Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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117 as a dishwasher to make ends meet while supporting his private chef business. He quickly began doing more and more in the kitchen as the pandemic hit. "Everything fell into place because our philosophies aligned," Shoults says. To find someone who shares her values, especially at a time when hospitality has been hit so hard, has been important for Mulford as well. "For me to have Justin, who I trust so much, in the kitchen has given me the freedom to really take care of our guests," she says. e centerpiece of their connection is a focus on local produce—something that many restaurants pay lip service to but few strictly follow through. "Here we don't buy from a supplier at all," Shoults says. "Literally, we're buying every single vegetable from a farm." For the chef, that means looking at each farm's weekly offerings, ordering, and then building a menu, rather than making up a menu then figuring out where he can buy ingredients—and often arranging to pick up at the farm as well. "It's definitely a different experience than I've ever had in a restaurant before," Shoults says. Especially these days, that sourcing requires a special dedication—Shoults and Mulford rely on relationships they have developed over time with places like Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell and Drumlin Farm in Lincoln—as well as partnering with North Shore growers like Alprilla in Essex and e Food Project, a nonprofit in Lynn. "Michelle's given me enough time to be able to seek different farms out and bring them all together," Shoults says. Respectful of everyone's needs, Uncommon Feasts will be offering a multicourse menu Christmas Eve for both dine-in and take-out. Because of the complexities of sourcing, the menu hadn't been set in stone at press time in November, but it promises to be indulgent. Dinner will likely start with a house-made pâté or house-smoked salmon, followed by a squash soup or winter salad, and a choice of main dishes, including meat, poultry, fish, and vegetarian. But the stars of the show are likely to be the side dishes, built on those farm relationships, Shoults says. "We really want to show off the vegetables that we get from our farmers," Shoults says. "I think that lightens up our food a little bit." One idea he's been experimenting with—a sweet potato gratin, topped with torched merengue and served as a perfect square—will probably make an appearance. But there are plenty of other ideas in the works, too. A take-out multicourse celebration like this helps people create new experiences that bring friends and family together while keeping them safe, Mulford says. "We have had some people buy 10 meals and deliver them to friends, then have Zoom dinners together," she says. "So they were all eating the same thing, but just in their own homes. at was really sweet." Whether dining in or taking out, Mulford hopes to continue providing customers with a respite from a difficult time—and that brings her joy. "We had a couple come in last Saturday night who were celebrating their 10-year anniversary," Mulford recalls, dining in the restaurant's casual, industrial-looking space, with the garage doors open and the candles lit. "ey came up to me afterwards and told me they had never had a meal like that, and they felt so well taken care of. And so that's what we'll continue to do. Justin will do it with the food. And I'll do it in the front of house." 271 Western Ave., Lynn, 781-592-5500, uncommonfeasts.com Roasted Brussels sprouts amandine topped with last summer's pickled garlic scapes and toasted almonds.