What a delightful place! The real reason for this review is the outstanding soup special they had the other night. GATC managers, are you reading this? Get that coconut milk, kaffir lime, green garlic mussel soup from heaven on the menu permanently! The soup was a gorgeous bright green and tasted so fresh and delicious.
Small plates were good (elote and burrata) but the soup and the lobster meal were the real standouts. Ambiance is nice, too. Definitely a place to return!
I feel like I shouldn't spread the word how amazing this place is.
It's ridiculously good. The food is just... so so ridiculously good, and prices are completely reasonable. Â The breakfast sandwich may have been the best I've ever had.
This is certainly a good reason to come to Cambridge.
After I finished my meal here, I found myself asking "All things considered, have I eaten at a better restaurant?" Â
I'll keep the visual description short since we can all look up pictures of restaurants these days, but what you get is a moderately small yet tastefully decorated restaurant that feels warm and inviting. Â Think brasserie or bistro style. Â The staff was very friendly, and overall eating there is a very pleasant and comforting experience.
I shared the bacon wrapped dates and rosemary truffle fries with my girlfriend and had the butter-poached lobster with brioche, duck egg and summer truffles. Â The dates were of substantial size and tasted wonderful. Â The truffle fries tasted immaculately fresh; many restaurants attempt upscale fast food, this one actually pulled it off.
The lobster was one of the better meals I've had over the past few years. Â Every element on the plate complimented each other perfectly. Â The brioche was added as small chunks within the dish that balanced out the creamier textures of the butter and egg yolk. Â If this was everything the restaurant offered I would have walked away a satisfied customer... Â
Enter the highly reasonable prices. Â
My lobster was 15, and all together for two starters and two entrees the bill was 36. When I realized that I've paid 3x as much (or more) for meals of similar quality, I couldn't help but weigh this against every other restaurant I've visited. Â
When it comes down to it, all things considered, if I could choose only one restaurant to eat at, the Garden at the Cellar would not disappoint. Â
Minor Gripes:
- Service was a tad slow. Â But our server was genuine and friendly and the inviting atmosphere pretty much made this a non factor
- I was only given a butter knife for my entree, which led me to question the lobster's tenderness until I took a bite and realized it was the utensil and not the food.
In the end, this restaurant alone could make me consider Cambridge as a home. Â With such reasonable prices, I could look forward to many nights of fine dining without incurring the costs. Â What more could anyone want?
A culinary delight during lunch while I sat and did some studying at the bar. Stopped by at around 1:30, the place was pretty quiet but then again it was a late mid-week lunch. The bartender was great and very friendly.
Beet Sliders - I'll stick with the beef ones please, but vegetarians will love these. As a matter of fact, I thought they were pretty damn good myself
Bacon Wrapped Dates - If you've never had the pleasure you really have to try these. You know what they say "Anything with bacon..."
Tater Tots - I chose these over the truffle fries, not sure if I regret it or not. These little guys were basically fried mashed potato balls not the lunch-lady variety.
Came here for lunch on a Saturday and apparently everyone else was partying late the night before because we were the only party when we walked in at noon. We started with the bacon wrapped dates (order came with dates) and ordered the tuna melt with truffle fries and egg sandwich with tots as our entrees. Be prepared for a heavy lunch though because everything was cheesy and fried. I had to peel off the 'melt' part of my tuna melt but I really enjoyed the sandwich. As someone who usually eats pretty healthy and tries to stay away from fried food, I couldn't resist the crispy english muffin! The egg sandwich was paired with bacon and avocado and also very flavorful. I really liked the truffle fries but the tots were just okay. They were more like fried balls of mashed potato and not the standard tater tots reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite. Expect to be very full and satisfied at the end of your meal.
Note: They don't serve coffee but you can get it from the espresso shop a couple of doors down and bring it in.
We got:
Rosemary Truffle Fries - Delicious! Definitely the right amount of both truffle oil and rosemary. Might've been my favorite part of the meal.
Bacon & Bitter Greens Salad - Also, surprisingly delicious. I say surprisingly because I'm not usually a fan of bitter greens. Somehow, this whole salad sorta tasted like a burger. In a good way... a very good way.
