Comfort Kitchen: The Game Changer
One of the industry’s most highly anticipated newcomers in 2023 was one of its first openings of the year. When Comfort Kitchen opened its doors in Upham’s Corner in January, it was a long time coming: Chef and partner Kwasi Kwaa and managing partner Biplaw Rai spent nearly a decade dreaming up the idea, orchestrating pop-ups around town, and then bringing it all together with partners Rita Ferreira and Nyacko Pearl Perry.
When the doors swung open, diners flocked to the restaurant for a taste of the African diaspora in dishes like jerk-roasted duck legs with rice and peas and pikliz, a Haitian pickled vegetable relish; and a za’atar brown butter trout, served whole in its crunchy, crackling skin. The cocktail menu, led by bar director Kyisha Davenport and bar manager Danameche Terron, sings alongside the food. This all takes place in a former public restroom that also doubles as a daytime cafe, as the team is proud to offer the local community a coffee shop that isn’t a Dunkin’.
Restaurants aren’t only places to be well-fed; they are a lens by which to examine a city’s culture. From this perspective, Comfort Kitchen signifies that Boston is a hub of innovation — its dining scene included.
