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May-June 2007
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Favorites |
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Courtesy of Craigie Street Bistrot |
The heart of the matter at Craigie Street Bistrot, the kitchen where chef Tony Maws does the transformative work that wins him national acclaim |
“Clearly OM Restaurant and Lounge [57 JFK St., 617-576-2800, www.omrestaurant.com] and the Craigie Street Bistrot [5 Craigie Circle, 617-497-5511, www.craigiestreetbistrot.com] are leading the charge in local dining,” declares stem-cell researcher Kevin Eggan, assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology. “OM manages to bring an exciting big-city atmosphere to ‘little Harvard Square,’ serving cutting-edge, sometimes experimental cuisine by chef Rachel Klein. On the other hand, Craigie Street, which is hidden away in a truly unsuspected location, is constantly pushing the bounds of what should be expected from your local, neighborhood gourmet [in this case, chef Tony Maws]. The bone marrow is a must-try at Craigie.”
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OM chef Rachel Klein (inset) and the dining room at OM, studded with Asian art |
Courtesy of OM |
“Rialto is truly superb,” agrees Lamont University Professor Amartya Sen, “and Legal Sea Foods [in the courtyard next to the Charles Hotel, 617-864-3400, www.legalseafoods.com] is splendid as well.” Walter Willett, Stare professor of epidemiology and nutrition in the Faculty of Public Health, agrees about Legal, saying that he and his family gravitate to it: “The Berkowitz family, which owns this chain of restaurants, strives to provide the freshest and healthiest products possible, and we are never disappointed. After 30 years, when I walk into their restaurants, my mouth still waters for the grilled bluefish with mustard sauce, and where else can you get great fried clams knowing they are prepared in trans-fat-free oils?”
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Photograph by Peter Vanderwarker |
Rialto has been completely renovated this year, with S-shaped banquettes winding their way through the dining room. |
“Another remarkable restaurant,” continues economist Sen, “is Casablanca [40 Brattle St., 617-876-0999, www.casablanca-restaurant.com]. The food is excellent and unusually interesting, and the wine list is very well chosen and affordably outstanding. In fact, Casablanca, with its warm and homely atmosphere, is in many ways the best value for money around Harvard Square. I hope admiration does not change all that!”
“Any listing of notable Cambridge restaurants must include the Harvest” [44 Brattle St., 617-868-2255, www.harvestcambridge.com], according to Frank E. A. Sander, Bussey professor of law emeritus. “It can perhaps best be classified as Modern Gourmet, serving a variety of superbly prepared dishes in a congenial and attractive setting that can sometimes (e.g., on weekends) be noisy and crowded. Outdoor patio in summer. Suitable for celebratory occasions, but as is normally the case, excellence doesn’t come cheap.”
“For those who seek more distinctive, ethnic food,” Sander tosses in, “two of my favorites are Rendang [57 JFK St., 617-234-3988], a fine albeit very informal Malaysian restaurant, and Takemura [18 Eliot St., 617-492-6700], a small gem for lovers of sushi and other Japanese specialties.”
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