Friday, August 29, 2008

M.J. O’Connor’s Coming to the Seaport District of Boston

The waterfront of South Boston will soon be home to a new Irish pub with a familiar name.

According to Zagat Buzz, M.J. O’Connor’s will be opening a second location in the Westin Boston Waterfront on Summer Street this fall. The original M.J. O’Connor’s, which is located in the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on Columbus Avenue in downtown Boston, is an often-quiet and laid back Irish pub that is popular mainly with hotel guests and theater-goers.

To read the full story on the opening of M.J. O’Connor’s in the Seaport District of Boston, go to the Zagat Buzz link below:

Westin-ward Expansion

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Latest Review: Ecco Trattoria, Weymouth

photo of Ecco Trattoria, Weymouth, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for Ecco Trattoria, a Northern Italian restaurant located in a strip mall on Route 18 in Weymouth. Slightly upscale and rather serene inside, Ecco Trattoria is much different from many of the other Italian restaurants that are in Weymouth and nearby Braintree and Quincy. The menu features a variety of steak, seafood, chicken, and veal dishes, and also has a handful of pasta dishes as well. To read more about Ecco Trattoria in Weymouth, please click on the link above.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

James Hook and Company's Retail Business Is Open Again

James Hook and Company, a Boston seafood wholesaler and retailer that was destroyed by fire in late May of this year, has their retail business up and running once again.

According to WBZ 1030, James Hook is running the retail end of their business out of a temporary spot at their old location, with the trailer actually being more spacious than the original spot. Their permanent home will be finished at some point in the future.

The wholesale part of James Hook and Company has been running for awhile now, thanks in part to the generosity of its competitors.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Circle to Open in the South End of Boston

A new restaurant called Circle will be opening in the South End of Boston over the next few weeks. It will be located in the space where Bob's Southern Bistro used to be on Columbus Avenue near the Mass. Ave. intersection.

According to the Boston Herald, Circle will have room for about 90 people and will have a menu that focuses mainly on contemporary French cuisine.

To read more about the opening of Circle in the South End, please go to the Boston Herald link below:

Cleveland chef completes S. End Circle

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Latest Review: New Brothers Restaurant and Deli, Danvers

photo of New Brothers Restaurant and Deli, Danvers, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a Greek cafeteria-style restaurant in Danvers called New Brothers Restaurant and Deli. Cheap, quick, and friendly, New Brothers is a good place to go while in the Danvers area if you are looking for a casual place to eat that also has freshly-made food. The dining area is spacious and well-lit, and there is plenty of street parking in the area. To read more about New Brothers Restaurant and Deli in Danvers, please click on the link above.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Downtown Bistro and Wine Bar in Lynn to Close

The summer of 2008 has seen its fair share of restaurant closings, and now you can add one more to the list. The Downtown Bistro and Wine Bar, un upscale restaurant on Oxford Street in Lynn, will be shutting its doors later this month.

According to the Daily Item of Lynn, the owner of the Downtown Bistro decided to close the restaurant because it was simply not attracting enough business. The Daily Item also mentions that there is some interest in opening a new restaurant in the spot that will soon be vacated by the restaurant.

The owner of the Downtown Bistro and Wine Bar also owns the Navy Yard Bistro and Wine Bar, a restaurant on 1st Avenue in Charlestown.

To read more about the closing of the Downtown Bistro and Wine Bar in Lynn, please go to the following Daily Item article:

Downtown Bistro to serve last meal

Monday, August 18, 2008

Marliave Opens; Thai Village Closes

Two more changes have come to the Boston restaurant scene over the past few days.

Marliave, a local landmark on Bosworth Street in downtown Boston, has re-opened under new management (it is now owned by the folks who own Grotto). First opened back in the 1880s, Marliave is now up and running once again, with extensive restorations made to the historic building. The upstairs section of the restaurant will feature continental cuisine, while the downstairs section will be feature more traditional American fare.

Thai Village, a tiny restaurant on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston, has shut its doors. Thai Village was a nice option for locals who yearned for good, cheap Thai cuisine and wanted an alternative to the excellent House of Siam, the South End's other Thai restaurant. No word on what will be going into the spot as of yet...

Masa Southwest Bar and Grill Coming to Woburn This Fall

A new restaurant is coming to Woburn, and it is one that may be familiar to Boston diners.

Masa Southwest Bar and Grill, an upscale restaurant featuring Southwest-style cuisine, will be opening in the spot vacated by the Bear Rock Cafe in the Horn Pond Plaza on Route 3 near the Winchester line. This will be the second location for Masa, which also has a restaurant on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston.

No specific date has been given for Masa's opening, but it should be open sometime this fall.

