30 | <strong>01940</strong> GALLINA, continued from page 29 1999-2002 before relocating to Chicago when Kiehm accepted a job at the Four Seasons. The expansive menu is overseen by chef Daniel Xavier, who was most recently sous chef at the award-winning Boston Seaport based restaurant, Chickadee. The menu features everything from Charcuterie & Cheese boards, Hummus Dips & Spreads, to succulent Grilled Skewered Meats. Several tapas are on the menu, including Spanish Croquetas with serrano ham and manchego cheese and Pan-Seared Grecian Meatballs with kefalotyri cheese, tzatziki, mint, and pita chips. Other items include a variety of oven-baked pizzas all lovingly “hen-crafted” with a sourdough starter recipe that’s over 125 years old. Main dishes include Pan-Roasted Chicken with pan drippings, rosemary, and grapes and the Spanish Fideuà, a Valencia Seafood Dish. A selection of vegetable-centric dishes populate the menu, including Roasted Cauliflower + Whipped Feta with carrot-raisin quinoa salad and pumpkin seed dressing, Moroccan Tomato Soup with roasted onion and touch of yogurt, and Grilled Romesco + Asparagus. Hand-crafted cocktails, zero-percent cocktails, sangrias, spritzes, regional brews and ciders, and a thoughtfully sourced list of affordable wines from around the Mediterranean and beyond, all available by the glass and bottle. When asked what his favorite menu item is at La Gallina, Kiehm did not hesitate. "It's my mother-in-law's Greek meatballs," said Kiehm. "I have to keep her happy." Kiehm said the Mediterranean region has always meant a lot to him. "My wife's family is from Sparta and the island of Lesvos in Greece," he said. "My son spoke his first words in Sardinia. I consider the island of Mallorca my second home. I have dear friends who live in Italy on top of a hillside. James and I lived and worked in the region for many years and we fell in love with the people, their culture, their history–and of course–their food." La Gallina is open six days a week. For hours, call 781-776-7600 or visit www.lagallina-lynnfield.com. 40
WINTER <strong>2022</strong> | 31 La Gallina co-owners James Wierzelewski, left, and Matthias Kiehm stand in the dining room of the new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at MarketStreet Lynnfield.