Tuesday, April 17, 2018: Teranga Restaurant
Teranga Restaurant | 1746 Washington Street, Boston, Ma | 7 – 10 PM
Senegalese/West African Cuisine
Chef-Owner: Marie-Claude Mendy 
“Teranga fills a simply adorned space on Washington Street between Mike’s City Diner and Cru (a newish wine store) and offers equally funky option to South Enders who’ve had their fill of—or can’t get into—tapas hotspot Toro. Carved gourds decorate the tables, and colorful, West Africa-inspired paintings hang on the walls. There’s a small bar pouring beer and wine, and two rows of two-tops that can be pushed together to accommodate groups.The menu leans heavily on fish, lamb, and fried appetizers; on a quiet night, you can hear your order bubbling away in oil as you wait.”
“From a young age, [chef-owner] Marie-Claude Mendy knew she was destined to work with food. She first became aware of her passion for food and cooking when she was only 5 years old. She grew up preparing dishes from scratch, solely with fresh and local ingredients… Originally from Dakar, the capital of Senegal, Marie-Claude also spent some time in Paris. Upon graduating high school, Marie-Claude moved to London where she obtained her college degree, at which point she moved to Washington D.C., where she ran a small catering company… One trip to Boston was all it took for this chef-to-be to fall in love with the city which reminded her so much of London… Once she moved to Boston, Marie-Claude decided to take her cooking a step further… Today, she is the proud owner of Teranga in Boston’s South End.”
Sources: Boston Magazine and WGBH
Wednesday, April 18, 2018: LaFabrica Central
“Hector and Nivia Pina are behind La Fábrica Central, as well as Vejigantes in the South End, Merengue in Roxbury, and the recently opened Doña Habana in Newmarket Square. Former Cambridge vice mayor Dennis Benzan is also involved… The new venue follows in the footsteps of its 450 Mass. Ave. predecessors with a bar, lounge, and dining room in the front part of the space and a function room with a stage and bar in the back. There’s live music with a focus on Latin jazz. La Fábrica Central features food from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Jamaica and has a ceviche bar… Chef Giovanna Huyke is a cookbook author, television personality, and former executive chef of the now-shuttered Mio Restaurant in DC.”
“For years I’ve talked a lot about how important it is to have the local community represented in the business community,” said Benzan. “This is an opportunity for me to demonstrate what local folks are capable of doing when given the opportunity. Central Square has some of the greatest restaurants, but doesn’t have a restaurant that really represents the Spanish-Caribbean.”
Source: Eater Boston and Wicked Local Cambridge
