Harvest Restaurant

Monday, February 15, 2010 at 02:39 PM | Posted by caroloc

44 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

By Rachel Lebeaux

Atmosphere:
Tucked into a cobblestone pathway off Brattle Street near Harvard Square, you might just miss Harvest on your first walk by (I speak from wandering-around-in-the-cold experience). But it’s well worth your while to double back and track down this lovely restaurant, which specializes in contemporary New England and New England-area cuisine using the region’s freshest ingredients.

The space’s warm, autumnal tones quickly whisk you away from the tangle of one-way roads and traffic of the nearby square, and the open kitchen, dark wood paneling, curving bar, crackling fireplace and stone back splashes have New England written all over them. Mocha-and-taupe thatched chairs tuck into tables topped with cream-colored tablecloths. Decorative mantelpieces look like they’d be right at home on a Thanksgiving table, overflowing with the flowers, plants and berries for which New England is renowned, and which reflect the restaurant’s commitment to local produce. It’s not an overly grand dining room, but that’s for the best, as the smaller size creates a cozier atmosphere.

Drinks:
Harvest has an extensive wine list with more than 350 selections, including many half-bottle ($29 to $70) and by-the-glass offerings, ($8 to $17 for red and white wines, and $10 to $29 for sparkling wines and champagnes). In the full-bottle section, American, Italian and French wines get their own headings, while all other varieties are grouped under the “International” heading. In the American section, there are “interesting reds” and “interesting whites” – I wonder what makes them so different than others?  With our meal, my companion asked for a red wine suggestion, and our waiter brought out a 2007 Annabella pinot noir from the Michael Pozzan Winery in Napa Valley, California ($11), a fruity, medium-bodied wine with just enough acidity.

But we were looking to start out our meal with cocktails, so I ordered the ruby red ($12), a blend of orange vodka, blood-orange juice, Chambord and “a splash of bubbly.” The coral-colored cocktail was a little bit sweet, but the tartness of the blood-orange juice really set it apart from the typical fruity martini. My companion went with the Lower Manhattan ($11), with bourbon, sassafras, orange bitters and house vermouth. The cherry-red drink was not overly sweet nor bitter, and she got a nice kick from the bourbon. “I am happy,” she declared, adding, “it does not taste like syrup,” a peril that befalls too many overly wrought cocktails.

If you’re interested in visiting Harvest for drinks and smaller bites, there’s a café menu with upscale comfort foods such as grilled bratwurst ($12), Black Forest ham macaroni and cheese ($15) and an all-natural chicken pot pie ($16).

As the weather warms, many diners head outside. Linden trees oversee the restaurant’s backyard garden terrace, set far away from the noise of the square. This enticing enclave has brought Harvest accolades for the best outdoor dining in the Boston area, and gazing out at it, I could understand why. Although there are heaters to keep this area warm during the swing seasons, it was far too chilly on the late January night I visited.  Maybe that’s for the best, though, as it means a summertime jaunt, to take full advantage of Harvest’s outdoor ambience, is definitely in order.

Appetizers:
Following an ornate complimentary bread basket with crusty baguettes, buttery cornbread, crispy sesame seed-studded crackers and soft scones with a cranberry-orange essence, we moved on to the roasted chestnut and hazelnut soup ($10). The presentation was certainly different: Rather than whisk a prepared bowl of soup straight from the kitchen, the waiter brought us a shallow bowl with candied cranberries, fried leek and smoked duck already sitting in the base, then poured the creamy soup from copper kettle into the bowl. It’s these touches that really make you feel doted upon at Harvest. The soup was fantastic, a sweet and soothing mix that contrasted with the saltiness of the duck. We loved the warming spices that accented the nuttiness of the soup – according to Executive Chef Mary Dumont (a New Hampshire native), it relies on cloves, cinnamon and all-spice.

Our next selection was pure indulgence, the Hudson Valley Farm foie gras ($18). It sat atop cubes of sweet and sour quince, alongside a rusty-red prune compote, and was crowned with leafy tendrils. The texture of the foie gras was so smooth – as rich and lush as you’d expect of fattened duck liver. We slathered it on the toasted Irish soda bread, which provided a pleasant crunch compared to the smooth consistency of the foie gras. After the meal, my friend announced that she had a new love, and I have to agree – foie gras might be my Valentine too!

