Central Kitchen Cambridge MA

Sometimes great restaurants happen out of sheer luck.  On our way to a small tapas place that didn't accept reservations we passed Central Kitchen.  Kelly and I both remarked that it looked like an interesting little spot and vowed to check it out the next time.  Well the next time happened to be about 20 minutes later because of the hour long wait at the tapas place and the Christmas party that we didn't want to be too late for.  Since I hadn't read anything about the restaurant I didn't have any expectations.  This place delivered the goods.
Central Kitchen is long, dimly lit restaurant with a bar running about half it's length and seating about 15 people.  The music is a tad bit louder and much fresher than in your average place.  No overused Miles Davis Kind of Blue jazz here.  (Although I love Kind of Blue)  the length of one wall  was covered with wood wine racks like those used to age Champagne.  These racks were hung flush on the wall and filled with wine bottles.  Some of these bottles were actually glowing lights.  Very cool look.  We sat at the bar.
The menu is fairly simple.  On a chalk board are the daily raw bar selections and then a small menu holds about 4-5 small plates and 5-6 main courses.  The food is very French bistro influenced but trending towards the innovative rather than rustic.  We chose to share three plates.  First was a Baby Spinach persimmon, candied pecans, and great hill blue cheese salad topped with a light glaze maple black pepper vinaigrette.  The persimmons added a very understated fruit to the more hearty cheese and pecans.  Delicious.
Next came a Chacroute with duck confit, braised pork, and house cured sauerkraut.  Chacroute is a traditional Alsatian dish that normally pairs a few different pieces of pig atop a bed of sauerkraut.  Sausage, ham, cheeks, etc.  This dish can be quite hearty and unfine but this was very elegant.  The house made kraut was coarse and off sweet.  the duck confit very crispy and the braised pork falling to pieces.  Rivals Mon Vielle Ami in Paris for the best Chacroute I have had.
The main course was to die for.  Locally foraged mushroom ragout and little ricotta dumplings.  The small bit off broth that the ragout sat in was incredibly aromatic.  Lots of fresh forest scents.  Morels, chantrelles, spinach countered by small creamy little dumplings.

The wine lists are what a perfect wine list should be in my opinion.  The first had about 100-125 selections from around the world.  Wines from renowned places like Bordeaux, Napa, Burgundy, alongside more esoteric selections from Sicily and Austria.  The reserve list was about 50 very well chosen selections each priced at about $20 over retail.  Many of the selections had a bit of bottle age.  I noticed 1995 Jadot Clos St Jacques for $90 and a number of mid 1990s Bordeaux.  Why doesn't everyone price wine like this!!!!!!  If you are making world class food the experience will be enhanced by encouraging people to drink a better bottle of wine.  Once I saw the reserve list I changed my selection from a Sicilian Nero d'Avola to 1990 Guigal Hermitage.

As an aside we also noticed Alex Gambal from Maison Alex Gambal in Burgundy.  Alex is a yank who has been producing world class burgundy where he lives.  Somewhat of an oddity.

The food was fantastic, the wine list fun and well priced, and the service at the bar superb.  Can't wait until the next time.

Comments

[Sociology Dissertation]

Blogs are so informative where we get lots of information on any topic. Nice job keep it up!!

[Helen]

Hi there,

I was searching for info on Central Kitchen and came across your blog. Thanks for the review -- looks like a good place to check out. The info about wine on your blog is fantastic. I'll let my husband (the wine geek in the family) know.

Cheers,
-Helen