Monday, July 30, 2007

Yet Another Review: Kashish in Belmont

photo of Kashish, Belmont, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site is Kashish, an Indian restaurant in Belmont Center. Kasish is an attractive, serene little dining spot that has excellent Indian food, lots of parking in the back, and doesn't get the crowds that Punjab in Arlington and a few other Indian restaurants nearby tend to get.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Tango in Arlington Expanding, Renovating; Will Re-Open Soon

Tango, an Argentinian restaurant in Arlington Center, is in the midst of renovations, including an expansion that should add much needed space to this small dining spot on Mass. Ave. As of late July, Tango remains closed while these renovations are taking place, but should be re-opening soon.

For those who have not yet been to Tango, the restaurant features a number of beef, chicken, and seafood dishes, with perhaps the wonderful steak dishes being its top draw.

More information should be coming soon on Tango's re-opening, so keep checking back over the coming days...

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Copia in Charlestown Closes Its Doors For Good Over the Weekend

Copia, a Mediterranean restaurant in City Square, Charlestown, closed its doors on Sunday, July 22, according to their Web site. This upscale restaurant, which replaced Meze Estiatorio last fall, was a decent dining spot in a bad location; it was nearly invisible from the road, and it was at a major (and sometimes hectic) intersection that often kept drivers from looking at anything but the traffic lights and the cars around them.

It is not known what will be going into the spot vacated by Copia. If anyone has any information, please post a message here. Thanks very much.

Monday, July 23, 2007

One More New Review: T. Anthonys Pizzeria, Boston

photo of T. Anthony's, Boston, MAOne more new restaurant review is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site today. T. Anthony's Pizzeria is a pizza place near Boston University that is wildly popular with BU students, though not so well-known among the rest of the Boston-area population. T. Anthony's specializes in thin-crust pizza with a slightly chewy crust and delicious sauce and cheese, with an overall taste that is a bit similar to pizza commonly found in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs.

The Dining Car Chocorua: An Unusual Dining Experience in North Conway

photo of Dining Car Chocorua, North Conway, NHWe spent some time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire over the past few days, including North Conway, Jackson, and other towns in the eastern section of the White Mountains. While in North Conway, we had lunch in one of the cars on the Conway Scenic Railroad. The Dining Car "Chocorua" is an interesting experience; you sit in an attractive, historic passenger car, looking out over the scenery of the Mount Washington Valley while enjoying tasty food that is supplied by the Crawford Restaurant.

The train goes about 20 miles from North Conway to Bartlett and back, and takes just under 2 hours total. The Conway Scenic Railroad also has both shorter and longer trips (including one through Crawford Notch, which is one of the most beautiful parts of New England), but if you want to combine a pleasant dining experience with an historic train ride, the Dining Car "Chocorua" is the way to go.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Wagamama Coming to Harvard Square, Cambridge

Wagamama, a chain of Japanese noodle houses, will be coming to 57 JFK Street in Harvard Square by mid-August, according to the restaurant chain's Web site.

Wagamama has expanded throughout the world over the past few years, now operating nearly 80 restaurants, including one that recently opened in Boston's Faneuil Hall. Their restaurants are modeled after traditional Japanese ramen bars and include such items as ramen, chilli men, kare noodle, and teppan.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Latest Review: Sadie's in Waltham, MA

photo of Sadie's, Waltham, MAThe latest review that is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site is Sadie's, a restaurant and bar just off of Moody Street in Waltham. Sadie's has mostly pub grub, with its specialty being the steak tips (they actually rival some of the best tips in the Boston area). Sadie's is a no-frills type place that has little atmosphere, but for those who love steak tips, this is a restaurant well worth going to.

IHOP to Buy Applebee's for More Than $2 Billion

The pancake chain IHOP made it official on Sunday; it is purchasing Applebee's, a chain of family-style restaurants.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal has been made official, with IHOP buying Applebee's for $2.2 billion. This deal will create a huge chain of well over 3,000 restaurants.

It is unknown at the time whether this move will cause some IHOP and/or Applebee's locations to close. It is possible that this will happen, as family-style restaurant chains have been doing poorly of late, with some Applebee's (including ones in Newton and Braintree) shutting down recently.

More information can be found at the Wall Street Journal Web site. Below is a link to the story:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118457058237667410.html

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Four-Alarm Fire at Sal's Restaurant in Waltham This Morning

Sal's, a restaurant on Main Street in Waltham, was destroyed by a four-alarm fire this morning. According to WBZ Boston, part of the building collapsed as firefighters went in, though fortunately they are all right.

