On two recent visits to this restaurant, both on Sunday afternoons, both with same waitress and bartender, I was pleasantly surprised to find this fine restaurant in downtown Hingham. Having walked past many times, it never caught my eye.
The dining room is open, airy, and well appointed. The bar area tucked into one corner, has rich wood accents. The dining room is flanked by a wall of windows offering plenty of pleasant north facing light from the street. The restaurant cleverly uses a heavy velvet curtain to keep the chilly air outside.
From the restaurants website, they claim their food to be “a modern interpretation of European and American classics.” I would strongly agree. Using fresh ingredients, offering an eclectic menu and delivering a beautiful presentation, one will not be disappointed dining here.
Below are some of the food items enjoyed by myself and friends from the previous two visits.
Rustic Bread with Infused Oil: tasteful bread baked on premise with rustic crust. I could make a meal of this and treated myself to a small slice of heaven.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts; Tugarashi, Lime, Miso Ginger Aioli. This must be one of the best appetizers I’ve enjoyed in some time. Presented in an artistically shaped bowl, we enjoyed the perfectly prepared Brussels sprouts in the light aioli. The Tugarashi made from a seven spice blend including chilies, sesame, orange peel, nori and a few more – it just made this appetizer pop on the palette! Many of my friends are vegetarian and I highly suggest this as a dish to try!
Chili Seared Yellow Noodles: Spicy soy chili sauce, peanuts, carrots, red peppers, bean sprouts, scallions, Thai basil and grilled chicken (optional). I ordered this as my main course both visits. Easily made as a vegetarian dish (omitting the chicken), this will not disappoint. The blend of flavors and a hint of heat was amazing! Generous portions allowed me to order a to go container for a second meal!
Café Chicken Salad: Avocado, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese, beets, red onion, grilled chicken in a Champaign vinaigrette. Another dish to satisfy the palette and generous portions.
Cranberry Apple Crisp: With cinnamon ice cream. One word, indulgence! The crisp with mixture of sweet apples and tart cranberries served warm with a mound of unexpected cinnamon ice-cream is a worthy experience to enjoy.
Cappuccino: Some restaurants fail to deliver on this nice ending to a meal, the Square Café presented a beautiful cup and the coffee was smooth not harsh.
We learned the restaurant is open on Sundays, something they are trying over the winter. I hope this continues, it wasn’t too crowded but the service, food and presentation were top! The wait staff are charming and never make you feel rushed. I spent three hours enjoying my dining experience on both of my recent visits. A favorite drink of mine you may have picked up from my posts, the Negroni, was made well and the waitress mentioned I'd be pleased to know the same bartender served me on my second visit. I was delighted and enjoyed my Negroni!
Square Café, American Bistro
150 North Street
Hingham, MA 02043
781-740-4060
Website: http://www.thesquarecafe.com
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