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Ça va comme ça
2007-11-03 13:18:00
Translation: Everything is so-so... and that is how it was at Craigie Street Bistrot last night.My disappointment began with the parking situation. On their website, they indicate there are four parking spaces available next to the building and "ample parking" down the street, in front of the Armenian Church. Obviously we knew those coveted four parking spaces would be taken (which they were), so we continued on to find the Armenian church. A good 2 or 3 blocks later, we found the church... and ample cars parked in front of it. Luckily, there was one space left... the furthest away from the restaurant. It was quite chilly out last night, I had high-heeled boots on (thankfully wedges) and I was tired... so to say I was not looking forward to the 10-minute walk back to the restaurant is an understatement.We were seated upon arrival, though they tried to put us at the worst 2-person table (a very tight spot, right on a busy corner). I quickly intervened and asked for a table along the ...

Sure, you can talk the talk, but can you wok the wok?
2007-11-01 18:33:00
A few months ago I began working for a small company in Hyde Park... Cleary Square to be exact. At first I was excited, as it appeared to be a cute little area -- one that I had never explored -- and one where I was looking forward to trying out some of the local eateries. Unfortunately, my expectations were a bit high... cute as it may be, there are next-to-no decent places to eat.My boss buys us lunch ever Thursday, and evey Thursday we struggle to find a restaurant to order from. This week, we got Chinese food from the Talk and Wok Cafe on the corner of Hyde Park Ave and River Street. For Chinese food, this place is actually pretty good. I will say that the vegetarian options are a bit sparse, but the rest of the menu is standard and I've been told (by locals) that this is the best Chinese food around. Plus, I like the name! They open for 11am for lunch and they deliver. Considering my love of food, I have taken it upon myself to find all possible lunch options in the immedate a...

Soul-less in the South End
2007-10-30 14:43:00
Bummer... www.boston.com reports today that a 50-year South End fixture will soon be no more. Bob's Southern Bistro (known to many of us as Bob the Chef's) is closing! It's a sad day... no more finger-licking soul food while listening to the smokey jazz artists of the past and present. Yippee... they are replacing it with a "upscale lounge geared to college students"... just what we need! And get this, the establishment's new name? "Night Town"... catchy, isn't it? NOT.
More About: Soul

Pub Grub
2007-10-27 15:01:00
So, still recovering from my hangover (from Blogtoberfest) and the frightful sight I witnessed at Abe & Louie's later that evening (see previous blog), I meandered over to Matt Murphy's pub in Brookline Village to grab a bite with some old friends yesterday. I hadn't been there in years and had never really been there to eat, but rather to enjoy the traditional Celtic and Irish music and have a few pints of Guinness.The menu is definitely focused on Irish-themed comfort food (which is always desirable after a late night of drinking with the girls) and is divided into five sections: Farmhouse Plates, Starters, Sandwiches, Main Courses and Sweets. The Farmhouse Plates include: Country Style Pate & Grain Mustard (including several meats and picked vegetables), Potted White Fish (accompanied by other cured fish dishes) and the Farm House Cheese (which I shared with a friend) -- all for $10 each.For a cheese plate, this one was quite large and a pretty good bargain for $10. In...

More than a mouthful at Abe & Louie's
2007-10-26 15:04:00
Try an eye-full! What is the one thing you don't want to see at a fine dining establishment? Two people getting it on, out in the open, about 5 feet from the restroom doors! Yes, that's right... my girlfriend and I came out of the ladies room, made a wrong turn and, instead of seeing Sirloins, Filet Mignons and T-bones, we got a look at a good old-fashioned Rump-roast!Standing there, tucked away in what appeared to be a busboy station, was a women facing the wall, pants around her knees and a guy standing behind her (CLOSE behind her), zipper undone. We looked at them, they looked at us, we started cracking up and got the hell out of there as quickly as we could! Later regretting that I didn't whip out my iPhone to snap a quick shot. Oh well!So the next question is... was this girl just really drunk, or did she just not care??? I am not exaggerating when I say this was just steps away from the bathroom door. What I'm calling a "busboy station" was not a room, but simply a nook -...

