When a Harvard professor is behind a cafe, the eatery conveniently ranks high in your go-to list. We cannot deny that the definition of food has cleverly evolved over the years, from merely a mixture of ingredients to a concept. Cambridge’s Café ArtScience is one of those diners that perfectly exemplify this newly found interpretation.
What’s on the menu? Think inhalable chocolate and Wikipearl (edible skin – no, we are not teasing). An intriguing blend of a restaurant, a bar, a gallery, a store and a performance, Café ArtScience was conceived in Paris and Cambridge. The cafe itself is quite a vision – a white-washed massive room encompassed by glass.
The man-of-the kitchen is none other than Patrick Campbell. Previously the chef of Eastern Standard and No. 9 Park, Campbell fancies experimentation; his dishes are a careful scrutiny and a realignment of traditional fare. Over at the bar, curious guests are inhaling vaporized spirits from Le Whaf and drinking cocktails made with lime juice clarified in a centrifuge. In the dining room, things don’t smoke or spin.
The dishes are scrumptious – we highly recommend the perfectly composed artichoke soup and the ricotta tortellini. Desserts were absolutely divine; each handcrafted by pastry chef Renae Connolly. Our personal favourite was the brown butter panna cotta with pepitas nougatine, sugar pumpkin espuma, and coffee ice cream.
Every dish at Café ArtScience may not be revolutionary, but the care and passion with which each dish is presented, is exceptional.
