Boston Restaurant Talk

A Transfer of License Is in the Works for the East Coast Grill in Cambridge

2012-02-01T12:53:00.004-05:00

A popular restaurant in Cambridge's Inman Square neighborhood has been the focus of rumors of late--namely, its owner possibly selling the place. This has still not been 100% confirmed as of yet, but based on an upcoming License Commission General Hearing on February 7, it looks like there is indeed some truth to this.

According to the City of Cambridge website, Chris Schlesinger of the East Coast Grill on Cambridge Street, as "holder of the all alcoholic beverages as a restaurant license" is applying to "transfer said license to Three Initials, Inc. d/b/a East Coast Grill." Last month, Grub Street Boston had an article that brought up the possibility of Schlesinger selling the restaurant after being at his post for about a quarter century, handing over the reigns to chef Jason Heard and general manager Robin Greenspan. At the time, Grub Street stated that the sale was "tentative," with it becoming official as early as this month.

The East Coast Grill is located at 1271 Cambridge Street in the heart of Inman Square.

[Earlier Grub Street article]
Is Chris Schlesinger Selling the East Coast Grill?

Smithfield Kitchen Is Apparently Coming to Boston's South End

2012-02-01T11:09:00.004-05:00

It looks like a new business featuring food and/or drink may be on the way to the South End of Boston, possibly opening above a popular oyster bar. But is it going to be a restaurant? A liquor store? A specialty food shop? For now, there appear to be more questions than answers.

Based on a post within the EveryBlock Boston site, Smithfield Kitchen has received a business license to open at 550 Tremont Street, which happens to be the same address as B&G Oysters, a Barbara Lynch eatery that resides below ground level within the building. A few years back, Boston-area food/drinks writer MC Slim JB posted on the Chowhound site that "a fine wine & spirits shop was planned" for the space above the restaurant, but it had been "shelved" at that point in time. It is therefore possible that Smithfield Kitchen could be the wine and spirits shop that had been proposed for the space, or perhaps it will indeed become a restaurant or a food store (EveryBlock Boston does list the business as being a restaurant). As soon as we find out more information on the place, we will post an update here.

Pizza Pie-er Is Apparently Opening in Cambridge's Inman Square

2012-02-01T08:46:00.005-05:00

It looks like a gourmet pizza place with locations in Boston and Providence is going to be opening a new shop in the Inman Square section of Cambridge.

According to a veteran poster on the Chowhound site, Pizza Pie-er is planning to open on Hampshire Street, with the shop possibly opening by March. Once it opens, the eatery will feature pizzas with a wide variety of topping and sauce options, including Spanish onions, sausage, walnuts, spinach, artichoke hearts, prosciutto, shrimp, broccoli, red sauce, white sauce, and puttanesca sauce.

Currently, there are two other locations of Pizza Pie-er, with one being on Mass. Ave. in Boston's Back Bay and another being on Wickenden Street in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence.

The exact address for the upcoming Pizza Pie-er in Inman Square is not yet known, but it appears that the shop will be at or near the intersection of Hampshire Street and Prospect Street.

The website for Pizza Pie-er can be found at http://www.pizzapie-er.com/zgrid/themes/10411/portal/index.jsp

Fillet of Soul Pop-Up Restaurant Coming to Brighton

2012-01-31T15:55:00.003-05:00

Another pop-up restaurant is on its way to the Boston area, and this one will focus on healthy takes on soul food.

According to The Boston Phoenix and Eater Boston, the person behind 3 Scoops in Brighton (Wheeler del Torro) will be opening Fillet of Soul, a pop-up that will be open through the month of February and will bring its southern-style food directly to people's doors via a delivery service. A few of the items that will be offered from the pop-up include faux chicken and waffles, macaroni and cheese with soy cheese, and "cleaned up" versions of black-eyed peas and collard greens.

Del Torro will also be hosting Dining in the Dark events in February at 3 Scoops, which is located at 403 Washington Street.

For more information on the Fillet of Soul pop-up restaurant, please go to the Boston Phoenix and Grub Street Boston links below.

[Boston Phoenix]
Wheeler del Torro talks healthy soul food, plus recipes that won't kill you

[Eater Boston]
Fillet of Soul, a Healthy Soul Food Pop-up

Cinquecento to Open in Former Rocca Space in Boston's South End

2012-01-31T12:13:00.005-05:00

The group behind several South End restaurants are going to be opening an Italian eatery in the SoWa space where another dining spot had been until closing just over a year ago.

Based on information from both The Boston Globe and Grub Street Boston, The Aquitaine Group is planning to open Cinquecento on Harrison Avenue in the SoWa section of the South End, taking over the former Rocca spot (Rocca closed at the beginning of 2011). The Globe article mentions that the new restaurant will feature mid-priced Italian food, and that extensive renovations are being done, including the atrium being demolished and the second floor being enlarged.

The Aquitaine Group operates four other restaurants in the South End--Aquitaine, Metropolis Cafe, Union Bar and Grille, and Gaslight. It also runs Aquitaine in Chestnut Hill and Aquitaine at Legacy Place in Dedham.

The address for this upcoming Italian dining spot in the South End will be: Cinquecento, 500 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.

For more information on the opening of Cinquecento, please go to the Boston Globe and Grub Street links below.

[Boston Globe]
Reversing a restaurant curse

[Grub Street Boston]
The Aquitaine Group's New Restaurant Will Be Called Cinquecento, Might Channel Keith McNally

Highlights for the Week Ending January 27, 2012

2012-01-30T17:19:00.005-05:00

Several more stories and articles centering on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including a sandwich shop moving from Lawrence to the Back Bay, a Boston episode of a popular food show on the way, and a Fenway farm stand closing down. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) posted an updated review of an old-school Italian restaurant in Roslindale as well as a blog entry on romantic restaurants and a photo of a chocolate cake from a new location of a Boston-area bakery and pastry shop.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Naked Pizza to Close Its Brighton Store, Make Brookline Store Base of Operations

Wichit Is Moving from Lawrence to Boston's Back Bay

Redbones May Be Opening a Restaurant in East Somerville

Boston Episode of "Bizarre Foods" to Be Shown on February 13, 2012

Marshall's Fenway Farm Stand Is Closing

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Updated Review: Pleasant Cafe in Roslindale, MA

Blog Post: Ten Romantic Restaurants in the Boston Area

Updated Random Restaurant and Food Generator

Photo: Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Drizzle from Montilio's in Braintree, MA

Question: Favorite Hot Dog Stand in New England?

First Printer Plans to Open in Cambridge's Harvard Square February 4

2012-01-30T14:36:00.004-05:00

More than two years after we first wrote about it, a restaurant and bar that features traditional American, New American, and southern fare is getting ready to open in Cambridge's Harvard Square.

According to UrbanDaddy, the First Printer is looking to open this Saturday (February 4) on Dunster Street, moving into the space where Herrell's Ice Cream had been for more than a quarter century until closing in 2009. Based on our earlier post as well as UrbanDaddy's article, it looks like the First Printer will feature such items as lobster hush puppies, clam chowder, burgers, hot dogs, frogs' legs, fried alligator, and crawfish. The restaurant will also have a full bar.

The address for this soon-to-open restaurant and bar in Harvard Square will be: The First Printer, 15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138.

[Earlier article]
Herrell's Ice Cream in Harvard Square Closing; First Printer Opening in Its Place

Rod Dee Is Open Once Again in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

2012-01-30T09:04:00.004-05:00

A popular Thai restaurant in Boston's Fenway neighborhood that was destroyed in a fire a few years ago is now open once again.

According to a poster on Chowhound (and confirmed by the El Pelon Taqueria Twitter page), Rod Dee has reopened on Peterborough Street, making it the third spot in the Fenway's "restaurant row" to open back up (the other two being El Pelon and Thornton's Fenway Grille). The Thai spot had been one of several eateries that burned to the ground in early 2009, with Greek Isles, Sorento's, and Umi apparently deciding not to come back to Peterborough Street.

Rod Dee also has locations in Brookline's Washington Square and Cambridge's Porter Square, with another location of the Thai restaurant returning to the Coolidge Corner section of Brookline sometime this year. (Its Coolidge Corner spot closed in the summer of 2010.)

The address for the reopened Rod Dee in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston is: Rod Dee, 94 Peterborough Street, Boston, MA, 02215. The website for Rod Dee can be found at http://www.roddee.net/

Prana in Newton Corner Has Reopened

2012-01-27T16:18:00.004-05:00

A vegan restaurant in Newton Corner that closed last summer has reopened, with a new owner, an updated menu, and a slightly different name.

An email sent by the restaurant indicates that Prana is open once again on Centre Street, having opened up once again in the fall. The email mentions that the chef from the previous incarnation of the dining spot (which was called Prana Cafe) remains at the restaurant, and the menu includes a number of additions. Some of the items that can be found at Prana include bean chili, glazed turnips, naan pizza, a kelp noodle salad, pesto primavera, marinated portabella, walnut lentil croquettes, crepes, and zucchini lasagna.

Prana is open for lunch and dinner daily.

The address for this reopened restaurant in Newton Corner is: Prana, 292 Centre Street, Newton, MA, 02458. Their website can be found at http://www.eatatprana.com/

Will Zing! Pizza in Cambridge Ever Reopen?

2012-01-27T15:36:00.005-05:00

Several months ago, a pizza spot in the Porter Square section of Cambridge closed for "renovations," and today it remains shuttered, with no sign of life. So is Zing! Pizza gone for good, or will it reopen at some point? As of now, there doesn't appear to be a definitive answer, though things admittedly do not look good.

Based on the Yelp and Davis Square Live Journal sites, it appears that Zing! Pizza, which first opened in 2008, may be closed for good, as the former site simply has a "Closed" label at the top of the Zing! page, while the latter site includes posts that indicate the Mass. Ave. eatery will probably not reopen. Meanwhile, the Zing! website has a note on the home page stating that the restaurant is "going through a reorganization and will be closed until further notice."

Until we receive 100% confirmation on their closing (a "For Rent" sign, a new business moving in, etc.), we will just have to say that Zing! is closed for now and might not be coming back.

On a related note, the nearby Cafe Zing, which is connected with Zing! Pizza, remains open inside Porter Square Books (in the Porter Square Shopping Center).

The address for Zing! Pizza is 1925 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02238.

Naked Pizza to Close Its Brighton Store, Make Brookline Store Base of Operations

2012-01-27T10:59:00.003-05:00

A New Orleans-based pizza place that has two locations in the Boston area is going to be closing one of its shops and making its other location its area headquarters.

According to their blog, Naked Pizza will shutter its Brighton location on Monday (January 30) while keeping its Brookline location open and making it the base of operations in the Boston area. The blog entry mentions that Naked Pizza can reach 90 percent of its Brighton delivery customers from their Coolidge Corner shop, and they have included a new delivery map within the blog entry (link: http://www.thirdslice.com/blog/2012-01-we-are-moving-our-brighton-store).

The blog entry also indicates that Naked Pizza is thinking of expanding in the Boston area, as they are looking at sites in Jamaica Plain, Cambridge's Porter Square, and the MetroWest region.

Naked Pizza first opened on Washington Street in Brighton in February of 2011, with their Beacon Street location in Brookline opening a few weeks later.

The website for Naked Pizza can be found at http://www.nakedpizza.biz/

[Earlier Articles]
Naked Pizza Opening in Brookline's Coolidge Corner
Naked Pizza Is Opening in Brighton

Rustic Table Opens in Winthrop

2012-01-26T13:01:00.005-05:00

A new restaurant has just opened in Winthrop, and the person behind the place happens to own the restaurant next door.

An email sent to us by The Inn at Crystal Cove indicates that Rustic Table is now open on Shirley Street, moving into the space next door to Alia Ristorante where Gary's Crystal Cove Grill had been. (Alia is the owner's other restaurant.) Based on photos of the menu from the email, it appears that Rustic Cove focuses mainly on comfort food and seafood dishes, including such items as fish cakes, wings, burgers, a pulled pork sandwich, steak tips, chicken pot pie, paella, pan-fried cod, lobster macaroni and cheese, seafood casserole, and blackened salmon. The dining spot also offers beer, wine, and cocktails.

Alia Ristorante has been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants), with the review being at the link below.

http://www.hiddenboston.com/AliaRistorante.html

The address for the new Rustic Table in Winthrop is: Rustic Table, 503 Shirley Street, Winthrop, MA, 02152.

Wichit Is Moving from Lawrence to Boston's Back Bay

2012-01-26T09:34:00.004-05:00

A breakfast and lunch spot in Lawrence that features an array of sandwiches is getting ready to move to the Back Bay of Boston.

According to their Facebook page, Wichit on Union Street in the Everett Mills building has closed and is moving to Boston, and a post on the EveryBlock Boston site indicates that their new address will be 244 Newbury Street in the Back Bay, which is near the Fairfield Street intersection. Wichit first opened in the historic Everett Mills in Lawrence in late 2009, replacing the Mill City Gourmet. The restaurant offers bagels, frittatas, burritos, soups, salads, and sandwiches, including such hot and cold sandwiches as NY strip sirloin, pastrami, chicken, turkey, prosciutto, veggie, and tuna. Sandwiches at Wichit come with such toppings and extras as Gruyere cheese, shredded sauerkraut, roasted garlic aioli, sauteed portabella mushrooms, dried cranberries, apple wood bacon, avocado, and more.

Our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) has featured Wichit as a place to check out for sandwiches, with the review being at the link below.

Review of Wichit in Lawrence, MA

The website for Wichit can be found at http://www.wichitsandwich.com/

Chili Cook-Off Coming to Church January 28, 2012

2012-01-25T14:22:00.004-05:00

A food event is on its way to the Fenway neighborhood of Boston this weekend, and the focus will be on chili.

