The latest Wellesley MA business news:

First taste of reimagined Marden’s Table & Takeaway

We got a sneak peak at the reimagined Captain Marden’s restaurant, now Marden’s Table & Takeaway, right before it officially reopened in April. We returned last week to actually dine there.

We sat at a high top and immediately felt at home, seeing friends at both the bar (an inviting spot with a peek into kitchen action) and at the table next to us. It’s tough going undercover locally, though we didn’t out ourselves to our fine server, Sarah (co-owner Roy Marden did table tap us later on). We ordered shortly before 6:30pm on a Tuesday night, and it appeared that most booths, tables, and bar seats were filled. The buzz in the restaurant was lively, not too loud.

We took a new favorites-old favorites approach to the menu.

Mrs. Swellesley boldly went with the new Crab Cavatelli ($17 and $30 portions available), which featured plenty of crab, a delicate cream sauce, fresh peas that popped, and crispy shallots that made for a flavorful addition. She also had enough to bring home for lunch the next day.

Marden's crab cavatelli — Crab Cavatelli

Mr. Swellesley chose a classic Captain’s Platter ($33), which featured a skewer of grilled scallops and plump shrimp. Also included were fried clams with bellies and haddock, on a bed of fries and with a side of cole slaw. Couldn’t go wrong with this order. Nothing left for lunch here.

There’s plenty more to choose from, including caviar, seafood towers, and a selection for kids.

New for Marden’s is a beer and wine menu, so no more BYOB. They’re initially offering a couple of draft beers (Fiddlehead IPA and Allagash White the night), plus packaged beer and a variety of wine, including a couple of sauvignon blancs.

The Boston Globe also dropped by to check out Marden’s.

Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 5-9pm. Friday and Saturday 4-9 pm. Marden’s Table & Takeaway is at 279 Linden St.

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Linden Square sidewalk sale

EVENT: May Sidewalk Sale

DATES: Thursday, May 15 – Sunday, May 18

TIME: During store hours

DESCRIPTION: Shop the BEST deals of the season during Linden Square’s May Sidewalk Sale! Stop by outside of Kenzie & Hope, Sara Campbell and Tiny Hanger during regular business hours to take advantage of the best deals of the spring season.

Chamber breakfast on Wednesday

The Charles River Regional Chamber’s May 14th annual Spring Business Breakfast (May 14, 7am breakfast, 8am program) will focus on challenges facing the region’s economy and what the Healey-Driscoll administration is doing to support economic growth.

The event is being held at the Needham Sheraton Hotel. Tickets cost $100 for chamber members and $125 for non-members.

The program will feature comments from Ashley Stolba, interim Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development, making her first public comments to any chamber or business organization since Gov. Maura Healey appointed her to the position in April.

Also speaking will be the state’s former Secretary of Economic Development, Yvonne Hao, who will also be making her first public comments to a business group since she stepped down after two years in the role to focus on family issues.

The May 14 program begins with a presentation by Dr. Mary Burke, a principal economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, offering critical insight into how employment growth in Massachusetts has stalled, the effects of uncertain federal policies, and several downside risks that could have an outsized impact on our state.