Cuisine:

• Others
• Mediterranean

Rendezvous in Central Square Description:
It may seem an unlikely place for a comeback, but a former Burger King in Central Square is now home to a snappy Mediterranean eatery run by Steve Johnson, who resurfaced here a few years after leaving The Blue Room. We have to admit that upon first glance, we were baffled by the relative conservatism of the menu, its Portuguese, Provençal and Italian influences straightforward rather than eclectically skewed in classic Johnsonian style. But the softer, subtler approach works; produce in particular shines, lightly handled in or with purées, broths and vinaigrettes. Not that deceptive effortlessness doesn't also characterize meat and fish---think grilled sardines with fennel and cherry tomatoes or a fritto misto with homemade pickles. What's more, Johnson's kitchen is one of the few that doesn't treat chicken like an afterthought; with preserved lemon, sherry, almonds and honey it takes on the flavor of Moorish Spain. The wine list lacks the quirky appeal of that at The Blue Room (except in the higher price registers), but it certainly harmonizes well with the menu in its greater restraint. Taking place in a warm, familiarly contemporary setting, this is one Rendezvous to which everyone feels privy.


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