Listen up Boston – We have a new restaurant in town, which (until now) has flown under the radar. And, we should note, it’s owned by the same restaurateurs behind that little-known South End restaurant, The Beehive. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.

Beat Hôtel officially announced their opening yesterday. And although most avid food blog readers heard news of the soft opening last Thursday, the restaurant officially announced yesterday that the brasserie’s doors are indeed open.

With this new hippie, bohemian American brasserie located in the heart of Harvard Square, it’s going to be pretty hard to resist their eclectic and delicious sounding menu. The restaurant features international appetizers like the Ethiopian Salad, Chipotle-spiced baby back ribs (oh my gawd) and crispy tuna springrolls. And the entrees sound just as amazing with their “Earth Bowl,” a super healthy dinner option, as well as their apple & bacon stuffed heritage pork loin (yes, please).

The menu sounds like an interesting global mix but where does the French influence come from? Well, apparently the name “Beat Hôtel” is inspired by a “small, run-down hotel in the Latin Quarter of Paris” which was the “residence for members of the Beat poetry movement of the mid 20th century.” But you won’t find it on your next vacation to France. It closed in 1963.

Luckily, you can now find a Beat Hôtel next time you’re wandering around Cambridge. And for those of you who never cross the river, this gives you an excuse to break out of your normal Boston weekend shell. The new restaurant exudes an artistic vibe – with “murals and columns painted by local artists, to the stage drapery and curtains crafted by a local artist, and the woodwork, such as the tables, service stations and the bar, all hand- crafted by local craftsmen” –  and all of which will certainly feed good dinner conversation. If it’s anything like the Beehive, I’m sure it will shake up the Harvard Square scene –  so check it out.

Image courtesy of Hollywoodreporter.com