Rialto is located in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge. Rialto aims for higher in both price and cuisine and hits both targets. The bar is a pleasant area and you can either wait for your friends or... More

Rialto is located in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge. Rialto aims for higher in both price and cuisine and hits both targets. The bar is a pleasant area and you can either wait for your friends or eat. On our visit there were several patrons eating dinner and others enjoying cocktails.The dining area is comfortable and the tables are not crammed together. We received a great table where half of us could overlook the square. While we waited for all of our party to arrive we sat for drinks in the bar area. They do not have any beers on tap but the bottle selection was pretty extensive. On the way to our table I passed the dessert station and chatted with the dessert chefs for a couple of minutes. I had a chance to ask the chef what their favorite dish was they both mentioned the hot chocolate cake (see below). The waiter was extremely attentive, asked for drink orders and described the addition and substitution to the menu. He told us the chef was fortunate to find some fresh striped bass and decided to substitute that fish for a sable fish on the menu. She obviously wants to serve the freshest fish she could find and had no problem changing the menu for the day. Appetizers range in the teens in price and you should expect between $30 and $40 for entrees. The reviews state that the chef mixes fresh New England ingredients with her Tuscan training and I was interested to see how this would play out. She did great. For an appetizer I chose the Risotto with mushroom and marscapone (mmm). The risotto was perfectly cooked, the mushrooms were a nice touch and the marscapone brought the whole dish together. Down side was the size...very small. Dessert was a smash. I went with the recommendation of the chocolate cake. It wasoutstanding, an individual cake filled with a nice warm chocolate filling. The price of appetizer, entree, dessert and a glass of wine will probably cost at least $80 per person.
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I have been to Rialto twice now and have enjoyed both times equally. They change their menu with the seasons, so there is always something new to enjoy. Their curried escargot with tagiatelle... More

I have been to Rialto twice now and have enjoyed both times equally. They change their menu with the seasons, so there is always something new to enjoy. Their curried escargot with tagiatelle (sp?) is such a different way to enjoy escargot and a real treat. I've also enjoyed their bar nuts immensely and highly recommend stopping by and getting a drink just to enjoy the nuts!
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