Delectable Cuisine Awaits Summer School Gourmands

At summer school one can study physical science, social science, natural science and even the history of science. But one can only study culinary science outside the gates of Harvard Yard.

In addition to the usual hamburger joints, pizza places, sandwich shops and egg roll expresses, tasty and sometimes innovative eateries abound, providing ample food for thought.

To find the best hamburger in the Square, trek to Mr. and Mrs. Bartley's Burger Cottage on Mass. Ave. There, undergraduates, Cantabrigians and tenured professors alike have gathered for thirty years amidst the hum of sizzling grease and noisy neighbors.

In addition to its new Ross Perot burger, Bartley's also has an extensive menu of alternative dishes ranging from baked chicken to hummus. All this comes at a price, however: expect to pay $10 for a drink, entree and tip.

More moderately priced burgers can be found at the Square's greasy spoons. Tommy's, located near the Harvard Lampoon on Mt. Auburn Street is a favorite undergraduate hangout during the school year and comes complete with a jukebox. Be sure to try the raspberry lime rickeys. Elsie's (also on Mt. Auburn, across the street from Lowell House) sells a mean lobster roll sandwich, and the tiny tasty on JFK Street is the only restaurant in the Square that's open 24 hours.

For more gourmet fare than the cooks at the tasty can even conceptualize try Formaggio's in the Garage for massive sandwiches with brie cheese, cucumber slices and bean sprouts smashed between thick slices of fresh bread.

If those ubiquitous Golden Arches seem hard to find in the Square, there's a good reason. There are none. Cambridge ordinances restrict fast food franchises in the Square. A severe Big Mac Attack requires a T ride or quick walk to Central or Porter Squares, where a whole complex of fast food outlets awaits.

Pizza

But not all franchises are banned from the square, since the most popular local pizza places are chains: Pizzeria Uno on JFK Street and Bertucci's on Brattle Street. Both restaurants serve their own unique versions of gourmet pizzas--deep dish pies at Uno's and the brick over variety at Bertucci's. But be warned, the wait for tables, especially on weekends, is dauntingly long.

If you're in a hurry, grab a deliciously greasy slice at Pinnochio's on undergraduate hangout. Cafe Avventura in the Garage offers a piece of pizza for a little more than a dollar.

Undoubtedly the best dish of pasta to be found in the area is at the unpretentious, order-at-the-counter Il Panino. Their delicious al dente linguine is more than worth the brisk seven-minute walk along Mass. Ave. toward Central Square.

For more upscale (read: expensive) Italian dining, visit the Spaghetti Club on Winthrop Street or La Groceria, near the Central Square T stop.

Chinese and Asian

Though not a paradise for Chinese food connoisseurs, Chinese fare in the Square is certainly palatable and more than edible.

Chef Chow's. located in the Atrium on Church Street, is widely acknowledged as the best Chinese restaurant in the Square proper. In addition to a succulent General Gau's Chicken, Chow's prepares a scorching scorpion bowl, a liquor and fruit juice concoction that literally comes to the table on fire.

Across the Square in a pink stucco building with kitschy '70s decor, the Hong Kong on Mass Ave. serves traditional Americanized Chinese favorites: combination specials, Peking Ravioli, Beef and Broccoli. Open until 2 a.m. every night but Monday, the frequently rowdy Kong is a great place to catch a late-night snack.

For spicier Asian dishes, visit the Square's equally good Thai restaurants, Siam Garden on Mt. Auburn Street, Bangkok House on JFK Street and Singha House at 1105 Mass. Ave. Be prepared to suffer silently as spicy shrimp assault your palate--each eatery's subdued atmosphere discourages vocal displays of pain. The food is far from bland, but the portions are small and expensive.

Shilla on Winthrop Street offers Japanese and Korean fare--sushi, barbecued meats and noodle soups. Real noodle fanatics will want to take the T to Porter and walk to the Porter Square Exchange to find a food court of Japanese noodle restaurants. The noodle soups there are a bit salty and bland, but can provide a pleasant change of pace from typical Harvard Square offerings.

Indian

Indian restaurants here offer some lunch deals that are difficult to resist.

The Bombay Club on JFK Street has an all you can eat buffet for $5.95 and Tandoor House on Mass Ave. has generous portions and an owner who loves Harvard students. There, a hearty lunch costs just $5.

India Gate on Holyoke Street also serves moderately priced entrees. The Cafe of India on Church Street offers a cozy atmosphere but inconsistent dishes.

For Middle Eastern fare, visit the recently re-opened Casablanca on Brattle Street on dine in a lively atmosphere under stills from the 1942 movie. Skewers on Mt. Auburn Street offers ample portions of rice and shawarma (or gyros) and Greek salad for great prices. Both restaurants serve hamburgers for the less adventurous.

The Square is conspicuously lacking in genuine high-quality Mexican fare. Its most popular Tex-Mex restaurant, The Border Cafe on Church Street, generally wins lukewarm reviews from people used to the genuine article.

While the food may come up short with some, the restaurant is a hopping place. Border is a bad place to go in a rush--even on weekday nights, the wait for one of their heavy wooden tables often lasts as long as an hour. Once inside, soak up the Border's festive atmosphere while waiting even longer for the fajitas. Clothing worn to the Border tends to soak up more than just the surroundings, and leaves the place smelling mesquaite grilled.

For more traditional American fare, visit 33 Dunster Street, Harvard Square's version of Bennigan's and Friday's. A menu of mainstream favorites: nachos, salads, steaks, hamburgers, is adequate but boring.

At Souper Salad in the Garage, stick with the specialities--soups and salads. The salad bar offers a variety of delicacies like couscous and pineapple, plus an outrageously scrumptious fresh bread selection. Other entrees are simply not worth tasting.

And stay away from Grendel's on JFK Street, where the portions are meager and dishes unremarkable.