Abby Park to Open in Milton on Monday, August 3

A restaurant featuring modern American cuisine will be opening in Milton early next week, giving Boston's southern neighbor its second new upscale restaurant in the past month. Abby Park will open its doors on Monday, August 3, in the East Milton Square section of town, residing in the spot on Adams Street where Videos to Go used to be.

According to their Web site, Abby Park will use fresh, organic ingredients and feature local seafood. The restaurant will have a full bar on the premises and will also have an elegant banquet room for various functions.

The owner of Abby Park also owns Java Jo's coffeehouse in Jamaica Plain, and he used to own another Java Jo's in East Milton Square before it burned down in a fire a couple of years ago.

Abby Park's opening follows on the heels of another upscale restaurant coming to Milton, as 88 Wharf opened their doors in Milton Landing back in mid-July.

The address for this new restaurant in Milton will be: Abby Park 550 Adams Street, Milton, MA 02186. The phone number will be (617) 696-8700. And the Web site is at: http://www.abbypark.com/

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UPDATE #3: Is Achilles-Persephone (The Achilles Project) Closing? Looks Like It

Earlier today, a combination restaurant/boutique in the Fort Point neighborhood of Boston appeared to be closing its doors, possibly as early as this weekend. According to several sources, including a very reputable one (Citysearch Boston), Achilles-Persephone (which is also known as The Achilles Project), was apparently getting ready to close down after being in business for about a year and a half. But in a message sent to us by the restaurant/boutique on Thursday evening, The Achilles Project is, in their words, "alive and kicking." They also had an ad on their Facebook page saying that "To make room for fall we're having the biggest sale of the summer."

But as of Friday (July 31), there were repeated confirmations of The Achilles Project closing by the end of the upcoming weekend, including a reaffirmed confirmation by Citysearch Boston.

So is Achilles-Persephone closing, or are they staying open? Perhaps we'll know for sure come Monday, but at this point we are going with Citysearch's comment that they are closing once the weekend is over. Stay tuned....

The Achilles Project is at 283 Summer Street in the Fort Point Channel area of Boston. Their phone number is (617) 423-2257.

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Taste of Park Plaza Coming Tuesday, August 4, 2009

An event supporting the Greater Boston Food Bank is coming to Boston early next week. The Taste of Park Plaza will be held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers on Tuesday, August 4, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

A total of nine restaurants and other spots will be participating in the Taste of Park Plaza, including Au Bon Pain, Ben and Jerry's, Bonfire Steakhouse, Finale, McCormick and Schmick's, The Melting Pot, M.J. O'Connor's, and Swan's Cafe. Whiskey Park will also be participating, but only in the VIP party (see note below).

Tickets to the event are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. There will also be a VIP party after the event (from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM), with tickets for the party being $40 in advance and $50 at the door.

For more information on the Taste of Park Plaza in Boston, please go to the link below:

Taste of Park Plaza

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Legal's Harborside Opening at the Old Jimmy's Harborside Location

A little over two years ago, Boston institution Jimmy's Harborside closed its doors, with talk of Legal Sea Foods opening a new location where the popular seafood restaurant used to be. Now, according to the Boston Globe, WBZ 1030, and other sources, Legal's will indeed be building a new restaurant at the spot on Northern Avenue along the Boston waterfront, though the name of the new restaurant will be Legal's Harborside, in recognition of the restaurant that it replaces.

The Boston Globe mentions that work will start on the site today, with a total of four restaurants being built at this spot. In addition to Legal's, one of the dining spots will be an upscale restaurant called Zed451, which has other locations in Boca Raton and Chicago. While no specific date seems to be given for the opening of Legal's, the Zed451 Web site shows it opening at the site in 2010.

Legal's Harborside will become the flagship of the Legal Sea Foods chain, with three floors of dining, including a roof deck, an upscale area, and a casual section, the Globe says. The total space of the restaurant will be 20,000 square feet.

For more information on the future opening of Legal's Harborside along the Boston waterfront, please go to the Boston Globe link below.

