---------------------- BOSTON ------------------------------------------ (As of 2/2/94)
This is a list of recommended restaurants in the Boston area with an emphasis primarily on flavor, quality & value, rather than service & ambience (except for Sunday Brunch), though I've also included the really fancy expensive restaurants that are also (supposedly) pretty good. If a typical meal costs $30/person or more, I've noted that (each $ means $10).
Either I've had a good meal at each restaurant listed, or more likely, someone else has recommended it. Note that most of the comments in the list are not mine, but are from other people who've taken the time to write up something about their dining experience.
If you have comments you'd like me to include (especially if they differ from the current review or are for an unlisted restaurant), let me know at [email removed] or, even better, post them to the ne.food or rec.food.restaurants Usenet newsgroup.
I'm happy to get information about any and all aspects of any restaurant you've eaten at in the Boston area, including
Food: quality, quantity, richness, flavor, seasonings,
preparation, etc.
Are some kinds of food done better than others?
What did you order that was especially good or bad?
Service: pleasant, formal, helpful, rude, etc.
Ambience: crowded, noisy, calm, comfortable, posh,
hole-in-the-wall, dark, danky, etc.
Other: Location, Prices, Hours, Nearest T stop,
Wheelchair accessibility, Child-friendly,
Wine/Beer/Drinks, etc.
Entertaining quotes I can include, as well as any information that would fill in holes in the current list (e.g. T stops, phone numbers, addresses) are also especially appreciated.
I'm mostly interested in restaurants within Rt 128 along the Mass Pike Corridor, especially in areas currently under-represented.
However, I'd also like to hear about restaurants anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts (primarily within 495), Southeastern New Hampshire, Southern Maine, or Rhode Island if they are especially good or very good and an exceptionally good value (i.e. moderately priced) -- that is, if someone should seek them out if they were staying nearby or travelling through the area.
A list of restaurants with new, updated & removed reviews can be found at the end of the restaurant list. It's very long thanks to the many people who contributed reviews, comments & info this past month.
This may turn into a FAQ sometime in the future, and be archived in the usual way.
======================================================================
Boston Area Restaurants (by SubArea)
======================================================================
Arlington
---------
Cafe Barada -- Lebanese / Middle Eastern
China Cafe -- Chinese
Seagrape Tree Restaurant -- Jamaican
Shanghai Village -- Chinese
Tandoor -- Indian
Boston (Allston)
----------------
Armadillo Cafe -- Tex/Mex
Barbeque's International -- Indian Bbq
Blackbird Baking Company -- Eclectic
Cafe Brazil -- Brazillian
Cafe Lampara -- Italian
Cafe Shiraz -- Kosher Persian
Chung Wah -- Chinese
Ichiban -- Japanese
Pho Pasteur -- Vietnamese
Quan's Kitchen -- Chinese
Rama Thai -- Thai
Saigon -- Vietnamese
San Francisco Noodle House -- Chinese
Siam Cuisine -- Thai
Thai House -- Thai
Uva -- Italian
V Majestic -- Vietnamese
Viet Hong -- Vietnamese
Boston (Back Bay, Copley to the Commons)
----------------------------------------
29 Newbury St -- Eclectic
Blue Wave -- Eclectic
Cottonwood Cafe -- Southwestern
Grill 23 ($$$) -- Steakhouse
Kaya -- Korean
Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Chinese
PapaRazzi -- Northern Italian
Plaza Dining Room ($$$$$) -- Continental
Rattlesnake Bar and Grill -- Latin American / Caribbean
Ritz Dining Room ($$$$) -- Traditional
Skipjack -- Seafood
Small Planet -- Eclectic
Spasso -- Italian
Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Seafood
Boston (Back Bay, West of Copley)
---------------------------------
Atlantic Fish Company -- Seafood
Boodle's of Boston -- Steakhouse
Cactus Club -- Southwestern
Cafe Budapest ($$$$) -- Hungarian
Caffe Jaffa -- Israeli
Casa Romero -- Mexican
Capital Grille ($$$) -- Steakhouse
Ciao Bella -- Northern Italian
Davio's ($$$) -- Italian
Emporio Armani ($$$) -- Italian
Gyuhama of Japan -- Japanese
House of Siam -- Thai
Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Chinese
India Samraat -- Indian
Kashmir -- Indian
Kebab & Curry -- Indian
King & I -- Thai
La Famiglia Giorgio -- Italian
Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood
L'Espalier ($$$$$$) -- Nouvelle French
Miyako -- Japanese
Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Steakhouse
Oceanic -- Chinese
Sonsie -- Eclectic
Steve's -- Greek / Middle Eastern
Boston (Beacon Hill / West End)
-------------------------------
Anne's -- Middle East
Another Season ($$$) -- French-American
Bangkok & Tokyo Grille -- Thai
Black Goose -- Nouvelle Italian
Hungry I ($$$) -- Contemporary French / American
King & I -- Thai
La Trattoria -- Italian
Ristorante Toscano ($$$) -- Northern Italian
Siam Cafe -- Thai
Tangiers Cafe -- Moroccan
Boston (Brighton)
-----------------
Bangkok Bistro (Cleveland Circle) -- Thai
Bluestone Bistro -- Italian Pizza
Chef Chow (Cleveland Circle) -- Chinese
El Phoenix Room -- Tex/Mex
Han Mi Ok (Brighton Center) -- Korean
Jasmine Bistro (Brighton Center) -- Eclectic
Korea House -- Korean
Boston (Chinatown)
------------------
Asian Garden -- Chinese
Ba Dat -- Vietnamese
Blue Diner -- Eclectic (Funky Diner)
Buddha's Delight -- Vegetarian Chinese / Vietnamese
Carl's Pagoda -- Chinese
Chau Chow -- Chinese
China Gate -- Chinese
China Grove -- Chinese
China Pearl -- Chinese
Dynasty -- Chinese
East Ocean City -- Chinese
Eldo Tea House -- Chinese
Food Hall -- Chinese
Fortune House -- Chinese Seafood
Golden Gate -- Chinese
Golden Palace -- Chinese
Grand Chau Chow -- Chinese
Ho Yuen Ting -- Chinese
Hong Kong Eatery -- Chinese
Imperial Seafood Restaurant -- Chinese
Kim Fung Restaurant -- Chinese
King Fung Garden -- Chinese
New Shanghai -- Chinese
Ocean Wealth -- Chinese
Pho Bang -- Vietnamese
Pho Pasteur -- Vietnamese
Siam Square -- Thai
Vietnam Restaurant -- Vietnamese
Boston (Downtown / Financial District)
--------------------------------------
Cecil's -- Latin / Caribbean
Country Life -- 7th Day Adventist Vegan Vegetarian
Dakota's ($$$) -- Eclectic
Fajita & 'Ritas -- Tex/Mex
Julien ($$$$$) -- Nouvelle French
Locke-Ober Cafe ($$$$) -- New England / American
Maison Robert ($$$$) -- Classic French
Marais ($$$) -- Eclectic
Milk St Cafe -- Kosher Vegetarian
Nara -- Japanese
Parker's ($$$$) -- Traditional American
Rami's Felafel -- Kosher Israeli
Sakurabana -- Japanese
Schifino ($$$) -- Italian
Boston (Dorchester / Mattapan)
------------------------------
Beijing Garden Restaurant (Dorchester) -- Chinese/Vietnamese
Pit Stop (Mattapan) -- Bbq
Thai Gourmet (Dorchester) -- Thai
Boston (East Boston)
--------------------
Mama Julia -- Latin American
Nana Cora's -- Italian
Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage -- Italian
Spinelli's -- Italian
Boston (Jamaica Plains)
-----------------------
Acapulco -- Mexican
Black Crow (Hyde Sq) -- Eclectic
El Embajador -- Latin American
Five Seasons -- Macrobiotic
International Restaurant -- Dominican
La Espanola -- Cuban
Pupuseria Quintanilla -- Salvadoran
Water Cafe -- Eclectic
Boston (Kenmore Sq / West Fenway)
---------------------------------
Buteco (West Fenway) -- Brazillian
India Quality (Kenmore Sq) -- Indian
Maluken (Kenmore Sq) -- Japanese
Sorento's (West Fenway) -- Italian
Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant (West Fenway) -- Chinese
Boston (North End)
------------------
Al Dente -- Italian
Artu -- Italian
Daily Catch -- Italian
Da Natale -- Italian
Dom's -- Nortern Italian
Five North Square ($$$) -- Italian
Giacomo's -- Italian Seafood
G'Vanni's ($$$$) -- Italian
Il Nido ($$$) -- Italian
Il Panino -- Italian
L'Osteria -- Italian
La Conte -- Italian
La Famiglia Giorgio -- Italian
Mama Maria ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian
Massimino's -- Italian
Mother Anna's -- Italian
Nicole's -- Italian
Piccola Venezia -- Southern Italian
Pomodoro -- Italian
Ristorante Lucia -- Northern Italian
Saraceno's -- Southern Italian
Terramia -- Nouvelle Italian
Trattoria Il Panino (Dining Room) -- North End
Boston (Roslindale)
-------------------
Sami's (Roslindale) -- Middle Eastern
Vinnie Marino's (Roslindale) -- Italian
Boston (South End)
------------------
Addis Red Sea -- Ethiopian
Azita Ristorante -- Northern Italian / Nouvelle American
Bluestone Bistro -- Italian
Bob the Chef -- Soul Food
Botolph on Tremont -- Eclectic
Buteco -- Brazillian
Claremont Cafe -- Eclectic
Hammersley's Bistro ($$$) -- Eclectic
Icarus ($$$$) -- Eclectic
Jae's -- Asian Eclectic (Hip Pacific Rim)
Marcella's -- Italian-American
Nadia's Eastern Star -- Middle Eastern
On the Park -- Eclectic
St Botolph -- Eclectic
St Cloud ($$$) -- Eclectic Nouvelle American
Thai Village -- Thai
Boston (Symphony Area)
----------------------
Bangkok City -- Thai
Bangkok Cuisine -- Thai
Bangkok Room -- Thai
Dixie Kitchen -- Cajun
Goemon -- Japanese Noodle
Shawarma King -- Middle Eastern
Boston (Theater District / Park Square)
---------------------------------------
Aujord 'Hui ($$$$$) -- Nouvelle French / Continental
Biba ($$$$) -- Eclectic
David's -- Mediterranean
Joyce Chen -- Chinese
Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood
Montien -- Thai
Rocco's ($$$) -- Neo Italian
Star of Siam -- Thai
Boston (Waterfront / Faneuil Hall)
----------------------------------
Cornucopia ($$$) -- Eclectic
Daily Catch -- Italian
Durgin Park -- Traditional NE Regional
Eastern Pier Seafood -- Chinese Seafood
Gyosai -- Japanese
Jaspers ($$$$) -- Eclectic New England
Joseph's Aquarium -- Seafood
No Name -- Seafood
Old Spaghetti Factory -- Italian-American
Sally Ling's -- Chinese
Seasons ($$$$) -- Eclectic
Tatsukichi -- Japanese
Zuma's Tex/Mex Cafe -- Tex/Mex
Brookline (Coolidge Corner / North Brookline)
---------------------------------------------
Beijing III -- Chinese
Bombay Bistro -- Indian
Capucino's -- Italian
Daily Catch -- Seafood
El Bandido -- Tex/Mex
Enzo Ristorante -- Italian
Harvard St Grill ($$$) -- Eclectic
MiVami -- Israeli
Niko's -- Greek
Noble House -- Chinese
Providence ($$$) -- Eclectic / Tuscan
Rami's Felafel -- Kosher Israeli
Rubin's Deli -- Kosher Deli
Ruth's Kitchen -- Kosher
Shang Chai -- Kosher Vegetarian Chinese
Shawarma King -- Middle Eastern
Takeshima -- Japanese
Victor's Pizza -- Kosher Pizza
Yu's -- Chinese
Brookline (St Mary's / Longwood)
--------------------------------
Atlas Kitchen (St Mary's) -- Turkish
Chef Chang (St Mary's) -- Chinese
Milk St Cafe (Longwood) -- Kosher Vegetarian
Sol Azteca (St Mary's) -- Mexican
Veronique ($$$) (Longwood) -- Classic French
Brookline (Village)
-------------------
Davio's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian
Fajita & 'Ritas -- Tex/Mex
Sawasdee -- Thai
Shalom Hunan -- Kosher Chinese
Skipjack -- Seafood
Village Fish -- Seafood
Village Smokehouse -- Bbq
Brookline (Washington Sq)
-------------------------
Golden Temple -- Chinese
Haim's Deli -- Kosher Deli
Indian Cafe -- Indian
T.J's Taqueteria -- Brookline
Tam O'Shanter -- Eclectic
Vinny Testa's -- Italian
Cambridge (Central Sq / MIT)
----------------------------
Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Mediterranean
Asmara -- Ethiopian
Brookline Diner -- Middle Eastern
Crystal Restaurant -- Chinese
Fishery -- Seafood
Green St Grill -- Eclectic Caribbean
India Globe -- Indian
India Pavillion -- Indian
Izzy's Sub Shop -- Caribbean
Korea Garden -- Korean
La Groceria -- Northern Italian
Larry's -- Chinese
Middle East -- Middle Eastern
Oh Calcutta -- Indian
Picante -- Tex/Mex
Pu-Pu Hot Pot -- Chinese
Royal East -- Chinese
Shalimar -- Indian
Taj India -- Indian
Tandoor House -- Indian
Viceroy -- Indian
Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
----------------------
Bangkok House -- Thai
Bennett St Cafe -- Eclectic
Bombay Club -- Indian
Border Cafe -- Cajun/Southwestern
Cafe of India -- Indian
Casa Mexico -- Mexican
Casablanca -- North African
Chef Chow -- Chinese
Delhi Darbar -- Indian
Dolphin Seafood -- Seafood
Giannino's -- Northern Italian
Harvest ($$$) -- Eclectic
House of Blues -- Eclectic
Il Panino -- Italian
Iruna -- Spanish
Mimi's Oriental Grill -- Asian Eclectic
Pampas -- Brazillian
Rarities ($$$$) -- Eclectic Nouvelle American
Roka -- Japanese
Rosalita's Texas Backyard Bbq -- Bbq
Shilla -- Korean
Siam Garden -- Thai
Singha House -- Thai
Skipjack -- Seafood
Troika -- Russian
Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Eclectic Continental / N Italian
Young & Yee -- Chinese
Cambridge (Inman Sqaure)
------------------------
Akbar -- Indian
Cafe China -- European-Style Chinese
Cafe Jae -- Asian Eclectic (Hip Pacific Rim)
Casa Portugal -- Portuguese
Chez Vous Creole -- Creole
Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe -- Eclectic
East Coast Grill -- Eclectic
Jake & Earl's -- Barbeque
Koreana -- Korean
Magnolia's Southern Cuisine -- Southern / Cajun
Midwest Grill -- Brazillian/Portuguese
Portugalia -- Portuguese
Sunset Cafe -- Portugese
Cambridge (Kendall Sq / East Cambridge)
---------------------------------------
Biggs Restaurant -- Jamaican
Blue Room ($$$) -- Eclectic
Boca Grande -- Mexican
Buoniconti's -- Nouvelle Italian
Cafe Bombay -- Indian
Chandra's -- Caribbean / Indian
Davio's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian
Florentina -- Italian
Goemon -- Japanese Noodle
Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood
Michela's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian
PapaRazzi -- Italian
Poppa & Goose -- Asian Eclectic
Rayz -- Eclectic
Sindibad -- Middle Eastern
Thai's -- Thai
Cambridge (Porter Sq / North Cambridge)
---------------------------------------
Boca Grande -- Mexican
Cafe Mami -- Japanese
Capucino's -- Italian
Changsho -- Chinese
Chez Jean -- Classic French
Cottonwood Cafe -- Southwestern
Dali -- Spanish
Ittyo -- Japanese
Jade Flower -- Chinese
Kotobukiya -- Japanese
Maharajah -- Indian
Masao's Kitchen -- Vegan Macrobiotic
Matsuya -- Japanese
Mexican Cuisine [Forest Cafe] -- Mexican
Noelle -- Eclectic
Passage to India -- Indian
Porter Exchange -- Japanese Food Mall
Porter House Cafe -- Barbeque
Ristorante Marino -- Italian
Sapporo Ramen -- Japanese Noodle House
Seki Tei -- Japanese
Snakebites Canteen -- Southwestern
Cambridge (West Cambridge / Fresh Pond / Alewife)
-------------------------------------------------
Black Forest Cafe -- Eclectic
Jose's -- Mexican
Joyce Chen -- Chinese
Koto -- Japanese
Peacock -- Country French
Pentimento -- Eclectic Natural
Tokyo Restaurant -- Japanese
Charlestown
-----------
Blossoms -- Nouvelle Italian
Figs -- Italian (Pizza/Pasta)
Olive's ($$$) -- Creative Northern Italian
Chelsea
-------
New Bridge Cafe (Chelsea) -- Bbq
Lexington
---------
Cafe Bellecour -- Mediterranean
Lemon Grass -- Thai
New Asia -- Chinese
Peking Garden -- Chinese
Sweet Peppers -- Italian
Yangtse River -- Chinese
Medford
-------
May's Cafe -- Chinese
Newton (Center)
---------------
Amarin -- Thai
Appetito -- Italian
Chengmai -- Thai
Sally Ling's -- Chinese
Sabra -- Middle Eastern / Israeli
Seoul House -- Korean
Seven Stars Mandarin -- Chinese
Sol Azteca -- Mexican
Newton (Chestnut Hill)
----------------------
Bernard's -- Chinese
Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood
PapaRazzi -- Italian
Sfuzzi -- Northern Italian
Newton (Highlands / Upper Falls)
--------------------------------
Mill Falls ($$$) (Upper Falls) -- Contemporary American
Moon Woman Cafe (Upper Falls) -- Nouvelle Italian
Newton (Nonatum / Newtonville / West Newton)
--------------------------------------------
Genghis Khan (Newtonville) -- Chinese / Mongolian
Karoun (Newtonville) -- Middle Eastern
Ru Yee (Nonantum) -- Chinese
Shogun (West Newton) -- Japanese
Somerville (Beacon St)
----------------------
Chang Feng -- Chinese
Chef Lee -- Chinese
Jimmy Mac's -- Bbq
Somerville (Davis / Teele / Ball Sq)
------------------------------------
Black Forest Cafe -- Eclectic
Daily Catch -- Seafood
India -- Indian
Johnny D's -- Eclectic
Panda (Ball Sq) -- Chinese
Picante -- Tex/Mex
Redbones -- Barbeque
Rudy's (Teele Sq) -- Mexican
Somerville (Union Sq)
---------------------
Elephant Walk -- French/Cambodian
Hometown -- Korean
India Palace -- Indian
Neighborhood Restaurant -- Portuguese
New Asia -- Chinese
Oasis Grille -- Middle Eastern
Union Square Bistro -- Eclectic
WooChon -- Korean
Waltham
-------
Bangkok Flavors -- Thai
Bombay Mahal -- Indian
EJ's Barbeque -- Barbeque
Erawan of Siam -- Thai
Iguana Cantina -- Tex/Mex
Il Capriccio ($$$) -- Northern Italian
Little India -- Indian
New Mother India -- Indian
Sakura -- Japanese
Saro's -- Northern Italian
Taquieria Mexico -- Mexican
Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian
VietFoods -- Vietnamese
Watertown
---------
Casa Elena -- Latin American
Demo's -- Middle Eastern / Greek
Kareem's -- Middle Eastern
Le Bocage ($$$) -- Nouvelle French
Porcini's -- Italian
Sepal -- Middle Eastern
Stellina -- Nouvelle Italian
Taste of India -- Indian
Verona -- Nouvelle Italian
Wellesley
---------
Amarin II -- Thai
Captain Marden's Takeaway -- Seafood
======================================================================
Boston Area Restaurants (by Cuisine)
======================================================================
Asian Eclectic
--------------
Jae's / Cafe Jae (Hip Pacific Rim) -- South End & Cambridge (Inman Sq)
520 Columbus Ave, 421-9405
(Very good Korean/Thai/Japanese mix. Fresh tasty food w very
reasonable prices. The Pad Thai is excellent, and the Crispy Pad
Thai is even better. Nouvelle / non traditional preparations of
standards like BibimBap. Good sushi w tuna nigiri and the eel
maki particularly good. Service good and a bit eclectic too:
"Brown Rice, Good Choice". Light dinner about $15/person w beer)
Mimi's Oriental Grill -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
950 Mass Ave, betw Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 354-1665
(Mixed reviews, a tad pricey -- some find it completely
unimpressive, others think it's great. Nice atmosphere, though.
Try the Korean beef dish, Formosa squid, and tangerine scallops)
Poppa & Goose -- East Cambridge
69 First St (nr Galleria/Lechmere), 497-6772
(A good, cheap meal, but extremely slow service. The same people
have a truck that serves wonderful cheap lunches on Main St at
Tech Square. Good Seegoo Chicken)
Barbeque
--------
Barbeque's International -- Allston
129 Brighton Ave (nr Harvard St), 782-6669
(Barbeques from around the world, but stick to the Indian food,
especially the chicken & lamb tikka and the tandoori lamb.
Inexpensive.)
E.J.'s Barbeque -- Waltham
275 Moody St, 891-7427
(Mixed reviews -- the bbq ranges from ok to excellent, with
large portions and low prices. Good Memphis dry rub ribs,
texarkana ribs, babybacks, chicken, mashed potatos. Beef brisket
& pulled pork are not as good)
Jake & Earl's -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1273 Cambridge St, 491-RIBS
(Excellent southern bbq, same kitchen as East Coast Grill.
Excellent dry rub pork chops. Try the pulled pork & the Memphis
dry-rub rib plate. Mostly take-out plus a small counter)
Jimmy Mac's -- Somerville
300 Beacon St, 547-1700
(Southern-style food place. Food has declined somewhat; the pulled
pork sandwich is now chopped pork and the sauce is not as good.
The new owner actually speaks, so that part has improved. The
hand-made sign on the door says something like "We are now
friendly", but evidently also now mediocre as well.)
New Bridge Cafe -- Chelsea
650 Washington Ave (at Woodlawn), 884-0134
(Best steak tips and pork tips & ribs (red/chinese style) on the
North Shore; their dishes are accompanied by huge steak fries that
are awesome and a house salad with an vinegar-pepper dressing. Be
prepared to wait, esp on Fri & Sat nights, because the place is
always packed.)
Pit Stop -- Mattapan
888 Morton St
(Great bbq, better for take-out. Only open Th, Fr & Sa. Park in
the fenced yard.)
Porter House Cafe -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
2046 Mass Ave, 354-9793
(Very good Texas bbq, superb pulled chicken & beef ribs, great hot
sauce, interesting food, good draft beer, enormous portions)
Redbones -- Somerville (Davis Sq)
55 Chester St (off Elm), 628-2220
(Great atmosphere, all kinds of bbq -- Memphis, Arkansas [bbq pork
chops/great ribs], Texas, Georgia. They are the quality leader in
Texas bbq, including the brisket & beef ribs; elsewhere, almost as
good as Jake & Earl's. Also good sausage, catfish, corn pudding,
greens, pecan pie, and an improving selection of draft beer)
Rosalita's Texas Backyard Bbq -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
(Great atmosphere: casual furniture, outdoor-type with umbrellas;
the decor really does look like someone's backyard, complete
with laundry hanging on lines all over the place -- like being
transported back to Cozumel. The portions are humongous and very
good, and you get 'grazing rights' (salad bar, beans, corn cobs,
dirty rice, corn bread) for all entrees over $7. Variable
service. Good quesadillas, guacamole, pecan pie. Avoid the
cheesecake.)
Village Smokehouse -- Brookline Village
1 Harvard St, 566-3782
(Mixed reviews -- good brisket, ribs & chicken, good pecan pie.
Some people love this place, but the general consensus is that
Redbones is better)
Brazillian
----------
Buteco -- West Fenway, South End
130 Jersey St (nr Park Drive & Boylston), West Fenway, 247-9508
57 West Dedham St (betw Tremont & Dartmouth), 247-9249
(Good solid Brazillian fare; the one in the South End is better.
For appetziers, try the frango a passarinho and the little
chicken/meat/cheese turnovers. Good black beans & rice, fried
breaded thin steak (w fried onions & limes), rolled steak w ham
and cheese, and chicken dishes. The feijoada is a bit dry.
Decent but not great desserts & coffee. Limited wine selection,
but a good hearty house wine.)
Cafe Brazil -- Allston
421 Cambridge St (nr Harvest Food Coop), 789-5980
(Good flavorful food in a cozy atmosphere, sometime w a quiet
guitarist playing. Meat & poultry dishes are authentically
prepared and won't disappoint those w heartier appetites. The
tastiest food can be high in fat, e.g. fried manioc & chicken
livers. Nice variety of Brazilian appetizers and side dishes.
Feijoada Completa, served on Saturdays, is superb. Not very child
friendly, though.)
Midwest Grill -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1124 Cambridge St
(Excellent Brazillian & Portuguese food & service, family run w
friendly waitstaff. Generous meat and vegetables, but salad
bar, ambience & service are better at Pampas. No liquor license)
Pampas -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
928 Mass Ave, between Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 661-6613
(Great churrasqueria -- 15 kinds of skewered meat [not strongly
seasoned], including beef, pork, sausage, chicken, turkey, lamb,
goat, and even chicken hearts, all you can eat for $15. Price
includes an awesome salad bar (which can be ordered separately,
for the herbivorously inclined), containing lots of palm hearts.
A great place to go with friends or out-of-town guests. Clean,
comfortable, and apt to be filled with boisterous Brazilians, who
pack many of the tables until they're kicked out. The service may
be leisurely at times, but that's perfectly authentic, too.)
Caribbean / Cajun / Creole / Southern / Soul
--------------------------------------------
Biggs Restaurant [Jamaican] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
111 Harvard St (at Portland, betw Main & Broadway)
(A pleasant place serving good and plentiful Jamaican food. Cash
only. The beef patties and the ackee & salted fish are especially
good. Also try the curried chicken (usually excellent, though on
one visit, it was mostly small pieces of bones), curried goat &
Jamaican fish. No liquor license, but Jamaican soft drinks & good
home made ginger beer)
Bob the Chef [Soul] -- South End
604 Columbus Ave (nr Mass Ave), 536-6204
(Quite good traditional soul food, as well as BBQ ribs to die for.
Especially good fried chicken, sweet potatoes, cornbread and
collard greens. Also good desserts, esp sweet potato pie.)
Chandra's [Indo-Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
266 Broadway (a few blocks west of Kendall Sq), 497-6955
(Indian & Caribbean food, Trinidad style. A nicely done interior,
with decent food, but not worth the long wait, caused by making
everything [except the microwaved frozen appetizers] from scratch.
No liquor license but good soursop punch & ginger beer.)
Chez Vous Creole [Creole] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1263 Cambridge St, 868-3161
(Not much atmospehere -- a little on the shabby side w tacky
posters & a few tables, but large portions of tasty interesting
inexpensive food, especially the flavorful conch stew and goat.
The menu is interesting, but often only a few items are available.
Pleasant and very low-key, though service can be lackadaisacal.)
Dixie Kitchen [Cajun] -- Symphony Area
182 Mass Ave (betw Boylston & Huntington), 536-3068
(Pretty good, not as upscale as Magnolia's, and on some nights, the
balance of seasonings can be off, resulting in bland food. But,
other nights they're great, they have dishes that can't be had
elsewhere in Boston, and the food always is inexpensive and comes
in large portions. Definitely try the Gumbo Ya-Ya, the Jambalaya,
and the Jalapeno Cornbread. Also, good bread pudding. No liquor,
and you can't BYOB.)
Green St Grill [Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
280 Green St (betw Magazine & Pearl), 876-1655
(Caribbean influence, very good spicy seafood and ribs. A funky
place with unusual combinations of ingredients that usually works.
Often music late. Some of their food (e.g. seafood stew,
gazpacho) can be extremely fiery. Try the conch fritters, and
the Caesar salad (one of the best in town). A very child-friendly
place)
International Restaurant [Dominican] -- Jamaica Plain
3160 Washington St, 522-7410
(Great inexpensive food. Funky neighborhood.
Try fish escoveitch, carne cerdo con berenguena, mondongo)
Izzy's Sub Shop [Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
169 Harvard St, 661-3910
La Espanola [Cuban] -- Jamaica Plain
(A hole-in-the-wall place in a funky neighborhood serving very good
authentic Cuban comfort food, including rice and black beans,
tostones (fried plantains), and bistec empanado (breaded thin
steaks))
Magnolia's Southern Cuisine [Southern] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1193 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 576-1971
(The old Cajun Yankee has gone Southern, the food is stil good,
though the decor is worse, it's more crowded, and consequently
seems really overpriced, especially for dishes like the grilled
chicken & fish. Some old favorites are gone, but they still
serve jambalaya, blacked redfish, cajun popcorn, awesome banana
muffins & Blackened Voodoo beer. Other good dishes include the
vinegary fried green tomatoes, home smoked salmon with olive oil
biscuits, and grilled pork tenderloin with mango chutney. The
desserts can be unpalatably sweet. Reasonable wine list.)
Seagrape Tree Restaurant [Jamaican] -- Arlington Center
890 Mass Ave (opposite Arlington High School), 646-5999
(Very pleasant, authentic Jamaican & other Caribbean food, which
is always good, and usually excellent. Try conch chowder,
escoveitch fish, anything jerked or grilled. A family-run place,
a bit more upscale than Chez Nous. They close fairly early (last
seating at 8:30) and they're small, so reservations can be a good
idea. The menu is a bit limited, but there are always tempting
specials. No liquor license or BYOB, but fortunately they have a
nice selection of homemade and commercial drinks, esp. sorrel,
and an excellent ginger beer.)
Chinese
-------
Asian Garden -- Chinatown
46 Beach St, in the basement, 695-1646
(Good fresh food, esp great steamed fish (taken from the tanks by
the door, Hong-Kong style seafood, and excellent hotpots. Try
the eel, whole roe scallops, lobster, crab, chinese broccoli in
oyster sauce. Reasonable prices. If you're Chinese or know
enough to ask, you get an interesting dessert -- taro root and
tapioca in coconut milk -- instead of the ubiquitous fortune
cookie.)
Beijing Garden Restaurant [Chinese/Vietnamese] -- Dorchester
1111 Dorchester Ave, Savin Hill (nr U Mass), 288-5345
T stop: Red Line, Savin Hill
(Dim Sum from 9am to 10 or 11pm. The dim sum are light, not
greasy, very fresh, w no MSG. Other items on the menu are of the
same quality. Tell them you heard about them via netnews.)
Beijing III -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1366 Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Coolidge Corner, 277-1011
(Mixed reviews, a bit pricey -- some questions about whether food
is handled/prepared safely. Try Dragon & Phoenix)
Bernard's -- Newton (Chestnut Hill Mall)
199 Boylston, 969-3388
(Excellent food, a bit pricey. Try the Hunan Lamb)
Buddha's Delight [Vegetarian] -- Chinatown
5 Beach St (across from Naked I strip club), 451-2395
(Temple cuisine -- very good vegan variants of Chinese & Vietnamese
dishes, well presented. Try the spring rolls, summer rolls,
noodle soup, hot & sour soup, moo shi, Lake Tung-Ting "shrimp",
tofu and vegetables, anything spicy or w lemongrass. Excellent
bbq gluten! Service can be slow when crowded.)
