Catalyst RestaurantI Loved This Place!I came here for Mother's Day Brunch and thoroughly enjoyed it. The menu is very interesting with very thoughtful combinations of flavors and ingredients. Everything is fresh and bright. I can't wait to go back for dinner.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMA Room With a View in Kendall SquarHad a wonderful Mother's Day brunch at Catalyst this past weekend. Even on a grey day, the front room facing the street was bright and cheery. The service was fantastic - friendly, attentive, kind. We enjoyed a variety of dishes and appetizers, all of which were fabulous. The homefries were especially good. All ingredients were fresh and delicious. Thankfully, the restaurant wasn't packed to the gills. My advice to anyone - get here for brunch before this place takes off for good - and it will!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSolid Repeat But...Always very predictably good. Drinks are interesting. Wine list is Ok. The popular menu entrees are kept and that really means that it's not a place we'll come back often to explore. However what we had was great and worth the trip from the suburbs.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic food and serviceWe love this place. We have kept going back because the food is so delicious and different - not the same dishes that you see at every restaurant but a real twist with every plate. Also liked the bar menu where you can choose "undecided" and the bartender will make a unique drink just for you. The people who work there are all nice and helpful - absolutely no attitude - it feels very comfortable to be there.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food. Great decor.Delicious food. Great decor. We had the home made pasta, they were cooked a la perfection !4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWe come here ofte. AlwaysWe come here ofte. Always a good dining experience.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe menu is simply but eachThe menu is simply but each of them is a winning dish. Especially "Grilled Skirt Steak", highly recommended! Friendly staff and elegant surroundings4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI ate here twice this week.I ate here twice this week. Once my food was excellent, the other time just ok. Wonderful service and ambiance.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMTrendy and Excellently Tasty!We enjoy hunting down the best restaurants we can find in any city we visit and we easily had one of our favourite meals at Catalyst. The service was terrific, the restaurant was very cool and we felt trendy just being there! and the food was just so so tasty!! Thank you for a brilliant evening.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was delicious -- creativeFood was delicious -- creative flavor combinations and beautiful presentation. The restaurant decor itself is beautiful, particular in the late afternoon/early evening as the sun set sending beautiful light into the restaurant. I would definitely go back.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst visit. Meeting placeFirst visit. Meeting place for business lunch with old friend. Terrific experience.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat. Not to be missed.Good experience here. Started at the bar and had a great drink. (Bartender's suggestion.) Seated at a table and enjoyed a unique meal that was 1st class. Servers knew when to be attentive and when to offer drinks, etc. I would recommend this to people who want a great meal prepared by real chefs and drinks made by real bartenders. I will visit again next time I'm in Boston.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMust dine at Catalyst!We had a fabulous experience! We loved the wonderful food. The favors were wonderful and presentation outstanding.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is first rate andThe food is first rate and the service is very good and friendly. The chef should be congratulated.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMWow.Outstanding. Everything was cooked to perfection and the atmosphere was fantastic. I highly recommend the tuna tartare for a starter. I had the slow roasted salmon which was superb. This was my first time in Cambridge and it was a memorable one. The place was very clean and the ambience was perfect. Our waiter was also very attentive without being overbearing. If you're thinking about coming here, just do it.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat restaurant!!! AwesomeGreat restaurant!!! Awesome food and wine selection. The service was excellent. I would highly recommend it.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place if you are inGreat place if you are in the Kendell Sq area. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was very cool. Great service too!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMcocktails are second-to-none,cocktails are second-to-none, especially the Tobago Sour! Food is just as good, every course outdid the previous. I would also consider it a good value for the number of courses and drinks we had.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMthe food was really good ,the food was really good , but just missed the mark of being great. Needs a little more refinement and maybe a slight reduction in portion size.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMI was at Catalyst for theI was at Catalyst for the first time for a friend's birthday celebration and it was great. Food was wonderful. I didn't spend any time at the bar but it looked like a happening place. Even though there is a lot of stone and glass the noise level was surprisingly quiet. We never had a problem carrying on a conversation. Best of all was the service. Our waiter was fantastic.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMCatalyst was a find. The KendallCatalyst was a find. The Kendall Square area pulses with energy, and Catalyst fits right in. The ambience was great; the food was terrific. The interior design is top-notch. Place has a very good feel. I'd go there again in a blink. Now one of my favorites in the Boston area.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were at Catalyst for aWe were at Catalyst for a business dinner and it was perfect!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely decor, industrial butLovely decor, industrial but softer on the edges. Great fireplace and couches around it. Lovely big bar area; also with wi-fi and power plugs, so you can get some work done with a cocktail in front of you. Service staff are knowledgeable and polite. Food is good, but not great. Combinations not very well thought of, many things slightly over-salted, some dishes feel like they thought throwing in a bunch of fancy ingredients together will make a great dish. Well, it often doesn't. Wine list is not too long but a few nice ones. Also good cocktails.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMAbout as good as it gets.We arrived as they opened for dinner so we could make a movie so it was hard to tell what Catalyst is like when it is busier. The four of us were truly blown away by our two appetizers and four different entrees. Each dish was different in a wonderful way. Some of the finest food we have had. While relatively expensive, the price was reasonable for the quality.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a wonderful experienceWe had a wonderful experience at Catalyst. The first thing you notice is how large and open the place is. Tables are set spaciously apart from one another, allowing for more privacy. Our server, Bora, was perfect. Well-spoken, friendly, professional and witty…a good guy.