Numero Uno
2007-10-23 16:57:00
Excerpt from the press release, following the Uno Chicago Grill opening in Swampscott I missed last night..."Boston, Massachusetts – October 23, 2007 – Led by restaurateurs with more than a hundred years of combined experience, Boston-based Uno Chicago Grill® is fast becoming one of the hottest restaurants in the country. On the heels of seven consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth, the company is launching an experiential revolution – something Frank Guidara, president and CEO of Uno Chicago Grill is calling Uno-Plus... ...Before entering the restaurant, diners are greeted by lush landscaping – large planters filled with seasonal blooms – that mirrors the foliage lining the streetscape of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Within steps, they enter the dramatic three-story glass entryway of the new restaurant: Hanging above them, a Chicago sign, reminiscent of the original Chicago Theatre marquee. And, off the entrance, guests embark on the all-new “lounging of Uno,...

Gobble Gobble
2007-10-23 14:28:00
While not necessarily food related... unless reading about turkeys makes you want to eat turkey... it appears that Brookline has been having some wild turkey problems. This is too funny not to share:http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma ssachusetts/articles/2007/10/23/turkeys_t ake_to_cities_towns/

Rocking the Casbah
2007-10-22 00:39:00
Saturday night was "date night"... our bi-weekly pilgrimage to a night alone with each other and [hopefully] good food. This week, we went to Tangierino in Charlestown, an exotic, fairly authentic, Moroccan restaurant and casbah lounge -- and we were not disappointed!Our reservations were for 6:30 (because I waited until a week before to make them -- or else we would have chosen a bit later) and we arrived on time; the valet parking was surprisingly expensive at $18! We began our evening in the main dining room... walking past several "tented" areas for larger parties, which looked quite cozy and interesting. The decor was great, very warm, authentic and romantic -- bordering on sexy. We were seated in the back of the bar area, where there were low couches and round tables with cushioned chairs. There was another dining area adjacent to us, but I could not see inside to determine what the setup was.We wound up at one of the tables, which was good. The chairs at the tables were almos...

Change is Good
2007-10-19 15:17:00
When we moved to West Roxbury (from Back Bay) five years ago, we went through a restaurant withdrawal period. We were very disappointed in the lack of good food and culture... and we couldn't even use Dining In anymore; our only take options for delivery were Chinese food or pizza. My how things have changed. We still cannot get Dining In for this area (annoying), and our delivery options are still somewhat limited -- though we can now get Indian food and sushi. What has changed the most is the choice of local restaurants.I had to laugh a few weeks ago while reading our little local paper The West Roxbury Bulletin. In a letter to the editor, one old-timer was complaining incessantly about how all the new real estate in W. Rox was being snatched up by restaurants. This person's comment was "who wants or needs more restaurants???" ME and all my food-loving friends... that's who! West Roxbury has historically been a very old school, Irish-Catholic, kind of town. To me, it's very re...
More About: Change , Good

Awww.. Shucks!
2007-10-18 14:21:00
My girlfriend Ami and I went to B & G Oyster's last night for a long overdue Girl's Night Out. It was my first visit but her 4th or 5th... that, in itself, says something. We called ahead and found out that they do have valet ($16 bucks a pop) but do not take reservations for parties smaller than four. We were assured that if we went "early" we should not have a problem being seated right away.Having worn high-heeled boots all day my dogs were killing me, so we opted to drive and valet it -- even though Ami only lives a few blocks down the street. We arrived around 6:45pm and were seated right away, but at the bar. There was a significant wait for an actual table. We didn't mind though, as we got seated right in front of the oyster shucker. On the menu that night were probably 8 to 10 different types of oysters, all laid out nicely in front of us.We hadn't seen each other in a very long time, so we were gabbing away and not ready to order our drinks the first time the waitre...

