Update: Happy's Bar and Kitchen Has Closed; Will Become Barrio Cantina

[Ed note: This article was updated on February 4 to reflect a name given for the place.]

A casual American restaurant in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston has closed its doors, with the owner soon reopening the place as a Mexican dining spot.

The Boston Magazine Chowder blog is reporting that Happy's Bar & Kitchen on Boylston Street is shuttered after being in business since last May, as owner Michael Schlow has decided to open an eatery that will feature such items as quesadillas tacos, enchiladas, margaritas, and tequila. The space will also be re-done, and Chowder says that it will become a smaller eatery during the slower months and a larger spot during the baseball season (Fenway Park, which is home to the Red Sox, is within walking distance).

No name has been given for the Mexican restaurant as of yet, but it could be open as early as early February.

[February 4 update: Grub Street Boston mentions that the name of the new restaurant will be Barrio Cantina, and it should be opening later this week. Thanks to @WendyPierce for bringing this to our (and Grub Street's) attention.]

[February 6 update: UrbanDaddy states that Barrio Cantina opens today at 5:00 PM.]

Michael Schlow is also known for such restaurants as Tico, Radius, Via Matta, and Alta Strada.

The address for the now-closed Happy's Bar & Kitchen (and upcoming Mexican restaurant) is 1363 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02215.


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Highlights for the Week Ending January 11, 2013

A few more stories and articles centering on the Boston-area restaurant scene came out over the past week, including a group of pizza places starting up a food truck, a North End restaurant getting a new concept, and a burrito competition coming to the Back Bay. In addition, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) included a new review of a Middle Eastern spot in Allston, a photo of a pastry from a South End cafe, and an updated review of a restaurant and bar in Lynn.

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

Boston Restaurant Talk

Fresh Truck (a Mobile Farmers Market) Is Coming to Boston

Sweet Tomatoes to Bring a Food Truck to Boston

Nick Varano's Famous Deli in Boston's North End to Change Its Name, Menu

ManRay May Be Returning to Cambridge

Burrito Bowl III Is Coming to Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake February 2, 2013

Boston's Hidden Restaurants

Updated Review: Garlic 'n Lemons in Allston, MA

Photo: Chocolate Roulade from Flour in Boston, MA

Question: Best Steak Tips (Other Than New Bridge Cafe)?

Updated Review: Monte's Restaurant in Lynn, MA

Photo: Spicy Potatoes from Garlic 'n Lemons in Allston, MA


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Eddie Merlot's May Be Opening in the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston's Seaport District

It looks like a new steakhouse is on its way to the Seaport District of Boston.

The Boston Herald is reporting that Eddie Merlot's is planning to open a 300- to 400-seat restaurant at the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel on Summer Street. The Indiana-based group of steakhouses is currently wrapping up lease negotiations and is hoping to open its Boston location sometime in 2014. Presently, Eddie Merlot's has eight locations in the Midwest, with more on the way over the coming months. Their first restaurant opened in Fort Wayne in 2001.

The address for this upcoming steakhouse in the Seaport District is 425 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210. The restaurant group's website is at http://www.eddiemerlots.com/ while the website for the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel can be found at http://www.westinbostonwaterfront.com/

Wheeler del Torro to Battle Biz Markie in Brighton Food Competition

The person behind an ice cream and dessert cafe in Brighton--and a series of pop-up restaurants--is going to be taking part in a food competition later this month, and his opponent will be a well-known rapper and entertainer.

On Saturday, January 26, chef Wheeler del Torro of 3 Scoops Cafe will face off against Biz Markie at the Washington Street eatery starting at 7:00 PM, with the theme being soul food (the event is celebrating the kickoff of Black History Month). The hour-long Iron Chef-style competition will have each chef creating a dish that uses a secret ingredient, with the dishes being judged by a panel of food experts and celebrities.

Biz Markie is known in part for his hit song "Just a Friend" as well as Nick Jr.'s show Yo Gabba Gabba. He also teaches healthy cooking classes through Living Social in Washington, DC.

Tickets to this event cost $70.00 and can be ordered at the link below.

http://bizmarkiechefbattle.eventbrite.com/

The address for 3 Scoops is 403 Washington Street, Brighton, MA, 02135, and its website can be found at http://3scoopsboston.wordpress.com/


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Video: Invisible Drive-Thru Customer Prank

A video has recently been making the rounds through social media of late, showing a hilarious prank that was pulled by Rahat the Magician Prankster. In the video, Rahat uses a "car seat costume" to give the illusion of a driverless car and pulls up to several drive-thru windows to order food. Needless to say, the reactions of the restaurant workers are priceless.

The video, which was posted on Yahoo news (via Gawker) can be seen below.





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Beyond Bubbie's Kitchen to Be Held in Boston's Back Bay, January 27, 2013

A culinary event that centers around contemporary takes on traditional Jewish recipes is returning to Boston once again, and this time it will be held in the Back Bay.

According to Marlo Marketing/Communications, the fourth annual Beyond Bubbie's Kitchen will be held from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Sunday, January 27, at the Back Bay Events Center on Berkeley Street, with the event featuring area chefs who will give short demonstrations and conversations while guests sample tastings of their dishes. (Guests will also be given a book that features the evening's recipes.) Participating chefs include Mark Goldberg (PARK), Deborah Hansen (Taberna de Haro), Katie Kimble (Area Four), Mei Lie (Mei Mei food truck), Steven Peljovich (Michael's Deli), Erwin Ramos (Ole), Jason Santangelo (Forum), Jim Solomon (The Fireplace), and Josh Ziskin (La Morra), along with Savenor's Market.

Beyond Bubbie's Kitchen is presented by New Center NOW, which is the young adult division of The New Center for Arts & Culture.

Tickets to the 2013 Beyond Bubbie's Kitchen event cost $36 and can be purchased at the link below:

http://www.newcenterboston.org/


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