Meltwich to Expand to the Local Area, Opening a Location on the Brookline/Boston Line

A Canadian chain that features a variety of cheese-based dishes is expanding to the Boston area, with one in the works for a space right on the Boston/Brookline border.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Meltwich is planning to open on Commonwealth Avenue, with the address indicating that it will move into a space by Packards Corner on the Boston/Brookline line. Based on the menu shown on the website for the business, expect to see poutine, grilled cheese sandwiches, melts, burgers, and more.

Meltwich was first established in 2015 with a location in Toronto, and it currently has a number of locations across Canada and a handful in the United States, but none in New England as of yet.

The address for the upcoming location of Meltwich on the Boston/Brookline border is 1102 Commonwealth Avenue, Brookline, MA, 02446. The website for the chain can be found at https://meltwich.com/us/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Poutinerie by Air Canada to Pop Up in Boston's Downtown Crossing

A pop-up is on its way to the heart of Boston, and it will feature a beloved food item that is particularly north of the border.

According to a press release, the Poutinerie by Air Canada pop-up is coming to 267 Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, debuting on Thursday, October 3 and running through Sunday, October 13. The poutine pop-up, which will be open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily, will offer such options as a classic Montreal-style poutine (fries, cheese curds, and gravy), a Toronto version called "The North" (sharp cheddar cheese instead of curds and beer-braised pork added), and versions with international influences including Paris "'Tine de Triomphe" (fries, duck confit, creme de brie, black pepper), Sao Paulo "Sampa" (thick-cut fries, grilled hanger steak, chimichurri), Tokyo "The Shibu-yeah!" (thick-cut fries, ground pork, ponzu and sesame sauce, pickled daikon or shredded carrot, ginger), and others. Boston is the fourth city to host Poutinerie by Air Canada, with the pop-up previously coming to Washington, DC, London, and Denver.

Proceeds from the Poutinerie by Air Canada pop-up will benefit About Fresh, a Boston-based nonprofit that helps bring healthy food to those in need.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Grub in Boston's Mission Hill Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

A restaurant that is run by the person behind a highly-rated pizzeria is getting ready to shut down after less than a year in business.

According to a source, Grub in the Mission Hill/Brigham Circle section of Boston is closing for good at the end of this week, with an Instagram post from the Huntington Avenue eatery referring customers to Penguin Pizza across the street while also hinting that at least some of the menu items at Grub will be offered there in the near future. Dermot Doyne of Penguin Pizza first opened Grub in the late fall of 2016, offering a variety of poutine options along with sandwiches and brunch items.

Penguin Pizza has been mentioned in the press as a top place for pizza over the years, with The Improper Bostonian awarding it best restaurant in Mission Hill while CBS Boston included it among its 2014 picks for best pizza and beer.

The address for Grub is 738 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

October 27 update: According to its Instagram page, Grub will close at the end of business hours on Sunday, October 29, as it will be serving its final brunch that day.]

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Wabora Prime Opens in Allston

A pair of restaurants with one location in Canada and another in Boston has opened a third dining spot in Allston, and this one puts a twist on some beloved comfort food items.

Eater Boston is reporting that Wabora Prime is now open on Brighton Avenue, with the address indicating that it has moved into the space where such spots as Boston Kabob Company, Gitlo's Dim Sum Bakery, and V. Majestic had been. Unlike the locations of Wabora on Newbury Street and in Bracebridge, ON (which are both mainly sushi spots), the new Wabora Prime features hot dogs, hamburgers, and poutine, all with Korean-style options such as kimchi bacon, pork bulgogi, and fried eggs, along with other choices for toppings. The eatery also offers more traditional Asian items, including udon soup, chicken katsu rice plates, and more.

Wabora first opened in the Back Bay last June, taking over the space where Ikura Sushi had been.

The address for this new dining spot in Allston is: Wabora Prime, 164 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Update: Saus in Boston Reopens After Temporarily Closing Due to Broken Water Pipe

[Ed note: This article was updated on August 3 to reflect the fact that Saus has reopened.]

