Brains and beer
Page 2

The bar offers six beers on tap and much longer list of typical bottle beers, as well as wine and liquor options. The patrons, however, seemed to overwhelmingly prefer draft beer, a choice that seemed to fit Miracle of Science better than a glass of chardonnay or a martini. I chose a Brooklyn Lager ($4.25), one of my favorite beers that doesn’t often appear on tap here in Boston. Guinness, Bass, UFO, and the locals Tremont Ale and Ipswich Ale rounded out the draft beer offerings. Whether the lack of light and low-carb beers is delightful or lamentable depends on the patron, but this isn’t the crowd to order Michelob Ultra in mass quantities.

The menu itself is not nearly as experimental as the décor. The standard burgers and quesadillas are joined by an impressive array of skewers. As an appetizer, the chicken skewer ($4.75) was delicious, more moist and flavorful than I expected. It was served with a warm tortilla wrap, red onions, and a creamy peanut paste with a kick. Delightfully, the chicken came off the skewer easily in bite-sized chunks, a feat of engineering I wish other restaurants would adopt. We also tried the chickpea hummus appetizer ($6.50), which was disappointing. The pita bread was slightly salty, and the hummus was unusually sweet. The flavor contrast was intriguing, but it couldn’t make up for the thin watery texture of the hummus.

The skewers were such a hit as an appetizer that one of my dining companions tried two more, steak and shrimp ($9.50) for an entrée. As if fearing the food would be bland compared to the place itself, both were vehemently over-spiced. The natural flavors of the meat may have been succulent and delicious, but we’ll never know over the assault of pepper and cayenne. The skewers were served with a side of forgettable coleslaw and a very interesting white bean, pineapple, and blueberry salsa, which could have used more cilantro. Perhaps it could have borrowed some from the runny turkey chipotle chili ($4.50), served with a halo of tortilla chips, which was overshadowed by a too-liberal use of the herb. Happily, the saving grace of Miracle of Science is its popular burgers. Large and juicy, with—finally—just the right balance of flavors, the burger with cheddar cheese on a toasted bun ($7.50) was a hit. In a delightful turn of events, a thick tomato-and-onion paste filled in for ketchup, and roasted red bliss potatoes replaced the greasy fries another college bar would serve.