Simple & Fresh for Success: A Review of Harvard Square Clover

Lesson learned: chocolate seduction is not an excuse to replace sweets & fried foods for a real meal

One of the best ways to cook and eat I've found is to be guided by how you will after the meal. If you're running low on fuel, high-sugary refined-grains may seem appealing, but the quick energy spike and massive crash you'll receiving after will leave you worse off than before. In this case some whole grains and nutrient-dense veggies (particularly protein packed options like spinach or quinoa) would serve you better presently and in the future.

Sometimes I forget this simple rule and go by misguided instinct rather than rational understanding. This is what happened last night and, boy, can I tell you, it is not pretty!
Years ago, when I used to be addicted to junk food (as many people now are; it really is addicting), it might not have phased me.... but after a night of (literally) unlimited, free greasy Chinese food, a plethora of vegan desserts, and tons of free appetizers samples (everything fried), I paid for it in more than a mere stomach ache. [This was less the result of choice, but more of happenstance and too many events in a night].

Food nourishes not only our body but our mind and our soul. There have been numerous articles suggests that poor nutrition leads to poor learning. Unhealthy food clogs our mind and skews our emotions. The bright and light feeling after a morning of muesli and fresh carrot/apple/kale juice could not be more contrasted to the faint twinge of depression accompanying the crash after a nutrient-low meal.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one; how have you experience food as a predictor of mood and bodily satisfaction? I'd love to hear to learn from others experiences and recommendations!

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It is with this in mind that I am thankful for a new, fresh addition to Harvard Square: Clover Food Lab. Among the numerous greasy pizza and burger joints offer to Harvard students, Clover stands out as one of the few that serves up healthy, fresh, and simple food that is still outstandingly delicious (kudos also to Crema Cafe, Cafe Pamplona, Falafel Corner, & Boloco, among potentially others).

Clover started out as a food truck, parked just down the street near MIT. I remember numerous times of biking past it and thinking how I'd have to try it, it's consistently massive line indicating customer satisfaction. Imagine my luck, then, when I found out they were opening a permanent location in Harvard Square! All white, minimalist, it could double as an Apple store; perhaps not surprising, then, that your order is taken down by a greeter on an i-touch.

The best part? Clover is ALL vegetarian and most menu items can be easily made vegan! With its extremely reasonable price, welcoming environment, and friendly on-the-go style, Clover became an instant hit among the student population. Never have I heard so many of my omnivore classmates suggesting a vegetarian location for lunch.

It was no surprise, of course, upon tasting their unique menu items:

Chickpea Fritter Sandwich
It's clear why this sandwich is their most popular item; filled with a light hummus, pickled vegetables, fresh Israeli salad, and tender chickpea fritters (made with organic chickpeas, its similar to a falafel), this whole-wheat pita pocket steals the show.

Egg & Eggplant Sandwich
Made with the unique combination of hard-boiled egg and eggplant, drizzling with their light vegan tahini sauce over fresh veggies, my eating companion (Matt) informed me that it too was fantastic. All eggs are sourced locally from a family-owned farm. This sandwich can easily be made vegan by omitting the egg.

Borscht
The Soup of the Day when I went, I thought it was very flavorful and hearty, but with a Polish boyfriend and close Russian friend, its hard to compare to generation old family recipes. Then again, who can say not to perfectly stewed beets?

CoffeeI wouldn't use the word connoisseur because it seems pompous but I do think I've tasted my fair share of coffee and have a palate now that can taste the subtle differences in flavor (and the not so subtle lack of flavor extracted from burn, over roasted chain "coffee"). This coffee met the test for a wonderfully made cup.

All the coffee is single origin, often organic, and made using a manual individual-drip process (as most of the best coffee places do, such as Monmouth in London). Furthermore the servers are very knowledge in helping you find the pick the right coffee. They also offer cold brew.

Clover also has daily sides, some of which switch, all of which seem intriguing: fried pickles, rosemary fries, hot honey ginger tea, and apple popovers in the morning.

One thing we can expect from Clover besides consistent deliciousness is an openness that fosters true trust (something we can only rarely expect from the food industry these days). The Harvard Square location has an open kitchen and floor-to-ceiling windows allowing customers to view the cooking process; team meetings are held in the store and anyone is allow to come listen.

With a focus on fresh food that changes daily and the promotion of vegetarian values, Clover offers what many restaurants fail to: a commitment to serving real, honest food.