Cafe China -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1245 Cambridge St, 868-4300
(Pretty food, reportedly bland, though. Good wine list
and Swiss desserts)
Carl's Pagoda -- Chinatown
23 Tyler St, 357-9837
(Hole-in-the-wall with good food. Try Carl's Special Steak)
Chang Feng -- Somerville
289 Beacon St (across from Chef Lee's), 864-6265
(Some unusual dishes on menu. Try the bean curd homemade style &
strange flavor chicken. Excellent appetizers, fried & steamed
dumplings & noodles, esp garlic noodles. Occasionally an off
night)
Changsho -- Cambridge (betw Harvard/Porter Sq)
1712 Mass Ave (nr Linnean), 547-6565
(Mixed reports, lots of meat, somewhat elegant but unimpressive;
reports that it has gone downhill since under new management,
though still reasonable. They're now a step above your typical
neighborhood Chinese, but not worth going out of your way for.
Used to have wonderful dumplings, and a very good roast duck.)
Chau Chow -- Chinatown
52 Beach St, 426-6266
(Good cheap Chinese, sometimes long lines. Try pea greens, chicken
w black bean sauce, peking ravioli, hot & sour soup. Excellent
seafood, incl steamed fish w ginger sauce, salted jumbo shrimp,
and fried squid. Avoid the beef dishes; thet're often mediocre &
the moo shi beef, while tasty, was way too oily. Try the fatty
but tasty fried pig intestine [seriously!] and fried tofu w
seafood)
Chef Chang -- Brookline (St Mary's)
1006 Beacon St, 277-4226
(Average food -- lots of excellent dishes, especially the seasonal
specialities, as well as some real disappointments. Overall,
moderate prices & a pleasant place to eat. Try the potstickers,
the crispy beef, and the hot & spicy green beans.)
Chef Chow -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Brighton (Cleveland Circle),
Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
354 Chestnut Hill Ave, Cleveland Circle, 566-2275
230 Harvard St, 1 blk s. of Beacon at Coolidge Corner, 739-2469
50 Church St, Cambridge, 492-2469
(Many people find the food consistently good; others are
unimpressed; good lunches, though, and try the Szechuan
Spicy Fish)
Chef Lee -- Somerville
296 Beacon St (across from Chang Feng), 876-7666
(Good Szechuan food, esp the Yu Hsiang dishes, Kangsho shrimp,
and Ta Chien chicken. Also try shrimp-stuffed eggplant)
China Cafe -- Arlington Center
882A Mass Ave (betw High School and Stop & Shop), 646-6621
("Interesting" flavor variants of hot & sour soup and peking
ravioli [they like to add extra sugar to soups and sauces]. Try
the schezuan wontons, scallion pie, spicy aromatic & dry-cooked
garlic shrimp, yu hsian fish, peking noodles, and beef chow foon)
China Gate -- Chinatown
21-23 Edinboro St
(Ok for conch in black bean sauce, seafood in ginger & scallions,
chow foon)
China Grove -- Chinatown
10 Tyler St, 542-5857
(Good food, good prices, possibly slow service. Try the grilled
eel and the scallop or shredded eel w yellow leeks)
China Pearl -- Chinatown
9 Tyler St, 426-4338
(Very good dim sum, almost or as good as Golden Palace & less
chaotic. Good soups & Cantonese & Hong Kong style seafood)
Chung Wah -- Allston
Harvard St
(Cheap & funky, good food, try the Broccoli in Garlic Sauce)
Crystal Restaurant -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
460 Mass Ave, 576-1550
(Good, but not outstanding -- good Dun Dun noodles. Stick with
the specialities, like red sauce eggplant)
Dynasty -- Chinatown
33 Edinboro St (nr Beach), 350-7777
(Very good dim sum, though I've had money stolen by a waiter,
and there are rumors that the wait staff is badly treated
by the management)
East Ocean City -- Chinatown
25 Beach St, 542-2504
(Good place, good service, nice atmosphere, a lot of unusual
dishes. Try house-special soup, clams in black bean sauce,
and chow foon)
Eastern Pier Seafood -- Waterfront
237 Northern Ave, Fish Pier, 423-7756
(Excellent Chinese seafood, moderately priced, w one of the best
hot & sour soups in Boston. Get ginger crab, salt & pepper squid,
grey sole in black-bean sauce, stir-fried pea-pod stems, sizzling
squid w ginger & scallions)
Eldo Tea House -- Chinatown
57 Beach St, 338-2128
(Cheap, good, generous portions. Seafood is good. Try the
Singapore dishes, esp laksha noodle soup)
Food Hall -- Chinatown
Northeast corner of Beach & Tyler, 2nd floor
(Variety of good food)
Fortune House -- Chinatown
3 Beach St, 2nd floor, 482-9800
(Good Hong Kong style seafood; try stone oysters w garlic,
ginger & scallions)
Genghis Khan -- Newtonville
on Walnut St
(Very good, especially for their specialty dish, Mongolian Hot Pot)
Golden Gate -- Chinatown
66 Beach St (between Hudson & Tyler), 426-5022
(All the ambience of an aging truck stop, but consistently high
quality. Try the Butterfly Shrimp w mixed Veggies & the Golden
Gate Chow Mein)
Golden Palace -- Chinatown
14 Tyler St, 423-4565
(Wonderful variety of tasty Dim Sum, probably best Dim Sum around.
Get there by 1 for hot food and the best variety)
Golden Temple -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1651 Beacon St, 277-9722
(Good suburban Chinese food w too much MSG. Usually good wait
staff, but if there are problems, the owner can be unpleasant
if you're not a regular. The lamb is excellent)
Grand Chau Chow -- Chinatown
41-45 Beach St, 292-5166
(Same menu as Cahu Chow, across the street, but is a tad more
expensive and is fancier & cleaner.)
Ho Yuen Ting -- Chinatown
13 1/2 Hudson St, 426-2316 [original, and still the best]
58 Beach St, 426-2341
(Very good food; specializes in seafood, but does a good job w
everything. Try hot & sour soup, peking ravioli, hunan chicken,
beef ginger scallion hot pot, hon sue sea bass, steamed & stir
fried flounder, lobster w black bean sauce, salted spicy shrimp,
beef satay, sizzling hot pots, Westlake beef soup, house special
eggplant.)
Hong Kong Eatery -- Chinatown
(Just like being back in Hong Kong! Try the special for two,
including a special soup made from tiny, black-skinned chickens
and enough medicinal ingredients to cure anything that might ail
you, stir-fried conch with chives, lamb and dried beancurd hotpot,
and rice -- plentiful, cheap, and very tasty.)
Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Back Bay
25 Mass Ave, 536-9852
(Wonderful soup and noodle restaurant. Try scallion pancake and
house-special pan fried noodles)
Imperial Seafood Restaurant -- Chinatown
70 Beach St, 426-8439
(The place has been done over since they were Imperial Teahouse --
not only decor but, it seems, the kitchen as well -- and the food
is fresher and the menu's a lot more interesting. The kind of
place where you go with a group of people and you have a hard time
narrowing your choices down to a dozen different dishes, and then
everything's really good. The dim sum is also pretty good, and
the wait is shorter than at China Pearl or Golden Palace, with a
good chance of getting your own table. Smoke isn't as bad here as
at some dim sum spots because the ventilation is decent, there's
space between the tables, and there are more (nonsmoking) gringoes
here than elsewhere. The new owner is frequently on the floor,
chatting with clients and making sure that all is well.)
Jade Flower -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1908 Mass Ave, 497-8638
T: Red Line, Porter Square (just across the street)
(Not a fancy place; just a long broad hall with tables on either
side. The food gets mixed reviews, but is reasonably priced --
$10 gets you enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch. Good bets
are Scallion Pancakes, Peking Ravioli, Eggplant in Garlic Sauce,
Rice Sticks Singapore Style or just about any noodle dish, Chicken
in Black Bean Suace, Cold Sesame Noodles, and Orange Chicken. The
Suan La Sho Chow actually is hot & sour soup w wontons. There are
reports that the food is gluey & that many dishes taste tomato-ey,
based on a sweet version of yu-shiang sauce. Fast, friendly
service; quick delivery.)
Kim Fung Restaurant -- Chinatown
79 Harrison St, 492-3349
King Fung Garden -- Chinatown
Kneeland St (across from the Mass Pike approach)
(Hole-in-the-wall dive w amazing food. Great Hunan style food
and scallion pie)
Joyce Chen -- Cambridge (Alewife) & Theatre District
115 Stuart St, Theater District, 720-1331
390 Rindge Ave, Alewife, 492-7373
(A comfortable place, very good food, w a high standard of
preparation, but a bit over-priced. Previously the food has
sometimes been overly greasy or salty, though they really excelled
at sauces. Recently, the quality has improved and the menu has
undergone some changes w a focus on low-fat low-sodium foods, and
interesting non-traditional dishes using local ingredients. Some
say the downtown restaurant is better, w excellent peking ravioli
& lemon chicken, and great service, even when crowded before the
theater. At Alewife, the food can be blander (though the soups
are excellent and the Ma Pa Tofu & General Gau's Chicken are very
good), the service is worse, & parking can sometimes be a problem)
Larry's -- Cambridge (MIT)
302 Mass Ave, 492-3170
(Good place for cheap neighborhood urban Chinese fare, nice owners,
no MSG, recently redone decor -- a good place to hang out, but can
sometomes get annoying from the loud jukebar at the bar next door.
Extremely delicious Suan La Sho Chow. Also try the General Gau
Chicken.)
May's Cafe -- Medford
(Well done Szechuan and Mandarin dishes; the Yu Hsiang dishes are
particularly good. Efficient service, very fresh ingredients)
Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Back Bay
545 Boylston St (betw Clarendon & Dartmouth), 236-4040
(Some say best Chinese in town, but quite pricey)
New Asia -- Somerville (Union Sq) & Lexington
326 Somerville Ave, 628-7710
211 Mass Ave, Lexington 863-5533
(Pretty good; very quick-cooked Szechuan-style food, try the
Yu Hsiang [savory green beans])
New Shanghai -- Chinatown
Noble House -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1306 Beacon St, 232-9580
(Well prepared Szechuan & Cantonese food in a pleasant atmosphere,
though some find it uninteresting and overpriced. Try the
Singapore Rice Stick)
Ocean Wealth -- Chinatown
8 Tyler St, 423-1338
(Very nice, dressier than the average Chinatown place. Emphasis is
on fresh and exotic seafood which is very good (often taken from
the tanks you see as you enter), but can get quite expensive.
Some dishes you don't find elsewhere. Chef's special duck is also
good, but things like sesame beef are just ok. More upscale than
many Chinatown eateries, it even has carpet on the floor.)
Oceanic -- Back Bay
Mass Ave
(Good seafood dishes, a little expensive. While still seafood-
oriented, the menu is now more slanted to the usual meats &
vegetables. Food is tasty and varied, and they're not really
bound by the "neighborhood Chinese" formula. Good squid dishes.)
Panda -- Somerville (Ball Sq)
719 Broadway, 625-9441
(Very decent neighborhood Chinese food. Good spicy wonton
appetizer -- variation of Suan La Sho Chow. Also a good spicy
pork dish w basil.)
Peking Garden -- Lexington Center
27 Waltham St, 862-1051
(Well established, excellent, very good Hot & Sour soup, Dim Sum
on the weekends; try the Chicken with Pine Nuts.)
Pu-Pu Hot Pot -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
nr corner of Mass Ave and Main St
(A nice friendly place, one of the best in the area -- very popular
and busy at lunchtime. They do a nice job w duck in general &
especially w the Pressed Duck Appetizer. The Kung Pao Shrimp,
General Gau's Chicken (flavorful, w interesting spices & slightly
hot) & Szechuan Braised Beef (quite hot) are good too. Pu Pu
Scallion Donuts are interesting. Note that, by default, the
steamed rice has veggie pieces mixed in. Tasty dim sum on the
weekends.)
Quan's Kitchen -- Allston
1026 Commonwealth Ave (betw Brighton Ave & Babcock), 232-7617
T: B line at Babcock St, #57 bus. M-Sat 11am-2am, Sun 1pm-11pm
(Not for that fancy sit-down dinner with a hot date, the prices and
decor say "cheap eats" -- this place is just a handful of plastic
tables in a fluorescent-lit room; most people get take out.
The menu has over 180 items on it, incl Hong Kong style soups,
Congee dishes, and Chinese Bbq. Very satisfying & good food for
the price, though highly variable. No MSG & 100% veg oil, but
many of the dishes are overly oily, esp vegetable dishes like
watercress; go with dishes where this doesn't matter, esp good are
the rice dishes w duck, smoked chicken & bbq pork (better than
Chinatown), salt & pepper shrimp, most noodle dishes, esp
seafood fried noodle & soup noodles w beef brisket. Also avoid
the hot & sour soup, stir-fried noodles, and Ma Po Tofu.)
Royal East -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
782 Main St, 661-1660
(Still erratic, but some say this is one of the best in the area.
Good quality Chinatown-style food -- chow fun, rice sticks,
fantastic tangerine beef, good Suan La Sho Chow)
Ru Yee -- Newton (Nonantum)
Adams & Rt 16 (Watertown St)
(Not fancy, but the food is great and the lunch specials are
an excellent value)
Sally Ling's -- Newton Center & Waterfront
10 Langley Rd (off Centre St), 332-3600
Commercial St, next to Long Wharf Marriot
(Mixed reviews -- some say bland food, overpriced, small portions;
others say expensive but good)
San Francisco Noodle House -- Allston
1029 Commonwealth Ave
(Pretty good place, spacious, extremely clean. Service is very
polite, but can be haphazard, since it just recently opened.
Nice potstickers and scallion pizza; excellent cheap large
portions of chow foon noodles. Also good tangerine chicken w
tangerine rind actually ground into the sauce. Lots of unusual
seafood entrees on the menu, but many were not actually available,
and you should avoid the sea conch w vegetables unless you like an
overly strong smell of conch.)
Seven Stars Mandarin -- Newton Center
22 Union St, 527-3841
(Probably the best Chinese food in the area. Fast service & cheap.
Decor leaves something to be desired, but it is comfortable &
child-friendly. Good ravioli, great five-flavor chicken, and
"ants climbing the tree"; maybe the best scallion pancakes around)
Shalom Hunan [Kosher] -- Brookline (Brookline Village)
92 Harvard St at School
(Tasty well prepared food, generous portions, a tad pricy [though
possibly due to the extra cost of kashrut]. A diverse menu
including veal, beef, chicken, duck, and whole fish dishes, as
well as moo shu, not to mention chicken soup w matzoh balls.
Polite attentive wait staff, pleasant comfortable dining room,
wine/beer available. Quite good for Chinese food; Excellent for
Kosher Chinese. Try the hot & sour soup, veal in garlic sauce,
triple crown, orange-flavored chicken. May have to wait -- it's
very popular)
Shang Chai [Kosher Vegetarian] -- North Brookline
404A Harvard Ave (betw Beacon & Commonwealth), 783-2090
(Kosher Veggie Chinese with mock-meat using tofu, seitan, etc.
Good "beef" w broccoli & "chicken" curry, but dishes are
generally greasy & service is slow & disorganized)
Shanghai Village -- Arlington Center
434 Mass Ave on left just before center of town, 646-6897
(Mixed reviews, though most find the food consistently good &
reasonably priced. Szechuan-style entrees are quite fiery.)
Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant -- West Fenway
70-72 Kilmarnock St, 236-0384
(Cheap & good, w no atmosphere to speak of, but very very nice
people. One of the best hot & sour soups around, and their
wonton soup is also an order of magnitude better than what you get
in most places -- the wontons actually taste like, well, wontons,
and not like boiled lumps of dough wrapped around last week's
mystery meat, but avoid the house special soup, which is flavorful
but uses canned mushrooms & isn't very special. Try the crispy
crispy scallion pancake, the Shanghai duck, lemongrass shrimp,
and the green beans).
Tai Pan -- East Cambridge
Cambridgeside Galleria Mall, 494-0008
(Nice quiet ambience, pretty good food -- better than you'd expect
for a place in a mall. A wide variety of good dishes, many
unusual esp outside of Chinatown. Try clams in black bean sauce,
lobster Chinatown, sesame chicken. Sometimes Karaoke later in the
evening.)
Yangtse River -- Lexington
21 Depot Square, 861-6030
(Peking Garden's longtime competitors, very, very good, though
not quite great -- try Hacked Chicken, Yangtse River Beef,
Ma La Shrimp, Twice Cooked Pork)
Young & Yee -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
on Church St
(Good & cheap, but greasy food. A calm refuge from the square;
plays slow sentimental Chinese pop versions of 70's & 80's music)
Yu's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1374 Beacon St, 734-2929
(Takeout, with sitdown area, now serving noodle dishes. Not fancy,
but good food at reasonable prices. Good hot & sour soup, Peking
noodles, Beef Chow Foon)
Continental / Traditional / French
-----------------------------------
Another Season [French-American] ($$$) -- Beacon Hill
97 Mt Vernon St (nr Charles), 367-0880
(Odette Berry's imaginative French-American restaurant.
Food at lunchtime is only average)
Aujord 'Hui [Nouvelle French] ($$$$$) -- Park Sq Area
Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St, 338-4400
(Mixed Reviews: Some say maybe the best restaurant in Boston;
others say there are much better places in this price range.
Reasonably interesting food, superb presentation, excellent
service. The dining room is extremely spacious, and has a very
nice view.)
Cafe Budapest [Hungarian] ($$$$) -- Back Bay
Copley Hotel, 90 Exeter St (at Huntington), 266-1979
(Expensive classic Hungarian food, good food, classy ambience, but
prices are a bit high for the quality, and it is rumored to have
gone a bit downhill lately)
Chez Jean [French] -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq)
1 Shephard St (at Mass Ave), 354-8980
(Reasonably priced traditional French food; needs redecoration)
Durgin Park [Traditional NE Regional] -- Faneuil Hall
(Interesting atmosphere -- you can watch the cooks preparing since
the kitchen is open to customer view & waitresses always seem to
be hustling around. Their waitstaff is renowned for an
"attitude" -- sharp tongue, but the service is basically good.
Food is basic American seafood and steak. Try their baked beans,
which are excellent. Their prime rib was delicious -- well-
flavored and tender. A little bit pricey, and inclined to be very
busy.)
Hungry I [Contemporary French / American] ($$$) -- Beacon Hill
71 1/2 Charles St, 227-3524
(Wonderful food in a very romantic elegant atmosphere, esp
downstairs, which has a warmer ambience than the upstairs room,
which can stark & uncomfortable when empty. Food as expected for
the price, excellent service. Try the game dishes.)
Julien [Nouvelle French] ($$$$$) -- Downtown
Hotel Meridian, 250 Franklin St, 451-1900
(An impressive French Nouvelle place w a beautiful dining room that
really must be seen. An enjoyable place but too expensive & too
stuffy [real French accents w real French snobbery]. The food was
very good but w very small portions for the entrees although the
excellent desserts were large & spectacularly presented.)
Le Bocage [Nouvelle French] ($$$$) -- Watertown
72 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 923-1210
(Nouvelle French food. They often host full course meals w various
vineyards & running wine commentaries. Portions are on the light
and rich end of the scale, though there's also regular dishes like
poached salmon)
L'Espalier [Nouvelle French] ($$$$$$) -- Back Bay
30 Gloucester St (nr Commonwealth Ave), 262-3023
(Very expensive Nouvelle French)
Locke-Ober Cafe [Traditional New England] ($$$$) -- Downtown
3 Winter Place (betw Winter & Washington), 542-1340
(American / New England Cuisine in a wonderful (some say stuffy)
old-Boston atmosphere. A meat-heavy menu, dark, rich decor, good
wine list, minimal experimentation. The kind of place where firms
take lawyers when they pass the bar or join the firm, or where you
might go for a very private dinner. Excellent appetizers &
steaks. Reservations a must.)
Maison Robert [French] ($$$$) -- Downtown
45 School St (betw Tremont & Washington), 227-3370
(Classic French w some Nouvelle touches, cooked to perfection.
Not very experimental or inspiring, and somewhat meat-heavy, but
very consistent and very very good. Upstairs is a formal dining
room; downstairs is a more modern ambience, with a prix fixe menu
available. Knowleadgable, impeccable, though slightly haughty
service. Pleasantly open dining room. One of the best wine lists
in Boston esp. for clarets (and also unusual Alsatian wines).
Limited list of traditional appetizers, w some pastas and soups
changing daily. Very good desserts, especially the apple tart &
souffles)
Mill Falls [Contemporary American] ($$$) -- Newton Upper Falls
383 Eliot St (at Chestnut), 244-3080
(Basic & contemporary American food w a lovely view of the falls.
The food can be very good, but the prices are really for the view.
Dress code; a nice place to take the relatives. Very good filet
mignon; good, and somewhat inexpensive pasta dishes.)
Parker's [Traditional American] ($$$$) -- Downtown
Omni Parker House, 60 School St (at Tremont), 227-8600, ext 1600
(Ritzy atmosphere, with beautifully prepared classic traditional
food. Great dessert tray.)
Peacock [Country French] -- West Cambridge
5 Craigie Circle (betw Concord & Brattle nr Radcliffe), 661-4073
(French country cooking using an interesting combinations of
ingredients serving a clientele of tweedy older professor types.
The menu is sort of nouvelle-style and changes every week or two.
Mixed reviews on the food -- varying from excellent, consistently
good although not terribly plentiful, to competent but not great.
If you do like the food, then its a good place for a special,
intimate dinner, well prepared and nicely served. Mixed reviews
on the service too, from really bad, to patient, helpful, and
well informed, and there are also complaints from some that the
decor has become quite dingy. Can't be too bad, though ...
reservations -- often far in advance -- are a must, though the
prices are on the high side, though not out of sight.)
Plaza Dining Room [Continental] ($$$$$) -- Back Bay
Copley Plaza Hotel, Copley Sq, 267-5300
(Expensive Continental food)
Ritz Dining Room [Traditional] ($$$$) -- Back Bay
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Arlington & Newbury, 536-5700
(Super reliable. Quite formal but comfortable. Service people are
experienced and do an effective non-intrusive job. Food is not
creative but classic dishes are well prepared.)
Veronique [French] ($$$) -- Brookline (Longwood)
Longwood Apts, 20 Chapel St, 731-4800
(Classic French cuisine)
Eclectic / Nouvelle American
----------------------------
29 Newbury St -- Back Bay
29 Newbury St (nr Berkeley), 536-0290
(Nouvelle at somewhat reasonable prices. Decent wine list & good
attentive service. Tasty duck soup)
Bennett St Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, 864-1200
(Pleasant environment w decent food)
Biba ($$$$) -- Park Square
272 Boylston St, 426-7878
(Trendy but informal, strange and unusual food combinations, and
the food can be showy but inedible; people's reactions vary widely
from "it's amazing" to "how awful". Good service. Good bets are
the spit-roasted quail and the lobster)
Black Crow -- Jamaica Plain (Hyde Sq)
Perkins & Centre St
Nearest T: the #39 bus stop at Perkins and S. Huntington;
(Small, excellent full-service California-style casual cafe, w
an emphasis on fresh fish and expertly cooked seasonal vegetables,
and light flavorful dishes that may use regional or ethnic
flavorings as inspiration, w attention paid to presentation.
Pizzas, extravagant desserts, Beer & wine also too. Friendly
service. Prices are not cheap for a cafe, but not out of line for
the quality.)
Black Forest Cafe -- Fresh Pond, Somerville (Davis Sq)
Concord Ave nr Huron, Cambridge, 661-6706
Holland Ave nr Davis Sq (not yet open)
(Good seafood & great desserts)
Blackbird Baking Company -- Eclectic
1032 Commonwealth Ave (nr Brighton Ave)
(Food is not that great or special, but it's a nice cafe
atmosphere w excellent baked goods & coffee as well as nice lunch
& dinner menu. A high-design interior decoration job, with
counter seats as well as tables; the upstairs landing is more
homey and a fine place to listen to live music many nights. The
menu ranges from unusual vegie-combo sandwiches (asparagus or
artichoke hearts, pesto, various European cheeses, grilled
eggplant, etc.) to soups, pasta, fish & other light entrees,
artfully presented. Good baked brie & a subtle but flavorful
squash soup.)
Blue Diner -- Chinatown
178 Kneeland St (edge of Leather District), 338-4639
T Red Line: South Station
(Fine retro-diner food, which is to say all the flash and fresh
ingredients of a gentrified neighborhood bistro (plus beer and
wine) in a genuine diner setting (assembled on-site in 1947).
The sign in the window says: "Food like your mother would have
made, if she'd gone to a very good white-trash cooking school."
Traditional diner dishes with a twist that makes them inauthentic
but worthwhile. A tad pricy, but top notch burgers, hand-cut
fries, homefries, omelettes & excellent sausage. Pies are worth a
trip all on their own, esp the pineapple meringue or apple)
Blue Room ($$$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
1 Kendall Sq (On Hampshire St), 494-9034
(Very good unusual combinations of multi-ethnic grilled foods;
I love it, but others have been dissapointed. A group can graze
nicely for less money. Excellent Sunday brunch & evening buffet,
with small batches replenished as necessary -- inlcudes roast pig,
a notable tea-smoked chicken, and a nice pumpkin custard.)
Blue Wave -- Back Bay
142 Berkeley St (betw Stuart & St James), 424-6711
(Hip, interesting menu, a good value, can be noisy. A bright open
atmosphere; one of the most Californian restaurants in town. Food
is ample, rasty & reliable. The salads, pizzas & roast poultry
are all first rate. Well chosen wine list w nice selection of
wines by the glass)
Botolph's on Tremont -- South End
569 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 424-8597
(A cafe menu w wonderful appetizers and entrees served all day;
the food is very flavorful, though some dishes are overly rich.
Good calamari in a nice light batter & great sweet potato fries w
w maple sour cream. Great foccacio, wacky gourmet pizzas -- the
bbq pork & onions is esp good. Excellent skewered veggies w rice
noodles & pnut sauce; superb penne w tomoatos, gorgonzoal & wild
mushrooms. The risooto is very tasty but way too oily, and the
duck ravioli is very falvorful but the buerre blanc sauce is way
too rich).
Claremont Cafe -- South End
535 Columbus Ave, 247-9001
Cornucopia ($$$) -- Waterfront
100 Atlantic Avenue, 367-0300
(Delicious food in a comfortable atmosphere, emphasis on fruits &
vegetables, but not vegetarian. Try grilled portobello mushroom
carpacio, seafood specials, oven-roasted lobster w veg enchilada,
white chocolate bread pudding. Good wine list.)
Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
134 Hampshire St, 354-8371
(Good imaginative home cooking. Try the latkes, mussel fritters,
black bean soup. Sunday Jazz Dinner. Interesting wine list.)
Dakota's ($$$) -- Downtown
34 Summer St/101 Arch St, 737-1777
(Try the lobster dishes -- especially the mesquite grilled lobster,
the lobster tempura, and Dakota's lobster)
East Coast Grill -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1271 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 491-6568
(Very good. No reservations. Excellent bbq and jerk dishes)
Hammersley's Bistro ($$$) -- South End
Clarendon & Tremont (at Boston Center for the Arts), 423-2700
(Very good, w interesting food, but noisy surroundings and poor
service at times can be a problem. Try the roast chicken w
garlic, lemon & parsley. Interesting wine list.)
Harvard St Grill ($$$) -- North Brookline
398 Harvard St, betw Beacon & Comm Ave, 734-9834
(Expensive but wonderfully prepared food; reasonable portions,
though big eaters will leave hungry; great wine list; very warm &
friendly owners)
Harvest ($$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
44 Brattle St, 492-1115
(Well prepared interesting food, a bit pricy [some say overpriced],
in a very Cambridgy [some say stuffy] atmosphere crowded w upscale
academic types, and decent service. Sometimes quite creative, but
not always successfully. Very good wine list, and a wonderful
place for a business lunch. A bit expensive for Sunday brunch
($10-15), but go early for great Eggs Benedict. The attached cafe
is good for smaller and simpler meals.)
House of Blues -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
96 Winthrop St, 876-3030
(Pretty good food, but go for blues entertainment upstairs.
Try the smoked ribs & chocolate/peanut butter pie. 3 hr Gospel
brunch Sundays, 1/2 for eating, 1/2 for music -- you can get
reservations a week in advance, but they're often not necessary)
Icarus ($$$$) -- South End
3 Appleton St (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 426-1790
(Creative food which keeps getting better, nice atmosphere. Try
the polenta w mushrooms, thai squid, grilled tuna w cumin &
coriander, scallops w black ink ravioli stuffed w white beans,
grilled salmon w lemon sauce. Mixed reviews on the hazelnut
sweetbreads. Avoid curried pork tenderloin & grilled chicken.
Wonderful desserts, eclectic wine list)
Jasmine Bistro -- Brighton Center
412 Market St, 789-4676
(A small storefront, made elegant, serving Hungarian Goulashes,
nouvelle pasta, curries, kabobs, and more, presided over by the
ex-chef of the Cafe Budapest and his family. All the food is
excellent, with high quality ingredients, subtly spiced, and yet
the prices are very reasonable. Exceptional choices include the
tuna cake appetizer, veal gulyas, lamb curry, and the chocolate
mousse. They also do a thriving take-out business.)
Jaspers ($$$$) -- Waterfront
240 Commercial St (at Atlantic Ave), 523-1126
(Fresh native New England ingredients sensually prepared.
Definitely worth going to every couple of years)
Johnny D's -- Somerville (Davis Sq)
17 Holland St, 776-2004
(Pretty good food, natural hormone-free ingredients, reasonable
prices. Try the chicken palermo, blackened chicken strips,
broccoli, cajun fried shrimp, pecan pie. Crowded when music
starts later in the evening. Good for Sunday Brunch.)
Marais ($$$) -- Downtown
116 Boylston (betw Charles & Tremont), 482-7799
(Pricy. Other reviews have recommended the chicken bstilla, goat
cheese terrine, lamb w polenta, chocolate pava & clafouti)
Noelle -- Cambridge (Porter Square)
Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Porter Sq), 491-7750
(Try the homemade soups & the spicy Chicken Noelle)
On the Park -- South End
1 Union Park (on Shawmut Ave), 426-0862
(An absolutely delightful hole-in-the-wall with friendly informal
service, and uniformly delicious food. The daily specials are
reliably good, as are the standbys - garlic chicken is a perennial
favorite. The wine selection is thoughtful and changes month to
month. Reminiscent of Hamersley's Bistro, but a little less
formal, a little more friendly and crowded, and less expensive.)
Pentimento -- West Cambridge
344 Huron Ave (nr Fayerweather), 661-3878
(Generally very good food, especially "comfort food" such as stews
& shepherd's pie, but service is uneven & sometimes disdainful.
