Restaurants for Valentine's Day

It is hard to believe that Valentine's Day is only two weeks away. Because of the economic downturn that we are in, my guess is that restaurants might not be quite so crowded this year for Valentine's Day, but if you're looking for a romantic spot for February 14, it may be a good idea to make reservations soon. And if you aren't sure as to where you might want to go for an intimate night of dining, you might want to check out our Romantic Boston and New England Restaurants for Valentine's Day page that is a special feature within the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site. Included in this section are a number of select restaurants around New England that we think are perfect for a romantic meal because of their atmosphere, food, etc.

Also, if you know of a restaurant that you think is perfect for Valentine's Day, feel free to post it here. Thanks!

The Dish Closes in the South End

The Dish, a cozy little New American restaurant on Shawmut Avenue in Boston, has closed its doors. Located in the heart of the South End, The Dish featured upscale comfort food, and had outdoor dining on the sidewalk in front of the place during the warmer months.

The closing of The Dish is only the latest of several South End restaurant closures over the past few months, a list that includes Thai Village and Garden of Eden, both on Tremont Street.

New Restaurants Coming to Braintree, Randolph

Two new restaurants will soon be opening south of Boston--one in Braintree, and one in Randolph. In Braintree, a new restaurant will be replacing the now-closed Bickford's Family Restaurant at 135 Union Street (near the rotary at the Route 3 intersection), while in Randolph, a new restaurant will be coming to the spot at 1160 N Main Street formerly occupied by Legends Cafe.

More updates will soon be coming on both of these restaurants, so be sure to check back over the next few weeks...

Starbucks to Close 300 Stores, Eliminate 6700 Jobs

Starbucks Corporation will be closing more stores over the coming months and will also be cutting thousands of jobs. According to Bloomberg.com, the coffee shop chain will be shutting down a total of 300 stores (including 200 in the United States) and letting go of 6,700 workers.

Last year, Starbucks closed 600 stores, including seven in Massachusetts. It is not known at this time how many stores (if any) will be closing in the state this time around.

For more information on the closing of Starbucks stores and the laying off of workers, please go to the Bloomberg link below:

Starbucks to Cut 6,700 Jobs After Earnings Fall 69%

New Restaurant Coming to Dorchester: Chateau Kabor

A new restaurant will be opening in the Adams Village section of Dorchester sometime in the near future. According to EveryBlock Boston, Chateau Kabor will be opening at 789 Adams Street in the heart of the village. For those who know Adams Village, this is the spot that was formerly occupied by Mario's Trattoria.

We will post more information on Chateau Kabor as the opening date for this restaurant gets closer.

Former Tullio's Owner Opens Orta in Pembroke

A new restaurant has just opened in Pembroke, and the owner's name might be a familiar one to South Shore residents.

According to the Patriot Ledger food blog, Jimmy Burke is heading up this new Italian restaurant on Washington Street (Route 53) in Pembroke. Mr. Burke is the former owner and chef of Tullio's, a now-closed Italian restaurant on Hancock Street in North Quincy that had a loyal following for years.

The menu at Orta features a mix of Northern Italian and Southern Italian dishes, including papardelle with braised lamb; gemelli with marscapone cheese, mushrooms, proscuitto, tomato sauce; veal meatloaf with mushroom sauce; and pistachio and panko-crusted salmon in a wine sauce. Prices for entrees range from about $10 to $25.

The address for Orta is: Orta Restaurant, 75 Washington Street, Pembroke, MA, 02359. The phone number is (781) 826-8883.