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The Basics: Russell House Tavern restaurant information

Russell House Tavern

14 JFK Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-500-3055

Russell House Tavern restaurant information
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Located in a renovated historic building (which once housed the Wurthaus) in the heart of Harvard Square, Russell House Tavern takes the neighborhood's tavern experience to the next level with seasonally-inspired, classic dishes from New England and beyond.

Like sister restaurants and longtime Cambridge favorites, Grafton Street and Temple Bar, Russell House complements their culinary offerings with an array of carefully plotted potables - craft beers, an all-American wine list and a carefully-curated selection of handcrafted cocktails.

The two tiered dining room, with six varied social areas, provides a comfortable atmosphere for every occasion - from casual lunch breaks to after-work cocktails, private functions and everything in-between.

 

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Michael Scelfo

Chef at Russell House Tavern

Chef Michael Scelfo at Russell House Tavern

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.
Brioche
1. noun A soft, yeasty French bread enriched with butter and eggs.
Chanterelle
1. noun A wild and nutty mushroom with a trumpet-shaped head.
Charcuterie
1. noun The French term for delicatessen-style items.
Cipollini
1. noun Small, yellowish onions that add sweet and savory accents to cooked dishes.
Confit
1. noun Meat (usually goose, duck or pork) that is slowly cooked in its own fat and preserved with the fat packed around it as a seal.
Crème fraîche
1. noun Cream that is allowed to set and thicken to a velvety rich texture.
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.
Gratin
1. noun Any dish covered with cheese or buttered breadcrumbs and baked or broiled.
Gravlax
1. noun Cured raw salmon.
Mascarpone
1. noun Ultra-rich, soft cheese known best for its role in tiramisu.
Oxtail
1. noun A very flavorful cut of meat usually from beef or veal tail. Can be very tough so, often requires long, slow braising.
Pancetta
1. noun Cured Italian bacon.
Pierogi
1. noun Crescent-shaped Russian dumplings.
Pistou
1. noun The French version of pesto, a mixture of basil, garlic and olive oil.
Ragoût
1. noun A thick, seasoned stew of meat or fish, sometimes with vegetables.
Ramp
1. noun A wild onion.
Rémoulade
1. noun A cold mayonnaise sauce flavored with mustard, gherkins, capers, anchovies and herbs.
Romesco
1. noun Catalonian sauce of finely ground tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, almonds and olive oil.
Spaetzle
1. noun Tiny flour-and-egg noodles or dumplings.
Tagliatelle
1. noun What they call fettuccine born in northern Italy.
Terrine
1. noun An earthenware container, or the dish cooked therein.
Wonton
1. noun A small dumplings made by filling thin sheets of dough with a mixture finely chopped meat, seafood or vegetables.