Butter-Poached Lobster - My least favorite... not bad. Just a little salty, nothing too standout to me.
Spicy Lamb Gnocchi - This was pretty yummy. Also a bit salty, but still had a pretty good flavor combo. I didn't think it was too spicy either. I'd definitely get it again. If I didn't want to try the duck breast!
This is a great little restaurant that serves amazing truffle fries and a burger. Everything else on their menu is definitely worth a try as well. I've never been disappointed, from sandwhiches to soups and salads. Sometimes on the weekends or during popular hours there is a wait, so come with a smaller party!
Review Source:From the moment you walk in, you can smell the truffle fries everyone has been raving about. Perfection.
This restaurant is oddly located smack dab between the Central and Harvard T stops, a longer than usual walk from public transportation. My fiance and I showed up around 8 p.m. on a Friday and were given a 45 minute wait, understandable. We enjoyed a couple drinks at the bar.
When we were finally seated, the host must have felt bad and brought by their delicious bacon wrapped dates. These are ones for the books!
We both had the french onion soup which was excellent on a cold winter's night. I had the cod fritters, only because it was a Friday in Lent. It took so much will power not to order one of their many meat dishes.. especially after I caved into the dates with bacon.
My fiance had the octopus and the doughnuts and loved the dishes.
This is such a great spot with a good menu and great, personal service. The chef is obviously a personality of the restaurant. You immediately know who he is and see him running out dishes to tables. He's obviously talented but his restaurant doesn't show it in a pretentious way like other Central Square restaurants.
Bottom line: GO
Great brunch spot. There are creative veggie options, such as the beet sliders, which were simple but flavorful, and the eggs Benedict were done just right.
The service was also friendly and efficient.
The atmosphere is cozy yet casual, great for brunch or dinner. The dinner menu also looks yummy, so I'd definitely come back again.
what is not to love???
here are some tips from your newly anointed garden at the cellar first-timer:
garden at the cellar is not in a cellar. it's on the first floor. there's the cellar downstairs. the sign to this place reads, "the cellar," which tells you you're close, and you gotta go downstairs for the bar. but you must stop for food first because it's amazing. this is the type of food that you'd get from a quirky locavore junkie who makes everything amazing, in my generally unbiased opinion. well-worth the price point. the portions are small (think tapas), the presentation is spectacular, the flavors are fresh and perfect. there are items on the menu like "animal-style burger" (didn't try). foie gras and bourbon doughnuts, oh my god. as a friend said, "eat them both in one bite!" gone so soon...
what else. the bacon-wrapped dates were perfectly roasted with a hint of the creamy and the sweet (a little cream cheese or slightly sweet marscaponey dairy item in there perhaps), spinach and mushroom dip (my god. whole, fresh, large mushrooms and large handfuls of generously cut fresh spinach), housemade tater tots (panko(?)-encrusted fried mashed potato balls). i had the seared duck breast (medium rare as recommended). perfect geometry of crispy duck skin triangles, beet, fennel, "forgotten rice." the cod fritters actually had cod texture and flavor to them. nothing fried was anything but perfectly crispy; no oily residue, no overpowering odor. everything perfectly yin and yang. good beer menu, too.
this is the type of place i'm happy to give my money to. making american new.
our service was attentive and prompt and friendly, and i get the feeling that either the chef or one of his cooks had stopped by to tell us about the ingredients in my duck dish, which i really enjoyed.
all you four star and less folks are haters. ;) give this some love!
This place is awesome for a date or a quiet get together with a small group of friends. I really enjoy the low key, tucked away atmosphere, which is a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Square. I've been here for both brunch and dinner. The brunch was decent, but nothing particularly memorable. For dinner we shared the rosemary-truffle fries to start. Maybe our party of 4 was a little hungry or maybe the fries were just really delicious, but we were digging into them like there was no tomorrow. You know how when you share a starter with a group everyone's pretty polite and takes really small portions? Then when there's like 2 bites left, everyone feels sheepish about taking it? Yeah, that didn't happen.
