Sibling Rivalry / PICCO

First restaurant review of the new school year. We make our first stop at Sibling Rivalry located on Tremont Street in the South End. Ever since I came back from Sydney and found out about this place, I've been itching to go. It's actually down the street from where my grandmother used to live. During my visits about a year ago, I noticed a lot of construction in the area. I learned that a developer came in, bought some property, and planned to construct a premium condominium complex - what is now known as Atelier 505. Atelier is also now home to several retail outlets and restaurants, two of which are Sibling Rivalry and PICCO.

The concept behind Sibling Rivalry is unique. The restaurant is co-owned and run by two brothers, David and Bob Kinkead, who each present separate "dueling" menus that offer each brother's different take and use of the same ingredients. The restaurant opened sometime late last year and caused a big splash. Supposedly, it was one of the more highly anticipated restaurant openings of 2004 in Boston.

In any event, because Meat’s stupid ass was hung over from last night and couldn’t wake up, Eric and I had to go by ourselves. We left our apartment fairly early since we hadn’t made reservations and worried that we might have to wait. Turns out that wasn’t much of an issue…We arrived at the restaurant a little after 12, and we were one of only two or three other groups eating there. I swear the hostess thought we were a gay couple or something when we walked in – thanks a lot, Meat.

Sibling Rivalry’s interior had a nice, modern feel. The red walls and paintings added warmth to the room. I didn’t get a chance to really look around, but the dining area didn’t seem that big. Overall, I thought it was pretty sophisticated but not stuffy or pretentious.

On to the meal. Eric and I each got an appetizer and entrée for lunch. Here’s what we ordered.

Foie Gras and Duck Confit Terrine with Savory Apple Charlotte

This is was my appetizer. The dish scored good marks for presentation and plating, and overall the flavors were decent but I was slightly disappointed. Eric had done some research about Sibling Rivalry, and one of the criticisms from a poster on Chowhound was that alot of their dishes were too salty and overseasoned. Well, it was the exact opposite for this dish. The foie gras was creamy as you'd expect but it seemed a little bland. Accompanied with the dish was some mustard which presumably was there to use with the foie, but when added, it just masked and overpowered it. The salad was also very plain and simple.

Half Dozen Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette and Lobster

Eric ordered the oysters for his appetizer. I usually don't eat raw shellfish but I tried a couple, and they were pretty good. There was no hint of a fishy smell, which is always a good sign. They were fresh and salty, and the champagne mignonette added a nice bite.

Lobster Stew and Mini Toasted Brioche Lobster Sandwich

This was my entree. Again, I'm not sure if I'm just ordering the wrong dishes but I was a little disappointed again. It was good but not great. Definitely not blown away. I may have set the bar too high. The sandwich had nicely toasted brioche bread, but I didn't love the filling. There were pieces of lobster in it but there was also some of kind of pasty stuff in it, which I found kind of peculiar. As for the stew, it was quite rich. Although it was good, I eventually got bored with it. I guess I was looking for more exciting, contrasting flavors and textures.

Roast Seabass with Fried Zucchini Parmesan, and Marinated Dried Cherry Tomatoes

This was Eric's entree. I definitely liked his a lot more than mine. The dish originally was supposed to have grouper, but I guess the kitchen had bought seabass for the day (or was trying to unload some old seabass...). In any event, I couldn't tell because it seemed pretty fresh and tasted good. The fish was accompanied with an aioli, mustardy-type sauce and fried zucchini chips. The zucchini had a nice, light batter but were a bit underseasoned. As for the tomatoes, they were terrible. They were marinated in vinegar and were way too sour - a hiccup to an otherwise pretty complete and quality dish.

Overall, I thought the meal was pretty good, but not great. I set the bar pretty high, and my expectations weren't really met. However, the restaurant did have other redeeming qualities like its decor and service. Our waitress was very amiable and attentive. She saw me taking pictures of the food and asked if it was for a school project. Do I just look young or something? It must be my nice, youthful complexion.

So after our meal at Sibling Rivalry, we headed over to PICCO for ice-cream. PICCO is also pretty new, and it's located right next to Sibling Rivalry. It's a pizzeria and ice cream joint. Eric and I each got two scoops. For flavors, he got pistachio and coconut peanut, and I got prune armagnac and raspberry.

Our culinary adventures continue next week when we eat at Taiwan Cafe in Chinatown. Searching for diamonds in the rough, ya heard?