2008 Woodie Awards
A pinch of Picasso and a dash of casual dining
Jill Clark
Issue date: 2/9/05 Section: Arts
Year after year, Suffolk freshmen file in for new classes and seniors file out to commence their time in the "real world." The campus is always the same, the teachers are either tough or batty and our favorite food places always remain.
There's the restaurant known for the best pizza, another for pasta, yet another for the best frozen yogurt - and there's the guy with all the sausage. As good as these places get, there's never a new one for Suffolk to name as a regular spot.
But finally, another has popped up onto our map. Since Café Picasso opened its doors this past fall, residents, commuters and faculty alike have made the short trek over to the sub-street eatery at 4 Somerset.
They are going for a change of scenery and good food for cheap. Many Suffolk members have already experienced Picasso for themselve, and some much more than once.
Café Picasso has a festive artsy feel to it; its bright yellow and deep red walls are complemented by paintings from Picasso himself and the Christmas lights mixed with hanging glass lamps in the window add an extra element of attractiveness.
The menu has its share of straightforward fare - soup, salad and pizza - but there are also some basic Italian picks as well as some basics, with Italian twists. The prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich on focaccia bread was grilled slightly, but just enough to still keep the fresh mozzarella cold.
The focaccia was slightly chewier than usual and the cook forgot to put on the fresh basil, but the cheese was creamy and slightly tangy and the prosciutto was perfectly sliced in just the right amount for the sandwich.
The chicken salad was different than the average scoop of the cafeteria version; Café Picasso's version was mixed with a tarragon-dijon dressing. The large pieces of chicken were on a bed of romaine lettuce and served with a slice of French bread. It could take a while to finish this; the portion was huge and the salad was a little heavy from the taste of the dressing, but was still extremely delicious.