Upstairs On The Square

Restaurant Week Reviews Part III

It might be a place for ladies who lunch, on Fridays anyway. That was the feeling that I got because when you enter Upstairs On The Square it feels kinda, well, girlie. The funky decor is bright and cheery and all but the preponderance of pink and the wild patterns is a definite slap in the face to the minimalism which seems to rule new dining establishments these days. It certainly gets one's attention.


The Zebra Room with window seating

So many menus for Restaurant Week this year featured skirt steak which, let's face it, is a cheaper cut of meat and needs to handled well if it's not to come off tough so, after being seated on the porch overlooking Winthrop Square, I decided to order that. I began with a watercress salad with pancetta, balsamic vinegar and cherry tomatoes. The salad dressing was a tad on the tangy side, causing me to actually wince but the tomatoes were the sweetest I think I've ever tasted. Delicious. The bread, which was also great, was served with a lightly garlicked oil that complemented the salad well.

Then we had what I consider a major faux pas in the restaurant business: our main dish was served before the salad was done! It's a good thing that it was fantastic or I would have been seriously upset. The steak was served perfectly medium rare, as ordered, even if a bit early. The Yukon gold potatoes with pancetta and green onion, however, were the taste sensation of the meal. Great combination! One of my all-time favorites.


The Monday Club Bar

The lemon pound cake dessert was to die for, easily the best dessert of all our Restaurant Week meals. The first two courses were not so filling that we couldn't finish every last morsel. I have to say the food and the ambiance were an A- but the service finished at a C. Don't rush me!

Upstairs On The Square
91 Winthrop Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617.864.1933