An email sent by Dramshop Hospitality indicates that the First Annual Chili Cook-Off is going to be held at Church Restaurant & Nightclub on Kilmarnock Street this Saturday, January 28, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The event will feature local spots facing off against each other, with the winner being crowed the Chili Champion (Judge's Choice and People's Choice). Participating places include Church Restaurant & Nightclub, The Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar, Fenway Park, Jerry Remy's, Sweet Caroline's, Sweet Cheeks, Tasty Burger, and Thornton's Grill.

Tickets to the Chili Cook-Off, which is sponsored by Root Licquer, cost $8 online at http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/90141

The address for Church is 69 Kilmarnock Street, Boston, MA, 02215. Their website can be found at http://www.churchofboston.com/

Chocolate Festival Returning to Cambridge's Harvard Square January 27-29, 2012

2012-01-25T12:59:00.006-05:00

An event that features all things chocolate returns to Harvard Square in Cambridge this weekend.

According to HarvardSquare.com (the Harvard Square Business Association website) and Grub Street Boston, a three-day chocolate festival will be held once again in the square, with events taking place from Friday, January 27 through Sunday, January 29. On Friday, Dining in the Dark will take place at Nubar on Garden Street, with the focus being on eating in a pitch-black environment. On Saturday, a chocolate treasure hunt will take place at Deguglielmo Plaza on Brattle Street, along with a chocolate sampling event there as well, and an Art of Chocolate Tasting will be held at the Russell House Tavern on JFK Street along with a Death by Chocolate Murder Mystery at Fire + Ice on Church Street. On Sunday, a chocolate tour will be featured in the square, as well as a second Dining in the Dark, with this one being at Upstairs on the Square on Winthrop Street.

More events will take place at the Harvard Square Chocolate Festival as well--for more information, please go to the links below.

Warm, Dark, Sweet and Luscious: Chocolate Festival in Harvard Square 2012

Prepare to Eat Tons of Chocolate in Harvard Square This Weekend

Redbones May Be Opening a Restaurant in East Somerville

2012-01-25T10:14:00.008-05:00

It looks like a popular BBQ restaurant in the Davis Square section of Somerville is planning to open another dining spot, with this one being in the East Somerville neighborhood of the city.

According to a neighborhood meeting flyer sent to us by one of our readers (and confirmed by the East Somerville Main Streets Facebook page), Redbones on Chester Street is looking at the space on 118 Broadway where Khoury's State Spa used to be. This is the same space that another new restaurant called La Brasa had been planning to move into, but has since decided to open at 130 Broadway instead. The neighborhood meeting on the potential opening of a restaurant by the Redbones folks will be held on January 30 at 6:00 PM at the 118 Broadway site.

[January 26, 2012 update: According to an update on the Grub Street Boston site, the rep for Redbones states that "the word on expansion is not right now, though occasionally we scout locations." The neighborhood flyer, however, mentions that "the potential tenant [of 118 Broadway] is Redbone's of Davis Square," and that the owner of Redbones "will be present to present his plan." More updates on this are surely on their way, so keep checking back.]

Redbones has been busy over the past year, opening a rib shack in Cambridge's Kendall Square as well as putting a food truck on the road.

The Redbones website can be found at http://redbones.com/

[Earlier Article]
Update: Daniel Bojorquez from Natick's Sel de la Terre to Open La Brasa in East Somerville

Boston Episode of "Bizarre Foods" to Be Shown on February 13, 2012

2012-01-25T08:55:00.005-05:00

Last summer, we reported that the host of a popular Travel Channel food show was filming in the Boston area, and now, a date has been posted for the episode.

A note from one of our readers (which has been confirmed by the Travel Channel blog) indicates that the Boston episode of Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods will be shown on Monday, February 13, 2012, starting at 9:00 PM. Based on our earlier article on where Zimmern went while in Boston, the episode may include most, if not all, of the following places: 5 Corners Kitchen in Marblehead; Patriot Seafoods in Salem; Simply Khmer in Lowell; Il Panino Express, Salumeria Italiana, Gennaro's 5 North Square, and Modern Pastry in Boston's North End; o ya in the Leather District; Coppa in the South End; Clio Restaurant in the Back Bay; Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury; and Savenor's Market in Beacon Hill.

Bizarre Foods has been on the Travel Channel for more than five years, focusing mainly on exotic foods and what locals like to eat in various parts of the world. For more information on the show, please go to the following link: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Bizarre_Foods

[Earlier Article]
The Travel Channel's Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods Takes a Trip to the Boston Area

American Lamb Jam to Be Held in Cambridge, February 19, 2012

2012-01-24T13:35:00.004-05:00

A culinary competition that focuses on lamb is returning to Cambridge next month, and once again, a number of area chefs will be participating.

An email received from Baltz and Company indicates that the third annual American Lamb Jam will be held on Sunday, February 19, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square. Once again, The American Lamb Board is partnering with BostonChefs.com for this event, which will feature an array of lamb dishes created by chefs from 606 Congress, Bistro du Midi, Citizen, Clink, Garden at the Cellar, Henrietta's Table, La Laiterie Bistro, Oleana, Pain D'Avignon, Storyville, Red Lion Inn, Rialto, Russell House Tavern, Sel de la Terre, Summer Winter, Tavolo, The Fireplace, and Tomasso Trattoria. Lamb dishes will be paired with beers from area breweries, including Berkshire Brewing Company, Blue Hills Brewery, Cape Ann Brewing, Harpoon Brewery, Ipswich Ale, Mayflower Brewing Company, Pretty Things Beer and Rapscallion. In addition to sampling lamb dishes, guests of the event will also be able to view butchery demonstrations by Chris Douglass and Nuno Alves of Tavolo as well as Josh Pert of the Meat House. The event will be hosted by Billy Costa of TV Diner.

Chefs who are participating in the American Lamb Jam will compete for the title of Boston Lamb Master, along with an opportunity to face other chefs at a Master Lamb Jam in the fall.

Tickets to the 2012 American Lamb Jam cost $50 each and include all food and beverages.

For more information on the upcoming American Lamb Jam in Cambridge, please go to the link below.

http://www.fansoflambboston.com/

iYO Cafe Plans to Open in Somerville's Davis Square

2012-01-24T10:59:00.008-05:00

[Ed note: This article was edited on January 25 to reflect the fact that iYO Cafe is neither connected to the Vietnam-based frozen yogurt chain with a similar name, nor the Denton, TX shop with an identical name.]

It looks like a frozen yogurt shop is going to be opening in the Davis Square section of Somerville.

According to a planning staff report on the City of Somerville website, iYO Cafe is looking to open on Elm Street where the Farmers Bounty convenience store currently resides. The report mentions that the 68-seat iYO Cafe will focus on such items as frozen yogurt, pastries, coffee, and tea, with self-serve frozen yogurt stations and a self-serve topping station within the space. Proposed hours for the cafe are 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM, seven days a week. An email sent by the owner of the shop states that the place will also offer personalized fruit blends and smoothies as well, and that the space will include cafe-style seating, a fireplace, Wifi, and a "drawing room," which will be a dedicated space where customers can work individually or with advance notice, reserve the entire space for a study group, or an event such as a child's birthday party.

Contrary to what was originally reported, iYo Cafe is not connected to the Vietnam-based iYO frozen yogurt chain, nor is it affiliated with the iYO Cafe in Denton, TX.

Expect a spring opening for iYO Cafe in Davis Square.

The address for this proposed cafe in Somerville is: iYO Cafe, 234 Elm Street, Somerville, MA, 02144.

The PDF file from the City of Somerville site that contains this information is at the link below:

Planning Staff Report [PDF file]

Thanks to a poster on the Chowhound site for bringing this to our attention.

Ginger Explosion 3 Is Coming to Somerville, February 6, 2012

2012-01-24T09:20:00.005-05:00

A culinary event that focuses on ginger is returning to Somerville early next month, and once again, a few Boston-area spots will be participating.

According to wheretoeat.in, Ginger Explosion 3 is going to take place at P.A.'s Lounge on Somerville Avenue on Monday, February 6, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. The event will include samplings of ginger-based food dishes from Bambara in Cambridge, Dosa Temple in Somerville, the Herb Lyceum in Groton, and Petit Robert Bistro in Boston and Needham. Tickets to the event cost $13 (they go on sale at 4:00 PM today), with the price of admission including a complimentary ginger cocktail from Domaine de Canton. Proceeds from the event support the Somerville Arts Council's ArtsUnion project, which helps increase the cultural economic development of the Union Square section of Somerville.

The address for P.A.'s Lounge is 345 Somerville Avenue, on the western edge of Union Square.

For more information on Ginger Explosion 3, please go to the link below.

http://wheretoeat.in/calendar/63/23-Ginger-Explosion-3/

Update: Marshall's Fenway Farm Stand Is NOT Closing

2012-01-23T15:57:00.006-05:00

[Ed note: This article was edited on January 31 to reflect the fact that Marshall's will not be closing after all.]

A farm stand in the heart of Boston's Fenway neighborhood that looked to be closing has gotten a new lease on life.

According to an earlier note on their Facebook page, Marshall's Fenway Farm Stand on Boylston Street was supposed to have shut its doors on Sunday, January 29, with the post mentioning that their lease was up and they did not have another spot available at the present time. A poster on the Chowhound site had said that the building in which Marshall's resides was going to be torn down to make way for a "high rise of expensive condos and a Target."

A more recent Facebook note, however (on Tuesday, January 31--thanks to the poster below for letting us know), indicates that Marshall's will NOT be closing, and that they will apparently be reopening next Monday (February 7). Hours for Marshall's will be 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, except for Wednesdays and Sundays, when they are apparently closed. The note on their page concludes with a "big thanks...to Samuels Associates for listening to the Fenway Community."

The folks behind Marshall's Fenway Farm Stand also have a farm stand on Concord Street in Gloucester.

The address for Marshall's in Boston is: Marshall's Fenway Farm Stand, 1345 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02215. Their website can be found at http://www.marshallsfenway.com/

Barney Fanning's Is Opening in Former J. A. Stats Space in Boston's Financial District

2012-01-23T13:19:00.005-05:00

An Irish pub is getting ready to open in the Financial District of Boston, taking over the space where another restaurant and bar had been until closing recently.

According to their Facebook page, Barney Fanning's is going to be opening on Broad Street, moving into the former J. A. Stats spot at the Franklin Street intersection. The Facebook page for Barney Fanning's mentions that they had been hoping to open earlier this month, though their website still says "Coming Soon" and a more recent Facebook post says something about the pub possibly "having a Super Bowl Bash." Based on a post within J. A. Stats' Facebook page, their other location--Stats Bar & Grille on Dorchester Street in South Boston--will remain open and they will be accepting old gift cards at that location.

The name of the new pub comes from a person who was involved in the Broad Street Riot, a fight between firefighters and members of an Irish funeral procession that occurred in Boston in 1837.

[January 27 update: A call placed to the restaurant indicates that Barney Fanning's is now open.]

The address for the now-closed J. A. Stats (and new Barney Fanning's) is 99 Broad Street, Boston, MA, 02110. Their website can be found at http://www.barneyfannings.com

Highlights for the Week Ending January 20, 2012

2012-01-23T12:25:00.006-05:00

A number of stories and articles focusing on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including another cupcake shop opening in downtown Boston, a culinary event to support President Obama coming to the area, and a local food truck gaining national recognition. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) posted a featured review of a ramen place in Cambridge as well as a photo of a meat pie from an Australian spot and a new "random restaurant and food" generator.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Crumbs Bake Shop Is Apparently Opening in Boston's Financial District

Third Annual Chili Cup Coming to Ned Devine's in Boston

Chefs for Obama to Be Held in Boston

Staff Meal Truck in Boston Is Awarded the 2011 Food Truck Rookie of the Year

The Group Behind Marliave and Grotto May Open A Restaurant Where Pops Used to Be

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

New Review: Sapporo Ramen in Cambridge, MA

Photo: Meat Pie from KO Catering and Pies in South Boston, MA

Discussion on Regional Food Items

Random Restaurant and Food Generator

Updated Review: Niko's Restaurant in Weymouth, MA

U-Sushi Takes Over GinGa Space in Brookline's Coolidge Corner

2012-01-23T09:48:00.004-05:00

A new sushi restaurant is opening in the Coolidge Corner section of Brookline, moving into the space where another sushi spot had been.

According to The Brookline TAB and Wicked Local, U-Sushi is replacing GinGa on Beacon Street, with a poster on the Yelp site mentioning that the owners of GinGa apparently decided to retire. Based on the Yelp poster and a poster on the Chowhound site, it appears that U-Sushi may have opened already, though we will try to confirm this. [January 23 update: According to one of our Twitter followers, U-Sushi is indeed open.]

GinGa first opened in 2008, featuring an array of sushi items as well as Japanese noodle and rice dishes, teriyaki, and more.

The address for the now-closed GinGa (and the new U-Sushi) is 1393 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA, 02446.

Moko Japanese Restaurant Is Opening in South Boston

2012-01-23T09:04:00.003-05:00

The person behind a Japanese restaurant in the Back Bay of Boston is getting ready to open a new sushi spot, with this one being in Southie.

According to The Boston Globe, Moko Japanese Restaurant is going to be moving into a space on E Broadway in South Boston that is a couple of blocks west of the L Street intersection. A poster on Chowhound mentions that the new eatery, which is owned by the person who owns Samurai on Boylston Street in the Back Bay, appears to be on the verge of opening, if not open already.

The Globe states that Moko will have about 1,200 square feet of space, with a capacity of just over 40. The place will be open for lunch and dinner, with hours likely being from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM on weekdays and 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM on weekends.

The address for this new sushi restaurant in South Boston is: Moko Japanese Restaurant, 647 E Broadway, Boston, MA, 02127.

For more information on the opening of Moko, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

Licensing Board approves new sushi restaurant on E. Broadway

Townsend's in Hyde Park Has Closed

2012-01-22T20:01:00.004-05:00

A restaurant and pub in Hyde Park that Boston's Hidden Restaurants (our sister site) recently picked as the best Irish restaurant and pub in the Boston area has closed its doors.

