The Eaves — Restaurant in Somerville

Long time cicada customer here. Was very excited to make a reservation at the chefs new venture. Our table ordered six dishes and the first one to come out was the shrimp vermicelli salad, which we discovered was covered in cashews. They did not list that anywhere on the menu/ask for allergens and someone at our table was very allergic. We asked the waiter if anything else on the menu included them, and they said yes, the next dish that was coming out. We asked if they could possibly remove them and they said no. The waiter walked away and someone had to go up and ask a second time. We explained someone at our table was extremely allergic and if they could remake it. They again said no and said they couldn’t fix anything. They then brought the dish to the table literally covered in the allergen? They told us to just push the cashews to the other side of the plate if we had a problem. It was very unusual (still tipped 20% ahahah) Other than that bizarre part of the night the drinks and ambience were great. Like really aggressively have to recommend the cocktails which were complex and balanced. The food was not particularly great minus the Bun Cha, which was very delicious. Wouldnt order dinner here again but would be a great place for a date drinks sitch bc it’s very intimate. Honestly the allergen situation was so odd and unpleasant that it ruined the night and made it difficult to enjoy the dinner.

Highlights: cocktails, V-jazz inspired playlist, soft warm lighting and inspired decor, well cooked salmon, cohesive menu, duck meatballs

Lowlights: allergy situation, unseasoned shrimp, price to portion ratio, carafe ran out of water in first 2 minutes and...

We were excited to try this new Cicada sister restaurant that had such elusive reservations. We ended up getting a reservation for 10pm on a Sunday, and we seemed to be the last customers. The restaurant was really tucked away with a tiny kitchen. We got to see the magic happen since we were seated at the bar. Since the menu wasn't that big, we decided to try everything.

Overall there were some things I enjoyed but I think I would rather go to Cicada.

The scallop crudo was tasty because the scallops tasted fresh and naturally sweet. The bluefish tartare was good but a bit too salty given it was just served with leaves and nuts.

The corn was good -- it's the starchy kind. The micro shrimps are sweet. Overall it's a pretty tasty dish you can eat by the spoonful.

The shrimp noodle salad was good but pretty standard. It was nice to have some refreshing veggies. The shrimps were few and the tough kind of shrimp, but they were at least sliced thinly.

The congee was very normal congee with some sweet microshrimp. I didn't think this was anything special either. The salmon in the salmon dish was a bit overcooked for my tastes and the white rice was overshadowed by my memory of the Cicada black rice I had had for lunch.

The non-alcoholic drink we got was fine but a bit watery and lacking flavor.

We also tried the duck dishes and I cannot speak to that because I don't like duck, but my husband really liked them. He said the duck was tender and the duck ravioli was good.

Overall I was a bit underwhelmed. I was glad we got to try everything but was expecting more. I think this may be a good place for duck lovers to go -- otherwise, I think...

Cool ambience, although sitting on the high tops is a bit uncomfortable and cramped. There are low top options. The food was very underwhelming and lackluster. A few of our clams were sandy, and several were inedible because they were closed. The garnish didn't make much sense - large, unavoidable pieces of lemongrass that were too hard to chew. The shrimp salad was incredibly sweet and overdressed and the shrimp tasted like a chlorine. Both appetizers were overpriced. Our mains were better than our appetizers but still not impressive. We were expecting more brightness and freshness than what we tasted. Overall the menu is very seafood heavy so if you don't like seafood, this is not for you. The first cocktail I had (Whisper of the Heart) was pretty good - made of mezcal and bright pink. The second (Rain or Shine) was way too bitter and horribly balanced. The wine selection was interesting but for some reason the pour was tiny! See photo. Our service was good, though. Probably the highest mark for service. Our server was very kind and answered our questions well even though it was her first week. She made sure to check on stuff we asked about and was very attentive. She took my second cocktail off the bill when I said I disliked it. Lastly, the location is a bit difficult to find - it's through the doors on the first floor where the bathrooms are in Bow Market. Overall, we will not be back and sadly do...