OM, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

[Tyzack]

What is it: An Asian fusion restaurant, with a cocktail bar and smoking patio in the summer.

Where: Harvard Square; overlooking Winthrop Square.

 

How much: Cocktails range between 6 and 12 USD, hookahs are 20, and meals are between 15 and 25.

 

Review:

 

I have been to this restaurant three times now; once to each of it's function. The hookah smoking patio is nicely adorned with Eastern (Chinese) influenced wall hangings and engravings, and they play arabic club music. An interesting combination to say the least. The crowd at the tables are normally foreign students, and it is cash-only for the hookahs, though the drinks and small-plate menu can be on debt/credit card. The view, aside from the wall hangings, is uninspired; it's in an alley, though they call it a patio. There is some people watching, but not much.

 

In terms of hookahs bars, I'd give it 7/10. It looses marks for price, and the forced feeling of the business, and that it's randomly open during the summer (ie, weather based).

 

The cocktail bar, which is the bottom floor of the main structure, is well lit with good background electronic music, and sometimes DJs on weekend nights. The cocktails are thoughtful and rotate every few weeks. They have a permanent collection of "Signature Cocktails" that change slightly every season.

 

Cocktail bar, 7/10; it's a solid average cocktail bar. Not bad, but nothing to write home about.

 

restaurant:

 

Occupying the first (non-ground) floor of the building, it features floor-to-ceiling windows which give great crowd watching views of the Harvard Square scene. The booths along the back wall are spacious and the wall hangings are nice. The menu rotates based on the season, and when I went in December, my meal was delicious; everyone (my family) also loved theirs. Their bottle selection for wine is affordable, ranging from 25 to 45, with a nice selection. The wait staff was fun, and the service was excellent.

 

9/10: Loses marks for not being perfect, but I would highly recommend it for Asian fusion in Harvard Square. It was fun and not pretentious.

 

Overall: 8/10, there are a lot of restaurants in the area, and this one doesn't do anything well enough to stand out, but it is better than average and not your run-of-the-mill anything. It's a great blend.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Tyzack

[BridMorgan]

Points:

 

Tyzack - 2

[Tyler Glembo]

Hmm...so if I were going to be up in Cambridge in a couple weeks where would you suggest I go?  Is this place worth it?  You give it a decent score but your remarks aren't terribly encouraging.