Tasty changes are underway at Brookline Village’s Sichuan Garden (295 Washington St. at Holden Street). Ran Duan, star mixologist largely responsible for putting Woburn on the culinary map with Sichuan Garden’s Baldwin Bar and Baldwin & Sons Trading Co., will revamp his family’s sister property in the coming weeks to channel a tropically influenced “paradise,” he says.
First up: Creating a 10-seat Blossom Bar within the restaurant, focusing on Latin and South American cocktails with the same creative flair that earned him fans in Woburn, crafting creative drinks that incorporate unusual ingredients like chickpea water and grasshoppers, plus recognizable spirits like Privateer rum.
“We want people to feel like, when 5 p.m. hits, they’re on vacation,” he says.
And while a jaunt to the Baldwin is a sometimes costly proposition, Duan hopes to keep the Brookline branch more affordable for everyday consumption.
“We don’t want to charge Baldwin & Sons pricing. We want to serve gorgeous and beautiful cocktails at a reasonable price. We want to be the local establishment for an after-work cocktail,” he says.
The 68-seat restaurant will also get a cosmetic makeover, with “more feminine decor,” says Duan, a nod to his newborn daughter. He’ll also shrink the menu a bit.
“We want to refine the menu with our greatest hits, using better-quality ingredients,” he says.
He hopes to open in the fall.
Openings: In Kendall Square, Sumiao Hunan Kitchen (270 Third St. at Binney Street) is slated to open this weekend for lunch and dinner, helmed by Sumiao Chen, who’s originally from China’s Hunan province. Hunan cuisine is known for its spice (dishes are here are ranked by heat level) and rich colors. Enjoy garlic calamari with dried chili, steak tips in black pepper sauce, ginger cod with red chili, and cherry duck from chefs Changchun Ji and Xinke Tan, who have worked at acclaimed Asian restaurants like Nobu, Masa, and Hakkasan. Wash everything back with Mai Tais and tiki drinks for two.
Enduring noodle bar Wagamama opens a branch in the Seaport on Aug. 2 (100 Northern Ave. at Pier Four Boulevard). The London-based shop offers communal seating and a pared-down vibe — and, now, cocktails. The Seaport branch will be home to the restaurant’s first Boston cocktail program. Pair your ramen or curry with plum wine Cosmopolitans, yuzu mojitos, and Japanese vodka.
Brunches: Cambridge’s Pagu (310 Massachusetts Ave. at Blanche Street) now serves Saturday brunch from 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Central Square spot blends Spanish and Japanese flavors: Munch avocado milk toast, tamari-honey-glazed short ribs and eggs, and house-made pastries alongside sangria.
Renovations: Chestnut Hill’s 17-year-old bistro Aquitaine (11 Boylston St. at Hammond Street) has closed for renovations and will reopen this fall, aiming to retain an “authentic and nostalgic Parisian vibe,” according to a release.
Cheers: The Hawthorne at Boston’s Hotel Commonwealth (500A Commonwealth Ave. at Raleigh Street) was named Best American Hotel Bar at Tales of the Cocktail’s 11th annual Spirited Awards, held last week in New Orleans. The ceremony recognizes standouts in the cocktails and spirits industries, voted on by industry experts.