Dinner on the Cape: The Glass Onion in Falmouth

If you know me, you know how important my childhood on the Cape was to me. So, every time I return to Falmouth, I make certain mandatory stops in order to preserve the illusion that I still have some sort of link to a place I haven't lived in for five years.

I always drive to Chappaquoit Beach and sit there for a while, I always drive by my old house and die a little inside when I see someone else's car parked there, and I always stop at my favorite places to eat and drink. These stops include: a sandwich at BoxLunch, several thousand iced coffees at Coffe O (Coffee Obsession to you tourists), and chocolate raspberry jells at Ben & Bill's.

Because most restaurants in Falmouth are overrun by the worst kind of tourist (which, I believe, sounds a lot like terrorist for a good reason), I tend not to add new places to my repertoire. Nevertheless, I was taken to the Glass Onion, a new restaurant delightfully close to Coffee O, for a birthday dinner recently by my friend P and her mom J, and I'm happy to say that it was delicious.

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The service and décor at the Glass Onion--a name chosen, we were told, by the owners' three-year old for his favorite Beatles song--were equally charming. The interior is done in soft green, dark-stained wood, and lots of glass, a combination that's wonderfully soothing from the moment you step off of busy Palmer Avenue into the window-lined vestibule.

The night started off with a compliment from the chef: shooters of chilled cucumber soup. That alone was enough for me to proclaim this restaurant a success, but then I had the bread. Normally, I'm not a big bread person. Outside of France, I've struggled to find bread good enough to legitimize the extra carbs and calories at the beginning of what's already a rich dinner. But this bread was different. It had the right combination of crisp crust and soft interior, but what really sold me was that the crust absolutely glistened with salt.

For dinner itself, I chose the Grilled Lamb Chops with a Roasted Tomato and Black Olive Couscous, and I became a believer in the power and charm of the Glass Onion. The lamb itself was lovely, but what stood out the most to me was the way the roasted tomatoes and the black olives complimented the gamey flavor of the meat without overpowering it.

Despite my attempt at staying dairy-free, I indulged and ordered the Vanilla Yogurt Panna Cotta with a Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce for dessert. It was worth it. The panna cotta was exactly as creamy and smooth as I wanted it to be, and the portion was enough to satisfy without overwhelming.

If you're in Falmouth and you're sick of the crap they're calling restaurants on Main Street, try the Glass Onion. It's elegant, soothing, and delicious, and you'll be supporting a local business!