Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/60293
ne Food review Rest Stop In Gloucester, Willow Rest may keep a low profile, but its menu is packed with big, bold flavors and farm-fresh ingredients. By Anna and David Kasabian inconspicuously situated in an old red-shingled building with gas pumps out front, Willow Rest is nestled at the bottom of a hill on a winding two-lane road riding up the spine of West Gloucester. Don't be fooled by its modest appearance; inside is one of the most original eateries any- where—not just the North Shore—which also doubles as a progressive gourmet grocer and unfussy neighborhood haunt. Plop down on a stool at the counter or a chair at one of the tables and order from the simple paper menu or straight from the chalkboard of daily specials. Then, get ready for a wild, tasty ride. Chef and owner Melissa Donati has created a total food experience in her own image: warmly informal, eccentrically creative, unstint- ingly focused on quality ingredients, and with a Michelin-starred chef's attention Today's Special Roasted red-and-yellow-pepper focaccia, and owner Melissa Donati, right. 18 nshoremag.com May/June 2012 photographs by anthony tieuli