Monday, 08 October 2007

• Finale

  30 Dunster Street
  Cambridge, MA 02138
  617-441-9797
  http://www.finaledesserts.com

  I was in Boston this past weekend staying near Harvard and found myself in the afternoon walking around Harvard Square in search of food.  I knew I wanted something more to the healthy side so I avoided the famous hamburger restaurant and long running Chinese restaurant, to find a sandwich restaurant which isn't hard around the Harvard area.  I avoided the main stream Au Bon Pain and found myself dropping by Finale, which, at the time I didn't realize a blog friend had suggested I go for dessert.  So with no expectations I gave Finale a try for lunch:

  

  A minimalistic interior with nice wooden chairs but the red fabric covered seats along the wall look tacky (for now):

  

  That huge mirror you see at the top of the photo only shows its true worth in the evening.

  A California Turkey Sandwich - smoked turkey, avocado and sprouts
  with chipotle mayo on focaccia:

  

  The bread was almost dry, they didn't have much avocado (maybe a quarter of one mushed flat) and a few bean sprouts.  Chipotle mayo was good though, I wish they added a bit more to give the sandwich more kick.  If I were to modify this sandwich, I'd go for a toasted panino instead of the focaccia and more bean sprouts and avocado can't hurt for a $5.50 sandwich.

  For lunch, Finale is not worth the money it charges.  It's healthy food, however, and the patio is a great place to soak up the sun.  The service is really friendly and quick so maybe that makes up for the food.

  Remembering that a blog friend suggested I go to Finale for dessert, we returned in the evening to sweeten our taste buds.

  

  Now you can see the mirror at the top right shows you the dessert the chef is putting together.

  

  A dimmer interior makes the red cloth seats look romantic.

  Safe candles to set the mood

  

  They actually provide a flickering light and not a candle.  Safe idea, especially considering the restaurant is close to a University and most of their patrons are students.

  Whole Nine Yards:

  

  From the closet on our left to right we have: Manjari Mousse, Apricot Cinnamon Delight, Double Chocolate
  The middle row we have: Gelati & Sorbets, milk chocolate coconut cake served with pineapple sauce (Chocolate Paradise), Creme Brulee
  The furthest row we have: Finale Cheesecake, Caramel Carnivale II, Strawberry tart with vanilla gelato (Fantasia)

  This is a great chance to try many of the different desserts from Finale.  The double chocolate reminded me of Oreo cookies, the tart was very delicate and soft, and the mousse tasted more like a soft cake.

  Molten Chocolate with coffee gelato:

  

  This is a good molten chocolate with a chewy outside layer and gooey rich chocolate inside.  It goes very well with the coffee gelato and almond (they tasted more like granola).  I would have loved it a lot more if they it had come straight from the oven as the outside was cool and the chocolate inside was hardening.  The Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé from Roy's is better as it's hot but chocolate quality is a bit higher at Finale's.  I suspect they premade many of these earlier in the day to meet demand as other restaurants need at least 15 minutes to prepare this dessert.

  Finale's very diverse selection of desserts is worth a visit.  I wouldn't say this is the best dessert restaurant as you'll find other restaurants providing the same or higher quality equivalents but it is one of the few places that brings so many different desserts into one restaurant.  Each dessert is around $14 while shareable dishes are priced around $35 so it's a bit on the high side compared to other restaurants (for comparison, Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé is around $7).

  Eric Tummy Points: 2 out of 5 (Lunch), 3.5 out of 5 (Desserts)

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