The Breakdown: Roasted Veal Loin at Les Sablons

Photograph by Bruce Peterson

1. The buttery layered potato dish known as pommes Anna is “kind of a classic,” says chef de cuisine Brian Rae.
2. The veal-stock-based reduction features shallots, red wine, thyme, and mustard.
3. Veal loins are brined for two hours, then roasted in a cast-iron pan with thyme and butter.
4. Pacific Northwest–sourced morels are seared, tossed with shallots, deglazed with brandy, and served with a splash of cream.

For years, real estate developer Dick Friedman struggled to get restaurateurs to see the potential in the Conductor’s Building, a skinny, awkwardly configured former transit office in Harvard Square. Then Garrett Harker stepped inside. “I wanted to figure out the challenging space,” says the proprietor of Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar. Now Harker and his partners, including executive chef Jeremy Sewall, are set to debut a new restaurant in the century-old building this week. Named after a Paris Metro station, Les Sablons draws from the culinary traditions of the City of Light and London, with dishes such as roasted veal loin (pictured) on the “continental” menu.

2 Bennett St., Cambridge, 617-268-6800, lscambridge.com.