EVOO

350 Third Street
Cambridge, MA 02143
617-661-3866

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. That’s what the acronym EVOO stands for. In the Boston culinary community, of course, it's also a name unto itself, representing the much-lauded restaurant opened originally in Somerville in 1998 by chef Peter McCarthy and his business partner and wife, Colleen. The duo moved their award-winning operation to Cambridge in March 0f 2010.

McCarthy’s cooking was honed at the legendary Seasons in the Bostonian Hotel, so the menu at EVOO evokes the innovative spirit of that dining room. Still, the particular fusion of influences that combine to create what he calls American cuisine makes EVOO unique. Watch it all come together in the restaurant’s open kitchen.

Evoo, Up and Running in Cambridge
Having made the move from Somerville to Cambridge - Evoo has opened its Kendall Square doors.

EVOO is on the Move
Somerville staple, EVOO, is making the move to Kendall Square.

Home Grown Goodness from EVOO
It's pretty easy to turn out delicious, local, homegrown food at the height of summer but it takes some ...

Peter McCarthy

Chef at EVOO

The first thing you need to know about Chef Peter McCarthy is that he's a licensed pilot and an avid sailor. The second thing you need to know is that he's just as fearless in the kitchen as he is in the air or on the water.

McCarthy showed his culinary moxie in 1994, when he stepped into the very big shoes of Executive Chef at Seasons at the Bostonian Hotel, a position that was by then on the resumes of Jasper White, Lydia Shire, Bill Porrier and Tony Ambrose. During his tenure, the restaurant received numerous awards and much acclaim, including a 1995 vote by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine as one of the Top Fifty Restaurants in America. In 1997, the James Beard Awards selected McCarthy as one of "America's Great Hotel Chefs."

A Quincy native, McCarthy began cooking at age fourteen and worked locally until entering the Culinary Institute of America. In 1987, he graduated with honors and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed." Upon graduation, he became a Line Cook at Seasons at the Bostonian Hotel and worked his way through the ranks.

In 1998, he decided to strike out on his own, and named his new venture EVOO, an acronym for extra virgin olive oil. This restaurant, too, quickly began racking up accolades for McCarthy. Bon Appetit called it One of the Best New Restaurants in America, the Improper Bostonian proclaimed that "EVOO is extraordinary," The Boston Globe wrote it's "instantly likable," and Boston Magazine called it "EVOO-lutionary."

The menu again shows McCarthy's daring nature, mixing New England, Asian, European and other influences to create a melting pot of offerings that he calls American cuisine, and an eclectic style that is anything but boring.

McCarthy also approaches the EVOO menu with a commitment to using as many local ingredients as possible. He is a charter member of the Chefs Collaborative, an organization that unites chefs and farmers to bring local sustainable agriculture to restaurants and classrooms. They're out to save the planet. Knowing McCarthy, they'll succeed.

Dinner
EVOO's Home Grown Menu

Starters

Cornmeal Fried Oysters with Goat Cheese Fondue and Apple-Bacon Salsa 10.00

Three Different Spring Rolls, Two Different Dipping Sauces 10.50

Smoked Rabbit Confit, Eva's Organic Wild Greens, Port Soaked Cherries and Toasted Pecan Salad with Shaved Vermont Cheddar and Grain Mustard - Rosemary Vinaigrette 11.50

Mains

Duck, Duck, Goose 27.00
Duck Confit, Seared Hudson Valley Duck Foie Gras, Slices of Goose Breast, Lentils, Local Farmers' Summer Beans, Verrill Farm's Wilted Greens and Sherry - Ginger Sauce

Chinese Box Full of Mustard Glazed Shrimp 25.00
Sesame - Hoisin Braised Beef, Gingered Vegetable Cashew Salad and Jasmine Rice

Parsley and Garlic Studded Beef Tenderloin 32.00
with Sour Cream Whipped Potatoes, Portabello Mushrooms, Grilled Sweet Onions and Orange Béarnaise

Rosemary Marinated Roast PT Farm's Lamb Loin 29.00
with Kimball Farm's Sweet Potato Croquette, Horseradish Laced Beets, Toasted Pecan - Celery Root Salad and Mustardy Lamb Jus

Dessert

Star Anise Infused Tangerine Peel Creme Brûlée with Whipped Cream 8.00

Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Cream 8.00

Local Farmer's Pear - Dry Cranberry Crisp with Pecan Crumble Topping and Ginger Ice Cream 8.00

Bourbon Pecan Pie with Whipped Cream 8.00

Apple - Cinnamon Sorbet with Sugar Cookies 8.00

Chocolate - Banana Bread Pudding with Warm Buttermilk Caramel 8.00

Lemon Curd Tart with Raspberries and Whipped Cream 8.00

Sticky Toffee Carrot Cake with Randy's Rum Raisin Ice Cream 8.00

Sweet Potato Pie with Candied Walnuts, Apple Butter and Whipped Cream 8.00

Cheese

Blue Ledge Farm's Lake's Edge Cheese with Pete's Raspberry Preserves, Grilled Bread and EVOO 9.50

PLEASE NOTE: The items, ingredients and prices on all menus are subject to change. It is recommended that if you are interested in a particular dish you contact the restaurant directly to determine its availability.

Dictionary

Bouillabaisse: 1. noun A Provençal stew of fish, shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, garlic, saffron and herbs.

Confit: 1. noun Meat (usually goose, duck or pork) that is slowly cooked in its own fat and preserved with the fat packed around it as a seal.

Epicure: 1. noun A person of refined taste who cultivates the knowledge and appreciation of fine food and wine.

Foie gras: 1. noun Expensive, silk-textured goose or duck liver that has been enlarged by a process you don't want to read about if you're going to eat this dish.

Hoisin: 1. noun A mixture of soybeans, garlic, chilli peppers and spices, hoisin is a thick, dark-brown sauce, used as a condiment to accompany Chinese meat, poultry and shellfish dishes.

Jus: 1. noun French for juice, jus also refers to the unthickened juices from a piece of roasted meat.

Osso Buco: 1. noun Veal shanks braised Italian style with white wine, tomatoes, stock, olive oil, garlic and other ingredients.

Risotto: 1. noun Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.

Follow BostonChefs.com

[ Home ] [ Dining Guide ] [ News & Events ] [ Industry Insider ] [ Recipes ] [ About Us ]