Pagu Eyes Late Fall Opening With Squid Ink Oyster Bao, Pintxos, and Txakoli

Opening late this fall in Cambridge's Central Square, Pagu is the first solo project from O Ya alum Tracy Chang, who previously co-founded the popular 2012 ramen pop-up series Guchi's Midnight Ramen, studied pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, worked at Martín Berasategui's eponymous three-Michelin-starred restaurant in San Sebastián, and worked with visiting Spanish and American chefs as part of the Science + Cooking course at Harvard. But the phrase "solo project" does a disservice to Pagu; Chang is working on building something that thrives on collaborations with people she has met in and out of the food industry over the years.Construction is fully underway, and Eater recently visited the future home of Pagu. Read on to sneak a peek inside the space, meet a couple of people involved in the project, and learn more about what to expect when it opens soon.

Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli

Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli/Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Why Pagu? "Restaurants are often met with the idea of collaboration," he says. "When Tracy and I met during my time at ICOB, she always brought a fresh set of ideas and energy to the projects she was working on. Many questions seem to have simple answers to them, the 'industry standard.' Tracy's approach to the world of food and beverage is to re-ask that question for everything. It is inquisitive and creative while simultaneously allowing her to meet new people and explore new ideas through a truly collaborative process. As a team member intimate with the details of Pagu, it is this unique approach that interested me most as it simultaneously allows me to reevaluate each standard, asking 'why we do it that way? Is it best practice? Can we do it better?’"

"I find that my excitement for PAGU is most based around how we have tried to uniquely answer these questions," he continues. "A few examples being menu format, the dynamic styles of service that allow for both dine-in and dine-out for this on-the-go neighborhood, as well as the plethora of artists that Tracy has brought together to participate in the creations of each of the unique areas of Pagu."

When Chang initially announced the project, she mentioned a focus on seafood, local ingredients, and a "'less is more' approach to composition." The restaurant, located at 310 Massachusetts Ave., will serve tapas and more, blending Japanese and Spanish techniques and flavors. Chang is also drawing inspiration from her grandmother's Japanese restaurant Tokyo, which operated in Cambridge from 1988 to 2000.

For Chang, Pagu is all about collaboration and community; she's building the restaurant from the top down, aiming to find out what the community wants and needs from it. Early in the construction process, she posted blank Post-it notes on the windows, inviting passersby to share their cravings, thoughts on collaboration and creativity, and more.

With these values in mind, she has already begun the hiring process and is looking for likeminded folks to join the team — with or without extensive restaurant experience. (Chang herself began in finance before moving into the culinary realm.) Want to apply? Email Chang.

Check out the sidebars to read about why two people with distinct culinary backgrounds have already decided to join the team: Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli and Samantha Chan.

Chang isn’t one for official job titles; she describes Schlesinger-Guidelli’s Pagu roles as "consultant, friend, mentor, and collaborator," not to mention "ceramicist and archaeologist." He’s a familiar face in Boston’s restaurant world with a lengthy resume that includes East Coast Grill, Eastern Standard, and Craigie on Main. Most recently, he was opening general manager at Island Creek Oyster Bar, a position he held for five years before leaving last year to work as a consultant to restaurant entrepreneurs.

Tracy Chang and Pagu, under construction

Samantha Chan

Samantha Chan/Provided

Why Pagu? "As a first generation American, a child of immigrant parents, it’s hard to justify jumping from a stable 9-to-5 job to the food industry, especially when they sacrificed so much, working grueling hours at our family restaurant to provide a better future for me and my siblings," says Chan. "In many ways, I struggled with the idea of living the life that my parents fought so hard to escape. It was as if their efforts were all in vain."

"Pagu is an embodiment of Tracy’s curious, ambitious, and innovative character," continues Chan. "It is a dynamic and transformative soul that pushes our friends and guests to live life fully, literally and physically. I have a lot of faith and trust in what Tracy’s working to create, and the proof of her success can be seen in the community she’s befriended and built. It’s hard to make that initial jump, but with Pagu, the decision was easy."

"For a while, Tracy was hesitant to ask me to officially join the team. In her words, she feared that she was preventing me from reaching my full potential, and that care and concern carried through when I made the decision. Rather than some celebratory remark, she asked, 'How can we work through compensation so that you can still pay rent, student loans, and put your brother through college? How can Pagu prepare you for your five-year goals? Can we find a way to make sure that you’re still intellectually challenged?' It’s always been more than building a restaurant. She’s building a family and preparing for their success. So when people ask me, 'Why Pagu?' I ask, "Why not?'"

Meanwhile, Chan serves as "sous chef, baker, web designer, critical thinker, artist, dancer, and really, a sister," according to Chang. She's landed at Pagu through a bit of a different path than Schlesinger-Guidelli, having worked as a programmer at a Cambridge biotech company. But the restaurant business is in her blood: Her aunt's successful Chinese restaurant in southeast Massachusetts helped fund her mother's emigration from Hong Kong, and her mother later enrolled in culinary school.

Chan began working at the family restaurant, the Yangtze Inn, at age 12 and quickly added other food experiences to her teenage resume: a general store, an experimental cupcake shop, and a "classic American mom-and-pop joint." While in college studying math and economics, she became head of prep at Cafenation in Brighton and volunteered with Chang at Guchi's Midnight Ramen and other private events.

Now in full construction mode, Pagu will seat 100 inside and 70 on the patio. The large interior includes a mezzanine and an open kitchen, and Chang promises that "the Pagu open kitchen experience will not be like any other open kitchen in town." Potential menu items include squid ink oyster bao; curry crab croquetas; an oxtail rice bowl; uni fried rice with Maine uni, nori, and negi; and a variety of pintxos (small Spanish bar snacks), such as avocado, jamon, and boquerones.

As for drinks, the beverage list will be largely Spanish-influenced, including Basque cider (and local cider), Spanish wines (including sherry and txakoli), vermouth made in-house, and sake (both Japanese and from Waltham-based Dovetail).

Keep an eye on Pagu's social media channels (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) for updates as the restaurant gets closer to its late fall opening.

Get a sneak peek of some Pagu menu items this Saturday, October 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the restaurant's future patio at 310 Mass. Ave. Pagu collaborators Gracenote Coffee and Island Creek Oysters will be on site, and Jordan Colón's pottery will be featured as well.

• Pagu Coverage [EBOS]