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The Basics: Temple Bar restaurant information

Temple Bar

1688 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-547-5055

Temple Bar restaurant information
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Temple Bar, the casually sophisticated neighborhood bistro situated between Harvard and Porter Squares, melds classic dining with quintessential Cambridge cool. The modern American menu, filled with the seasonal flavors of New England, has broad palate-pleasing appeal, at reasonable prices.

Sit down in the dining room where exposed brick walls, oversized mirrors and cozy booths combine to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Enjoy a drink at the copper-topped bar or sink into one of the comfy armchairs in the lounge. In the warm summer months you can vie for one of a handful of sidewalk tables for al fresco dining.

News and Events at Temple Bar restaurant

7th Annual Taste of Cambridge
Due to the not-so-sunny forecast, the seventh annual Taste of Cambridge has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 25th.

Father's Day Special at Temple Bar
Being a father himself, chef Michael Scelfo knows what dads want to eat on their special day.

Michael Scelfo Debuts at Temple Bar
Chef Michael Scelfo has engendered a serious following over the years from his Tea Tray in the Sky days right ...

Michael Scelfo

Chef at Temple Bar

Chef Michael Scelfo at Temple Bar

Chef Michael Scelfo has been drawn to the kitchen for as long as he can remember. A Western Culinary Institute grad, he spent quality time as a young cook in the James Beard award-winning Wildwood Kitchen in Portland, Oregon. During that time, his love for creating vibrant, ingredient-forward dishes was nurtured.

At the age of 25, he found himself receiving a 2 ½ star review in The New York Times while at the helm of Long Island's sophisticated Blond. He has since overseen the kitchens of several neighborhood joints with cult-like followings, including Dedo, North Street Grill and Tea-Tray in the Sky at which he landed a three star review in The Boston Globe. His most recent post as executive chef at Good Life resulted in a Stuff@night dining award.

Over the years, critics' reviews of Scelfo's food techniques have reflected his culinary philosophy: serious food does not have to be pretentious. His ever evolving culinary style is heavily influenced by local, seasonal produce. Chef Scelfo favors using ingredients that tickle his fancy or have deep, personal meaning such as dovetailing off of his grandmother's home-made recipes or his cutting-edge use of whimsical ingredients ranging from tea to farro and root beer.

In what little spare time he has, Scelfo can be found smoking a wide variety of meats at his home and spending time with his family. A native of Long Island, New York, he currently lives in Holliston with his wife and three children.

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Dictionary
 
Aïoli
1. noun A blend of ail (garlic) and oli (oil) in the parlance of the Provence region of southern France. Around here, we'd call it a garlic mayonnaise.
Beurre blanc
1. noun A thick sauce of butter, white wine and vinegar.
Brioche
1. noun A soft, yeasty French bread enriched with butter and eggs.
Chorizo
1. noun Crumbly, spiced pork sausage.
Chutney
1. noun A spicy, fruity, sometimes marmalade-like Indian condiment.
Concassé
1. noun A coarsely chopped or ground mix.
Farro
1. noun Tuscany's mainstay, a small, light brown grain.
Foie gras
1. noun Expensive, silk-textured goose or duck liver that has been enlarged by a process you don't want to read about if you're going to eat this dish.
Infuse
1. noun The flavor extracted from herbs, spices, tea or coffee by steeping them in boiling water. The liquid derived from the process of infusing is also called an infusion.
Pancetta
1. noun Cured Italian bacon.
Polenta
1. noun A slow-cooked cornmeal porridge popular in northern Italy; can be served soupy or firm, sometimes fried.
Ramp
1. noun A wild onion.
Risotto
1. noun Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.
Togarashi
1. noun Small, red Japanese chile.