An email sent by one of our readers stated that Townsend's on Fairmount Avenue was closing, and a subsequent check on the business shows that the place is indeed shuttered, with notices on the front indicating that the restaurant is no longer in the space. No other information was given in the notices, and it is not known exactly which day Townsend's shut down, nor is it known whether the restaurant will be moving to another spot (see comment below).

Townsend's first opened in early 2008, bringing to Hyde Park a place to get a mix of Irish, New American, and traditional American dishes, along with a variety of beer and wine. The dining and drinking establishment was picked by Boston's Hidden Restaurants as the best little-known Irish pub for 2011, and it has been featured within the site as well. The review of Townsend's can be found at the link below:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/Townsends.html

The address for this now-closed restaurant and pub in Hyde Park was: Townsend's, 81 Fairmount Avenue, Hyde Park, MA, 02136.

Crumbs Bake Shop Is Apparently Opening in Boston's Financial District

2012-01-20T12:55:00.005-05:00

It looks like a chain of cupcake shops may be opening their first location in Massachusetts, with the store being in the heart of downtown Boston.

According to posters on the Chowhound site, Crumbs Bake Shop is apparently planning to open on Federal Street in the Financial District, moving into the space where Copley Flair used to be. We asked (via Twitter) the New York-based chain if they were indeed coming to Boston, and received a response in the form of a smiley face, which seems to confirm what the Chowhound posters said.

[January 24 update: More confirmation--one of our readers (see below) states that a sign stating that Crumbs is on the way is now up at the former Copley Flair site.]

Crumbs Bake Shop features regular-sized cupcakes as well as "colossal" cupcakes, which are a whopping six and a half inches high. Cupcake flavors include carrot, chocolate, caramel apple, cheesecake, vanilla, candy, cookie dough, mudslide, red velvet, raspberry, coconut, and more.

The address for this upcoming cupcake shop in the Financial District will be: Crumbs Bake Shop, 176 Federal Street, Boston, MA, 02110. Their website can be found at http://www.crumbs.com/

A "Boutique" Restaurant Company to Open Locations in Stoughton and Westborough

2012-01-20T10:08:00.004-05:00

A restaurant company is getting ready to open a couple of upscale dining spots in the Greater Boston area, though it is not known at this time exactly who is opening the eateries.

According to a post on the Craigslist site, a "boutique" restaurant company with 14 upscale restaurants is looking to open new locations in Stoughton and Westborough this spring. The post mentions that the company currently has locations in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, but no name is given--or any other information, for that matter.

The job post (which will likely be taken down soon, as most Craigslist job posts are) can be found at this link: http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/fbh/2806314049.html

We will continue to try to find out the name of the restaurant company that is opening these two places, but if you have any thoughts as to who it might be, please post your comments below.

Buca di Beppo in Lexington Has Closed

2012-01-20T08:57:00.004-05:00

A chain of Italian restaurants that first came to the Boston area in late 2010 has shut down one of its locations.

According to The Boston Globe, Buca di Beppo in Lexington is now closed, though the other locations of the Minneapolis-based chain will remain open in Dedham, Seekonk, and Shrewsbury. The article mentions that the eatery, which moved into the former Vinny T's space on Waltham Street in October of 2010, was shuttered in part because of customer "traffic," and that all employees of the Lexington location of Buca di Beppo have been moved to other Massachusetts locations.

Buca di Beppo first started out in 1993, featuring mostly a mix of Northern and Southern Italian fare in a family-friendly environment.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in Lexington was: Buca di Beppo, 20 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA, 02421.

For more information on this story, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

Italian restaurant Buca di Beppo closes in Lexington

The Raven's Nest in Walpole Has Become The Patriot's Nest (for Now)

2012-01-19T16:04:00.004-05:00

An Irish restaurant and pub in Walpole Center has decided to temporarily change its name, in a humorous bid to keep Baltimore Ravens fans away.

According to their Facebook page, The Raven's Nest on Route 1A is now The Patriot's Nest, with piece of material that says "Patriot's" covering the part of the sign that ordinarily says "Raven's." According to a note on their page, the pub has made the name change to "ensure no Raven fans come 'round here this weekend en route to the game."

After the game is over (which the Patriots will presumably win), the place will be called The Raven's Nest once again.

If you would like to see a picture of the temporary sign at The Raven's Nest (er, the Patriot's Nest), please go to the following Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=352246821453076&set=a.170227982988295.44255.136502639694163

The address for The Raven's Nest is 998 Main Street (Route 1A), Walpole, MA 02081.

303 Cafe in East Boston Has Apparently Closed

2012-01-19T11:27:00.003-05:00

It looks like a restaurant in the Jeffries Point section of East Boston that has been in business for about five years may have closed its doors for good.

A message sent to us from a follower of our Hiddenboston Twitter page mentions that a sign on the door of 303 Cafe on Sumner Street says "closed for renovations." A call placed to the restaurant indicates that their phone is now out of service, while a check on the Yelp site shows the "Closed" label at the top of the page for the dining spot.

303 Cafe first opened in 2007, bringing to the Jeffries Point neighborhood a place featuring an eclectic mix of New American cuisine and comfort food. A few items on their menu included frittatas, seafood linguini, chili cheese fries, arroz con pollo, steak tips, and mushroom risotto.

A Boston Globe article from last summer pointed out that 303 Cafe had been in financial trouble, actually closing very briefly in August. The article mentioned problems with debt and legal issues affecting the restaurant for awhile.

The address for this now-closed restaurant in East Boston was: 303 Cafe, 303 Sumner Street, East Boston, MA, 02128.

Third Annual Chili Cup Coming to Ned Devine's in Boston, February 16, 2012

2012-01-19T10:02:00.006-05:00

A culinary event that features chili will be returning to Boston, and once again, a number of local dining spots will be taking part in the competition.

An email sent from The Briar Group indicates that the 3rd annual Chili Cup will be taking place at Ned Devine's in Boston's Faneuil Hall on Thursday, February 16 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The event will be featuring all-you-can-eat chili along with prizes and other specials. Competitors include The Baseball Tavern (who won last year), Dillon's, Flat Iron Tapas Bar & Lounge, Game On!, The Greatest Bar, The North Star, and others. The winner of the event (which is based on consumer vote) will be awarded the 2012 Chili Cup.

Proceeds from the Chili Cup event will benefit Community Work Services, an organization that helps folks transform their lives through employment.

Tickets to the event cost $20, and can be ordered via the link below.

http://www.neddevinesboston.com/

Needham to Look at Possibility of Lifting Its "Dry Town" Status

2012-01-18T15:20:00.005-05:00

A western suburb of Boston that has basically been a dry town since Prohibition may be getting ready to consider loosening the rules a bit.

According to The Boston Globe, folks in Needham could soon be voting on whether to allow alcohol to be sold in stores, and if so, whether package stores could sell all types of alcohol or just beer and wine, and whether supermarkets could sell beer and wine in addition to wine and cheese shops doing so. (The article mentions that there may be other options as well.)

Currently, Needham is mostly--though not completely--dry, with one bar in town (inside the Sheraton hotel) and restaurants with capacities of over 100 being allowed full liquor licenses (smaller restaurants can get beer and wine licenses, but not full liquor licenses).

For more information on this story, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

Needham considers store sales of alcohol

Legal Sea Foods to Feature Azorean Food This Spring

2012-01-18T10:03:00.004-05:00

A local chain of seafood restaurants is going to be adding a new section to their menu for one month, and it will be focusing on food from a group of islands that are west of Portugal.

According to the Portuguese American Journal, Legal Sea Foods will offer Azorean fare on their menu between March 14 and April 11 as part of a promotional campaign of the Azores as a destination for tourists. The article states that dishes that will be served on the "Menu Azores" at Legal during this time period will include fish that is caught in the Azores along with local preserves, pepper, and queijadas, which are a type of cheese tart served as a dessert. Legal Sea Foods will include images of the areas where the products come from, and they will offer tourist information about the islands as well.

The Legal Sea Foods chain includes locations within Boston at Long Wharf, Park Square, Copley Place, the Prudential Center, and Logan Airport, with Legal Harborside and Legal Test Kitchen being in the Seaport District of the city. Other locations can be found outside of the Boston city limits as well (including two in Cambridge), and a couple of Legal C Bar restaurants are located at Logan Airport and Dedham.

For more information on this story, please go to the Portuguese American Journal link below.

Menu Azores: Azorean food to debut at Boston area restaurants

Chefs for Obama to Be Held in Boston, January 31, 2012

2012-01-18T08:41:00.005-05:00

A private cooking competition and food tasting in support of the President of the United States is on its way to Boston later this month.

An email sent by Eat.Live.Blog indicates that Chefs for Obama will be held on Tuesday, January 31 at The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts on Tremont Street in Boston's South End. The event, which begins at 6:30 PM, will feature the following area chefs: Jody Adams (Rialto and Trade), Jamie Bissonnette (Toro and Coppa), Chris Coombs (Deuxave and dbar), Evan DeLuty (Stella), Tiffani Faison (Sweet Cheeks), Will Gilson (The Herb Lyceum), Gordon Hamersley (Hamersley's Bistro), Barbara Lynch (No. 9 Park, B&G Oysters, Stir, The Butcher Shop, Drink, Sportello), Barry Maiden (Hungry Mother), Seth Morrison (The Gallows), Rebecca Newell (The Beehive), Marc Orfaly (Pigalle and Marco), Brian Reyelt (Franklin Cafe, The Citizen, Tasty Burger), and Ting Wen Yen (Oishii). Guest judges will include Diane Patrick, Governor Deval Patrick, and Chef Ming Tsai.

Tickets to the event cost $250.00 (General Admission), $500.00 (General Admission including chef's cookbook + entry into drawing to judge the competition), and $1,000.00 (HostCookbook + entry into drawing to judge the competition + pre-reception with Chefs).

For more information on the Chefs for Obama event, please go to the following link:

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/o2012-chefsforobamacookingcompetition

Staff Meal Truck in Boston Is Awarded the 2011 Food Truck Rookie of the Year

2012-01-17T17:11:00.004-05:00

A national magazine that focuses on food trucks has just come out with its picks for the best new trucks, and a Boston food truck topped the list.

According to Mobile Cuisine Magazine, the Staff Meal Truck is the 2011 Food Truck Rookie of the Year, topping such trucks as Famous Naters (Chattanooga, TN), Kangaroostaurant (Appleton, WI), Fish Out of Water (Orlando, FL), and Gourmelt (Reno, NV). Based on the results shown on the Chicago-based magazine's site, the Staff Meal Truck won in a landslide, with a total of 3393 votes (Famous Naters, which came in second, received 1735 votes).

Staff Meal features an eclectic mix of foods such as arepas with pickled watermelon slaw; chestnut and lardo cannoli; chorizo, rice, and beans in a steamed bun; Chinese sausage; a salisbury steak sandwich; and pig's ear macaroni and cheese. The truck can be found at a number of locations in the city, including Stuart Street by the Hancock tower, Boylston Street by the Boston Public Library, Washington Street in the South End, Chinatown Park, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

For more information on this story, please go to the Mobile Cuisine Magazine link below.

Staff Meal Truck is the 2011 Food Truck Rookie of the Year

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.

Nguyen's Vietnamese Cuisine and Sushi Bar Is Coming to Swampscott

2012-01-17T16:20:00.005-05:00

A Vietnamese restaurant and sushi bar is on its way to the North Shore, though it doesn't look like it will open for another year or so.

According to The Swampscott Patch, Nguyen's Vietnamese Cuisine and Sushi Bar is coming to Humphrey Street (Route 129) in Swampscott, moving into a space on the eastern edge of the town center and a few blocks east of the Lynn border. The article mentions that the owner also runs Maki's Sushi Bar in Peabody with his brother, and he currently works a day job at 114 BMW in that community.

The menu at Nguyen's Vietnamese Cuisine and Sushi Bar will feature a number of traditional Vietnamese dishes, including pho, which is a traditional Vietnamese soup, and a variety of vegetarian options will also be offered as well. Once the building is renovated and the restaurant opens (possibly in January, 2013), it will have both indoor and seasonal outdoor seating, with a capacity of up to 75.

The address for this upcoming dining spot in Swampscott will be: Nguyen's Vietnamese Cuisine and Sushi Bar, 286 Humphrey Street, Swampscott, MA, 01907.

For more information on the opening of this restaurant, please go to the Swampscott Patch link below.

Vietnamese Restaurant Seeks Liquor License From Selectmen

News Elsewhere: iPhone Apps for Cheap Eats, New York Restaurant Week, and More

2012-01-17T10:34:00.016-05:00

A few other stories and articles concerning food and restaurants have come out over the past few days, including the following:

>> Cheap Eats: 5 iPhone Apps for Frugal Foodies [Mashable]

>> Bennigan's Brand Revival in 2011 Launches Legendary Comeback [Sacramento Bee]

>> Restaurant Week Returns To New York City With Prix-Fixe Dining Deals [CBS New York]

>> Confirmed! Gordon Ramsay to open first L.V. restaurant at the Paris" [Vegas Deluxe]

>> Boners BBQ Bashes Customer On Facebook And Twitter, Social Media Battle Ensues [Huffington Post]

The Group Behind Marliave and Grotto May Open A Restaurant Where Pops Used to Be

2012-01-17T09:14:00.005-05:00

The folks behind a couple of Boston restaurants may be looking to open another spot, with this one being in a South End space where a popular eatery had been.

