Davio's - Foxborough
Friday, April 27, 2012 at 8:00AM 236 Patriot Place
Foxborough, MA 02035
Phone: 508.339.4810
Quick. I’m in Andover, MA, and a buddy is in East Providence, RI. We want to meet for dinner…where do you go? It’s got to be about the same time (during rush hour traffic), and fine dining.
Gillette Stadium came to mind, with Patriot Place coming next. While there is a Tavolino there, it is more of a pizza place. That’s when Davio’s came into view. Why not? So off we went.
Going to dinner at Patriot Place is interesting. To get there, it’s Rt 495 to Rt 1….and then north to Gillette Stadium. Football and Foxborough almost go together, and heading down was very familiar.
Not being an aficionado of Patriot Place, the South Entrance was where I entered, staring at the Bass Pro Shop. Calling my buddy for better directions, he informed me the North Entrance was preferred. A short drive later, after an inadvertent visit to an access road by the Practice Bubble (followed by a close 
encounter with a security vehicle), Davio’s was in front of me.
The parking lot seemed very full for a Tuesday night. Game day full. My impression of Patriot Place as a “mall in the middle of nowhere” was quickly replaced by a “happening destination mall in the middle of nowhere.” Mr. Kraft and family are indeed crafty.
My “what to expect” impressions were shattered when entering Davio’s. There wasn’t one person wearing a Patriots Jersey to be found. Instead this is a sophisticated restaurant very reminiscent of their home base at 75 Arlington Street (across from Smith & Wollensky.) Not surprisingly, the architect was the same.
Davio’s has been in Boston for decades. Their website history states, “In 1985, at the young and ambitious age of 24, Steve DiFillippo purchased a locally-owned family restaurant called Davio’s on Newbury Street in Boston’s trendy Back Bay. As Boston’s culinary tastes evolved, he transformed the location into a destination. He retooled the menu, the space, the wine list.” This would place him around 51, with four locations (Boston, Foxborough, Philadelphia and Atlanta.) Davio’s heads to Northern Italy for inspiration.
The bar is similar to a boat…long curved sides staring enticingly at liquor bottles. The dining room has a number of sections, and includes an open kitchen for viewing. Colors, lighting, sound…everything said, “subtle sophistication.”
The menu was deep, so we opted for the tasting menu, with the accompanying wine flight.
The first course was butternut squash bisque, with a maple glaze, and candied walnuts adding the slightest crunch. This was fabulous…the kind of opening you just want to have more of. If it wouldn’t have been bad manners, I may have licked the bowl.
Next up was hand-made gnocchi, braised short ribs, wild mushrooms, and rosemary jus. After one bite, my buddy and I were nodding heads in appreciation. Delicious, and we were looking forward to the rest of the meal.
This was followed by pan seared sea scallops, sweet creamy corn, and match 
stick potatoes. Creamed corn and sea scallops? I wasn’t sure it would work, until the “sweet” entered into the equation. This was another “hit.”
Every sample isn’t perfect on a tasting menu, and the petit filet, mashed potatoes, and asparagus missed. The steak was so small, it could be prepared to the correct temperature and there was nothing special about the mashed potatoes & asparagus.
Many people say the way to judge an Italian restaurant is the desert 
tiramisu. The tiramisu was huge, and was presented as an individual portion rather than a slice. Perfectly matched with the cappuccino, I chose to leave some otherwise I might just get drafted by the Patriots for my size.
What did we think of Davio’s? As good as Boston with a unique location. If you are in the area, perhaps visiting Gillette, or the Wrentham Outlets, Davio’s is a nice adult location for a fabulous meal.
Hours
Lunch:
Daily
11:30 am–3:00 pm
Please call about special Game Day hours
Dinner:
Sunday–Thursday
5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Friday & Saturday
5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Bar/Lounge:
Sunday–Thursday
11:30 am–11:00 pm
Friday & Saturday
11:30 am–12:00 am
Davio’s - Foxborough gets a
Green Light – Go and enjoy
About the RAG scale:
Green Light – Go and enjoy
Amber Light – Use caution
Red Light – Save your time and money
Reader Comments