Where Jimmy’s stood, a Legal’s will rise

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Latest Review: Cafe Jaffa, Boston

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a Middle Eastern restaurant in the Back Bay of Boston called Cafe Jaffa. Located on Gloucester Street about midway between Newbury Street and Boylston Street, Cafe Jaffa is a quiet, little-known dining spot even though it is so close to two of Boston's busiest streets. The atmosphere at Cafe Jaffa is dark and a bit exotic, and the food tends to focus on Israeli and Lebanese cuisine. To read more about Cafe Jaffa in the Back Bay of Boston, please click on the link above.

"Virtual" Bowling Coming to The Milky Way Lounge in Jamaica Plain

The Milky Way Lounge may have lost their beloved bowling alley when they moved from Centre Street in Jamaica Plain to the nearby Brewery complex on Amory Street earlier this year, but this doesn't mean that folks can no longer bowl at this funky watering hole.

According to a press release from Image Unlimited Communications, the Milky Way Lounge, along with Bella Luna Restaurant, are going to start up "virtual" bowling beginning on Tuesday, August 18, 2009, then every third Tuesday from that point on. The lounge and its sister restaurant will be using the popular Nintendo Wii™ system for the virtual bowling. The bowling festivities - called "Oui, We Wii™" - start at 9:00 PM and will be free of charge, though it will only be open to folks 21 and older. The press release mentions that a $25 gift certificate will be awarded to the person with the best bowling shirt.

The address for The Milky Way Lounge and Bella Luna Restaurant is 284 Amory Street (The Brewery Complex), Jamaica Plain MA, 02130. The phone number is (617) 524-3740. And the Web site is: http://www.milkywayjp.com/

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Dorado Tacos and Cemitas Opens in Brookline This Week

A new Latin American and Mexican restaurant is coming to the Coolidge Corner section of Brookline this week, very possibly opening as early as today. According to its Facebook and Twitter pages, Dorado Tacos and Cemitas expects to open its doors this afternoon on Harvard Street, just north of the heart of Coolidge Corner.

The menu at Dorado Tacos and Cemitas, which has been posted on boston.menupages.com, features such dishes as fish tacos, homemade chorizo, rotisserie chicken, cemitas (Mexican sandwiches), and yucca fries. Prices are mainly under $10 (except for the rotisserie chicken).

The owner of Dorado Tacos and Cemitas - Douglas Organ - might be a familiar name to some, as he was also the owner and chef of the now-closed Cafe D in Jamaica Plain, a restaurant on Centre Street that featured an eclectic mix of dishes on its menu.

The address for this new Latin American and Mexican restaurant in Coolidge Corner is: Dorado Tacos and Cemitas, 401 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, 02446. The phone number is (617) 556-1270. The restaurant will be open seven days a week, with its hours being from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

To see what else is on the menu at Dorado Tacos and Cemitas, please go to the boston.menupages.com page below.

http://boston.menupages.com/restaurants/dorado-tacos-cemitas/

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Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage May Be Featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives"

Food Network host Guy Fieri has apparently been in the Boston area this week, showing up at Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage in Harvard Square at one point yesterday. According to the blog Loaded Gun Boston and several other sources, the spiky-haired star of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" showed up in his classic Chevy Camaro and he and his crew filmed a segment inside the popular Cambridge burger joint.

Whether Mr. Bartley's will definitely make it onto "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" is speculation at this point, as it is unclear whether every restaurant that gets filmed ends up on the show. But at this point, there seems to be a very good possibility that Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage may indeed be featured on Mr. Fieri's show at some point in the future.

For more information on the filming of Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage for "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," please go to the Loaded Gun Boston link below:

Food Network's Fieri tapes segment at Mr. Bartley's

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8th Annual Pig Pickin' and Benefit to be Held at Redbones, Somerville, August 10, 2009

Redbones, a popular restaurant in the Davis Square section of Somerville that features Southern-style food and BBQ dishes, is holding its 8th annual Pig Pickin' and Benefit for the Somerville Homeless Coalition on Monday, August 10. Some foods that will be featured at this event include pulled pork, corn on the cob, cole slaw, cornbread, and watermelon. Beer, lemonade, and other drinks will also be served.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Somerville Homeless Coalition, a group based in Davis Square that provides services, housing, resources, and support to hundreds of people in the city.

