Monday, April 28, 2008

Craigie Street Bistrot Is Moving

The Craigie Street Bistrot, a popular high-end restaurant located midway between Harvard Square and Huron Village in Cambridge, will apparently be moving out of its present location at some point in the near future.

According to the Boston Restaurant Group, the space currently occupied by the Craigie Street Bistrot is up for sale, noting that the restaurant is moving and that the name is "not included" in the sale price.

No other details have been given at this point, and it is unknown as to where the Craigie Street Bistrot will be moving to. More details will hopefully be forthcoming...

UPDATE, 5/6/08: The Craigie Street Bistrot will be moving to Main Street just outside of Central Square in Cambridge where La Groceria currently resides. The move will probably take place this fall. For more information, go to the Craigie Street Bistrot blog.

Our Latest Road Trip: The North Shore and Cape Ann

Boston's Hidden Restaurants occasionally does a food-based road trip to try to find some interesting roadside food joints, classic diners, local watering holes, and hot dog and hamburger stands that dot the New England countryside. The latest road trip was a drive up to the North Shore and Cape Ann (north of Boston) on Patriot's Day weekend. And while this part of Massachusetts is mostly known for its excellent seafood restaurants and clam shacks, the trip that we did was all about hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and roast beef.

To read about this road trip, please go to the link below:

Food Trip to the North Shore and Cape Ann

If you have any suggestions for food-based road trips in New England, please post a comment here or contact us at Boston's Hidden Restaurants. Thanks!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Latest Review: Haddad's Ocean Cafe, Marshfield

photo of Haddad's Ocean Cafe, Marshfield, MAThe latest review that is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a seafood restaurant in the Brant Rock section of Marshfield called Haddad's Ocean Cafe. Located in the heart of Brant Rock, an historic old fishing village less than an hour south of Boston, Haddad's is a classic New England seafood restaurant that attracts a local following, including a good number of fisherman in the area. The menu leans a bit more toward shellfish than other types of fish, and there are also items on the menu for folks who don't like seafood. To read more about Haddad's Ocean Cafe in Marshfield, please click on the link above.

Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer 2008 Kickoff at Finale, May 1

The kickoff for the ninth annual Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer is coming to Finale at One Columbus Avenue in Boston. It will be held on Thursday, May 1 between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, with tickets costing $45. Included will be hors d'oeuvres, a dessert buffet, and wine.

For more information on this event, please go to this link:

http://www.finaledesserts.com/events.php

Friday, April 18, 2008

Shanghai and Tokyo in Arlington Is Closed for the Rest of April

Just a quick note to diners that Shanghai and Tokyo on Mass Avenue in Arlington Center will be closed for the next couple of weeks (most likely they are on vacation).

Shanghai and Tokyo, which is located across the street from the main branch of the Arlington library, opened in November 2007, taking over part of the same building that houses Quiznos. Their menu is a mix of Chinese-American food, traditional Chinese dishes, and Japanese food, including maki, sushi, and dinner entrees. Two other Boston-area restaurants are under the same ownership--one in Natick and one in Framingham.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Latest Review: Reef Cafe, Allston

photo of Reef Cafe, Allston, MAThe latest review that is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for Reef Cafe, a Lebanese restaurant near the intersection of Brighton and Harvard avenues. Reef Cafe is a tiny dining spot with counter service that has a varied Middle Eastern menu, with an emphasis on Lebanese cuisine. Prices are cheap, the people who run it are friendly, and the food is freshly made and delicious. To read more about Reef Cafe in Allston, please click on the link above.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Some More New Restaurant Openings: March and April, 2008

Several new restaurants have opened over the past few weeks, including an upscale restaurant in Swampscott, two Japanese restaurants (one in Dorchester and one in Arlington), and an Italian restaurant in a former prison in Boston.

G Bar and Kitchen is a New American restaurant that recently opened in Swampscott. The menu looks varied and interesting, and the atmosphere looks classy and sophisticated. Address: G Bar and Kitchen, 256 Humphrey Street, Swampscott, MA 01907. Phone: (781) 596-2228.

