Boston Restaurant Talk

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Whole Heart Provisions to Open in Allston

It looks like a restaurant and food truck owner who is known in part for his grilled cheese sandwiches is opening a new spot next door to his existing brick-and-mortar restaurant, and he is apparently teaming up with chef and cook from several local dining spots.

According to a Licensing Board page within the City of Boston website, James DiSabatino is going to be involved in the opening of Whole Heart Provisions in Allston, with the address indicating that it would take over the Cambridge Street space where Root had been (and before that, Peace o' Pie). The address also shows that the new spot would be adjacent to the brick-and-mortar location of Roxy's Grilled Cheese, and that it is looking to be a quick-service takeout restaurant with seating for 19 and proposed hours from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM. A job post from poachedjobs.com indicates that Rebecca Arnold (Sarma, Alden & Harlow, Pain D'Avignon, 606 Congress) is involved with Whole Heart Provisions as well, and the listing gives a bit more info on the place, saying this will be a "veggie-focused, fast casual concept" that will be their "first" location.

[August 19 update: An article from Boston Magazine gives more information on the proposed Whole Heart Provision--the eatery will have dine-in and takeout options and will focus on salads and build-your-own bowls (grains, veggies, toppings, etc.), with beer and wine possibly coming if a liquor license is approved for the place. The article also says that if all goes as planned, Whole Heart Provisions will open sometime in mid-September.]

[September 28 update: According to several social media posts, Whole Heart Provisions soft-opened over the weekend, and a press release says that it will continue its soft opening tonight, with the place being open from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM today through Sunday. (The official opening date for the eatery is Tuesday, October 6.)]

Earlier this year, we reported that DiSabatino was planning to open two new brick-and-mortar spots, with one possibly being another Roxy's Grilled Cheese that would be located at MarketStreet Lynnfield, though no other information had come out about the second restaurant, so it is possible that Whole Heart Provisions is that place.

The address for the proposed Whole Heart Provisions is 487 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA, 02134.

[Earlier Article]
Roxy's Grilled Cheese to Open Two New Brick-and-Mortar Restaurants

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Monday, August 17, 2015

A "Destination-Type" Restaurant May Be Coming to International Place in Boston

A 30-year-old office building in downtown Boston that had no dining options until a couple of years ago may eventually have a third spot moving in.

The Boston Globe is reporting that International Place might become home to what Don Chiofaro Jr., of The Chiofaro Co. (the developer of the office tower) says is a "destination-type" restaurant at street level, which is currently home to The Palm and Kane's Donuts. Chiofaro states in the article that he doesn't have a specific tenant in place for the restaurant as of yet, though he does say that the dining spot wouldn't compete directly with The Palm. The space where the eatery would go was where ramps from the old Central Artery had been back in the days before the Big Dig.

The Palm opened at International Place in May of 2013, while Kane's Donuts opened in March of this year.

International Place is located at the corner of the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Oliver Street in the city's Financial District.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Thurston Spa in Somerville Purchased by Friend of Deceased Owner; Will Reopen

A couple of months ago, we reported that a the future of a decades-old sandwich shop in Somerville was in question, as the owner passed away and it wasn't known who--if anyone--might run the place. Now we have learned that the store will reopen, pending approval by the city.

Eater Boston mentions (via a Licensing Commission page and a Somerville Journal article) that John Ferreer is planning to operate Thurston Spa, taking over the Medford Street shop after the June death of his friend (and store owner) Jerry LaFee. The article says that Ferreer is in the process of renovating the space and hopes to open back up on September 1, with new seating, floors, and kitchen equipment being part of the upgrades. Once it does reopen, the hours for Thurston Spa will be extended to a closing time of 8:00, According to EB.

Customers who talked to the Somerville Journal are happy to see Thurston Spa remain open, with Larry Laflamme saying "It's kind of like the club house" and Fran Avola noting that "It would be like losing a valuable piece of history if this place closed down." (Thurston Spa first opened its doors about 60 years ago.)

[Earlier Article]
Future of Thurston Spa in Somerville Up in the Air After Owner's Death

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Sandwiches from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Elsewhere in New England]

Ganko Ittetsu Ramen Is Replacing MJ Ready in Brookline

[Ed note: This article was updated on August 20 and August 24 to reflect new information given.]

It looks like a Thai restaurant in Brookline has shut its doors for good after being in business for a bit under six years, and a new dining spot may be coming in.

According to several sources, including a poster on the Chowhound site, MJ Ready in the Arcade Building on Harvard Street, appears to have closed, with the windows being papered over and the signage being taken down. A poster on Yelp seems to confirm this as well, saying that the Coolidge Corner eatery has "closed permanently" while a Google search of the place has a similar message come up within Google.

MJ Ready first opened in the fall of 2009, taking over the space where La Scala Caffe had been. In addition to Thai cuisine, the dining spot also offered some American dishes as well.

[August 20 update: Eater Boston has confirmed that MJ Ready has shuttered, with the owners selling the place on July 24. The post also says that a new restaurant will be moving in "soon."]

[August 24 update: A new article from Eater Boston states that Ganko Ittetsu Ramen will be moving into the former MJ Ready space, with the eatery possibly offering alcohol if it is able to receive a liquor license.]

[October 15 update: A poster on Chowhound states that Ganko Ittetsu Ramen is now open.]

The address for MJ Ready (and the new Ganko Ittetsu Ramen) is 318 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, 02446.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

Italia di Gusto Is Opening in Former Bestsellers Cafe in Medford Square

A restaurant, pizzeria, and grocery store that is based in Italy is coming to the Boston area, and it will be taking over a riverside space where a combination bookstore/cafe had been.

According to a Twitter post from @TheBostonFoodie, Italia di Gusto is opening in Medford Square, moving into the former Bestsellers Cafe space on High Street. (Bestsellers Cafe closed in January after being in business on and off for approximately 17 years.) An article from insidemedford.com indicates that the place--which will be run by franchise owners Matteo and Francesca Ronzio, who are from Italy--will offer traditional Italian dishes along with an array of imported Italian goods, and a pizza oven from Florence will be installed within the space, bringing what the article says is "the most authentic pizza this side of the Atlantic." (The shop will have a fifth generation pizza chef from Naples.) If all goes as planned, Italia di Gusto hopes to open sometime in September.

[October 13 update: According to a new post on its Facebook page, Italia di Gusto opens in Medford this Thursday (October 15), with a more recent post indicating that this is a soft opening.]

Currently, the only other location of Italia di Gusto in the United States is in Ridgewood, NJ.

The address for this new Italian restaurant and grocery store in Medford Square is: Italia di Gusto, 24 High Street, Medford, MA, 02155. The website for Italia di Gusto can be found at http://www.italiadigusto.it/

[Earlier Article]
Bestsellers Cafe in Medford Is Closing (Again)

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Pizzas in the Boston Area and Beyond]

Friday, August 14, 2015

Which Wich to Open at University Station in Westwood

A Texas-based chain of sandwich shops with one location in the Boston area will be opening a second, with this one coming to a new development southwest of the city.

According to a dining page within the website for the complex, Which Wich is planning to open at University Station in Westwood, which is currently the site of such restaurants as Anthony's Coal-Fired Pizza, Bonefish Grill, Noodles & Company, and Smashburger. Once it opens, the new shop will join an existing one at Assembly Row in Somerville, along with more than 300 other outlets throughout the country. (Its website is at http://www.whichwich.com/)

If all goes as planned, the new location of Which Wich at University Station will open sometime next year.

University Station is located on University Avenue in Westwood, just off Route 128 near the Route 95 intersection.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Sandwiches from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Elsewhere in New England]