TASTES & TABLES

New in Town? Latest additions to Cambridge’s restaurant scene by nell porter brown COURTESY OF MAMALEH’S (3)

($9): jolts of curry, chilies, and lime juice “Global tapas” and fresh seafood at and pert legumes. Wok-fried chow fun Little Donkey (left); Mamaleh’s special­izes in Jewish deli fare, like -ball soup or (wide, chewy ) swim in a bowl toasted with smoked whitefish of rich broth with salty black beans and salad, capers, and onions (above). hunks of soft-shell crab ($16). BLT lettuce wraps ($12) come DIY, with lamb bacon their wide-ranging attention spans. COURTESY OF LITTLE DONKEY (3) and zesty accompaniments—pimento Mamaleh’s (www.mamalehs.com), the cheese, ripe tomatoes, picked red onion, new “modern-era Jewish ” in and sliced plums. Also rich, but thank- Kendall Square, is one of the few places fully leaner, is the dry-aged beef burger around to offer a legitimate chocolate egg iverse new city restaurants are ($15), topped with oniony mayonnaise and cream ($4.50). The traditional New York attracting both tonier grown- a handful of jalapeño chips. These “global City beverage (which might have originat- ups and the young professionals tapas” are comfort food at its best. There’s ed among Eastern European immigrants) is D and students who dominate bars also a cocktail bar, raw bar, pastry bar— a refreshing mélange of whole milk, seltzer, and nightlife—and who simply eat out, a and a separate breakfast menu. Little Don- and chocolate-flavored syrup. If that sounds lot. With their long hours, popular themed key, named for the dependable creature, unappetizing, Mamaleh’s soda fountain also menus, and intimate ambience, or targeting takes up a huge and hospitable space in serves celery-, lemon--, and pick- of connoisseurs, these places are nothing if Central Square, and is open from 8 a.m. to le-flavored sodas—along with milkshakes not accommodating. 2 a.m. Chef-owners Ken Oringer and Jamie and ice-cream floats: try a scoop of choco- The food at Little Donkey (www.little- Bissonnette envisioned creating a neigh- late with Dr. Brown’s black cherry cola ($6). donkeybos.com) is all over the map—in a borhood haunt serving diverse inhabitants, On to the food. The rich matzo-ball soup good way. There’s red lentil and kale dhal the hours they keep, and food that grabs ($6/$8) will cure anyone’s lack-of-light win-

Harvard Magazine 16M

Reprinted from Harvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746 Harvard Squared pari, and grapefruit juice seasoned with salt Far less buzzy is Forage (www.forage- and dill. The concept and menu occasionally cambridge.com), which opened last year cross into shtick, and some will argue about in the subterranean space that had long the spelling of “Mamaleh,” and whether it housed Ten Tables (and Craigie Street Bis- truly is a Yiddish “term of endearment for trot before that). The speakeasy ambience a young child,” as the restaurant’s website is gone, unfortunately, but new owner Stan claims, but the food, and the passion behind Hilbert is appreciably devoted to a “hyper- it, beckon diners to return. local, ingredient-driven menu.” Evidence: Across the courtyard, barbecue domi- a salad of chrysanthemum greens ($10)— nates The Smoke Shop (www.thesmoke- which taste like the flowers smell, and are

COURTESY OF THE SMOKE SHOP (2) shopbbq.com). Champion pitmaster Andy used in Asian soups and stews—and a dish Husbands fulfills messy-meat cravings with of lobster mushrooms ($13). During a visit, Barbecue, with Southern-style a Southern-styled menu featuring dishes the latter came with ripe, fat blackberries, fixin’s, at The like ($19.50) and ribs ($22-$31, de- but was otherwise bland. There were two Smoke Shop, pending on the size of the slab). There’s tagines, lamb ($29) and eggplant with yel- in Kendall Square also Thai-flavored fried chicken ($22) and, low-eyed beans ($24). Spiced with preserved for vegetarians who dare show up, glazed lemons, prunes, and mint, the slow-cooked ter blues. The tofu and mushroom slaw ($11). If indulging North African stews, paired with crunchy —plain in salty-sweet-spicy hunks of meat anyway, fritters, are an ideal cold-weath- potato or packed with ($4/$6)—are it’s hard to resist getting side orders of grits er meal. A juicy filet of bluefish came with delicate and bold, especially with . fries ($7), bacon and collard greens ($6), and roasted potatoes ($27), but fermented chil- And the dreamy roast-beef sandwich, as Texas toast ($3)—extra-thick sliced white ies put on such a fiery show, the dish had hefty as its $12 price, came on soft rye bread bread good for sopping up sauce. The dé- to be doused (by request) with a dollop of slathered with mayonnaise. cor is handsome, with a 1970s feel: lots of homemade labneh. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the brown wood, rust-colored walls, and ex- As for drinks, other restaurants could restaurant has a full bar, with peppy cock- posed brick. The front bar zone is popular, learn from Forage’s care with its $8 mock- tails: “The 866” ($11) combines aquavit, Cam- but can be noisy. tails. Vinn’s Cup #2 featured rhubarb syrup

An Extraordinary Setting for Your Special Event the catered affair is the caterer for the harvard art museums Photography by Kataram Studios Artwork (Triangle Constellation) © Carlos Amorales 781.763.1333 | thecateredaffair.com/venue/harvardartmuseums

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Reprinted from Harvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746 Harvard Squared and a neroli blossom. The excellent wine Massachusetts Avenue north of Por- list emphasizes organic whites and reds, ter Square, is simply decorated with and therefore matches Forage’s grounded wooden tables, colorful artwork, and feel. The dining room even offered “natural” tin lighting fixtures. It grew out of noise: human conversation, in lieu of loud, the adjacent catering business and piped-in music. serves a frequently changing, four- A small, enthusiastic crowd dines at course, prix-fixe menu for $65 per The Table at Season to Taste (www.cam- person. Wait staff know their food bridgetable.com). The 20-seat restaurant, and wine, and are happy to suggest with plate glass windows that overlook excellent pairings. A sampling of The Table (below) has recent fare found rigatoni in a puttanes- which constantly changes. The moins petit a modern, country- ca sauce with chunks of swordfish; pork fare might include rabbit terrine, blistered cottage feel; Way- point’s gray tones, belly in a yellow curry sauce; seared hake tomatoes paired with a quail egg, or spelt stainless steel, marble, lathered in cream; and sautéed shrimp with cavatelli with caramelized crab. (Prices

and neon (right) make corn and heirloom tomatoes. Chef Carl range from $14 to $28.) Waypoint (www. WAYPOINT OF COURTESY it handsomely sleek. Dooley, a Cambridge native, abandoned waypointharvard.com), the new restaurant the stoves in the open kitchen to present opened last summer by chef Michael Scelfo the evening’s amuse-bouche: handmade corn (of Alden & Harlow), is also relatively re- tortillas with cheese (quesadillas) and a fined, but feels less precious. Its roominess, trio of accompaniments, like huitlacoche (a open kitchens, and raw bar lend a sense of fungus that forms galls on ears of corn, and abundance, and “coastally inspired” food is a delicacy in Mexico). is served with enthusiasm. Pizza with For a stepped-up attitude and accom- chopped clams ($16), fried smelts ($13), and panying haute couture cuisine, Shepard king crab with black rice and brown-butter (www.shepardcooks.com), which replaced aioli ($22) just satisfy. neighborhood mainstay Chez Henri, might What could be better on a cold night out

COURTESY OF SEASON THE TABLE AT (2) TO TASTE do. It looks spare and neat, like its food, in Cambridge? vn.p.b.

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Reprinted from Harvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746