Chick'n Pitas & Faux-McRibs: Vegetarian Tasting at Harvard

Another sign, in my opinion, of our culture's ever-changing values, has been the sudden upswing of veganism. Conscious eating has found acceptance in everyone from Bill Clinton to even Orpah (taking the challenge once again, her and her staff of 378).

The first multiple episode vegan cooking show (Vegucating Robin) is now on TV, NYC is having their city's first Vegetarian Food Festival in April, and even the James' Bread Foundation has hosted and recognize vegan cuisine as of late (Chef Angel Ramos from Candle 79, NYC).

So it's little surprise that acceptance of vegetarianism, and less-meatarianism, has gained prominence through the college scene as well. Last semester in London I helped start the first vegetarian society at UCL and now, according to Jonathan Safron Foer, almost 18% of all college students identify as vegetarian.

So when I was invited by the Harvard Vegetarian Society to a vegan/vegetarian food tasting by the Harvard University Dining Service, an event to sample and get feedback on new vegetarian and vegan dishes, I knew this was a step forward. Showing all students, even omnivores, that vegan and/or vegetarian food can be delicious and filling is always a step forward. So sixteen students including myself got to sample a bunch of potential new dining hall meals and provide our feedback.

Check out some of the items tested below & their reception:

Vegetarian Ribwich (above)

This was apparently a hit for the students. Since this was a vegetarian option though, not vegan, I didn't have a try. Being the healthy bunch many of us are, we suggested making the sandwich buns whole wheat--a suggestion which Chef Martin & Chef Breslin agreed to.

Vegan Chick'n Pita Sandwich
My second favorite dish, this combined HUHDS's infamous Chick'n patties deliciously smeared with a fresh tahini sauce and filled with extra veggies. Some students thought the sauce was a bit bitter, but ultimately it was a bit hit!

Seitan Pepper Steak
Mimicked after a Philly cheese steak sandwich, this seitan sandwich had a delicious serving of sauteed onions and peppers but seemed to be missing a bit of something, perhaps a bit dry. Some students suggested extra sauce or offering a side of BBQ sauce. Chef Martin thought having too many ingredients separated from the dish may be a bit difficult to achieve, but one thing we all agreed upon was changing out the bun of a whole wheat version.

The best part of this sandwich? The HUHDS house made seitan! Store-bought seitan is often packed with additives and preservatives, but this seitan was made fresh and the difference was apparent. The texture was completely different, so much more tender, and it absorb its sauce amazingly.

Ethiopian Vegetable Stew

The best dish served up, and Chef Martin's favorite as well, this stew was a warming mix of winter for the soul. All of the flavors were bold but blended perfectly with the seasonal sweet potato and a hint of cinnamon to boot.

Korean Pickled Cucumber Salad
One of my favorite dishes, this salad was simple but balanced the acidity well (perfectly in my opinion). Some students thought it aired on the bitter side a bit too much, though as the Chefs pointed out, for a pickled salad that is often the case. The chefs thought a little less dressing could help this, particularly because the salad had quite a bit of extra liquid to it.

Sweet & Sour Veggies with Seitan and Cashews
Another dish with HUHDS's homemade Seitan and this was definitely the best. he seitan soaked up the exquisitely balanced sauce superbly. The cashews were a great crunchy addition, always a favorite of mine.

Mushroom Ragout with Whole Wheat Penne
Though I'm not usually a mushroom lover (I know, Vitamin D, I really should be), this pasta was great. With protein packed penne and tender, savory mushrooms though, this dish was a hit. Nothing fake here which is always nice. My only complaint, and many students agreed, was that the mushrooms are a bit on the salty side.

Out-of-this-World Vegetarian Fare

Located in bustling Harvard Square, Veggie Planet offers up delicious vegetarian fare made from organic vegetables and pizza dough from Boston Organic.

This eatery is a local favorite for college students looking for a healthy alternative. Located next door to Club Passim, you can experience your meal with music on most nights (but check in advanced because they usually charge in advanced for tickets!).

At Veggie Planet, you can get your meal of their organic pizza dough, sticky coconut rice, or brown rice; go for the pizza dough on your first try though, it's their specialty. I had their soup (cauliflower soup) and salad (Greek salad) combo--the soup was so-so but the salad was amazingly fresh and crisp. Also, try their daily dessert also (it's usually vegan!).

PLUS! This Saturday the Harvard Vegetarian Society (VEGITAS) and Harvard Law School's Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) are having a meeting at Veggie Planet at 11:00am. We'd love you to join!

Veggie Planet
47 Palmer Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
11:30 A.M. to 10:30 P.M., 7 days a week.

love<3