The Pig Pickin' and Benefit for the Somerville Homeless Coalition will be held from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with tickets costing $25 ($10 for children under 10). The rain date for the event is Monday, August 17.

For more information on this event, please to the the Redbones link below:

http://www.redbones.com/newsevents.html

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Nick Varano's Famous Deli Opens in the North End

The owner of Strega, a popular Italian restaurant in the North End of Boston, has opened another dining spot in the same neighborhood, this one focusing on sandwiches. Nick Varano's Famous Deli opened earlier this month on Cross Street (near Endicott Street and the Haymarket T stop), on the edge of the North End and within walking distance of Strega, which is on the other end of the neighborhood on Hanover Street.

Classic deli sandwiches are the main focus at Nick Varano's Famous Deli, with names of celebrities, athletes, and others attached to sandwiches--examples include "Rodney Dangerfield's Smash Hit" (corned beef), "Don Rickles' Favorite" (pastrami), "Mike Lowell's Home Run" (Cubano), and "Lorraine Bracco's Favorite" (tuna melt). Diners can also have custom-made sandwiches, choosing from a variety of meats, cheeses, veggies, breads, condiments, and more. Soups and salads are available at Nick Varano's Famous Deli, as are desserts.

The owner of Strega and Nick Varano's Famous Deli also owns Nico Ristorante, another Hanover Street restaurant that is a few doors down from Strega.

The address for this new sandwich place in the North End of Boston is: Nick Varano's Famous Deli, 66 Cross Street, Boston, MA, 02113. The phone number is (617) 391-0050.

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Five Guys Burgers Opens in Randolph

A rapidly-growing chain of hamburger joints has just opened another restaurant in the Boston area. Five Guys Burgers opened today in Randolph, at the intersection of Route 28 and Route 139 west (just outside the center of town). The latest location of Five Guys Burgers is the fifth in the Greater Boston area, with other locations in Dedham, Foxborough, Marlborough, and Swampscott. The chain will continue their expansion in the area over the coming months, with two other stores soon coming to Walpole and Gloucester, as well as one in Nashua, NH.

The address for this new burger place in Randolph is: Five Guys Burgers, 7 Warren Street (Unit 12), Randolph, MA, 02368. The phone number is (781) 963-0600.

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Nourish Restaurant Opens in Lexington Center

A new restaurant has come to Mass. Ave. in Lexington Center, replacing a dining spot that was part of a popular Boston-area chain. Nourish Restaurant recently opened its doors after finishing up with construction, and is now operating in the spot which formerly housed a branch of Not Your Average Joe's.

Nourish looks to feature an eclectic menu, with an emphasis on healthy items made with organic ingredients, according to an article in the Lexington Minuteman. The newspaper also mentions that there will be dishes on the menu that are similar to those at the Boston-area BBQ chain Tennessee's, as well as Big Fresh Cafe in Framingham, both of which are owned by the same folks who run Nourish. The restaurant will also have a full liquor menu, including organic beers.

The address for this new restaurant in Lexington Center is: Nourish Restaurant, 1727 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA, 02420.

Thanks to catchow, a poster on the Chowhound site, for pointing out that Nourish has indeed opened.

For more information on the opening of Nourish, please go to the Wicked Local/Lexington Minuteman link below that is from a month back:

Nourish restaurant ready to move in

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Capri Restaurant Closes in Braintree

An Italian restaurant has closed in Braintree after only being in business for about four months. Capri Restaurant and Wine Bar shut its doors over the past couple of weeks and now has a "For Lease" sign in the window of its Union Street location. The casual restaurant had opened in March of this year, taking over the spot where Bickford's used to be, by Motel 6 and the Route 3 intersection.

Capri had featured a variety of Northern Italian and Southern Italian dishes, including veal marsala, glazed skirt steak, stuffed Italian sausage, pizza, and tortellini macaroni and cheese.

The owner of the now-closed Capri also owns Wicked: A Boston Bistro, a slightly more upscale New American restaurant located on Route 1 in Sharon near the Route 95 intersection.

