Review: Bova's Bakery in Boston's North End

A number of us recently went to the North End of Boston, stopping at Bova's, a bakery that has been around since the early 1930s. This is a favorite of mine in the North End neighborhood, partly because it is a bit off the main drag (Hanover Street) and is is generally not quite as touristy or busy as places such as Mike's or Modern. For those who haven't been to Bova's, the space is set up like your typical bakery, with lots of plexiglass display cases on both sides of the shop showing a huge array of pastries and baked goods. A variety of freshly-made breads are stored in bins to the right, while pizza and calzones can be found toward the back of the place.

Because we were such a large group, we were able to try a number of different items at Bova's. A few of the highlights included some rather decadent chocolate chip cannoli; equally sinful chocolate-covered biscotti that were crisp and had a slight anise/licorice taste; half-moon cookies that were just a bit on the dry side, though the chocolate and vanilla frosting made up for the dryness by adding a deep richness to the cookies; a red velvet whoopie pie that was also slightly dry, but rich tasting due to the cream filling; a light and creamy Napoleon (a type of puff pastry); and several different Italian cookies. Service at Bova's was friendly and quick, and prices were pretty reasonable, especially considering how expensive many places in the North End can be.

There isn't much not to like about Bova's Bakery, and there is one more thing that makes this a good option, especially for those of you who are night owls--the place is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is a rarity for food places in the Boston area, and elsewhere in New England, for that matter. It may not be the best bakery or pastry shop that I have been to in the region (it is tough to beat Clear Flour Bakery in Brookline), but Bova's is well worth seeking out.

The address for Bova's is: Bova's Bakery, 134 Salem Street, Boston, MA, 02113. The phone number is (617) 523-5601. And the website can be found at http://bovabakeryboston.com/



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jm Curley Is Opening in Boston's Downtown Crossing

A new restaurant and bar is coming to the Downtown Crossing section of Boston, and it gets its name from one of the most famous politicians in the history of Massachusetts.

A note sent via Twitter indicates that jm Curley will be opening soon on Temple Place, bringing to the neighborhood a restaurant that Zagat says will be a two-level eatery and watering hole with the option for private dining. (jm Curley gets its name from James Michael Curley, who was the mayor of Boston and governor of the commonwealth during the early and middle parts of the 20th century.) Zagat mentions that the new place will feature American cuisine, with lunch items being around $10 and dinner items being under $20.

The group behind jm Curley also runs the nearby Bina Osteria as well as Lala Rokh and Bin 26 Enoteca in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood, according to Zagat.

[December 6 update: jm Curley is planning to open the week of the December 19, and it will basically be a barroom serving lunch and dinner, with more than 30 craft beers in bottles along with six taps, and an "approachable" wine list. The cuisine will be regional American and as indicated above, "priced for an emphasis on repeat guests."]

[December 14 update: According to UrbanDaddy, jm Curley is planning to soft-open this Friday (December 16).]

[December 16 update: A note from the restaurant today indicates that jm Curley had to move their opening back a bit, with a soft opening now planned for this coming Monday (December 19).]

[December 18 update: jm Curley will not be opening tomorrow, but hopes to possibly open the week after Christmas. (As soon as we get another update, we will post it here.)]

December 26 update: A note from the restaurant indicates that jm Curley is planning to open today.]

The address for this new restaurant and bar in downtown Boston is: jm Curley, 21 Temple Place, Boston, MA, 02111. Their Twitter page can be found at http://twitter.com/#!/jmCurleyBar

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Good Belly Project: Helping UNICEF's East Africa Relief Efforts

A Boston-based advertising agency is partnering with a number of Boston-area restaurants to help feed children halfway around the world.

According to their website, Mullen launched the Good Belly Project on Sunday, October 16 (which is World Food Day) and will continue it until Sunday, November 6. The goal of this social-media powered project is to aid UNICEF's efforts to help lessen hunger in East Africa, including the country of Somalia. The idea behind the project is a pretty simple one--diners take photos of food at participating restaurants using Instagram (a free photo-sharing mobile app), then tag the photos with #goodbellyproject along with the restaurant's location. For each tagged photo, participating restaurants donate $1 to the cause.

Restaurants that are involved with the Good Belly Project include Abigail's, Bambara, Bergamot, Bon Me Truck, Figs, Fillbelly's, Hillstone, Isabelle's Curlycakes, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Kingfish Hall, KO Prime, Market by Jean Georges, Naked Pizza, Rialto Restaurant + Bar, Sibling Rivalry, and Stephi's On Tremont.

For more information on the Good Belly Project, please go to the links below.

http://www.goodbellyproject.org

http://www.mullen.com/2011/10/the-good-belly-project-launches/

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Ben and Jerry's to Give Bostonians Free Ice Cream from Their Scoop Truck

A Vermont company is going to be giving away free ice cream in Boston throughout the month of August.

An email from Cone indicates that Ben & Jerry's Scoop Truck will be driving around the city this month, handing out frozen treats to folks. The ice cream company, which is based in South Burlington (and has a factory in nearby Waterbury) is planning to have their truck tour Boston until August 28, visiting non-profit companies and going to community events while in the area. The truck will be using Twitter to help "guide" it to areas where ice cream lovers want it to be.

Flavors that will be available on the Scoop Truck include both new and old ones, with such options as Late Night Snack (inspired by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) and Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream (vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl).

The Twitter page for the Ben & Jerry's ice cream truck can be found at the link below.

http://twitter.com/benjerrystruck

Scoop Truck stops and information are posted at this link as well:

http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/feature/2011-truck-tour/boston-scoop-truck/

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