Sal's is a local institution that has been around for more than 40 years. Hopefully the owners will try to rebuild the business. If there are any updates over the coming days about Sal's, I'll try to post them as soon as possible...

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Salvatore's Is Now Open in the Seaport District of Boston

The folks who have brought Sal's Pizza to a number of cities and towns around the Boston area have just opened a new restaurant, this one called Salvatore's on Northern Avenue in the Seaport District of Boston.

The menu at Salvatore's appears to be more extensive than those at the Sal's Pizza locations, with a number of pasta, chicken, veal, and seafood dishes, as well as gourmet, signature, and specialty pizzas.

It also looks as though Sal's Pizza in Lawrence is now called Salvatore's, too, although it is not yet known what changes there will be to their existing menu.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Revere Beach Restaurants: Are Any Closing?

As the newspapers and radio stations have reported, Revere Beach is undergoing major renovations this summer, with sidewalks being added and head-in parking being taken away. While these are potentially beneficial changes to the area, they also seem to be hurting at least a few of the businesses on the beach this summer. I had heard a rumor about one restaurant on Revere Beach possibly closing (no names, though it isn't Kelly's). If anyone has heard anything else about restaurants hurting for business and/or potentially closing, please drop me a line here. Thanks!

Monday, July 09, 2007

Latest Review: Louie's Seafood in Raynham

photo of Louie's Seafood, Raynham, MAOur latest featured restaurant on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site is Louie's Seafood, which is on Route 138 in Raynham, MA. Louie's Seafood is an old-fashioned seafood joint with all kinds of fresh seafood and a shaded porch in the front for those hot summer days that seem to suddenly be upon us once again.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Mrs. Jones in Lower Mills, Dorchester, Is Now Open

Thanks to C. Hamster and Chowhound for getting the word out that Mrs. Jones in the Lower Mills section of Dorchester is now open. It sounds like the menu features BBQ and Southern-style cuisine, including ribs, pulled pork, chicken wings, and macaroni and cheese.

Lower Mills is one of the most charming neighborhoods in Boston, but it has never really had an "anchor" (that is, a destination-type business). With the opening of this restaurant, however, there is that much more reason to go to this quiet section of Dorchester.

I hope to get to Mrs. Jones over the coming weeks, and will report back once I do.

A Few Favorite Restaurants, According to Our Viewers

Boston's Hidden Restaurants has a section where folks can tell about their favorite restaurants in Boston, New England, and beyond. And many of these reviews are particularly interesting. Here are a few samples from this section:

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The Oyster Cabin in Uxbridge, MA sounds like a cozy, romantic restaurant. According to our reader's review, they feature New American cuisine with a bit of a twist.

The Starry Night Cafe in Ferrisburg, VT features food from local farms and has art from Vermont artists on the walls. The reviewer says that the calamari is excellent.

The Sippican Cafe in Marion, MA made quite an impression on one of our viewers. The review of the Sippican Cafe that is posted on our site is a very entertaining read!

Aspirations Cafe in Hollis, NH sounds like a terrific place to grab a breakfast or lunch while visiting this beautiful part of New Hampshire that is just over the Massachusetts border. It sounds like much of the food is of the comfort variety, including macaroni and cheese as well as beef stew.

Belle's Bistro in Westford, MA sounds like a very nice upscale restaurant that is small but attractive inside. The reviewer recommends the seared scallops, which are worth the slightly high price.

Kagawa Sushi Bar and Restaurant in Quincy, MA looks to be a great place to order sushi as well as traditional Japanese entrees. Our reader says that they have an extensive wine, beer, and sake list.

The Causeway in Gloucester, MA is a local hangout that features fresh seafood, as well as Italian and American entrees. Our reviewer gives the impression that it is a place where Gloucester townies go, so it may be a restaurant favored by local fishermen in the area.

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There are plenty of other reviews from our readers in this section of Boston's Hidden Restaurants, so if you're looking for some hidden gems that we haven't featured, this might be a good place to look!

Boston Restaurant Forum Is Back Up!

Well, that was quick! The Boston Restaurant Forum within the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site is up and running once again. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Boston Restaurant Forum Is Down

Just a quick note that the Boston Restaurant Forum within the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site is temporarily down. We hope to have it back up within the next 24 hours. Thanks for your patience!

Sunday, July 01, 2007

One More New Review: Lawton's in Lawrence, MA

photo of Lawton's, Lawrence, MAAnother new review is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site. Lawton's is a tiny hot dog stand on the banks of a canal in Lawrence's historic district. The hot dogs at Lawton's are deep-fried, making them more or less qualify as rippers (though they don't always rip apart in the oil) and the dogs are simply delicious, possibly one of the best hot dogs in New England.