Green Street Grill

280 Green Street, Cambridge MA

Green Street is one of those local haunts that most people just pass by. But for those in the know, its a great place to get a good meal. Its one of those homey places I have yet to find in NYC. There is generally never a wait for a table, even when our parties grow to 6-8 people. The food is outstanding. The menu changes seasonally and the quality is always up to standard.

The girlfriend and I decided to head over there for an impromptu Valentine's Day dinner. Even without calling ahead (which we did), there were plenty of tables available.

Our orders for the night:
Potato Leek Soup; chives, truffle butter & oil
Duck & Foie Gras Sasuage; crushed almonds, dates
Sage Gnocchi; king oyster mushrooms, parmesan-reggiano & garlic
Spicy Clam Stew; wellfleet clams, house-made fennel sausage, grilled bread white beans & spinach

I do have to preface our experience with the fact that the girlfriend has been feeling a bit under the weather, which affected her ordering and senses a bit.

The soup was a great start. The smell of the truffles alone was enough to win us over. It was a bit creamy for her in her current state, but I though it had a nice subtle creaminess to it. One of those perfect soups for a mid-February night.

I had to have the duck & Foie Gras sausage, I was a disappointed in the sausage itself, as it lacked much Foie Gras flavor or textures. It also seemed a bit dry when eaten alone. But once, I coupled it with the almonds and dates, everything worked well. It was one of those dishes where the textures won you over. A little crunchiness. A little mushiness. And a little bit of in between. The dates were the stars of the dish. The sweetness brought out the flavors of the sausage and the gooiness gave it the texture that I expect from Foie Gras.

The gnocchi was ok at best. It was a light simple dish that needed a bit of pazaaz. It would have been a lot better with a nice white wine, which she wasn't allowed to have. But even with the wine, I would have wanted something to bring out the delicate flavors in the dish. Especially after the flavorful starters we both had.

The spicy clam stew was the highlight of the night for me. It had one of those spices that came into your mouth as an afterthought, allowing you to taste all of the flavors before you got the heat. Everything was great, especially with grilled bread. Since it was more a watery stew, it was great to just put some clam, white beans, and some broth on the bread and munch. It was one of those interactive dishes packed with flavors that I love so much.

Check out Green Street if you are in the area or from the area. It won't disappoint.