Daedalus

Our summers here in Boston are so short, I am always on the lookout for great outdoor dining options during these precious few months. Ideally, the outdoor space would be away from loud cars & buses; the restaurant would be conveniently close by; and (of course!) the food would be excellent.

It's a slight bummer that I did not really discover Daedalus until I moved to the other side of Harvard Square. The rooftop patio, great vibe, and good food clearly demonstrate why this place won Best of Boston - Neighborhood Restaurant in 2010.

Bryan and I decided to try Daedalus recently while shuttling back and forth between our new place and our old place. The weather was gorgeous that day, and I had heard about the amazing rooftop deck, so we decided to check it out.
According to Bryan, they have a pretty nice selection of beers on tap. Bryan ordered this Oregon beer called Drifters, which we both really liked! It appeared quite popular, as everyone around us seemed to also have a Drifters glass in hand!

Soup du jour - $3.95

Since it was a hot day, I started with a cold gazpacho, which was pretty good. I think I still like the one I had at East Coast Grill the best (I still dream about that gazpacho!). Nevertheless, this one was chunky and flavorful, though possibly just a tad salty for my tastes (I am a bit salt-sensitive!)  
Artichoke Hearts | 9.95
Panko-crusted artichoke hearts tossed with parmesan cheese served with horseradish cream sauce

This interesting appetizer was new to both of us - panko crusted fried artichokes!

These were really good! Nice and crunchy on the outside yet hot and juicy on the inside. I loved the umami boost that the Parmesan added. Of course Bryan loved the peppery horseradish sauce that accompanied the appetizer.
 
Cajun Fried Calamari 13.95
With roasted corn salsa, baby greens, parmesan cheese + citrus vinaigrette

The Cajun calamari salad was perfecty fine - no rocket science here, but everything was very well executed.We definitely thought the portion was quite generous.
 
Blackened Haddock Fillet | 17.95
Topped with cucumber, red onion, cilantro + mango salsa served with black beans, rice + chorizo

Similarly, the blackened haddock dish was also fine. It was a jambalaya of sorts topped with a haddock fillet and mango salsa. I had ordered it because I was still dreaming about an amazing cod dish I had enjoyed at Bergamot a few nights ago. This doesn't compare with that one, but it's still OK - perfectly fine for a casual weeknight meal, especially at this price point.
 
Chocolate Explosion | 7.95
Warm flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise, chocolate sauce + vanilla bean ice-cream

The server told us that the Chocolate Explosion was the most popular dessert, so we went with that one. This one is classic - your basic flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Again - not the most unique or creative dessert, but it was well executed and quite tasty.

Concluding Thoughts
This is a great place for very reasonably priced, solidly executed food. The restaurant has two stories plus a rooftop deck, so I would imagine that there is plenty of seating available. I wouldn't necessarily call it a destination restaurant, but it's a fantastic neighborhood option with great beer, enjoyable food, and one of the best rooftop decks I've ever seen.

Daedalus
45 1/2 Mount Auburn St
Cambridge, MA
02138