For my entrée I had the spicy lamb gnocchi. It was hearty, salty (in that delicious, flavorful way) and just a little tangy. I would definitely go back just to have that dish. Another member of our party had the burger, which was pretty big and juicy. Garden at the Cellar is great for comforting, hearty New England fare with a foodie twist.
It's so easy to walk by this little restaurant off Mass Ave in Cambridge, and if you did you would be missing out on a neighborhood gem. Â I finally dined at Garden at the Cellar after living in Cambridge for several years. Â Tonight, I sampled the lobster tacos special, deliciously buttered lobster tail served open faced on fresh veggies and a soft corn tortilla. Â I paired that with the grilled octopus small plate. Â It was a bit burnt, but I could still taste the high quality of the octopus. Â My friend tried the recommended dish (our server's favorite): the lamb gnocchi and she said it was delicious. Â
I plan on returning here often and to the bar below the restaurant. Â It is a fantastic place to wind down on an weekday and be treated nicely by neighborhood staff.
Now that I'm back in Boston after long months of travel, I'm back to my life too. I'm back to my food scene as a Bostonian, something I stopped appreciating until I realized it could be missed.
When I first came to Boston, I didn't even know Bacon-Wrapped Dates existed.I also learned that you don't really know the definition of fine dining until you're slammed with a gooey barrel of blue cheese bound by a salty-crisp strip.
The Foie Gras and Cheddar Donuts were just so disappointing. The foie gras was overcooked, and the donuts were too dense to be eaten with the foie.
The special of the night was Bone Marrow, a dish I never pass up. And all that rich meat-butter improved the slightly stringy beef short-rib, but it'd be nice to have just one good plate too.
Garden at the Cellar is a restaurant after my own heart. They had me at the Animal Burger, a beef patty covered with California contraband, its namesake a staple of their precious In-N-Out. The burger itself is way too many rich things at once and begs to be shared, but I can't exactly say I suffered through my half.
I struggle with Garden at the Cellar. I love it, and like all the places I hit during my month of indulgence, this place has mastered the luxurious, the over-the-top, and the bit-too-much. But there's also a reason that Garden at the Cellar is now one of my greater-Boston favorites: Their chef clearly has no restraint, and neither do I.
My favorite restaurant in Boston. Small and thoughtful menu, friendly and casual service, no pastry chef (so I'm not tempted by dessert), very affordable prices, and full dining at the bar. It's tiny though, and they don't take reservations, and parking is apparently atrocious. Be prepared to wait unless you come very early or late.
My favorite items are the rosemary truffle fries, burger, Brussels sprouts, and lamb gnocchi. Have been underwhelmed by the roast chicken (dry), beet salad (too much weird dressing), and bacon and bitter green salad.
I like this place, chillin in the void between Harvard and central square. I always expect to be killed or attacked by zombies when I'm wandering around there.
Anyway, relaxed place w good drink prices. Not a huge beer selection, but fair enough. Had a magners cider. Tastes like cider.
Location: On Mass Ave is easy to find and conveniently located off the Red Line between the Harvard and Central stops.
Interior: Sleek decorations, clean, and open. It's nice not to see a million tables jammed together with waitstaff slithering between too-close diners! The downside of this open layout is that there isn't much seating. Fortunately, when my friend and I went on a Sunday night, there were open tables.
Food: We split the truffle fries as an appetizer, served in the most adorable wooden bowl. Â The presentation was great and the taste was superb. Â They weren't just plain old McDonald's french fries. For my meal I had the tomato soup with grilled cheese. Â The cheese was perfectly melted and oozing deliciously out the sides and the exterior was perfectly buttery and roasted. Â It was hands down the best grilled cheese I've consumed in years. The tomato soup had the perfect consistency and had a little design in oil on the top the resembled the "W" logo from Walgreens.
Price/Menu: Good selection without being overwhelming. Bit pricy but for the quality it is not a bad deal!
