Where to Dine - Boston 2009 - page 127

than acceptable. The gefilte fish is light, citrus twinkles in the blintz filling, and—the
true test—the chicken soup is excellent. Weekend lunch here is comically crowded; be
early or late, or expect to wait a while.
335 Harvard St., Brookline. & 617/975-0075. www.zaftigs.com. Reservations recommended at dinner; limited num-
ber accepted. Main courses $8-$17; sandwiches $7-$15; breakfast items $3.50-$11. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 8am-
10pm. T: Green Line C to Coolidge Corner.
12 Cambridge
The dining scene in Cambridge, as in Boston, offers something for everyone, from
penny-pinching students to the tycoons that many of them aspire to become. The Red
Line runs from Boston to Harvard Square, and many of the restaurants listed here are
within walking distance of the square; others (including a couple of real finds over the
Somerville border) are under the heading “Outside Harvard Square.”
To locate the restaurants reviewed in this section, see the “Where to Dine in Cam-
bridge” map on p. 131.
HARVARD SQUARE & VICINITY
A brilliant idea cooked up by a pair of Harvard Business School students, Finale
(p. 229), 30 Dunster St. ( & 617/441-9797 ), specializes in dessert.
VERY EXPENSIVE
Upstairs on the Square ECLECTIC Overlooking a little park just off Har-
vard Square, Upstairs on the Square is the perfect combination of comfort food and
fine dining. It consists of two lovely spaces; I prefer the more casual one to its fancier
counterpart. The second-floor Monday Club Bar dining room is a relaxed yet roman-
tic space where firelight flickers on jewel-toned walls. The food—unusual salads and
sandwiches, satisfying soups, a daily pizza option (at lunch), fried chicken, inventive
pastas, steak with ever-changing versions of potatoey goodness—is homey and satisfy-
ing, and the bar is a tweedy Cambridge scene. The top-floor Soirée Room, a jewel box
of pinks and golds under a low, mirrored ceiling, is the place for that big anniversary
dinner. The menu is enjoyably old-fashioned, with straightforward main courses (a
slab of halibut, juicy grilled lamb loin) that contrast with bolder starters—delectable
Jerusalem artichoke or watercress soup, simple but superb salads and shellfish. Tasting
menus, for vegetarians and carnivores, let the kitchen show off. In both rooms, you'll
find outstanding wine selections and desserts.
91 Winthrop St. & 617/864-1933. www.upstairsonthesquare.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10-
$28 downstairs, $25-$42 upstairs; prix fixe lunch (downstairs only) $20; tasting menus (upstairs only) $50-$86. AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V. Downstairs Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm; Sat-Sun brunch 10am-3pm; afternoon tea Fri-Sat 3-5pm;
daily 5pm-2am (dinner until 11pm). Upstairs Mon-Thurs 5:30-10pm; Fri-Sat 5:30-11pm. Validated and valet park-
ing available. T: Red Line to Harvard.
EXPENSIVE
There's a Legal Sea Foods (p. 106) in the Charles Hotel courtyard, 20 University Rd.
( & 617/491-9400 ).
Casablanca MEDITERRANEAN This old-time Harvard Square favorite (the
restaurant dates to 1977, the bar all the way to 1955) is a landmark for a reason, and
it's not just the hopping bar scene. The walls of the long, sky-lit dining room and
crowded, noisy bar sport murals of scenes from the movie Casablanca. Humphrey
Bogart looks as though he might lean down to ask for a taste of your crispy eggplant