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A List of New England Restaurants on Twitter

A little while ago, we created a list of Boston-area restaurants that are on the Twitter site. We now have a list of restaurants throughout the rest of New England that are also on Twitter.

Both the New England list and the Boston-area list are within our Facebook fan page, but anyone can see these lists, including those who are not yet Facebook members.

We will update both of these lists as often as possible, so please let us know if we have missed any restaurants by commenting here or sending an email to us at http://www.hiddenboston.com/contactus.html.

Here is the link to the New England list:

List of New England Restaurants on Twitter (not including Boston)

And here is a link to the Boston-area list:

List of Boston-Area Restaurants on Twitter

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Latest Review: Leggos, Holbrook

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for Leggos, a breakfast place and lunch spot in Holbrook. Located along Route 37 on the northern edge of the center of this southern suburb of Boston, Leggos is mostly a local neighborhood spot with friendly service and cheap prices. In addition to the moderately-sized dining area inside, there is also an outdoor patio that is situated between the restaurant and the street. Breakfast dishes include crepes, pancakes, and waffles, while lunch items include macaroni and cheese and various sandwiches. To read more about Leggos in Holbrook, please click on the link above.

The Four's Bar and Grille Opens in Norwell

A third location of The Four's has just opened, with this one being in Norwell. The Four's, a restaurant and sports bar that opened its first location on Canal Street near North Station in Boston in the mid-1970s, has been a popular place to enjoy pub grub and drinks while watching the local teams on TV.

The Four's also a restaurant and pub on Cottage Avenue in Quincy Center.

The address for this new dining spot and watering hole in Norwell is: The Four's Bar and Grille, 285 Washington Street (Route 53), Norwell, MA, 02061. The phone number is (781) 659-4414.

Thanks to one of our Facebook Fans (Pamelia) for letting us know of the opening of The Four's in Norwell. (If you would like to become a fan of ours on Facebook, please go to the following link: Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Page.)

Bubor Cha Cha Opens in Chinatown

A new Malaysian restaurant has opened in the Chinatown section of Boston. Bubor Cha Cha is located in a large space on Beach Street in the heart of the neighborhood, with an exotic exterior that includes all kinds of plants in front of the place. The spacious and brightly-lit interior has a mix of seating arrangements, including large tables that should be able to accommodate nearly any size group.

Bubor Cha Cha's menu features not only Malaysian entrees, but also Thai and Indonesian dishes. Appetizers include satay skewers, papaya salad, durian pancakes, and a seaweed/seafood soup. Entrees include clay pot noodle soup, seafood chow fun, Malaysian style fried rice, stir-fried sliced lamb, deep-fried prawn in cream sauce, coffee flavored short ribs, braised duck, strawberry flavored pork chops, mango tofu, Indonesian crab, and frog porridge. The restaurant also has a variety of drinks (including fruit smoothies) and desserts (including mango mousse cake).

The address for this new restaurant in Chinatown is: Bubor Cha Cha, 45 Beach Street, Boston, MA, 02111. The phone number is (617) 482-3338.

Update: Stoddard's Fine Food and Ale Is Now Open

[Ed note: This article has been updated over the course of several months.]
Downtown Crossing in Boston will soon be home to a new restaurant and bar with a familiar name. Stoddard's Fine Food and Ale--which the Boston Business Journal says is named after a cutlery store that used to be in the same building, which dates back to the 1860s--looks to be a gastropub-style dining and drinking spot on Temple Place featuring more than 100 beers (including cask beer) and a shoeshine stand. The place will be run by the Ivy Restaurant Group, which also owns Ivy Restaurant, a casual upscale cafe located across the street from where Stoddard's will be. According to the Ivy Restaurant Group, an opening date of October 12 is anticipated for Stoddard's.

[April 8, 2010 UPDATE: According to several posts on the site, Stoddard's is now open for business.]

The address for this restaurant and bar in Downtown Crossing is: Stoddard's Fine Food and Ale, 48 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111.