According to food writer MC Slim JB via the Chowhound site, the people who run Marliave in downtown Boston and Grotto on Beacon Hill are apparently interested in the former Pops space on Tremont Street. (Pops was a comfort food spot had closed in the fall of 2011 after being open for about four years.) MC Slim had initially mentioned within the Chowhound thread this past Saturday that he had "heard a rumor the Grotto / Marliave folks were looking at it," but several hours later put up another post, stating that "it now looks like the Pops thing is happening." He also said that there doesn't appear to be any information on a concept for the place.

Marliave is a local landmark that has been around since the 1880s, though it closed for awhile a few years back before the Grotto folks reopened it. The restaurant focuses mainly on classic American and New American fare. Grotto is located on Bowdoin Street, just down the hill from the State House, and features mostly Italian and Mediterranean food.

The address for the space that the Marliave/Grotto people are apparently looking at is 560 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02118.

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.

[Earlier]
Pops Restaurant in Boston's South End Has Closed

Highlights for the Week Ending January 13, 2012

2012-01-16T09:20:00.003-05:00

Several more stories and articles centering on the Boston-area restaurant scene were posted over the past week, including changes to the North End restaurant scene, a coffee bar opening within a frozen yogurt shop in the Back Bay, and the return of a burrito competition. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) had an updated review of a burger spot in Somerville as well as a photo of a pastry from a South End bakery and a question for readers on a popular side dish.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Ristorante Damiano Has Been Replaced by Carmelina's North End

Newbury Street Coffee Opens Within BerryLine in Boston's Back Bay

Eight Food Trends for 2012, As Seen by Boston-Area Chefs

Burrito Bowl II to Be Held at Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake

Food Truck Pilot Program Proposed for Brookline

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Updated Review: O'Sullivan's in Somerville, MA

Photo: Triple Mousse Chocolate Cake from Flour in Boston, MA

Question: Boston-Area Restaurant with the Best Onion Rings?

Updated Review: The Squires in Hanover, MA

Boston Restaurant Closings and Openings for January, 2012 (So Far)

Ginger Exchange in Cambridge Looking to Open New Spot in Mission Hill/Brigham Circle

2012-01-13T16:44:00.004-05:00

The Mission Hill/Brigham Circle space where an eclectic comfort food spot had been until closing last spring may not be empty much longer, as an Asian restaurant in Cambridge might be opening a new eatery there.

According to Universal Hub, the folks behind the Ginger Exchange on Cambridge Street in Inman Square are seeking permission to acquire the beer and wine license formerly owned by The Savant Project, a Tremont Street restaurant that closed in May of 2011. The article mentions that if all goes as planned, the Ginger Exchange owners would be looking to open a sushi bar in the space, though no other details (including a name) seem to be available at this point in time.

The Ginger Exchange first opened its doors in the fall of 2009, bringing to Inman Square a dining spot that features mostly Japanese fare, including sushi, noodle dishes, and rice dishes.

The address that the restaurant is looking at in the Mission Hill/Brigham Circle neighborhood of Boston is 1625 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02120.

For more information on this story, please go to the Universal Hub link below.

Shuttered Mission Hill eatery could become edgy sushi place

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.

Providence Restaurant Week to Be Held January 15-28, 2012

2012-01-13T14:44:00.004-05:00

The city of Providence is getting ready for a restaurant "week" that lasts for most of the rest of this month.

According to the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, Providence Restaurant Week will be starting up on Sunday, January 15, and will continue until Saturday, January 28. Many of the city's best restaurants will be participating this year, with such dining spots as Bacaro Restaurant, Caffe Dolce, Chardonnay's, The Dorrance, Gracie's, Hourglass Brasserie, Libations Restaurant & Lounge, Meritage, New Rivers, Parkside Rotisserie & Bar, Red Stripe, Rick's Roadhouse, Spats Restaurant and Bar, and Trattoria Zooma taking part in the event.

The cost for a three-course lunch at any of the restaurants is $14.95, with three-course dinners costing $29.95. In addition, some restaurants will be having 2 for 1 specials.

For more information on Providence Restaurant Week, please go to the link below.

http://www.goprovidence.com/RW/

Winter Market to Start at Mahoney's in Winchester

2012-01-13T13:00:00.003-05:00

Yet another indoor winter farmers' market is coming to the Boston area starting tomorrow, and this one will be a few miles north of the city.

According to their website, Mahoney's on Route 3 in Winchester is opening a Winter Market on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with more than 25 vendors on hand. A few items that will be available include fruits, locally-grown root vegetables, herbs, olive oils, baked breads, cheeses, meats, smoked fish, desserts, and coffees, along with some jewelry and clothing. Vendors such as Cannistraci Fine Foods, Centerville Pie Company, Coastal Vinyards, The Danish Pastry House, Deb's Cookies, Doves and Figs, J&B Butcher, KO Catering Company, Soluna Garden Farms, and Westport Rivers Winery will be at the market, which will be held each Saturday through March 17.

The Mahoney's location in East Falmouth will be having a winter farmers' market as well.

The address for Mahoney's in Winchester is: Mahoney's, 242 Cambridge Street (Route 3), Winchester, MA, 01890. Their website can be found at http://www.mahoneysgarden.com/

Owner of Stella in Boston's South End Considers Opening a Burger Place

2012-01-13T10:07:00.004-05:00

It looks like the chef/owner of an Italian restaurant in the SoWa district of Boston's South End may be thinking about joining the burger craze.

A Boston Globe article on possible 2012 restaurant trends includes a post from Evan Deluty of Stella on Washington Street, who predicts affordable burgers being a possible trend for the year. In the post, Deluty also indicates the possibility of being part of the trend, stating that he is "looking at potentially doing a burger place." The chef/owner of Stella also looks at restaurants that are playing a role in the burger craze, including Wahlburgers in Hingham, Tasty Burger in the Fenway (which is planning to expand), and Burger Dive, which hopes to open in Somerville's Assembly Square.

Stella is a chic yet affordable Italian eatery in SoWa that features such dishes as grilled Italian sausage, spicy mussels, grilled pizza, tagliatelle bolognese, house-made gnocchi, honey-glazed salmon, and seared duck breast. The address for the restaurant is 1525 Washington Street (next to Blackstone Square).

Information for this article comes from the Boston Globe link below:

Hot restaurant trends of 2012

Ristorante Damiano Has Been Replaced by Carmelina's North End

2012-01-12T16:27:00.004-05:00

A North End eatery that featured small plates is gone for good, but the folks behind the spot have set up a new Italian restaurant in its space, with more traditional-sized plates featured.

According to The Boston Globe, Ristorante Damiano on Hanover Street has bid farewell to the North End, being replaced by Carmelina's North End. The chef posts on Facebook that the name of the new spot comes from an Amherst restaurant that he ran while in college, and that the new eatery will have a "strong Mediterranean and Sicilian influence." The Globe mentions such dishes on the menu as baby octopus stew, penne gorgonzola, carbonara, Sunday macaroni, mushroom risotto, ossobuco, and pan-roasted swordfish, along with the type of smaller plates for which Ristorante Damiano was known.

The address for the now-closed Ristorante Damiano (and the now-open Carmelina's North End) is 307 Hanover Street, Boston, MA, 02113.

For more information on this story, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

Back to big plates in the North End

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.

Laugh of the Day: A Reader Predicts a 30-Story Restaurant Coming to Cambridge's Kendall Square

2012-01-12T15:49:00.005-05:00

With all of the new dining spots coming to Cambridge's Kendall Square, it seems to have gone from a completely restaurant-poor neighborhood to an area that now rivals Moody Street in Waltham or parts of Boston's North End or South End. So what's next for Kendall Square? Well, with all of the huge buildings housing high-tech and biotech companies, one of our regular readers on Twitter suggests that a 30-story restaurant might be the next big thing (no pun intended).

So the question is, has anything like this ever been done anywhere? And what would the setup be like? Would the first 10 floors be dedicated to dining, with the top 20 floors being set aside for cocktails, music, and dancing? Would there be a roofdeck, or would that be overkill? Or would most of the floors be taken out, making for an atrium of almost biblical proportions?

Thanks to our Twitter friend for this totally off-the-wall (but oddly appealing) idea.

Tatte Bakery and Cafe to Open in Cambridge's Kendall Square

2012-01-12T14:07:00.003-05:00

A European-style bakery in Brookline that features an array of house-made cookies is going to be expanding, as it looks to open a cafe in Cambridge.

According a Eater Boston, a job post within the Craigslist site indicates that Tatte Fine Cookies & Cakes on Beacon Street near the Boston/Brookline border is planning to open Tatte Bakery & Cafe, a full-service sitdown spot somewhere in Cambridge's Kendall Square neighborhood. The article mentions that the new cafe will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it could be open by this spring.

Tatte Fine Cookies & Cakes first opened in Brookline in 2008, focusing on such items as cookies, cakes, and various pastries. In addition to its retail shop, Tatte also offers catering. Their website can be found at http://www.tattecookies.com/

For more on the opening of Tatte Bakery & Cafe in the Kendall Square section of Cambridge, please go to the Eater Boston link below.

Tatte Fine Cookies and Cakes Going Full Service in Kendall

Kitchen Nightmares Is Casting (and Wants to Hear from Boston)

2012-01-12T10:00:00.007-05:00

A reality TV series that stars a celebrity chef is getting ready to cast for the next season, and the show is looking at the Boston area once again. Emails sent to us by producers of the show indicate that Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares is getting ready for Season 5 and, as was the case with Season 3, it is targeting Massachusetts, including Boston and surrounding communities. The show, which can be seen on Fox, has Chef Ramsay going around the United States to help revive troubled restaurants. In Season 3, Kitchen Nightmares featured Davide, an Italian restaurant in Boston's North End.

[January 17 update: Not a surprise, but it turns out that Boston is not the only city that is being looked at by Kitchen Nightmares for its new season. The cleveland.com states that Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York City, and Pittsburgh are also in the running. The article also mentions that eligible restaurants are required to have been open for at least one year, offer dinner service, not be a chain or a franchise, and have at least 35 seats.]

The show is in the process of taking applications and nominations--for more information, please go to the link below.

http://www.theconlincompany.com/

Hostess Declares Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

2012-01-11T15:56:00.003-05:00

The company that makes such food products as Wonder Bread and Twinkies has gone bankrupt.

According to the Washington Post, Hostess Brands Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, due in part to such issues as shaky economic conditions, medical benefits and pension obligations, and an increase in competition. The article states that Hostess, which also makes such items as Ho Hos and Ding Dongs, lists its estimated assets as somewhere between $500 million and $1 billion, while its estimated liabilities are somewhere above $1 billion.

It appears that Hostess will continue to be able to deliver its food products during the reorganization, according to the Post.

For more information on this story, please go to the Washington Post link below.

Twinkies and Wonder Bread maker Hostess Brands files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection

Potbelly Sandwich Shop is Coming to Boston

2012-01-11T15:33:00.007-05:00

A Chicago-based chain of sub shops is on its way to Boston, opening at least one location in the area.

According to Boston Magazine's Chowder blog (via a job post on the Craigslist site), Potbelly Sandwich Shop is planning to open at Logan Airport in East Boston. The job post also mentions that Potbelly is opening "shops" in Boston, but it is not yet known whether the chain will open multiple shops at the airport or whether Logan is the first of several locations in the Boston area where Potbelly will open. (We will post an update here as soon as we find out more information.)

[January 18 update: It does appear that more than one location of Potbelly will indeed be coming to the Boston area, as a post on the chain's Twitter page states that the "first shop will be in Logan Airport, with more to come later."]

[January 31 update: According to a job post on the Craigslist site, the new Potbelly Sandwich Shop at Logan Airport plans to open on March 13.]

Potbelly Sandwich Shop first started out in Chicago in 1977, eventually growing to include more than 200 locations in the United States (though none in New England until now). Their menu includes "originals," "bigs," and "skinnys," the latter of which have less meat and cheese on thin-cut bread with 25% less fat than originals. The chain's website can be found at http://www.potbelly.com/

For more information on Potbelly Sandwich Shop coming to Boston, please go to the Chowder link below.

Chicago Sandwich Shop Potbelly Heads to Boston

A New Steakhouse is Coming to Boston's South End

2012-01-11T14:17:00.003-05:00

It looks like the folks behind a pair of restaurants in the Back Bay of Boston and Dorchester are going to be opening a third spot, with this one being a steakhouse in Boston's South End.

According to food writer MC Slim JB (via the Chowhound site), the Union Park Neighborhood Association states that the people who run Deuxave on Commonwealth Avenue in the Back Bay and dbar on Dorchester Avenue in Dorchester have leased the space on Washington Street where Ginger Park (and before that, Banq) had been, and they hope to open a steakhouse within the space. At this point in time, there does not appear to be a name for the upcoming restaurant, nor does there appear to be a planned opening date; as soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.

Deuxave first opened in September of 2010, bringing to the Back Bay a place to get a variety of New American and French-influenced dishes. dbar, a chic restaurant, lounge, and nightclub, started out in 2005.

The address for this upcoming steakhouse in the South End is 1375 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02118.

Newbury Street Coffee Opens Within BerryLine in Boston's Back Bay

2012-01-11T12:27:00.005-05:00

A frozen yogurt spot in the Back Bay of Boston is now home to a coffee bar as well.

According to their Facebook page, BerryLine on Newbury Street has opened Newbury Street Coffee within their space, which is just east of the Hereford Street intersection and about one block east of Massachusetts Avenue. The new coffee shop has partnered with George Howell Coffee (another local company), and will be serving freshly-made baked goods along with loose leaf tea in addition to coffee.

BerryLine has three other locations in the Boston area, including Boston's Fenway neighborhood as well as Harvard Square and Porter Square in Cambridge.

The address for Newbury Street Coffee (and BerryLine) in the Back Bay is 303 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02115. The Facebook page for Newbury Street Coffee can be found at http://www.facebook.com/NewburyCoffee

Spoon Ninja Burrito-Rolling Competition Coming to Anna's Taqueria in Brookline

2012-01-11T12:03:00.005-05:00

A rather unusual competition is coming to a burrito joint in Brookline next month.

