Urban Foodie Finds: Beat Hôtel

This weekend I attended a grand opening party at the Beat Hôtel in Harvard Square. Inspired by a small, run-down hotel in the Latin Quarter of Paris as a residence for members of the Beat poetry movement, Beat is a bohemian American brasserie. In addition to a dining room, the venue boasts two bars, and a performance stage featuring nightly live performances. The menu specializes in eclectic fare with global influences featuring fresh, seasonal and wholesome dishes from the Executive Chef, Rebecca Newell, formerly of The Beehive.

In addition to its accessible menu, Beat Hôtel’s beverage list celebrates American spirits and American artisanal wines crafted by small batch winemakers with heart and soul. The state-of-the-art tap wine system features 24 true wines by the glass, mostly either certified biodynamic, certified organic or sustainable culture wines, all available in 2.5 oz, 5oz, or 12oz pours, in addition to a large and carefully curated wine list available by the bottle. Beat’s expert bar staff also serves craft-cocktails and 6 beers on tap.

We started with some cocktails and passed h'ordeuvres, my favorite was the American Breed made with Makers Mark, Elderflower, and Apple Cider. It was the perfect seasonal fall cocktail!

Next we sat down, and shared a few apps including lamb nachos, crispy veggies, and a shellfish tower. Everything was delicious, but my favorites were the smoked tuna and salmon tartares on the shellfish tower. Everyone at our table agreed, we would come back just for this dish!

For my main course, I tried the heritage rack of pork with an apple and bacon stuffing. You generally can't go wrong pairing roast pork with apples or bacon, and this was no exception! It went perfectly with a glass of the Austin Hope Troublemaker, a California blend of syrah, grenache, mourvedre, zinfandel, and petite syrah. The portions were huge and I ended up taking most of it to go, so I'd have room to try the desserts!

We ordered one of each of the desserts to share, including a chocolate peanut butter cake, cheese cake, and bread pudding. I planned to try just one bite of each, but couldn't help stealing a few extras of the cheesecake!