Gufo — Restaurant in Cambridge

Last night I attended Gufo with my husband, who is a Black Dominican man, and I believe that the maltreatment which we received was entirely unjustified—we both wonder if it may have even been racially motivated. We sat at the bar and the bartender was seemingly polite at first. But as the night progressed, my husband noted that his needs were not being met to the same standard as other patrons. Unbeknownst to me, his water glass and his drink were left empty throughout the night, while I was consistently treated to refills of both. Additionally, all service was addressed exclusively to myself, excluding my husband.

Later on, my husband stood up because of a backache. First, he was berated by the manager, who walked straight into him and snapped at him to move aside for blocking the entrance to the kitchen. Although as restaurant owners we can both understand the spacial constraints of the food industry, this response felt excessively hostile. Then, a short while later, she came and cleared our glasses off the bar, which were not yet emptied, and told us that we had to leave immediately. She accused my husband of harassing a waitress—even though I had witnessed the reality of this reference, which was a harmless passing joke to a woman carrying a pizza, saying “oh, that looks, good, is that for us?”

Angrily, she followed us to the lobby and I tried to explain our side of this incident. She maintained her rage towards us throughout this interaction, and refused to hear any contradictory account of what had happened, despite not having witnessed it herself. Then, when I suggested that this false accusation might have a racial element to it, given that my husband was the only Black man in the entire restaurant, she threatened to call the cops on me for causing a scene. It should be noted that the only people causing a scene were this woman and some other employees who had accompanied her in these false accusations.

Later my husband told me that earlier in the night he had seen an old man at the bar who also appeared to have a negative experience with this manager. When he had told her politely that he liked her beanie, she snapped at him, “don’t speak to me that way”. Appalled at her inhospitable reaction, the man got up and left immediately, leaving a full glass of wine at his seat. The common treatment here seems to include an indignant sense of superiority over all customers, and an insular, punitive perspective on all conflicts. Both my husband and I are painfully sensitive to the needs of hospitality workers; we do everything that we can to respect and understand the difficulty of their job. But last night these people crossed a line, and that needs to be recognized.

Also, the polenta was...

The food was just creative enough, but the concepts were “3/4 baked.” It felt a little bit like a shot gun location for ideas which 1/20 would eventually make it to SRV.

Charred summer beans- the sweetness from the beans and tang from yogurt not balanced enough by fat & salt of fried shallots, capers- also presentation of shallots/currants/caper mix looked and felt happenstance.

Snap pea Caesar needed more anchoive in dressing- the snap peas watered down the bites too much

The crab cannelloni had no crab and crab flavor didn’t come through- just a hot plate of cream and noodles.

The squid ink clam bucatini was really unbalanced re: macros- there were three clams total + 2 clams w/o shell. I wish I was exaggerating. Flavors were good. But it was a big plate of pasta in a tasty sauce. I would’ve liked much less pasta and some more protein to complement and pick up some of the sauce.

The Negroni 660 I’m sure is a summer crowd pleaser- but I specifically asked the server if it was going to taste watered down compared to the bitterness and grip a traditional Negroni has, and I just don’t think they were knowledgeable enough to give accurate guidance. I did enjoy it for what it was!

Overall the connection to SRV & the menu was appealing enough to try on paper- it didn’t come through in execution, and we left disappointed. Not because we though it would be a fine dining experience comparative to SRV (please don’t conflate what I’m trying to say)

It’s Because the flavors of dishes were not tuned very well. Again- on paper the ideas are there, but almost everything needed to be tuned better. I don’t see that issue as a function of quality or expense.

Lastly- my wife dropped her knife and it was right in front of the busboy. I saw them see it and keep moving on and not circle back. This doesn’t have to be a cliche comment out of a scene from The Bear, but I didn’t understand that moment in time.

Wine menu is very well crafted- same guy does it for SRV- so if you want some good exposure to well selected wines, they have them.

I don’t not recommend- ultimately I do recommend. I also think the pizza looked good and I ended up wishing I had gotten that instead if I was eating a big plate of carbs anyways.

I just think they could be better with not a lot of effort- simple, low lift things could change. I hope your experience is better and I think it’s worth a...

An emerging culinary gem in East Cambridge.

Amidst the array of casual restaurants lining Cambridge street, Gufo is certainly a much-needed addition to the neighborhood. The restaurant’s modern charm, ambient lighting, and serene ambiance made for an ideal setting for a leisure dinner on a Friday.

Soaked in an interesting sauce, the head-on shrimps were a nice flavor kick to start off the meal. The initial punch of saltiness from the sauce was followed by a layered dance of umami with a playful spiciness, thanks to the roasted fresno chilies. The grilled mushrooms, while maintaining grill's smokiness, were elegantly paired with an allium and black garlic sauce, adding a hint of bittersweetness to the dish.

Porchetta was also impressive. The meat, with its perfectly crispy edges and decently succulent interior, was complemented by the creamy bagna cauda sauce that accentuated its umami flavors. It was without a doubt among the finest renditions of Porchetta I’ve tried in the city. The squid ink bucatini followed closely in impressiveness, with every strand bathed in a harmonious concoction of spicy 'nduja butter and the tang of lemon. Though delicious, the Rigatoni Bolognese, in comparison, was overshadowed by other dishes.

We rounded off our evening with a rich, dense, and decadent olive oil cake. It was topped with quince jam which added just the right amount of sweetness, and it was a perfect way to round off our evening.

During the day, they also have similar pastries and sandwich offerings that are great as well. Crostadas were phenomenal, with crunchy and buttery crust. It went particularly well with the savory mushroom toppings, and every bite was delightful. From their cold sandwich selections, roast pork sandwich was good. Provolone cheese overshadowed the pork flavors, but I liked the touch of salsa verde which nicely complemented the meat.

Overall, a holistic dining experience with great ambiance, service, and food. Will definitely return to try their...