AW YEAH The Plough and Stars

The Plough & Stars

912 Mass. Ave

Cambridge, Ma 02139

617-576-0032

Menu: Mon thru Sat. menu is eclectic with some bar food, some New England faves, and some ethnic choices. Sunday is Chicken and Fish Fry night!

Atmosphere: Laid Back, casual dress. Bar and music

Prices: Great for the City. Two meals with drinks was $34

Kid Friendly: You might be able to sneak them in for some chicken, but it is a bar.

Sunday night was a last hurrah of the holiday season as we headed out to the Plough and Stars in Cambridge. Zev and Maureen asked us to go and then our friends Nate and Addie and Gretchen and Mike joined us.The Plough and Stars is on Mass. Ave in Cambridge and is a small corner bar near Central Square. There is seating for about 30 to 40 people along one wall and in the front, and then there is a bar along the other wall with room in the back for a small band. It is a casual setting great for hanging out with good friends enjoying good drinks and great food.

This place has a regular menu they serve Monday through Saturday, but Sunday night is Chicken and Fish Fry night. You sit where you like, you order at the bar, and they bring some pretty damn good chicken and catfish to your table along with sides that are just as tasty.

You can order ala carte. Lou got two drumsticks and a side of cheddar grits, or you can order one of their dinner options. I went for the Chesty Morgan, refrain from jokes please, 2 breasts, collard greens, and cheddar grits or fries. I got the grits as well.

When I first heard fried chicken, I thought, oh well, not the healthiest of meals, but then my dinner arrived. This chicken has the lightest yet tastiest of batters on it. If you want extra crispy, go to KFC. If you want some delicious, light, moist chicken with delicious light coating, come here. Lou thought it was the best fried chicken he had ever had. The goodness didn't end there though. The collard greens were perfect, and the cheesy grits....Oh my. I don't even like grits usually. I would eat a bucket of these if I could, and as a bonus two pieces of corn bread come with every meal. Addie ordered the catfish and was nice enough to let Lou and I have a taste. The catfish is how anything blackened should taste. It was moist, had a distinct blackened flavor and was topped lightly with a remoulade sauce. The best part of all is the price. All chicken meals are $10 the catfish is $12. Not bad for the city, free music, awesome food, and great atmosphere.

The Plough and Stars also has a great drink menu. I had a Dunkel Weiss. Lou had a Magner's. I also notice Chimay Rouge on the menu, and Red Stripe. They had something for every drinker's taste, along with a full bar.

This place even had live music. A three piece blues band started at about 9 pm, The Frank Morey Band. Not too loud for conversation to still take place but added to the already cool, laid back environment. Their own website describes them as Blues and folk. Lou pointed out they had a Delta blues vibe. It was a nice addition to the night.

As we closed out the evening, we were all stalling leaving this place. Part of it I am sure was the fact the holidays were over, and most of us were heading back to work in the morning, but our good time at the Plough and Stars didn't make it any easier to leave. I think we will have to show up earlier next time, stay longer, and eat more chicken!

Don't wait until fall to enjoy Harvest

Harvest Restaurant

44 Brattle Street, on the walkway between Brattle and Mt.Auburn streets
Cambridge, Ma
617-868-2255

Menu: Traditional New England dishes with a modern flair
Kid Friendly: Get a baby sitter
Atmosphere: Warm, subtle sophistication, lively yet intimate
Prices: On the expensive side but worth it

Lou sent me a list of restaurants he had heard good things about yesterday and asked me to choose which one I was most interested in. I chose Harvest in Cambridge Ma. The website and menu made me think of Henrietta's table. The menu is a celebration of New England flavors and Harvest's current chef, Mary Dumont, makes use of the local farms for ingredients. Both restaurants are equally good, but they definitely each have their own personality.

I knew immediately Harvest was going to be a great restaurant because of two things. It was hard to find, and it was very busy. This is not a place you would necessarily stumble upon, and they can win a prize for the hardest to find valet.

The atmosphere at Harvest is what struck me immediately. It was the perfect restaurant for this time of year. There was a simple sophistication in the decor. There were signs of the harvest time of year throughout the restaurant but they were not overbearing. A painting on the wall of a field of corn, some wheat strategically placed in the ladies room. It was all done very well.

