I decided I liked the Red House, in Harvard Square, even before I took my first bite of linguini con carciofi. It started with the menus, made of beautiful marbled paper and lined up on a bookshelf in the foyer according to their size: large for entrées, medium for desserts, and baby-size for the bill.
The lunch and dinner menus offer three linguini dishes, each made with plump homemade noodles, fresh and light enough for a summer day. My linguini con carciofi was tossed with a zingy tomato sauce, artichoke hearts, crushed red pepper, rocket, and a touch of garlic. Its delicate flavors popped, and the portion, though generous, didn’t anchor me to my seat. Other options include a Maine-lobster linguini in a tangy arrabiata sauce and sautéed shrimp with spinach and linguini.
An added bonus: the Red House is the sort of place where you can dine alone, as demonstrated by one bookish woman across the room, who made three solo courses look effortlessly European.
Available for $13.95 (half portion) and $19.95 (whole portion) at the Red House, 98 Winthrop Street, in Cambridge. Call 617.576.0605.