Friday, August 15, 2008

More Boston-Area Restaurant Openings and Closings: August, 2008

Several more changes have come to the Boston restaurant scene over the past few weeks, including the opening of Tavolo, an Italian restaurant in the new Carruth building in Dorchester; Cela's, an Italian restaurant that took over the old Alba spot in Quincy Center (thanks to a poster on Chowhound for bringing this one to our attention); and Hen House Wings and Waffles, a Southern-style restaurant located in the Newmarket Square section of Boston. In addition, GioMatti, an Italian restaurant in Braintree, has closed its doors.

For addresses and phone numbers of these restaurants, as well as automatic updates on Boston-area restaurant closings and openings, you can subscribe to the following RSS feed:

RSS button http://www.hiddenboston.com/restaurantnews.xml

And for a quick "cheat sheet" of restaurants that have closed or opened, please go to this link:

http://www.hiddenboston.com/closings-openings.html

New Section on Picnic Areas and Outdoor Lunch Spots Around Boston

The end of the summer is quickly approaching, but there are still plenty of good days ahead of us for enjoying the outdoors. One favorite activity outdoors is, well, eating! And whether it entails having a picnic or maybe enjoying a lunch break while on a hike or just hanging out reading and eating a sandwich in a park, there are plenty of good options around the Boston area. And where are some of these outdoor spots? Boston's Hidden Restaurants has just added a new picnic areas and outdoor lunch spots around Boston page that includes some rather unusual--and at times completely unknown--spots for eating outdoors, as well as a few places that are better-known, at least to folks who live nearby.

Enjoy the new page, and if you have any ideas for great spots for picnicking or eating a quick lunch outdoors, feel free to sent us a comment here!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon, August 14-15, 2008

A quick break from restaurant talk for a bit--just a reminder that the 7th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon is being held today and tomorrow at Fenway Park in Boston.

Last year, a bit under $4 million was raised for the Jimmy Fund and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This year's goal is $4 million. If you would like to donate, please go to any of the following links:

http://www.jimmyfund.org/

http://weei.com/pages/2573446.php

http://www.nesn.com/

Thanks for any support you can give to this terrific fundraising event. And kudos to WEEI, NESN, the Boston Red Sox, and everyone else who is doing so much to help.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

List of Restaurants for August 2008 Boston Restaurant Week

Below is a list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week. For addresses and phone numbers, please visit http://www.bostonusa.com/rw08/index.html.

