By Michael McCarthy By Michael McCarthy | February 18, 2021 | Food & Drink,
Tuna tartare at the new Rossetti Beverly
From a new plant-based eatery in South Boston to Will Gilson’s venture in Cambridge, winter offers plenty of exceptional tastes and surprises.
ROMAN HOLIDAY
Executive chef Jason Maynard, formerly of Mistral Restaurant in the South End, has been tapped to lead the kitchen and become a partner at the recently opened Rossetti Beverly in North Shore Crossing. The Rossetti culinary legacy includes a market in Revere and an eponymous cafe and restaurant in Winthrop and Lynn, respectively. Maynard says he’s been friends with the family for years, so partnering came naturally. “I’ve watched Chris [Rossetti] and his father seamlessly flow together to create a vibrant, pleasant dining experience, all while paying homage to Italian cooking, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to fuse my modern techniques with their traditional recipes to create something entirely unique,” he says. New favorites include mussels fra diavolo, with garlic, Vidalia onions, marinara, Marsala and chile flakes; and linguine, with Alaskan king crab, sherry, shallots, Vermont butter, chives and toasted panko breadcrumbs. 142 Brimbal Ave., Beverly, 978.969.0080, rossettibeverly.com
Restaurateur Brian Moy
NOMAI RISING Bring on spring, we say, especially for Brian Moy and chef Mike Stark’s launch of Nomai in Hingham’s Derby Street Shops. The gents behind exceptional Boston restaurants Shojo and Ruckus team up with WS Development, which has created some of the region’s best-known retail destinations, including much of the Boston Seaport, The Street Chestnut Hill, MarketStreet Lynnfield and Legacy Place Dedham. Moy, the son of entrepreneurial immigrants, grew up adoring his father’s inimitable Chinatown restos Ho Yuen and China Pearl. In 2012, Moy opened his contemporary Asian smash hit, Sh?j? (think contemporary Asian plates with outrageously fun cocktails), and several years later, he opened Ruckus, a pan-noodle bar with a decidedly hip vibe. Stark’s gastro pedigree includes a stint as chef de cuisine of Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer’s Toro in the South End; he also helmed the kitchen at Tiffani Faison’s Southeast Asian concept, Tiger Mama, when it opened in 2015. 100 Derby St., Hingham, nomaihingham.com
The new vegan-based concept Lulu Green has expanded its hours for delivery and takeout.
GREEN DISH Now that Lulu Green’s gourmet, plant-based menu has been unleashed on Boston’s collective palates, lives have changed. At least that’s the mantra of co-owners Brian Corbey, who leads the kitchen, and sisters Mary and Nada Lattouf. Corbey and Mary Lattouf are former directors at Whole Foods Market, and Nada Lattouf is a physicist and pharmacist. “Food is mood, and food is medicine,” says Mary. “If we eat well, we feel well and are able to have more positive energy all around. We feel it’s especially important to focus on the most healthful immune-supporting foods during this uncertain time with the pandemic.” Early menu favorites—all geared toward takeout during the quarantine—include the barbecue cauliflower sandwich and the hummus bowl, with brown rice, roasted winter squash, apples, spiced pepitas and lemony olive oil. An early cult following has emerged for a brunch sandwich that includes tofu, shiitake bacon, tomato, lemony tahini and market greens—all inside a housemade sesame ka’ak bagel. “We love to eat, and our Lebanese culture revolves around food,” says Mary. “We wanted to show people that plant-based cooking, when done well, can taste as good, if not better than, the standard diet. And it’s better for your health and the planet.” 246 W. Broadway, 617.420.4070, lulugreen.com
Chef Will Gilson and his team have opened a duo of eateries at Cambridge Crossing, with a new venue, Geppetto, slated for later this year.
CAMBRIDGE CALLING Will Gilson and his Puritan & Company team are going big at Cambridge Crossing. Café Beatrice, an all-day eatery, and The Lexington, a cocktail bar and restaurant with a rooftop terrace, opened late last fall. A third eatery, Geppetto, is set to open in 2021. “This has been our passion project for about two years,” says Gilson. “Our intention was to give our guests something for every part of the day to fit into their lives.” At The Lexington, look for dishes like miso-grilled shrimp, roasted pumpkin bisque, dry-aged pork chop and wild mushroom cavatelli. The takeout fare at Café Beatrice has been a hit, especially morning meals that include breakfast brioche and the smoked-salmon everything Danish. For lunch, don’t miss the Cuban, with ciabatta, coppa, mortadella, braised pork, pickles and mustard aioli. For those keeping things light in the winter months, Beatrice offers a grain bowl with cucumbers, herbs, feta, Maine tomatoes, wild arugula and za’atar vinaigrette. 100 N. First St., Cambridge, 617.945.1349, thelexingtoncx.com
Photography by: ROSSETTI BEVERLY; ALL OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BRANDS