According to Marlo Marketing/Communications, Anna's Taqueria on Harvard Street will be hosting a "Spoon Ninja" Burrito-Rolling Competition on Wednesday, February 29, starting at 6:00 PM. The event, which will be attended by Anna's lightning-fast Spoon Ninjas (burrito rollers) as well as WFNX newsman Henry Santoro, will be a competition to determine which of the rollers is the fastest "burrito slinger" in the Boston area. (The winner will be awarded the "Golden Spoon" trophy.) A separate contest will also be held to see which guest is the fastest as well, with the winner also receiving the "Golden Spoon" trophy, while each participant receives an Anna's gift card and t-shirt.

The Spoon Ninja Burrito-Rolling Competition is free to the public, though registration for spectators and competitors is required. (More information can be found at http://annastaqueriaspoonninja.eventbrite.com/)

Kirby's Kitchen to Open in Everett

2012-01-11T10:23:00.006-05:00

A graduate of a top college of culinary arts in Cambridge and a worker at a popular South End dining spot is getting ready to open a restaurant (and market) of his own, with the eatery being located just north of Boston.

According to Grub Street Boston and the restaurant's Facebook page, Bob Botchie of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and Myers + Chang (an eclectic Asian dining spot on Washington Street that is owned by well-known restaurateurs Christopher Myers and Joanne Chang) is going to be opening Kirby's Kitchen, a combination restaurant/market that will feature such items as soups, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas on the restaurant side, and house-made jams, cheeses, pickles, and cured meats on the market side. Grub Street states that the Broadway spot recently passed inspection and is looking at a possible opening date of January 30.

[January 29 update: According to their Facebook page, Kirby's Kitchen is still looking to open their doors tomorrow (Monday, January 30).]

[January 30 update: Based on a more recent note on their Facebook page, it appears that Kirby's Kitchen will not open until tomorrow (Tuesday, January 31).]

The address for this upcoming restaurant and market in Everett will be: Kirby's Kitchen, 440 Broadway, Everett, MA, 02149. Its Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kirbys-Kitchen/204544439613543

For more on Kirby's Kitchen, please go to the Grub Street Boston link below.

Kirbys Kitchen Is Komin' Right Up

Ribbon-Cutting for the Dorchester Winter Farmers' Market

2012-01-11T09:06:00.005-05:00

As we mentioned last week, the Dorchester Winter Farmers' Market began in Codman Square on Sunday, and it appears that several hundred folks headed over to check out the variety of breads, cheeses, meats, produce, honeys, jams, and more that were for sale within the historic Great Hall on Norfolk Street. In addition to people shopping for food and other goods, a ribbon-cutting took place at the farmers' market, with Mayor Menino doing the honors. [Thanks to GreenDorchester (Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition) for supplying the photo here.]

The market will be open every Sunday from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM through March.

Eight Food Trends for 2012, As Seen by Boston-Area Chefs

2012-01-11T08:40:00.003-05:00

The Boston Globe recently talked with eight local chefs about possible upcoming restaurant and food trends for 2012, and some of the answers that the newspaper received are rather interesting.

The article, which was written by Devra First, includes predictions from such chefs as Tim Maslow of Strip-T's in Watertown (who sees comfort food as being a 2012 trend), Evan Deluty of Stella's in the South End (who predicts affordable burgers being hot), and Mary Dumont of Harvest in Cambridge (who sees personality-driven, chef-driven restaurants being big). A couple of other picks are from Jose Duarte of Taranta in the North End, who thinks that Peruvian cuisine could become popular this year, and Carolyn Johnson of 80 Thoreau in Concord, who sees a possible rise in seafood charcuterie.

If you would like to see the complete list of food trends for 2012 as picked by Boston-area chefs, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

8 hot restaurant trends for 2012 from Boston-area chefs

CityFeast Coming to Boston's North End, January 29, 2012

2012-01-10T22:10:00.004-05:00

A culinary event returns once again to Boston's North End, and as always, it is going to be raising money for a good cause.

An email sent to us by Regan Communications Group indicates that the 7th annual CityFeast will be held on Sunday, January 29 starting at 6:00 PM, with five restaurants participating this year--Antico Forno, Lucca, Taranta, Terramia, and Tresca. Each dining spot will offer a five-course dinner that includes wine pairings, and this year, the event will also include a raffle for a new black Vespa (donated by Carla Gomes, the founder of CityFeast) at Antico Forno.

Tickets to the 2012 CityFeast cost $150 ($100 of which is tax deductible), with proceeds benefiting the Joslin Diabetes Center's High Hopes Fund.

For more information on this event, please go to the Joslin link below.

http://www.joslin.org/

Taste of Eastie to Be Held on January 19, 2012

2012-01-10T16:41:00.003-05:00

One of Boston's most interesting neighborhoods for food is going to be seeing the return of a culinary event later this month.

According to The Boston Globe, the 16th annual Taste of Eastie is coming to the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel in East Boston on Thursday, January 19 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The article mentions that the event will feature foods from Central and South America, the Mediterranean (including Italy), the Middle East, and China, with more than two dozen restaurants, caterers, and event planners included. Musical entertainment will be on hand as well at this year's Taste of Eastie.

A few of the dining spots that will be participating in the event include Angela's Cafe, Dough, Ecco, El Kiosco, El Paisa Restaurante, Great Chef Chinese Food, La Chiva, Mehak, Mi Pueblito Restaurant, Restaurante Montecristo, and Roy's Cold Cuts & Pizzeria.

Tickets are $35 and can be ordered through the East Boston Main Streets website at http://www.ebmainstreets.com/

For more information on the 2012 Taste of Eastie, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

East Boston Main Streets to present 16th annual Taste of Eastie

Eggcetera, Etc. Opens in Framingham

2012-01-10T15:58:00.003-05:00

A quick-service restaurant is now open in a western suburb of Boston, and it features an interactive "create-your-own-meal" dining experience.

According to The MetroWest Daily News, Eggcetera, Etc. opened a couple of months ago on Route 30 in Framingham, near the Mass. Pike and Speen Street intersections and just north of the Natick Mall and Shoppers World. The article states that the new eatery allows diners to design their own creations from what the owner calls their "farmstand." Designing a meal at Eggcetera, Etc. is a four-step process in which customers choose the type of meal they want, then choose ingredients from the farmstand, then bring the items to the chef who cooks it in front of them, and then bring their prepared meal to the dining area (or have it packed to go). A few dishes at the restaurant include omelets, French toast, pancakes, stir-fries, and pasta.

Eggcetera, Etc. is open for breakfast and lunch daily.

The address for this new dining spot in Framingham is: Eggcetera, Etc., 665 Cochituate Road (Route 30), Framingham, MA, 01701. Their website can be found at http://eggceteraetc.com/

For more information on Eggcetera, Etc., please go to the MetroWest Daily News link below.

Framingham restaurant serves egg-citing dishes

Guadalajara Mexican Grill and Bar to Open in Malden

2012-01-10T14:32:00.006-05:00

A Mexican restaurant will soon be opening in Malden, moving into the space where a couple of Italian dining spots had previously been.

According to their website, Guadalajara Mexican Grill and Bar is planning to open on Florence Street, taking over the spot where Montebello Ristorante Italiano used to be, and before that, Artichokes (Montebello closed in the spring of 2010 after being in business for less than a year). While their website is still under construction, a menu has been posted, showing such items as enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, arroz con pollo, seafood soup, fish tacos, vegetarian quesadillas, rancho steak, and chile colorado. Drinks on the menu include beer, wine, sangria, and margaritas, and a children's menu is available. It appears that the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner daily.

Expect a springtime opening for Guadalajara Mexican Grill and Bar.

[January 12 update: Thanks to some sleuthing by a poster on Chowhound, we have learned that Mexico Lindo in Melrose appears to be behind the upcoming Guadalajara Mexican Grill and Bar. The menu on the Mexico Lindo site and the menu on the Guadalajara site look suspiciously alike, leading us to believe that the two dining spots are connected. Here are the links to the two menus: http://www.gmexgrill.com/MENU.html and http://www.mi-mexicolindo.com/MENU.html]

The address for this upcoming Mexican restaurant in Malden will be: Guadalajara Mexican Grill and Bar, 2 Florence Street, Malden, MA, 02146. Their website can be found at http://www.gmexgrill.com/

Thanks to a poster on Chowhound for bringing this to our attention.

Burrito Bowl II to Be Held at Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake, February 4, 2012

2012-01-10T12:36:00.004-05:00

A burrito competition is returning to the Back Bay of Boston next month, and like last year, it will include several area chefs.

According to its event page on Eventbrite, Burrito Bowl II will be held at Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake on Boylston street on Saturday, February 4, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The competition will feature local chefs who face off to create the best burrito, with Jose Duarte of Taranta, Tiffany Faison of Sweet Cheeks, Jon Gilman of Church, Andy Husbands of Tremont 647, Jason Hutchinson of Boloco, Marc Orfaly of Pigalle, Erwin Ramos of Ole Mexican Grille, Brian Roche of Lolita, and Brian Poe of Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake participating.

Each burrito will be rated by attendees along with guest referees Jenny Johnson of TV Diner, Scott Kearnan of STUFF Magazine, and Dan McCarthy of UrbanDaddy.

Tickets to Burrito Bowl II cost $15 each and can be purchased in advance at http://poesburritobowl.eventbrite.com/

Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake is located at 384 Boylston Street (between Arlington Street and Berkeley Street) in Boston's Back Bay.

Bill's Pizzeria in Newton to Open New Location in Natick

2012-01-10T09:54:00.006-05:00

A pizzeria in the western suburbs of Boston is getting ready to expand, as it is going to be opening a new location a couple of towns further west.

According to a job post within the Craigslist site, Bill's Pizzeria in Newton Centre is planning to open a second restaurant in Natick. The pizza spot, which has been located on Beacon Street for nearly 40 years, will apparently have a similar menu at its Natick location, likely featuring such items as pizza, calzones, soups, salads, and sandwiches.

An earlier article from The Natick Bulletin and Tab/Wicked Local indicates that the new Bill's Pizzera will open in the space where the Natick Pizza Palace on E Central Street used to be.

The address for this upcoming pizza restaurant in Natick will be: Bill's Pizzeria, 58 E Central Street, Natick, MA, 01760. The website for the original pizzeria in Newton can be found at http://billspizzeria.com/

Friendly's Emerges from Bankruptcy, Closes Stores in Several Massachusetts Communities

2012-01-10T09:25:00.005-05:00

A Massachusetts-based chain of restaurants and ice cream shops has emerged from bankruptcy, but it has also decided to close a number of its locations in Massachusetts as well.

According to the Patriot Ledger, Friendly's Ice Cream LLC, which was bought by Sun Capital last month, has come out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after filing about three months ago. Both the Ledger article and the Boston Globe mention that in addition, stores in Bedford, Great Barrington, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Mansfield, Shrewsbury, Springfield (2 locations), Westboro, and Worcester closed at the end of business hours this past Sunday.

Friendly's now has 376 restaurants remaining, with 147 being company-owned and 229 being franchised spots, according to the Ledger.

For more information on this story, please go to the Patriot Ledger and Boston Globe links below.

[Patriot Ledger]
Friendly's closes another 37 restaurants, including 10 in Mass

[Boston Globe]
Friendly's emerges from bankruptcy, closes more stores

Brigham's Ice Cream in Belmont Has Closed

2012-01-10T08:36:00.006-05:00

A local restaurant and ice cream chain has closed its oldest remaining Boston-area location.

According to The Boston Globe, Brigham's Ice Cream apparently shut its Belmont shop at the end of business hours yesterday after being in operation for nearly 80 years. The article mentions that the co-owners of the Trapelo Road location of Brigham's also own the shop in Arlington Heights (at the corner of Park Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue), with that one staying open. It appears that this leaves only four independently-owned Brigham's remaining, according to the Globe.

Brigham's first started out in 1914 in the Post Office Square section of Boston's Financial District, eventually expanding to include a number of stores, as well as having its ice cream sold in supermarkets throughout the region. The chain filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 2009.

The address for Brigham's in Belmont was: Brigham's, 2 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA, 02478.

For more on the closing of Brigham's in Belmont, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

Brigham's closing in Belmont after almost 80 years

Great Taste Diner in Somerville Has Apparently Closed

2012-01-09T17:11:00.004-05:00

It looks like a restaurant on the Somerville/Cambridge line has closed after being in business for a little more than a year.

According to a poster on the Chowhound site, Great Taste Diner on Beacon street in Somerville has apparently closed, as its signs have been taken down and the exterior of the place is being repainted. Calls placed to the restaurant are not going through, and the online ordering function within their website does not appear to be working anymore.

Great Taste Diner first opened in December of 2010, featuring classic American fare along with some Peruvian-influenced dishes. The restaurant had taken over Danny's Diner, which had a similar menu to Great Taste Diner.

It is not yet known whether a new restaurant is going into the space, and if so, whether the folks behind Great Taste Diner will be behind it. As soon as we find out more information, we will post an update here.

The address for this now-closed eatery in Somerville was: Great Taste Diner, 300 Beacon Street, Somerville, MA, 02143.

Forbes Travel Guide's Power Lunch Picks Include Boston's Bristol Lounge

2012-01-09T14:25:00.003-05:00

Forbes Travel Guide (formerly Mobil Travel Guide) has just made its picks for top 10 "power lunch" spots in the United States, and a Boston restaurant has made the list.

According to the Forbes website, the Bristol Lounge on Boylston Street was one of 10 dining spots to be picked that have "profiles as high as the clientele who [dine] there." The restaurant, which is located within the Four Seasons Hotel across from the Public Garden, was the only place in New England to be picked, with other East Coast spots on the list including Asiate in New York City, Fountain Restaurant in Philadelphia, and The Palm in Washington, DC. Forbes mentions in the article that Governor Deval Patrick, former GE executive Jack Welch, U2 frontman Bono, and ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer are just a few well-known folks who have been to the Bristol Lounge.

