City Bar and Grill Opening in Swampscott

It looks like a new upscale restaurant may soon be coming to Swampscott. According to both the Lynn Daily Item and the Swampscott Reporter, the City Bar and Grill is planning on opening where Finagle-A-Bagel (and before that, Friendly's) used to be on Route 1A in Vinnin Square. Both newspapers indicate that the restaurant is looking to cater to an older crowd, and based on the menu items mentioned in the Daily Item's article, the City Bar and Grill may be leaning toward New American and traditional American fare such as panko-crusted halibut, grilled honey-brined pork chops, and pan-seared salmon. The price range for dinner entrees appears to be mostly from the mid-teens to the mid-twenties. Both papers state that the restaurant still needs to gain approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals later in December before they are able to open.

[September 21 update: According to the North Shore Dish Facebook page, City Bar and Grill has its sign up, its furniture in place, and its menu displayed, so it looks like it is almost ready to open.]

[September 21 update (part 2): According to posters on the North Shore Dish Facebook page, City Bar and Grill is indeed open for business.]

The address for this new restaurant on the North Shore is: City Bar and Grill, 435 Paradise Road (Route 1A), Swampscott, MA, 01907.

Thanks to one of our Facebook fans for bringing this story to our attention. If you know of any restaurant openings or closings in the Boston area, feel free to post a message on our Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Fan Page to let us know, thanks.

For more information on the possible opening of the City Bar and Grill in Swampscott, please go to the Daily Item and Swampscott Reporter links below:

New eatery slated to open in Swampscott

License Night at Swampscott selectmen's meeting brings some surprises

Tweet This!

Jin Asian Restaurant Shut Down by the Town of Saugus

An Asian restaurant on Route 1 in Saugus that is one of the largest dining spots in the Boston area has been closed down after town selectmen voted to revoke all of their licenses. According to Wicked Local Manchester, Jin Asian Restaurant was put out of business by the town of Saugus after the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously this week to take away their licenses, citing public safety issues. Also noted is the fact that Jin owes more than $250,000 in taxes in fees to the town.

Jin first opened in 2006, moving into the spot where Weylu's used to be high up on a hill overlooking Route 1 near the Route 99 intersection. The restaurant has featured a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian fare, offering sushi, dim sum, and much more, including the largest buffet in New England.

[January 28 update: According to an article within the Saugus Advertiser/Wicked Local site, a new Asian restaurant will be opening where Jin used to be. The article states that a beer and wine license as well as an entertainment license were given to ATM Mabo LLC earlier this week. It appears that the restaurant will open in about three months.]

For more information on the closing of Jin Asian Restaurant in Saugus, please go to the Wicked Local Manchester link below:

Saugus selectmen revoke Jin Restaurant's licenses permanently

Tweet This! Share on Facebook.

Latest Review: Victoria's Diner, Boston

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a diner in the Roxbury section of Boston called Victoria's Diner. Located in an industrial area just west of the Southeast Expressway, Victoria's Diner caters to truck drivers and warehouse workers in the immediate area, but also attracts college students, folks from Roxbury and nearby Dorchester, and others who have discovered this surprisingly spacious restaurant. Victoria's is open 24 hours a day from Thursday into Sunday, offering a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items at reasonable prices. To read more about Victoria's Diner in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, please click on the link above.

Deuxave Is Opening in the Back Bay

A new restaurant is apparently going to be opening at some point in Boston's Back Bay, moving into the spot where a Beacon Hill bistro and bakery used to have a second location. According to the EveryBlock Boston website, Deuxave recently was issued a license for a restaurant to open on Mass. Ave. where Panificio used to be before closing in the spring of 2008 (the original Charles Street location of Panificio remains open).

[December 15 update: Based on information given in a thread within the archBoston forum, Deuxave looks to be a restaurant featuring reasonably-priced French and American cuisine.]

[January 29 update: According to Grub Street Boston, Deuxave should be open this summer. And both Grub Street Boston and Universal Hub have confirmed that the people who run dBar in Dorchester are also behind DeuxAve.]

[August 23 update: According to Where to Eat and Drink Magazine, Deuxave may be opening as early as Labor Day weekend in early September. The article mentions that the restaurant will be an upscale but affordable spot with contemporary French dishes offered.]

[September 2 update: It looks like Deuxave is currently in the process of opening, as the restaurant had a soft opening yesterday.]

The address for this new restaurant in the Back Bay is: Deuxave, 61 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115.

Tweet This!

5,000 Fans Now on Facebook; 3,000 Followers On Twitter

Boston's Hidden Restaurants and Boston Restaurant Talk are hitting a couple of milestones this week in the social networking world; we are only a few away from 5,000 fans on our Facebook page, while we reached 3,000 followers on Twitter earlier this week. Thanks to all who have decided to follow us on these two sites, and thanks for all of the posts that you have added, many of which have helped us learn about restaurants in the Boston area and elsewhere in New England.

If you would like to become a Facebook fan of Boston's Hidden Restaurants and Boston Restaurant Talk, please go to this link:

Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Page

And to follow us on Twitter, please go to this link:

Twitter Page for Hiddenboston

And to go to our parent site, please click on this link:

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Friendly's Express to Open in Brookline

It appears that Brookline will soon join Mansfield in having a quick-casual dining spot that is part of a local ice cream chain. According to several online job postings (including one on the Craigslist site), Friendly's Express is coming to an undisclosed location in this western neighbor of Boston's. Friendly's Express had opened their first location in Mansfield this past summer, and more seem to be on their way over the coming months, including the one that is going to be in Brookline.

The Friendly's Express chain focuses on fast service and takeout orders, though they also have a dine-in option. Most of what is on the menu at the traditional Friendly's restaurants is offered at Friendly's Express, including salads, sandwiches, and ice cream, with all items being under $10.

As soon as we get information on the exact location of this new Friendly's Express in Brookline (as well as an approximate opening date), we will update the information here.

[December 9 update: According to some notes from a Brookline Planning Board meeting on the Town of Brookline website, Friendly's Express will be located at 289 Harvard Street in the former Qdoba spot in Coolidge Corner. Thanks to a poster on Chowhound for initially letting us know about the address.]

[January 27 update: According to a job posting on the Craigslist site, Friendly's Express is planning on opening in the spring of 2010.]

Tweet This! Share on Facebook.