The decor at Upstaris on the Square is wild! The interior colors are bold and exotic animal prints are carried throughout the design. When I took my girlfriend for her birthday, we sat in the Monday Club downstairs and our table looked out onto Winthrop Park in Harvard Square. It was a Friday evening. The whole dining room was full and yet we enjoyed the bussling about of the prompt waitstaff. There was even a piano player adjacent to the fireplace who played requests. For a starter, we tried the almond-stuffed dates. They were awesome! My new favorite comfort dish is the roasted red pepper soup and my girlfriend loved the frise salad. The soup was mouth-watering and anchored with a touch of cream, while the frise salad came with a poached egg, lardons, home-made croutons, and fresh field greens. For our entrees, we tasted Fernando's shrimp scampi and the seared ahi tuna. Fernando's scampi was better than my mom's. Sorry mom. The sauces and sides for the tuna dish--almonds, peas, and olive tapenade-- highlighted the fresh flavor of the seared tuna steak. We were very impressed with the kitchen's creativity and also the plate presentation. To finish, my girlfriend and I shared the Affogato dessert--a perfect choice on her part. I can think of no better way to end a meal than with hot espresso poured over home-made ice-cream with home-made amaretti cookies on the side. Or home-made mint chocolates...drool drool drool. I have to go back! The food at Upstairs is sooo delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.
Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere
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