Following a renovation and revamp effort announced earlier this month, Central Kitchen reopens tonight with a more accessible, expanded menu, more pasta options, and a couple of new large-format meat dishes for sharing.
And perhaps most importantly, the bathrooms got a remodel, and aren't quite so bare bones.
As chef Thomas McNaughton said in announcing the revamp, "It has always been our goal to be an accessible, neighborhood restaurant," and the changes reflect a move toward slightly lower price points, and smaller portions that allow for more of a small-plates, communal dining experience.
He tells Eater, "The old menu was so constrictive. The way I approached the new menu was us sitting down and saying, ‘What do we want to eat?’"
To that end, there are now five pastas thanks in part to a new pasta cooker in the renovated kitchen a selection of a half dozen snack items and seven vegetable plates like escarole with egg, bresaola, and chanterelle mushroom vinaigrette; and fresh shelling beans with grilled tomato and nasturtium.
Also, the biggest and priciest menu item is a $79 bone-in ribeye steak for two, marking one of the most expensive cuts of meat in town.
This is just the opening menu, and you can expect things to change on a weekly or even daily basis expect a whole fried rock cod to make an appearance at some point, and for vegetables to get swapped in and out based on availability.
Previously: Central Kitchen Closes This Week For Revamp, Will Reopen July 21 With New, More Shareable Menu