Soups always sound better than they taste. Homemade muffins and
other desserts are great. At lunch, sandwiches seem small but
fresh. Wonderful place for Sunday Brunch, especially the french
toast & hash browns, though food is limited to omelets & such,
and beware of long lines.)
Providence ($$$) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1223 Beacon (at St Paul), 232-0300
(A mix of Tuscany & nouvelle New England food in a room transformed
from its former stuffiness to funky w columns, fireplace, blue
ceilings and interesting lighting. The menu is set up like Biba's
but is more interesting. Excellently prepared entries, esp the
melt-in-the-mouth veal done pastrami style, and the tender thick
braised pork chop over white beans and cabbage. Great vegetable
side dishes too w lots of flavor, unlike insipid renditions
elsewhere. Desserts still need improvement, though. Great
service. Reservations needed.)
Rarities ($$$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
Charles Hotel, 864-1200, ext 1214
(Very expensive, very posh, w one of the best wine lists in Boston.
Great atmosphere but pretentious overall, and not worth the bucks)
Rayz -- East Cambridge
Cambridgeside Galleria, 577-0044
(Friendly service, large portions, good bbq and grilled bluefish
in season)
Seasons ($$$$) -- Fanueil Hall
Bostonian Hotel, 9 Blackstone St (nr North St), 523-3600
(Very interesting dishes; Try the Nantucket & Sweet Corn Chowder)
Small Planet -- Back Bay
565 Boylston nr Dartmouth, 536-8993
(Groovey vibes, nice service, reasonable prices, casual, gets
louder later. A colorful place serving multicultural food which
is quite good, but lacks the extra something that would make the
food exceptional -- on the other hand, the food seems lower in fat
that similar food elsewhere. Try the jerk chicken salad, gourmet
pizza, ratatouille, quesadilla, fried conch, veggie risotto. The
kitchen can be slow at lunchtime.)
Sonsie -- Back Bay
327 Newbury St, 351-2500
St Botolph -- South End
99 St Botolph (at W. Newton), 266-3030
(A pleasant open sunny casual techno-brick environment, w slightly
formal but very pleasant service. The same cafe menu as Botolph
on Tremont is served at lunch; separate dinner menu.)
St Cloud ($$$) -- South End
557 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 353-0202
(Interesting Nouvelle American cuisine serving some of the best
food in town. Small menu, but each offering is equally appealing.
The portions are not huge; rather, they are perfectly sized so you
can eat an appetizer or salad, an entree, a dessert, and a
cappucino and not feel bloated when you leave. The atmosphere is
typical snobby, arty South End, but don't let that deter you.
Now serving a dessert buffet 11pm-1am on weekends.)
Tam O'Shanter -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1648 Beacon St, 277-0982
(Good food, good value, live music later in the evening. Often
food combines unusual ingredients that work perfectly [but not
always]. Good inexpensive food on the menu too; try the meat
loaf. Perfect for lunch & Sunday Brunch as well.]
Union Square Bistro -- Somerville (Union Sq)
on Bow St, just outside Union Sq
(Good food, romantic atmosphere, reasonable prices. The french
onion soup, baked lamb, and potato pancakes were quite good; the
home-made expresso ice cream is one of the best in the city. Good
bread too. You can order from a separate "Nutritionally Correct"
menu, then blow it all on a really decadent dessert.)
Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
10 Holyoke St (off Mass Ave), 864-1933
(Expensive, but romantic & sublime -- very good imaginative
cooking, though the result can be extraordinarily variable.
Game meats are a specialty. Reasonably priced lunches. For
dinner, the best bet (though expensive) is the complete dinner.)
Water Cafe -- Jamaica Plain
701 Centre, 522-6458
(Pleasant place to eat. Try the barbecued duck & white bean
empanada, and the cajun seafood gumbo)
Ethiopian
---------
Addis Red Sea -- South End
544 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 426-8727
(Good well-spiced Harrar food, more than adequate portions.
For folks who don't know much about Ethiopian food, the numerous
combination plates provide excellent samplers. Intimate seating;
authentic woven tables, close together. Fancier, larger menu &
higher prices than Asmara. Heating problems on cold days. Down
one flight; not wheelchair accessible.)
Asmara -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
739 Mass Ave, 497-9635
(Quite good Eritrean food, especially for the price, and good
service too. Small and family run, this place has a limited
menu and a very relaxed atmosphere, with an incredibly warm &
hospitable owner. The food is inexpensive and pretty good, though
a lot of the dishes do seem very similar to each other, both in
description and taste. It's a great place to go with a group to
talk, since the style of eating puts you around a central platter
and really forces you to interact. Intriguing homemade honey wine
also.)
Indian
------
Akbar India -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1250 Cambridge St, 497-6548
(Very good buffet, unusual South Indian items like black doughnut,
sambar, masala dosai. Try the samosas, allo bada, dahi vada,
garlic naan, tandoori fish, chicken, and shrimp masala special)
Barbeque's International -- Allston
[Look under Bbq Listings]
Bombay Bistro -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1353 Beacon St, west of Harvard, 734-2879
(Good sheesh kabobs & tandoor. Try the makhabar curry, chicken
tikka, chicken or seafood xacuti, sour chicken soup, kulcha &
peshwari naan)
Bombay Club -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
57 JFK at Winthrop, 661-8100
(Better than average, w an adventurous menu. Try achar gosht [for
spice freaks], chicken methi, lamb shorba, veggie curries, reshmi
kebab, kachumber salad, the kadai dishes, the nan, prawn saag &
(for dessert) badami kheer. South Indian brunch on weekends w
idlis, sambar. North Indian buffet weekdays)
Bombay Mahal -- Waltham
Moody St
(Mixed reviews. A great, though slightly pricey, South Indian
brunch on Sundays w good dosai. Some questions about sanitation.)
Cafe Bombay -- East Cambridge
(Somewhat expensive for Indian, but there are some good interesting
dishes and breads)
Cafe of India -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
52a Brattle, 661-0683
(Maybe best in the square, reasonable prices too.
Try bhindi masala kadahi, aloo chole, baingan bharta)
Delhi Darbar -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
14 Holyoke St, 492-8993
(Pretty good overall, w excellent weekend brunch -- some say even
better than Bombay Club's -- though they overuse their tomatoey
sauces. Special menu of South Indian vegetarian dishes served
Sunday afternoons. Very extensive menu, and they will adjust the
spices on any dish as you wish. Try the chicken w spinach,
tandoori mixed grill, chick pea dish, mango lassi)
India -- Somerville (Davis Sq)
256 Elm, 354-0949
(Mixed reviews, food said to range from excellent to uninspired,
service can be careless. Good mango lassi, though)
India Globe -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
(Reasonable prices. Good for take out. Try the Malia Kofta)
India Palace -- Somerville (Union Sq)
23 Union Sq, 666-9770
(Great food, esp. the garlic naan (w lots of garlic), the subtly
flavored chana masala, the chicken saag, and a saag aloo that was
very hot but still retained the separate flavors of the spinach
and the spices. Romantic Indian music videos for ambience.)
India Pavillion -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
17 Central Sq (nr Mass Ave), 547-7463
(Quality of food can vary, but often excellent, and cheap. Always
full and can be quite cramped, a wait on weekends. They'll vary
the spicyness on request.)
India Quality -- Kenmore Sq
536 Commonwealth Ave, 267-4499
(Funky place, but one of the best Indian restaurants with Punjab
(North Indian) cuisine, and very reasonably priced. Try the
Chicken Dahiwala, Beef Shajahanai, Beef Kabab Masala & Chicken
Tikka. Also excellent breads, esp the chapati, garlic naan &
spinach poori. Food tends toward the hot side)
India Samraat -- Back Bay
51a Mass Ave, 247-0718
(Mixed reviews. Some say forgettable yucky food; others like the
lamb jalfrozie & chicken tikka masala)
Indian Cafe -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1665 Beacon St (at Winthrop), 277-1752
(Standard Indian fare, with above average tandoori dishes and
shrimp samosas. Nice decor, spacious room.)
Kashmir -- Back Bay
279 Newbury St, 536-1695
(Average food, good prices, nice atmosphere, polite service)
Kebab & Curry -- Back Bay
30 Mass Ave (betw Beacon & Marlboro), 536-9835
(A good value for pretty good food. Really good chicken kachumbar
salad, chicken jal frezi and do piaza. Some think only so-so)
Little India -- Waltham
Moody St
(Reasonably priced, good veggie fare, tandoori chicken, and various
biryanis)
Maharajah -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
Mass Ave.
(A small place which doesn't look like much on the outside, but
it's superb, esp for vegetarians, and has great service. Very
good dal, not heavy, and alu gobi. Good tandoori & curries.
Selection at different levels of spicyness, though specializes in
especially spicy food.)
New Mother India -- Waltham
336 Moody St, 893-3311
(Kind of pricey, since they got a modern, swanky mauve storefront,
but very good food, though not as spicy, and good service; lots of
bottled beers)
Oh Calcutta -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
468 Mass Ave, 576-2111
(Favorite of many Indian connoisseurs, especially for lunch.
Good for dinner too; try golden biryani)
Passage to India -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1900 Mass Ave, 497-6113
(The food gets mixed reviews. Good bets are the special dal nan,
and the vegetarian stuffed pepper, a roasted yellow pepper with a
chili-flavored sauce. Service is friendly, place is comfortable
and warm.)
Shalimar -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
546 Mass Ave, 547-9280
(Great place for dinner, w a few things that don't show up at other
places, like the Shrimp Do Piazza [which is entirely different
from the Lam Do Piazza]. Realiably high quality, w extra points
for freshness & adjustability of spice level.)
Taj India -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
781 Main St (nr Mass Ave), 354-4984
(Decent inexpensive lunch buffet whcih is an excellent deal. Good
service. They now have a liquor license.)
Tandoor -- Arlington
(Mixed reviews, small portions)
Tandoor House -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
991 Mass Ave, 661-9001
(Reasonable prices, excellent tasty Mogul style food, friendly
service, though it can be noisy when crowded. Good & cheap for
lunch.)
Taste of India -- Watertown
91 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 926-1606
Viceroy -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
Mass Ave, 2nd floor
(Excellent food -- in fact, this is one of my favorites, but the
service can be erratic, and is sometimes downright awful.)
Italian
-------
Al Dente -- North End
109 Salem St, 523-0990
(Comfortable, though crowded, place, serving ample quantities of
well-flavored good quality food. Moderate prices; pleasant
helpful service. Delicious appetizers; succulent clean mussels &
a light flavorful rotini of eggplant. Wonderful specialities,
particularly a melange of chicken, seafood, artichokes,... w the
ubiquitous side of pasta. Go for the specials of the day.
Gets busy early in warm weather; always is packed late)
Appetito -- Newton Center
Beacon St
(Good food, accent on Italian cuisine, moderate prices;
long lines sometimes)
Artu -- North End
Prince St, nr Hanover
(Pleasant informal place with good Italian bistro food, more
eclectic & less expensive than usual for the North End. Good
lamb & pork loin)
Azita Ristorante -- South End
560 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 338-8070
(Combination of Nortern Italian & Nouvelle American, stylish &
romantic)
Black Goose -- Beacon Hill
21 Beacon St (at Bowdoin), 720-4500
(Great food, and for lunch, quite reasonably priced)
Blossoms -- Charlestown
One First Ave (Rear), Bldg #34, Navy Yard, 242-1911
Bluestone Bistro -- Brighton & South End
1799 Commonwealth Ave, Brighton, 254-8309
(Good pizza if you like lots of sauce and cheese; Also
try the smokin shrimp and scallops wrapped in bacon.)
Buoniconti's -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
143 First St (nr Galleria), 491-3663
(Flavorful food, well prepared & presented; elegant, good service,
yet relaxing and not at all stuffy. Lately they have live jazz
music some nights. Awesome bread. Now serving grazing portions.
Desserts always worth ordering.)
Cafe Lampara -- Allston
916 Commonwealth Ave (nr St Paul's), 566-0300
(Good atmosphere, dependable food, great bread. Authentic pizza.
Reasonably priced, pretty good wine list. Good fried polenta,
lentil soup, salads, antipasto & pastas)
Capucino's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) & Cambridge (Porter Sq)
(Mixed reviews. Generally mediocre food that sounds better than it
is, usually because the flavors don't actually have a chance to
mingle. Pleasant ambience, moderately priced and popular though.)
Ciao Bella -- Back Bay
240A Newbury St at Fairfield, 536-2626
(Upscale, excellent pasta, but last time I was there, admittedly
late at night, the Carpaccio was dry and tasteless)
Da Natale -- North End
448 Hanover St (nr Commercial), 720-4480
Davio's ($$$) -- Back Bay
269 Newbury St, 262-4810
(Very good tiramisu)
Davio's ($$$) -- East Cambridge
Royal Sonesta, 5 Cambridge Pkwy, 661-4810
(Very good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere.
Try the grilled squid & chick pea crespelle, pizzas, corn chowder,
rabbit ravioli, chicken w pappardelle, salmon, skirt steak. In
general, the meat & fish dishes are great but perhaps too rich.
For dessert, try the white chocolate torte & mango sorbet. Good
wine list. Inconsistent service)
Davio's ($$$) -- Brookline Village
204 Washington St, Brookline Village, 738-4810
(Good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere.
Try the salt cod lobster cakes, pasta, duck, lamb & salmon,
braised lamb shanks, and rib steaks)
Dom's -- North End
100 Bartlett Place, off Salem St, 367-8979
(A wonderful but slightly eccentric restaurant. Lovely tiny dining
room, mostly in the basement, can be quite noisy. Dom or his son
will come out to take your order, and if you express any
indecision about dishes, on occasion he will offer a small portion
of the cheaper one for free. Outstanding veal dishes, very fine
pasta dishes, desserts to die for, especially the chocolate
cheesecake. They offer a discount (5%) for cash payments.)
Emporio Armani Express ($$$) -- Back Bay
214 Newbury St, 437-0909
(Marvelous food, exquisite pastries, very good service.
Superb pizza & risotto. A place for the glitterati)
Enzo Ristorante -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
329 Harvard St, 277-1288
(One of my favorites; very nice ossu buco w risotto, excellent wait
staff, moderately priced lunches, nice wines & romantic ambience.
Also try antipasto, carpacio, saltimbocca, pappardelle alla
bolognese, or anything grilled)
Figs -- Charlestown
67 Main St, 242-2229
(Memorable pasta & the best pizza in town; try the calamari pizza.
And try any dessert)
Five North Square ($$$) -- North Sqaure
5 North Sq
(Enjoyable food & intimate atmosphere. Great Ceaser Salad for 2)
Florentina -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
143 Main St, 577-8300
(A great place for a cheap, interesting, authentically Italian
lunch in a pleasant atmosphere. Pricier but fairly good food for
dinner w great service)
Giacomo's -- North End
355 Hanover St (betw Little Prince & Fleet), 523-9026
(A tiny, get-em-in-and-out place, with prompt, but not overly
rushed service. Go early or expect a long wait. Not a place for
an intimate, lingering evening, but a fun, light, busy atmosphere.
The food is better than what might be expected -- excellent
Italian-style seafood, though the prices seem a bit high.)
Giannino's -- Cambridge (Harvrad Sq)
in the Charles Hotel courtyard
(Attractive, quiet, nice northern Italian food, excellent wine
list with many wines not widely known. It's been suggested, with
justification, that the power lunch crowd goes to Rarities, while
people who don't need to impress anyone go to Giannino.)
G'Vanni's ($$$$) -- North End
2 Prince St (nr Hanover), 523-0107
(Consistently excellent food, emphasis on quality meat & seafood,
prompt & professional service. Good cream of mushroom soup,
excellent seafood pescatore (huge portion!), and superb raspberry
cannoli. Good, but not exceptional house wines)
Il Capriccio ($$$) -- Waltham
53 Prospect St, 894-2234
(Excellent Northern Italian food, a great wine list, a tad snooty.
Try the lemon mousse nut dessert)
Il Nido ($$$) -- North End
257 North St, 742-4272
Il Panino -- North End, Cambridge (Central/Harvard Sq)
11 Parmenter St, between Hanover & Salem St, North End, 720-1336
295 Franklin St, 338-1001 (Il Bistro, 1st floor)
Mass Ave, Cambridge
(Good sandwiches, subs & pasta, homemade mozzarella)
L'Osteria -- North End
109 Salem St (at Parmenter), 723-7847
(Nice enough place, not a terribly inspired menu, quiet, not fancy.
Dinner for two was under $30, with a couple glasses of wine.)
La Conte -- North End
Salem St
(Small restaurant with excellent food, very generous servings,
good, inobtrusive, fast service, and reasonable prices. Excellent
spaghetti carbonara and chicken marsala. Ok wine list)
La Famiglia Giorgio's -- North End & Back Bay
250 Newbury St (betw Exeter & Fairfield), Back Bay, 247-1569
112 Salem St (nr Parmenter), 367-6711
(Large portions, long wait, quality lately disappointing)
La Groceria -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
853 Main St, 497-4214
(Still good food, some say it's overrated and overpriced, and eats
like "Cambridge WASPS do Italian". Good Penne Amalfi.)
La Trattoria -- Beacon Hill
288 Cambridge St (across from MGH), 227-0211
(Excellent pesto and fried calamari)
Mama Maria ($$$) -- North End
3 North Sq at Prince St, 523-0077
(Pricey, but wonderful food and an interesting menu. Fawning
service. Good wine list. A romantic evening in a charming
building.)
Marcella's -- South End
1 Appleton St (at Tremont), 742-7832
Massimino's -- North End
207 Endicott St, 523-5959
(One of the better of the not so expensive North End Italian
restaurants. Try the pork chops w potatoes & vinegared peppers)
Michela's ($$$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
1 Athenaeum St (off First), 225-2121
(Equivalent of very good eclectic restaurant in Italy; good
flavorful food, formal yet relaxing. Menu changes seasonally.
Also a lunch counter usually serving very good food at a very
reasonable price.)
Moon Woman Cafe -- Newton Upper Falls
Oak St, betw Highland Ave & Chestnut St
(Creative American/Italian, including pasta dishes and a full
gamut of seafood, meat, poultry. Creative breads with a red
pepper spread are set out on the tables to whet one's appetite and
the wine list is also quite good. The menu is surprisingly large,
and there are also daily specials. Friendly and knowledgable.
Under Stellina's management w desserts brought in from there
(excellent chocolate cake w raspberry sauce). Tbales are closely
spaced, so it can get noisy. Nice ambience w a bar area & a
number of small connected rooms. Large parking lot. Main dishes
in the teens to low twenties.)
Mother Anna's -- North End
211 Hanover St (at Cross St), 523-8496
(Great food, good portions, reasonably priced. Try the Chicken
Creation [kind of Chicken Eggplant Parmesan] & Shrimp Exquisito)
Nana Cora's -- East Boston
(Small family-owned restaurant w very good moderately priced food,
including some excellent made-to-order dishes)
Nicole -- North End
54 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 742-6999
(A wonderful place. Cozy atmosphere, wonderful food, an admirable
wine list. It's not cheap, but it's not excessively expensive
either.)
Old Spaghetti Factory -- Waterfront
44 Pittsburgh St (nr Northern Ave), 737-8757
(Inexpensive family restaurant w funky entertaining furnishings.
Mostly standard fare except for the excellent spaghetti in
browned butter and mizithra cheese)
Olive's ($$$) -- Charlestown
10 City Sq, 242-1999
(No reservations, great food, semi-Italian creative, but very
noisy. Excellent creative seafood dishes, such as whole sauteed
red snapper with garlic mashed potates & eggplant/olive chutney,
excellent desserts. Never disapointing)
PapaRazzi -- Newton (Chestnut Hill), East Cambridge,
Back Bay
Chestnut Hill Mall, Newton, 527-6660
Cambridgeside Galleria, Cambridge, 577-0009
271 Dartmouth St nr Boylston, Back Bay, 536-9200
(Lots of people like this place, though I found the pasta
entries disappointing. Unusual appetizers, mixed reviews on
pizza, good salads, good for lunch. Try the antipasto plate,
insalata toscana, grilled eggplant & mozzarella sandwich, chicken
sandwich & pesto pizza. Good veal dishes, roasted chicken,
lobster ravioli, Tuscan sausage. Chestnut Hill is the best
location)
Piccola Venezia -- North End
63 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 523-9802
(Very straightforward, cheap Italian-American food. A fun place w
a family feel. The place is small, the tables are VERY close, the
waitresses call you dear and put their hand on your shoulder when
you order, and the owner's relatives serenade you on accordian.
This is an order a pitcher of the house red wine kind of place.
The traditional dishes (gnocchi, calamari) are best. Always a
wait.)
Pomodoro -- North End
319 Hanover St, 367-4348
(A small place w a small menu and an exposed kitchen that can serve
some wonderful imaginative dishes, including a nice collection of
soups, stews and specials, at reasonable prices. Try the suckling
pig. Cash only.)
Porcini's -- Watertown
68 School St
(Most people think the place is great -- imaginative flavorful
preparations using quality ingredients (though one dissenting
review found the food overseasoned), good portions, moderate
prices, pleasant professional waitstaff; overall a very enjoyable
place to eat. Excellent Cacciucco (flavorful Italian fish stew);
maple-roasted pork rib chop; wood-grilled shrimp w tomatoes,
fennel & oyster mushrooms; beef tenderloin tart w risotto &
porcini sauce, tuna steak w pimentoes, roasted garlic & tomatoes;
pan fried ravioli w butternut squash & prosciutto; exquisite veal;
very good Spaghetti Bolognese; and irresistible desserts.)
Ristorante Lucia -- North End
415 Hanover St, 367-2353
(Crowded & pricey, but quite good)
Ristorante Marino -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
2465 Mass Ave, 868-5454
(All pesticide-free, anitibiotic-free, hormore-free ingredients,
unfortunately also reportedly flavor-free and overpriced. Good
sourdough rolls. Try the porchetta & pasta. Better than average
wine list.)
Ristorante Toscano ($$$) -- Beacon Hill
41 Charles St (nr Mt Vernon), 723-4090
(Mixed reviews. Some say elegant food, w nice ambience; others
say hugely over-rated w boring food & small selection.)
Rocco's ($$$) -- Theater District
Transportation Building, 5 Charles St South, 723-6800
(Pricey, but very good. Similar to Michela's. Wild theatrical
decor. Great pasta. Very creamy sauce w the Spaghetti Carbonara.
Bread served w olive oil & roast garlic. Interesting wine list.)
Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage -- East Boston
(Excellent veal. Mostly patronized by locals, next to impossible
to get in on weekends.)
Saraceno's -- North End
286 Hanover St (betw Cross & Richmond), 227-5353
(Great Italian food -- perhaps the best traditional Italian in the
North End. Unfortunately not cheap. Get the vegetable side
dishes, because someone in the kitchen really knows how to saute.
Very good service, lovely presentation of the food. Reservations
needed for dinner. A wonderful place to take out of town guests.)
Saro's -- Waltham
Main St (Rt 117 nr 128), 899-SARO
(Not fine dining, but a hole in the wall. Mixed reviews -- from
"unusual and great dishes, w nice ambience and great jazz on the
stereo" to "awful ambience, bored and ignorant waitstaff,
no better than what you can make at home". Lots of food though)
Schifino ($$$) -- Downtown
21 Broad St (betw State & Milk), 523-0590
(Wonderful restaurant w good friendly service. Superb calamari
salad and main courses)
Sfuzzi -- Newton (Chestnut Hill)
Atrium Mall, 300 Boylston St (at Heath St), 965-7707
(Mixed reviews -- overpriced and tries too hard to be hip)
Sorento's -- West Fenway
86 Peterborough St (betw Kilmarnock & Jersey), 424-7070
(Wonderful small casual place; you can taste the garlic when you
enter! Try the Rigatoni Milano. Good pizzas & calzones)
Spasso -- Back Bay
160 Commonwealth (at Dartmouth), 536-8656
(Yes its a hotspot and a meat market, but the food is great)
Spinelli's -- East Boston
282 Bennington St
(Wonderful food, but takeout only. Nr Logan. Great Arancini &
Calzone)
Stellina -- Watertown Sq
47 Main St, 924-9475
(Bistro ambience, combination of Italian & Nouvelle. Well prepared
and flavorful foods. Friendly place. Excellent warm tomato
salad, good spicy black bean soup, outstanding bread. Minority
opinion is that meat entrees & desserts can be disappointing)
Sweet Peppers -- Lexington Center
20 Waltham St, 862-1880
(Good somewhat nouvelle Italian food; very good pizza)
Terramia -- North End
98 Salem St, 523-3112
(Very good Nouvelle Italian food. Entusiastic wait staff)
Trattoria Il Panino (Dining Room) -- North End
295 Franklin St, 2nd floor, 338-1000
Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Waltham
361 Moody St (betw Spruce & Walnut), 891-5486
(Very good nouvelle cuisine. Pricey, need reservations, worth it.
Try the softshell crab, gnocchi, cacciucco, grilled squid, shrimp,
steak & duckling)
Uva -- Allston
1414 Commonwealth Ave, 566-5670
(Nice neighborhood bistro, large portions, good antipasto & pizza)
Verona -- Watertown
18 Mt Auburn, 926-0010
(Mixed reviews, from "awesome wonderful Italian food" to "a dump to
be avoided". Emphasis on steaks, seafood, and pasta)
Vinnie Marino's -- Roslindale
(A great place to go for very good Italian food. Relaxed ambience;
red-flecked walls w photos of famous boxers and wrought-iron
decor. Friendly, homey waitstaff, lots of privacy (booths with
high backs), great homemade red wine. Easy parking across the
street, too.)
Vinny Testa's -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
Beacon St
(Good food with very enormous portions in an informal but tasteful
atmosphere. You'll be happiest if you stick to simple foods.
Good pasta, eggplant and chicken parmigiana, and very good salads.
The bread served with roasted whole garlic in olive oil is great.)
Japanese
--------
Cafe Mami -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall]
(Very authentic food, but service can be very slow)
Goemon -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) & Symphony Area
1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 577-9595
267 Huntington Ave (nr Gainsborough), Boston, 859-8669
(Japanese Noodle house with good Soba, Udon, and Ramen with Hot or
Cold Broth and a wide choice of toppings, generously provided.
There are complaints that at Symphony the soup is served
luke-warm w mushy overcooked noodles.)
Gyosai -- Faneuil Hall
200 State St (at Surface Rd), 345-0942
(Excellent sushi. Also try kabeyaki eel & hijiki appetizer,
broiled seafood and meat dishes, tempura, noodles & soups. Pricy,
Karaoke from 11pm - 2 am)
Gyuhama of Japan -- Back Bay
827 Boylston St (betw Gloucester & Fairfield), 437-0188
(Good sushi; opinion varies as to whether it is great or not.
In any case, it's a fun place, esp for late nite dining -- with
Rock & Roll sushi from 11pm - 2am)
Ichiban -- Allston
166 Harvard Ave (betw Coomonwealth & Brighton Ave), 787-5656
(A small storefront, a tad crowded, lower than average prices.
A good place to sit at the sushi bar. Good sushi, noodle dishes,
esp seafood yaki udon & chachamen noodles & dumplings. Also try
the pressed sushi, cucumber roll, spicy tuna, salmon salad,
soft-shell crab maki (pretty good, but not quite great), chicken &
beef teriyaki. The songpan is ok, but not great, and the miso
soup was flavorless. On a Sunday night a few weeks after the
place opened, the service was truly awful.)
Ittyo -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall]
(Excellent noodle dishes and donburi, especially the eel. Very
good Shrimp & Veggie Tempura w Udon)
Koto -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond)
(SMall mom & pop sort of place w nice tempura)
Kotobukiya -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall]
(Perhaps the cheapest sushi in town; the quality is ok, but the
ambience and presentation are not fancy)
Maluken -- Kenmore Sq
645 Beacon St on west corner of Kenmore Sq, 859-3149
(Huge menu with lots of variety, especially lots of appetizers.
excellent but expensive fresh thickly cut sushi, good soups &
ohitashi. The tempura is somewhat disappointing; the batter is a
tad too thick, and too little variety in the vegetables)
Matsuya -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1790 Mass Ave (nr Arlington), 491-5091
(Good noodle dishes, reasonable prices, service can be slow)
Miyako -- Back Bay
279A Newbury St (at Gloucester), 236-0222
(Wonderful sushi and other dishes, with a stylish twist.
try the eel and the mackarel oshi sushi, the smoked salmon
sushi & the basil & plum paste maki)
Nara -- Downtown
85 Wendell St (at Broad), 338-5935
(Very fresh and tasty food. Good selection of sushi and also other
dishes for non-sushi eaters. Very friendly owner and waitstaff.
Frequented by Japanese business folk - always a good sign. Try
futomaki (large maki roll), chicken katsu (fried chicken bits w/
veggies), version of California roll using eel rather than crab.
Prices are moderate (more than Porter Square, less than Roka).
Very busy at lunch, but more relaxed at dinner time.)
Porter Exchange Mall -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1815 Mass Ave
(The place to go for an authentic Japanese eating experience,
with a number of little stalls such as you might find at a Tokyo
train station -- modest and fresh food, well prepared. Includes
Kotobukiya, Ittyo, and Sapporo Ramen. There's also Seki Tei, a
sit down Japanese restaurant, a Japanese grocery, Shiatsu massage,
and Masao's Kitchen -- a macrobiotic restaurant.)
Roka -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1001 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Central Sq), 661-0344
(Reliably good, fresh sushi, also lots of interesting maki rolls.
Perhaps not the bets in the area, but a good alternative, esp.
with Cafe Sushi closed. Not much of a sushi bar; it's more of a
sit-down place w good service. Great eel! Watch out for extra
charges for extra ginger, wasabi & inside-out California roll)
Sakura -- Waltham
on a little street off Rt 117, a block or so from Rt 20, 891-0720
(A very nice homey traditional Japanese place in a non-descript
clapboard house, reminiscent of a somewhat rundown Tokyo
restaurant. Small, maybe 8 tables, service sometimes suffers.
Karaoke music. Average but not excellent food. BYOB. Possibly
closed Sunday; limited hours in general.
Sakurabana -- Downtown
57 Broad St (nr Milk & State Sts), 542-4311
(Excellent sushi, a tad pricey. Good Sushi heaven & Boston Maki.
Recently redecorated, so its nice inside, but the sushi has gone
downhill some. Small parking lot next door, but you need to pay.)
Sapporo Ramen -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall]
(Japanese noodle house, very good, just like Japan)
Seki Tei -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall]
(Mixed reviews. Most recently the news is that the food is just
ok, not good enough to make up for the horrible service)
Shogun -- West Newton
1385 Washington St (nr Elm), 965-6699
(Small homey pleasant place, a couple of blocks from the W Newton
Cinema. Consistently good food, reasonably priced for Japanese
food. Non-smoking. Very low staff turnover. Can fill up as the
evening progresses. Good Chicken Katsu.)
Takeshima -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
308 Harvard St (nr Babcock), 566-0200
(Pleasant place, reasonable prices, very good food & service.
a perfect neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Good sushi,
though disappointings review from a recent visit.)
