Bel Canto Restaurant Lexington (Boston, Cambridge: home, college, bill)

[Liz Gentry]

Does anyone remember Bel Canto Restaurant in Lexington? I would love the recipe for Ministrone soup.

[Dollarbilly]

I remember dining at Bel Canto in Lexington on many occasions. If I remember correctly they had another location or two in the Boston area? My favourite was the Martha 5 O'Clocks. Those were the turnover-shape pastries with mushrooms inside. Anyone remember? And sorry, I don't have the recipe for the Minestrone. Wish I had the 5 O'Clock one. - Dollarbilly

[goyguy]

Lord, do I remember Bel Canto. I go back to when the original was operating out of a hole-in-the-wall on Mass. Ave in Cambridge between Central and Harvard Squares. Their calzones were soooo big and soooo good in those days. You had to BYOB, and everything was served on paper plates and with plastic silverware. Hardly anybody dined in because I think there were maybe four tables scrunched in.
Bel Canto's standards didn't suffer, but their serving sizes shrank when they expanded into the former Acropolis restaurant right next door. A dress-down meal became a yuppified occasion, complete with linen tablecloths and stainless-steel silverware and - yes - glass plates. The big change happened around 1984. Not too long thereafter, the owners decided to "grow" new locations, and before you knew it there were other Bel Canto's in Brookline and Beacon Hill as well as in Lexington and probably more places. The menu started offering more dishes, also delicious, as the calzones went from football-sized to more like a tennis-ball size. Yet everything stayed awesome and the fan base stayed loyal as it grew.
But success ruined the chain eventually. They were bought out by Pizzeria Regina, which seems to have chronic management problems given the number of outlets that have opened and then gone under. All of the Bel Canto's were sold and became history.
I'm no kind of cook, and never got hold of any of their recipes. Perhaps somebody at Pizzeria Regina headquarters would be able to dig into some old records.

[WistfulThinking]

I worked at Bel Canto from 1989-1991 while I was going to college. I started at the Cambridge location, then went to the Brookline location, then ended up at the Beacon Hill location. I left before they got bought out by 'Boston Restaurant Associates' AKA Pizzaria Regina. I started as a host, then waiter, cook, assistant manager, and sometimes dishwasher. Although I must have made hundreds of each calzone, I can barely remember the names, let alone the ingredients of each. I'd hate to steer you in the wrong direction with my faulty memory. Bel Canto was founded by a man named Henry Patterson. If you do an internet search for him, you'll see he's still in the food industry (I think I read that he's launching a Thai styled Tapas restaurant in Boston). Perhaps you could ask Mr. Patterson if he'd be willing to share his recipes? I'm sure he'd be proud to know people still remember his pioneering restuarants with the funny shaped calzones and the 'torta' pizzas he created.

[ericcantona]

I remember Bel Canto well - used to visit the one in Andover frequently for lunch back in the late 80s/early 90s. Favorite calzone was "Mr Paul's" which I think had chicken, tomato and pesto. They used to serve the calzones with a choice of dipping sauce - tomato or pesto. Pesto was delicious.

They also sold the calzones unbaked, so you could bake them at home and have the kitchen filled with the wonderful aroma of freshly baked calzone.

I did visit the Lexington restaurant, also the one in Boston on Charles St. Very sad when they closed down.

Steve Turner

[Raif]

I remember. I worked there in 1986. Do u remeber the manager Don and Karen. What were their last names ? I want to google them and reconnect

[LongHair]

Originally Posted by Raif

I remember. I worked there in 1986. Do u remember the manager Don and Karen. What were their last names ? I want to google them and reconnect

I worked at Bel Canto in Lexigton near the same time. (on and off from about 1986 until 1992). I remember both Don and Karen, but not sure of their whereabouts. Also remember Bill Powell, Herb, Joey the dishwasher, Dot the waitress, Laura and Leann Eaton, Helen O'Malley, Aaron Tap, Mario, Beth Keagan (aka Curly), Paul, Mike Hurley, Kevin Flanagan, Matt Nicholson, Sebastian and lots of other folks.

[LongHair]

Originally Posted by Liz Gentry

Does anyone remember Bel Canto Restaurant in Lexington? I would love the recipe for Ministrone soup.

I worked in the kitchen and the recipe was nothing out of the ordinary. Essentially a handful of each of the pizza (aka torta) vegis, chick peas and kidney beans, a few ladles of the pizza sauce, a cup of white wine lots of basil and some vegi bouillon and water of course.

What made it special was freshness of the ingredients and those awesome croutons and breadsticks, and of course the freshly grated cheese.

I actually still remember the essentials of most of the good stuff. I occasionally make calzones based on the Florentine and Mr Paul's on occasion for my family.

[goyguy]

Invite me over for supper the next time you make some! I like mine made from whole wheat dough
LongHair, pls send a DM to "Raif" since s/he may not check the site any more and would be interested in reminiscing w/u. That way notification can be sent to his/her regular e-mail address. Thanks!

[walthamjack]

Originally Posted by WistfulThinking

I worked at Bel Canto from 1989-1991 while I was going to college. I started at the Cambridge location, then went to the Brookline location, then ended up at the Beacon Hill location. I left before they got bought out by 'Boston Restaurant Associates' AKA Pizzaria Regina. I started as a host, then waiter, cook, assistant manager, and sometimes dishwasher. Although I must have made hundreds of each calzone, I can barely remember the names, let alone the ingredients of each. I'd hate to steer you in the wrong direction with my faulty memory. Bel Canto was founded by a man named Henry Patterson. If you do an internet search for him, you'll see he's still in the food industry (I think I read that he's launching a Thai styled Tapas restaurant in Boston). Perhaps you could ask Mr. Patterson if he'd be willing to share his recipes? I'm sure he'd be proud to know people still remember his pioneering restuarants with the funny shaped calzones and the 'torta' pizzas he created.

i also worked at bel canto started at becon hill then cambridge wellesly and then lexington 1984 to 1997 had a lot of good times there.