The address for the Bristol Lounge (and the Four Seasons Hotel) is 200 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116

For a complete listing of power lunch picks by Forbes Travel Guide, please go to the link below.

Top 10 Restaurants Across The Country For A Power Lunch

Update: Speed's Hot Dogs Will Apparently Not Open in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

2012-01-09T12:34:00.005-05:00

About a year ago, we reported that a landmark hot dog wagon in Boston was planning to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Fenway section of the city. Over the past few months it appeared that this was becoming less and less likely, and now it seems that the chances of it happening are about zero.

According to posters on the Chowhound site, one of the people behind Boston Speed's Famous Hot Dog Wagon in the Newmarket Square section of Boston is apparently saying that they will not be opening on Peterborough Street in the "restaurant row" block of Fenway after all. An article that was written on this site in December of 2010 mentioned that Speed's had been looking to open along with several other restaurants on this stretch of Peterborough that burned to the ground in January of 2009, but now it looks like the plans have fallen through.

The address for the original Speed's is: Boston Speed's Famous Hot Dog Wagon, 54 Newmarket Square, Boston (Roxbury), MA, 02118.

[Earlier article]
Speed's Hot Dogs to Open in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

Mare in the North End Has Closed; Mare Oyster Bar to Replace It

2012-01-09T09:17:00.004-05:00

An organic seafood restaurant in Boston's North End has shut its doors, and the folks behind the spot will soon be opening a new eatery within the space, with this one focusing on oysters.

According to their website, Mare on Richmond Street is closed, and a note on their home page mentions that they are getting ready to open an all-new restaurant called Mare Oyster Bar. It appears that the new spot will open sometime in February.

[January 10 update: An email sent to us from 451 Marketing indicates that Mare Oyster Bar will continue to offer the original Mare menu, though the main focus of the restaurant will be on oysters, with six to eight varieties from farms located in the Northeast (mostly in Massachusetts and Maine to start, with more sources on the way as the summer approaches). The new menu will also include shrimp dishes, Alaskan king crab, an octopus salad, a selection of raw fish, and a hot or cold lobster roll served in a house-made brioche roll. In addition, the beer list will expand significantly to focus mostly on local brews.]

Mare first opened in 2005, featuring such dishes as tuna tartare, steamed Wellfleet mussels, grilled baby octopus, crab risotto, frutti di mare, pan-seared halibut, and grilled sea bass. The group behind Mare (which is headed by restaurateur Frank De Pasquale) also runs such places as Bricco on Hanover Street, Trattoria Il Panino on Parmenter Street, and Umbria Prime on Franklin Street.

The address for the soon-to-open Mare Oyster Bar will be: Mare Oyster Bar, 135 Richmond Street, Boston, MA, 02109.

Thanks to a poster on Chowhound for bringing this to our attention.

Food Truck Pilot Program Planned for Brookline

2012-01-09T08:45:00.005-05:00

It appears that one of Boston's western neighbors could be home to a number of food trucks this year.

According to the Town of Brookline website, a Food Truck Pilot Program is currently in the planning stages, with several proposed sites for trucks shown within the community's website. The program is still in its early stages of planning, with the Board of Selectmen holding a public hearing tomorrow (Tuesday, January 10) at 8:00 PM at Town Hall on Washington Street to discuss vendor regulations and more concerning the program, which is slated to start this April.

[January 25 update: The Town of Brookline voted last night to officially launch the Brookline food truck pilot program in April, with locations for trucks to be announced. Applications for food trucks will be available starting today.]

A few of the proposed sites for food trucks include Beacon Street at Cleveland Circle, Skyline Park, Larz Anderson Park, Harvard Street at Auburn Street, and Commonwealth Avenue at St. Mary's Street by Boston University.

For more information on the Brookline Food Truck Pilot Program, please go to the Town of Brookline link below.

Brookline Mobile Food Vendor Pilot Program

Thanks to The Boston Globe for bringing this to our attention.

Highlights for the Week Ending January 6, 2012

2012-01-08T21:54:00.006-05:00

A number of stories and articles focusing on the Boston-area restaurant scene were posted over the past week, including a famous chef starting cooking classes, a French restaurant coming to Cambridge's Kendall Square, and a fundraising event coming to a number of Boston-area dining spots later this month. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) had a review of a Japanese noodle house in Cambridge's Porter Square as well as a slideshow of funny restaurant names/signs and a photo of a pasta dish from a restaurant in Newport, RI.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Lydia Shire to Start Hosting Cooking Classes

A French Restaurant Is Apparently Coming to Cambridge's Kendall Square

Super Hunger Brunch Coming to Boston, January 28-29, 2012

Happy's Bar and Kitchen to Open in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

Finale in Brookline's Coolidge Corner Has Closed

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

New Review: Ityyo in Cambridge, MA

Photo: Havana Burger from The Abbey in Providence, RI

Slideshow: Ten Funny Restaurant Names/Signs

Question: Best French Fries in the Boston Area

Photo: Tortelloni Imbriglio from Sardella's in Newport, RI

Lydia Shire to Start Hosting Cooking Classes

2012-01-06T12:21:00.004-05:00

One of the region's best-known chefs and restaurateurs is going to start teaching cooking classes.

An email from Regan Communications Group indicates that Lydia Shire will begin to host small, bi-monthly interactive classes at Towne Stove and Spirits in Boston's Back Bay this month, where she is the Culinary Director. The classes, which begin on Tuesday January 17, will be three hours long and are geared toward both culinary novices, experts, and everyone in between. The January 17 class is titled "Explore Asia," while the class on Tuesday, January 24 is titled "Explore Italy."

Classes cost $250 per person, with the price including a $50 gift card to Towne Stove and Spirits.

The address Towne Stove and Spirits is 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02115. Their website can be found at http://towneboston.com/

Dorchester Winter Farmers' Market Coming to Codman Square

2012-01-06T10:42:00.007-05:00

Another winter farmers' market is getting ready to set up shop in the Boston area, with its starting date coming this weekend.

According to Public Radio Kitchen, the Dorchester Winter Farmers' Market begins this Sunday (January 8) at The Great Hall in Codman Square, an historic building that is located on Norfolk Street where Washington Street and Talbot Avenue meet. Public Radio Kitchen mentions that this farmers' market, which will be the only city market to accept EBT/SNAP and Boston Bounty Bucks, will offer a variety of breads, cheeses, meats, and produce, along with such items as honeys and jams. The market will be open every Sunday from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM through March.

A few other indoor farmers' markets can be found in the Boston area this winter, including markets at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay, the Armory in Somerville, and Russell's Garden Center in Wayland.

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing the Dorchester Winter Farmers' Market to our attention.

[Earlier Articles]
Wayland Winter Farmers' Market to Start January 7, 2012
Indoor Farmers' Markets Coming to the Back Bay and Somerville This Winter

2012 Dorchester-Milton Restaurant Week to Be Held January 15-30

2012-01-05T14:04:00.006-05:00

A restaurant week is on its way to a Boston neighborhood once again, with three-course meals being offered by an array of local eateries.

According to The Dorchester Reporter, Dorchester-Milton Restaurant Week is going to be start on Sunday, January 15, and go through Monday, January 30 (Fridays and Saturdays excluded). Three-course meals will cost $30.12 at nine dining spots (a price increase of one penny over last year), with participating restaurants including 224 Boston St., Ashmont Grill, Blarney Stone, dbar, The Ledge, Savin Bar + Kitchen, and Tavolo in Dorchester, along with 88 Wharf and Abby Park in Milton.

If you would like more information on the 2012 Dorchester-Milton Restaurant Week, please go to the Dorchester Reporter link below.

Dot eateries prep for restaurant week specials

Update: A New Restaurant Called West Bridge Is Coming to Cambridge's Kendall Square

2012-01-05T12:40:00.005-05:00

[Ed note: This article was updated on January 11 to reflect new information on the restaurant, including a name for the place.]

It looks like another new restaurant is on the way to the Kendall Square section of Cambridge, with this one being a French dining spot.

According to a poster on the Chowhound site, the East Cambridge Planning Team recently had a meeting that included a discussion on a moderate-priced French restaurant proposed for the space at One Kendall Square where a location of the Vermont-based furniture chain Pompanoosuc Mills used to be (Pompanoosuc Mills now resides on Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay). The Chowhound post indicates that if all goes as planned, it could take about a half year to renovate the space and get the necessary permits and inspections.

[January 11 update: According to Boston Magazine's Chowder blog, the name of the upcoming restaurant will be West Bridge, and people behind the dining spot used to work at Aquitaine Bistro in the South End of Boston. The article mentions that West Bridge will feature French-influenced food, but will also have a mix of modern European cuisine as well as regional New England fare. The restaurant will have a capacity of about 175 (135 inside and 40 outside), and it could be open by this spring.]

The address for this proposed restaurant in Kendall Square is One Kendall Square (Building 300), Cambridge MA, 02139.

The Boston Herald Mistakenly Gives Dunkin' Donuts Story a "Terror Alert"

2012-01-05T10:40:00.005-05:00

Quick: What do donuts and terrorism have in common? A lot, that is, if you are to believe an error made by one Boston newspaper yesterday.

An article from the news and opinion blog Mediaite points out that The Boston Herald mistakenly gave a "Terror Alert" to Canton-based Dunkin’ Brands on Tuesday, with a banner running across the top of the online edition stating "Terror Alert: Dunkin' Brands, Franchisee Group Sign Supply Deal." The Mediaite article mentions that the error was quickly removed from the newspaper's site, but for those of you who would like to see what the page looked like before it was fixed, please look at the link below:

Whoops. Boston Herald Website Labels Dunkin' Donuts Update A 'Terror Alert'

While it was obviously a mistake on the Boston Herald's part, Mediaite states (tongue-in-cheek, of course), that "At least, we think it's an accident. Either that or we all need to start worrying about jelly filling shrapnel."

Thanks to Grub Street Boston for bringing this to our attention.

Super Hunger Brunch Coming to Boston, January 28-29, 2012

2012-01-05T09:41:00.004-05:00

A fundraising event that benefits the largest hunger-relief organization in New England is coming to the Boston area later this month, and a number of area restaurants will be participating.

An email from Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications indicates that the 30th annual Super Hunger Brunch will be held on the weekend of January 28-29 to support The Greater Boston Food Bank, with diners being able to choose sweet and savory dishes from menus designed specifically for the event. Some of the restaurants that are taking part in the fundraiser include Appetito, Blue Ginger, The Elephant Walk, Garden at the Cellar, jm Curley, Michael's Harborside, Rialto, Tosca, and many others.

Tickets to the Super Hunger Brunch cost $25, $35 and $50 per person, with all proceeds supporting The Greater Boston Food Bank. For more information, please go to the link below:

http://www.gbfb.org/events/super-hunger-brunch.php

Bosphorus Mediterranean Restaurant in Cambridge's Inman Square Has Closed

2012-01-04T12:43:00.006-05:00

It looks like a Mediterranean dining spot in the Inman Square section of Cambridge has closed after being in business for about a year.

According to a post within the Cantabrigia blog of Wicked Local, Bosphorus Mediterranean Restaurant on Cambridge Street is shuttered and apparently "emptied out." A check on their website indicates that it is down, and phone calls placed over the past few days went directly to voicemail (we had heard several days ago that Bosphorus may have indeed closed).

Bosphorus first opened last January, bringing to the Inman Square neighborhood a place to get a variety of Turkish and Mediterranean dishes, including lamb chops, stuffed grape leaves, beef dumplings, shish kebab, and grilled salmon.

The address for this now-closed dining spot in Inman Square was: Bosphorus Mediterranean Restaurant, 1164 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139.

Thanks to a poster on Chowhound for bringing this to our attention.

The Future of Woodward at Ames in Boston Is Uncertain

2012-01-04T09:12:00.008-05:00

An upscale restaurant and bar that is located in a downtown Boston hotel may be on its way out.

According to Adam's Hospitality & Tourism Industry Blog, Woodward at Ames on Court Street might be closing, as a post in the Improper Bostonian's Dish column indicates that a real estate company is marketing a lease for the space. (Adam goes on to say that the hotel denies any closure is getting ready to happen, however.)

Woodward first opened in November of 2009, bringing to downtown Boston a modern-style tavern featuring mostly New American and regional dishes using local ingredients, along with handcrafted cocktails.

The address for Woodward (and the Ames hotel) is 1 Court Street, Boston, MA, 02108. The phone number for the restaurant is (617) 979-8200. And the website is at: http://www.woodwardboston.com/

For more on this story, please go to the Adam's Hospitality & Tourism Industry Blog link below.

Could Woodward at Ames Hotel soon be closing?

[January 5 update: According to Grub Street Boston, it appears that no changes are coming to Woodward in the immediate future. Reps for the restaurant state the following in the article: "We periodically explore ways to enhance our F&B experiences, but no decisions have made been for this property."]

Morton's Steakhouse in Boston's Back Bay May Move into Former Borders Space

2012-01-04T08:41:00.003-05:00

A group of high-end steakhouses with two locations in Boston may be moving its Back Bay restaurant, and it is apparently looking at the site of a now-closed bookstore.

According to The Boston Herald, the Chicago-based Morton's Steakhouse chain is considering moving from 699 Boylston Street to another space in the Back Bay, with the former Borders site at 511 Boylston Street being a possibility. The article mentions that the chain wishes to have a space with outdoor seating, which is impossible at its current Boylston Street home, since is below street level. If they were to take the Borders space, Morton's would probably go into the first-floor corner section of the building as well as most of the second level, according to the Herald.

Morton's has been at its current spot on Boylston Street for nearly a quarter century. Its other Boston location, which is in the Seaport District, first opened in 2008.

For more information on this story, please go to the Boston Herald link below.

