Gimme More Grafton Street – Cambridge

When it comes to restaurants, Grafton Street is one of the most adequately named. A less-known corner of a well-known street, Grafton tries to stay true to your neighborhood pub despite being a little upscale…AND despite the fact that Harvard Square is, let’s face it, everyone’s neighborhood. Reservations aside, it’s really Grafton Street that captures the true essence of this lively neighborhood and all the spirit of VeRiTas it comes with.

Like any well-rounded Ivy idol, Grafton Street’s menu is always well-balanced. The entrees are a date-night splurge for an undergrad with an anniversary, but the sandwiches make for an affordable catch-up meal with any chum. The bar area is good for drinks but not so obviously alcoholic that you can’t order water if you’re too young to drink.  

Harvard may be deep-rooted in its seat of tradition and prestige. Harvard may feel as old as time, but Harvard Square itself is never without a freshman breath of air. The buzz of aspiring scholars, the rudimentary relics of budding artists, and the constant swishing flow of ideas from those destined to change the world fills the soul almost as much as the Grafton Street’s homey fare fill the belly.

Grafton Street’s menu teems with tradition including cultural classics like bouillabaisse, burgers, and a good ole Yankee pot roast, but this little “pub” still keeps it fresh. The classic pot roast is made with short rib, the latest cut in fine dining, and my New England Bouillabaisse, a French seafood stew as old as elitism itself was lightened by a selection of shellfish in a rich and filling yet not-too-dense broth. The slice of toast dripping with a refreshing alioli-like topping just doubles the fun. The unbelievably well-made hake is yet another unstuffy addition to the dish that embodies Harvard’s effortless elite.

The Grafton Burger glows with all the sweet simplicity of the wide-eyed kids far from home. The patty is juicy with all the flavor of their promise, and the caramelized onion completes the whole package of Ivy League ideals. This burger is almost as intoxicating as the beer half the patrons are too young to (legally) drink.

The underlying spirit of Harvard Square is the depth and warmth of the friendships formed by those who learn and grow together. It was only appropriate that I ate there with Valerie, my friend of exactly ten years. Valerie and I met at a gifted-and-talent camp when we were wide-eyed Southern girls, finally free from the oppressive den of the tiger mom. Over the years, our friendship has become just the right amount of sweet with a few layers of complexity, much like the White Chocolate Cheesecake. Our friendship is a recipe honed over the years, and like this cheesecake, we’ve got it right. And like my friendship with Valerie, my friendship with Grafton Street is only beginning.