Kayuga II is a Japanese restaurant that took over the Asiana Grille in Arlington Center. For those of you who feel that the name of this restaurant is familiar, it is probably because there is another Kayuga on Commonwealth Avenue in Brookline. Address: Kayuga II, 444 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02474. Phone: (781) 648-7878.

Osaka Shabu is another new Japanese restaurant, this one in the Fields Corner section of Dorchester. It is a small place that is located near two of Boston's best Vietnamese restaurants: Pho So 1 Boston and Pho 2000. Address: Osaka Shabu, 203 Adams Street, Dorchester, MA 02122. Phone: (617) 288-8889.

Scampo is a new restuarant within Boston's Liberty Hotel (Clink is also located here). This luxury hotel used to be the Charles Street Jail and has been renovated extensively, making for a unique dining and lodging experience. Address: Scampo (Liberty Hotel), 215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114. Phone: (617) 224-4000.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Welcome, 2008 Boston Marathon Runners

The 2008 Boston Marathon is only a few days away, and runners are just beginning to trickle into Boston to get ready for the big day. For many runners, this is probably their first or second time in Boston, so they might not be familiar with our city. For those runners who would like to learn more about Boston, the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site has a Boston Visitor Information Page that may be of help. The page has information on several Boston neighborhoods, as well as a few interesting cities and towns near Boston. Included are things to see and do as well as a few links to restaurants in some of the areas listed.

Also, for those who might want a specific type of food while in Boston for the marathon, below is a quick "cheat sheet," mostly based on restaurant reviews on our site (with a few additions), that might be useful:

PIZZA:
Santarpio's, East Boston
Pizzeria Regina, Boston (North End)
Galleria Umberto, Boston (North End)

SEAFOOD:
Moulton's, Medford
Tony's Clam Shop, Quincy
Morse Fish, Boston (South End)

BURGERS:
O'Sullivan's, Somerville
Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, Cambridge (Harvard Square)
UBurger, Boston (Kenmore Square)

PASTA:
Blackjack Pasta Bar, Boston (Fenway)
Pasta Market, Malden
L'Osteria, Boston (North End)

Good luck to all who run in the Boston Marathon this year, and let's all hope that the weather can be exactly like it is today!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Latest Review: Paddy's, West Newton, MA

photo of Paddy's, West Newton, MAThe latest review that is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for an Irish pub in West Newton called Paddy's. Located on a side street about a block from the center of West Newton, Paddy's (also known as Paddy O's Pub) is a family-friendly dining spot and watering hole with very good pub grub and comfort food, as well as a few more substantial entrees. To read more about Paddy's in West Newton, please click on the link above.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Reminder: Join Our Email Newsletter List

Just a reminder that Boston's Hidden Restaurants, the site to which this blog is affiliated, has a newsletter that gives readers information on new restaurant reviews, special dining features, and a variety of other items. The newsletter comes out quarterly, with the Spring 2008 issue coming out a few weeks ago.

If you want to be on our email newsletter list, please email us and we'll add you to the list. Thank you very much!

Friday, April 04, 2008

Lynn Restaurant Severely Damaged by Fire

A two-alarm fire broke out early this morning at Superior Roast Beef and Seafood, a dining spot near Sluice Pond and the Lynn Woods in Lynn.

The fire at Superior Roast Beef and Seafood shut down Lynnfield Street, a busy road that leads from the rotary at Route 128 and Route 1 into the city of Lynn.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Latest Review: All Seasons Table, Malden, MA

photo of All Seasons Table, Malden, MAThe latest review that is on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for All Seasons Table, a Pan-Asian restaurant in Malden Center. All Seasons Table features mostly Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including sushi), but also has Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Singaporean items on the menu. The atmosphere is classy, elegant, and sophisticated without being overly pretentious, and the service is top notch. To read more about All Seasons Table in Malden, please click on the link above.