Talented (and award-winning) pastry chef Brian Mercury, whose active Instagram account provides a peek at his pretty plating and interesting flavor combinations, is departing Harvest in Harvard Square to join the team at Oak + Rowan, the forthcoming restaurant has announced. It's slated to open late this summer in the Fort Point neighborhood (319 A St.) and will be the first Boston project from Nancy Batista-Caswell, who owns Ceia Kitchen + Bar and Brine, both in Newburyport. Brine's Justin Shoults will be coming to the new venue as executive chef, and Mercury will be executive pastry chef.
The Rochester, NY native and Culinary Institute of America grad has been in the Boston area for over a decade, working at the Charles Hotel before moving over the Harvest.
Mercury will be serving up ice creams and sorbets in flavors like passionfruit kombucha and pistachio saffron, according to a press release, and his opening dessert list may contain dishes like a peach rosemary kouign-amann with brown butter, bourbon, and vanilla; carrot tiramisu with carrot ice cream, house yogurt, and chicory; and bittersweet chocolate crème with plum, buttermilk, and hazelnut. He'll also be heading up the restaurant's bread and butter offerings. "I want that modern New England feel on the menu, taking inspiration from the diverse cultures in Boston," Mercury said via the release.
When Oak + Rowan opens, spanning 5,000 square feet and full of giant windows, it'll feature small plates, a liquor cart, caviar, and more.