Where to go on a Sunday night in Cambridge for a special occasion?

[Mommafoodie]

My husband and I will be in Cambridge for his birthday in October and we are looking for a great restaurant for the occasion. We are adventurous eaters and also want a great wine list. Money isn't a big issue but we need something excellent and open on a Sunday! Thanks for your thoughts.

[MC Slim JB]

Lots of great options in Cambridge these days, but if you haven't been to Bondir, that's the one to which I push occasion diners these days. Nice combination of great sourcing, high but unflashy kitchen technique, utter lack of pretension. Short but very interesting wine list. Most dishes are available as halfs or wholes, so it's possible for two to sample five or six dishes. I can't wait to get back there, myself. Small, and well-reviewed, so reservations way ahead of time are essential.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

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Bondir
279 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139

[Gabatta]

Rialto in the Charles Hotel will fit the request.

2nd the Blue Room rec.

[missfoodie]

Agree that Rialto is the way to go -- have always had great meals/times there.

[SmokeDawg]

Rialto certainly fits - elegant dinning room, great food and wine list.

[cambridgedoctpr]

i also like Rialto though it seems to gather little attention on the Chowhound boards.

I never had a real problem at Craigie and enjoy the whim at 9 pm on Sundays

Boston Magazine called Rialto the best restaurant in Boston in its latest edition.

[Mommafoodie]

What about EVOO?

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EVOO Restaurant
350 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02143

[opinionatedchef]

i often love the food at evoo. don't care for the room as a 'special occasion' place but maybe if you were thinking of ECG, your goals are different than mine would be. if you do go to EVOO, make sure to get the extraordinary salad of Emma's greens w/ rabbit confit, dried cherries, pecans and smoked cheddar. we HAVE to get it whenever we go there.

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EVOO Restaurant
350 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02143

[opinionatedchef]

For a very special evening, the only spots i would recommend are Oleana and Craigie, but Craigie is the place where you are going to get very special service, environment, treatment. Oleana, in spite of super and unusual food, cannot offer those 'special occasion' things. Plus, the tables are so close you will be channeling your neighbors' conversations. The other recs above are for bistro type places, many with good food but not special occasion. Bondir has the right lovely environment and service, but the food was boring for our taste. But do check out the on line menus and photos and CH threads devoted to the places that you narrow down to; many helpful CH threads on all these spots.

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Oleana
134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Bondir
279 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139

[Beachowolfe]

I don't think there's anything bistro-ish about TW Food, what gives you that impression?

I haven't been to Salts but I believe it's also in that "special occasion" category, no? If not I will have to revise my to-do list.

[opinionatedchef]

i thought about FW but its' too-close tables make it a not-special -enough -environment place for me to recommend (No?)

-- salts never impressed me and is just too tiny/awkward for me to rec.Hate that room;i felt like i was in a curio cabinet when we were there, like Steve Martin in The Lonely Guy.

[chefematician]

I have to chime in here in support of T.W. Food and Salts. I've had fantastic meals at both spots, and they definitely feel special occasion worthy to me. I wrote a lengthy review of my meal at Salts last year (tasting menu) and though I've been to T.W. Food a few times, I never had the time to write them up properly. Still, the OP would have a nice time at T.W. Food and Beachowolfe you shouldn't revise your to-do list.

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Salts Restaurant
798 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139

T.W. Food
377A Walden St, Cambridge, MA 02138

[LeoLioness]

You don't find the tables at Craigie awfully close together? The last time I was there our next-door table neighbors were able to comment on our bottle of wine because they had no trouble reading the label....It's certainly not a reason not to go, but it's not like it's some hushed space with lots of privacy, either.

[czarp]

I really like TW Food. Good tasting menus with nice wine pairings.

And this is cheating, because I haven't been yet, but I really want to go: Ten Tables.

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Ten Tables
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA 02138

[acornhunt]

I have always really enjoyed Ten Tables, and on a decent night it's a nice walk from Harvard Square if you wanted to have a drink there before or after dinner.

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Ten Tables
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA 02138

[Bob MacAdoo]

Tough ask, as many places are closed on Sundays (Salts & Harvest come to mind.)

Some choices:

Blue Room - A personal favorite. Accessible menu, inviting atmosphere, generally high level of of consistency.

Henrietta's Table - Not adventurous, but excellent 'farm to table' fare featuring scrumptious New England fare.

Rendezvous - They do a nice Sunday prix fixe for under $40.

Craigie on Main - Celebrated chef, unqiue fare (e.g., pig's head entree for two), and some chowhound feedback that finds this resto's our-way-or-no-way attitude a bit much.

Hope this helps!

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Henrietta's Table
One Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 02138

Craigie on Main
853 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

The Blue Room
Hampshire and Portland streets, Cambridge, MA 02139

[teezeetoo]

Bondir, Oleana, Rendezvous are all fine cambridge stops. Bergamot is a bit away in Somerville on the Cambridge border. East Coast Grill is not fancy but it does rock. Hungry Mother is also very good. Look at menus on line and see what appeals. All are open on sunday.

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East Coast Grill and Raw Bar
1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Hungry Mother
Cambridge, MA, Cambridge, MA

Oleana
134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Bondir
279 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139