Bada Bing
2007-10-16 19:00:00
The title of this blog was the first thing that came to mind after my trip down to NJ this past weekend. We went to a very large, very ornate, very expensive, VERY "NJ Italian" wedding. Lots of food, lots of drink, lots of fun!For the heck of it, I looked up "Bada Bing " on Wikipedia. Aside from being a go-go bar (a true NJ-ism) in the Soprano's, it is also used as an exclamation to emphasise that something will happen effortlessly and predictably. That's what this wedding was... effortless and predictable... in a good way!On the way back through (my home town) of Flemington, NJ, I couldn't resist stopping at Frank's Pizza to order a large cheese pie to go. Frank's pizza is the best (and my personal favorite) in the area. I feel compelled to have at least a slice every time we go down to see my family. Funny thing is, one time I ordered a "cheese pie" from our local pizza place in West Roxbury and they had NO IDEA what the hell I was talking about. I guess it's a Jersey thing.S...

Burrito Update
2007-10-16 15:01:00
Well, I got takeout from Chipotle Grille in Dedham last night. I said I would try it and I did. Was it as good as Boca Grande or Anna's Taqueria? No... but it was pretty good, especially for a chain. They have a somewhat limited menu, offering just one size of burrito (which is HUGE) and a few other dishes (such as salads, tacos and burrito bowls). They do supply a small supplement to the menu, offering parents some options for ordering for children. I thought that was pretty cool...The burritos themselves come in five flavors: Chicken, Steak, Carnitas, Barbacoa and Vegetarian. All burritos come on a flour tortilla with cilantro-lime rice (I definitely could taste both, but neither were overpowering), pinto beans (which are NOT vegetarian... they contain pork) or black beans (which ARE vegetarian), meat, salsa (a choice of four, ranging from mild to hot), cheese or sour cream and romaine lettuce. The veggie burrito contains guacamole by default. We both had the veggie burrito.As me...
More About: Update

No food, just whine
2007-10-11 15:09:00
UPDATE 10/22: Well, I received two free drink coupons in the mail from Starbucks Corporate... I did go on their site and complain. They indicated that Dedham would be notified of my (anonymous) complaint. So, I went back to Dedham this morning and used the coupon. There were several new employees working, who all seemed to be nice. The granny-glasses girl was there and was still her usual (how shall we put it) "moody" self. Whatever... clearly she is just a miserable person... and if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have two free drinks!I am PO'd and I need to write about it. I HATE the Dedham Starbucks. And I hate having to dish on Starbucks, as I am a big fan; however, I am fed up. This has been a big downer week for me as far as Starbucks goes. First, I find out (via my mother no less) that SB hot cups are NOT RECYCLABLE. Then today, I have yet again another bad experience at the Dedham Starbucks.Let me begin by saying that "my Starbucks" is the West Roxbury branch, which I have ...
More About: Food , Whine

It's Fall. How about some comfort food at...
2007-10-09 00:50:00
Comella's... Home of the "Mess", as stated on their website. What is a "Mess" you ask? It's a little (actually quite big) slice of Heaven... a mystery recipe that no one knows. Some times it has lasagna, pasta, eggplant, shells, etc. It always has a vegetarian base, with various selections added to it. These pseudo-lasagnas are served as "singles", "1/2 buckets" (which serve 4) and "buckets" (which serve 6 to 8). They have three locations: West Newton, Wellesley and thankfully right here in West Roxbury. This place is the bomb for comfort food. The "Mess", as they call it, is DELICIOUS. Now, I've only had one of these combinations off the menu, but considering how the base sauce tasted and how my "selections" melded together, I am willing to bet the shirt off my back that ALL of these concoctions are great!The dish that we have had twice is called The Paisan's Mess ($10.99/$32.99/$43.99 for the various sizes). It is a combination of "the base", extra shells, extra eggplant (which...
More About: Food , Comfort food , Fall , Comfort

