Shepard (CLOSED)

At the end of the day, our tastes are simple: we all love grilled food. Restaurant warhorses Rene Becker and Susan Regis have taken that knowledge and translated it into a cooking philosophy. Their neighborhood spot in the former Chez Henri space just outside Harvard Square celebrates our seasonal bounties with French flair but zero pretension. The menu changes according to season and daily bounty, but the woodfired stove plays a central role in both preparation and presentation (the kitchen is partially open to diners). The half-chicken, plated in pre-cut slabs, is one of those simple marvels that makes you wonder why every restaurant in town isn’t executing the staple dish as well.