Regal Beagle Coming to Brookline

A new restaurant and bar with a funny name may soon be serving food and drinks to folks in the Coolidge Corner neighborhood of Brookline. According to the Brookline TAB, Regal Beagle will be moving into the Harvard Street spot where Takeshima (and later, Blue Ocean) used to be, just north of the Beacon Street intersection. The TAB mentions that Regal Beagle will look to be a neighborhood bistro with upscale comfort food featured. The owners, who also run the Fenway-area restaurant and music venue Church, hope to have the place open by September 1. [October 28 update: According to the restaurant's Twitter page, Regal Beagle will be opening on Tuesday, November 3. Thanks to a Chowhound poster for alerting us of this.]

The newspaper also notes that the name comes from a bar in the 1970s TV show "Three's Company."

For more information on the upcoming opening of Regal Beagle, please go to the Brookline TAB link below:

Brookline's busiest neighborhood to get a new bar

Big Papi's Opens in Framingham

As reported earlier, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will soon be in the restaurant business, and the latest information is that Big Papi's Grille will be opening this Friday, July 24, on Route 9 in Framingham.

According to an email press release from Callanan & Klein Communications, Big Papi’s Grille will be a casual upscale restaurant featuring dishes such as pasta, Kobe beef burgers, and steaks. Ortiz will also have some of his favorite dishes on the menu, including Dominican-influenced entrees. The press release mentions that Big Papi's will be full of baseball memorabilia that highlights Ortiz's career.

Big Papi's Grille is replacing the Metro 9 Steak House, though the ownership will remain the same, with Ortiz being a partner in the new restaurant. The company behind Big Papi's--Classic Restaurant Concepts--also owns the Asgard in the Central Square neighborhood of Cambridge and the Kinsale in the Government Center section of Boston.

Big Papi’s Grille will open daily for dinner at 4:00 PM. The address for the restaurant will be: Big Papi's Grille, 30 Worcester Road (Route 9), Framingham, MA 01702. The phone number will be (508) 620-9990.

[UPDATE, 9/14/09]: Big Papi's Grille is now open for lunch. According to an email press release sent to us by Callanan and Klein Communications, the restaurant will be open for lunch each day starting at 11:30 AM. Dishes that will be served at lunchtime include a chimichurri burger, plantain-encrusted fish and chips, steaks, pasta dishes, and much more.]

Lawton's in Lawrence to Re-Open Soon

It appears that Lawton's in Lawrence will be able to start serving hot dogs once again.

According to the Eagle-Tribune, workers will be stabilizing the embankment that the hot dog stand is on, as well as rebuilding the adjacent sidewalk. Work should be done by the end of July, which means Lawton's may be open for business within a couple of weeks. The building had been forced to close awhile back because the ground it was on seemed to be shifting, putting the structure in danger of falling into the adjacent canal.

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

Lawton's is a Lawrence institution that is famous for its "rippers," or deep-fried hot dogs. The hot dog stand has been in business since the early part of the 20th century.

For more on the pending re-opening of Lawton's in Lawrence, as well as detailed information on the work being done in and around the place, please go to the Eagle-Tribune link below:

Work begins on Lawton's sidewalk; hot dogs soon

Marathon Restaurant Opening Soon in Hopkinton

An upscale American bistro will soon be opening in Hopkinton, taking the place of an Italian dining spot that recently closed on Hayward Street just west of Route 495. According to the MetroWest Daily News, the Marathon Restaurant at North Pond should be coming to town sometime around the end of August, and will feature dishes such as such as macaroni and cheese, steak, and grilled pizzas. The newspaper also mentions that the restaurant will have two separate floors, with a casual dining area and bar upstairs and a more formal dining room below. The restaurant replaces Caffe Italiano, which closed in the spring. [SEPTEMBER 1 UPDATE: According to a job posting on Craigslist, The Marathon Restaurant will not be opening until September 28.]

The address for this upcoming Hopkinton restaurant will be: The Marathon Restaurant at North Pond, 25 Hayward Street, Hopkinton, MA, 01748.