A popular restaurant in downtown Boston that features Belgian street food and more has closed for the time being.

According to a Twitter post from the place, Saus is shut down for now, with the message saying "Hey, friends! We are temporarily closed and are unsure of when we'll be reopening. Stick to our Twitter feed for updates." A similar post on Facebook was also put up this afternoon, though no other information has been given on either Twitter or Facebook, or their website. As soon as we find out more about the status of the restaurant, we will post an update here.

[July 31 update: It appears that this is indeed a temporary closing, as Saus just added the following: "The building we're in is SUPER old, so we're just dealing with some issues" followed by this: "Update: a pipe broke so we're having a little trouble running water - fingers crossed we're back up soon! Again, thanks for the concern!"]

[August 3 update: According to a new post on its Facebook page, Saus is open once again, with the note saying "We can't thank you all enough for your incredible support after last week's temporary closure. We didn't mean to scare you! We are OPEN OPEN OPEN and expected to stay that way...we want to see your smiling faces."]

Saus first opened in the spring of 2011, featuring such items as liege waffles, poutine, and pommes frites, with more options such as salads and sandwiches eventually being added as well.

The address for Saus is 33 Union Street, Boston, MA, 02108; its website can be found at http://www.sausboston.com/

Thanks to @hoover_dam for bringing this to our attention.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Sandwiches from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Elsewhere in New England]

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Decca Opens in Charlestown Navy Yard

A new restaurant that features an item popular in Quebec has opened in an historic waterfront location in Boston.

Eater Boston is reporting that Decca is now open in the Charlestown Navy yard, with the eatery being a fast-casual counter-service spot with indoor and outdoor seating that is located in Building 10 (just south of Old Ironsides and the USS Constitution Museum). The dining spot's menu shows that poutine is offered, including classic (fries with cheese curds and gravy), Carolina-style (pulled pork, chipotle BBQ sauce), lobster, and "mess hall" (chili, cheddar cheese, jalapeno peppers, and onions), and burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, wraps, lobster rolls, and chicken tenders are also available.

Decca is open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM seven days a week, according to EB.

The address for this new eatery in Charlestown is: Decca, Building 10, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA, 02129. Its website can be found at http://www.deccaboston.com/

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Walloon's Pommes Frites Food Truck Coming to Boston

Another new food truck is on its way to Boston, and this one will be focusing on a very popular food item.

Eater Boston is reporting (via Hub Food Trucks) that Walloon's is going to be hitting the streets of the city, offering hand-cut, twice-fried pommes frites (French fries), with the truck's site showing several sauces offered to go with the fries, including wasabi ginger, smoked basil curry, and sweet maple. In addition to fries, the food truck will also offer deep-fried hot dogs, chili, chicken tenders, and poutine, along with a few beverages.

There does not appear to be a set opening date for the Walloon's truck as of yet, though their events page shows two dates on it--August 15 and September 23.

[August 18 update: UrbanDaddy states that the Walloon's truck plans to debut tomorrow.]

The website for Walloon's can be found at http://www.eatwalloons.com/

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Montreal French Fries in West Bridgewater Closes

A roadside restaurant south of Boston that was known for its Quebec-style poutine has apparently closed its doors. According to posters on both Yelp and Chowhound, Montreal French Fries in West Bridgewater is no longer in business. A check on the restaurant's website shows that it is no longer running, and its phone is no longer in service.

Montreal French Fries was a snack shack located on Route 106 (just west of the Route 24 intersection) that featured hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as poutine, which is a plate of French fries covered in dark gravy and cheese curds. Corn dogs were also served at the dining spot, and the burgers could be ordered with Montreal spice.

There is no information at the present time about what, if anything, might move into the spot where Montreal French Fries used to be. [November 29 update: It does look like a new restaurant is going into the old Montreal French Fries spot. Also, an earlier note on the restaurant's website (which is now down) indicated that the owner of Montreal French Fries may be behind the new place. We will continue to post updates as we get them, so keep checking back.]

If you would like to read an old review on the restaurant, please go to the Boston's Hidden Restaurants link below:

Early Summer Food Trip South of Boston

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