Top : United_States : MA : Arlington : ElementsA New American eatery, with an emphasis on local ingredients, featuring live jazz during Sunday brunch. Elements is located in the spot formerly occupied by Tea Tray in the Sky, and operated by the same owners and staff. The restaurant still offers a list of over 100 teas, which can also be purchased in bulk. 689 Massachusetts Ave
Arlington
MA
United States
02476-4904
Telephone : 781.643.7203
Fax : 781.643.7206
Opening Times : Dinner Sun-Thu 5:30p.m.-9:30p.m.; Fri-Sat 5:30p.m.-10:30p.m.; Brunch Sun 10:30a.m.-2p.m.
Type of cuisine served :Related web pages :Price DetailsThe typical price range for a meal at Elements is $15.01 - $30 Payment MethodsAll restaurants accept cash; additional methods of payment are :- - gift certificates
- Diners' Club
- Visa
- MasterCard/Eurocard
- American Express
- Discover
Alcohol : full bar. Smoking : not permitted.
ReviewsGreat New New American! When the owners of the Tea Tray In the Sky closed their popular Arlington Center spot, some people had to wonder about the decision. Why mess with success? Well, one reason was that they had a great chef who ranks with the best in the city at producing New American Bistro food, but a lot of people didn't think about having dinner at a place with "Tea" in the name. When the owners of the Tea Tray In the Sky closed their popular Arlington Center spot, some people had to wonder about the decision. Why mess with success? Well, one reason was that they had a great chef who ranks with the best in the city at producing New American Bistro food, but a lot of people didn't think about having dinner at a place with "Tea" in the name. Now they've opened Elements in the same location, with much of the same staff, and judging from their performance on a Saturday night, just a week and a half after opening, their decision looks like a good one. Sure, there were a couple of rough moments -- the kitchen hasn't got the pacing of courses quite down yet, as the entrees seemed to come right on the heels of the appetizers. However, with food this good, it doesn't seem fair to quibble over small details that will almost certainly be smoothed out with a little time. The decor is attractive and sleek, with light-colored hardwood floors, and actual tablecloths (spurning the paper-topped or bare-table trends). Although there seem to be quite a few hard surfaces, the noise level seemed very reasonable for conversation -- that is, quite a bit lower than at most restaurants these days. Maybe the high cielings helped. Or maybe it was because the managment actually decided to place the tables far enough apart that diners didn't have to share conversations with their neighbors. The food was uniformly excellent. If the softshell crab appetizer could have been a bit crisper, the slight softness was offset by the terrific flavor, and by the somewhat spicy blend of tomato, ripe avocado, and sweet corn that came with it. A mesclun salad was notable for very fresh baby greens, a light, flavorful dressing, and a generous portion of Great Hill Blue cheese. A plate of "Rack of Lamb with Smoked Lamb Shoulder" had four perfectly cooked chops, and a small portion of what was essentially "pulled lamb" mixed with chickpeas in a slightly spicy sauce. To tell the truth, I don't think that smoking lamb shoulder does much for its flavor (the way it does with pork), but it did lend a welcome smokiness to the dish, adding a touch of complexity. Potato-crusted halibut was a generous, perfectly-cooked filet, with nicely crisp/soft shredded potatoes on the top and bottom. Desserts all looked good, and I can vouch for the lemon mascarpone cheesecake with blackberries. Served as a cylinder, this was something like a cross between cheesecake and mousse, with a very light texture, and thin layers of sponge cake at the top and bottom. The fruits proved to be a great combination, with the lemon adding some zing to the berry flavors. The wine list was reasonably priced, and somewhat surprisingly, more adventurous and interesting on the white side than on the red, where the choices could use a little more care -- for the bold, inventive flavors of the food, there seemed to be too much reliance on conventional varietal wines (e.g. Merlot), and mass-marketed brands. There were 9 or 10 offered by the glass, roughly equally split between white and red, with one or two sparkling wines. Teas are still available here, with several "featured choices" on the list, and can be purchased in bulk. The service was very friendly, helpful with menu descriptions, and except for the pacing problem mentioned earlier, a cut above the vast majority of restaurants of this type. I think that Arlington has a real winner with Elements. Food Rating [8/10] Service Rating [8/10] Ambiance Rating [8/10]
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