We sat in the main dining room, overlooking an outdoor patio. The patio was not open for dining, but we noticed a roaring fireplace outside, as well as, a few chairs, and assumed they may let people go out to enjoy the fire.

The wine list at Harvest is extensive. Lou and I opted for our usual water. The main menu had a broad selection from raw seafood, to steak, pasta and fish entrees. Our order exemplified the variety. For appetizers we chose the spiced sweet potato gnocchi, and the special appetizer, seared scallops a top a squid ink risotto. These turned out to be a great choice. The gnocchi had a subtle sweetness to it. It was covered with sprouts and pomegranate seeds, and was accompanied with roasted brussel sprouts. The scallops were tender and seared perfectly. The risotto was savory, and the squid ink gave it a pitch black coloring but was not an overpowering flavor in the dish. After the appetizer course, I got my nerve up to take a few pictures of the next dishes that came out.

For dinner Lou got the braised short ribs with root vegetable puree. The root vegetable puree was very similar to mashed potatoes, in fact Lou thought he had eaten potatoes. I went for the painted hills sirloin with yukon potatoes, mushrooms and creamed spinach. Both the ribs and the sirloin were melt in your mouth good. The creamed spinach matched with the potatoes and sirloin gave the whole dish a creamy texture to it. I ended up leaving half my dinner, so I could eat it again the next day for lunch, and have enough room left so I could enjoy dessert!

For dessert, I got the New England Carrot Steam Pudding. It was similar carrot cake but denser. It was served on a sweet bourbon sauce, with sweetened cream cheese and carrot shavings on top. The base of my pudding was a little tough to cut through. I think it was the top of the pudding when they cooked it and it had been turned upside down to serve it. Lou got the Chevre Cheescake. It was the perfect portion of cheesecake served on top of a short bread cookie, with a white trufflle balsamic vinegar. Both Desserts were a good portion, not too large.

As a whole, Harvest is one of the better restaurants I have been to. They paid attention to every detail. The vestibule is very warm as you come in from the cold. The host immediately welcomes you. A coat room is offered to the right of the door. The seating is close but comfortable. The decor is simple and sophisticated. The kitchen is open which is always a good sign because they aren't hiding anything. I observed a hostess checking the bathroom for cleanliness. The bussers win the award for fastest table turn in the east. I saw a busser turn the table next to us in about 30 seconds. He was so efficient, and precise, he made me want to do my own job better.

If you are looking for a special place for a date, a nice family dinner, or celebration of an important occasion, Harvest fits the bill.

Henrietta's Table

Henrietta's Table URL: http://www.henriettastable.com/

Kid Friendly: We didn't see kids there, and it is pricey for a family, but for a special night out the environment would be kid friendly, and the home cooked meals allow for many choices a kid would like

Menu: Local New England home cooking!

Prices: The Yard Sale is the way to go, 2 courses for $25 or 3 courses for $32. This includes a side which isn't considered a course. We ate soup to nuts, with tip for $82

Atmosphere:Warm, homecooking, friendly, country classy, local farm friendly, Fresh, unique

Lou and I went to Henrietta's Table last night for dinner. I have wanted to eat here since the first time I saw it. Located in the bottom of the Charles Hotel, the atmosphere is unexpected. When you enter Henrietta's table, before you reach the hostess stand there is about a 12x6 foot area which mirrors a small country store. Cook books, cutting boards and a plether of pigs are available for purchase along with fresh fruit, and unique games and gadgets. It sets the tone for the home cooked wholesome meal you are about to be served inside. A description from Henrietta's own website reads,"Henrietta's Table prides itself on 'Fresh from the Farm and Honest to Goodness Home Cooking'." The restaurant is true, through and through to New England cooking. Committed to finding regional ingredients and supporting the local farms, their motto is "Fresh and Honest".