Overall: Eat here and you won't leave hungry or in tears ( :
The food here blew me away. Â We had the fois gras doughnuts (came with cranberries, pecans, and a apple? puree), octopus, and, of course, truffle fries. Â The intricacy and complex of flavors on the plate was something I'd expect out of a gourmet (and commensurately price) establishment. Â The only downside was the place is understaffed. Â Only one waiter for the entire room lead to quite the wait. Â Upside is we walked out of Garden for $25 each for a meal+drink. Â Really incredible food at a great value - I'll surely be back.
Review Source:The food is really good. The appetizers in particular are beautifully displayed and really tasty. The menu is a little bit haphazard and it's difficult to grasp what kind of foods they are trying to serve. The food was great, but the service was a very different story. The bartender was quick to take our drink orders while we waited for a table, but she quickly became rude. Our tab at the bar could not be transferred to our table. When our table was ready they did not have enough chairs for all of us and my father-in-law had to sit on the window bench. After i  made a fuss about the chair they were able to 'find' an extra one. The waitress was very friendly, but was clearly unable to manage all of the restaurant on her own. Drinks took a long time to come, and it took a while for our food order to be taken.
I would come here for the food, but not for the service.
Their sliders are the best burgers in Boston. Great "Tater Tots" -- they are really much more like potato-croquettes, as other reviewers may have mentioned. Great rosemary truffle-fries. The drinks are good, as is the foie-gras-and-donut pairing. Despite what appears to be a recent change in management, the place remains reliably excellent.
My then-fiancé-and-now-wife and I dined here quite regularly over the last few years that we lived in the Cambridge/Somerville area, often when we had something to celebrate. In fact, we chose to eat here our last night out before moving at the end of August. Thanks for being our last bartender there (and a good guy) Christian.
Garden at the Cellar is definitely highly recommended.
My dinner group at here on a Friday in August. In summary:
Unanimous agreement that the excellent food "...here is worth every penny." High marks for the mushroom crostini, poached lobster and tater tot appetizers. Main courses were equally as yummy, from "pillowy [lamb] gnocchi" and an "excellent vey moist smoked chicken" as well as grilled ribeye topped with yummy carrots. Unfortunately "...the drinks were weak and uncreative", probably best to skip them and order beer or wine. For all of the high marks and praise for the food there was a significant amount of dislike and mixed reviews for the service and decor. "Waitstaff seemed confused at times..." "Slow service and staggered app and entrees delivery was frustrating." The decor was average, and certainly not as creative as the food. "Liked copper tables but the wood banquets were uncomfortable. Overall "It was a little noisy, but a fun atmosphere."
Food 4.7
Service 2.7
Decor 2.7
Overall 3.5
Individual dinner comments:
Food was exceptional! From Tater Tots to pillowy gnocchi, the food here was worth every penny. Waistaff seemed confused at times and one waitress seemed annoyed that we "kept switching up" our drinks orders (even though my b/f ordered the same drink as before). It was a little noisy, but a fun atmosphere. Would you go back again.
--
The food selection was very creative and tasty as well.
My small plate butter poached lobster with duck egg and summer truffle was outstanding, the egg was perfectly done and the crunchy brioche mini crutons added a nice crunch. My ribeye was grilled perfectly, the carrots on top had great flavor for a vegetable side.
The mixed drinks were refreshing, but not all that exciting.
I thought the servers on the floor were above average (4) attentive, water glasses filled (very important on hot evenings). However the snails pace food out of the kitchen was very below average (2) Average, nothing to right home about, but nothing offensive.
My chair was very comfortable, and at no time did I feel the need to get up and leave due to the seating. (I have experienced bad seating at other places, and it can definitely ruin an evening) I would love to try some of the other menu items (Lamb Gnocchi / Sea Urchin Risotto) I certainly would not want to wait in line for a table here. (The food is certainly worth it), however knowing the speed of the kitchen I would have second thoughts.
--
Liked copper tables but the wood banquets were uncomfortable and the chairs were like rental chairs, and the room overall was bland and sterile. slow service and staggered app and entrees delivery was frustrating. The food was excellent with great mushroom crostini and an excellent very moist smoked chicken. Too bad the drinks were weak and uncreative
Went into this cozy little spot today for lunch. Fell in love with the menu and the incredible aroma coming from the kitchen.
