Allston has been on the receiving end of good news in the openings-of-places department as of late. And now that the 19-seat vegetarian noodle haven Whole Heart Provisions is sliding into the spot Root formerly offered their vegan wares from, that trend is being kept alive.
Slated for a mid to late September opening, neighboring beloved local slinger of all variations of grilled cheese James DiSabatino of Roxy’s Grilled Cheese has partnered with chef Becca Arnold to help bring her love for showcasing the potential flavor vegetable-based foodstuffs have in the right hands. And your hands will be doing some of the work with its build-a-bowl fast-casual setup where you can expect five styles of pre-established flavor profiles (yes, all will have a crunchy element) Arnold and her team have devised (Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican, etc). Arnold says they’re also trying to get kombucha on tap, and beer and wine down the road.
DiSabatino says that he and Arnold had been talking about partnering for a project, and when the space opened and they found the right opportunity to pair up, in a space literally next door to Roxy’s brick-and-mortar space.
“I’ve always been a fan of Becca’s cooking,” he says. “I knew if she ever opened her own thing I definitely wanted to be a part of it.” DiSabatino says that while he’s supporting the project from a macro consigliere-type role, the heart and soul of the project is all Arnold’s. And as a longtime fan of her cooking (she’s helmed the lines at spots like Sarma and Alden & Harlow), DiSabatino makes clear his preferred style of compensation with a laugh. “I’ll hopefully be getting some free food out of it.”
WHOLE HEART PROVISIONS. OPENING MID/LATE SEPTEMBER. 487 CAMBRIDGE ST., ALLSTON. FACEBOOK.COM/WHOLEHEARTPROVISIONS
Dan is a freelance journalist and has written for publications including Vice, Esquire, the Daily Beast, Fast Company, Pacific Standard, MEL, Leafly, Thrillist, and DigBoston.
