Have a look at the debut menu at chef Michael Pagliarini’s new Cambridge spot, Moëca, which is now open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30-9:00pm. The new seafood-focused restaurant on Shepard Street (between Harvard and Porter Squares where Chez Henri and, more recently, Luce used to be) is just down the street from its pasta-centric sister restaurant, Giulia, which Pagliarini co-owns with partner Pam Ralston.

Book a table to be among the first to sample their globally-inspired, small boat-sourced fare. The super fresh and sustainably fished offerings include a raw section (unicorn oysters with rhubarb & lime granita, and sturgeon supreme caviar), a collection of small plates (green crab custard with MV shitake, corn and green onion, and barbequed beets with huckleberry, sunflower seeds and dukkah) and a very streamlined selection of large plates (longest acres ribeye with sea urchin butter and garlic shio koji, and whole black bass with bearnaise and salted lemon).

Check out the whole array below to start planning your meal. Just be sure to save room for dessert; longtime collaborator and pastry chef extraordinaire Renae Connolly (previously of Benedetto, Cafe ArtScience and Clio) is handling the sweets for Moëca (and Giulia, too!) and you won’t want to miss her housemade gelati or the coconut cake with kaya custard, rose jam, crushed cashews and mango apricot sorbetto.

Reservations are available through OpenTable ‘though they do save some room for walk-ins if you want to take your chances. Call 617.945.0040 with any Qs and keep an eye on their Insta or website to keep up with the goings-on. 

raw

unicorn oysters
rhubarb & lime granita
$12

yellowfin tuna
tomato, meyer lemon, celery, dried beef
$21

striped bass
stonefruit aguachile, red onion, basil, squid ink ‘chicharron’
$18

fluke
smoked bone broth, shiso, cucumber, finger lime
$18

sturgeon supreme caviar
smoked whitefish pate, crispy potato
$34 (7g)

small plates

green crab custard
MV shitake, corn, green onion
$18

spaghetti ‘mentaiko’
maine lobster, roe, chili, shiso
$27

maine mussels
vadouvan, cilantro, pickled vegetables
$16

sesame focaccia
chili crisp, smashed cucumber, labne
$10

barbequed beets
huckleberry, sunflower seeds, dukkah
$14

baked salt cod
caramelized tomato, seaweed sourdough
$18

farm vegetables
phytoplankton ‘green goddess’
$16

crispy & grilled squid
eggplant, corn, tomato, xo
$16

large plates

longest acres ribeye
sea urchin butter, garlic shio koji
$70 (10oz)

whole black bass
sauce bearnaise, salted lemon
$38

grilled striped bass
dried zucchini, tomato, seaweed vinaigrette
$32

desserts

house made gelati
nepitella mint chip with chocolate crumbs
$9

smoked vanilla mascarpone
with spicy caramel popcorn
$9

calamansi lime froyo
with roasted strawberry syrup toasted coconut
$9

mango apricot sorbet
with urfa pepper zucchini cake
$9

a little something more

coconut cake
kaya custard, rose jam, crushed cashews, mango apricot sorbetto
$15

strawberry gelato
warm brioche bun, cookie butter, thai basil meringue
$13