The suburbs get a Wicked addition

Stephanie Foley serves Lou and Randi Bello of Sharon at the new restaurant Wicked. (BARRY CHIN/GLOBE STAFF)

An early taste of what's new on the restaurant scene

The name of the place is "Wicked - A Boston Bistro," but it isn't in Boston. The logo for the place is a witch's hat and broomstick, but the restaurant isn't in Salem.

Wicked is actually a new addition to the Sharon dining scene, an expansive restaurant (more than 250 seats inside and out) that took over the former Bickford's building on Route 1. Chef-owner Christopher Mitchell, who has worked at Henrietta's Table in the Charles Hotel and the Dedham Country and Polo Club, says he opened Wicked so that South Shore residents could have a Boston-style hotspot closer to home.

We're not sure what type of Boston atmosphere Mitchell had in mind when he opened Wicked in March, but during our recent, Saturday-night trip to the restaurant, we saw that his highwayside venue has become a popular nightlife spot where patrons can have intimate, upscale dinners inside, and revelers can mingle while listening to live music on a festive deck.

The nightlife vibe begins with an impressive and playful martini menu. Drinks have names such as "Invitation to the Pants Party," "Maybe it was the Dingo," and "My crazy aunt Bettie." As an iced coffee lover, I was pleased with the "Charlie's Got the Golden Ticket," a cocktail made with coffee-flavored vodka, Frangelico, and milk, and garnished with floating coffee beans.

We started our meal with the hand-cut vinegar fries, a pile of thick potato slices topped with melted Gouda cheese and served with homemade ketchup. The fries were too fried and a bit greasy, maybe because of the cheese, but we made up for it with our second appetizer, the healthier Caprese basil tower, which was a stack of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and olives covered with aged balsamic. The tasty tomatoes outshined the cheese, to our surprise.

On the complicated end of the appetizer list was the mini lobster tartlet, which reminded us of a Trader Joe's quiche. It was saved by hearty chunks of fresh lobster - the best of the crustacean we've had all summer. For entrees, I fared well with the "chef's mood of the day" pizza. Turns out, the chef was in the mood for pepperoni and caramelized onions, which was fine by me. Unlike the gourmet, thin-crust pizzas that are trendy around the city, this doughy pie reminded us of what you'd get from Domino's (not a bad thing, in our opinion). If your group is hungry, the pizza would make a great plate to split as an appetizer.

Our favorite entree was the pan-seared jumbo scallops, which were served with a maple-whipped butternut squash. The squash was so tasty that we wished it had also been served with the "double duck plate," a duck quesadilla that came with ordinary mashed potatoes - a side too filling for the already carb-heavy meal.

We ended things with two sweets, the sugary deep-fried apple tart, and the limoncello truffle, which was described by one of my dining companions as an "old lady dessert," probably because of the bright meringue sprinkles that covered the lemon gelato. Both were satisfactory, intensely sweet, and fine to share.

When we left Wicked at about 10:30 p.m., the place was still hopping. Inside, a number of diners were still finishing meals and giggling over glasses of wine. Outside, the deck was still populated by couples and groups in their 20s to 50s, some of whom mingled at the bar. The live band started up a danceable rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama."

The closest business we could see from the Wicked parking lot was a nearby Econo Lodge. With all of the dining, socializing, and martini sipping going on at Wicked, we wondered whether some of the joyful patrons would retire to the motel for an after-party. We would have gladly accepted an invite.

Wicked - A Boston Bistro, 973 Providence Highway (Route 1), Sharon. 781-784-2222. www.wickedabostonbistro.com. Entrees: $14 to $28.50. Wine by the glass: $6.50 to $12.

Meredith Goldstein can be reached at mgoldstein@globe.com.