By: Jessica Cickay
Exactly two months ago marked the first time in my 25 food-filled years that I tried red meat. I’m not a vegetarian, I’m not religious and I’m not against eating animals – I just was never fed a cow (or a pig, for that matter) and always deemed everything from a quarter-pounder with cheese to a filet mignon non-options. My random rebellion began one night with a single taste of my boyfriend’s burger, and let’s just say it was love at first bite. Luckily, my dabble into the meat department came just in time for an outdoor BBQ on the patio of
Bambara in the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, where Chef Jay Silva served up a rainbow’s variety of sliders that could satisfy herbivores and omnivores alike!
The good thing about being me is that I have no qualms about “playing stupid” sometimes. And when it comes to getting the most food possible with the shortest amount of wait, I am the best pretender around. That said, I was able to sample ample amounts of Chef Silva’s sliders, leaving the rest of the crowd clouded in the smoke of his grill and at the back of the line. While sipping on a glass of Prosecco sweetened with a simple strawberry syrup, I treated my impatient taste buds to perfectly prepared Spring Pea Arancini. These ping-pong ball sized puppies were packed full of tender Arborio rice, fresh green peas, ooey-gooey parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and then flash fried for a one-way trip to my mouth.
To cater to my new meat friendly attitude, I grabbed a Bam Burger next. A mini sesame seed bun housed a high-quality, medium-cooked burger just dripping with flame-broiled juices and smothered with smoked cheddar cheese. Topped with a squirt of spicy ketchup, the Bam Burger definitely deserves its signature name.
For a true taste of summer, the Pulled Pork Slider slid its way onto my napkin next. Tender shreds of pork sopped up a soaking of sweet and tangy barbeque sauce, that when mixed with the swirling smell of smoke in the air, brought me from Cambridge to Carolina in no time. To make matters even better, a crunchy cabbage and carrot slaw completed the simple sandwich.
Since variety is the spice of life, Chef Silva went to the water next, bringing forth a Wild Salmon and Crab Slider. Hunks of sweet crab were interlaced with the mostly salmon-based burger, which was also dotted with tender bits of corn and smoky pieces of red pepper. A slather of spicy mayo and a sesame seed bun were the ideal adornments for the seafood sammie.
The final slider I sampled took me back to my veggie-oriented roots, making me realize I’m definitely an herbivore at heart. A deep, earthy portabella mushroom cap sat atop an expertly chargrilled slice of eggplant (no bitterness to be found!), which came into harmony through the ideal execution of a roasted red pepper, a broken leaf of basil and a button of buffalo mozzarella. A shmear of roasted garlic olive oil elevated this meatless munchie to the top of my must-eat list for the evening.
After I downed multiples of each slider, I made room for others at the front of the line. I left Bambara satisfied, satiated and certainly impressed with Chef Silva’s skills on the grill.
Bambara
25 Edwin H Land Blvd
Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 868-4444
That orange drink with frost on the glass must have been very cold. Good you tried meat for a change.
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