We split a pasta dish as an appetizer and it was delicious. For the main course I had the cod over mussel chowder and my date had the burger. Both very, very good.
The drinks were among the best we've ever had. Everything was fresh and unique.
I would highly recommend Catalyst.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is delicious andThe food is delicious and imaginative. Dining here delights the taste buds. One complaint is the pricing. Just because Catalyst can, doesn't mean it should, overcharge a bit on too many items. When we visited on a Friday night, maybe it was not overflowing because others have reached the same conclusion - take a hard look at the pricing and adjust downward. Also, if you value your hearing, Catalyst can be overly noisy, in the way that many restaurants encourage. Not smart in the long run for employees and diners. Still, the chef and staff are great. Just know the total bill will seem excessive.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMBeen to Catalyst twice, andBeen to Catalyst twice, and loved it both times. Quality of products, creativity in the kitchen and profusion of professional staff all come together to create an exceptional dining experience. The high notes of the evening was the deep-fried whole red snapper,and the exquisite homemade pasta. Catalyst epitomizes everything that is great about American cuisine in the Boston area.
Only sour note: The wine list is a bit on the expensive side.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe salad and 3 desserts IThe salad and 3 desserts I shared were fantastic. A dining companion RAVED about her mushroom ravioli. I thought my vegetarian pasta dish was a bit bland and another companion thought his salmon was overcooked and dry. My husband had the scallops which were fantastic! But, the desserts made everyone happy!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMLove the food and service.Love the food and service. The contemporary environment is interesting but when the restaurant is empty it leaves one with a somewhat cold feeling.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall, the food was excellentOverall, the food was excellent although some of the combinations will be a bit too exotic for some folks (not everybody wants snails with their salmon :).
The only real criticism is that the coffee at the end of the meal was lukewarm and no saucer or plate was available for the stirring spoon and just leaving it on the table or a pile of empty sugar packets seems a little messy.
The interior decorating is impressive and the service was great.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food here is amazing!The food here is amazing! Every time I go it is perfect. And the staff is even better than the food. Couldn't ask for a better dining experience.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGood choice!Hostess was very pleasant and gracious, nice smile. Our server Juan was very accommodating, finding some low fat milk in kitchen for my cappuccinos. The other servers were unobtrusive and attentive. Crispy ribs were good, not so special as ravioli with black truffle, egg and scrimp emulsion. Scallops were tasty. Dessert was exceptional, very unusual but delectable coconut cake and peanut butter mousse Samoa presentations. My son was with me visiting from NYC so I was pleased with my choice of Catalyst to show off for him some of Boston's pleasures.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMA fun, futuristic dining roomA fun, futuristic dining room with delicious food, much of it locally sourced, a superb wine list, and an outstanding wait staff who obviously enjoy being there. An evening at Catalyst is like being on a first-class cruise to the Moon!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were looking for a niceWe were looking for a nice place to eat Saturday night on a whim but everything was booked except for Catalyst. We were shocked to see that they had an opening at 7:30 for us. Lots of space, neatly decorated, and the food was luxurious. Definitely great for a special occasion as everything was cooked perfectly. Worth what we spent, every bite from the bread, the ribs, to the smore-like dessert was perfect.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMInteresting menu with niceInteresting menu with nice food presentation. Service was very good. The sauces were outstanding.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMTrout is to die forThe rainbow trout with string beans and roasted potatoes is a perfect lunch. The trout is excellent, service great and a nice atmosphere. They have done something to absorb noise so one can have a pleasant conversation.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMfirst impressionIt was the first time I've eaten at this restaurant and was overall very please with my dining experience. The menu had a nice seasonal variety from which to choose. The beef I ordered was pefectly cooked and complimented well with seasonal vegetables and presented beautifully. My friend had lamb which was also delicious. Portions were decent, the endive salad and lentil soup were tasty. However, the negatives... I was a little disappointed that there really wasn't any type of chocolate dessert that seemed appealing to finish the meal. Although the sorbet we did order was delightful. Would I go back? Yes. This restaurant has much to offer and after this first time there, I would like to revisit in the spring to see what is offered3/10/2013 12:00:00 AM