Co-owner John Lovett outside Boru's Bistro at the corner of Dot Ave. and Leedsville Street.

By Bill Forry

People who know what the corner of Leedsville Street and Dot Ave. used to be like may have a hard time buying what we're about to say. But, there's a new address in Dorchester for people who want to dine well and drink well in a hip neighborhood setting.

And, no we're not talking about Boston Street.

Boru's Bistro opened, very quietly, back in mid-November on the 1300 block of Dot Ave. and has been building a reputation as Dorchester's must-check-out eatery. The bistro is the newest incarnation of what used to be The Leedsville Cafe, a below-average gin mill that fit in well on the gritty strip between the Dot House and Freeport Street.

The new-and-improved Boru's Bistro is more Left Bank than Dot Ave., a cozy dining room where cool jazz, white tablecloths and martini glasses set the tone for the night. The restaurant and bar is open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner only, and even in the pre-cigarette crackdown days, is strictly smoke-free.

The real attraction, though, is the menu, the handiwork of manager Paul Yates and chef Phil Carolan. The pair have developed an eclectic selection of bistro-styled plates that include Jerk Rubbed Snapper, Roasted Duck Breast and Artichoke Penne, hardly the typical avenue pub fare.

And that's exactly what the Boru's owners were hoping for.

When new owners Frank Delaney and John Lovett bought the old Leedsville building back in 1999, they wanted to transform the beer'n-a-beatin' dive into a respectable joint. Easier said than done.

The first attempt was Scruffy Murphy's, a name which pretty well summed up the bar, if not the clientele. The place was pretty lonely until an hour before closing time when the tavern's two o'clock license drew half of the South Shore to its doors.

"It's not the kind of place we had hoped for. There was no future in it," admits Lovett, a Jamaica Plain native who cut his teeth in the bar trade at Faneuil Hall's Purple Shamrock. Fellow pint puller Frank Delaney, a native of Galway, Ireland, threw in with Lovett to start Scruffy's.

"We did what we could with it for the first couple of years. But we always felt we could do something better," Lovett recalls.

By last year, the pair had tired of drunken fisticuffs and longed for a sit-down restaurant. Their model was a place in Revere, Le Bistro, that another Shamrock barman, Paul Yates, launched successfully in the late '90s.

As it happens, Yates had sold his bistro last year and when his Dorchester buddies called over the summer, he was more than happy to dive into the new venture. He brought along best friend Phil Carolan, who did the stove work at Le Bistro too.

Together, the four-man crew went to work this summer, transforming the space and preparing the menu in time to open before the holidays.

Lovett admits: "We did have some reservations. This has always been a tough stretch of the avenue, kind of a no-man's land. But we felt we really needed to do something to draw people here. Nothing good comes without risk."

Already, Lovett says, the neighborhood has begun the embrace the bistro. Ellsworth plumbing supply house across the street has opened up its private parking lot to accommodate bistro diners when Dot Ave. spots are at a premium. And employees from the nearby Dorchester House have met for after-work dinner meetings and parties in a private party room off the bistro's main dining room.

The name Boru's Bistro is a nod to Delaney's Irish roots, Boru having been the last of the island's great warrior kings. Boru is also the name of a vodka company that has agreed to help underwrite the bar, an appropriate choice given the house specialty: vodka martinis infused with melons, oranges and other fresh fruits. The concoctions are on display in giant glass containers that crown the elaborate wooden bar. Fine wines and cordials are also in ready supply behind the bar, along with an ample selection of draught beer, but the Boru bar crowd is definitely more into an after-dinner drink or two than a diet of hops and barley.

That's a good thing, too, because the emphasis at Boru's really should stay on the food. Carolan, who has traveled extensively in Europe, is a real workhorse in the kitchen. On a recent visit, the Reporter and guests raved over a sampling of Carolan's appetizers: wild mushroom tartlet ($8), pan roasted mussels (7) and smoked duck spring roll (7.50). Favorite entrees include the blackened swordfish (16.50), Boston cut sirloin (19) and the double think maple glazed pork chop (15.50).

Desserts are another specialty of the house and Carolan arrives early to prepare new selections daily. On our visit, the table was split down the middle over the tiramisu and chocolate cheescake.

Obviously, the bill at Boru's reflects the quality of the food and drink and is comparable to other high-end favorites, like 224 Boston Street. But, for those who crave a fine dining atmosphere without leaving the zip code, Boru's Bistro promises to become a favored destination.

Boru's Bistro is located at 1333 Dorchester Avenue and is open Tuesday-Sunday, 5-10pm for dinner and until midnight at the bar.