For more information on the Marathon Restaurant at North Pond, please go to the MetroWest Daily News link below:

Hopkinton resident carrying out his dinner plans

Sweet Sue's Cafe in Arlington Seized

A cafe and bakery just outside of Arlington center appears to have been shut down for good. Sweet Sue's Cafe, a breakfast and lunch spot located on Mass. Ave. near the Jason and Mill Street intersection, has been seized after having "For Rent" signs in the windows for awhile. The front of the cafe now has orange "Seized" signs, stating that the property has been taken over by the Middlesex Sheriff's Department Enforcement Unit. Sweet Sue's had been in Arlington for several years, serving breakfast and lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends. They had also featured homemade pies, cakes, brownies, cookies, and other baked goods. The cafe had remained open even with the "For Rent" signs in the windows, but now it appears to be permanently closed, at least in the 795 Mass. Ave. location. It is not known at the time whether Sweet Sue's will open in a new location.

Fire Hits Hong Kong City in Stoneham

A fire in Stoneham this morning hit a Chinese restaurant on Main Street called Hong Kong City. The little dining spot was apparently heavily damaged in the fire, though the exact extent of the damage is not yet known at this time.

Hong Kong City is located at 303 Main Street just north of the center of Stoneham, near the Montvale Avenue and Pleasant Street intersections.

We will update this page once we get more information on the fire. Thanks to two posters on the Twitter site, including the creator of the Passionate Foodie blog, for getting this information to us.

Boston-Area Restaurants on Twitter

Twitter seems to be everywhere in the news today, and for good reason; with texting taking off over the past couple of years, this social networking site has tapped into something big, and it has become one of the hottest sites out there right now.

But Twitter is not just about sending short messages to friends and family; indeed, businesses are also using the site as a form of free promotion. And restaurants certainly have been finding ways to use Twitter in a variety of ways, including a quickly-growing number in the Boston area.

We have compiled a fairly comprehensive list of Boston-area restaurants that are on Twitter. The list is on our Facebook site, but it is open to everyone, including those who haven't yet become Facebook members. We will be updating this list as often as possible, so if you know of any Boston-area restaurants that are not on our list, please let us know by commenting here or emailing us at http://www.hiddenboston.com/contactus.html. Thanks!

Here is the link to the list:

List of Boston-Area Restaurants on Twitter

Boston Restaurant Week (Summer 2009) Coming in August

Another Boston Restaurant Week is coming soon, with this one running through a good chunk of August. The event will start on Sunday, August 9th and go through Friday, August 14th. It will then start up again on Sunday, August 16th and go through Friday, August 21st.

Over 200 restaurants in the Boston area will be participating, with fixed-price three-course lunches being $20.09 and fixed-price three-course dinners being $33.09. Many restaurants are located in Boston proper, but some are as far away as Concord, Foxboro, Rockport, and Tyngsboro.

For more information on Boston Restaurant Week for the summer of 2009, please go to the link below.

http://www.restaurantweekboston.com/

Latest Review: Paradiso Ristorante, Swampscott

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for an Italian restaurant in Swampscott called Paradiso Ristorante. Hidden away on a side street across from an historic train station near where Routes 1A and 129A meet, Paradiso is a true neighborhood spot that is mostly unknown to people outside of this North Shore town. The restaurant consists of a bar area in the front, a homey-feeling dining room in the back, and an outdoor dining area to the left. The menu at Paradiso features mostly Southern Italian food, with a number of pasta dishes as well as chicken, veal, steak, and seafood. To read more about Paradiso Ristorante in Swampscott, please click on the link above.

More Restaurant News: Tajine, Bubor Cha Cha, Oceanaire

A few more bits of news centered around the Boston restaurant scene....

We were told over the weekend by someone who lives in the area that a new Moroccan restaurant called Tajine has opened up between Harvard Square and Central Square in Cambridge. It appears that Tajine has taken over the spot where Serene Chocolates used to be (1105 Mass. Ave., near the Mt. Auburn Street intersection).

It looks like a new Malaysian restaurant will be opening in Chinatown. In a chat within the CoveritLive.com site that Devra First of the Boston Globe had with a number of folks, Bubor Cha Cha will soon be coming to this Boston neighborhood. The exact address is not known at this time, but it appears to be near where Beach Street, Tyler Street, and Oxford Street meet.

Finally, The Oceanaire Inc., a small chain of upscale seafood restaurants that has a location on Court Street in downtown Boston, has filed for bankruptcy, closing several locations in the process. According to an article in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal it appears that the Minneapolis-based company will keep the Boston location of Oceanaire open.

