Openings

West Bridge Opens Next Week, and the Menu Looks Exciting

Matthew Gaudet
Matthew Gaudet Photo: Chowder/All Heart PR

Grub Street hears that Matthew Gaudet’s West Bridge will open at 1 Kendall Square next week. We spent the morning poring over the menu, and it looks fantastic. Gaudet was previously at Manhattan’s Eleven Madison Park and Jean Georges (as well as Aquitaine here in Boston), so we have high hopes for him, as well as for the deliciousness of the crispy pig’s head on his menu. Also doesn’t hurt that bar manager Josh Taylor comes from Eastern Standard. Check out some of the delicacies ahead, and get ready to add one more Kendall restaurant to your must-try list.

Small Format
Cauliflower
Verjus Grapes, Bone Marrow, Harissa and Sherry Vinaigrette
A large slice of cauliflower cooked on the plancha. Un-­ripened tart verjus grapes, with a hint of sweetness garnish the plate, while the bone marrow will be warm and tossed within the grapes and cauliflower.

Egg in a jar
Duck Egg, Hen of the Woods, Pomme Puree, Crisp Skin
All of the above ingredients are layered within a canning jar, which is then dropped in a water bath, where the egg is poached and steamed to perfection in the jar. After 8-­10 minutes the jar is pulled from its bath and sprinkled with duck skin crackers.

Sweetbreads
Buffalo Sauce, Blue Cheese, Celery
Crisped veal sweetbreads lightly poached and dusted in flour and then panfried. Followed by a Sriracha hot sauce glaze and served with blue cheese crumble and a pickled celery stalk.

Crispy pig’s head
Late Season Pumpkin Pickle
The meat from a braised pig head is pulled and rolled into a round terrine. It is then sliced, breaded and panfried. Diced pumpkin and red onion are cooked in vinegar and sugar to create a relish garnish.

Calamari “Tonnerelli”
Whelks, Cockles, Sweet 100’s
East coast calamari is sliced thin to imitate noodles, cooked quickly in a pan with cockles, sweet 100 tomatoes and sliced whelks

Large Format
Duck Breast
Hibiscus Beet Vinaigrette, Black Rice, Rainbow Carrots
Roasted duck breast from Hudson Valley Farm is seasoned with black pepper and served with Chinese Black rice. Beets are then cooked and pureed with olive oil, sherry vinegar & hibiscus to add a tangy punch. The plate is finished with braised rainbow carrots.

Cod
White Bean, Chorizo, Black Pernod Jus
Atlantic line caught Cod seared on the plancha and roasted; served with a white bean puree, spinach and a chorizo jam, finished with a Black Pernod Jus (licorice root, pernod, white wine, chicken stock and squid ink).

Toasted Farro
Upland Cress, Garbanzo Beans, Golden Beets, Cherry
Farro is cooked like risotto, and tossed with roasted golden beets and green garbanzo beans. Topped with upland cress and finished with a chopped cherry vinaigrette.

Venison
Sunchoke, Sumac, Squash, Rye
Grilled Broken Arrow Ranch Venison dusted in sumac and served with sunchoke puree, summer squash and rye crumble.

For the Table
Turbot
Artichoke, Pee Wee Potato
Whole roasted Turbot served with braised artichoke barigoule and salt roasted Pee Wee potatoes.

Lamb Shoulder
Eggplant Fig Puree, Fresh Cheese
Roasted lamb shoulder is sous vide and finished in the oven for crispy skin. Roasted eggplant and macerated dried figs are then pureed together and served with a fresh sheep’s milk cheese.

West Bridge, 1 Kendall Sq., Cambridge, 617-945-­0221

West Bridge Opens Next Week, and the Menu Looks Exciting