Journeyman, a fixed menu spot, is set to open in Somerville’s Union Square in late May, and first-time restaurateurs Tse Wei Lim and Diana Kudayarova are journaling the opening process in a three-part series for the Globe. Journeyman, located in a former pasta sauce factory on Sanborn Court, will offer one five-course tasting menu every night, accompanied by a short list of wines from relatively unknown producers.
Lim and Kudayarova sum up their culinary philosophy thusly:
We believe in making people happy. We believe that people are prepared to go out of their way for food that is refined, original, made with seasonal ingredients, and above all, delicious. We believe that some of the most exciting, most honest, and downright tastiest wines available today are being made in places most people have never heard of. We believe that many of the trappings of fine dining — like tablecloths and long introductions of dishes — are unnecessary for a fine meal. Others, like good stemware and mignardise (we like this word, which means little sweet things), are underappreciated. We believe people actually quite enjoy not having a choice about what to order.
Journeyman is a bold venture, to be sure: fixed menus can be a tough sell and, despite The Independent, Union Square isn’t exactly a dining destination just yet. But there’s also something appealing about two outsiders creating a restaurant they’d like to eat in. Could this be the tipping point for Union Square?
Our Journey From Passionate Amateurs to Pros [Globe]
Journeyman [Official Site]
