 |
| Little Donkey corn |
RC is one way to start the week off right! This was Claire’s month and so we headed to Little Donkey in my ‘hood on a Monday evening in late August. I have to admit that I’d been there before. Twice. Little Donkey opened in July and I think Jamie Bissonette and Ken Oringer are a great addition to Central Square! “Like it’s name, the restaurant will be a dependable staple to the neighborhood – open early morning to late night.”
 |
| BLT lettuce wraps |
Our server described the menu as “global tapas” and suggested 2-4 plates per person. With a smaller crew of just four, we dutifully followed his instruction and even wrote everything down on the back of the raw bar menu. The menu is divided into five sections and we wanted to try at least one thing from each section: Charcuteria, Hors D’Oeuvres, Pastas & Grains, Vegetables & Salads, and Meat & Fish. As with tapas, the plates came out as they were ready. The pace started out fine but got a little overwhelming in the middle.
Up first, the corn and the Parker House rolls. The corn is Little Donkey’s version of the corn at Toro. If you haven’t tried the corn at Toro, you should, though good luck getting a table. This is Silver Queen corn with Parmesan, bone marrow, bonito, aioli, and hot sauce. I liked that it was easy access (aka not on the cob) and that the bonito flakes waved at you from the dish. I also liked the dish, which was definitely a theme throughout the meal. The Parker House rolls were buttery and salty and stuffed with yellow chives and Chinese sausage. I enjoyed them, but it’s rare that I dislike a starch. The rest of the table thought that this delicious, but not unique…no special snowflake in this dish!
 |
| Charred avocado, aka the perfect bite |
 |
| Farro kimchi fried rice |
After the “first course” the dishes started to come fast and furious. Next up was the black pepper popovers with Wagyu steak tartare, the BLT lettuce wraps, and the charred avocado. All three of these dishes were among my favorites of the night. The charred avocado was half an avocado topped with pepitas, yogurt, and pomegranate molasses. We divided the half into quarters and it was a perfect bite, fresh and perfectly balanced. The tartare was super fresh and had a really interesting and delicious texture. The BLT lettuce wraps came with tomato jam, pimiento cheese, yellow tomatoes, plums, pickled onions, mayo, and lamb bacon. Meaty, thick-cut bacon. It was fun to DIY the lettuce wrap, but there was actually a disproportion of filling to lettuce…that never happens! I would definitely order all three of these dishes again. At this point I’m starting to feel full and happy, but we were only 50% of the way through the 10 dishes we so diligently ordered.
The next to arrive was the farro kimchi fried rice, the burger, and the red lentil kale dahl. The farro, which came with egg, scallion, bean sprouts, Thai herbs, and green curry was the universal “winner” of this round. The answer to “do you want to add an egg on top” is always yes. This dish was one of the larger (in size) dishes and I probably could have eaten the whole thing. Yes, I know I just said I was getting full…this is a dish you make room for. I’ve tried the burger before and liked it, but you have to like dry aged beef and foie gras. It definitely had a little funk to it and got mixed reviews from the table. I loved the presentation but you better believe I did not use the m-towelette. The dahl was the least favorite across the board as it was too sweet. I’ve also had this before and don’t remem
 |
| Manti |
ber it being that sweet.
And last but not least, the manti (Istanbul meat ravioli) and the octopus a la plancha. I don’t think I’ve ever had manti before, and wow, they were delicious…definitely another fave. The octopus was also delicious. I always get a little nervous about ordering octopus because it can be really rubbery if it’s overcooked. This was cooked perfectly and pretty much melted in your mouth.
We couldn’t resist the chocolate chip cookie dough for dessert, which is served on beaters with milk espuma (not a fan) and cocoa nibs. Delish.
 |
| Cookie dough! |
RC was smaller than our yuge, but no less delicious. And as always, the company was just as rich as the meal…great pick Claire! I’m up for next month’s pick, no pressure! Any suggestions?
The damage
$75 per person
The rundown
Little Donkey
505 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge (Central Square)
@LittleDonkeyBoston (IG)
@LittleDonkeyBos
Kara Cooks and Eats 