Morton's may book ex-Borders' spot

Happy's Bar and Kitchen to Open in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

2012-01-03T17:26:00.007-05:00

In November, we wrote about a rumor going around that a well-known Boston chef may be looking to open some kind of a restaurant or diner somewhere in the Fenway section of the city (see article below). Well, this is no longer a rumor, as Grub Street Boston is now reporting that Michael Schlow is indeed opening a new spot in the Fenway neighborhood (in the former Burton's Grill space on Boylston Street), and it will be called Happy's Bar & Kitchen.

While there aren't too many details on Happy's Bar & Kitchen at this point in time, Grub Street does mention that Schlow (who is known for such restaurants as Tico, Radius, Via Matta, and Alta Strada) is looking at the new eatery being a "modern rock 'n' roll diner" with comfort food, including "cutting-edge American fare."

[January 4 update: A more recent article from Grub Street Boston indicates that Happy's Bar & Kitchen will not be a true diner, but more of a "casual but urban" restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The 175-seat eatery will offer such items as New York bagels with lox and cream cheese, homemade pastrami sandwiches, burgers, "adult milkshakes," and matzoh ball soup, and the place might also have live entertainment.]

Expect an April opening for the restaurant.

The address for this upcoming spot in the Fenway will be: Happy's Bar & Kitchen, 1363 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02215.

Thanks to Eater Boston and food writer MC Slim JB for bringing this story to our attention.

[Earlier article from Boston Restaurant Talk]
The Rumor Mill: Michael Schlow, Ten Tables, Jamie Bissonnette, and More

Highlights for the Week Ending December 30, 2011

2012-01-03T15:14:00.004-05:00

Several more stories and articles centering on the Boston-area restaurant scene were posted over the past week, including a new study on the "drunkest" cities in America, a new burger bar coming to Jamaica Plain, and another winter farmers' market coming to the Boston area. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) had a "wish list" for 2012 as well as new readers' posts from Facebook and Twitter and a photo of beef stew from an Irish pub in Somerville.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Some Other Boston-Area Restaurant Lists for 2011

New Study: Boston Is the Drunkest City in America

Confirmed: GrassFed Burger Bar to Open in Jamaica Plain

Zinga Frozen Yogurt Opens in Boston's Kenmore Square

Wayland Winter Farmers' Market to Start January 7, 2012

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

A Wish List for 2012

Photo: Chocolate-Dipped Ginger from L.A. Burdick in Cambridge, MA

Readers' Restaurant Posts from Facebook and Twitter

Photo: Beef Stew from the Thirsty Scholar Pub in Somerville, MA

Photo: Christmas Tree Gingerbread Cookie from Ginger Betty's in Quincy, MA

A Time to Taste Opens in Boston's Financial District

2012-01-03T14:11:00.003-05:00

A new restaurant has opened in the Financial District of Boston, moving into the space where a location of a sandwich chain used to be.

An email sent to us by one of our readers indicates that A Time to Taste is now open on Devonshire Street, taking over the former Roly Poly spot (Roly Poly closed this past September). A check on the new restaurant's website shows that the place is open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays (hours are 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM), with their menu featuring soups, salads, sandwiches (including panini), cookies, brownies, turnovers, and more.

The address for this new dining spot in the Financial District is: A Time to Taste, 185 Devonshire Street, Boston, MA, 02110. The website for the restaurant can be found at http://www.atimetotaste.com/

Beyond Border Tex Mex and Bueno Y Sano to Open in Acton

2012-01-03T10:22:00.004-05:00

One of Boston's northwest suburbs is getting ready to see the opening of not one, but two Mexican restaurants.

According to the Boxborough Beacon/Wicked Local and Grub Street Boston, the town of Acton will soon be home to both Beyond Border Tex Mex and Bueno Y Sano, with the former being located at Nagog Park near the Littleton border and the latter being at the intersection of Routes 27 and 111, just west of Route 2. The Boxborough Beacon mentions that Beyond Border Tex Mex, which is taking over the space where Daniela's Tacorito had been, will feature Mexican, Tex Mex, and Cajun fare, while Grub Street states that Bueno Y Sano, which also has locations in Amherst, Northampton, Springfield, and Burlington, VT, will focus on a wide variety of burritos and it will also have a salsa bar.

It is not yet known when Beyond Border Tex Mex will open; expect a February opening for Bueno Y Sano.

For more on the upcoming opening of these two new Acton restaurants, please go to the links below.

[Boxborough Beacon/Wicked Local]
Mexican restaurant in Acton gets new name, owner

[Grub Street Boston]
Bueno Y Sano Will Head East in February

Jin's Fine Asian Cuisine and Sushi Bar Opens in Wellesley

2012-01-03T09:59:00.005-05:00

A new Asian restaurant has just opened in Wellesley, moving into the space where another eatery had been.

According to The Swellesley Report, Jin's Fine Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar is now open for business on Washington Street in the Lower Fells section of town (near the Newton border). The new restaurant resides in the spot where Bobby's Grille had been from late 2009 to the end of 2010, when it closed after failing to find an investor or working partner for the place. Based on the online menu from Jin's Fine Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar, it appears that the restaurant focuses mainly on Chinese and Japanese food, with such items as miso soup, kung pao chicken, moo shi, pan-fried sea bass, lo mein, Singapore noodles, and sushi offered.

The address for this new dining spot in Wellesley is: Jin's Fine Asian Cuisine & Sushi Bar, 11 Washington Street, Wellesley Hills, MA, 02481. Their website can be found at http://jinwellesley.com/

Thanks to one of our readers as well as a poster on the Chowhound site for bringing this to our attention.

Finale in Brookline's Coolidge Corner Has Closed

2012-01-03T09:04:00.004-05:00

An upscale dessert spot and bakery with three locations in the Boston area is now down to two, as its Brookline location has closed.

According to the Brookline TAB and Wicked Local, Finale on Beacon Street shuttered after business hours on New Year's Eve, though its locations in Boston's Park Plaza and Cambridge's Harvard Square will remain open. The company has not given an official reason for the closing of the Brookline location of Finale, though one employee was quoted in the article as saying "It didn't end up being the right property for us."

Finale features an array of baked goods, pastries, and cafe items, including pies, cakes, tarts, cupcakes, cookies, soups, salads, and sandwiches.

The address for this now-closed spot in Coolidge Corner was: Finale, 1306 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA, 02446. The website for the remaining two locations can be found at http://www.finaledesserts.com/

For more on this story, please go to the Brookline TAB/Wicked local link below.

Finale in Brookline is closing

Seven Offbeat Food and Restaurant Stories from 2011

2011-12-30T16:13:00.006-05:00

With the end of 2011 approaching, a number of end-of-year lists are making the rounds, including a few from this blog and our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants). Most of the lists that we have created are pretty straightforward, including best restaurants, best dishes, etc., but we would like to end with one final list that focuses on the odd and the unusual. So without further ado, here is a recap of some of the strangest food and restaurant stories of 2011:

1) 400-Pound Crucolo Cheese to Make Its Way Through Concord
Yes, the town of Concord celebrated the arrival of a huge piece of cheese to its community in December, complete with a parade through the business district. The cheese finished its journey through town at--where else?--a cheese shop.

2) Thelonious Monkfish Opens in Cambridge
There's nothing strange about this new Asian fusion restaurant in Central Square, that is, except for its name, which plays upon the name of a famous jazz pianist (and a delicious seafood item). The restaurant opened in February.

3) New Study: Boston Is the Drunkest City in America
Perhaps not such a surprise to those who happen to be walking around Allston or Faneuil Hall at 2:00 in the morning, this recent study from The Daily Beast is nonetheless a bit of an eye opener, considering how our fair city beat out such big drinking places as Milwaukee and New Orleans. But as a few people have said over the past day or so, we're #1 (for better or worse).

4) Ninety Nine Restaurant in Billerica Creates 3,999-Pound Plate of Nachos
Back to enormous portions of food for a moment--yes, the Ninety Nine actually put out a plate of nachos that weighed two tons earlier this fall, and some of the figures were staggering (825 pounds of Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, 199 pounds of jalapeno peppers, 8 pounds of chopped cilantro, etc.). The creation of this monstrous dish was for a good cause, helping to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

5) British Pub Batters The Black Rose's Record for Largest Serving of Fish and Chips
Sticking to this topic for just a big longer, The Black Rose in downtown Boston was sad to see its fish and chips record go down the tubes, as a pub in North Yorkshire) created a plate of fish and chips that came in at just over 100 pounds (smashing the Black Rose's old record of 78 pounds). One mouthwatering(?) fact about the British dish--the piece of halibut was dipped in more than four gallons of batter.

6) Ben and Jerry's Produces Schweddy Balls Ice Cream
Perhaps not the most appealing name for a dessert treat, Ben and Jerry's newest ice cream flavor nevertheless did very well when it was first released, that is, when it could be found. Turns out that some markets decided not to carry the flavor apparently because of its name, which stems from a famous 1998 Saturday Night Live skit.

7) 12 Years Later, a Back Bay Restaurant Remains Unopened
It can indeed take a long time to open a restaurant, but 12 years? That seems almost Big Dig-like, and some people (including at least one politician) are apparently getting tired of the whole thing. So will Saratoga restaurant ever open in the Back Bay? We will just have to (continue to) wait and see.

J.J. Mulligan's in Braintree Is Closing; Southside Tavern in Quincy to Take Over Space

2011-12-30T09:25:00.005-05:00

A restaurant and bar in South Braintree Square is getting ready to close its doors, and a watering hole in neighboring Quincy is planning to open a new place in the spot.

An email sent to us by one of our readers indicates that J.J. Mulligan's on Washington Street is shutting down over the coming days, with a possible closing at the end of business hours on New Year's Eve. A recent Braintree Board of License Commissioners page confirms that Mulligan's is closing, and that (as our emailer states) the folks behind the Southside Tavern on Liberty Street in South Quincy are looking to take over the spot, though it is not known what the name of the new place will be at this point in time. (Southside Tavern is petitioning for a transfer of Mulligan's common victualler, alcohol, and entertainment licenses.)

[January 17, 2012 update: Based on a "Coming Soon" sign in front of the space, the new restaurant and bar from the Southside Tavern folks that is moving into the former J.J. Mulligan's spot in Braintree will also be called the Southside Tavern.]

The address for the soon-to-close J.J. Mulligan's (and upcoming restaurant and bar from the Southside Tavern people) is 941 Washington Street, Braintree, MA, 02184.

The PDF file of the Braintree Board of License Commissioners page can be found at the link below:

http://braintreema.gov/townclerk/documents/BdofLicCommCorrectedDec272011_000.pdf

Some Other Boston-Area Restaurant Lists for 2011

2011-12-29T12:16:00.006-05:00

Earlier this month, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) came out with its Best Hidden Restaurants in the Boston Area for 2011 list. And it is just one of a number of restaurant/food lists to be published, with others coming from area food writers, newspapers, magazines, and websites. Some of the lists that we find particularly interesting are below:

The 2011 Devil's Dining Awards
Once again, Boston-based food writer and restaurant critic MC Slim JB has put out an entertaining and informative article that contains such quirky categories as "Annoying Industry PR Buzzphrase of the Year," "Charles Bukowski Award for Entertaining Literary Drunkenness," and "Manny Pacquiao Award for Disputable Championship." As always, MC's list is a nice alternative to the more traditional end-of-year lists and is a great read for those who love satire.

11 favorite dishes of 2011: the year's best in Boston and beyond
Boston Globe food writer Devra First has created a terrific list here that includes dishes from both popular and lesser-known spots in the area. Included are the clam chowder from the Island Creek Oyster Bar in Boston's Kenmore Square, the beef tournedos from Catalyst in Cambridge's Kendall Square, the gnocchi from 80 Thoreau in Concord, and much more.

Year In Eater: Eater Boston
The wonderful Eater site expanded into Boston this year, and the Boston section recently put out a series of end-of-year articles based on surveys of friends, people in the restaurant industry, bloggers, and more. Categories here include Surprises, 2011 in One Word, Best Neighborhood, Top Newcomers, and Best Standbys, with such folks as Devra First, MC Slim JB, Tom O'Keefe (BostonTweet), Penny and Ed Cherubino (BostonZest), and yours truly being surveyed.

The Passionate Foodie -- 2011: Favorite Restaurants
Known in part for his extensive knowledge of wine and sake, The Passionate Foodie is also a food writer and restaurant reviewer. And for 2011, he has picked some favorite dining spots in the Boston area and beyond, including favorite overall restaurant, favorite suburban restaurant, favorite pizza chain, favorite underappreciated restaurant, favorite donuts, and favorite fried seafood.

Celebrating 2011 in dining, all over the place
Robert Nadeau of the Boston Phoenix has written an end-of-year article that perhaps rivals MC Slim JB's in the quirkiness category. Here you will find his more straightforward picks for best restaurants of 2011 as well as best specific dishes, but you will also find such offbeat categories as "Best Cliche Restaurant," "Major Weird, but Worth It," "Meandering Path to Glory," and "(Buzz-) Killer App."

Best of Boston 2011: Restaurants and Food
One of the area's most well-known "Best Of" lists, Boston Magazine's series of articles on best restaurants and food seems to cover it all. Here you will find everything from "Best Deli" to "Best Cheese Shop" to "Best New Restaurant" to "Best Tasting Menu" to "Best Cookie" and so much more.

Boston's 11 Hottest New Restaurants of 2011
The blog section of Zagat has included photos and descriptions of a handful of hot new restaurants in the Boston area for this year. Included are such places as Sweet Cheeks in Boston's Fenway neighborhood, Storyville in the Back Bay, Trade on the waterfront, Wahlburgers in Hingham, and Area Four in Kendall Square.

If you have any other favorite "Best of 2011" lists for restaurants and food in the Boston area, please post links to them in the comments section below. Have a Happy New Year!

