The "Lunch in Harvard Square" Blog - Restaurant Reviews

Since starting to work in the Square in mid-August, I'm trying to eat lunch at a new restaurant every day until I can't find any more. Here's my list of the Top Ten Lunch Restaurants in Harvard Square (Food Only). Got a suggestion on a new lunch spot for me? New Restaurants to Try in Harvard Square.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Henrietta's Table (Last New Restaurant!)

86. LAST NEW RESTAURANT! 1-17-07 Henrietta's Table In the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett Street. Summary: Excellent comfort food, attentive service, decent setting, OK prices.

While I have a thing about hotel restaurants, Henrietta's Table seems to buck the trend. I don't know if this restaurant is independent of the hotel, but it seems unlikely the kitchen handles the room service for guests regardless. The restaurant is good enough to pull people off the street and not rely upon hotel guests to occupy its tables - no small feat.

The dining area is large and somewhat noisy, but you don't feel cramped or in your neigbor's space. It definitely feels more cozy and comfortable if you find seating by a wall, rather than in the middle of the room.

The menu is unapologetically "new england cooking." So you'll find a bunch of classic new england dishes, which are not known for their creativity or flavor, but still filling and satisfying.

All six of us from my company ate today. There was a range of entres ordered, from chicken pot pie (me) to yankee pot roast to grilled chicken breast to cornbread batter monkfish. Rob splurged on a beer from Cambridge Brewery Company, which he loved. Everyone ate all their food, plus a ton of the warm breads that came to the table. Tom hoped for more of the pot roast, but raved about it regardless; Jennifer thought the crab cakes were too salty, but she loved the vegetables.

The service was efficient, no problems. About $25 per person, tip included - a bit high, but acceptable.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beware of Henrietta's Table! I use to love this place until I was served a dish with a live bug crawling around in it. Now, I agree that this could happen anywhere but my biggest complaint is that they were totally unapologetic! Instead of apologizing and offering to compensate us for the meal, he just replaced the dish (yeah right, like I have an appetite left). The, some guy I'd never seen before kept coming over to our table to explain that this was to be expected because they only use the freshest ingredients directly from the local farms! So there you have it folks...Henrietta's Table thinks it's normal for bugs to be crawling around in their food! Guess they don't wash. Just keep that in mind the next time your deciding where to spend your money.

9:37 AM  
Blogger SquareLunchGuy said...

Your comment makes me think of the old Grendels, when its salad bar was infamous for the bugs - but we went anyway because it was cheap.
I agree, this could happen anywhere, but seems like Henrietta's could have handled the situation better.
I still love their breakfast - I think it's the best in the Square (if you're into healthier foods in particular) - and it's probably less likely you'll find a bug in yoghurt, granola, or on a waffle!
Thanks for the comment.

11:54 AM  

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