New Boston Restaurant SJ’s Opens in Leather District | Eater Boston

"In the Leather District near Chinatown, this blue-and-gold Art Deco bistro is where chef Sarah Wade indulges her “fun, bistro, chef-y” side, blending fancy French influences and global inspirations into funky comfort dishes. The menu riffs playfully with pork rillette macarons and a prawn toast she has been workshopping for years, alongside a robust lineup of pastas like an indulgent uni butter cacio e pepe, wagyu steak frites with tallow fries, and a confit rabbit leg seasoned with sal de gusano, an Oaxacan mix of toasted agave worms and dried chiles. A long marble bar anchors an elevated space that leans on high-end ingredients and aims to draw after-work drinks, dinner dates, and friend groups just a block from South Station. Classics headline the beverage list—think a Rusty Nail and a Gibson with infused vermouth and your choice of gin or vodka—and, in a nod to her husband James’s love of beer, the team strives to pour a perfect pint of Guinness. Despite the chill, patio seating adds 24 al fresco spots to the 102 indoors, with heaters and hearty plates encouraging lingering through the fall." - Celina Colby