Roasted Suckling Pig at Troquet

A luxurious restaurant meal is one of our most cherished ways to celebrate, whether we’re marking a milestone or a big night out at the theater. And for many of us, occasion dining demands good wine. Sadly, not every Boston restaurant does all it can to make wine an integral part of the experience. Sometimes the staff isn’t trained on the niceties of wine service. Some wine programs are too timid, offering patrons few opportunities to explore beyond familiar vintners. But the most common sin is price gouging: most restaurants use wine to fatten profits, charging $120 or $150 for labels that retail for $30. That kind of tariff can suck the joy out of the most perfectly chosen bottle.

So any restaurant that encourages our enjoyment of the grape sends a rare and delightful message: “You should drink wine with this food. We’re going to make it easy for you with helpful advice and sensible prices.” That’s the approach of Troquet (140 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.695.9463), whose wine list features 46 wines by the glass in two- and four-ounce pours, thoughtfully matched to dishes with a simple numbering system and conveniently grouped for tasting in flights. The top end of the bottle list is laden with bargains too, making Troquet one of the best restaurants in Boston for those looking to spend big on wine. Further, the ambiance is modern yet romantic, with many mirrors reflecting candlelight, spare claret-and-black decor, and views of the Common.

That contemporary sensibility applies to chef Scott Hebert’s French cuisine, too, as in his entree of roasted suckling pig ($39) in three preparations. A cylinder of shoulder is encased in strips of crisp belly. A hefty portion of saddle recalls chicharrón, crunchy rind topping deliriously rich fat and a mere suggestion of loin. And a pâté of nape and shoulder with diced cornichons evokes an herb-rich stuffing. Pork-stock pan sauce provides concentrated, saucy interest, and sides include fabulous airy Asiago spoon bread (like a polenta soufflé), tender Swiss chard, and baby carrots. The joys of this nouvelle-pretty but filling dish are only amplified by matching two-ounce tastes of 2005 Bodegas Volver ($6, an oak-and-cherry La Mancha tempranillo), 2007 Artezin ($5.25, a round, peppery Mendocino zinfandel), and 2007 Marquis-Philips ($6.25, a chocolatey Australian shiraz). That makes for nine food/wine pairings on one plate, the kind of heady flavor mashup that makes oenophiles giddy. In a market packed with fancy French places, this love for wine lovers may best explain how Troquet consistently ranks among Boston’s most popular dining destinations.