Best of Boston

Ambiance is in the eye of the beholder: One man’s intimate mood-lit heaven is another’s cramped low-lit hell. But once in a blue moon an eatery comes along that approaches capital-R Romantic in an unalienable, across-the-board way. The flames flickering in Bondir’s brick fireplace help set the mood, as do the fresh flowers and exquisite farm-to-table masterpieces emerging from the kitchen. But it’s the warm hospitality that seals the deal, conjuring up memories of a magical honeymoon meal of the past—or a premonition of those yet to come.