Back on the Chain Gang
2007-10-08 21:37:00
I hate to say it (because I HATE chain restaurants), BUT... when you have a child, you learn to like (or even love) places that provide a place to eat that has an extensive menu, is noisy enough to overpower your toddler's screams, has a sufficient number of high chairs, things to entertain your child with (such as crayons) and is cheap (since said toddler won't eat any of his or her meal anyway). Chain restaurants fit the bill.BC (before Chance) we never ate at chains. We loathed them... well at least I did. Dan has always been a Chili's fan (ugh). I still hate them and I still refuse to eat at many of them. However, that said... I have come to realize that there are actually some chains out there that have decent food and keep the entire family happy. This blog is dedicated to those of you with young children -- who are dying to go out and who don't want to feel like they are destroying everyone else's meal. Chain restaurants are the perfect answer... everyone is there for th...
More About: Gang , Back

Mmmm... Burritos
2007-09-30 23:40:00
When you live in Boston, there are really only two choices for a good burrito: Boca Grande or Anna's Tacqueria. Obviously this is just my opinion, though I'm willing to bet many Bostonians would agree.It's a battle of sorts... to decide which locations has the BEST burritos, though Anna's usually wins hands down in any official contest (such as both Boston Magazine's and the Improper Bostonian's yearly "Best of Boston" lists). In fact, an entire burrito blog has been created by a local guy... tasting all the possibilities here and across the nation. His favorite is Anna's as well.The funny thing is that both of these places make their burritos almost exactly the same way. In fact, rumor has it, they are both owned by one family that does not get along. Personally, I love them equally. In fact, I love them so much, that Dan and I have been driving to Coolidge Corner in Brookline every Friday night (excluding date nights) to get takeout.Funny enough, this past Friday night WAS ...

The good, the bad and the fishy
2007-09-30 23:00:00
UPDATE: It seems as if a "group of experts in maternal nutrition and obsterics" are challenging and suggesting changes to the government's recommendations on how much, if any, fish pregnant women shoud eat... despite some of the risks I listed below. Check out the article on ABC News to decide for yourself: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Reproductive Health/story?id=3691162&page=1 I think by now, we are all in agreement that global warming is a reality and that there are many potentially hazardous and poisonous contaminants that exist in the environment that we can and do consume. With that in mind, I hope you find the following helpful... it is a list of the Best and Worst Seafood Choices -- as researched and presented by Ocean's Alive, an Environmental Defense Network.The list indicates which fish are the healthiest and safest to eat and which should be avoided due to high levels of mercury and PCBs and/or over fishing. For those of us with children, this list is pretty valuabl...
More About: Good , The Good , The Go , The G

Recipe Archive
2007-09-30 20:56:00
Find all previous Reci pe s of the Week listed here:Final Recipe (I don't think people were using them)Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps2 tbsp evoo1 lb shrimp (peeled, deveined & chopped)1 red bell pepper, finely chopped2 scallions, finely chopped1 tbsp tabasco sauce1 lime, juiced1 tbsp soy sauce1 tsp rice vinegar1 c rice noodles, copped1/2 c. shredded carrots1 head bibb lettuceHeat oil in sautee pan. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Add peppers, scallions. Cook until al dente or just beginning to soften. Add remaining ingredients (not lettuce leaves). Toss for two minutes then remove from stove. To eat, add desired amount of filling to lettuce leaf and fold into little package. Great with various types of Asian dipping sauces.Week of 10/7/07Caribbean Rice1 1/4 c fat free chicken or veggie broth1 c light coconut milk1 c long-grain parboiled rice1 tsp olive oil + more for dressing1 c chopped onion1 3/4 c cubed, peeled butternut squash1 tbsp chopped fress cilantro1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp grou...
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Latin Fare in the Burbs -- Masona Grill
2007-09-23 14:42:00
Saturday night we went out to dinner with our good friends -- who are due to deliver their second baby any day now! Keeping this in mind, we decided to stay local and try out one of West Roxbury's finest... yes, that IS an oxymoron, or at least I thought it was until I went to Masona Grill (http://www.masonagrill.net/index.php). Masona Grill is quite a hidden gem. Located on a side street that runs past the commuter rail stop (Highland on the Needham line), served up some fabulous food and provided a very cozy and hip atmosphere. The chef and owner also operates two other local restaurants, the Claremont Cafe in the South End and Cafe 300 in Fort Point. The menu focuses on Latin fare, with a modern twist and features a year-round 3-course prix fixed menu for $33. There also monthly food and wine themed nights (September is New Zealand) and a weekly Jazz night (Thursdays).We began our meals with the house special drink... mojitos. The restaurant does not have a full bar(as of yet), ...
More About: Fare

