Darling, a Cocktail Bar With Dim Sum, Opens Next Week in Central Square | Eater Boston

"A menu of craft cocktails and traditional dim sum that doesn’t take itself too seriously arrives in Central Square on Wednesday, July 16 at 464 Massachusetts Avenue, occupying the completely overhauled former Mary Chung’s space where the team took down old wallpaper to reveal and preserve exposed brick and commissioned a partial mural from artist Julia Purinton. The bar’s name references the phrase “Kill Your Darlings” meaning don’t be precious about your creation. “I thought of Central Square being, you know, quirky. It’s vibrant, it’s a little weird,” Callahan (previously of Row 34 and the now shuttered Tiger Mama and Orfano) told Eater. “We wanted [the bar] to have character, we wanted it to have a lived in feel, but we also wanted it to feel kind of nice. So I think there’s a really nice balance in the space.” Food is “traditional dim sum style,” according to Zimu Chen (formerly of Eastern Standard, Coquette, and Mariel); the menu, created by Executive Chef Mark O’Leary (previously of Shojo, O Ya, and JM Curley), will blend nostalgic American dishes with Chinese dishes — think filet o’ fish bao — along with favorites like tonkotsu xiao long bao, red braised pork ribs, and egg custard tarts. The libations include dazzlers such as a clarified milk punch called Hope I Packed a Parachute and a cognac-and-condensed-milk cocktail inspired by Hong Kong French toast called HK French Toast. A low-ABV drink called Sweep the Leg employs a fairly modern cocktail technique called the switching method: to make this cocktail, Valdespino Fino Inocente sherry is frozen, and the water content is removed and replaced with housemade tomato water, resulting in a briny, tart cocktail that Callahan told Eater is “really nice, delicate, but with touches of umami and vegetable notes.” Callahan and Chen emphasize impermanence and experimentation, planning to switch out specials daily to encourage dialogue between bartenders and guests: “If they have a drink that they like, and then come back and it’s gone, they might be bummed,” Callahan told Eater, “It’s our job to make sure we have something else on the menu for every type of person, so they can find something new – we’ll have seasonal ingredients on hand to make something similar – opening up a great conversation.” The cocktail bar’s hours are Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m.–12 a.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m.–1 a.m., and Sunday 5 p.m.–12 a.m.; reservations are available via Resy." - Tanya Edwards