Tatsukichi -- Faneuil Hall
189 State St (nr Atlantic Ave), 720-2468
(Very fresh, reliably excellent sushi. Also good cooked
appetizers, especially their specialty, kashiage -- little
tidbits deep fried and served on sticks. Huge portions of
shabu-shabu. Karaoke bar upstairs w stiff cover that caters to
Japanese.)
Tokyo Restaurant -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond)
307 Fresh Pond Parkway, 876-6600
(Authentic Japanese food, frequented by visited Japanese business
people. Excellent fresh, well prepared sushi in many varieties,
and a good yakitori bar also. Don't miss the Dobinmushi (soup).
The sushi lunch platters are really nice, but a bit expensive
($12 to $15); the general consensus is that the place is
overpriced. Service is on the slow side - not a place to go for a
quick meal. Tatami rooms can be reserved for $20 extra, a really
nice touch for a quiet, private dinner.)
Korean
------
Han Mi Ok -- Brighton Center
351 Washington St (nr Market), 783-2090
T: #57 & #86 bus
(Very good Korean food in a slightly funky but pleasant cozy
atmosphere. The food is not as highly spiced as some other
places, the portions are larger, and prices are moderate. Very
fresh sushi, wonderful noodle soup dishes, especially the seafood
ones. Lots of beef dishes, lots of seafood specials on the
blackboard, not much for vegetarians. Try the squid dish or the
beef bulgogi for a safe intro to the cuisine. The bibimbap is
good, too. Sometimes the service can be slow when crowded (mostly
w Asians at the sushi bar). Thai & Chinese food too, and the
spicy fried squid, under the Chinese menu, is outstanding.)
Hometown -- Somerville (Union Sq)
9A Union Sq, 623-7220
(Mixed reviews on food, ranging from ok to delicious, and on the
sushi from below average to fresh & well prepared. Friendly
service, reasonable prices, mostly Korean clientele (including
some w diplomatic license plates). Try squid Korean style.)
Kaya -- Back Bay
521 Boylston St, 236-5858
(Try skewered chicken, yaki gyoza, steak tartare, red snapper
shioyaki, galbi, spicy stir-fried squid, bi bim bap, chapchae,
tempura udon, green tea & red bean ice cream. Also good cheap
sushi)
Korea Garden -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
20 Pearl St, 492-9643
(This is a very good, small, family-run restaurant. A nice
traditional place w nothing too inventive and a fairly limited
menu, but what the place serves is prepared well and consistently.
And with lots of garlic! Their Ok dol bi bim bap is excellent,
and stone-pot dishes are good also. Lots of Koreans eat here,
giving confidence that the food is fairly authentically Korean.
Service is friendly and low-key; the atmosphere is casual and
relaxed. Reasonable prices.)
Korea House -- Brighton
111 Chiswick St (off Comm. Ave, betw Wash. & Market), 783-7030
(One of the better Korean restaurant in Boston, great soup dishes,
though some are extremely fiery. Clientele is almost exclusively
Korean, therefore there is no such thing as a non-smoking section.
Service can be slow since it's a family run place. The restaurant
does traditional dishes traditional style (as opposed to Jae's or
Han Mi Ok, which adds more vegetables than usual). Best Bul Go
Gi and Kim Chee stew around here. Stir-Fried Squid and Bi Bim Bap
are also good. Avoid the sushi.)
Koreana -- Cambridge (~Inman Sq)
154 Prospect (at Broadway), 576-8661
(An ambitious variety of Korean food in a pleasant atmosphere with
comfy booths and somewhat variable service. Very fresh sushi;
especially the hamachi. The Korean food is really very fiery,
though they will make it milder on request (but it will still be
quite hot). Some dishes are exceptional (such as the stir fried
squid and baby octupus); others are still fairly good, but not as
good as elsewhere. Good standard condiments. Open til 1 am some
nights. Parking can be a problem. Prices somewhat high.)
Shilla -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
95 Winthrop St (off JFK), 547-7971
(Very good Korean food, especially Bibim Bap and cold noodles, and
a fun place)
Seoul House -- Newton Center
57 Union St (across from T stop), 244-6438
(Small family run place w good, reliable, but slightly suburbanized
food. Portions just a tad small; prices just a tad high)
WooChon -- Somerville (Union Sq)
290 Somerville Ave, 623-3313
(Excellent high quality Korean food in a pleasant contemporary
setting, often crowded, though still not overly noisy. Nice group
of side dishes come incl with your meal, which they will keep
refilling, including spinach, seaweed, kimchee, & marinated tofu.
The food tends toward the fiery side. Good dumplings, mung bean
pancake, bulgoki, bibim pap and chap chae, and the many eel and
fish items on the menu provided a pleasant surprise. Good, piping
hot barley tea too. Reasonable prices, though a tad higher than
some competitors. Service somewhat variable, but generally quite
pleasant. No liquor license, but BYO from across the street.)
Kosher
------
Cafe Shiraz [Persian] -- Allston
[see under Persian]
Haim's Deli -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1657 Beacon St, 734-8350
(Ok food, slow unimpresive service. Only go if you must.)
Milk St Cafe [Vegetarian] -- Brookline (Longwood), Downtown
350 Longwood Ave, 739-2233
0 Post Office Sq, 350-7275
50 Milk St, 542-3663
Rami's Felafel -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Downtown
[see under Israeli]
Rubin's Deli -- North Brookline
500 Harvard St (nr Commonwealth), 731-8787
Ruth's Kitchen -- North Brookline
401 Harvard St, 734-9810
(Run by an Asian woman who converted to Judaism. Latke's and
Szechuan beef right next to each other! Not really a restaurant
as much as a prepared foods counter with seating. The food is
quite good & reasonably priced.)
Shalom Hunan [Chinese] -- Brookline Village
[see under Chinese]
Shang Chai [Chinese Vegetarian] -- North Brookline
[see under Chinese]
Victor's Pizza -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1364 Beacon St, 730-9903
Latin American
--------------
Casa Elena [Peruvian / Spanish / Mexican] -- Watertown
45 Lexington St (at Main, nr Waltham line), 926-3222
(Small, casual, family-run restaurant -- Peruvian owner. Good,
well-prepared, interesting dishes, good-sized portions. Service
ok, bt it can take awhile to get the food. Good fried yucca w
carrot sauce, paella. Moderate prices, dinner only.)
Cecil's [Latin / Caribbean] -- Downtown
129 South St, 542-5108
(Variety of Latin & Caribbean food. Good black bean soup &
Jamaican Jerk Pork)
El Embajador [Latin American] -- Jamaica Plain
3371 Washington St, 524-6812
Mama Julia [Columbian / Salvadoran] -- East Boston
54 Bennington St, 568-9020
(Good Colombian & Salvadoran food; cheap delicious soups)
Pupuseria Quintanilla [Salvadoran] -- Jamaica Plain
Washington St, 522-9680
(Try Salvadoran pupusas, tamales, arroz negro, shrimp soup)
Rattlesnake Bar and Grill -- Back Bay
384 Boylston (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 859-8555
(Good reasonably priced food, fairly authentic.
Urban Canyon Patio in back is nice in the summer)
Mediterranean
-------------
Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Cambridge (Main St)
798 Main St
(Well prepared Mediterranean-influenced food, but pricey, with a
wonderful, very inventive menu and knowledgeable, enthusiastic
waitpeople. Often simple food, elegantly presented. Try the pan
roasted baby manila clams w rabe, duck croquettes, grilled
mushrooms, chocolate rum bread pudding. Reservations needed.)
Cafe Bellecour -- Lexington Center
10 Muzzey St, 861-9400
David's -- Theater District
123 Stuart St (Transportation Bldg), 367-8405
(Gutsy, full-flavored food. Try the spanakopita, shish kebab,
grilled squid)
Mexican, Tex/Mex, Southwestern
------------------------------
Acapulco -- Jamaica Plain
Centre St
(Good food, very inexpensive, good service. Try the Camarones
Veracruzanos, which is broiled shrimp in wine and garlic with
mexican rice and beans @ 7.95. No margaritas, just wine & beer)
Armadillo Cafe -- Allston
1314 Commonwealth Ave, 2 blocks west of Harvard Ave, 232-4242
(Small range of generally reliable, somewhat eclectic Mexican food,
Great smoked chicken quesadillas. Good chips & salsa, nice decor,
Live Mexican music on week-nights, old rock&roll on weekends.)
Boca Grande -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq & Kendall Sq)
1728 Mass Ave (betw Porter & Harvard Sq), 354-7400
149 First St (nr Galleria), 354-5550
(Not fancy, but nice burritos, and cheap. Sometimes more
interesting stuff, including tamales and elote)
Border Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
32 Church St, 864-6100
(Fun, cheap, pretty good cajun/southwestern food, rodents &
roaches. A noisy studenty Harvard Sqaure-y kind of place.
There's also one in Saugus, which has fewer vermin and better
ambience. Great fajitas & popcorn shrimp)
Cactus Club -- Back Bay
939 Boylston St, 236-0200
(Good lunches, abundant food, reasonable prices; great Venison
stew, and the Mountain Oysters are worth a try. Good people
watching; good place to unwind after work. Dinner said to be
less exciting, though they now have a new dinner menu, including a
very good, tho nonstandard Caesar salad.)
Casa Mexico -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
75 Winthrop St (at JFK), 491-4552
(Mixed reviews -- it used to be better 20 years ago, but on a good
night, some entrees may still be quite good. Try the Chicken
Mole, Enchilada Mole, and the Camarones al Cilantro. Also
excellent Mexican coffee)
Casa Romero -- Back Bay
30 Gloucester St (betw. Comm Ave & Newbury St), 536-4341
T: ICA/Hynes Green Line stop, also the #1, #55, & inbound #39 buses
(Prices may be on the high side, but for an excellent sampling of
Mexican haute cuisine, this is *the* place to go in Boston. From
the handpainted tile decor to the desserts, this place could have
been lifted right out of Mexico city. Try the chile relleno, the
mole poblano, the avocado soup, and the flan with Cognac and
pleasantly dispel the notion that Mexican food means nothing but
nachos and burritos. Also good margaritas.)
Cottonwood Cafe -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) & Back Bay
222 Berkeley St (at St James), Downtown, 247-2225
Porter Exchange Bldg, 1815 Mass Ave, 661-7440
(The most upscale and eclectic of the Southwestern places, with
creative tasty food. Good salads, pot stickers, puebla
duckling, zuni roll, desserts, esp. pecan pie. Expensive
appetizers.)
El Bandido -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1412 Beacon St (at Summit), 730-5663
(Pleasantly decorated storefront, serving excellent homemade
Tex/Mex food. No lard! Superb Carnitas Burritos, and they have
Chicken Mole too. No liquor license.)
El Phoenix Room -- Brighton
1430 Commonwealth Ave (at Kelton), 566-8590
(Some like it because it's the oldest Tex/Mex place in town, and
because the attached bar is funky; I'd say it's inexpensive w
large portions, but the food is only so-so)
Fajita & 'Ritas -- Brookline Village, Downtown
(A charming kindergarten atmosphere, with the crayon on the walls
and the butcher paper tablecloths. The service is friendly and
fast, w very good fajitas (esp chicken), pretty good assorted
munchies, and good margaritas and beer. Lunch is better than
dinner, as the portions are similar and it's a bit cheaper. A
very boisterous & noisy place, but it's lots of fun.)
Iguana Cantina -- Waltham
313 Moody St (betw Crescent & Spruce), 891-3039
(Trendy, good meat dishes. Try the chicken Veracruz & the catfish)
Jose's -- Cambbridge (Alewife)
Sherman St between Harvard & Alewife
(Freshly made chips, OK food, nice people -- perhaps the best
cheap Mexican place. Good salsa w lots of cilantro. Good
fajitas & burritos. Avoid the frozen drinks)
Mexican Cuisine / Forest Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1682 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Porter Sq), 661-1634
(Looks like a dive, but don't be put off -- excellent authentic
Mexican food very reasonably priced. Emphasis on seafood; try
the Tuna with Mole Verde or the Salsa Mocajete con Pescado)
Picante -- Somerville (Davis Sq) & Cambridge (Central Sq)
217 Elm St, Davis Sq, 628-6394
735 Mass Ave, Central Sq, 576-6394
(Good burrito place with big wonderful burritos, a changing 6
choice salsa bar, and flan to die for. It's nothing fancy, but
it's good food.)
Rudy's -- Sommerville (Teele Sq)
248 Holland St (off Broadway), 623-9201
(Good cheap basic Mexican, and they have Pacifico beer!
Not as cheap as Jose's, but more options)
Snakebites Canteen -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
Porter Exchange Bldg, 1815 Mass Ave, 661-7440
(A more casual, less expensive sidekick to the Cottonwood Cafe.
Try the baked Sonoran Chimichanga)
Sol Azteca -- Brookline (St Mary's) & Newton Center
914A Beacon St, St Mary's, 262-0909
75 Union St (betw Beacon & Langley), Newton Center, 964-0920
(Good haute-Mexican food, reasonably priced. Try the Pork in
Orange Chipotle sauce or Adobo, the Shrimp in Cilantro sauce, and
the Fish in spicy Tomato sauce. Service can be lackadaisacal)
T.J.'s Taqueteria -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
690 Washington St (nr Beacon), 734-8226
(Mostly takeout w small eat in area. Excellent burritos & other
authentic Mexican food; I find their food a tad too greasy, but
try the machacha & carnitas fillings as well as the soups. No
liquor license.)
Taquieria Mexico -- Waltham
Crescent St, off of Modoy
(Very cheap, large servings, huge tasty burritos w lots of onions)
Zuma's Tex/Mex Cafe -- Faneuil Hall
7 North Market Bldg, Faneuil Hall, 367-9114
(Basic East Coast Mexican food. Big portions, but not great.
Very large drinks; fun ribs appetizers)
Middle Eastern / Greek / Turkish / Israeli / Persian
----------------------------------------------------
Anne's -- Beacon Hill
240 Cambridge St, 523-4606
(Good solid middle-eastern food)
Atlas Kitchen [Turkish] -- Brookline (St Mary's)
1002 Beacon St
(Quite good authentic Turkish cuisine in a pleasant spacious room,
reasonably priced, though a bit higher than most Middle Eastern
places. Excellent appetizers include the stuffed eggplant & red
lentil soup, though the grape leaves were bland. Tasty lamb w
okra, though short on the lamb. Excellent desserts, esp the
milk "cake". Beer available. Open til midnite weekdays.)
Brookline Diner -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
9 Brookline St, 354-9473
(Small place w stylish food. Good cashew chicken salad for lunch)
Cafe Barada [Lebanese] -- Arlington
Mass Ave nr Capitol Theater
(Lebanese, uniformly good & cheap; excellent grape leaves)
Cafe Shiraz [Kosher Persian] -- Allston
1030 Commonwealth Ave (nr Brighton Ave), 566-8888
(Fairly tasty Persian food (as well as a diverse selection of other
stuff), but nothing spectacular if you don't keep kosher, and a
bit pricey for what you get. A spacious place that doesn't get
too busy, nice owners, unremarkable service. The Persian Wedding
Soup is different and worth trying, excellent skewers, and there's
a vegetarian platter very heavy on the garlic).
Caffe Jaffa [Israeli] -- Back Bay
48 Gloucestor (between Newbury & Boylston)
(Good inexpensive Israeli/Middle Eastern food. Interesting falafel
& very good steak tips, shashlik, hummus, and eggplant dishes.
Avoid dessert)
Demo's [Greek] -- Watertown Sq
64 Mt Aurburn St, 924-9660
(Decent cheap food, very good shish kebab)
Kareem's -- Watertown
600 Mt Auburn St, 926-1867
(Cheap but excellent felafel, kibbee, hummus, kebabs, and
sauteed chicken)
Karoun -- Newtonville
261 Walnut St, 964-3400
(Excellent shish-kabobs, shrimp kabobs, shwarma. Excellent coffee
brewed in Ibriks. Inexpensive. Entertainment Fri/Sat nite)
Middle East -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
472 Mass Ave, 354-8238
(Quite good, w a great pumpkin kibby)
Mi-Vami [Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
14A Pleasant St (at Beacon), 277-0272
(Inexpensive, no ambience, but very good shish kebab, grilled
chicken, greek salad, felafel & hummus, and a wonderful smoky
baba ganoush that's one of the best I've ever had)
Nadia's Eastern Star -- South End
280 Shawmut Ave (betw Tremont & Columbia), 338-8091
Niko's [Greek] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
187a Harvard St, 277-2999
(Small Greek place with good moderately priced food. Excellent
avgolemono. Try the skordalia & taramosalata, spinach pies,
gyros, meatballs, grape leaves & roast lamb. Avoid the combo
platter; go for the daily special instead)
Oasis Grille [Middle Eastern] -- Somerville (Union Sq)
255 Washington St, 666-5122
Rami's Felafel [Kosher Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge C.), Downtown
324 Harvard St (Coolidge Corner), 738-3577
48 Winter St (Downtown), 426-9770
(Mostly a takeout place. Some think it is excellent, esp the
felafel/hummus plate, but I find the food too greasy)
Sami's -- Roslindale
4197 Washington St, Roslindale Sq, 323-2799
Shawarma King -- Symphony Area & Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Harvard, Coolidge Corner
Huntington St, Symphony Area
(Very good grape leaves -- mediocre baba & hummus. The downtown
one is takeout + counter; the Brookline one is a tad less funky
with a few tables)
Sabra [Isareli] -- Newton Center
45 Union St, 527-5641
(Quite good Israeli food; good lunch buffet. Try the dardara,
moussaka, pilaf, tabouli, hummus, shwarma & shish kebab)
Sepal -- Watertown
555 Mt Auburn St
(Excellent baba, falafel, hummos)
Sindibad -- East Cambridge
145 First St (across from the Galeria), 492-2421
(Mixed reviews, but good sized portions, very reasonable prices
(mostly about $3-5 per item), and the folks who run it seem quite
nice. The place is huge, and at least at off-peak times, you
order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Lots of
vegetarian items as well as halal meat dishes.)
Steve's [Greek] -- Back Bay
316 Newbury (at Hereford), 267-1817
(Excellent hummus, interesting chips, very good gyros.
Rude waitresses)
North African
-------------
Casablanca -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
40 Brattle St, 876-0999
(Moroccan & other foods, pretty good, especially for brunch or
lunch. Nice interior, reasonably priced, especially appetizers.
Very good grilled eggplant & Middle Eastern platter.)
Tangiers Cafe -- Beacon Hill
37 Bowdoin St, 367-0273
(Good middle east appetizers, plus Moroccan entrees. Try the
harina, mujadara, mashwi chicken & sokatha tea)
Russian
-------
Troika -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1154 Mass Ave (at Arrow St), 864-7476
(Good, though simple food, nice atmosphere, very reasonable prices,
slow service. Good lentil soup and pelmeni.)
Seafood
-------
Atlantic Fish Company -- Back Bay
777 Boylston St (nr Gloucester), 267-4000
Captain Marden's Takeaway -- Wellesley
Linden St
(good seafood, cheap prices. Avoid the broiled food; get
the fried stuff. Get the seafood rather than the clam chowder)
Daily Catch -- North End, North Brookline,
Somerville (Davis Sq), Waterfront
323 Hanover St, North End, 523-8567
441A Harvard St, North Brookline, 734-5696
261 Northern Ave, Waterfront, 338-3093
215 Elm St, Davis Sq, 623-0375
(good Sicilian seafood dishes, great place for calamari (esp
the fried stuffed calamari & calamari scampi), lobster fra
diavolo, black pasta aglio et olio (w calamari). You may have to
wait if not there early. Best calamari is in North End; best
ambience is in North Brookline)
Dolphin Seafood -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq), 354-9332
(Good simple fresh seafood at good prices in a neighborhood
atmosphere. Many say its as good as No-Name used to be, though
some say its not that lately good and too crowded and unrelaxed.
All agree the lunch special is a good deal. Try the fish chowder,
lobster & broiled fish. 100% No Smoking. A child-friendly place)
Fishery -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
718 Mass Ave, 868-8800
(Very good seafood. Other reviews recommend the crabcakes,
calamari w roasted garlic, briney oysters, mussels w lemongrass,
smoked alligator sausage, & hazelnut cappucino torte)
Joseph's Aquarium -- Waterfront
101 Atlantic Ave, 523-4000
(good seafood -- the specialty is cheap twin lobsters)
Legal Sea Foods -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq), Newton (Chestnut Hill),
Back Bay, Park Sq
5 Cambridge Center (Main St), Kendall Sq, 864-3400
43 Boylston St, Chestnut Hill Mall, 277-7300
Park Plaza Hotel, 35 Columbus Ave, Park Sq, 426-4444
100 Huntington Ave (bet Dartmouth & Exeter), Copley Place, 266-7775
(Very nice fresh fish, but a long wait & somewhat overpriced.
Avoid anything fancy. e.g. cioppino. Excellent chowder, clam
chili, haibut, lobster casserole, and bananas foster. Kendall Sq
is the best location)
No Name -- Waterfront
15 1/2 Fish Pier off Northern Ave, 423-2705
(Mixed reviews. Many think it has gone down the tubes -- no longer
has great food, except perhaps for the seafood chowder, usually
fast but obnoxious service, reasonable prices)
Skipjack -- Brookline Village, Cambridge (Harvard Sq), Back Bay
2 Brookline Place on Boylston St, Brookline Village, 232-8887
199 Clarendon St, Back Bay, 536-3500
5 Bennett St in Charles Sq, Cambridge, 876-9900
(Consistently good, w several "lite" entrees. Service efficient
and light-hearted, pleasant atmosphere. Mostly standard fare,
except for their wonderful but spicy blackened tuna sashimi.
Good broiled bass & fried seafood platter.)
Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Back Bay
Westin Hotel, 10 Huntington Ave (in Copley Place), 424-7425
(Upscale ambience and prices, but pleasant waitstaff and good
service. Awesome clam chowder. Also try the poached fish w
tapenade & the salmon fennel soup. Reservations helpful.)
Village Fish -- Brookline Village
22 Harvard St, 566-3474
(good fresh fish, served w pasta & salad)
Spanish / Portuguese
--------------------
Casa Portugal [Portuguese] --- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1200 Cambridge St (at Prospect), 491-8880
(Mixed reviews. The seafood stews and salt cod dishes are good,
and the sausage & fig appetizer is delicious, as are the Vitella
Grilhada (grilled veal) [ask for extra garlic] & Porco Escallopes
[in a spicy sour onion sauce]. The House Special Shrimp is good
too. Ask for your potatoes extra-well done (less oily that way),
and hope that the soup of the day is kale soup. I may have been
there on an off night, but I thought the food was unimpressive
(starting with the bread), as have some other respondents, though
you do get lots of it. Friendly service, low prices, and a nice
selection of inexpensive Portuguese wines)
Dali [Spanish] -- Cambridge (~Porter Sq)
415 Washington St (at Kirkland/Beacon), 661-3254
(Very good tapas, and wonderful Catalan Spanish food in reasonable
sized portion. Good spanish wine selection and excellent Sangria.
A great unique fun place to go with friends or out of town guests,
though it can be noisy when it gets crowded. Can be a long wait
at peak periods, but you can get tapas at the bar. Warm, homey,
romantic, funky Dali-esque decor. Service is quick & not overly
formal service, but can be occasionally fussy. Can be pricey if
you go overboard; it can be better to get a variety of tapas and
fewer main courses. Most of the tapas are very good; try the
baked goat cheese, mussels, marinated mushrooms, chorizo & tripe w
chickpeas. Good oxtail soup. Most main courses are wonderful;
the rabbit is especially good. Some of the desserts are good as
well, esp the dessert crepe w chocolate sauce.)
Iruna [Spanish] -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
56 JFK (nr Mt Auburn), 868-5633 (not wheelchair accessible)
(Mixed reviews for a restaurant that's been around a long time.
Many people love the place, others find the food bland. Crowded,
relatively plain atmosphere; service good, friendly, fairly
efficient except when the kitchen bogs down. Somewhat short menu.
Wonderful garlic soup, good squid in ink sauce, authentic Cuban
Black Bean Soup, delicious steak w herbed butter, very good
paella. Outdoor seating during the summer.)
Neighborhood Restaurant [Portuguese] -- Somerville (Union Sq)
25 Bow St, 623-9710
(Huge cheap portions of Portuguese food, very tasty, but not necc.
high quality. Try the roasted chicken, baked cod, grilled pork
casserole w clams. Large aluminum washtubs filled w arroz con
pollo. Fried Sardines in tomato sauce is a strongly flavored
treat. Very tight seating indoors, w no decor, but they open a
very pleasant wheelchair accessible terrace in summer. Also good
cheap, very large, somewhat unpredictable, breakfast specials --
pancakes with fruit, lobster omlettes, homemade bread and jam.
Unusual oatmeal on the weekends. Interesting waiters too, esp. if
you're into the 70's)
Portugalia [Portuguese] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
723 Cambridge St (at Tremont), 354-9340
(A nice clean little upgraded neighborhood restaurant, and an
excellent value. Smallish place, w nice ambiance, not overbearing
at all, soft Portuguese or Spanish music in the background.
Polite but inconsistent service, faster on weeknights, which are
not very busy. For lunch, the mussels steamed in beer is an
unbelievable value. For dinner, the piece de resistence is the
mussels in wine broth appetizer - ask for additional bread (it's
good & toasted hot) to sop up the broth. The veal entree is
tender and tasty, and the accompanying veggies are ok. The shrimp
entrees are also good, perhaps the shrimp could be a little softer
but they're decent size. The prices are moderate, and well worth
the food.)
Sunset Cafe [Portuguese] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
857 Cambridge St, 547-2938
(Large amounts of food, good & flavorful, though sometimes heavy on
the salt, good service, reasonably priced. Specialities include
roast goat, octopus stew, pork & littleneck clams, seafood
casseroles, as well as a killer paella chock full of clams,
mussels, lobsters, etc. Fun to go on Fri or Sat evening for the
fados (Portuguese torch songs) w acoustic guitar accompaniment.)
Steaks
------
Boodle's of Boston -- Back Bay
Back Bay Hilton, 40 Dalton St (btw Boylston & Huntington), 266-3537
(Used to be good, but service & food have both gone downhill.
Avoid, especially at these prices.)
Capital Grille ($$$) -- Back Bay
359 Newbury St, 262-8900
(Upscale steakhouse, aged steaks almost as good as Morton's, but
this place has the more elegant atmosphere. Stick to meat,
seafood & salads)
Grill 23 ($$$) -- Back Bay
161 Berkeley St (at Stuart), 542-2255
(Steaks and other traditional food in an elegant atmosphere; a nice
place to show off or celebrate. Food has mixed reviews -- some
say food is good; others say terrible. The place is very noisy.)
Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Back Bay
One Exeter Plaza on Boylston St, 266-5858
(Superb prime rib, amazing porterhouse steak, wonderful shrimp
appetizer, seafood dishes & desserts; good souffles too. Best
steak & potatoes in Boston in a high-class, steakhouse atmosphere
w prices to match. Avoid the coffee, though)
Thai
----
Amarin -- Newton Center, Wellesley
287 Centre St, Newton Center, 527-5255
27 Grove St (at Spring St), Wellesley, 239-1350
(Rumored to be one of the better Thai places (but not quite as good
as Erawan). Great Pad Thai & Tom Kar Gai; the noodles and beef at
lunch are good and not served elsewhere. Service is random.)
Bangkok & Tokyo Grille -- Beacon Hill
26 Charles St, 723-5939
(Thai w Japanese dishes too. Good soups, satay, green curries)
Bangkok Bistro -- Brighton (Cleveland Circle)
1952 Beacon St, 739-7270
(Good and consistent, especially good chili fish, shrimp, sate,
pad thai, and stir fries)
Bangkok City -- Symphony Area
167 Mass Ave, 266-8884
(Biggest & nicest & best of the thai restaurants nearby, & easiest
to get seated before a concert. Try the shrimp mermaid, garlic
fish, beef jungle, mee grob noodles)
Bangkok Cuisine -- Symphony Area
177A Mass Ave (nr Berklee), 262-5377
(Some say this place is better for soups than for main dishes.
But said to have great Chicken Cashew Nut, Pad Thai & Tom Mar Gai)
Bangkok Flavors -- Waltham
585 Moody St, 647-4484
(good Thai food at very reasonable prices)
Bangkok House -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
50 JFK, 547-6666
(Very good food, but cramped accomodations, small portions for the
money. Fast lunch specials Mon-Sat)
Bangkok Room -- Symphony Area
329 Huntington Ave, 859-2969
(Good hot & sour shrimp soup, satay & golden bags)
Chengmai -- Newton Center
Picadilly Square
(Ok food & decor; service not so good)
Erawan of Siam -- Waltham
469 Moody St, 899-3399
(Excellent food -- as good as Amarin. Beautiful, stylized Thai
temple setting. Attentive, pleasant, friendly service. A large
place, so never a wait for a table)
House of Siam -- Back Bay
21 Huntington Ave (nr Exeter), 267-1755
King & I -- Beacon Hill & Back Bay
145 Charles St, Beacon Hill, 227-3320
259 Newbury St (at Fairfield), Back Bay, 437-9611
(Good sized servings of good Thai food, though some say it's not
quite as good as it used to be. One of the best Pad Thai's
around. Try the Chicken w basil, mint & chili peppers, and the
beef tar-tar (oddly named, since it is cooked). The Back Bay
location has better atmosphere, but the food in Beacon Hill is
better.)
Lemon Grass -- Lexington Center
(lot's of people think this is great, but I had a horrible
dinner -- they used too much fish sauce in everything!)
Montien -- Theater District
63 Stuart St (betw Tremont & Washington), 338-5600
Rama Thai -- Allston
181 Brighton Ave (Osco Plaza), 783-2434
(cheap, large portions, well flavored, good Tom Yung Goong soup,
Pad Thai, Fish Choo Chee, Spicy & Sour salads)
Sawasdee -- Brookline Village
320 Washington St, 566-0720
(Usually very good food. Very good golden bags and stuffed wings.
Perhaps they've gone downhill -- the mussel appetizer usually good
was gritty and used cheap mussels; the whole tamarind fish,
usually excellent, was too vinegary)
Siam Cafe -- Beacon Hill
197 Cambridge St (Charles River Plaza), 277-1431
(Good satay & spicy seafood dishes)
Siam Cuisine -- Allston
961 Commonwealth Ave (couple blocks from BU Bridge), 254-4335
(One of my favorite Thai restaurants. Very pleasant ambience
and uniformly good food. Very nice Chicken Coconut Soup and
excellent Beef Macadamia)
Siam Garden -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
Mt Auburn St
(Popular, but reported to be awful or at least hit & miss, and they
don't offer to replace bad dishes. Be sure to avoid the rubbery
fried fish.)
Siam Square -- Chinatown
86 Harrison Ave, 338-7704
(Try tod mun, chicken coconut soup, squid pik pow, vanilla tea.
Also good chow foon & steamed ginger fish. Cheap, but small
portions)
Singha House -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
~1100 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq)
(A very good value in Thai food for lunch; more expensive for
dinner. Duck dishes are very good, esp Chili Duck. Soups are
tasty and loaded with stuff (try the chicken coaconut soup).
