The cuisine at this Kendall Square eatery is a hybrid: part down-home Southern, and part up-scale French ? all made with fresh ingredients from local New England farmers. Chef/Co-owner Barry Maiden grew up in the land of Dixie ? he?s from Marion, Virginia ? and the name comes from nearby Hungry Mother State Park. The restaurant?s eclectic influences are apparent when you walk through the door: on the wall is a photo of the park alongside pages from The Virginia Housewife and Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Start with the boiled peanuts in the shell; deviled eggs with smoky bacon; or the Dijon beef tongue canapes on toast. For entrees, try the Creole shrimp and grits (the crustaceans are Fed Ex-ed fresh from the Gulf daily); or the pan-fried catfish with caper buerre blanc and garlic collard greens. Also notable is the rich ""French style"" gnocchi with spring peas, mushrooms and parmigiano. Wash everything down with perfectly sweetened southern-style iced tea served in Mason jars. And don?t forget the incredible desserts, including the Buttermilk pie with graham cracker crust; and bourbon-flavored pecan sticky buns. Located next to the Kendall Cinema (diners before 6pm get $6 tickets), this delightful gastronomic experience makes the perfect dinner-and-a-movie night out.
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