Wusong Road, an American Chinese restaurant co-owned by Menton alum Jason Doo, features one of the most stunning interiors in recent local restaurant memory, an intricately built and decorated ode to Doo’s memories growing up in his family’s American Chinese restaurant in Malden.
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The multi-level Harvard Square restaurant — which took over the Les Sablons space in the uniquely skinny Conductor’s Building at 112 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge — has been slowly rolling open since late December 2021, starting with the upstairs tiki bar. The downstairs section, which is focusing on affordable Hong Kong deli-style rice plates to start, debuts February 1, in time to ring in the Lunar New Year. The downstairs section will also heavily feature roasted duck in the future; for now, it’s only available in limited amounts and requires notice 24 hours in advance.
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Growing up in his family’s restaurant, Doo fell in love with “the classic tiki mugs, the neon red cherries, and the food,” he says, adding that he loves crab rangoons and Peking ravioli. His connection to the tiki aesthetic also comes from his wardrobe when he was younger: “The only nice shirts I could buy and fit into without being super self-conscious were Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirts,” he says. “I loved the colors and patterns [in contrast to] what is a typically neutral-colored New England fashion sense.”
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But it’s not just about childhood memories. “Tiki to me is just a sense of welcome, relaxation, escapism, and discovery,” he says. The pricing is meant to be welcoming, too: “We wanted to ensure everything was affordable and approachable,” Doo says. “When I got fired and money was tight, I realized I couldn’t afford to eat at the restaurants I loved anymore, so we wanted to create a space where everyone could enjoy and not just a select few.”
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As Wusong Road continues to work toward a full opening, the best place to find updates on hours and more is on Instagram, and diners can peek at a takeout/online ordering version of the current menu, which includes to-go tiki cocktails and classic American Chinese staples like Peking ravioli and a take on General Gao’s.
Here’s a peek at some of the food.
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Wusong Road is currently open for dinner and drinks Tuesday through Sunday, dine-in and takeout, starting at 5 p.m. Reservations accepted only for parties of eight or more.