Curries are good w just the right amount of fire. Excllent
vegetarian curry and Chicken in the Garden (especially good
peanut sauce in the latter). Wheel chair accessible. Service is
cordial and prompt. They usually get a rush at lunch time which
they handle very well.)
Star of Siam -- Theater District
93 Church St (at Stuart), 451-5236
(Decent food, but not the best Thai food around. Good service,
even when crowded before the synmphony.)
Thai's -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
1 Kendall Sq, 577-8668
(Nicely prepared and flavored Thai food, though the portions are on
the small side, and the food is mild, so you may need to ask it
to be made hotter. Good beef spring roll & shrimp asparagus roll,
grilled meats w lemongrass, shrimp chee, red curries & pad thai)
Thai Gourmet -- Dorchester
1155 Dorchester Ave, Savin Hill, 436-0444
Thai House -- Allston
1033 Commonwealth Ave (few blocks from BU Bridge), 787-4242
(Some think it is the best Thai restaurant in Boston;
I thought their soups were only so-so; one duck dish
was good though the sauce was just a tad off)
Thai Village -- South End
592 Tremont St, 536-6538
(Small place, very good food. Try fried sweet potato sticks,
mussel pancake, seafood salad. Good soups)
Vegetarian / Macrobiotic
------------------------
Buddha's Delight [Vegetarian Chinese/Vietnamese] -- Chinatown
[See under Chinese]
Country Life [7th Day Adventist Vegan] -- Downtown
112 Broad St, T [State St], 350-8625
(Decent all-you-can-eat lunch buffets)
Five Seasons [Macriobotic] -- Jamaica Plain
669 Centre St, 524-9016
(tasty, fresh, well prepared fish & veggie dishes)
Masao's Kitchen [Vegan Macrobiotic] -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall], 497-7348
(very good new vegan macrobiotic restaurant; good adzuki
bean soup, macro platters & vegan blueberry "cheese" cake)
Milk St Cafe [Kosher] -- Brookline (Longwood), Downtown
[See under Kosher]
Shang Chai [Kosher Chinese] -- North Brookline
[See under Chinese]
Vietnamese / Cambodian
----------------------
Ba Dat -- Chinatown
28 Harrison Ave, 426-8838
(Very good large bowls of pho. Good noodle & rice dishes too,
esp the bbq chicken w/lemongrass & shrimp w/sugarcane. A cafe
like atmosphere, and a nice place to share a long table w a bunch
of people when you're eating alone.)
Elephant Walk [French Cambodian] -- Somerville (Union Sq)
70 Union Sq, 623-9939
(very good Cambodian and good French food. Need reservations.
Not inexpensive, but plenty of food for the price. Try the soups,
Cambodian salads, noodle appetizer, amok, and poulet phochani)
Pho Bang -- Chinatown
7 Beach St, 422-0501
(Very good food, not a very large menu -- it's mostly pho, noodle
dishes, a few rice dishes, and the usual selection of creative
beverages. Their pho is not quite as good as Pasteur's or Ba
Dat's, but the difference is slight and all three are excellent.
They also seem to use a slightly skinnier noodle. Pho with a
drink and a tip was $6.50.)
Pho Pasteur -- Allston, Chinatown
137 Brighton Ave (just east of Harvard St), Allston
8 Kneeland St, Chinatown, 451-0247
682 Washington St, Chinatown, 482-7467
(great salads, beef (pho) and seafood soups, very good Lemongrass
Chicken and Shrimp in Special Sauce; other entrees not as good.
Very inexpensive, nice ambience. Lots of unusual non-alcoholic
drinks. The Allston location is better)
Saigon -- Allston
431 Cambridge St
(Small low budget restaurant, good & inexpensive. Lots of
vegetarian food; the veggie rolls are especially good. Try the
lemongrass squid and the banh xeo. Good spring rolls and tofu
dishes. Very good Fisherman's soup, though the portion is small.
Avoid the seafood soup. Closed Sunday.)
V Majestic -- Allston
164 Brighton Ave, 782-6088
T: Green B Line, Harvard Ave, also on the #66 & #57 bus lines
(The decor might be Food-Import-Company-Calendar Modern, some
entrees might be forgettable, but within certain categories this
place consistently shines. Stick to anything with Special Noodle
or Caramel Sauce. The Rolling Beef is very good here, too, and
the Yellow Crispy Noodle dishes and the Shrimp with Vermicelli
compares favorably with more expensive Chinatown versions. Soups
are good, too, particularly the Sea of Vietnam. Excellent
Vietnamese rolls -- a little spicy, not fried, with a wonderful
dipping sauce. Also very good lemon-grass chicken. A funky place
w friendly and prompt service, despite the frequent crowds. This
place cultivates regulars.)
Viet Hong -- Allston
182 Brighton Ave
T: Green B Line, Harvard Ave, also on the #66 & #57 bus lines
(Friendly owners, though the food is not quite as good as it was
before they moved (especially the chicken dishes). Still, the
portions are substantial and inexpensive, and the Fisherman's
Soup, Sea Moss Soup, and the Ginger Fish are excellent, and the
Curried Tofu & Vegetables are very good.)
VietFoods -- Waltham
Willow St, nr River St
(Out of the way, hole in the wall place with excellent food. No
decor to speak of, and service is slow because only 2 people work
there and only one seems to know English. But they are very nice,
and remember you after only a couple of times. Everything there
is good -- very light and not greasy. Favorites include the Fresh
Spring Rolls, Fried Wonton, Pho, Cha Chien (Vietnamese meat
patties over vermicelli) and Vietnamese iced coffee. Prices are
very cheap.)
Vietnam Restaurant -- Chinatown
38 Boylston St, 423-1665
(Oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Boston.
Great canh chua, goi cuon, bun, cari)
======================================================================
Beer
======================================================================
Brew Pubs
---------
Boston Beer Works -- West Fenway (near Fenway Park)
Commonwealth Brewery -- West End (near Boston Garden)
John Harvard's -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
33 Dunster St
(Mixed reviews on the beer; some think its great, others find it
disappointing -- frequently weak and bland, although the flavors
that make it through are worthwhile. The food also gets mixed
reviews; some find it imaginative and tasty, w excellent home
made sausages and great lunch specials, while others think its a
ripoff, with the presentation frequently winning out over
edibility; they're obviously trying hard to provide interesting
(if often heavy) dishes, but they might have done better working
on the basics.)
Cambridge Brewing Company -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
Other Great Beer Places
-----------------------
Sunset Grille and Tap -- Allston
Brighton Ave nr Harvard St
T: B Green Line at Harvrad & Comm Ave, also #66 & 57 buses
(Best known for its unparalled selection of beers on tap (74, and
not one of them Budweiser or any of that mass-produced crap) and
in bottles -- a total of 150 beers and 5 or 6 ciders. They also
serve enormous portions of butter-heavy food that gets mixed
reviews. 3 rooms, one busy and open, one quieter, one for
smokers. Mostly a 20-something crowd with a lot of BU students.
The waitstaff is young and friendly. The wait can be tough at
peak weekend times but otherwise it's pretty easy to get seat.)
======================================================================
Very Good Sunday Brunch Buffets
======================================================================
[Note: this list is really incomplete. New entries very welcome!]
Bay Tower Room -- Downtown
60 State St, 723-1666
($32 Champagne Brunch, with jazz)
Blue Room -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
[see description under Eclectic]
Guest Quarter Suites -- Allston
400 Soldier Field Rd (at River St/Cambridge Ave), 783-0090
(wonderful buffet, great ambience, my favorite)
Marriot Copley Place -- Back Bay
(Great food, about $20/head, excellent shrimp)
Rowes Wharf Restaurant -- Waterfront
Boston Harbor Hotel, Atlantic Ave, 439-3995
Sheraton Commander -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
($21 for very good buffet)
Spinnaker -- Cambridge (Cambridgeport)
Top of the Cambridge Hyatt Regency Hotel
575 Memorial Drive (nr BU Bridge), 492-1234
($25/person, large variety, complimentary champagne,
the whole restaurant revolves)
Top of the Hub -- Back Bay
Prudential Center (Boylston/Huntington), 536-1775
(Terrific views of Boston & good buffet)
Turner Fisheries (Seafood) -- Back Bay
(extensive excellent seafood-focused brunch, $22/head)
======================================================================
Outside of Boston
======================================================================
Very Good Cape Cod Restaurants
------------------------------
Chillingsworth ($$$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Nouvelle french
2449 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 896-3640
(Very expensive, but worth it for a special occasion. They also
have a cafe, which is less expensive. The main restaurant serves
a 7 course prix fixe dinner. Excellent food, formal yet friendly
service)
High Brewster ($$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Eclectic New England
Satucket Rd (betw Airline & Stonybrook), (508) 896-3636
Chart Room (Cataumet, Bourne MA) -- Traditional
On the harbor at Kingman Marina
(Food is traditional American family-style - broiled swordfish
w/anchovy butter, baked stuffed lobster, steaks, lamb chops, etc.
but it's very good and is very inexpensive for the location.
Typical entree is ~$10, including salad, veggies, potato. Limited
inexpensive wine list and full bar. Indoor & porch dining w
beautiful sunset views of harbor, Bassett's Island, out to
Buzzard's Bay. As you might expect, the place is PACKED in the
summer time, esp. on weekends, and can be very noisy.
Entertainment on some nights (usually piano player w/bass - show
tunes, traditional jazz, etc.). Hard to get reservations, and
they're definitely advised. Open Thurs-Sat May, all days June -
Sept, Thurs-Sat October)
Regatta of Cotuit ($$$$) (Cotuit MA) -- Eclectic
4631 Falmouth Rd (nr Rt 130), (508) 428-5715
(Very elegant, somewhat traditional food. Very fresh, wonderfully
prepared seafood.)
Regatta of Falmouth ($$$$) (Falmouth MA) -- Eclectic
217 Clinton Ave (nr Scranton), (508) 548-5400
(Very good food -- you can't order a bad meal; everything is
exquisite. Especially good mushroom strudel appetizer and
chocolate decadence dessert. Reservations recommended.
Off-season, the service can be slow)
Flume (Mashpee MA) -- Portuguese / Seafood
off Rt 130, nr the turnoff to Mashpee Commons
(A popular place with good seafood, though a bit overpriced.
Go for the Portuguese items on the menu, which are both
cheaper and more interesting)
Abbicci ($$$$) (Yarmouthport MA) -- Italian
43 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 362-3501
Very Good South Shore Restaurants
---------------------------------
Vin & Eddie's ($$$) (Abington MA) -- Northern Italian
1400 Bedford St (Rt 18 betw Rts 58 & 139), 871-1469
El Serape (Braintree MA) -- Mexican
5 Commercial St, Weymouth Landing, 843-8005
La Rivage ($$$) (Dartmouth MA) -- Classic French
7 Water St, (508) 999-4505
Navona ($$$) (Hingham MA) -- Italian-French-American
415 Whiting St (nr Rt 3), 337-0757
Sapporito ($$$) (Hull MA) -- Northern Nouvelle Country Italian
11 Rockland Circle (nr Nantucket Ave), 925-3023
(Inventive delicious food in a homey trattoria atmosphere.
Terrific food; everything is superb. Well worth the drive.)
Caffe Bella (Randolph MA) -- Italian
19 Warren St (Rt 139 E), 961-7729
Very Good West of Boston Restaurants
------------------------------------
Le Lyonnaise ($$$$$) (Acton MA) -- French
on 2A, west of 2/2A rotary, past 27
(A very pleasant restaurant in a converted house w an intimate
atmosphere, and delicious excellent food. Wonderful duck w plum
sauce and Coq au Vin. Complete Table d'Hote dinners available.)
Cafe Luigi (Bedford MA) -- Italian
up 4/225 in the Purity shopping ctr
(Good, though not very adventurous, Italian food, fairly cheap.
Nice selection of black pasta dishes)
Great Wall (Bedford MA) -- Chinese
in the shopping center on the west side of 4/225 before Bedford Ctr
(Not stupendous, but extremely good standard suburban Chinese food,
probably the best in the area. Serves good Suan La Sho Chow.)
Hartwell House (Bedford MA) -- American
Hartwell Ave (first left with a light N or 128 on 4/225)
(Excellent food, nice atmosphere, but pricy. Good steaks, burgers,
and simple seafood dishes. Good early bird special before 6:30,
w prime rib on Friday's)
Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse (Bedford/Hooksett/Litchfield MA) -- Tex/Mex
(Much better than passable, even to those who have sampled what
California and Texas have to offer)
Aigo Bistro ($$$) (Concord MA) -- Mediterranean
84 Thoreau St, Concord, 371-1333
(Try the brandade, the seafood entrees, any North African food,
and the honey-lavender-thyme flan)
Grappa (Maynard MA) -- Italian
on Rt 62
(An unassuming place that serves unique inspired Italian dishes at
moderate prices -- a very enjoyable place to eat. Try Eggplant
Napolean, Spit-roasted chicken, and Veal scallopine in vanilla
infused lobster sauce. Reservations recommended, especially on
weekends)
Quarterdeck (Maynard MA) -- Seafood
on Rt 62
(Excellent fresh seafood, reasonably priced. Reservations
recommended, especially on weekends)
Harrington Farm ($$$) (Princeton MA) -- American
178 Westminster Rd, (508) 464-5600
(This place is way out in the middle of nowhere, in a lovely
victorian house overlooking rolling hills and cows and its just
gorgeous. Its a tad noisy inside because of hardwood floors and
high ceilings, but still very charming. The food is fairly
traditional: duck a' lorange, prime rib, some fish selections.
It was all very well prepared. A short wine list, but well
considered. Enjoyable, though a bit pricey.)
Little Chef ($$$) (Princeton MA) -- Eclectic
on Rt 31, south of the center of town
(Food is nouvell/grill type stuff, w specialties like sliced
tenderloin with roquefort butter and bacon; seared salmon filet w
lemon caper sauce; duck breast with ginger mango glaze. The wine
list is excellent -- a Wine Spectator award winner. Service is
excellent (except for one rather snooty waiter!) Perhaps the best
restaraunt in the area.)
Sherborn Inn ($$$) (Sherborn MA) -- Traditional
33 Main St (Rt 27 nr Rt 16), (508) 655-9521
(Good crab cakes & sheperd's pie)
Ipanema (Southboro MA) -- Brazillian
Off Rt 85 south of Rt 9, (508) 460-6144
(Good churrasqueria)
Three Amigos Taco Shop (Stoneham MA) -- Mexican
(Pretty good. Very small, *great* chili verde, a bit of bite for a
change! Other food's just ok, but they deliver and are cheap and
give large portions.)
Thai Orchid (Worcester MA) -- Thai
(Moderate prices, pretty good lunch & dinner buffets, though better
choices off the regular menu. The sesame beef appetizer w
coriander and fried crispy is really excellent. Service is good,
as long as you don't go on a night with a popular Centrum event.)
Very Good North Shore Restaurants
---------------------------------
Union Grill (Beverly MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill
208 Rantoul St, (508) 927-2028
(Fresh food, of very high quality, and very imaginatively
prepared. The decor is lovely, the service is excellent, and
the wine list good.)
Flash In The Pan (Danvers MA) -- Contemporary American
181 Newbury St (betw Rts 114 & 62), (508) 774-9367
Ponte Vecchio ($$$) (Danvers MA) -- Northern Italian
435 Newbury St (nr Topsfield Fairgrounds), (508) 777-9188
Tom Shea's ($$$) (Essex MA) -- Seafood
(Good food, mostly seafood, w/some meat entrees. Food done a la
Legal Seafood (traditional (i.e., baked stuffed) cajun, broiled,
fried) and there's several pasta dishes. Setting is nice - right
on Essex marshes so you can watch boats coming in from Ipswich
bay. Fairly extensive wine list, good desserts.)
Woodman's (Essex MA) -- Seafood (Clam Shack)
(Lobster and/or clams in the rough -- fried clams, boiled lobster,
french fries, cole slaw, beer and wine, too, I think. Dining on
picnic tables w/paper plates.)
Bistro ($$$) (Gloucestor MA) -- Eclectic
(Very good, with lots of Mediterranean food, including fine seafood
and grilled foods of all sorts)
White Rainbow ($$$) (Gloucester MA) -- Nouvelle American
65 Main St (at Rogers), (508) 281-0017
OK, but not the best choice in the area)
Khemara (Lowell MA) -- Cambodian
(It's nothing fancy, but it's run by a very pleasant Cambodian
family, and they serve wonderful House Special Sizzling Rice Soup
and Cambodian-style fried fish, for those who like spicy dishes,
at very low prices. The smoke can get bad here at times.)
La Boniche ($$$?) (Lowell MA) -- French
110 Gorham St
(Intimate atmosphere, the courses are perfectly cooked & seasoned,
and the desserts are to die for)
Souteastern Asian Restaraunt (Lowell MA) -- Asian Eclectic
(possibly the best food of it's type in the Boston area - really!
They have Laotian, Viet, Thai, Cambodian and Burmese food - and
are *NOT* afraid of the heat!)
Glen's Galley (Newburyport MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill Eclectic
44 Merrimac St, (508) 465-3811
(Artfully prepared. Menu varies weekly - some standards. Great
seafood. Occasional oddities such as wild boar, antelope,
venison, etc. Get reservations on weekends.)
Grog (Newburyport MA) -- Southwestern/Traditional
13 Middle St (first left off of State St), (508) 465-8008
(1760 meets 1960. Relaxed atmosphere days -- loud R&B/Blues at
night - local artists on display. Try the Black Bean Soup or the
White Ash Blackened Steak - ouch.)
Joseph's Winter St Cafe (Newburyport MA) -- Italian/Continental
Winter St.
(Cozy up-scale room. Piano bar on weekends. Terrace in summer.
Try the roasted peppers, veal. Get reservations on weekends.)
Middle St Foods (Newburyport MA) -- Eclectic
Middle St.
(Similar to the Black Forest in Cambridge. Excellent selection of
salads and small entrees. Take out or self serve. Best at lunch.
Fairly Spartan decor.)
O'Fado (Peabody MA) -- Portuguese
52 Walnut St (nr Central), (508) 531-7369
(Mixed reviews. Huge portions, but overall disappointing.)
Mirage (Revere MA) -- Russian
220 Lynnway, 286-3310/3359
(This is the place to come for a unique Russian dining experience.
The decor and location would make it a good candidate for
something more like a VFW post; the food is, well, very meat-and-
potatoes, but apparently genuine enough. The reason to go,
though, is to experience the Russian rock'n'roll band that
provides the live entertainment, as well as the groups of Russians
and Armenians getting as smashed as they can; if you're lucky, the
place will erupt into table dancing and raucous sing-alongs;
toast everyone's health, the health of their spouses and children,
and you'll get along just fine. Needless to say, it's the sort of
place you would best go to in the company of at least six others,
so you can raise your own hullaballoo if no else does. It's only
open on the weekends, and reservations are advised, mostly because
they do a lot of Russian parties, weddings, receptions, etc.
Oh, the Mirage also has a dress code (jackets, ties preferred,
absolutely no jeans or sneakers) and runs $20/person easy, more
depending on your alcohol consumption.)
Asahi (Salem MA) -- Japanese
21 Congress St, (508) 744-5376
(Very nice Japanese food, lovely service, pleasant decor. Good
sushi, also specializing in simmered dishes. Nice bento box
selections.)
Grape Vine (Salem MA) -- Nouvelle Italian
Congress St
(Very nice -- pizzas, pasta, duck dishes. One of the better
restaurants in the area.)
Red Raven (Salem MA) -- Eclectic
Congress St (further away from downtown than Asahi or GrapeVine)
(Very striking decor. Food represents various international spicy
cuisines. Moderately priced.)
Hilltop Steak House (Saugus MA) -- Steakhouse
Rt 1 [look for the cow!], 233-7700
(A family place w long lines and very good reasonably priced steak)
Palmer's ($$$) (Swampscott MA) -- Italian
408 Humphrey St (at Greenwood), 596-1820
Very Good New Hampshire Restaurants
-----------------------------------
Giant of Siam (Nashua NH) -- Thai
(One of the best around... great food, good service, classy
presentation/surroundings, reasonable prices. Still others
think it has gone downhill since it first opened.)
Indian Village (Nashua NH) -- Indian
(Still the best Indian food in the area, and an excellent lunch
buffet, authentically prepared and spiced. Lunch buffet: $6;
dinners: around $10-12.)
Ya Mamma (Nashua NH) -- Northern Italian
Canal St
(Very good to excellent Northern Italian food; especially good
seafood, and the fra diavolo, sun-dried tomato butter, and
pesto sauces. A bit on the expensive side; entrees are $12-15.)
Latacarta (Petersborough NH) -- Eclectic / Natural
(Well prepared fresh vegetables; a vegetarian is likely to be more
satisfied here than most anywhere else in NH. However, the
carnivore is not neglected, and it's definitely not just for
the crunchy granola types.)
Blue Strawbery ($$$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- Nouvelle American
39 Ceres St (off Bow St), (603) 431-6420
(Wonderful prix fixe dinners using unusual combinations of
ingredients)
Strawberry Court: Restaurant Francais ($$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- French
20 Atkinson St (betw State & Court), (603) 431-7722
D'Artagnan ($$$$) (Lyme NH) -- Nouvelle French
13 Dartmouth College Hwy (Rt 10), (603) 795-2137
(very pretty country inn sort of restaurant. They serve the
freshest of ingredients -- which is quite a feat in the middle of
winter in northern NH -- in tasty and interesting ways.)
Metastasis (Salem NH) -- Eclectic
(Cuisine is an unsual combination of Portuguese, Italian,
French, Californian. Double Diamond & Sam Adams on tap)
Very Good Southern Maine Restaurants
------------------------------------
Cape Neddick Inn ($$$) (Cape Neddick ME) -- Nouvelle American
At Rts 1 & 1A, (207) 363-2899
Maine Dining Room ($$$$) (Freeport ME) -- Nouvelle American
Harakeeset Inn, 162 Main St, (207) 865-9377
Arrows ($$$$) (Ogunquit ME) -- Nouvelle American
Berwick St, (207) 361-1100
Alberta's Cafe (Portland ME) -- Eclectic
21 Pleasant St (betw Danforth & Foke), (207) 774-0016
Very Good Rhode Island Restaurants
----------------------------------
Le Petit Auberge ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Country French
19 Charles St (betw Washington Sq & Marlboro), (401) 849-6669
Newport Grill ($$$) (Newport RI) -- Italian
1 Broadway (Washington Sq), (401) 847-8353
White Horse Tavern ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Eclectic New England
Marlborough & Farewell Sts, (401) 849-3600
Al Forno (Providence RI) -- Nouvelle Italian
577 S Main St (behind Corliss Landing), (401) 273-9760
(Like Olive's, but better & more refined. Large portions.
Attention to small details. Eat slowly to savor the taste.
There is a yet more casual room called Lucky's in the same
building, same kitchen, at 272-7980.)
Blue Point Oyster Bar ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Seafood
99 Main St (at Elizabeth), (401) 272-6145
(Cozy well-worn blue-blood room. This serious fish restaurant is
not for the baked-stuffed-haddock crowd. There's a focus on
regional fishes such as trout, shad, pollock, flounder, salmon and
of course, shellfish. Try the shad with roe which was spiced in
earthly realism. The menu changes weekly with daily specials and
some house standards - such as oysters/mussels which are
recommended.)
New Rivers (Providence RI) -- Eclectic
7 Steeple St, (401) 751-0350
(Another winner in the interesting, novel dishes category. Fresh
ingredients, interesting herbs, etc.)
