A Culinary Couple Brings a Fresh Start at Talulla in Cambridge
Talulla, a restaurant opening this spring in Cambridge, will tap global influences that reflect the travels and passions of owners Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer.
Photograph by Toan Trinh
Conor Dennehy and Danielle Ayer returned from a recent trip to Yucatán with a sack of dried hibiscus sepals—and they started experimenting in the kitchen. The resulting hibiscus gelée will brighten a scallop crudo (pictured) at their restaurant, Talulla, opening Friday in the former home of T.W. Food. Chef Dennehy and sommelier Ayer, alums of the bygone eatery, will tap global influences that reflect their travels and passions. “We want this restaurant to be representative of what’s important to us,” Dennehy says. Hence the name, which is the same as their one-year-old daughter’s. “She’s the most important thing,” he says.
Above:
1. Dressed with a squeeze of lime and a little salt, avocado brings just the right amount of fattiness to the dish.
2. Plump dayboat scallops are briefly cured between two leaves of kombu, which adds umami and firms up the raw mollusks for slicing.
3. First-of-the-season rhubarb adds crunch. Thinly sliced raw radish serves the same textural purpose and lends a peppery bite.
377 Walden St., Cambridge, talullacambridge.com.
