Davio's Partners with Theater Chain to Open Restaurant in Chestnut Hill

A group of upscale Northern Italian steakhouses with locations in Boston and Foxboro is going to be opening a more casual outlet in the Chestnut Hill section of Newton, and it will be connected (literally) with a movie theater.

The Boston Herald reports that Davio's is going to be opening a new spot called Davio's Cucina in the redeveloped Chestnut Hill Shopping Center, with the dining spot partnering with the Showcase Super Lux cinema complex to create a combination moviegoing/dining experience. The article mentions that the 250-seat restaurant will be separate from the movie theater--though it will have an entrance from the lobby of the theater (as well as from the street)--and that it will offer pasta, pizza, and daily specials such as lamb osso bucco, braised short ribs, and pork Milanese. The theater itself, which will have six screens and 600 seats, will share a kitchen with Davio's Cucina, offering both food items from its own menu as well as from the Davio's menu.
 
Expect a spring 2013 opening for Davio's Cucina, according to the Herald.

[May 30, 2013 update: According to a post on their Facebook page, the new Davio's in Chestnut Hill will open on June 11.]

[June 11, 2013 update: A new post on their Facebook page confirms that Davio's opens today.]

Davio's also has restaurants in Philadelphia and Atlanta. Their website can be found at http://davios.com/

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.


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Frost Ice Bar Is Opening in Boston's Faneuil Hall

The first "ice bar" in New England is on its way, and it will be opening in the heart of downtown Boston.

An email from Marlo Marketing/Communications indicates that Frost Ice Bar is planning to open at Faneuil Hall, bringing to Boston an unusual drinking spot that features an ice-sculpted interior open year-round. The ice bar will be constructed and furnished entirely of ice and will have an indoor temperature of 24 degrees Fahrenheit, with specialty drinks served in ice glasses.

Ice bars can be found in a number of cities around the world, including ones in Orlando and Las Vegas.

Expect a spring 2013 opening for Frost Ice Bar in Boston. (Their website can be found at http://www.frosticebar.com/)

[March 14, 2013 update: The Boston Herald reports that Frost Ice Bar will have 1,500 square feet of space and a capacity of 115, and a temperature colder than originally thought (17 degrees rather than 24 degrees). The bar, which will be located on the third floor of the north building of Faneuil Hall, will allow customers to stay for 45 minutes, with a possible admission charge of $29 (which would include one drink). Children aged six and older will be allowed until 5:00 PM, when it becomes 21+, according to the article.]

[July 22, 2013 update: The Restaurant Hub blog of the Boston Globe states that Frost Ice Bar will open sometime in August. The blog is also saying that the admission charge will be $19 (not $29, as was previously mentioned as a possibility) and that cocktails will be $11.]

[August 30, 2013 update: According to a Facebook post from the place, Frost Ice Bar opens in Boston today at 3:00 PM.]


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Neighborhoods Coffee and Crepes Is Opening in the Fenway's Restaurant Row

It looks like another new restaurant is coming to the Fenway's "Restaurant Row," which is continuing to make a comeback after the devastating fire that destroyed it a few years back.

Eater Boston is reporting (via @Grosssman on Twitter) that Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes is looking to open on Peterborough Street, whose strip of dining spots is on the rebound after it mostly burned down in January of 2009. Not much is known about the new eatery, other than the fact that, based on the name, it will be some kind of cafe/crepe shop.

[September 14 update: Eater Boston has posted more information on Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes, stating that it will offer coffee and espresso drinks along with crepes, muffins, and "elegant desserts," with locally-sourced ingredients used for some of its items. The place will be open from early in the morning to late in the evening Monday through Saturday, with a slightly earlier closing on Sundays. Eater also mentions that Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes could be open by the end of October.]

[November 1 update: A new article from Eater Boston indicates that Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes is planning to open on Thursday, November 15.]

[November 27 update: East Boston mentions that Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes has soft-opened, with a grand opening (and a full menu) likely on the way soon.]

Restaurants that have opened up on Peterborough Street's Restaurant Row after the fire include El Pelon Taqueria, Rod Dee, Swish Shabu, and Thornton's (El Pelon Taqueria, Rod Dee, and Thornton's had been in the block before the fire hit).


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What the Fluff? to Be Held in Somerville, September 29, 2012

A festival that focuses on a sweet treat invented in Somerville many years ago returns to that city once again later this month.

An email from Tugboat 23 indicates that the 7th annual "What the Fluff?" festival will take place in Union Square on Saturday, September 29 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. As always, the event will pay tribute to Fluff--which was invented by Somerville resident Archibald Query in 1917--by offering folks a variety of Fluff-related treats along with children's events, musical and theatrical performances, humorists and inventors, a cooking contest, and more.

Volunteers for the event are needed from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM that day, so if you are interested in helping, please contact volunteer@unionsquaremain.org

More information on the 2012 "What the Fluff?" festival can be found at the link below:

http://unionsquaremain.org/fluff-festival/


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News Elsewhere: And Now, a "Pop-Down" Restaurant

Most folks have heard of pop-up restaurants (temporary dining spots that reside in shops, public spaces, other restaurants, schools, etc.). But a new eatery in Finland is doing the opposite; it is a temporary "pop-down" restaurant that is literally an underground hangout.

An article this week in the Boston Globe mentions that Muru (which stands for "crumb" in Finnish) is a restaurant in Lohja that is located 260 feet below ground in a 115-year-old limestone mine. The dining spot features such dishes as veal tenderloin, salted salmon, snails, and apple crumble, with a prix fixe four-course dinner costing the equivalent of $160 (drinks and round-trip transportation from nearby Helsinki into the mine are included).

The 64-seat pop-down restaurant will call it a day on Sept. 29, according to the Globe.


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Riverfest Coming to Assembly Square in Somerville, September 15, 2012

A festival that includes food trucks and much more is coming to Somerville this weekend.

An email from Blue Bug Digital indicates that the fifth annual Riverfest will be held on Saturday, September 15 at Assembly Square, with the event being a celebration of the moving forward of Assembly Row (a new mixed-use development that will include a waterfront park, new T station, restaurants, retail shops, a movie theater, and residential and office space). The festival will feature food, live music, children's activities, an Edsel car show, a rock wall, and fireworks over the Mystic River. Food will be supplied by such food trucks as Boston Super Dog, Compliments Food Truck, Frozen Hoagies, Grilled Cheese Nation, Lobsta Love, Paris Creperie, and The Taco Truck.

Riverfest 2012 goes from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

For more information on this event, please go to the Assembly Row at Assembly Square Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AssemblyRow


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