Pot Au Feu ($$$) (Providence RI) -- French
44 Custom House St (at Weybosset), (401) 273-8953
Toscano's ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Italian
265 Atwells Ave (DePasquale Plaza), (401) 274--8820
======================================================================
Changes Since Last Month
======================================================================
Reorganied restaurants outside of Boston by town
Added a list of great beer places
New Entries
-----------
Cafe Mami -- Japanese
Durgin Park -- Traditional NE Regional
Fajita & 'Ritas -- Tex/Mex
Giant of Siam (Nashua NH) -- Thai
Giannino's -- Northern Italian
Grand Chau Chow -- Chinese
Grape Vine (Salem MA) -- Nouvelle Italian
Hong Kong Eatery -- Chinese
Indian Village (Nashua NH) -- Indian
Khemara (Lowell MA) -- Cambodian
Koto -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond)
La Espanola -- Cuban
Latacarta (Petersborough NH) -- Eclectic / Natural
Middle St Foods (Newburyport MA) -- Eclectic
Mirage (Revere MA) -- Russian
Moon Woman Cafe -- Nouvelle Italian
Red Raven (Salem MA) -- Eclectic
Rosalita's Texas Backyard Bbq -- Bbq
Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage [Italian] -- East Boston
Singha House -- Thai
Souteastern Asian Restaraunt (Lowell MA) -- Asian Eclectic
Sunset Grille and Tap -- Beer
Three Amigos Taco Shop (Stoneham MA) -- Mexican
Trattoria Il Panino (Dining Room) -- Italian
Vinnie Marino's -- Italian
Ya Mamma (Nashua NH) -- Northern Italian
Updated Reviews
---------------
Addis Red Sea -- Ethiopian
Al Forno (Providence RI) -- Nouvelle Italian
Amarin -- Thai
Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Mediterranean
Anne's -- Middle Eastern
Asahi (Salem MA) -- Japanese
Asian Garden -- Chinese
Asmara -- Ethiopian
Atlas Kitchen -- Turkish
Bangkok City -- Thai
Bangkok Cuisine -- Thai
Blackbird Baking Company -- Eclectic
Bob the Chef -- Soul Food
Bombay Mahal -- Indian
Boodle's of Boston -- Steak
Botolph's on Tremont -- Eclectic
Buddha's Delight -- Vegetarian Chinese / Vietnamese
Cactus Club -- Southwestern
Changsho -- Chinese
Chengmai -- Thai
Chez Vous Creole -- Creole
China Grove -- Chinese
D'Artagnan ($$$$) (Lyme NH) -- Nouvelle French
Erawan of Siam -- Waltham
Figs -- Italian (Pizza/Pasta)
Goemon -- Japanese Noodle
Green St Grill -- Eclectic Caribbean
Haim's Deli -- Kosher
Hammersley's Bistro ($$$) -- Eclectic
Han Mi Ok -- Korean
Imperial Seafood Restaurant -- Chinese
India Samraat -- Back Bay
Jae's / Cafe Jae (Hip Pacific Rim) -- South End & Cambridge (Inman Sq)
Korea Garden -- Korean
Korea House -- Korean
Koreana -- Korean
L'Osteria -- Italian
La Groceria -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
Maison Robert ($$$$) -- Classic French
New Rivers (Providence RI) -- Eclectic
Nicole's -- Italian
O'Fado (Peabody MA) -- Portuguese
Ocean Wealth -- Chinese
Oceanic -- Chinese
Peacock -- Country French
Pho Bang -- Vietnamese
Picante -- Tex/Mex
Providence ($$$) -- Eclectic New England / Tuscan
Quan's Kitchen -- Chinese
Roka -- Japanese
Ruth's Kitchen -- Kosher
Saigon -- Vietnamese
Sakura -- Japanese
Sakurabana -- Japanese
Sapporo Ramen -- Japanese Noodle House
Seagrape Tree Restaurant -- Jamaican
Seasons ($$$$) -- Eclectic
Seki Tei -- Japanese
Seven Stars Mandarin -- Chinese
Small Planet -- Eclectic
Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant (West Fenway) -- Chinese
St Botolph -- Eclectic
Tai Pan -- Chinese
Tatsukichi -- Japanese
Tokyo Restaurant -- Japanese
Turner Fisheries -- Seafood
Union Square Bistro -- Eclectic
VietFoods -- Vietnamese
WooChon -- Korean
Zuma's Tex/Mex Cafe -- Tex/Mex
Removed Entries
---------------
Cafe Monagene (St Mary's) -- Eclectic
(Closed, to be replaced by another Famiglia Giorgio)
Cafe Sushi (Harvard Sq) -- Japanese
(Still not open after their fire)
On the Square ($$$) -- Eclectic / Nouvelle Italian
(closed according to the Boston Globe)
Tapas (Porter Sq) -- pseudo-Spanish
(Reviews nix this place)Massachusetts
Boston Restaurant List (very long)
The Whole Boston Restaurant List ******************************** (As of 6/6/94) This is a list of recommended restaurants in the Boston area with a focus primarily on flavor, quality & value, though the list reports on things like service & ambience as well. The emphasis is on moderately-priced restaurants which serve interesting food. At the same time, I've included the really fancy expensive restaurants that are reportedly good as well. If a typical meal costs $30/person or more, I've noted that (each $ means $10). Either I've had a good meal at each restaurant listed, or more likely, someone else has recommended it. Note that most of the comments in the list are not mine, but are from other people who've taken the time to write up something about their dining experience. If you have comments you'd like me to include (especially if they differ from the current review or are for an unlisted restaurant), let me know at [email removed], post them to the ne.food or rec.food.restaurants Usenet newsgroup, or send them via the Restauarant Review form available via the World Wide Web. I'm happy to get information about any and all aspects of any restaurant you've eaten at, including * Rating Overall, is the place great, good, a place to avoid? * Food What kind of food -- what cuisine? Quality, quantity, richness, flavor, seasonings, preparation, etc. Are some kinds of food done better than others? Are there vegetarian or low fat options available? What did you order that was especially good or bad? Wine/Beer/Drinks * Service pleasant, formal, helpful, rude, slow, etc. * Ambience size, seating, crowded, noisy, calm, comfortable, posh, hole-in-the-wall, dark, danky, etc. * Location & Phone Address, Nearest cross streets & landmarks, Nearest T stop, Phone(s) * Other Prices, Hours, Non-smoking area, credit-cards, Wheelchair accessibility, Child-friendliness, etc. Entertaining quotes I can include, as well as any information that would fill in holes in the current list are especially appreciated. I'll attach your e-mail address to the archived review, unless you tell me not to, or tell me an alternate pen name to use instead. Ordinarily, recommended restaurants are not included in the list unless I get two positive reviews (or unless I get a detailed review of a restaurant which sounds particularly good). I maintain a list of restaurants which only have one positive review so far, or which were previously included, but have skimpy or out-of-date reviews. I'd really like to get reviews of these restaurants. Sending a positive review will get the restaurant on the list; a negative review will keep it off. The list of these restaurants is available on-line for web users, and is also mailed out twice a month to the ne.food news group. The Boston Restaurant List has been in existence, and posted on Usenet to rec.food.restauarants and ne.food since mid-1993. It's been on the web since March 1994 at URL http://www.osf.org:8001/boston-food/boston-food.html The list primarily covers restaurants within Rt 128 along the Mass Pike corrider. However, the "Outside Boston" part of the list covers highly recommended restaurants anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts (as far as Worcestor), Southeastern New Hampshire (bounded by Nashua / Manchester / Dover), Southwestern Coastal Maine, or Rhode Island. I try to only include restaurants that are especially good or very good and an exceptionally good value -- that is, if someone should seek them out if they were visiting nearby or travelling through the area. If you have questions about this list, contact the maintainer, Ellis S. Cohen, at [email removed] or 617-621-8718. As noted above, restaurants are only included in the printed version of the Boston Restaurant List if they are recommended; the list does not attempt to cover the vast number of decent and mediocre but unexceptional places to eat in the Boston area. However, on-line users who access the list through the web can get access to reviews for all restaurants received, including mediocre and awful restaurants, and restaurants which have only received a single positive review thus far. On-line users can also access interesting or controversial long reviews from which the reviews "in the list" have been distilled. In addition, the printed version of the list only covers places where you can sit down and eat; take-out only places aren't included. Finally, the printed version of the list primarily covers places where you can get dinner; lunch-only places are not included unless they are very very good. I'm not likely to support new locales or new categories myself, but if you're interested in maintaining a new related list, let me know and I'll include a link to it from this list. I'm happy to receive suggestions about how the information in the list can be made more useful, however, the time I can spend on the list is fairly limited. If you're excited enough to make a suggestion, consider being excited enough to do the work, so that I can include it or link to it. Words of Wisdom (from [email removed]) ======================================== I read an article once where a reviewer replied to people who had bad experiences at places he had given good reviews, and his advice made a lot of sense. The reviewer said that people who complained had usually been to the restaurant at the busiest times, Friday and Saturday nights. At those times the staff is rushed and more likely to make mistakes, the kitchen is crowded and might be running short of ingredients, the customers can be boisterous, everyone is under stress, and you will experience the restaurant at its worst. When this reviewer went to eat, he tried to go weeknights, at the very beginning of the dinner hour. The staff is fresh, the food is fresh, and everyone has time to pay attention to your dining experience. Of course, it is always reasonable to expect a certain standard, but if you want to experience the restaurant at its BEST, visit at the best times. ====================================================================== Boston Area Restaurants (by SubArea) ************************************ ====================================================================== Arlington --------- Cafe Barada -- Lebanese / Middle Eastern China Cafe -- Chinese Shanghai Village -- Chinese Tandoor -- Indian Belmont ------- Andros Diner -- Greek Diner Ling Gardens (Waverly Sq) -- Chinese Boston (Allston) ---------------- Armadillo Cafe -- Tex/Mex Barbeque's International -- Indian Bbq Big Burrito -- Tex/Mex Blackbird Baking Company -- Cafe Cafe Brazil -- Brazillian Cafe Lampara -- Italian Cafe Shiraz -- Kosher Persian Chung Wah -- Chinese Ichiban -- Japanese Pho Pasteur -- Vietnamese Quan's Kitchen -- Chinese Rama Thai -- Thai Saigon -- Vietnamese San Francisco Noodle House -- Chinese Siam Cuisine -- Thai Thai House -- Thai V Majestic -- Vietnamese Viet Hong -- Vietnamese Boston (Back Bay, Copley to the Commons) ---------------------------------------- 29 Newbury St -- Eclectic Blue Wave -- Eclectic Cottonwood Cafe -- Southwestern Grill 23 ($$$) -- Steakhouse Kaya -- Korean Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Chinese PapaRazzi -- Northern Italian Plaza Dining Room ($$$$$) -- Continental Rattlesnake Bar and Grill -- Latin American / Caribbean Ritz Dining Room ($$$$) -- Traditional Skipjack -- Seafood Small Planet -- Eclectic Spasso -- Italian Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Seafood Boston (Back Bay, West of Copley) --------------------------------- Boodle's of Boston [Steaks] -- Back Bay Cactus Club -- Southwestern Cafe Budapest ($$$$) -- Hungarian Caffe Jaffa -- Israeli California Pizza Kitchen -- Italian [Pizza/Pasta] Casa Romero -- Mexican Capital Grille ($$$) -- Steakhouse Ciao Bella -- Northern Italian Davio's ($$$) -- Italian Emporio Armani Express ($$$) -- Italian Famous Atlantic Seafood Company -- Seafood Gyuhama of Japan -- Japanese House of Siam -- Thai Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Chinese India Samraat -- Indian Kashmir -- Indian Kebab-N-Kurry -- Indian King & I -- Thai Legal Seafood -- Seafood L'Espalier ($$$$$$) -- Nouvelle French Miyako -- Japanese Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Steakhouse Oceanic -- Chinese Seafood Sonsie -- Eclectic Steve's -- Greek / Middle Eastern Wild Ginger Bistro -- Asian/French Boston (Beacon Hill / West End) ------------------------------- Another Season ($$$) -- French-American Bangkok & Tokyo Grille -- Thai Black Goose -- Nouvelle Italian Hungry I ($$$) -- Contemporary French / American King & I -- Thai Phoenicia -- Middle East Ristorante Toscano ($$$) -- Northern Italian Siam Cafe -- Thai Tangiers Cafe -- North African Boston (Brighton) ----------------- Bangkok Bistro (Cleveland Circle) -- Thai Bluestone Bistro -- Italian / Pizza Chef Chow (Cleveland Circle) -- Chinese Han Mi Ok (Brighton Center) -- Korean Jasmine Bistro (Brighton Center) -- Eclectic Korea House -- Korean Uva -- Italian Boston (Chinatown) ------------------ Art Zone -- American Casual Asian Garden -- Chinese Ba Dat -- Vietnamese Blue Diner -- American Casual (Funky Diner) Buddha's Delight -- Vegetarian Chinese / Vietnamese Carl's Pagoda -- Chinese Chau Chow -- Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum China Gate -- Chinese China Grove -- Chinese China Pearl -- Chinese w Dim Sum Dynasty -- Chinese w Dim Sum East Ocean City -- Chinese Eldo Tea House -- Chinese Food Hall -- Chinese Fortune House -- Chinese Seafood Golden Gate -- Chinese Golden Palace -- Chinese w Dim Sum Ho Yuen Ting -- Chinese Seafood Hong Kong Eatery -- Chinese Imperial Seafood Restaurant -- Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum King Fung Garden -- Chinese New Shanghai -- Chinese Ocean Wealth -- Chinese Seafood Pho Bang -- Vietnamese Pho Pasteur -- Vietnamese Siam Square -- Thai Vietnam Restaurant -- Vietnamese Boston (Downtown / Financial District) -------------------------------------- Cecil's -- Latin / Caribbean Country Life -- 7th Day Adventist Vegan Vegetarian Dakota's ($$$) -- Eclectic Fajita & 'Ritas -- Tex/Mex Julien ($$$$$) -- Nouvelle French Locke-Ober Cafe ($$$$) -- New England / American Maison Robert ($$$$) -- Classic French Marais ($$$) -- Eclectic Milk St Cafe -- Kosher Vegetarian Nara -- Japanese Parker's ($$$$) -- Traditional American Rami's Felafel -- Kosher Israeli Sakurabana -- Japanese Schifino ($$$) -- Italian Boston (Dorchester / Mattapan) ------------------------------ Beijing Garden Restaurant (Dorchester) -- Chinese/Vietnamese w Dim Sum Pit Stop (Mattapan) -- Bbq Thai Gourmet (Dorchester) -- Thai Boston (East Boston) -------------------- Mama Julia -- Colombian / Salvadoran Nana Cora's -- Italian Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage -- Italian Boston (Jamaica Plains) ----------------------- Acapulco -- Mexican Black Crow (Hyde Sq) -- Cafe Center Street Cafe [Cafe] -- Jamaica Plain El Embajador -- Latin American Five Seasons -- Macrobiotic International Restaurant -- Dominican Pupuseria Quintanilla -- Salvadoran Water Cafe -- Eclectic Boston (Kenmore Sq / West Fenway) --------------------------------- Buteco (West Fenway) -- Brazillian India Quality (Kenmore Sq) -- Indian Maluken (Kenmore Sq) -- Japanese Sorento's (West Fenway) -- Italian Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant (W Fenway) -- Chinese Seafood Boston (North End) ------------------ Al Dente -- Italian Artu -- Italian Bella Vista -- Italian Daily Catch -- Seafood Da Natale -- Italian Dom's -- Nortern Italian Five North Square ($$$) -- Italian Giacomo's -- Italian Seafood G'Vanni's ($$$$) -- Italian Il Nido ($$$) -- Italian Il Panino -- Italian L'Osteria -- Italian La Conte -- Italian La Piccola Venezia -- Southern Italian Mamma Maria ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian Massimino's -- Italian Mother Anna's -- Italian Nicole's -- Italian Pomodoro -- Italian Ristorante Lucia -- Northern Italian Saraceno's -- Southern Italian Terramia -- Nouvelle Italian Trattoria Il Panino (Dining Room) -- Italian Boston (Roslindale) ------------------- Sami's (Roslindale) -- Middle Eastern Boston (South End) ------------------ Addis Red Sea -- Ethiopian Appetito -- Italian Azita Ristorante -- Northern Italian / Nouvelle American Bluestone Boston -- Italian / Pizza Bob the Chef -- Soul Food Botolph on Tremont -- Eclectic Butchie's -- Bbq/Creole Buteco -- Brazillian Claremont Cafe -- Eclectic Giacomo's -- Italian Seafood Hamersley's Bistro ($$$$) -- Eclectic Icarus ($$$$) -- Eclectic Jae's -- Asian Eclectic (Hip Pacific Rim) Legal Seafood -- Seafood Moka -- Cafe Nadia's Eastern Star -- Middle Eastern On the Park -- Eclectic St Botolph -- Eclectic St Cloud ($$$) -- Eclectic Nouvelle American Thai Village -- Thai Boston (Symphony Area) ---------------------- Arirang House -- Korean Bangkok City -- Thai Bangkok Cuisine -- Thai Bangkok Room -- Thai Boston Shawarma -- Middle Eastern Dixie Kitchen -- Cajun Goemon -- Japanese Noodle Shawarma King -- Middle Eastern Thai Cuisine -- Thai Boston (Theater District / Park Sq) ----------------------------------- Aujord 'Hui ($$$$$) -- Nouvelle French / Continental Biba ($$$$) -- Eclectic David's -- Mediterranean Joyce Chen -- Chinese Legal Seafood -- Seafood Montien -- Thai Rocco's ($$$) -- Neo Italian Star of Siam -- Thai Boston (Waterfront / Faneuil Hall) ---------------------------------- Bay Tower Room [Continental/French] ($$$$) -- Downtown Cornucopia on the Wharf ($$$) -- Eclectic Daily Catch -- Seafood Durgin Park -- Traditional NE Regional Eastern Pier Seafood -- Chinese Seafood Jaspers ($$$$) -- Eclectic New England Joseph's Aquarium -- Seafood Marco Polo -- Chinese No Name -- Seafood Old Spaghetti Factory -- Italian-American Sally Ling's -- Chinese Seasons ($$$$) -- Eclectic Tatsukichi -- Japanese Ye Olde Union Oyster House ($$$$) -- Seafood Brookline (Coolidge Corner / JFK Crossing / North Brookline) ------------------------------------------------------------ Beijing III -- Chinese Bombay Bistro -- Indian Chef Chow -- Chinese El Bandido -- Tex/Mex Enzo Ristorante -- Italian Harvard St Grill ($$$) -- Nouvelle American Mi Vami -- Israeli Niko's -- Greek Noble House -- Chinese Providence ($$$) -- Eclectic / Tuscan Rami's Felafel -- Kosher Israeli Rubin's Deli -- Kosher Deli Ruth's Kitchen -- Kosher Shang Chai -- Kosher Vegetarian Chinese Shawarma King -- Middle Eastern Takeshima -- Japanese Victor's Pizza -- Kosher Pizza Yu's -- Chinese Brookline (St Mary's / Longwood) -------------------------------- Atlas Kitchen (St Mary's) -- Turkish Chef Chang (St Mary's) -- Chinese Milk St Cafe (Longwood) -- Kosher Vegetarian Sol Azteca (St Mary's) -- Mexican Veronique ($$$) (Longwood) -- Classic French Brookline (Village) ------------------- Davio's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian Fajita & 'Ritas -- Tex/Mex Sawasdee -- Thai Shalom Hunan -- Kosher Chinese Skipjack -- Seafood Village Fish -- Seafood Village Smokehouse -- Bbq Brookline (Washington Sq) ------------------------- Golden Temple -- Chinese Indian Cafe -- Indian T.J.'s Taqueria -- Brookline Tam O'Shanter -- Eclectic Vinny Testa's -- Italian Cambridge (Central Sq / MIT) ---------------------------- Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Mediterranean Asmara -- Ethiopian Brookline Diner -- Middle Eastern Crystal Restaurant -- Chinese Fishery -- Seafood Green St Grill -- Eclectic Caribbean India Pavillion -- Indian Indian Globe -- Indian Korea Garden -- Korean La Groceria -- Northern Italian Larry's -- Chinese Middle East -- Middle Eastern Miracle of Science -- American Casual Oh Calcutta -- Indian Picante -- Tex/Mex Pu-Pu Hot Pot -- Chinese w Dim Sum Rhythm & Spice -- Caribbean Royal East -- Chinese Shalimar -- Indian Taj India -- Indian Tandoor House -- Indian Viceroy -- Indian Cambridge (Harvard Sq) ---------------------- Algiers -- Middle East Bangkok House -- Thai Bennett St Cafe -- Eclectic Bombay Club -- Indian Border Cafe -- Cajun/Southwestern Cafe of India -- Indian Cafe Sushi -- Japanese California Pizza Kitchen -- Italian [Pizza/Pasta] Casa Mexico -- Mexican Casablanca -- North African Chef Chow -- Chinese Delhi Darbar -- Indian Dolphin Seafood -- Seafood Giannino's -- Northern Italian Harvest ($$$) -- Eclectic House of Blues -- American Casual Il Panino -- Italian Iruna -- Spanish Mimi's Oriental Grill -- Asian Eclectic Pampas -- Brazillian Roka -- Japanese Rosalita's Texas Backyard Bbq -- Bbq Shilla -- Korean Singha House -- Thai Skewers -- Middle Eastern Skipjack -- Seafood Ta Sheng -- Chinese Troika -- Russian Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Eclectic Continental / N Italian Cambridge (Inman Sqaure) ------------------------ Akbar India -- Indian Cafe China -- European-Style Chinese Cafe Jae -- Asian Eclectic (Hip Pacific Rim) Casa Portugal -- Portuguese Chez Vous Creole -- Creole Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe -- American Casual East Coast Grill -- Eclectic Jake & Earl's -- Bbq Koreana -- Korean Magnolia's Southern Cuisine -- Southern / Cajun Midwest Grill -- Brazillian/Portuguese Portugalia -- Portuguese Sunset Cafe -- Portugese Cambridge (Kendall Sq / East Cambridge) --------------------------------------- Biggs Restaurant -- Jamaican Blue Room ($$$) -- Eclectic Boca Grande -- Mexican Chandra's -- Caribbean / Indian Davio's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian Florentina -- Italian Goemon -- Japanese Noodle Helmand's -- Afghan (opening June 1st) Izzy's Sub Shop -- Puerto Rican Legal Seafood -- Seafood Michela's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian PapaRazzi -- Italian Poppa & Goose -- Asian Eclectic Rayz -- American Casual Sindibad -- Middle Eastern Thai's -- Thai Cambridge (Porter Sq / North Cambridge) --------------------------------------- Boca Grande -- Mexican Cafe Mami -- Japanese Changsho -- Chinese Chez Jean -- Classic French Cottonwood Cafe -- Southwestern Dali -- Spanish Ittyo -- Japanese Jade Flower -- Chinese Kotobukiya -- Japanese Maharajah -- Indian Masao's Kitchen -- Vegan Macrobiotic Matsu-Ya -- Korean / Japanese Mexican Cuisine {Forest Cafe} -- Mexican Noelle -- Eclectic Passage to India -- Indian Porter Exchange Mall -- Japanese Food Mall Porter House Cafe -- Bbq Ristorante Marino -- Italian Natural Sapporo Ramen -- Japanese Noodle House Seki Tei -- Japanese Snakebites Canteen -- Southwestern Cambridge (West Cambridge / Fresh Pond / Alewife) ------------------------------------------------- Jose's -- Mexican Joyce Chen -- Chinese Koto -- Japanese Peacock -- Country French Pentimento -- American Casual & Natural Tokyo Restaurant -- Japanese Trattoria Pulcinella ($$$) [Northern Italian] -- West Cambridge Charlestown ----------- Blossoms -- Nouvelle Italian Figs -- Italian (Pizza/Pasta) Olive's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Northern Italian Chelsea ------- New Bridge Cafe (Chelsea) -- Bbq Lexington --------- Cafe Bellecour -- Mediterranean Hartwell House [American Traditional] -- Lexington Lemon Grass -- Thai New Asia -- Chinese Peking Garden -- Chinese w Dim Sum Sweet Peppers -- Italian Yangtse River -- Chinese Medford ------- May's Cafe -- Chinese Newton (Centre) --------------- Amarin -- Thai Appetito -- Italian Chengmai -- Thai Ha Ha -- Chinese Sabra -- Middle Eastern / Israeli Seoul House -- Korean Seven Stars Mandarin -- Chinese Sol Azteca -- Mexican Newton (Chestnut Hill) ---------------------- Bernard's -- Chinese Legal Seafood -- Seafood Marco Solo -- Eclectic PapaRazzi -- Italian Newton (Four Corners / Highlands / Upper Falls) ----------------------------------------------- Cantin Abruzzi (Highlands) -- Italian Mill Falls ($$$) (Upper Falls) -- Contemporary American Moon Woman Cafe (Upper Falls) -- Nouvelle Italian Vinny Testa's (Four Corners) -- Italian Newton (Lower Falls / Auburndale / West Newton) ----------------------------------------------- Pillar House (Lower Falls) -- Traditional Shogun (West Newton) -- Japanese Newton (Nonantum / Newtonville) ------------------------------- Genghis Khan (Newtonville) -- Chinese / Mongolian Karoun (Newtonville) -- Armenian Ru Yee (Nonantum) -- Chinese Somerville (Beacon St) ----------------------- Chang Feng -- Chinese Chef Lee -- Chinese Jimmy Mac's -- Bbq Little Bali -- Indonesian Somerville (Davis / Teele / Ball Sq) ------------------------------------ Daily Catch (Davis Sq) -- Seafood India (Davis Sq) -- Indian Johnny D's (Davis Sq) -- American Casual Panda (Ball Sq) -- Chinese Picante (Davis Sq) -- Tex/Mex Redbones (Davis Sq) -- Bbq Rudy's (Teele Sq) -- Mexican Sepal Cafe (Teele Sq) -- Middle Eastern Somerville (Union Sq) --------------------- Elephant Walk -- French/Cambodian Hometown -- Korean India Palace -- Indian Neighborhood Restaurant -- Portuguese New Asia -- Chinese Oasis Grille -- Middle Eastern Union Square Bistro -- Eclectic WooChon -- Korean Waltham (Moody St Area) ----------------------- Bangkok Flavors -- Thai Bombay Mahal -- Indian E.J.'s Barbeque -- Bbq Erawan of Siam -- Thai Iguana Cantina -- Tex/Mex Il Capriccio ($$$) -- Northern Italian Little India -- Indian New Mother India -- Indian Sadie's -- Bbq Taqueria Mexico -- Mexican Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian Waltham (Not Moody St Area) --------------------------- Bluestone Bistro -- Italian / Pizza Buckaroo's -- Bbq Green Papaya -- Thai Sakura -- Japanese Saro's -- Northern Italian VietFoods -- Vietnamese Watertown --------- Ararat -- Armenian Casa Elena -- Latin American Demo's -- Middle Eastern / Greek Hunan Palace -- Chinese Kareem's -- Middle Eastern Le Bocage ($$$$) -- Nouvelle French Pars Cafe -- Persian Porcini's -- Italian Sepal -- Middle Eastern Stellina -- Nouvelle Italian Taste of India -- Indian Verona -- Nouvelle Italian ====================================================================== Boston Area Restaurants (by Cuisine) ************************************ ====================================================================== Afghan Restaurants ****************** Helmand's -- East Cambridge (not open yet) 143 First St (nr Galleria), 492-4646 T: Green Line: Lechmere, Red Line: Kendall Sq American Casual Restaurants *************************** Art Zone -- Chinatown 150 Kneeland St, 695-0087 (While the food is perhaps not especially noteworthy, it is usually fairly tasty, somewhat eclectic for barbecue, and comes in large portions. The rib platters & pulled pork are quite good, though you can get the occasional annoying huge glob of fat in pork sandwiches, and the barbecue sauce (served in a plastic cup) is very sweet -- something that Kraft would sell in a supermarket. The bbq should become better, now that the kitchen staff has been specially trained by a barbeque expert. The grilled calamari in balsamic vinagrette is an excellent appetizer, they have some of the best onion rings, sweet potato chips, and cornbread in Boston, and there's very good guacamole and veggie chili (with grilled eggplant and zucchini, which is quite nice, but has nothing whatsoever to do with chili). OK crab cakes (with a lamentable sauce) and fajitas; other dishes are even more ordinary, including the salad, served with "industrial" dressing. They do have a fine beer list, including Burton Bitter from the Commonwealth Brewery. Overall, the place is upscale and very pricey though, with the same owner as the Blue Diner next door. The main reason to come here is for the amusing decor -- its a lot of fun, especially if it's uncrowded enough that you can look at the tables on the way in and out -- they are all different creations from local artists, in glass-topped boxes. The decor really steals the show - every table is different, and their artistic content (or lack thereof!) provides plenty of material for good dinner conversation among friends. Good juke box too.) [=>interesting long review] Blue Diner -- Chinatown 178 Kneeland St (edge of Leather District), 338-4639 T: Red Line @ South Station (Fine retro-diner food, which is to say all the flash and fresh ingredients of a gentrified neighborhood bistro (plus beer and wine) in a genuine diner setting (assembled on-site in 1947). The sign in the window says: "Food like your mother would have made, if she'd gone to a very good white-trash cooking school." Traditional diner dishes with a twist that makes them inauthentic but worthwhile. A tad pricy, but top notch burgers, hand-cut fries, homefries, omelettes & excellent sausage. Pies are worth a trip all on their own, esp the pineapple meringue or apple) Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 134 Hampshire St, 354-8371 (Good imaginative home cooking. Try the latkes, mussel fritters, black bean soup. Sunday Jazz Dinner. Interesting wine list.) House of Blues -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 96 Winthrop St, 876-3030, T: Red Line @ Harvard Sq (Pretty good food, but go for blues entertainment upstairs. Try the smoked ribs & chocolate/peanut butter pie. 3 hr Gospel brunch Sundays, 1/2 for eating, 1/2 for music -- you can get reservations a week in advance, but they're often not necessary. Recent reviews decry the unpleasant ambience however) Johnny D's -- Somerville (Davis Sq) 17 Holland St, 776-2004, T: Red Line @ Davis Sq (A music club and restaurant owned by vegetarians. The menu has some vegan options, but is not strictly vegetarian. It is pretty good food, natural hormone-free ingredients, reasonable prices. Try the chicken palermo, blackened chicken strips, broccoli, cajun fried shrimp, pecan pie. The music tends to be blues, cajun, and folk; the place gets crowded when the music starts later in the evening. Also good for Sunday Brunch.) Miracle of Science -- Cambridge (MIT) Mass Ave, T: Red LIne @ Kendall Sq (Mostly a bar (albeit very trendy) in an otherwise isolated stretch of Mass Ave. They have small tables and a limited menu, but the food, though occasionally bizarre, is generally done well. Specialty is shish kebab -- dry rubbed beef, chicken, shrimp, or veg. Good veg side dishes. Good juicy burgers, which come w tasty fried potatoes and tomato chutney. Good hummous w pita. Nice chutneys, relishes, and hot sauces. If you don't drink, the meal will be extremely cheap for the quality. Techies gotta love (or not) the well executed science-lab decor, w cutesy little petri dishes and ehrlenmeyer flask. On the other hand, there are those who hate the place -- the "100% pushy yuppie scum crowd of the most obnoxious stripe" and because it can be overcrowded, noisy, and the waitstaff can be slow and unprofessional.) [=> intense review] Pentimento -- West Cambridge 344 Huron Ave (nr Fayerweather), 661-3878 (Generally very good food, especially "comfort food" such as stews & shepherd's pie, but service is uneven & sometimes disdainful. Soups always sound better than they taste. Homemade muffins and other desserts are great. At lunch, sandwiches seem small but fresh. Wonderful place for Sunday Brunch, especially the french toast & hash browns, though food is limited to omelets & such, and beware of long lines.) Rayz -- East Cambridge Cambridgeside Galleria, 577-0044, T: Green Line @ Lechmere (Friendly service, large portions, good bbq and grilled fish. Pleasant place and good food, especially for a mall, but nothing to write home about. Warning: the dinner menu and dinner portions are virtually the same as the lunch menu and portions, but all the prices go up for the dinner stuff.) Asian Eclectic Restaurants ************************** Jae's [Hip Pacific Rim] -- South End & Cambridge (Inman Sq) 520 Columbus Ave, South End, 421-9405 1281 Cambridge St, Inman Sq, 497-8380 (Very good and very fresh tasty Korean/Thai/Japanese mix with a twist. The Korean dishes were truest to tradition, but still with some interpretation, esp the nouvelle / non traditional preparations of standards like BibimBap. Good large pieces of sushi w tuna nigiri, excellent tuna tartare and eel maki. Also exceellent Pad Thai, and the Crispy Pad Thai is even better. Weird hot&sour soup though, and not many veggie options. Calm and restful decor without being subdued, but it can be noisy when crowded; not a place for kids particularly. Service is usually good and a bit eclectic too: "Brown Rice, Good Choice". Reasonably wheelchair accessible. Reasonable prices; light dinner about $15/person w beer) [=>interesting long review] Mimi's Oriental Grill -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 950 Mass Ave, betw Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 354-1665 (Mixed reviews, a tad pricey -- some find it completely unimpressive, others think it's great. Nice atmosphere, though. Try the Korean beef dish, Formosa squid, and tangerine scallops) Poppa & Goose -- East Cambridge 69 First St (nr Galleria/Lechmere), 497-6772 (Excellent creative tasty inexpensive Asian, mostly Vietnamese, food by the same people whose truck serves wonderful cheap lunches on Main St at Tech Square in Cambridge. It's best to go for their lunch buffet, incl a terrific thai roll, meat kabob, brown rice w veggies, and various combos w chicken, meat, or tofu. Salad fixing and soup too (though the hot & sour soup is really awful), all for $7. If you order off the menu, there are great dishes available, incl crabmeat & white asparagus soup, mi lanh, and seegoo chicken, but the service is horrendously slow -- it's hard to get in and out in an hour for lunch, and it's best to go early if you go for dinner. Apparently the place isn't run to make oodles of money -- they just want to break even mostly and be able to serve neat foods that people otherwise wouldn't get a chance to savor. P.S. great Vietnamese iced coffee too.) Wild Ginger Bistro [Asian/French] -- Back Bay 95 Mass Ave, 267-2868. Wheelchair Accessible. Barbeque Restaurants ******************** Barbeque's International -- Allston 129 Brighton Ave (nr Harvard St), 782-6669 (Barbeques from around the world, wildly mixed reviews. In general, stick to the Indian food, especially the Bengal Shrimp, the Chicken & Lamb Tikka and the Tandoori Lamb, although a recent review indicates that the Chicken Tikka was bland -- it came with onions and had a lot of paprika (which didn't really make up for the lack of spice) on a bed of rice. Some like the pulled pork and beef kabob as well. If you like their food, then with the recently done interior, it's not a bad place to go for a nice informal dinner at reasonable prices ($25-30 for two). Buckaroo's -- Waltham (This places has has a VERY Western atmosphere, from the upholstery on the booths to the murals on the wall, to the Navajo type rugs on the back of the barstools, to the branding irons on the walls. Amazingly enough, it's tastefully done. The menu has ribs (pork only), BBQ sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, chargrilled lamb and beef tips, enchiladas, and some miscellaneous other items. The lamb tips over rice were tasty, served with lots of grilled vegetables, for $8 or so. The ribs, a light portion for lunch, were of the dry variety -- but meaty and good. No sauce was served on the side; it was a decent sauce but not memorable. Probably not unusual enough for rib enthusiasts but a fine item on the menu.) Butchie's [Bbq/Creole] -- South End Washington St nr Mass Ave (The menu mostly emphasizes bbq, which is pretty good, but the Creole dishes on the menu are quite good as well, esp the hush puppies & Jampbalaya, which may be the best in Boston, as well as an excellent Gumbo, with lots of crab, shrimp, and fish) E.J.'s Barbeque -- Waltham 275 Moody St, 891-7427 (Mixed reviews -- the bbq ranges from ok to excellent, with large portions and low prices. Good Memphis dry rub ribs, texarkana ribs, babybacks, chicken, mashed potatos. Beef brisket & pulled pork are not as good) Jake & Earl's -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1273 Cambridge St, 491-RIBS (Excellent southern bbq, same kitchen