New Study: Boston Is the Drunkest City in America

2011-12-29T11:21:00.009-05:00

The Daily Beast has just come out with their list of America's drunkest cities, and guess which city sits at the very top of the list?

According to The Daily Beast's second annual poll, Boston came in at number 1 out of 25 cities mentioned, with 15.5 drinks consumed each month by the average Bostonian, 7.4 percent of all folks in the city being classified as heavy drinkers, and 20.1 percent being seen as binge drinkers. The data for the survey comes from the market-research firm Experian Simmons, which looked at drinking habits of people in more than 200 cities across the United States, as well as information from the Centers for Disease Control.

Other New England cities on the Daily Beast list include Springfield, MA, which came in at number 2, Burlington, VT (number 11), and Providence, RI (number 21).

For a complete list of cities on the list, please go to The Daily Beast link below:

America's Drunkest Cities of 2011, From Las Vegas to Boston

Thanks to The Boston Globe and Grub Street Boston for bringing this to our attention.

A Few of the Biggest Stories of 2011

2011-12-28T12:26:00.006-05:00

We are only a few days away from the end of 2011, and looking back, there were certainly a number of big stories centering on the Boston-area restaurant scene. A few of the most popular stories can be found below, in no particular order:

1) The Otherside Cafe's Roller Coaster Ride
In November, it was reported that The Otherside Cafe in Boston's Back Bay would likely be closing to make way for a furniture chain. Well, the deal apparently fell through, so the eatery appears to be safe in its present home once again.
Links:
Update: The Otherside Cafe in Boston's Back Bay Is NOT Closing
The Back Bay's Otherside Cafe and Island Hopper to be Replaced by Room and Board

2) Wegmans Comes to Massachusetts
For a long time, it seemed like this highly-regarded supermarket chain based in Upstate New York would never expand to Massachusetts, but then came the announcement that it would be opening in Northborough. And then another announcement about one coming to Burlington. And then another about it coming to Chestnut Hill. And Westwood? Well, that is still a great big unknown.
Links:
Wegmans Market Planning to Open in Burlington
Wegmans Market to Open in Newton's Chestnut Hill Square
Wegmans Market Is Opening in Northborough

3) Kelly's Roast Beef Closes One of Its Locations
To many, the ever-popular Kelly's Roast Beef would not seem the type of place to close one of its restaurants, but it indeed shuttered its Allston location in December, after only a year and a half in business. (The Allston shop apparently did not meet the sales needed to keep the restaurant going.)
Links:
Kelly's Roast Beef in Allston Is Closing

4) Farewell, Gargoyles
Speaking of closings, Gargoyles on the Square in Somerville, which was one of the most well-known restaurants in the entire Boston-area, shut down this fall after being in business for about 15 years, shocking many who frequented this New American spot in Davis Square. The catering side of Gargoyles is still in operation, but the dining spot is gone, to be replaced by a Mexican restaurant.
Links:
Gargoyles on the Square in Somerville Is Closing

5) Farewell, Rocca
Perhaps as big a deal as the closing of Gargoyles, an upscale South End restaurant called Rocca also shut down, with their closing happening at the beginning of the year. Tiffani Faison of Rocca has since moved on, opening a new spot called Sweet Cheeks in the Fenway section of the city.
Links:
Rocca in Boston's South End Has Closed

6) Here Come the Food Trucks!
The food truck trend really exploded in the Boston area over the past year, with the city of Boston setting up 15 new permanent sites over the summer for trucks in several neighborhoods. There was something for everyone among the food trucks, including grilled cheese, BBQ, coffee, seafood, vegetarian dishes, and more.
Links:
Food Truck Sites in Boston

7) Celebrity Burgers
A new burger restaurant opened on the South Shore this fall, with chef and restaurateur Paul Wahlberg (Bridgeman's, Alma Nove) behind the Hingham spot. But it also turns out that the two more "famous" Wahlberg brothers (Mark and Donnie) were behind Wahlburgers as well, making this a true family affair.
Links:
Paul, Mark, and Donnie Wahlberg Are Opening Wahlburgers in Hingham

8) Is it Curtains for Anthony's Pier 4?
The last big story to be mentioned here is a rather sad one, especially for those who tend to be sentimental about old-school Boston restaurants. Yes, Anthony's Pier 4 is losing its waterfront home after nearly 50 years in business, as a housing and retail complex will be built on the site. There has been talk of Anthony's moving to a new location nearby, but nothing has been confirmed, and it honestly doesn't look good at this point.
Links:
Anthony's Pier 4 in Boston to Close; May Reopen in New Spot

Confirmed: Grass Fed Burger Bar to Open in Jamaica Plain

2011-12-28T09:24:00.005-05:00

Last month we mentioned a rumor about a burger bar possibly coming to Jamaica Plain, and now this has been confirmed, as the owner of another JP restaurant will be opening a place called Grass Fed.

According to Eater Boston, a post on the Ten Tables Twitter page states that Grass Fed will be moving into the former Bon Savor space on Centre Street (in the same block as Ten Tables), with an expected opening date of February 1. This rumor started back in late November during a Boston Globe food chat, as it was mentioned that Krista Kranyak--the owner of Ten Tables--was planning to open a burger bar within the Bon Savor space (Bon Savor closed its doors a couple of weeks after the chat).

This will be the fourth restaurant opened by Krista Kranyak, who has two other locations of Ten Tables in Cambridge and Provincetown.

[January 4, 2012 update: A bit more information on Grass Fed--according to their Facebook page, the restaurant will be featuring grass-fed beef burgers ground fresh daily as well as salads, sandwiches, fish burgers, and veggie burgers.]

The address for this upcoming burger bar in Jamaica Plain will be: Grass Fed, 605 Centre Street, Boston, MA, 02130.

[Earlier articles on this:]
Bon Savor in Jamaica Plain Has Closed
The Rumor Mill: Michael Schlow, Ten Tables, Jamie Bissonnette, and More

Pho 29 Replaces Viet Grill in Canton

2011-12-27T14:21:00.003-05:00

A Vietnamese restaurant has opened in one of Boston's southern suburbs, and the eatery has moved into the space where another Vietnamese dining spot had been.

According to a poster on Chowhound, Pho 29 is now open on Washington Street in Canton, taking over the former Viet Grill spot. The poster mentions that the owner of the Viet Grill, which closed over the summer, is helping out the owner of Pho 29, and that the spot has been renovated to give it more space and a brighter overall feel.

Currently, there does not appear to be a website for Pho 29, and no menu can be found for the place online.

The address for this new Vietnamese restaurant in Canton is: Pho 29, 645 Washington Street, Canton, MA, 02021.

Zinga Frozen Yogurt Opens in Boston's Kenmore Square

2011-12-27T12:37:00.003-05:00

A new frozen yogurt place has just opened within the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston's Kenmore Square neighborhood.

According to Adam's Hospitality and Tourism Industry Blog, Zinga opens today, making this the first location of the frozen yogurt franchise group, which is based in Fairfax, VA. A check on the Zinga Facebook page mentions that the new spot opened at noon, with "opening day" flavors including Dreamy Dark Chocolate, Olde Fashion Candy Cane, Pacific Coast Tart, Pomegranate Energy, Strawberry, Cookies & Cream, Birthday Cake, Red Velvet Cake, Cafe au Lait, Dulce de Leche, Vanilla Bean, and Valencia Orange Sorbet.

The address for this new frozen yogurt spot in Kenmore Square is: Zinga, 508 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115. The phone number is (857) 263-8496. And their website can be found at http://www.zingafroyo.com (Their Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/ZingaKenmoreSquareBoston)

Wayland Winter Farmers' Market to Start January 7, 2012

2011-12-27T10:49:00.003-05:00

Another winter farmers' market is on the way to the Boston area, with this one being in a western suburb of the city.

According to the Russell's Garden Center website, the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market will be open at the center (which is on Route 20) starting on Saturday, January 7, 2012, and will be open every Saturday until March 10. The indoor market will include such items as cheese, cornmeal, eggs, greens, herbs, honey, maple products, meat, mushrooms, root vegetables, and yarn. In addition, the farmers' market will also feature items from specialty food vendors (pasta, jams, gelato, hummus, coffee, baked goods, etc.) Seating will be available within the Russell's Garden Center's greenhouse.

The Wayland Winter Farmers' Market will be open from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM each Saturday.

For more information, please go to the Russell's Garden Center link below:

http://www.russellsgardencenter.com/wayland_winter_mkt.html

Copacabana to Replace Garden of Eat-In Pizzeria in North Cambridge

2011-12-27T09:29:00.005-05:00

A new Latin American restaurant is opening in North Cambridge, and it will be replacing a pizzeria that opened earlier this year.

Based on information from a City of Cambridge License Commission General Hearing and a poster on Yelp, Copacabana is planning to open in the space where Garden of Eat-In Pizzeria has been since this past winter. The City of Cambridge page mentions that the 20-seat Copacabana will be looking to serve food and non-alcoholic beverages, and it plans to be open daily for lunch and dinner, while the Yelp poster mentions that the new spot will be a Brazilian eatery.

Garden of Eat-In Pizzeria, which replaced the Good Food Cafe, has featured Italian food, pizzas, and sandwiches during the several months of its existence.

[January 4, 2012 update: Copacabana is now open.]

The address for the new Copacabana in North Cambridge is: Copacabana, 2378 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02140.

Bright Horizons to Move into Former Marino's Space in North Cambridge

2011-12-26T21:56:00.005-05:00

Five years ago, a popular Italian dining spot in North Cambridge shut its doors for good, and the building has remained empty ever since. Now it appears that a new business will be opening up in the space--but it won't be a restaurant.

A sign posted on the storefront of the former Marino's spot on Mass. Ave. indicates that the Watertown-based child-care provider Bright Horizons will be moving into the space, with a planned opening sometime in the spring of 2012. Marino's closed down at the beginning of 2007 after being in business for more than 15 years, with the 7,000-foot space being looked at by various businesses (including Bourbon Coffee, which has since opened in Porter Square), but remaining vacant to this day. The restaurant featured a mix of Northern Italian and Southern Italian cuisine in an upscale but casual setting.

The address for the former Marino's space is 2465 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02140.

Highlights for the Week Ending December 23, 2011

2011-12-26T10:07:00.003-05:00

A few more stories centering on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including a local restaurant chain helping members of the armed forces, a lounge and club closing in the Fort Point section of Boston, and a Back Bay restaurant getting a second life. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) had a featured review of a bar pizza spot south of Boston as well as a slideshow of restaurants in scenic areas and a photo of Irish bread from a breakfast spot just south of the city.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Our Articles Can Now Be Shared on LinkedIn

Uno to Deliver 10,000 pizzas to U.S. Troops

Blue Wave in Boston's Fort Point Channel Neighborhood to Close

Sara Ross of Kickass Cupcakes Joins the Boston Herald Blog Team

Update: The Otherside Cafe in Boston's Back Bay Is NOT Closing

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Featured Review: Spencer's Pizza in Abington, MA

Slideshow: Ten New England Restaurants in Scenic Locations

Photo: Christmas Gingerbread Person from Ginger Betty's in Quincy, MA

Updated Review: Thirsty Scholar Pub, Somerville, MA

Photo: Soda Bread from McKay's in Quincy, MA

Moo Shu Jew Is Coming to Hei La Moon in Boston's Chinatown December 24, 2011

2011-12-23T15:35:00.004-05:00

A restaurant in Chinatown that is known for its dim sum is going to be the site of an unusual food and comedy event this weekend.

According to The Boston Globe and Eater Boston, Moo Shu Jew will be held at Hei La Moon on Beach Street in Chinatown tomorrow (Saturday, December 24) from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with the event featuring a five-course Chinese dinner along with entertainment from several comedians doing stand-up routines. Cory Kahaney of Last Comic Standing will be taking part in Moo Shu Jew, as will Jim David of Comedy Central, Ross Bennett of Blue Collar Comedy, and Ophira Eisenberg of the non-profit storytelling group The Moth.

Tickets to Moo Shu Jew cost $65 in advance or $70 at the door ($40 for "young adults" under 39) and can be purchased at the event website: http://www.newcenterboston.org/index.php/programs/current_upcoming/category/performance/moo_shu_jew

For more information on this event, please go to the Boston Globe and Eater Boston links below.

[Boston Globe]
Moo Shu Jew

[Eater Boston]
Moo Shu Jew; New Wine Regulations

Video: A Bacon Christmas Tree

2011-12-23T10:58:00.005-05:00

Just in time for the holidays, the folks behind the Epic Meal Time website have come up with a Christmas tree made out of...bacon.

The tree, which can be seen in the video below, is made up of more than 2,000 strips of bacon, along with chicken nuggets (as strings of "lights," or perhaps tinsel) and cheeseburger ornaments. The total calorie count (if eaten) is well over 200,000, with more than 40,000 grams of fat.

Here is the video (thanks to Foodbeast for bringing this to our attention, by the way):

Our Articles Can Now Be Shared on LinkedIn

2011-12-23T10:17:00.004-05:00

To help make it easier to share our blog articles with others, we started adding both a Twitter "Share" button and a Facebook "Like" button to the bottom of each post awhile back. And now there is a new way to share stories with your friends, namely via a LinkedIn button.

If you look at the bottom of this page (as well as pages from earlier this week), you will notice the new "Share" button (labeled "in share") to the right of the Twitter and Facebook buttons. For those of you who are members of LinkedIn, click the button and when the popup window comes up, add a comment about the article, then click "Share." The article will then be posted on your LinkedIn page.

Thanks to all of you who have shared our articles with your friends via Twitter and Facebook, and also a big thanks to those of you who start sharing on LinkedIn as well. And if you would like to join us on Twitter or Facebook, please follow the links below.

To follow us on Twitter, please go to this link:

Twitter Page for Hiddenboston

And to become a Facebook fan of Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants, please go to this link:

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