A delightful summer evening in Boston’s newly fashionable SoWa Art’s district of the South End was the setting for a Trans-Iberian dining experience at Chef Michael Serpa’s latest outlet, Atlántico.

A small coterie of members and their guests enjoyed an al fresco atmosphere and mingled whilst enjoying a Xarel-lo, Chardonnay and Macabeu blend Cava. For many attendees this was their return Chaîne event after the forced COVID-19 hiatus. Much camaraderie was shared as a result.

Our dining jumping off point was San Sebastian on the Basque Atlantic coast of Spain. A “seated pinxtos crawl” featuring multiple small plates. So reminiscent of the Old Town in this delectable seaside resort, one of the world’s premier gastronomic destinations.

Boston’s intense love affair with seafood is matched by that of the Iberian coast. Several dishes of Portuguese and Cantabrian inspiration followed with classic pairings of Alvarinho and Parellada wines.

Chef Serpa carefully supervised the preparation of the dinner. He personally guided us sharing his thoughts on the dishes and pairings expressing his love for the region’s cuisine and culture. From his roots, working at Chef Todd English’s seminal Olive’s, Chef Serpa has created his own collection of highly-regarded properties: Neptune Oyster, Select Oyster and Grand Tour sprinkled around town.

As the evening drew to a close, Chef Serpa was presented with the traditional framed presentation plate hallmark of the Bailliage of Boston. Then the assembled diners filtered out into the warm summer night.

Vive la Chaîne!

Marshall Berenson
Bailli

Photos courtesy of: Jennifer Poveromo - Vice-Chargée de Presse, Rabih Jaber - Vice-Conseiller Culinaire, Marshall Berenson - Bailli