2008 Boston Restaurant Week Participants:

29 Newbury Restaurant, Boston
33 Restaurant & Lounge, Boston
75 Chestnut, Boston
606 Congress, Boston
Anthony's Pier 4, Boston
Antico Forno, Boston
Aquitaine, Boston
Aquitaine Bis, Chestnut Hill
Ariadne Bar & Restaurant, Newton
Artbar, Cambridge
Artu, Boston
Atrium, Cambridge
Aura, Boston
Avenue One, Boston
Avila, Boston
Azure, Boston
Bacco, Boston
Bambara, Cambridge
Beacon Hill Bistro, Boston
Beehive, Boston
Bella Luna, Jamaica Plain
Biagio, Waltham
Bin 26 Enoteca, Boston
Bistro 5, Medford
Blue Room, Cambridge
Bonfire, Boston
Boston College Club, Boston
Bouchee,Boston
Brasserie Jo, Boston
Burtons Grill, Boston
Café at The Taj, Boston
Cafe Fleuri, Boston
Caliterra,Boston
Cantina Italiana, Boston
Casablanca, Cambridge
Catch Restaurant, Winchester
Chez Henri, Cambridge
Chiara, Westwood
Ciao Bella, Boston
Club Cafe/209 Restaurant, Boston
Colonial Inn, Concord
Croma, Boston
Da Vinci, Boston
Dalias Bistro, Brookline
Dalya's, Bedford
Dante, Cambridge
Davide, Boston
Davio's, Boston
dbar, Dorchester
Eastern Standard, Boston
Elephant Walk, Boston
The Elephant Walk, Cambridge
The Elephant Walk, Waltham
EVOO, Somerville
Excelsior, Boston
Fireplace, Brookline
Fleming's, Boston
Flora, Arlington
Forty Dalton, Boston
Gargoyles, Somerville
Gaslight, Boston
Grafton Street Pub, Cambridge
Grand Cafe at Emerson Inn, Rockport
Great Bay, Boston
Grille at Longwood, Boston
Grotto, Boston
Hampshire House, Boston
Harborside Grill, Boston
Haru, Boston
Harvest, Cambridge
Henrietta's Table, Cambridge
Hungry i, Boston
Icarus, Boston
Ivy, Boston
Jasper White's Summer Shack, Boston
Jer-Ne Restaurant, Boston
Johnnie's on the Side, Boston
Kashmir, Boston
Kennedy's, Boston
Kingston Station, Boston
La Morra, Brookline
LaLa Rokh, Boston
L'Andana, Burlington
Laurel, Boston
Left Bank at the Stonehedge Inn, Tyngsboro
Legal Sea Foods Copley, Boston
Legal Sea Foods Park Square, Boston
Les Zygomates, Boston
L'Espalier, Boston
Lineage, Brookline
Lobby Bar and Kitchen, Boston
Locke-Ober, Boston
Lucia Ristorante, Boston
Lucky's Lounge, Boston
Lumiere, West Newton
Mantra, Boston
Marco Cucina Romana, Boston
Masa, Boston
Masona Grill, West Roxbury
Maurizio's, Boston
MC2, Cambridge
McCormick & Schmicks, Boston
Mela, Boston
Meritage, Boston
Met Bar and Grill, Natick
Metropolis Cafe, Boston
Metropolitan Club, Chestnut Hill
Miel, Boston
Mistral, Boston
Oak Room, Boston
Oceana, Boston
Oceanaire, Boston
Oishii, Boston
Olives, Charlestown
Om Restaurant, Cambridge
Osushi, Boston
Palm, Boston
Papa Razzi, Boston
Parker's Restaurant, Boston
Persephone, Boston
Petit Robert Bistro, Boston (2 locations)
Pho Republique, Boston
Pierrot Bistrot Francais, Boston
Pigalle, Boston
Pops, Boston
Punjab, Arlington
Quince Bistro, Needham
Radius, Boston
Red Sky Restaurant, Boston
Redline, Cambridge
Rialto, Cambridge
Ristorante Fiore, Boston
Ristorante Olivio, Arlington
Ristorante Villa Francesca, Boston
Rocca, Boston
Rustic Kitchen, Boston
Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boston
Sage, Boston
Sagra, Somerville
Sandrine's Bistro, Boston
Sasso, Boston
Sauciety, Boston
Savant Project, Boston
Savino's, Belmont
Scollay Square, Boston
Sculler's Green Room, Boston
Sel de la Terre, Boston
Sibling Rivalry, Boston
Sidebar and Grille, Boston
Skipjack's, Boston
Smith and Wollensky, Boston
Sol Azteca, Boston
Solea, Waltham
Sorriso, Boston
Stanhope Grille, Boston
STIX, Boston
Summer Winter Restaurant, Burlington
T.W. Food, Cambridge
Tangierino, Charlestown
Tango, Arlington
Tantric, Boston
Tapeo, Boston
Taranta, Boston
Teatro, Boston
Temple Bar, Cambridge
Terramia, Boston
Top of the Hub, Boston
Toro, Boston
Toscana, Boston
Trattoria di Monica, Boston
Tremont 647, Boston
Tresca, Boston
Truffles Grille, Milford
Tryst, Arlington
Turner Fisheries, Boston
Umbria Ristorante, Boston
Uni Sashimi Bar, Boston
Union Bar and Grille, Boston
Union Oyster House, Boston
Upstairs on the Square, Cambridge
Via Matta, Boston
Vinoteca di Monica, Boston
Vintage Lounge, Boston
Vlora, Boston
Vox Populi, Boston
Wine Cellar, Boston
Z Square, Cambridge
Zephyr on the Charles, Cambridge

Latest Review: Estoril, Fall River

photo of Estoril, Fall River, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for Estoril, a Portuguese restaurant in the Flint Village section of Fall River. Estoril is a charming place with the look and feel of a high-end European restaurant, but the prices are exceptionally low for the type of food offered. The menu includes a variety of steak, chicken, seafood dishes, as well as soups, salads, and desserts. To read more about Estoril in Fall River, please click on the link above.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Vintage Restaurant Returning to West Roxbury

Vintage, a restaurant on the VFW Parkway in West Roxbury that had closed earlier this year, is going to open its doors once again, perhaps as early as the end of this month.

According to the Wicked Local site, the newest version of the Vintage Restaurant will have much lower prices on their menu than before, and it will be more of a family-friendly dining spot. Wicked Local also mentions that the owners will be the same folks who run Alfredo's, an Italian restaurant just outside of Quincy Center.

For more information on the re-opening of Vintage in West Roxbury, please go to the Wicked Local link below:

Vintage set to re-open late next month

Tavolo in Dorchester to Open Soon

A new Italian restaurant is just about ready to open in Dorchester.

Tavolo, which is within the new Carruth development on Dorchester Avenue in the Ashmont section of Dorchester, will be a casual Italian dining spot with pasta and pizza as well as sandwiches and other items. It will be run by Chris Douglass, who also owns the nearby Ashmont Grill. According to the Boston Business Journal, Tavolo will have room for about 100 diners and will also have a full bar.

Tavolo will be located at 1900 Dorchester Avenue in Dorchester. Their Web site (which is currently under construction) is http://www.tavolopizza.com/.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Latest Review: Louis' Crossing, Quincy

photo of Louis' Crossing, Quincy, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a restaurant in the Hough's Neck neighborhood of Quincy called Louis' Crossing. Located near the end of Sea Street and about two blocks from the ocean, Louis' Crossing is a true neighborhood dining spot that has yet to be discovered by many people outside of the area. Its menu includes mostly pub grub and American entrees. To read more about Louis' Crossing in Quincy, please click on the link above.