Been there, done that
2007-09-22 21:29:00
This post is dedicated to some of the more memorable places we've been to over the years. New to Boston? Have company coming to town? Planning a visit? Don't get out much? Try one of these places... you (hopefully) won't be disappointed (though most are on the "high end" cost-wise). a= kid friendly (even some not checked can be kid friendly if you go early... aka before 6pm)33 Restaurant and Lounge (Back Bay) -- Fun for a night out with your friends and decent mealBlue Ginger (Wellesley) -- Ming Tsai's place... great Asian fusionCapital Grille (Back Bay or Chestnut Hill) -- A steak house, but great seafood a wellCasa Romero (Back Bay) -- Great patio, very good Mexican foodClio (Back Bay) -- A tasting menu MUST TRYDali (Somerville) -- Ambiance, visually entertaining and Delicious tapasFava (Needham) -- Easily missed, very good foodFinale (Boston, Brookline, Cambridge or Natick) -- If you haven't been... save room and head here for desertFranklin Cafe (South End) -- Not be be mis...

You know you're in Salem when...
2007-09-19 17:10:00
You go to a Pirate Faire and hired performers aren't the only people in full pirate dress!This past Sunday, we took Chance to this event at Winter Island Park (http://www.pastimes1.com/pirate.html) and had a great time... lots of families and lots of freaks! :) No really... everyone was great and in the spirit of the faire. Chance loved it, as he is a huge pirate fan.After the faire, we drove back into Salem and had lunch at Salem Beer Works.(http://www.beerworks.net/html/sale m1.html) It was a nice day, so we sat outside and enjoyed the sun and crisp air. Since it's the beginning of fall, I decided to start with the Pumpkinhead Ale... and much to my disappointment, they were all out of it. I'm not a huge beer fan to begin with, but I was really looking foward to this beer. I got the Back Bay IPA instead, but it was way too bitter for me. Dan decided to try a wheat beer that came with a shot of raspberry syrup in it. I found it way too sour, but Dan enjoyed it.Aside from the fact ...

Oleana... GO!!!
2007-09-15 17:50:00
The title of this blog entry says it all. GO TO OLEANA. Is it date night worthy? YES! Is it worth more than one visit? YES!We had the most amazing meal last night... and we will most definitely be returning for more adventures, as the menu changes seasonally. Not only is the food fabulous... the prices are very affordable and service is superb.According to their website, the Cuisine centers on the Arabic influenced foods of the Mediterranean with a strong lean towards Turkish; the dishes are layered with flavor and unusual spice combinations. Our waiter (who was extremely helpful) also suggested that the chef takes influences from North African cuisine as well. Everything we tasted was delicious and to top it off, much of the [organic] produce is grown by the Chef's husband on their farm Sudbury.The spice combinations were unique, enticing and tantalizing. The menu was so chock-full-of-options, that this "limited eater" had way too many things to choose from. The menu's primary fo...