I'm gonna get right to the point,, the egg sandwich. This thing owned me. Instantly!!
All the perfect components. Fresh brioche bun that was airy, light, and sweet. Eggs seasoned and cooked to perfection in a skillet.,, for me to not salt eggs says a lot. The yolk was exactly as yolk should be. Giant strips of bacon, melting oozing cheddar cheese and the absolute top notch avocado gently nestled inside.
I consider myself a breakfast sandwich expert. My parents are very proud! ;)
This thing was possibly the best breakfast sandwich Ive had anywhere. And I tend to try them wherever I can,
Top this sandwich off with a side of truffle fries and a glass of Prosecco and your never getting rid of me.
I also got to sample the grass fed cheddar burger which was out of control goodness as well. This place does it up right & I cannot wait to go back for dinner and try everything.
Went here for dinner Saturday night. Â We didn't have a reservation since they don't take them. Â Went at 8pm and was able to get a seat at the bar.
We had the octupus as an appetizer, good but I think I'll stick with traditional.
My BF had the Fois Grais and Donuts ( OMG) . Â I had the Burger and fries ( the traditional one) Â That was pretty darn good too.
The chef came out to show us sevearl meals as he was delivering them and I found out he was from Clio, but he is happier here and I can see why. Â Still great food but a quite a bit less stuffy.
The food here hits all the right marks -- pretty much no what you order and regardless of whether you go high brow (grilled octopus, or lamb gnocchi) or more low brow (burgers, tacos), you will be good to go.
The burger here is phenom -- rivals the best I've had in Boston. The meat is really high quality and juicy and it's a BIG patty. Â I usually don't like aioli/mayo on burgers, but in this case, it works. The brioche bun and arugula ain't too bad, either. Â
I've also tried/loved the homemade tater tots, the wonderfully fragrant rosemary truffle fries, the watermelon & lobster gazpacho and the tacos. And an octopus starter that was really interesting and delicious. Bacon-wrapped dates were good, but be forewarned, you only get 2 in an order. Â
Hostess was very accommodating and friendly. This place really has everything going for it.
The hype is real. Believe it. Got a seat for two pretty easily on a Saturday, might have been luck on that. I didn't like everything, but the sliders and tacos were so good it brings up the rating all the way.
Mini burgers: Amazing. You must get them. I'm kind of sad I didn't get a full burger, but that will be for next time.
Truffle fries: Pretty good, but nothing out of this world. If you didn't tell me they were truffle-y, I'm not sure if I would have noticed.
Tacos: Forgot what the special was that day, but loved the avocado/sauce.
Baby octopus: Didn't care for it. The soup was kind of sour, the octopi just not that flavorful.
Bacon-wrapped dates: Interesting combination, not sure if I'm the biggest fan because I tend to like to appreciate the salty, artery-clogging bacon without it being too sweet.
I came here with 2 friends, and the wait was ridiculous. It was an hour and then some, so we went to Harvard square to eat froyo. When we came back we got promptly seated and got blown away.
Mini Burgers - Wow, best burgers I've had since In-N-Out. Flat Patties doesn't even compare. Next time I'll get the big one and see if it's also good.
Foie Gras & Doughnuts - the Doughnut part was meh. The Foie Gras part was nice and flavorful, but it got overpowered by the picked cumquat when you eat them together.
Bacon Dates - HOLY @#$%^ YELPERS WEREN'T KIDDING. SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! Just make sure when you bite into them, bite it lengthwise so that you evenly distribute the goat cheese inside. If you bite it the other way, one mouthful will be full of cheese while the other be lacking cheese. The cinnamon root in this dish is useless, don't bother with it.
Pan-Roasted Scallops - The cauliflower that came with it was crunchy and tasty...but the scallop part wasn't too good.
Truffle Fries - BOMBTASTIC.
I would so come back again, if I can find a time when it doesn't have a ridiculous wait. (They don't take reservations)
Pulling an early dinner for the Latin in our group - we were seated immediately for 3 people at 7 PM on a Friday night.