Of course, if foie gras is my new love, then where would that leave Harvest’s autumn-spiced sweet potato gnocchi ($12)?  I’m not sure I want to go through life without either of them. These gnocchi arrived not in a bowl, but lined along the center of a plate, interspersed with tender grilled Brussels sprouts, pomegranate arils and vincotto grapes. Now, I’ve been disappointed with far too many gnocchi lately. They’ve often been too hard, too chewy, too reliant on the sauce in which they’re served. Not Harvest’s gnocchi. These small tetrahedral cushions literally melted on our tongues, causing us to stare at each other in wonder and think, “so THIS is what gnocchi are supposed to taste like!” I’ll definitely be back for these.

In addition to a raw bar, Harvest’s appetizers include a roasted local beet salad ($12) with watercress, frisee, French comte cheese, haricot verts, hazelnut vinaigrette and black-pepper cracker; and the Szechuan peppercorn-crusted venison carpaccio ($14) with crispy shallots, caciotta al tartufo (a truffled cheese) and grilled country bread.

Entrees:
Harvest offers a nice selection of light and dark meats and local seafood. I’m not usually a duck person, but I was quickly seduced by the description of the Pennsylvania duck breast ($30). The duck’s crackly, fatty skin overlaid the pink, juicy meat, slivered and served atop fresh pearl onions, carrots and baby bok choy in a lemongrass jus that trickled across the plate. There was also shredded duck confit that I found even more luscious than the breast, enveloped by paper-thin chips and presented on a bed of lime-colored bamboo and forbidden black rice.

After poring over the menu, my friend selected the restaurant’s line-caught swordfish ($29). It was a very pretty presentation, a sizeable fish steak topped with crème freche sitting atop braised artichoke barigoule, chickpeas, smoked bacon and pickled shallots. The grilled fish was moist and filling, while the bountiful harvest underlying it truly underscored the restaurant’s mission.

I wish I could have eaten more, as there were many other entrees that sounded fantastic, including the roasted chestnut and mascarpone agnolotti pasta ($26) with native quince, wood ear mushrooms, heirloom cranberries and amaretto brown butter; Broken Arrow Ranch axis venison ($24) with red wine-poached pears, cavalo nero kale, potato galette, date chutney and dried cherry jus; and roasted guinea hen ($28) with haricot verts, Napa cabbage, butternut squash and cider jus.

Desserts:
Our stomachs were bursting, but a friend and Cambridge connoisseur had informed us that Harvest’s desserts were amazing, so we plowed on. We ordered the chevre cheesecake ($10) with a crumbly shortbread cookie crust. The round mound of cake tasted distinctly of goat cheese and was dressed up with an “S"-shaped sugar stick alongside festive swoops of oven-roasted fig and raspberries. We didn’t taste the promised white-truffle balsamic vinegar, but it was a sweet, decadent treat.

Our other choice was the native apple streusel tart ($9). The presentation was artful, the tart on the bottom, a grated cheese cracker on top and the cardamom ice cream sandwiched in between, all in a pool of caramel and brandy custard. It was the grown-up version of warm apple pie, and we lapped up every last bit of it.

Want to try some of Harvest’s other famed desserts? They include the chocolate almond torte ($9) with almond brittle, Grand Marnier crème anglaise and champagne gelee; and the lemongrass crème brulee ($8) with a seasonal cookie.

Assessment:
A long, lingering meal that works equally well whether you’re sitting inside next to a roaring fireplace or outside under the shade of linden trees? That’s Harvest. The restaurant’s emphasis on sourcing local meats, healthful produce and knockout desserts leave little doubt as to why this Harvard Square favorite receives so many honors.

Address: 44 Brattle Street, on the walkway, Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617.868.2255
Website: http://www.harvestcambridge.com
Cuisine: contemporary New England
Price: $10-$18 for appetizers; $26-$36 for entrees
Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 1130am-2pm; Dinner Sun-Thu 530pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 530pm-11pm; Brunch Sun 1130am-2:30pm. Bar opens at 12pm and serves through close of dinner
Sun-Thu: 1130am-11pm; Fri & Sat: 1130am-12am
Features: patio seating, fireplace, full bar, open kitchen
Recommendations: chestnut and hazelnut soup, sweet potato gnocchi, swordfish, chevre cheesecake, apple streusel tart
Public Transit and Parking: Street parking; validated parking at the Charles Hotel and University Place garages; valet parking available Friday and Saturday after 6 p.m. at 125 Mount Auburn Street. On the T: Red Line to Harvard Square
Reservations: accepted
Payment Options: all major credit cards