as East Coast Grill. Excellent dry rub pork chops. Try the pulled pork & the Memphis dry-rub rib plate. Mostly take-out plus a small counter, though the food is also featured next door at the East Coast Grill.) Jimmy Mac's -- Somerville 300 Beacon St, 547-1700 (Southern-style food place. Food has declined somewhat; the pulled pork sandwich is now chopped pork and the sauce is not as good. The new owner actually speaks, so that part has improved. The hand-made sign on the door says something like "We are now friendly", but evidently also now mediocre as well. Now sharing space with Little Bali, an Indonesian restaurant.) New Bridge Cafe -- Chelsea 650 Washington Ave (at Woodlawn), 884-0134 (Best steak tips and pork tips & ribs (red/chinese style) on the North Shore; their dishes are accompanied by huge steak fries that are awesome and a house salad with an vinegar-pepper dressing. Be prepared to wait, esp on Fri & Sat nights, because the place is always packed.) Pit Stop -- Mattapan 888a Morton St, 436-0485 (Great bbq, better for take-out. Only open Th, Fr & Sa. Park in the fenced yard.) Porter House Cafe -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 2046 Mass Ave, 354-9793 (Good barbecue, in a different style than Redbones, more (occasionally experimental) variety of sauces on the ribs, and a different assortment of dishes (for fried okra, go to Redbones; for hoppin' john, go to Porter House). Very good Texas bbq, superb pulled chicken & beef ribs, great hot sauce, interesting food in enormous portions, often good draft beer. The spicy fries & sides of beans and rice are average. The "hashes" (sautes of whatever - such as chicken, shrimp, and Texas sausage-veggies) are very good, as is the Texas brisket and chicken-fried steak. It looks like a dive from the outside, but they have separated the tables from the bar, so the eating situation is reasonable. The servers are congenial and helpful, and do not rush you.) Redbones -- Somerville (Davis Sq) 55 Chester St (off Elm), 628-2220 (Great atmosphere, all kinds of bbq -- Memphis, Arkansas [bbq pork chops/great ribs], Texas, Georgia. They are the quality leader in Texas bbq, including the brisket & beef ribs; elsewhere, almost as good as Jake & Earl's. Also good sausage, catfish, corn pudding, greens, pecan pie, and an improving selection of draft beer) Rosalita's Texas Backyard Bbq -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 50 Church St, 492-8458 (Great atmosphere: casual furniture, outdoor-type with umbrellas; the decor really does look like someone's backyard, complete with laundry hanging on lines all over the place -- like being transported back to Cozumel. The portions are humongous and very good, and you get 'grazing rights' (salad bar, beans, corn cobs, dirty rice, corn bread) for all entrees over $7. Mixed reviews on the bbq itself though, which can be mediocre, with the bbq brisket especially bad. Variable service. Good quesadillas, guacamole, pecan pie. Avoid the cheesecake) [=> negative review ] Sadie's -- Waltham (Moody St) just off Moody, across from Iguana Cantina (Good inexpensive ribs and steak tips, w a decent spicy sauce for the ribs. Service is friendly and efficient. The drawback is the bar which is noisy and smoky, and the incredibly loud jukebox.) Village Smokehouse -- Brookline Village 1 Harvard St, 566-3782 (A bar/restaurant, with a brightly lit homey dining-room decor that is full of Texas influences, including neon signs, checked tablecloths, and country music. The atmosphere and presentation aren't as trendy or authentic as Redbone's, but for some, that's a plus. Mixed reviews on the food, though it seems to keep getting better -- good meat, esp. the delectable brisket, the ribs (the pork ribs are almost always tender, and the beef ribs are huge), and chicken. No choice of bbq sauces; the sauce is ok though, very tasty, but not too hot/spicy. Good pecan pie too. Some people love this place, but the general consensus is that Redbones is still somewhat better. Cash only.) Brazillian Restaurants ********************** Buteco -- West Fenway, South End 130 Jersey St (nr Park Drive & Boylston), West Fenway, 247-9508 57 West Dedham St (betw Tremont & Dartmouth), 247-9249 (Good solid Brazillian fare; the one in the South End is better. For appetziers, try the frango a passarinho and the little chicken/meat/cheese turnovers. Good black beans & rice, fried breaded thin steak (w fried onions & limes), rolled steak w ham and cheese, and chicken dishes. The feijoada is a bit dry. Decent but not great desserts & coffee. Limited wine selection, but a good hearty house wine.) Cafe Brazil -- Allston 421 Cambridge St (nr Harvest Food Coop), 789-5980 (Good flavorful food in a cozy atmosphere, sometime w a quiet guitarist playing. Meat & poultry dishes are authentically prepared and won't disappoint those w heartier appetites. The tastiest food can be high in fat, e.g. fried manioc & chicken livers. Nice variety of Brazilian appetizers and side dishes. Feijoada Completa, served on Saturdays, is superb. Not very child friendly, though.) Midwest Grill -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1124 Cambridge St, 354-7536 (Excellent Brazillian & Portuguese food & service, family run w friendly waitstaff. Generous meat and vegetables, but salad bar, ambience & service are better at Pampas. No liquor license) Pampas -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 928 Mass Ave, between Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 661-6613 (Great churrasqueria -- 15 kinds of skewered meat [not strongly seasoned], including beef, pork, sausage, chicken, turkey, lamb, goat, and even chicken hearts, all you can eat for $15. Price includes an awesome salad bar (which can be ordered separately, for the herbivorously inclined), containing lots of palm hearts. A great place to go with friends or out-of-town guests. Clean, comfortable, and apt to be filled with boisterous Brazilians, who pack many of the tables until they're kicked out. The service may be leisurely at times, but that's perfectly authentic, too.) Caribbean / Cajun / Creole / Soul / Southern Restaurants ******************************************************** Biggs Restaurant [Jamaican] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 111 Harvard St (at Portland, betw Main & Broadway), 492-5154 (A pleasant place serving very good and plentiful Jamaican food. Cash only. The beef patties and the ackee & salted fish are especially good. Also try the curried chicken (usually excellent, though on one visit, it was very bony), curried goat, jerk chicken, & Jamaican fish. Jamaican soft drinks & superb home made concoctions including ginger beer, sorrel, and irish moss drinks. They also have serve beer, including Red Stripe.) Bob the Chef [Soul] -- South End 604 Columbus Ave (nr Mass Ave), 536-6204 (Quite good traditional soul food, as well as BBQ ribs to die for. Especially good fried chicken, sweet potatoes, cornbread and collard greens. Also good desserts, esp sweet potato pie.) Butchie's [Bbq/Creole] -- South End [see under Barbeque] Chandra's [Indo-Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 266 Broadway (a few blocks west of Kendall Sq), 497-6955 (Indian & Caribbean food, Trinidad style. A nicely done interior, with decent food. Often plagued by long waits, caused by making everything [except the microwaved frozen appetizers] from scratch. Best to go when they have a lunch buffet, with jerk chicken, rice, aloe chole, a steamed vegetable dish (esp good when its calaloo, akin to creamed spinach), and chicken roti, all of which can be quite good. Avoid the mushy veggy mixture over rice. No liquor license but good soursop punch & ginger beer.) Chez Vous Creole [Creole] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1263 Cambridge St, 868-3161 (Not much atmospehere -- a little on the shabby side w tacky posters & a few tables, but large portions of tasty interesting inexpensive food, especially the flavorful conch stew and goat. The menu is interesting, but often only a few items are available. Pleasant and very low-key, though service can be lackadaisacal.) Dixie Kitchen [Cajun] -- Symphony Area 182 Mass Ave (betw Boylston & Huntington), 536-3068 (Pretty good, not as upscale as Magnolia's, and on some nights, the balance of seasonings can be off, resulting in bland unsoulful food. But, on other nights they're great, and they mean well, have dishes that can't be had elsewhere in Boston, and the food always is inexpensive and comes in large portions. Definitely try the Gumbo Ya-Ya, Etoufee, Jambalaya, and the Jalapeno Cornbread. They even have fried alligator tail. Also, good bread pudding, as well as other huge decadent desserts incl key lime pie and banana custard. No liquor, and you can't BYOB. The background music is great though!) Green St Grill [Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 280 Green St (betw Magazine & Pearl), 876-1655 (Caribbean influence, very good spicy seafood and ribs. A funky place with unusual combinations of ingredients that usually works. Often music late. Some of their food (e.g. seafood stew, gazpacho) can be extremely fiery. Try the conch fritters, and the Caesar salad (one of the best in town). A very child-friendly place) International Restaurant [Dominican] -- Jamaica Plain 3160 Washington St, 522-7410 (Great inexpensive food. Funky neighborhood. Try fish escoveitch, carne cerdo con berenguena, mondongo) Izzy's Sub Shop [Puerto Rican] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 169 Harvard St (at Windsor), 661-3910 (Not a sub shop; the owner (Izzy) is Puerto Rican and most of the food is also Puerto Rican. The owner is quite a character and calls frequent visitors "primo(a)" for cousin. A hole-in-the-wall that's not in the nicest of neighborhoods. It is nicer than La Espanola, though, and the service is good, friendly, and quick. The food has a comfort food quality (if you are Cuban or Puerto Rican) although it is not quite as good as La Espanola in quality. The black beans are canned and the steaks a little bland. Then again, Puerto Ricans don't really eat black beans, preferring red kidney beans or "gandules" (pigeon peas?), of which they have plenty at Izzy's. Besides these, they also serve some great snacks: filled (with meat) potatoes, alcapurrias, bacalaitos, limbos (these seem to be Jamaican in origin), etc. These are deep fried and fatty but delicious! They also serve a wide variety of beverages popular with Latin Americans, such as malta (non- alcoholic sweet malt drink) and Goya fruit juices. Not wheelchair accessible.) Magnolia's Southern Cuisine [Southern] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1193 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 576-1971 (The old Cajun Yankee has gone Southern, the food is still good, though the decor is worse, it's more crowded, and consequently seems really overpriced, especially for dishes like the grilled chicken & fish. Some old favorites are gone, but they still serve jambalaya, blacked redfish, cajun popcorn, awesome banana muffins & Blackened Voodoo beer. Other good dishes include the vinegary fried green tomatoes, home smoked salmon with olive oil biscuits, and grilled pork tenderloin with mango chutney. The desserts can be unpalatably sweet. Reasonable wine list.) Rhythm & Spice [Caribbean] -- Cambridge (MIT) 315 Mass Ave (across from Larry's Chinese), 497-0977 (The best atmosphere and service of the Caribbean restuarants; it is also the most expensive. The chef and much of the staff from the Seagrape Tree restaurant in Arlington have moved here. The atmosphere, formerly pastel and serene, is now colorful, and the size has gone from small to large. Not as cozy as Arlington was, but still a very helpful and pleasant staff w very good service. The food here is the same style and quality as the Seagrape Tree, with a few changes, generally for the better. The rice and beans has cut back a bit on the coconut milk, to good effect, and the vegetable side dish remains superb, especially the cabbage & sauteed greens. The Jamaican pattie appetizer is excellent -- 3 small stuffed turnovers with a light flaky crust and a well- seasoned ground meat filling. The smoked herring salad appetizer, a dish of shredded smoked fish tossed with vinegar and spices, served with plantain chips for dipping is very good, though some think the plantain chips here, in general, are over crispy. The conch fritters are good, but are somewhat bland without the tasty dipping sauce. The escoviched fish is excellent, as is the curried goat -- very lean tender goat, in a brown gravy w potatoes and carrots; the curried chicken is ok, but can be too salty for some. The jerk chicken entree, roasted over an open fire, is juicy and outstanding, as is the grilled grouper w jerk seasoning. The ribs were done with a tasty jerk seasoning but can be dry. The consensus is that the jerk seasoning is too mild. There are also various stews; Matouk or Pukka hot sauce can be added if you like them spicier. Dinner about $15/person. The space is larger than the Seagrape Tree and quite reminiscent of some city restaurants in the Caribbean. They also have a full liquor license, with a good selection of Caribbean beers, including Banks, which is hoppy yet light and fresh. Good homemade sorrel drinks too. The restaurant seats about 60 and the bar can hold maybe 10 or so more. Reservations seem like a good idea on weekend evenings. Great reggae background music, though it can be distractingly loud, and they have live music late in the evening on weekends, with a complimentary buffet from 10:30 pm - 11:30 pm, and a $5 after 11 pm. They also have a limited lunch menu, with jerk pork, a jerk chicken cutlet sandwich, a jerk hamburger, and one or two other things, served with plantain chips which appear to be out of a bag. The quality of lunch varies tremendously; it is certainly worse than dinner, and definitely overpriced [see review]) Chinese / Mongolian Restaurants ******************************* Asian Garden -- Chinatown 46 Beach St, in the basement, 695-1646 (Good fresh food, esp great steamed fish (taken from the tanks by the door, Hong-Kong style seafood, and excellent hotpots. Try the eel, whole roe scallops, lobster, crab, chinese broccoli in oyster sauce. Reasonable prices. If you're Chinese or know enough to ask, you get an interesting dessert -- taro root and tapioca in coconut milk -- instead of the ubiquitous fortune cookie.) Beijing Garden Restaurant [Chinese/Vietnamese Dim Sum] -- Dorchester 1111 Dorchester Ave, Savin Hill (nr U Mass), 288-5345 T : Red Line @ Savin Hill (Dim Sum from 9am to 10 or 11pm. The dim sum are light, not greasy, very fresh, w no MSG. Other items on the menu are of the same quality. Tell them you heard about them via netnews.) Beijing III -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1366 Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Coolidge Corner, 277-1011 (Mixed reviews, a bit pricey -- some questions about whether food is handled/prepared safely. Try Dragon & Phoenix) Bernard's -- Newton (Chestnut Hill Mall) 199 Boylston, 969-3388, 10 min walk from Chestnut Hill T Station (Excellent food, a bit pricey. Coldish ambience. Try the Hunan Lamb or Sesame Chicken.) Buddha's Delight [Vegetarian Chinese] -- Chinatown 5 Beach St (across from Naked I strip club), 451-2395 T: Orange Line @ Chinatown, Red Line @ Downtown Crossing (Temple cuisine -- very good vegan variants of Chinese & Vietnamese dishes, well presented. Try the spring rolls, summer rolls, noodle soup, hot & sour soup, moo shi, Lake Tung-Ting "shrimp", tofu and vegetables, anything spicy or w lemongrass. Excellent bbq gluten! Service can be slow when crowded.) Cafe China -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1245 Cambridge St, 868-4300 (Pretty food, reportedly bland, though. Good wine list and Swiss desserts) Carl's Pagoda -- Chinatown 23 Tyler St, 357-9837 T: Red Line @ South Station, Orange Line @ Chinatown (A hole-in-the-wall that's been around for 25 years, with Carl sitting in the back. Good food, with lots of things on the menu worth trying that are unique or at least done differently than elsewhere. Try the tomato soup, Carl's Special Steak, and the better-than-average lo mein, with pan fried noodles added to the dish. OK service, seats about 30, NOT wheelchair accessible, $10-15/person, no credit cards) Chang Feng -- Somerville 289 Beacon St (across from Chef Lee's), 864-6265 (Some unusual dishes on menu. Try the bean curd homemade style & strange flavor chicken. Excellent appetizers, fried & steamed dumplings & noodles, esp garlic noodles. Occasionally an off night) Changsho -- Cambridge (betw Harvard/Porter Sq) 1712 Mass Ave (nr Linnean), 547-6565 (Mixed reports, lots of meat, somewhat elegant but unimpressive; reports that it has gone downhill since under new management, though still reasonable. They're now a step above your typical neighborhood Chinese, but not worth going out of your way for. Used to have wonderful dumplings, and a very good roast duck.) Chau Chow [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown 52 Beach St, 426-6266 (Good cheap Chinese, sometimes long lines. Try pea greens, chicken w black bean sauce, peking ravioli, hot & sour soup. Excellent seafood, incl steamed fish w ginger sauce, salted jumbo shrimp, and fried squid. Avoid the beef dishes; thet're often mediocre & the moo shi beef, while tasty, was way too oily. Try the fatty but tasty fried pig intestine [seriously!] and fried tofu w seafood. The seafood is so good here, that some people think of this place, rather than a standard seafood place, when they want good fresh seafood!) Chef Chang -- Brookline (St Mary's) 1006 Beacon St, 277-4226 (Average food -- lots of excellent dishes, especially the seasonal specialities, as well as some real disappointments. Overall, moderate prices & a pleasant place to eat. Try the potstickers, the crispy beef, and the hot & spicy green beans.) Chef Chow -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Brighton (Cleveland Circle), Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 354 Chestnut Hill Ave, Cleveland Circle, 566-2275 230 Harvard St, 1 blk s. of Beacon at Coolidge Corner, 739-2469 50 Church St, Cambridge, 492-2469 (Many people find the food consistently good; others are unimpressed; good lunches, though, and try the Szechuan Spicy Fish) Chef Lee -- Somerville 296 Beacon St (across from Chang Feng), 876-7666 (Pretty good, especially considering the neighborhood. Specials tend to be very flavorful and occasionally interesting. The potstickers are seasoned very differently from most other places in the area, which makes them worthwhile just for the variety. Style is basic neighborhood Chinese, w good Szechuan food, esp the Yu Hsiang dishes, Kangsho shrimp, Ta Chien chicken, and shrimp-stuffed eggplant. BYOB) China Cafe -- Arlington Center 882A Mass Ave (betw High School and Stop & Shop), 646-6621 ("Interesting" flavor variants of hot & sour soup and peking ravioli [they like to add extra sugar to soups and sauces]. Try the schezuan wontons, scallion pie, spicy aromatic & dry-cooked garlic shrimp, yu hsian fish, peking noodles, and beef chow foon) China Gate -- Chinatown 21-23 Edinboro St (Ok for conch in black bean sauce, seafood in ginger & scallions, chow foon) China Grove -- Chinatown 10 Tyler St, 542-5857 (Good food, good prices, possibly slow service. Try the grilled eel and the scallop or shredded eel w yellow leeks) China Pearl [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Chinatown 9 Tyler St, 426-4338 (Very good dim sum, almost or as good as Golden Palace & less chaotic. Good soups & Cantonese & Hong Kong style seafood. Also excellent dinners, with good flavors and good variety, at very affordable prices. Crowded and friendly on weekends, more comfortable during the week. Chung Wah -- Allston Harvard St (Cheap & funky, good food, try the Broccoli in Garlic Sauce) Crystal Restaurant -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 460 Mass Ave, 576-1550 (Good, but not outstanding -- good Dun Dun noodles. Stick with the specialities, like red sauce eggplant) Dynasty [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Chinatown 33 Edinboro St (nr Beach), 350-7777 (Very good dim sum, though I've had money stolen by a waiter, and there are rumors that the wait staff is badly treated by the management) East Ocean City -- Chinatown 25 Beach St, 542-2504 (Good place, good service, nice atmosphere, a lot of unusual dishes which are really excellent. Try house-special soup, clams in black bean sauce, and chow foon. While they have good familiar stuff like sesame beef, this is the place to get adventurous, especially w the seafood dishes, which may be best in Chinatown) Eastern Pier Seafood [Chinese Seafood] -- Waterfront 237 Northern Ave, Fish Pier, 423-7756 (Excellent Chinese seafood, moderately priced, w one of the best hot & sour soups in Boston. Try sauteed pea-pod stems as a light first course. Good entrees include ginger crab, salt & pepper squid, and squid w ginger & scallions. The sole dishes, such as sizzling grey sole in black-bean sauce, are superb, but not cheap. If you're adventurous, try the goose intestines with yellow chives. Don't be afraid to ask for house recommendations which might not appear on the menu.) Eldo Tea House -- Chinatown 57 Beach St, 338-2128 (Cheap, good, generous portions. Seafood is good. Try the Singapore dishes, esp laksha noodle soup) Food Hall -- Chinatown Northeast corner of Beach & Harrison, 2nd floor (The atmosphere is unique, the opposite of elegant, with rows of tables crowded with every sort of person at lunch time. If you're looking for good, cheap Chinese or Thai food in Chinatown, this is it. Wua Pei has some excellent dishes - sesame [chicken/tofu/beef], garlic [chicken|pork|beef|shrimp|...], vegetable curry with or without meat. The hot & sour soup, however, offered free if you eat there, is best declined. The rice plates are the best deal and the owners are generally very accomodating to special requests. The stall next to Wua Pei isn't as good but does have one dish - satay chicken on pan-fried noodles which is great. Rod Thai across the room also has very good food - the usual curries, ram long and pad thai are very popular. The other vendors tend to draw a more exclusively Chinese clientelle and offer more unusual dishes like duck feet with tripe in black bean sauce.) Fortune House [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown 3 Beach St, 2nd floor, 482-9800 (Good Hong Kong style seafood; try stone oysters w garlic, ginger & scallions) Genghis Khan [Mongolian] -- Newtonville on Walnut St (Mixed reviews. They're known for their specialty dish, Mongolian Hot Pot. Some think the food in general is very good; others think the food is some of the blandest in the area.) Golden Gate -- Chinatown 66 Beach St (between Hudson & Tyler), 426-5022 (All the ambience of an aging truck stop, but consistently high quality. Try the Butterfly Shrimp w mixed Veggies & the Golden Gate Chow Mein) Golden Palace [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Chinatown 14 Tyler St, 423-4565 (Wonderful variety of tasty Dim Sum, probably best Dim Sum around. Get there no later than 1 pm for hot food and the best variety) Golden Temple -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 1651 Beacon St, 277-9722 (Good suburban Chinese food in a dramatic Chinese-modern setting (without a hint of red!). Many good dishes, including the crispy orange beef, and excellent lamb, though they can overdo the MSG. Fast seating, even on a busy Saturday night. Usually good wait staff, but if there are problems, the owner can be unpleasant if you're not a regular. Great place for large unusual drinks.) Grand Chau Chow [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown 41-45 Beach St, 292-5166 (Same menu as Chau Chow, across the street, but is a tad more expensive and is fancier & cleaner. Very elegant food, and extremely flavorful and fresh fish (they bring the still-living fish to your table for inspection before steaming it). Very friendly and effeicient service. Try the stir-fried pea pods, squab, fried pig intestine, and fried tofu with shrimp; the latter three are only on the Chinese menu, which you can actually ask the waiters to decode.) Ha Ha -- Newton Centre (A new restaurant located in the same space that Sally Ling's used to be. They still have the "core" of Sally Ling's menu, but the focus is on "healthy" Chinese food, will a willingness to accomodate diet restrictions. They have a whole slew of new, healthy, dishes. More vegetable and noodle dishes. Less fried food. Lots of dishes sans meat. Beware -- though there is less salt than usual, it is still too much for those on salt-restricted diets. The style of food seems to be more northern Chinese than southern... not so hot and pepper-spicy. The food seems to be quite good (spiced well, not over or undercooked, garnished nicely, etc.), but the portions are small, and somewhat overpriced, though the prices are low as well, with the new dishes in the range of $4.50 to $7.00 or so. Service can be quite problematic [=> review ] ) Ho Yuen Ting [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown 13 1/2 Hudson St, 426-2316 [original, and still the best] 58 Beach St, 426-2341 (Very good food; specializes in seafood, but does a good job w everything. Try hot & sour soup, peking ravioli, hunan chicken, beef ginger scallion hot pot, hon sue sea bass, steamed & stir fried flounder, lobster w black bean sauce, salted spicy shrimp, beef satay, sizzling hot pots, Westlake beef soup, house special eggplant.) Hong Kong Eatery -- Chinatown 79 Harrison Ave, 423-0838 (Just like being back in Hong Kong! Try the special for two, including a special soup made from tiny, black-skinned chickens and enough medicinal ingredients to cure anything that might ail you, stir-fried conch with chives, lamb and dried beancurd hotpot, and rice -- plentiful, cheap, and very tasty.) Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Back Bay 25 Mass Ave, 536-9852 (Mixed reviews. Many think this is a wonderful soup and noodle restaurant w excellent scallion pancake and house-special pan fried noodles. Other reviews decry the mega-oily Chow Foon and the odd tasting soups.) [=> menu ] Hunan Palace -- Watertown Galen St, just across the river from Watertown Square (One of the best of the suburban Chinese restaurants, with good food and a good menu. Decor is minimal, but prices are low enough so that you don't need to complain. Szechuan style food is the specialty, particularly the two lamb dishes and a wonderful ginger-coriander-fish soup that will feed four. They also do a very nice job on Crispy Fish Filet.) Imperial Seafood Restaurant [Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum] -- Chinatown 70 Beach St, 426-8439 (The place has been done over since they were Imperial Teahouse -- not only decor but, it seems, the kitchen as well -- and the food is fresher and the menu's a lot more interesting. The kind of place where you go with a group of people and you have a hard time narrowing your choices down to a dozen different dishes, and then everything's really good. The dim sum is also pretty good, and the wait is shorter than at China Pearl or Golden Palace, with a good chance of getting your own table. Smoke isn't as bad here as at some dim sum spots because the ventilation is decent, there's space between the tables, and there are more (nonsmoking) gringoes here than elsewhere. The new owner is frequently on the floor, chatting with clients and making sure that all is well.) Jade Flower -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 1908 Mass Ave, 497-8638 T: Red Line @ Porter Sq (just across the street) (Not a fancy place; just a long broad hall with tables on either side. The food gets mixed reviews, but is reasonably priced -- $10 gets you enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch. Good bets are Scallion Pancakes, Peking Ravioli, Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, Rice Sticks Singapore Style or just about any noodle dish, Chicken in Black Bean Suace, Cold Sesame Noodles, and Orange Chicken. The Suan La Sho Chow actually is hot & sour soup w wontons. There are reports that the food is gluey & that many dishes taste tomato-ey, based on a sweet version of yu-shiang sauce. Fast, friendly service; quick delivery.) King Fung Garden -- Chinatown 74 Kneeland St (across from the Mass Pike approach), 357-5262 (A hole-in-the-wall dive converted from a gas station w terrific food w lots of oil. Not a place to go to if you're looking for refined atmosphere, healthy food, or fancy cooking. You will find great Hunan style food, including a GREAT scallion pie, good dumplings, noodles, and shrimp/tofu w vegetables. Service is good and dishes arrive promptly if the restaurant is not packed. A very casual atmosphere; a place you can stay and talk for hours. Not wheelchair accessible. Probably no credit cards. Open for lunch. Closed Mondays.) Joyce Chen -- Cambridge (Alewife) & Theatre District 115 Stuart St, Theater District, 720-1331 390 Rindge Ave, Alewife, 492-7373 (A comfortable place, very good food, w a high standard of preparation, but a bit over-priced. Previously the food has sometimes been overly greasy or salty, though they really excelled at sauces. Recently, the quality has improved and the menu has undergone some changes w a focus on low-fat low-sodium foods, and interesting non-traditional dishes using local ingredients. Some say the downtown restaurant is better, w excellent peking ravioli & lemon chicken, and great service, even when crowded before the theater. At Alewife, the food can be blander (though the soups are excellent and the Ma Pa Tofu & General Gau's Chicken are very good), the service is worse, & parking can sometimes be a problem. If you like Joyce Chen's (and many think it is a major disappointment) go soon, before they are closed down for nonpaymenet of rent -- at least downtown.) Larry's -- Cambridge (MIT) 302 Mass Ave, 492-3170 (Good place for cheap neighborhood urban Chinese fare, nice owners, no MSG, recently redone decor -- a good place to hang out, but can sometimes get annoying from the loud jukebar at the bar next door. Extremely delicious Suan La Sho Chow and very good Dun Dun Noodles. Also try the General Gau Chicken. They now have a new menu w new items including several Chow Foon dishes, but no longer deliver.) [=> menu ] Ling Gardens -- Belmont (Waverly Sq) (A good find in a dismal part of Belmont. Fresh food, quickly prepared, and tasty, with lots of good fresh veggies. Service is quick, friendly, and eager to please, and all of the food is msg-free. Prices are average for Chinese food: $6-10 for most dishes. Not a life-transforming experience, but very pleasant. Separate non-smoking area.) Marco Polo -- Boston (Faneuil Hall) 19-21 Union St (next to Union Oyster House), 720-7811 T: Green/Orange Line @ Haymarket, Blue Line @ Govt Center (Excellent food. The pan fried Peking Ravioli that was not oily; the meat inside is better quality than most in Boston. The Paradise Chicken has perfectly cooked vegetables, and a good novel flavoring. The Szechuan shrimp has a nice slightly sweet, yet tangy and spicy sauce. The Orange Beef is pretty much like the standard Chinatown dish, but made with higher quality beef. The steak teriyaki strips are hot, juicy, and thick, and the Pork Fried Rice is chock full of non-rice goodies. One of the best General Gau's Chicken around, and even the hot mustard has a nicer flavor than many. Also a large wine & beer list, reasonably priced. 2 Meals - Appetizer, about $22.00. Pleasant, genuinely warm, friendly staff, quick service. ~25 tables. Upscale compared to Chinatown, but not lavish; suitable for an evening out; light bright enough to read by comfortably but subdued enough to be intimate. Open 11:30AM - 2:00AM daily, delivery downtown, good luncheon buffet as well. Wheelchair accessible.) May's Cafe -- Medford (Well done Szechuan and Mandarin dishes; the Yu Hsiang dishes are particularly good. Efficient service, very fresh ingredients) Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Back Bay 545 Boylston St (betw Clarendon & Dartmouth), 236-4040 (Some say best Chinese in town, but quite pricey) New Asia -- Somerville (Union Sq) & Lexington 326 Somerville Ave, 628-7710 211 Mass Ave, Lexington 863-5533 (Pretty good; very quick-cooked Szechuan-style food, try the Yu Hsiang [savory green beans]) New Shanghai -- Chinatown 21 Hudson St, 338-6688 (One of the best Peking ducks around -- ask the waiter to have soup made from the bones -- it's wonderful. The broad beans (actually fava beans) are also good.) Noble House -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1306 Beacon St, 232-9580 (Well prepared Szechuan & Cantonese food in a pleasant atmosphere, though some find it uninteresting and overpriced. Try the Singapore Rice Stick) Ocean Wealth [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown 8 Tyler St, 423-1338 (Very nice, dressier than the average Chinatown place. Emphasis is on fresh and exotic seafood which is very good (often taken from the tanks you see as you enter), with some dishes you don't find elsewhere, but can get quite expensive. In their tanks they keep live lobsters (including very large ones), scallops, abalone, giant clams (geoducks), rockfish, etc. The steamed fresh rockfish with ginger and scallion is very good, as is the soft tofu with shrimp (very good). Non-seafood dishes, like the baby bok choy with garlic and the Chef's special duck can also be quite good, but things like sesame beef are just ok. More upscale than many Chinatown eateries, it even has carpet on the floor, and the second floor is particularly clean and well-ventilated. Ask for help from the manager to deal w the chinese-language menu.) [=> review ] Oceanic [Chinese Seafood] -- Back Bay 91 Mass Ave, 353-0791 (Good seafood dishes, a little expensive. While still seafood- oriented, the menu is now more slanted to the usual meats & vegetables. Food is tasty and varied, and they're not really bound by the "neighborhood Chinese" formula. Good squid dishes.) Panda -- Somerville (Ball Sq) 719 Broadway, 625-9441 (Very decent neighborhood Chinese food. Good spicy wonton appetizer -- variation of Suan La Sho Chow. Also a good spicy pork dish w basil.) Peking Garden [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Lexington Center 27 Waltham St, 862-1051 (Well established, excellent, very good Hot & Sour soup, Dim Sum on the weekends; try the Chicken with Pine Nuts.) Pu-Pu Hot Pot [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 907 Main St (nr Mass Ave), 491-6616, T: Red Line @ Central Sq (A nice friendly place, one of the best in the area -- very popular and busy at lunchtime. They do a nice job w duck in general & especially w the Pressed Duck Appetizer. The Kung Pao Shrimp, General Gau's Chicken (flavorful, w interesting spices & slightly hot) & Szechuan Braised Beef (quite hot) are good too. Pu Pu Scallion Donuts are interesting. Great vegetarian dishes. Note that by default, the steamed rice has veggie pieces mixed in. Tasty dim sum on the weekends.) [=> menu ] Quan's Kitchen -- Allston 1026 Commonwealth Ave (betw Brighton Ave & Babcock), 232-7617 T: B Green Line @ Babcock St, #57 bus. M-Sat 11am-2am, Sun 1pm-11pm (Not for that fancy sit-down dinner with a hot date, the prices and decor say "cheap eats" -- this place is just a handful of plastic tables in a fluorescent-lit room; most people get take out. The menu has over 180 items on it, incl Hong Kong style soups, Congee dishes, and Chinese Bbq. Very satisfying & good food for the price, though highly variable. No MSG & 100% veg oil, but many of the dishes are overly oily, esp vegetable dishes like watercress; go with dishes where this doesn't matter, esp good are the rice dishes w duck, smoked chicken & bbq pork (better than Chinatown), salt & pepper shrimp, most noodle dishes, esp seafood fried noodle & soup noodles w beef brisket. Also avoid the hot & sour soup, stir-fried noodles, and Ma Po Tofu.) Royal East -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 782 Main St, 661-1660 (Still erratic, but some say this is one of the best in the area. Good quality Chinatown-style food -- chow fun, rice sticks, fantastic tangerine beef, good Suan La Sho Chow. Very nice hot & sour soup with good dose of Szechuan peppercorns.) [=> menu ] Ru Yee -- Newton (Nonantum) Adams & Rt 16 (Watertown St) (Not fancy, but the food is great and the lunch specials are an excellent value. Also good Lemon Chicken and Hot & Sour Soup.) Sally Ling's -- Waterfront 256 Commercial St (next to Long Wharf Marriot), 227-4545 (Mixed reviews -- some say bland food, overpriced, small portions; others say expensive but good. Their lamb with scallions is remarkable. Do not fall for desserts though.) San Francisco Noodle House -- Allston 1029 Commonwealth Ave, 783-5111 (Pretty good place, spacious, extremely clean. Service is very polite, but can be haphazard, since it just recently opened. Nice potstickers and scallion pizza; excellent cheap large portions of chow foon noodles. Also good tangerine chicken w tangerine rind actually ground into the sauce. Lots of unusual seafood entrees on the menu, but many were not actually available, and you should avoid the sea conch w vegetables unless you like an overly strong smell of conch.) Seven Stars Mandarin -- Newton Center 22 Union St, 527-3841 (Probably the best Chinese food in the area. Fast service & cheap. Decor leaves something to be desired, but it is comfortable & child-friendly. Good ravioli, great five-flavor chicken, and "ants climbing the tree"; maybe the best scallion pancakes around) Shalom Hunan [Kosher Chinese] -- Brookline Village 92 Harvard St at School (Tasty well prepared food, generous portions, a tad pricy [though possibly due to the extra cost of kashrut]. A diverse menu including veal, beef, chicken, duck, and whole fish dishes, as well as moo shu, not to mention chicken soup w matzoh balls. Polite attentive wait staff, pleasant comfortable dining room, wine/beer available. Quite good for Chinese food; Excellent for Kosher Chinese. Try the hot & sour soup, veal in garlic sauce, triple crown, orange-flavored chicken. May have to wait -- it's very popular). Shang Chai [Kosher Vegetarian Chinese] -- Brookline (JFK Crossing) 404A Harvard Ave (betw Beacon & Commonwealth), 783-2090 (Kosher Veggie Chinese with mock-meat using tofu, seitan, etc. Good salmon, "beef" w broccoli & "chicken" curry, but dishes are generally greasy & service is extremely slow & disorganized) [=> long negative review ] Shanghai Village -- Arlington Center 434 Mass Ave on left just before center of town, 646-6897 (Mixed reviews, though most find the food consistently good & reasonably priced. Szechuan-style entrees are quite fiery.) Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant [Chinese Seafood] -- W. Fenway 70-72 Kilmarnock St, 236-0384 (Cheap & good, w no atmosphere to speak of, but very very nice people. One of the best hot & sour soups around, and their wonton soup is also an order of magnitude better than what you get in most places -- the wontons actually taste like, well, wontons, and not like boiled lumps of dough wrapped around last week's mystery meat, but avoid the house special soup, which is flavorful but uses canned mushrooms & isn't very special. Try the crispy crispy scallion pancake, the Shanghai duck, lemongrass shrimp, and the green beans). Ta Sheng -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) Elliot St, 2nd floor, across from the Charles Hotel (The reviews vary from just ok w greasy beef dishes to excellent) Yangtse River -- Lexington 21 Depot Square, 861-6030 (Peking Garden's longtime competitors, very, very good, though not quite great -- try Hacked Chicken, Yangtse River Beef, Ma La Shrimp, Twice Cooked Pork) Yu's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1374 Beacon St, 734-2929 (Takeout, with sitdown area, now serving noodle dishes. Not fancy, but good food at reasonable prices. Good hot & sour soup, Peking noodles, Beef Chow Foon) Continental / Traditional / French Restaurants ********************************************** Another Season [French-American] ($$$) -- Beacon Hill 97 Mt Vernon St (nr Charles), 367-0880 (Odette Berry's imaginative French-American restaurant. Food at lunchtime is only average) Aujord 'Hui [Nouvelle French] ($$$$$) -- Park Sq Area Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St, 338-4400 (Mixed Reviews: Some say maybe the best restaurant in Boston; others say there are much better places in this price range. Reasonably interesting food, superb presentation, excellent service. The dining room is extremely spacious, and has a very nice view.) Bay Tower Room [Continental/French] ($$$$) -- Faneuil Hall Area 60 State Street, next to Faneuil Hall, 33rd floor, 723-1666 (Terrific food, wine list, live jazz on Fri and Sat, smashing view of Boston, contingent on good visibility. It falls in the romantic, posh, elegant, and pricey categories, but the food, ambiance, and view of the city and harbor is well worth every cent. Good dishes are escargot, lobster bisque, swordfish with lobster-chive vinaigrette and roasted tomato couscous.) Cafe Budapest [Hungarian] ($$$$) -- Back Bay Copley Hotel, 90 Exeter St (at Huntington), 266-1979 (Expensive classic Hungarian food, good food, classy ambience, but some say the prices are a bit high for the quality, and that it has gone a bit downhill lately. The mixed grill for two is wonderful, and the Gulyas soup has a nice kick to it. The desserts, of course, are to die for.) Chez Jean [French] -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq) 1 Shephard St (at Mass Ave), 354-8980 (Reasonably priced traditional French food; needs redecoration. Great Steak Au Poivre) Durgin Park [Traditional NE Regional] -- Faneuil Hall Faneuil Hall Market, 227-2038 (Food is basic American seafood and steak. So traditional that they regularly have mashed turnips on the menu, and their beef stew also has lots of turnips in it. The beef is always in large amounts. delicious prime rib, well-flavored and tender. Try their baked beans, which are excellent. Fish chowder is good, but do not depend on their fresh fish. There is a "Bale of Hay" (vegetarian platter) for those who discover they came to the wrong restaurant. Interesting atmosphere -- you can watch the cooks preparing since the kitchen is open to customer view & waitresses always seem to be hustling around. Their waitstaff is renowned for an "attitude" -- sharp tongue, but the service is basically good, and the waitresses are not as rude as they were years ago. They mostly don't yell at you any more, or refuse to get you desert if you didn't eat your vegetables. Tablecloths are still red checker. That will never change. Excellent place for very fast lunch. Singles seat at a common table. Have lunch with a busy Beacon Hill legislator.) [=>interesting long review] Hartwell House [American Traditional] -- Lexington Hartwell Ave (first left with a light N or 128 on 4/225) (Excellent food, nice atmosphere, but pricy. Good steaks, burgers, and simple seafood dishes. Good early bird special before 6:30, w prime rib on Friday's) Hungry I [Contemporary French / American] ($$$) -- Beacon Hill 71 1/2 Charles St, 227-3524 (Wonderful food in a very romantic elegant atmosphere, esp downstairs, which has a warmer ambience than the upstairs room, which can stark & uncomfortable when empty. Food as expected for the price, excellent service. Try the game dishes.) Julien [Nouvelle French] ($$$$$) -- Downtown Hotel Meridian, 250 Franklin St, 451-1900 (An impressive French Nouvelle place w a beautiful dining room that really must be seen. An enjoyable place but too expensive & too stuffy [real French accents w real French snobbery]. The food was very good but w very small portions for the entrees although the excellent desserts were large & spectacularly presented.) Le Bocage [Nouvelle French] ($$$$) -- Watertown 72 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 923-1210 (Nouvelle French food. They often host full course meals w various vineyards & running wine commentaries. Portions are on the light and rich end of the scale, though there's also regular dishes like poached salmon) L'Espalier [Nouvelle French] ($$$$$$) -- Back Bay 30 Gloucester St (nr Commonwealth Ave), 262-3023 (Very expensive Nouvelle French) Locke-Ober Cafe [Traditional New England] ($$$$) -- Downtown 3 Winter Place (betw Winter & Washington), 542-1340 (American / New England Cuisine in a wonderful (some say stuffy) old-Boston atmosphere. A meat-heavy menu, dark, rich decor, good wine list, minimal experimentation. The kind of place where firms take lawyers when they pass the bar or join the firm, or where you might go for a very private dinner. Excellent appetizers & steaks. Reservations a must.) Maison Robert [Classic French] ($$$$) -- Downtown 45 School St (betw Tremont & Washington), 227-3370 (Classic French w some Nouvelle touches, cooked to perfection. Not very experimental or inspiring, and somewhat meat-heavy, but very consistent and very very good. Upstairs is a formal, though pleasantly open, dining room; Ben's Cafe downstairs has a more modern ambience, with a $22 prix fixe menu available. A rather formal dining experience with knowleadgable, impeccable, though slightly haughty service. One of the best wine lists in Boston esp. for clarets (and also unusual Alsatian wines). Limited list of traditional appetizers, w some pastas and soups changing daily. Very good sauce reductions on the main entrees, and very good desserts, especially the apple tart & souffles) [see long review] Mill Falls [Contemporary American] ($$$) -- Newton Upper Falls 383 Eliot St (at Chestnut), 244-3080 (Basic & contemporary American food w a lovely view of the falls. The food can be very good, though often bland, and the prices are really for the view. Dress code; a nice place to take the relatives. Service is pretty good, but can vary. Very good filet mignon; good, and somewhat inexpensive pasta dishes. Lunch is a better deal, especially on a hot day when you can sit on the terrace next to the roaring waterfall.) Parker's [Traditional American] ($$$$) -- Downtown Omni Parker House, 60 School St (at Tremont), 227-8600, ext 1600 (Ritzy atmosphere, with beautifully prepared classic traditional food. Great dessert tray.) Peacock [Country French] -- West Cambridge 5 Craigie Circle (betw Concord & Brattle nr Radcliffe), 661-4073 (French country cooking using an interesting combinations of ingredients serving a clientele of tweedy older professor types. The menu is sort of nouvelle-style and changes every week or two. Mixed reviews on the food -- varying from excellent, consistently good although not terribly plentiful, to competent but not great. If you do like the food, then its a good place for a special, intimate dinner, well prepared and nicely served. Mixed reviews on the service too, from really bad, to patient, helpful, and well informed, and there are also complaints from some that the decor has become quite dingy. Can't be too bad, though ... reservations -- often far in advance -- are a must, though the prices are on the high side, though not out of sight.) Pillar House [Traditional] -- Newton Lower Falls (While the clientele is often "older", the food is universally excellent. They also offer a single table actually in the kitchen so you can watch dinner being prepared! There is only one "chef's table" and it only seats four, but it is a very different experience!) Plaza Dining Room [Continental] ($$$$$) -- Back Bay Copley Plaza Hotel, Copley Sq, 267-5300 (Expensive Continental food) Ritz Dining Room [Traditional] ($$$$) -- Back Bay Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Arlington & Newbury, 536-5700 (Mixed reviews. Some say super reliable food that is not creative, but classic dishes are well prepared. Others say that the food quality has declined precipitously in the last 18 months; that the beef has never been good, and now the fish has become suspect. Quite formal but comfortable. Service people are experienced and do an effective non-intrusive job.) Veronique [French] ($$$) -- Brookline (Longwood) Longwood Apts, 20 Chapel St, 731-4800 (Classic French cuisine) Eclectic / Nouvelle American / Californian / Cafes ************************************************** 29 Newbury St -- Back Bay 29 Newbury St (nr Berkeley), 536-0290 (Nouvelle at quite reasonable prices. Gracious, attentive, pleasant service in comfortable surroundings despite its chic reputation. Excellent flavors, wonderful presentations, and enormous portions, all at very reasonable prices (e.g. $15 for an excellent veal risotto, and $6-7 for an excellent large fried calamari appetizer). Tasty duck soup too. A decent wine list as well.) [=> review ] Bennett St Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, 661-5005 (Pleasant environment w decent food) Biba ($$$$) -- Park Square 272 Boylston St, 426-7878 (Trendy and stylish but informal, strange and unusual food combinations, food that can be showy but inedible; people's reactions vary widely from "it's amazing" to "how awful". Richly flavored food, but not heavy, w relatively generous portions. The wide ranging menu has some great individual dishes, but you won't necessarily get a great meal overall. High energy room intriguingly designed, somewhat lacking in comfort, tables spaced closely. Good service. Excellent but expensive wine list. First course $8-$16, entrees $15-25. Good bets are the lobster and the spit-roasted quail.) Black Crow [Cafe] -- Jamaica Plain (Hyde Sq) 403 Centre St (at Perkins), 983-9231 Nearest T: the #39 bus stop at Perkins and S. Huntington; (Small, excellent full-service California-style casual cafe, w an emphasis on fresh fish and expertly cooked seasonal vegetables, and light flavorful dishes that may use regional or ethnic flavorings as inspiration, w attention paid to presentation. Pizzas, extravagant desserts, Beer & wine also too. Friendly service. Prices are not cheap for a cafe, but not out of line for the quality.) Blackbird Baking Company [Cafe] -- Allston 1032 Commonwealth Ave (nr Brighton Ave), 739-9755 (Food is not that great or special, but it's a nice cafe atmosphere w excellent baked goods & coffee as well as nice lunch & dinner menu. A high-design interior decoration job, with counter seats as well as tables; the upstairs landing is more homey and a fine place to listen to live music many nights. The menu ranges from unusual vegie-combo sandwiches (asparagus or artichoke hearts, pesto, various European cheeses, grilled eggplant, etc.) to soups, pasta, fish & other light entrees, artfully presented. Good baked brie & a subtle but flavorful squash soup.) Blue Room ($$$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Kendall Sq (On Hampshire St), 494-9034, T: Red Line @ Kendall Sq (Very good unusual combinations of multi-ethnic grilled foods; always an innovative menu and very pleasant ambience. I love it, because of the flavorful, exciting, well-prepared dishes, and the majority of the reviews are very positive, but others have been disappointed. It is possible here to go for entrees, or just stick to the appetizers; a group can graze nicely on appetizers for less money. They have a fairly well-stocked bar with some unusual entries, like their own list of flavored grappas, as well as special beers from the Cambridge Brewery next door. They also offer free parking for a nearby garage. On weekends they have live performers, and they periodically host reservation-only shindigs with all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffets. Excellent Sunday brunch & evening buffet.) Blue Wave -- Back Bay 142 Berkeley St (betw Stuart & St James), 424-6711 (Hip, interesting menu, a good value, can be noisy. A bright open atmosphere; one of the most Californian restaurants in town. Food is ample, tasty & reliable. The salads, pizzas & roast poultry are all first rate. Well chosen wine list w nice selection of wines by the glass) Botolph's on Tremont -- South End 569 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 424-8597 (A cafe menu w wonderful appetizers and entrees served all day; the food is very flavorful, though some dishes are overly rich. Good calamari in a nice light batter & great sweet potato fries w w maple sour cream. Great foccacio, wacky gourmet pizzas -- the bbq pork & onions is esp good. Excellent skewered veggies w rice noodles & pnut sauce; superb penne w tomoatos, gorgonzoal & wild mushrooms. The risooto is very tasty but way too oily, and the duck ravioli is very falvorful but the buerre blanc sauce is way too rich). Center Street Cafe [Cafe] -- Jamaica Plain 597 Center St, 524-9217 T: Orange Line / Arborway Bus (E Green Line extension) @ Green St (Cozy cafe w great food and vegetarian options. Also an excellent Sunday Brunch served from 9am - 3pm) Claremont Cafe -- South End 535 Columbus Ave, 247-9001 Cornucopia on the Wharf ($$$) -- Waterfront 100 Atlantic Avenue, 367-0300 (Delicious, creative food in a comfortable atmosphere, w great views and ambience, and an emphasis on fruits & vegetables, but not vegetarian. Try grilled portobello mushroom carpacio, seafood specials, oven-roasted lobster w veg enchilada, white chocolate bread pudding. Good wine list.) Dakota's ($$$) -- Downtown 34 Summer St/101 Arch St, 737-1777 (Food is good, fresh and creative, the service is quick, but the room can be too noisy to hear across a large table. For lunch, its probably the perfect place for salesmen to bring their slightly-hip-but-ultimately-not-too-hip prospects. Try the lobster dishes -- especially the mesquite grilled lobster, the lobster tempura, and Dakota's lobster) East Coast Grill -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1271 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 491-6568 (Very very good. No reservations. Excellent bbq and jerk dishes, made next door at Jake & Earl's, as well as superb grilled fish (esp tuna). Terrific veggie platter (w or w/o dairy), great salads, and terrific desserts. Very nice collection of bottled microbrewery beers that go well w the food.) Hamersley's Bistro ($$$$) -- South End Clarendon & Tremont (at Boston Center for the Arts)?, 423-2700 (The new location in the Cyclorama bldg is more elegant than than the old, and the clientele seems richer and better-dressed. Service is generally impeccable, but since they cater to a well- dressed middle-aged crowd, service can potentially be a problem if you're out of place. Food continues to be very good -- delightful, interesting, meticulously prepared. Try the veal chop, or the roast chicken w garlic, lemon & parsley. Interesting wine list also. The environment is pleasant though it can be overly noisy at times. Caveat: you'll need reservations, and you'll need to reconfirm them the day you plan to dine. About $55/person (first course, main course, dessert, 1/2 bottle of their cheapest wine ($20/bottle) per person) [=> dissenting review] Harvard St Grill [Nouvelle American] ($$$) -- North Brookline 398 Harvard St, betw Beacon & Comm Ave, 734-9834 (Expensive but wonderfully prepared food; reasonable portions, though big eaters will leave hungry; great wine list; very warm & friendly owners. Try the rack of lamb with hoisin sauce, and the chocolate ganache flan. The place is small and reservations are always needed [=> review ]) Harvest ($$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 44 Brattle St, 492-1115 (Well prepared interesting food, a bit pricy [some say overpriced], in a very Cambridgy [some say stuffy] atmosphere crowded w upscale academic types, and decent service. Sometimes quite creative, but not always successfully. Very good wine list, and a wonderful place for a business lunch. A bit expensive for Sunday brunch ($10-15), but go early for great Eggs Benedict. The attached cafe is good for smaller and simpler meals.) Icarus ($$$$) -- South End 3 Appleton St (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 426-1790 (Creative food which keeps getting better, nice atmosphere. Try the polenta w mushrooms, thai squid, grilled tuna w cumin & coriander, scallops w black ink ravioli stuffed w white beans, grilled salmon w lemon sauce. Mixed reviews on the hazelnut sweetbreads. Avoid curried pork tenderloin & grilled chicken. Wonderful desserts, eclectic wine list. Romantic setting.) Jasmine Bistro -- Brighton Center 412 Market St, 789-4676 (A small storefront, made elegant, serving Hungarian Goulashes, nouvelle pasta, curries, kabobs, and more, presided over by the ex-chef of the Cafe Budapest and his family. All the food is excellent, with high quality ingredients, subtly spiced, and yet the prices are very reasonable. Exceptional choices include the tuna cake appetizer, veal gulyas, lamb curry, and the chocolate mousse. They also do a take-out business.) Jaspers ($$$$) -- Waterfront 240 Commercial St (at Atlantic Ave), 523-1126 (Fresh native New England ingredients sensually prepared. Definitely worth going to every couple of years. Prepares some of the best seafood in town.) Marco Solo -- Newton (Chestnut Hill) [The Atrium] (Recently opened by the ex-manager and son of the owner of Legal Seafood, and already quite popular. The olive sampler is an unassuming little bowl of perhaps half a dozen different varieties of olives and an exquisite olive pate. The chicken sate was done to perfection & the grilled chicken was tender, moist, but minimally spiced if at all, accompanied by a sauce that was tastier than it was hot. The create-your-own salads are huge -- basic Caeser/Garden/Spinach salad to which the customer can add such things as calimari, grilled mushrooms, roasted peppers, etc. Desserts, including the flourless passover cake & the white chocolate cheesecake are terribly rich and terribly good, and can be got with a very good cappucino. Lunch for 2, about $35.) Marais ($$$) -- Downtown 116 Boylston (betw Charles & Tremont), 482-7799 (Pricy. Other reviews have recommended the chicken bstilla, goat cheese terrine, lamb w polenta, chocolate pava & clafouti) Moka [Cafe] -- South End next to Back Bay Station (Moka explicitly calls itself a California cafe -- we're talking about a very self-consciously casual interior setting, with both table service on the upper level (including a livingroom sofa) and take-out counter service on the lower level. Al fresco dining, too, when weather permits. The menu is soups-sandwiches-burritos-pizzas, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and artful combinations. The burritos are big and tasty, and possibly the best value on the menu. The pizzas are individually sized, meaning small, and somewhat disappointing: the chicken-pesto topping rested in the center of the too-tough square crust like an oversized hors-d'oeuvre. No sauce held the ensemble together; a couple of bites and the whole thing crumbled into fragments, spilling the topping off. But, the baked brie is delicious, as well as the mushroom/leek duxelle sandwich. Also, delicious desserts, incl a sweet potato pie with whipped cream that's very rich, but not too sweet, and a nice white chocolate covered mousse. Good coffee too. Very nice atmosphere, eclectic clientele, beer and wine license, and friendly service, although the tables inside tend to get slighted when the tables outside get busy. All in all, a great place to hang out. Cheap for dinner (under $10 a meal), average for lunch, as far as prices. Higher price, but better value than, say, Au Bon Pain.) Noelle -- Cambridge (Porter Square) 1755 Mass Ave (nr Linnean, betw Harvard & Porter Sq), 491-7750 T: Red Line @ Porter Sq, #77 Bus (Mixed reviews. While some have found the food to be good and well-prepared, others thought the food uninspiring and mediocre. However, the prices are low ($7-12), although the main courses might be a little bit small if you're very hungry. Lunches are also a good deal, and the homemade soups are very good, esp the clam chowder. Try the spicy "Chicken Noelle", the steak tips, fra diavolo, and the excellent pork chop special. The specials seem to be higher-priced than the menu items. Some interesting beers on tap, incl Sam Adams, Bass & Tucher. [=> review ] The "posh" Cambridge facade belies a very friendly restaurant. Service is VERY friendly and VERY professional/formal at the same time; pretty much they start out on the formal side until they decide they can relax a little. There are two floors; the downstairs room feels a bit too much like a basement painted white; the bright, airy, skylit upstairs area includes a bar area, and seats around 20, but a dark ceiling makes the lighting somewhat difficult. No smoking, Wheelchair accessible.) On the Park -- South End 1 Union Park (on Shawmut Ave), 426-0862 (An absolutely delightful hole-in-the-wall with friendly informal service, and uniformly delicious food. The daily specials are reliably good, as are the standbys - garlic chicken is a perennial favorite. The wine selection is thoughtful and changes month to month. Reminiscent of Hamersley's Bistro, but a little less formal, a little more friendly and crowded, and less expensive.) rovidence ($$$) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1223 Beacon (at St Paul), 232-0300 (A mix of Tuscany & nouvelle New England food in a room transformed from its former stuffiness to funky w columns, fireplace, blue cobalt ceilings, black marble pillars, gargoyles everywhere, and interesting lighting. The menu is set up like Biba's but is more interesting. Mixed reviews, though most are very positive, citing subtly presented, excellently prepared great food; the negative reviews argue that the food is complicated, but not complex. The pastrami-style veal, which usually gets rave reviews, also can be mealy and fatty. One person loved the thick braised pork chop over white beans and cabbage; another thought that it was ok, but not as good as Porterhouse Cafe's. Go figure. Great vegetable side dishes too w lots of flavor, unlike insipid renditions elsewhere. You will either love or hate some of the more unusual appetizers like the fruity(!) squash polenta w grilled squid. Desserts still need improvement, though the chocolate fondant cake is excellent. Service also seems to be extremely variable. Entrees from $7-20, appetizers and desserts from $5-$9. Good wine list in the >$15 range. Try about $35/person. Reservations needed, though even with them there can still be long waits.) Seasons ($$$$) -- Fanueil Hall Bostonian Hotel, 9 Blackstone St (nr North St), 523-3600 (Excellent food, with different fixed prices depending on the # of courses, and a beautiful overall presentation of dishes. An excellent ham appetizer, and the fried sweetbread appetizer is exactly the right crispiness; "Brings to mind my grandmother's best turkey stuffing, only much better". Excellent soups include the Nantucket & Sweet Corn Chowder, and the lobster chowder; the carmeized onion soup has a good flavor, but the texture is off. Excellent wine list as well, though not very many wines are available by the glass.) Small Planet -- Back Bay 565 Boylston nr Dartmouth, 536-8993/4477 (Groovey vibes, nice service, reasonable prices, casual, gets louder later. A colorful place serving multicultural food which is quite good, but lacks the extra something that would make the food exceptional -- on the other hand, the food seems lower in fat that similar food elsewhere. Try the jerk chicken salad, gourmet pizza, ratatouille, quesadilla, fried conch, veggie risotto. The kitchen can be slow at lunchtime.) Sonsie -- Back Bay 327 Newbury St, 351-2500 (Well, the food is supposed to be quite good, especially entrees like the Filet of Sole in Chervil Sauce & the Roast Lamb Stew. But beware the ambience -- the crowd is young and affluent and mostly foreign... which is to say, you'd better be hip, urban, and xenophilic or you may feel a little out of place. The wait staff is, naturally, also hip and snooty, and if you're not a Newbury St regular, the service may be lacking unless you order an expensive meal. See review.) St Botolph -- South End 99 St Botolph (at W. Newton), 266-3030 (A pleasant open sunny casual techno-brick environment, w slightly formal but very pleasant service. The same cafe menu as Botolph on Tremont is served at lunch; separate dinner menu.) St Cloud ($$$) -- South End 557 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 353-0202 (Interesting Nouvelle American cuisine serving some of the best food in town, visually appealing, though not always exceptional. For example, the veal, though high quality, can be bland and uninteresting, making the appetizers and potatoes au gratin the highlights of a dinner. Small menu, but each offering is equally appealing. The portions are not huge; rather, they are perfectly sized so you can eat an appetizer or salad, an entree, a dessert (which can be quite large though), and a cappucino and not feel bloated when you leave. The atmosphere is typical snobby, arty South End, but don't let that deter you. Now serving a dessert buffet 11pm-1am on weekends.) Tam O'Shanter -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 1648 Beacon St, 277-0982 (Good food, good value, live music later in the evening. Often food combines unusual ingredients that work perfectly [but not always]. Good inexpensive food on the menu too; try the meat loaf. Perfect for lunch & Sunday Brunch as well.] Union Square Bistro -- Somerville (Union Sq) 16 Bow St, 628-3344 (Good food, romantic atmosphere, reasonable prices, very friendly service. There's a bar/lounge on the first floor, upstairs is a light and airy dining room, with windows along one side that open up onto a roof deck used for outdoor dining. The food is all superb, esp the very onionny french onion soup, baked lamb, an incredibly tender osso bucco w garlicky potato cakes ($11), and a huge wonderful paella ($13). Good bread too. You can order from a separate "Nutritionally Correct" menu, then blow it all on one of their really decadent desserts, such as the chocolate mousse cake with fresh raspberry sauce, or some of the best the home-made expresso ice cream in the city.) [=> review ] Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 10 Holyoke St (off Mass Ave), 864-1933 (Expensive, but romantic & sublime -- very good imaginative cooking, though the result can be extraordinarily variable. Game meats are a specialty. Reasonably priced lunches. For dinner, the best bet (though expensive) is the complete dinner.) Water Cafe -- Jamaica Plain 701 Centre, 522-6458 (Pleasant place to eat. Try the barbecued duck & white bean empanada, and the cajun seafood gumbo) Ethiopian Restaurants ********************* Addis Red Sea -- South End 544 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 426-8727 (Good well-spiced Harrar food, more than adequate portions. For folks who don't know much about Ethiopian food, the numerous combination plates provide excellent samplers. Intimate seating; authentic woven tables, close together. Fancier, larger menu & higher prices than Asmara. Heating problems on cold days. Down one flight; not wheelchair accessible.) Asmara -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 739 Mass Ave, 497-9635/864-7447. T: Red Line @ Central Sq (Quite good Eritrean food, especially for the price, and good service too. Small and family run, this place has a limited menu and a very relaxed atmosphere, with an incredibly warm & hospitable owner. The food is inexpensive and pretty good, though a lot of the dishes do seem very similar to each other, both in description and taste. It's a great place to go with a group to talk, since the style of eating puts you around a central platter and really forces you to interact. Intriguing homemade honey wine also. Good vegetarian options.) Indian Restaurants ****************** Akbar India -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1250 Cambridge St, 497-6548 (Very good buffet, unusual South Indian items like black doughnut, sambar, masala dosai. Try the samosas, allo bada, dahi vada, garlic naan, tandoori fish, chicken, and shrimp masala special) [=> menu ] Barbeque's International -- Allston [Look under Bbq Listings] Bombay Bistro -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1353 Beacon St, west of Harvard, 734-2879 (Excellent Indian food w a very pleasant slightly upscale ambience. The focus is not on hot and spicy food, but on food which is very flavorful, fresh and well-prepared. This is possibly the least oily Indian food I've ever had. Good sheesh kabobs & tandoor. Also try the makhabar curry, chicken tikka, chicken or seafood xacuti, and sour chicken soup. Also excellent vegetarian dishes, including a very flavorful aloo chole, as well as an excellent eggplant in tamarind sauce. Excellent breads including terrific papadum topped w onions and cilantro, kulcha, and peshwari nann. A good beer selection, but also check out the yogurt drinks, esp. the one with saffron. The food is fairly priced - $33 for two, incl. 2 dishes, 2 drinks, a bread, tax&tip. Service isn't super speedy, but acceptable. Not very wheelchair-accessible or particularly child-friendly though. Quite popular; even a line on weekday nights.) Bombay Club -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 57 JFK at Winthrop, 661-8100 (Better than average, and perhaps the best in Boston for taste, atmosphere, and lower-than-usual oiliness, with an adventurous menu to boot. The kadai (similar to a wok) dishes are particularly good and relatively low-fat. Also try achar gosht [for spice freaks], chicken methi, lamb shorba, veggie curries, reshmi kebab, kachumber salad, the kadai dishes, the nan, prawn saag & (for dessert) badami kheer. South Indian brunch on weekends w idlis, sambar. North Indian buffet weekdays) Bombay Mahal -- Waltham Moody St (Mixed reviews. A great, though slightly pricey, South Indian brunch on Sundays w good dosai. Some questions about sanitation.) Cafe of India -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 52a Brattle, 661-0683 (One of the best in the square, reasonable prices too. Try bhindi masala kadahi, aloo chole, baingan bharta) Delhi Darbar -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 14 Holyoke St, 492-8993 (Pretty good overall, w excellent weekend brunch -- some say even better than Bombay Club's -- though they overuse their tomatoey sauces. Special menu of South Indian vegetarian dishes served Sunday afternoons. Very extensive menu, and they will adjust the spices on any dish as you wish. Try the chicken w spinach, tandoori mixed grill, chick pea dish, mango lassi) India -- Somerville (Davis Sq) 256 Elm, 354-0949 (Mixed reviews, food said to range from excellent to uninspired, service can be careless. Good bhajia, breads, chicken tandoori, curries & mango lassi.) India Palace -- Somerville (Union Sq) 23 Union Sq, 666-9770 (Great food, esp. the garlic naan (w lots of garlic), the subtly flavored chana masala, the chicken saag, and a saag aloo that was very hot but still retained the separate flavors of the spinach and the spices. Romantic Indian music videos for ambience.) India Pavillion -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 17 Western Ave (at Mass Ave), 547-7463, T: Red Line @ Central Sq (Quality of food can vary, but often excellent, and cheap. The Pullao dishes are tasty but somewhat greasy. