Ming Tsai Is Opening Blue Dragon in Boston's Fort Point Neighborhood

Last week we reported that celebrity chef Ming Tsai was planning to open a restaurant in the Fort Point section of Boston, and now we have details on what kind of dining spot it will be.

Based on information from a community meeting in Fort Point this evening, Ming's new restaurant will be called Blue Dragon, with the 70-seat casual neighborhood eatery being open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Its lunch menu will focus on burgers and sandwiches, while dinner will include small plates ("east meets west" tapas), along with items such as Peking duck and dumplings. It appears that a late-night menu may also be available as well, and it may be a bit different from the dinner menu. Blue Dragon will have a full liquor license, though it looks like plans for a roof deck have fallen through.

Blue Dragon may be open by November, though it could be as late as February of 2013, depending on how things progress.

[January 29, 2013 update: A Twitter post from Blue Dragon indicates that the restaurant plans to open in "ten days." (Thanks to Grub Street Boston for bringing this to our attention.)]

[February 11, 2013 update: A note sent to us from the restaurant mentions that Blue Dragon will be opening on Wednesday (February 13).]

[February 13, 2013 update: Eater Boston has confirmed that Blue Dragon is now open.]

The address for this new restaurant in the Fort Point section of Boston is: Blue Dragon, 324 A Street, Boston, MA, 02210.

[Earlier Article]
Ming Tsai Plans to Open a New Restaurant in Boston's Fort Point Neighborhood


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Highlights for the Week Ending July 20, 2012

Several more stories and articles focusing on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including a Korean fried chicken place opening a second location in Allston, a burger pop-up coming to Cambridge, and a Brookline deli being sold. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) included a new review of an Italian and Greek restaurant in Braintree, a blog entry about good steak tips in the Boston area, and a photo of a waffle from a breakfast and lunch spot in Quincy.

Below are links to these and other items from the past week:

Boston Restaurant Talk

Bon Chon Plans to Open in Old Kelly's Roast Beef Location in Allston

Otto Pizza to Open New Location Near Boston University

Burger Pop-Up Coming to Abigail's in Cambridge, August 20, 2012

Confirmed: Michael's Deli in Brookline Has Been Sold

Ming Tsai Plans to Open a New Restaurant in Boston's Fort Point Neighborhood

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

New Review: Maria's in Braintree, MA

Blog Entry: Five Places to Get Good Steak Tips

Updated Photo Gallery of Dive Bars in the Boston Area

Updated Review: Angela's Cafe, East Boston, MA

Photo: Waffle from McKay's in Quincy, MA


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Children Around the World Auction Coming to Down Ultra Lounge in Boston, August 10, 2012

A "charity date auction" returns to Boston next month, and it will be raising money for a couple of good causes.

On Friday, August 10, Anthem Entertainment will be hosting its annual Children Around the World auction at the Down Ultra Lounge on High Street. The event, which goes from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, focuses on the "auctioning" of men and women, with each auctionee coming with a date that includes dinner, drinks, and activity for two. A cocktail reception begins the event, followed by the auction, where women and men have the chance to bid on their favorite dates.

Proceeds from the 2012 Children Around the World auction benefit CHOSA, an organization that helps orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa, and the Boston Police Department's community outreach program, which focuses on Mattapan and nearby areas and helps give youths opportunity and experience outside of their neighborhoods.

The event has a suggested donation of $10, according to the event page (see the link below).

Children Around the World: Charity Date Auction


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Ken Oringer Leaves KO Prime; Patricia Yeo Leaving Moksa

Two well-known chefs/restaurateurs in the Boston-area restaurant scene are saying farewell to a couple of eateries, and one of them is going to be leaving Boston completely.

Eater Boston is reporting that Ken Oringer has said farewell to KO Prime in downtown Boston, where he had been a partner. Oringer will remain at his other dining spots, which include Clio/Uni, Coppa, La Verdad, Toro, and Earth (in Kennebunkport, ME). He is also planning to open a location of Toro in the Chelsea section of New York City.

Meanwhile, Grub Street Boston states that Patricia Yeo will be saying goodbye to Moksa in Cambridge, as she has received a job offer for a "corporate position" in Chicago. It is not yet known what kind of job Yeo will be doing, as she will keep it a secret until the job contract is finalized, according to Grub Street.

KO Prime is located at 90 Tremont Street in Boston, while Moksa can be found at 450 Mass. Ave. in Cambridge.


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Laurie's 9:09 Steakhouse and Raw Bar Is Opening in Wakefield

A new fine-dining spot is coming to a northern suburb of Boston, and it will focus mainly on steak and seafood dishes.

The Wakefield Patch reports that Laurie's 9:09 Steakhouse and Raw Bar is going to be opening on Tuttle Street, moving into the space where Cafe Jag's used to be until closing this spring. The article mentions that the new eatery will offer such items as steak, lobsters, crab cakes, and oysters (with an emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients), and it will also have live music and trivia.

Hours for the restaurant, which is scheduled to open in September, will be 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM Monday through Saturday, and 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Sundays, with a brunch offered that day.

[November 8 update: A new article in the Wakefield Patch states that Laurie's 9:09 Steakhouse and Raw Bar is now open.]

The address for this new restaurant in Wakefield is: Laurie's 9:09 Steakhouse and Raw Bar, 33 Tuttle Street, Wakefield, MA, 01880.


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Bon Chon Plans to Open in Old Kelly's Roast Beef Location in Allston

A group of Korean fried chicken franchises with locations in Allston and Cambridge is looking to open a new outlet in Allston, moving into the space where a location of a local roast beef chain had been.

The Boston Globe reports that Bon Chon is planning on opening in the former Kelly's Roast Beef location on Commonwealth Avenue, though the article mentions that the lease for the new space still needs landlord and bank approval before plans can move ahead. If all goes as planned, expect the new Bon Chon to open sometime this fall.

Bon Chon first opened on Harvard Avenue in Allston toward the end of 2010, with their Harvard Square location on JFK Street opening a little over a month ago. The eatery offers fried wings, drumsticks, and strips, as well as soups, salads, sushi, bulgogi, kimchi, and bibimbob, and more. The group of restaurants has locations in Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore, as well as a handful of spots in the United States.

Kelly's Roast Beef closed its Allston location in December of 2011. Its locations in Revere Beach, Danvers, Medford, Natick, and Saugus remain open.

The address for the upcoming Bon Chon is 1227 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134.

[October 25 update: A more recent article in The Boston Globe mentions that Bon Chon's plans to open in the Kelly's space have fallen through.]


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