Incredibly friendly service - even dealing with my somewhat dumb question of "are the donuts in the appetizer actually donuts?" with a semi-incredulous stare - and food delivery that didn't feel too rushed or too languorous.
Our table:
3 drinks (woot, most are less than $10 for a cocktail)
Foie gras and donuts (delicious)
Bacon wrapped dates (more delicious)
2 burgers (truffle fries!!)
Overall, around $60. Not too shabby.
Nice atmosphere - they tried to mess with the mood lighting around 8 PM and barring a moment of near darkness, it was lovely. Easy to talk, not too crowded, good crowd of local Cambridge types (students and their associated friends/partners, yuppies, etc.)
The upstairs restaurant has great food (Garden at the Cellar); the downstairs bar (just The Cellar) is a great spot for catching up with a friend or grabbing after work drinks. Â The tater tots are amazing, but technically I think they are really croquettes. Â If memory serves, I'm not sure they still have the falafel, which was the best upscale version in town by far.
NOTE: Â Please do not bring your HBS section here. Â It's too small, there's only one bartender, and I can't stand listening to the poor guy tell 80 people that they don't accept credit cards.
Came her couple of nights ago with some friends and were seated in the cellar. This was my first time there and since it's during a weeknight in the middle of the holidays, the place was pretty quiet. Ambiance was low-key. Service was good, we didn't have a waitress - just ordered at the bar and servers brought out our food. The wait for food was short and the bartender was extremely nice.
Now for the food - it was much better than I expected. The BF got the Meyer Ranch Hanger Steak and claimed it was the best skirt steak he's ever had. We also got:
Truffle Fries (must have in my opinion; one of the best fries I've ever had), Tater Tots -(more like fried mash potato balls - good, but dense), Cod Fritters (another must have
Glazed Short Rib - perhaps my favorite of the night; the short ribs were packed with flavor; this plate had the smallest portion of all the ones we ordered though), Margherita Flatbread (the flavors were fresh and simple which is all I ask for in a flatbread. However I am was not completely feeling the bread as it was very very crispy), Foie Gras & Doughnuts (didn't try this, but the people who did liked it).
Overall, I would not hesitant to come back. We were completely happy with everything that showed up on our table.
I have now eaten here a handful of times, but I've been putting off this review because I have a hard time ordering anything but the cheeseburger and I feel like I should sample other things since it's not just a burger shack, you know?
So i tried some other things. And they were pretty good for the most part. The flat-breads, while small for the price, are a perfect small dinner. The mushroom and goat cheese version is rich and earthy and the marguerita is light and tangy. They have a taco of the day, which can be awesome or not that awesome depending on that day's offering. Pulled chicken panini is pretty nice as well if you are somehow not feeling like a burger but want to stay in the sandwich realm.
But yeah, after all that, I keep coming back to the burger. It's a relatively flat patty, but still sizeable, topped with cheddar, arugula and herbed aoli on what seems to me to be a pretty nice bun. It winds up being way more than the sum of its parts. It's beefy and rich while also being light and tangy. It is a little bit messy, like a burger should be. Basically, it is super awesome. Rumor has it, this burger invented happiness. And it comes with truffle fries. CONFESSION: I'm not big into truffle oil to be honest so the fries seem a little farty to me. But I can still appreciate the excellent crispy texture and the little rosemary bits. Another option: sub out for tater tots. Which are not actually tater tots. They are fried mashed-potato balls. I love them.
I also love the little chocolate nibs they give you with the check and the friendly bartenders. And even if their beer selection isn't amazing, any beer tastes good sitting at this bar since it's so cozy and you are (probably) washing down an amazing cheeseburger.
The end! Thanks guys, it's been real.
Can a cheeseburger and fries save your life?
They can if you get the grass fed beef, vermont cheddar and arugula aioli cheeseburger at my favorite place, Garden at the Cellar. Â It also comes with a heapin portion of rosemary truffle fries hot outta the fryer. Â SO SO SO GOOD.
