Bear Rock Cafe in Woburn Has Closed

The Bear Rock Cafe, a chain of sandwich shops located in 11 states including Massachusetts, has closed their Woburn branch. (It had been on Route 3 in the shopping center that houses the Whole Foods near the Winchester line.) It is unknown what will be going into this spot at the present time.

The Reading Branch of the Bear Rock Cafe remains open...

Hot Dog Safari Coming to Suffolk Downs Sunday, June 1

Eddie Andelman's Hot Dog Safari, which benefits Cystic Fibrosis and The Joey Fund, will be held this Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Suffolk Downs in East Boston. This will be the 19th year of the Hot Dog Safari, and a number of celebrities will be there, including Kevin Faulk from the New England Patriots.

Tickets will cost $12 if purchased before the event, or $15 if purchased at Suffolk Downs on the day of the event. Children ages 6 and under get in for free. for more information, including where to purchase tickets in advance, go to the link below:

http://www.hotdogsafari.com/

James Hook and Company Destroyed by Fire

James Hook and Company, a Boston landmark that has been selling lobsters to restaurants and wholesalers since the 1920s, was gutted by fire today.

According to WBZ 1030 and the Boston Fire Department, the blaze started around 3:30 this morning and quickly went to seven alarms. The structure, which is located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Northern Avenue near the Moakley Bridge on the Boston Waterfront, burned very quickly, partly because of the cardboard boxes used for shipping that were inside the building. No injuries occurred.

James Hook and Company started selling lobsters to restaurants back in 1925 and has been owned by the same family since the beginning. According to their Web site, the company has been shipping more than 50,000 pounds of lobster per day.

For more information on the fire at James Hook and Company, please go to the WBZ link below:

http://wbztv.com/local/lobster.james.hook.2.736365.html

Latest Review: St. Alphonzo's Kitchen, South Boston

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for St. Alphonzo's Kitchen, a tiny restaurant located just north of Broadway in South Boston. Formerly known as Potbellies Kitchen, the dining spot now called St. Alphonzo's Kitchen is a quirky little place with a small but interesting menu that includes grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta, haddock, chicken cutlets, and reubens. The restaurant serves beer and wine and has daily specials on the blackboard that wraps around the dining area. To read more about St. Alphonzo's Kitchen in South Boston, please click on the link above.

Jury Room Opens in Quincy

The Jury Room, a restaurant and bar on Cottage Avenue in Quincy, opened for business this week.

According to the Patriot Ledger, the Jury Room, which is housed in an old church, has room for 99 people and offers both a bar menu and a regular menu.

To read more about the Jury Room, please go to the Patriot Ledger link below:

http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/x1192323820/Grand-Jury-Room

Viola Restaurant and Wine Bar Opens in Braintree

A new restaurant in Braintree called Viola has opened its doors.

Viola Restaurant and Wine Bar features Italian cuisine, including seafood, chicken, veal, and pasta dishes, as well as pizza. Prices look very reasonable, with most items being under $15.00. Specific items on the menu include pork chops with vinegar peppe, seafood fra diavlo, chicken al verdicchio, veal picatta, gnocchi, and arugula pizza. They also offer a variety of soups and salads, and they have a children's menu.

The address for Viola is 1209 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184, and the phone number is (781) 848-8980.