Talulla Review: Feel at Home on a Night Out

Fine dining can feel exhausting. On the quest to find exquisite bites, diners are often plagued by overwhelmingly intricate menus, indecipherable presentations, or a distracting focus on aesthetics over taste. The solution? Talulla — a small Cambridge restaurant that offers a homey atmosphere while never compromising on its stunning food.

Talulla, nestled just off Concord Avenue, is tiny enough to miss if you don’t look closely. The establishment is run by husband-and-wife duo Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer. Dennehy was recently nominated by the James Beard Foundation, an organization that celebrates American food culture, for “Best Chef: Northeast.” Named after the couple’s daughter, Talulla offers both an à la carte and five-course tasting menu to its patrons.

The atmosphere of Talulla is more reminiscent of a friend’s home than a formal dining room. The eatery offers only twelve tables, which are cozily tucked between an exposed brick facade and a white wall lined with black-and-white family photos. Diners can easily observe the chefs working in the kitchen from their tables, evoking a warm kitchen that beckons from just outside the dining room. The staff is amiable and quick with suggestions, ready to share their thoughts on what the best bite may be. Talulla makes its patrons feel comfortable and at home so they can focus on the true experience — the food — without distractions.

One of the best ways to break bread with friends at Talulla is to do just that — break bread. The bread starter pairs a hearty sourdough with a spongy focaccia alongside a whipped honey butter. Crusty on the outside and pillowy on the inside, the sourdough is wholesome and perfectly simple. It sits well next to the focaccia, which has a more flavorful exterior dusted with salt and herbs. The breads are excellent by themselves, but both are elevated with the honey butter, which melts luxuriously on the tongue.

A star of the menu is the shaved Brussels sprouts — while the slivers of sprouts themselves are delicate, the portion size is ample and satisfying. The salad also incorporates tender orange segments, sugary pomegranate seeds, and salty chestnut chips. While the dish could do with extra chestnuts to form a more consistent bite, overall it balanced its earthy and sweet flavors well. Although Brussels sprouts are a winter vegetable, the salad channeled the taste of spring due to its hints of sweet citrus and pomegranate.

Next up, the cod arrives bathed in a soy and dashi broth alongside pieces of carrots, leeks, and mushrooms. The fish had a perfect sear and flakes beautifully under the fork. But the dish’s accouterments, on the other hand, were disappointing — the carrots retained an earthy and undercooked element that did not seem to mesh well with the saltiness of the soy sauce. Additionally, the small portion of cod seemed to truly swim in the large bowl of broth, making its price tag appear disproportionate. Perhaps Talulla’s best seafood options can be found elsewhere on the menu — like the spaghetti in scallop sauce, for example.

Dessert at the restaurant, Tallula, in Cambridge. By Courtesy of Hannah E. Gadway

Talulla’s dessert menu ultimately reflects the restaurant’s overarching focus on simplicity and enhancing uncomplicated flavors. The menu offers familiar treats, such as double chocolate chunk cookies and a ginger molasses cake. The maple pudding is especially delightful — the chilled pudding is paired with pieces of shortbread that come to your table still slightly warm. The maple is nicely balanced with visible dots of high-quality vanilla and fluffy whipped cream. These classic options on the dessert menu again reinforce the restaurant’s atmosphere of homeyness and comfort. While the ingredients and presentation live in the realm of fine dining, the emotions associated with these treats are those of childhood.

Talulla is a comforting retreat within the streets of Cambridge. The restaurant feels like a familiar space — even to first-time visitors — leaving its menu to do the talking and surprise its patrons with its delicate refinement. The flavors are carefully selected, and it’s clear that meticulous thought is put into the improvement of the quality of ingredients, rather than over-complicating the menu. While every bite may not be entirely perfect, the overall dining experience at Talulla is welcoming. If you want to feel at home on your next night out, visit this cozy wonder at the bottom of Observatory Hill.

—Staff writer Hannah E. Gadway can be reached at hannah.gadway@thecrimson.com.