The Sinclair

We recently had the chance to stop by for dinner as guests of The Sinclair in Harvard Square, the new food/bar/music venue spot that not only features a cool space but also lots of local music acts.

After a flight of boozy cocktails including my favorite The Big Sky (Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, Punt e Mes, Luxardo Syrup, Angostura and Reagan's Orange Bitters with a Laphroaig Float).  They had me at Laphroaig, a premium, earthy, smoky, peat-hinted single malt, with this rich concoction featuring a taste of my favorite Scotch.

Not pictured are the Duckfat Potato Chips with Togarashi and Sinclair Wings with Soy and Hot Sesame, every bit as delectable as the rest of the shared nibbles, especially those Chips.

The Trio Of Deviled Eggs:  Smoked Salmon, Mushroom Truffle and Bacon.  These were probably the highlight of my night. I devoured all three.  

Pastrami'd Pork Belly Sliders.  Salty, fatty and drenched in a Russian Dressing, these could not have been more satisfying bar fare.

Crispy Fried Oysters.  Served on the shell, lightly seasoned with a bit of celery on top.  Great bites.

Local Roasted Beets, Thyme, Honey, Chopped Hazlenuts and Goat Cheese Mousse.  Since I rarely make this dish at home I almost always order it when on a menu and these did not disappoint.  This course was served with a Greco Di Tufo, Vadiaperti, Campagnia '11.

Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Hollandaise and Poached Egg.  The Brussels sprouts were perfect, also one of my favorite sides but the poached egg made the dish a bit heavy.  The pairing here was Chateau L'Ermitage, Rhone Valley '10, very nice match.

Our third course (not pictured) was Grilled Prawns, Tasso Ham, Spinach and Creamy Grits.  I am not a fan of prawns, personally, but the mix of the seafood taste with the ham and grits was nicely done and the Grenache Blanc was a nice accompaniment.  

Raviolo, Mushroom Ragu, Crushed Pistachios and Truffle.  A hit!  A simple sheet of pasta layered with incredible flavor.  The wine here was Priorat, Sirsell, Spain '06, probably my favorite wine of the night.

Pecan Pie with Chocolate Sauce and Whipped Cream.  I am usually not a fan of Pecan Pie but this version was surprisingly less sweet than the cloying others I have tried.  Loved it.  In fact, most of the desserts were on the less sweet side, which I found quite refreshing.

Carrot Cake with Mascarpone and Caramel.  Again, a different version.  It looked more like a lemon cake, free of all those overly chewy, almost indigestible bits of carrot and light on the spice.  Very, very nice.

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Lychees and Strawberries.  Once again, excellent and the lychee provided the unusual taste. The desserts are excellent across the board.

Eve the cookie plate was done well: Nutella, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter and Lemon, all freshly-baked and, once again, not overly sweet.  I loved that Nutella version.

The Sinclair Kitchen
55 Church Street
Cambridge, MA  02138
Telephone:  617.547.5200