Two New Restaurants Opening This Week: 88 Wharf, Ducali

The Boston area will see the opening of at least two new restaurants this week, including an pizzeria and bar in the North End of Boston and an upscale American bistro in Milton.

Ducali Pizzeria and Bar will be opening tomorrow (Wednesday, July 15) on Causeway Street near the Charlestown Bridge in the North End of Boston. As the name implies, Ducali will be featuring pizza, beer, and other drinks, making it a potentially popular spot for folks going to the nearby TD Banknorth Garden for sporting and music events. The address for this new restaurant in Boston will be: Ducali Pizzeria and Bar, 289 Causeway Street, Boston, MA 02114.

88 Wharf Restaurant will be opening on Thursday, July 16 on the main level of the Residences at Milton Landing, which overlooks the Neponset River in Milton Village and is just across from the Lower Mills section of Dorchester. According to a press release by the restaurant, 88 Wharf will feature contemporary American cuisine and will have patio dining with water views. The restaurant will also be the first in Milton to have a liquor license. Hours for 88 Wharf will be 4:30 PM to 10 PM Monday through Thursday, and 4:30 PM to 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. (A Saturday and Sunday brunch is in the works.) The address for this new restaurant in Milton will be: 88 Wharf Restaurant, 88 Wharf Street, Milton, MA 02186.

Worcester Restaurant Week To Be Held August 3-14, 2009

Yet another restaurant week is coming to New England, with this one being held in Worcester in early-mid August. Worcester Restaurant Week will take place from Monday, August 3 to Friday, August 14, with nearly 50 restaurants across the city as well as in nearby communities participating. The price of a three-course meal at participating restaurants will be $20.09.

Some of the restaurants participating in Worcester Restaurant Week include Amici, Brew City, Coral Seafood, El Basha, Haiku, Mezcal, O'Connors, 111 Chophouse, Peppercorns, Roma, and Sole Proprietor.

To find out more information on Worcester Restaurant Week, please go to the link below:

http://www.worcesterrestaurantweek.com/

Pejamajo Cafe Opens in Holliston

A new cafe featuring crepes has opened in Holliston. Pejamajo, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, features soups, salads, and panini sandwiches in addition to a wide variety of crepes. Some of the crepes served at Pejamajo include ham and gruyere, buffalo chicken, tomato and basil, lemon and berries, key lime, and smores.

The address for this new crepe cafe is: Pejamajo Cafe, 770 Washington Street, Holliston, MA 01746. The phone number is (508) 429-5200. The Web site can be found at http://www.pejamajo.com/

Please note that Pejamajo is closed on Sundays.

Bastille Day Coming to Harvard Square, July 12, 2009

A French-style block party is coming to Holyoke Street in the Harvard Square section of Cambridge this Sunday, with food, music, and more being featured. The event--a Bastille Day celebration--will be held on July 12, 2009, from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with admission being free.

Restaurants that are participating in Bastille Day include Sandrine’s Bistro (the co-host of the event), Chez Henri, and Rialto. A beer garden will be on the premises, serving drinks for the duration of the event.

To find out more about Bastille Day in Harvard Square, please go to the Harvard Square Business Association link below:

http://www.harvardsquare.com/Home/Articles/Bastille-Day-in-Harvard-Square.aspx

Latest Review: Eaton's Sugarhouse, South Royalton, VT

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a restaurant outside of the Boston area (about two and a half hours northwest of the city) called Eaton's Sugarhouse. Eaton's is a restaurant, country store, and antique shop in South Royalton, VT, that is located just off of Route 89 about midway between the New Hampshire border and Montpelier. Being one of the few dining options for folks traveling along this stretch of highway, Eaton's is a convenient stop for those traveling from Boston up to the Green Mountain State via Routes 93 and 89. The restaurant features mostly home-cooked comfort food, including a wide variety of breakfast options. To read more about Eaton's Sugarhouse in South Royalton, VT, please click on the link above.

