant discount program called Boston Dining Cards. A complete deck of dining cards can be purchased online for only $20 and includes $10 gift cards to various restaurants. Many of the restaurants included are vegan or vegan-friendly. I was excited to see that many of my favorite restaurants were included in the deck and if I used them at more than three restaurants, I would profit from the cards. The first restaurant I used the $10 gift card at was True Bistro, an elegant restaurant in Somerville, MA. I've only dined at this restaurant twice, and it is already my favorite vegan restaurant in Boston.

We began the meal with some marinated olives ($4).

They were soaked in oil and had a wonderful bitter flavor. It was the perfect way to start a meal.

Next, I tried some of my mom's soup. It was some sort of lentil concoction.

This was delicious. The soup had a savory flavor and a bit of a kick to it. The sour cream was smooth and cooling against the roughness of the chunky soup.

Next, I tried some of my dad's salad. He ordered the Grilled Romaine Heart salad ($7).

This didn't really seem like a salad to me, but more of an assortment of veggies and beans. The grilled romaine hearts had a citrusy, mustardy flavor and had a lovely tartness. The lentils worked perfectly on the crunchy toasted bread pieces and made for a hearty bruschetta.

Next, I had the House Made French Fries ($6), which my dad described as "the best french fries in the world".

These were so soft and delectable, with just a slight crunchiness. They were not too greasy, but instead were lightly coated in a truffle oil. They had the perfect amount of spice and seasoning that made them flavorful, yet not overpowering.

Next, I tried some of my mom's Ravioli ($8).

The ravioli was delicious. The pillowy pasta was filled with a succulent and smooth butternut squash concoction. The cashew creme sauce was very scrumptious and was rich and creamy. The walnuts added a wonderful crunch, that contrasted the soft, doughy ravioli pieces.

Next, I tried some of my brother's meal: the Seitan Piccata ($17).

I didn't get to try the seitan, since my brother devoured it, which I assume meant that it was very good. I did eat the mashed potatoes and seared rapini, though, and found them to be very enjoyable. The mashed potatoes were very creamy and had a subtle cheesy flavor. The rapini was also very good and had a wonderful seasoning. It had a bitter flavor and was well-cooked.

Lastly, I had my own dish: the Phyllo Purse ($16).

This dish was out of this world amazing. The purse was very delightful, from the crispy, flaky phyllo dough to the savory chunks of seitan and sweet winter squash fillings. The purse was surrounded by a spicy, slightly chocolaty green mole sauce, which had a tangy flavor. The dish looked so beautiful and was decorated with arugula and pepitas.

I loved the meal and felt like I was in heaven afterwards. My taste buds and stomach had not felt this happy in so long. True Bistro is such a great way to have an exquisite dining experience without breaking the bank. The portions are very large and reasonably priced. With the dining card, we saved $10, which was a significant discount. I cannot wait to return.