Openings: Cambridge’s Pagu (310 Massachusetts Ave. at Blanche Street) is to softly open this week and officially open on Jan. 3. Chef Tracy Chang presides over the Central Square restaurant, serving a menu that trots through Japan and Spain. Chang earned fans at Boston’s O Ya and at cult hit pop-up Guchi’s Midnight Ramen. She also spent time in San Sebastian, Spain, cooking alongside chef Martín Berasategui at his eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant. Here, she’ll prepare delicacies such as squid-ink oyster bao, curried-crab croquetas, and Taiwanese-sausage fried rice. Drinks maven Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli — from Craigie on Main or Island Creek Oyster Bar — created a beverage program with Basque wines, Spanish ciders, and sake.
Big Tree Hospitality — the group behind Eventide Oyster Co., one of the most beloved restaurants in Portland, Maine — has confirmed it will indeed open a location in Boston (1321 Boylston St. at Yawkey Way) sometime in 2017, says a restaurant rep. Eventide Fenway will offer a “concise and creative seafood menu in a casual counter-service setting,’’ according to a release. Big Tree also runs the ever-crowded Hugo’s (New American) and The Honey Paw (funky noodles) in Portland.
For downtowners seeking carbs on the go, Blaze Pizza has opened an outpost at City Place (123 Stuart St. at Tremont Street). Thin-crust pies are cooked in a speedy 180 seconds and topped with your choice of 40-ish ingredients, like ranch sauce or vegan cheese.
Breakfasts: Who needs bagels? Those who crave bao for breakfast should stop into Tom’s BaoBao (84 Winthrop St. at John F. Kennedy Street) beginning at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday for a new breakfast menu. Enjoy fluffy buns stuffed with morning delights like eggs, cheese, and sausage, plus savory fillings like sweet potato and tofu.
Movies: After you’ve binged on everything Netflix has to offer, pop into Jamaica Plain’s Canary Square (435 S. Huntington Ave. at Moraine Street) on Sundays throughout January for $10 drinks, free popcorn, and hits like “Ghostbusters’’ and “Annie Hall.’’ Movies start at 10 p.m.
KARA BASKIN
Kara Baskin can be reached at kcbaskin@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @kcbaskin.