Historic Waltham Restaurant Week Coming July 12-18, 2009

This year marks the 125th anniversary of Waltham becoming a city, and with it comes a culinary event with a number of restaurants participating. Historic Waltham Restaurant Week, which will be held from Sunday, July 12 to Saturday, July 18, includes a number of restaurants featuring meal specials, including many offering meals for $18.84 (Waltham became a city in 1884).

Restaurants participating include Biagio, the Chateau Restaurant, Elephant Walk, The Grille at Hobbs Brook, Jakes Dixie Roadhouse, John Brewer’s Tavern, Joseph’s Two, Marriott Courtyard Hotel, Naked Fish, Solea, Tango Mango, The Tea Leaf, and Tempo.

For more information on Historic Waltham Restaurant Week, please go to the following link:

http://www.discoverwaltham.com/rest_2009.php

Apollo Restaurant Opens in Lynn

It appears that a new Greek restaurant has quietly opened just outside of downtown Lynn. According to cynjl, a poster on the Chowhound site, the Apollo Restaurant opened in June on Neptune Boulevard, about midway between the Lynnway and Lynn Common. The poster mentions that the restaurant has a wood-fired grill and features such dishes as grilled lamb, chicken, and pork, as well as burgers, seafood, and other items.

There is very little information online about the Apollo Restaurant at this time; as we find out more about the place, we will post updates here (feel free to comment on the restaurant if you have been to it).

The address for this new Greek restaurant in Lynn is: Apollo Restaurant, 21 Neptune Boulevard, Lynn, MA 01902. The phone number is (781) 593-3077.

Aujourd'hui Closes Its Doors

A restaurant that many consider to be among Boston's best has closed. Aujourd'hui, a high-end restaurant located within the Four Seasons Hotel in the Park Plaza area of the city, served its last meal on June 27. The space, as mentioned in an earlier posting, will continue to be used for private functions.

A nice piece on Aujourd'hui can be found on the Boston Globe's Web site (see the link below).

Aujourd'hui cook bids adieu to a grand old dame

Icarus in the South End Is Now Closed

Just an update on Icarus: The popular South End restaurant has officially closed its doors, with July 3 being its last day in business. A classy, elegant restaurant that had been in existence since the late 1970s, Icarus celebrated its last days with a prix fixe three-course dinner for $31.00.

Chris Douglass, the owner of Icarus, will continue to operate his other restaurants, namely the Ashmont Grill and Tavolo, both in Dorchester.

Montien in Cambridge Has Closed

A Thai restaurant recently closed in the Inman Square section of Cambridge, though its original location remains open in the Theater District of Boston. According to a poster on the Chowhound site, the Montien location on Cambridge Street closed as of June 28. Their Web site no longer exists, and a call put in to the restaurant confirmed that the Cambridge location is indeed closed.

For those who would like the address of the original Montien in Boston, here it is: Montien Thai Restaurant, 63 Stuart Street, Boston, MA 02116. The phone number is (617) 338-5600.

Ledge to Open in Dorchester (Lower Mills) in August

A new restaurant is coming to the Lower Mills section of Dorchester sometime in August, taking over a spot that was formerly a drinking establishment. Ledge will be opening next month where Donovan's Village Tavern used to be on Dorchester Avenue in the heart of Lower Mills, and according to a job posting on Craigslist, the restaurant will have a dining capacity of 75, as well as both an inside and an outside bar. The posting goes on to mention that Ledge will have nearly 20 beers on tap. An earlier posting from the Dorchester Reporter indicates that the food will lean toward traditional American fare.

The address for this upcoming restaurant and bar in Lower Mills will be: Ledge, 2261 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02124.

For more information on Ledge, please go to this link from last year from the Dorchester Reporter:

Makeover ahead for Donovan's in Lower Mills

Latest Review: Grappa, Watertown

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for an Italian restaurant in East Watertown called Grappa. Located on a side street in an industrial part of this western suburb of Boston, Grappa is in an unlikely spot for a restaurant. The dining area is small but attractive, and there is an outdoor dining area in the front. The menu at Grappa features a variety of pasta, meat, and seafood dishes, and the prices are mostly reasonable. To read more about Grappa in East Watertown, please click on the link above.