M3, davis square

Meat n’ three. Meat and three sides. Emphasis on the meat. That’s the inspiration behind M3, Jason Owens’ (Local 149) casual new Southern-style restaurant right on Highland Ave. in Davis Square. Meat n’ three. Two little content words somehow have the power to incite so much fear. It’s not that I don’t eat meat. I love (good) barbeque and the long, charred kabab skewers that I grew up with. I love spending a winter evening in, softly singing to a slowly simmering braise or a summer one grilling a chicken over a charcoal flame. I classify my dishes by protein. But I’ll admit that the idea of eating large quantities of meat at every course of a meal — apps, snacks, mains — is a tad overwhelming.

Comforting, though, was the adorable space; it was playfully kitschy without being corny (think hanging ball jar lights; chalkboard tables and walls and, um, bathrooms; and a decorative, blue tin ceiling). To avoid an hour wait, our party of four sat at the diner-style counter, something I would recommend but only to twosomes in the future. Sitting so close to the open kitchen, though, I was ready to take on my meat. I was fearless.

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