When we first arrived it was about 15 minutes before the restaurant opened for dinner. The hostess invited us to sit at the bar until they were ready to seat us. The hostess did not take our name, nor did she come to get us when the restaurant opened, rather she left it up to us to come back to the host stand and ask to be seated again. This is the only portion of our visit which we thought was poorly executed. The restaurant was not immediately busy when it opened. The hostess could have easily taken our name or walked the 5 feet over the bar to inform us they were ready to seat us. A simple way to make a big impression with service. Since we had the 15 minutes to kill, we decided to sample the hot cider at the bar. The Cider was served perfectly warmed with a cinnamon stick. It is available with Brandy, but we opted for the non-alcoholic version. It was a delicious way to pass the time, and warm up from the brisk walk we had on the way to the restaurant. The bartender also offered us a big bowl of shelled peanuts. Worthy of noting, an interesting beverage on the menu we did not order was Mead. Mead is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of honey and yeast, often referred to as honey wine. It is thought to be one of the first alcoholic beverages created. The earliest sign of Mead can be tracked to 7000 B.C. . When I go back to Henrietta's table, I will definitely have to give it a try. After we finished our cider, we went back to the host stand and were sat promptly in a corner booth. Lou and I love the corner booth. It lets us sit close to each other, in a cozy way, but not on the same side of the table which would be just wierd. The waitress approached us with the menus immediately after we sat down. There was the standard drink menu, with wines on one side, specialty drinks on the other. There was a dinner menu which had specials on the back, and THEN there was a CHEESE menu!!!! I had to capitalize cheese because I LOVE IT! and so does Lou. We opted to start with some cheese because seriously how could we pass up cheese? The cheeses had descriptions next to them but being more of a cheese eater than a cheese connoiseur, I decided to ask our server Anna for some suggestions. Her knowledge of the selections was well informed and enthusiastic, so we decided to go with what she recommended and order the Vermont Sheppard, and the Maggies Round. I love everything about the cheese course which was delivered to us. The size of the cheese was perfect, about 2 ounces per wedge. It was served on a long wooden cutting board with the words Made in Vermont burned into the handle, and it was accompanied by cranberry melbas, blueberry preserves, a small bunch of grapes and a handful of dried apricots. The Vermont Sheppard was sharp and flaky, the Maggies round was buttery and mild. It was a perfect start to our meal. After the cheese course I decided to start my meal with the Lobster and Carrot bisque off the specials menu. Lou opted for the Spinach Salad with goat cheese, blueberries, and candied pecans. The soup came in a bowl which was not too big of a portion. There was chive oil swirled around the top. It was a thin bisque, but extremely flavorful and interestingly tasted both like lobster bisque and a carrot soup perfectly blended. Lou's salad was a fairly large portion and was served in a beautiful wooden bowl. The blueberries were a unique twist to popular salad. The vinagrette was lighted drizzled over the greens. For dinner I went with the very traditional Yankee Pot Roast. It came with 4 pieces of tender pot roast served over mashed potatoes with a brown gravy. It was delicious! The meat fell a part and the potatoes were just like homemade. Lou went for the Duck Confit which was served with a Raspberry port wine reduction. It came with both a breast and leg piece. The Duck was also tender and tasty, but a big portion. Lou had a hard time finishing it. When we placed our order, Anna, our server, did a very smart upsell and let us know they were running a $25 special per person. For $25 we got to pick an appetizer and an entree, and since we had already ordered them, it included a side each. We decided on the Brussels Sprouts and the Butternut Squash. All sides are served family style, and there was enough for our meal and to take home. In fact, I just finished them for lunch. For dessert we decided to share the special which was an apple blueberry pie ala mode . The pie was adorable. It came out and was actually a mini pie instead of a slice. The crust was flaky and light, and the topping was a crumble. The ingredients tasted fresh and the filling wasn't too heavy. The service at Henrietta's table was interesting. From what I could tell the server took the order, delivered drinks and desserts, and did periodic check backs. There were separate runners and bussers. We had several different people approach our table to clear dishes, or fill water. It was attentive, but not overbearing. Our server Anna had a great personality. Her enthusiasm for the food was palpable, and her personality was warm and welcoming. The atmosphere is best decribed as having dinner at a friend's Vermont farm house, but you are sitting a 1/2 mile away from from Harvard. For being in the bottom of a hotel, Henrietta's table does a good job creating that cozy environment.