Central Kitchen-Central Square, Cambridge

I’ve heard mixed reviews of Central Kitchen. People loved it, hated it, or thought it was worth returning to only for a dish or two. I love hearing other people’s suggestions and opinions about food, but I figured this was one restaurant for which I needed close my ears and form my own opinion.

A board of complimentary bread with hummus was served before dinner. I’ve been to many restaurants lately that serve their crusty bread with hummus. I love hummus, I could eat hummus every day, by the tub; however, not everyone loves hummus as much as I do. I don’t think that hummus should be a substitute for butter because as much as I love hummus, I love butter even more(especially on a piece of bread!)

Starters: Fennel Parsnip Soup and the Filet Mignon Tartar

The naturally spicy flavor of parsnip that I absolutely love was very weak in this soup. The fennel was more prominent than the parsnip and I would have preferred the opposite. According to the menu the soup was topped with a drizzle of curry infused olive oil. Although the olive oil was present, the curry was not. The consistency of the soup was extremely runny. I would have preferred a thicker consistency. Overall, this dish wasn’t the most memorable.

The tartar was the crowned jewel of the meal. It was made with a buttery filet mignon and mixed with mustard, capers, shallots and green onions. A raw quail egg sat on top of the beef and served as a perfect dipping ‘sauce’ for the meat. It was also accompanied by two brussel sprouts, tangy cornishons and pickled carrots. Yes, everything in this dish was raw, the egg, the meat and the vegetables and I am still alive to tell you that this has been one of the greatest appetizers that I have eaten at a restaurant. Don’t be turned off by raw meat or eggs. Contrary to popular belief, it won’t kill you nor will you fall ill with salmonella.

Entrée: Cassoulet and Chicken

Buttery cannelli beans were seasoned very lightly with parsley and served with wild boar sausage, duck confit, and pork. The meat on the pork pulled apart effortlessly. I think it might have been braised based on the consistency and moisture of the meat. The duck leg was extremely juicy and flavorful and its skin was extremely crispy. The wild boar sausage was too dry for my taste, which is very unfortunate because the flavor was gamey and delicious. This dish was slightly different from the original cassoulet recipe. Instead of having the consistency of a stew, the beans were drained and served dry. Although I enjoy a different take on an original recipe, a touch of moisture, preferably the juice of either the duck or the pork would have been the perfect addition to this dish.

Half a chicken was served on a skillet and accompanied with brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes. One particular accompaniment stood out amongst the rest. It was an intact, whole onion seasoned heavily with anise. It was the only part of the dish that was seasoned as such and I thought this was a very creative way to add a subtle hint of spice. Sure, if you ate the onion by itself, the anise was very prominent, but when mixed with the other ingredients it provided a slight hint of anise’s licorice-like flavor. The chicken was extremely moist, however, the skin was not crispy enough. This was just a minor flaw and did not affect the buttery flavor of the chicken. The brussel sprouts and the potatoes were cook al dente and seasoned with the juice from the chicken.

Dessert: Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

The vanilla bean was very subtle in this dessert, almost nonexistent. Nonetheless, once the caramelized layer of the brulee was cracked, a delicious, thick custard was revealed. Neither Scott nor I stopped to breathe while we were eating this dish. In fact, the waitress stopped by our table and commented on how fast we had inhaled the brulee. I love a waitress with a good sense of humor!

Drink: Rum Swizzle

Spiced rum was mixed with simple syrup and ginger, garnished with candied ginger and mint. It was very similar to a dark and stormy but mixed together. It was very heavy on the rum, the way a good mixed drink should be.

I also tried a white wine I had never tried before called viognier. It reminded me of a Sauvignon Blanc, dry and slightly crisp. I highly recommend it.

I greatly enjoyed this restaurant. The food and the service were excellent, and the prices were very reasonable for the portions. Both Scott and I were able to take half of our dishes home, minus the brulee of course!

Bon Appetit!