THE BEST FREAKIN' BURGER YOU WILL EVER EAT!
I seriously ate it today like it was my job. Â Like it was my last meal. Â Like it was my first meal of my life. Â I seriously could die today and be happy because I had the most delicious burger of my life and I eat a lotta burgers.
The staff here is just phenomenal. Â I had a nice little chat with the manager, Marilyn and even got to chat with Chef Brandon Arms.
I cannot wait to come back. Â Again and again and again. Â I am in their "Loyal Luncher" club, buy 10 lunches and your next is free. Â Guess what?! Â My next one is FREE!
Probably will be back by the end of the week!
I LOVE THIS PLACE!
Million, bajillion, infiniti number of stars for the ROSEMARY TRUFFLE FRIES! Imagine the freshest, best McDonald's french fries... then add truffle oil and rosemary. These are seriously AMAZING. I had to use a ton of self control eating the entire plate and embarrassing myself in front of Molly F.
The lunch menu is kind of minimal- a few different kinds of soups, some flat bread pizzas, some sandwiches. I got the roasted chicken soup which was overpriced for $8. How come Molly's tomato soup AND grilled cheese were the same price? Doesn't seem right. Plus, mine didn't taste like much other than salty.
Drink menu.. kinda sucks, too.
If anyone wants to come here for a truffle french fry eating competition, I'm in. Other than that, I'll probably pass.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
The white bean puree so delicious and light
The small plates affordable, the decor a delight
Lobster mac with poached egg, yes you're reading that right
For the foie gras and doughnuts and the beautiful space
I love thee for the salads: nicoise, herb, caesar or beet
Add grilled chicken for $3, or have some bisque for a treat
I love thee freely: hand-rolled gnocchi or duck cassoulet
I love thee purely: Â onion soup and flatbreads and spinach sautee
I love thee with a love I saw drifting away
As many places lost their passion making dining quite passe
The payoff for my hard work day after day
Is to eat at the Cellar for a personal soiree
Pssst.
These other yelpers who mentioned the truffled rosemary fries. They ain't joshin' you. Crispy little suckers are delicious. Perfectly and evenly cooked. Golden in color. Truffle wafting up to the nostrils, pulling the nose down to smell. Hints of rosemary in every bite. Icouldntstopeatingthem.
And I am not even one who would, under normal circumstances, call myself a "fry" person. I don't even really dig fries all that much. In fact, when given another option, I usually substitute. That's not to say that I go out of my way to seek out substitutions every time, but if it's available, I, 9 times out of 10, take it. I will never, ever even think about such a thing here. Sadly, and against my better judgment, I could make a whole meal out of just eating these fries. I do recall, however, a sandwich coming with the fries. It was a Cuban and it was not the best I've had. Though the pulled pork was well-seasoned change of pace, I tasted little mustard or pickle, both key components of a good Cuban.
Beyond my narrow little vision of this outstanding side dish, it's nice to know that I am sitting in a sun-flooded cafe with good service and a quaint feel. Not far from my home, I could come here again for lunch and even give dinner a shot. Their locavore mentality is a big draw and I enjoy supporting a place that supports other local places. Pay it forward, man.
It's neither in a Garden or in a Cellar so don't say you haven't been warned. Flagrant false advertising. Tsk Tsk!
What it is, is a pleasant, if un-atmospheric small dining area upstairs from a typically rowdy bar and on a stretch of Mass Ave where you will NEVER get a parking space. They serve small plates, apps, soups, salads, sides and entrees and being part of a wine store they have a decent list of those things too. Given the location, decor and lack of a reservations scheme, you should work out that this place is about the food and not much else. I guess it's a gastrobar.
The entrees (~$20) list is small, but the apps, sides and small plates flesh out the menu. There are also local specials which are well worth a go. The ones we had were a cheese made in Somerville and a sausage made in Southie! Very local, very good. Muchos Gracias.
All our small plates, apps and sides were excellent (shout out for the scallops!), but the entrees weren't so hot. But that's ok - you can mix and match some apps and sides instead and eat very well here.
I admire what they're doing here no-end. Four stars.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,916 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
