The corner of Columbus Avenue that used to be home to Bob’s Southern Bistro has gone from haven of downhome dining to a restaurant/lounge with a French twist. Circle (604 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 617.247.2537), the brainchild of Cleveland native Malcolm Aalders, has been nearly nine months in the making. But if the exposed brick, ultrachic red-bulb lighting, and 70-bottle wine list are any indication, it’s been worth the wait. Aalders brought in food guru Adam Gendreau, who worked under Rialto’s Jody Adams, to create the contemporary French menu, which includes white-asparagus-crusted salmon and butter-poached lobster. “We wanted to match that South End feeling,” says Aalders of the restaurant’s hip yet unpretentious vibe and upscale yet approachable menu. And with a mosaic-tiled corner bar, a carefully crafted cocktail list (including the lethal-sounding “Absintheminded” for $12), and 10 beers on tap, this new addition just might bring the South End’s list of dining options full circle.
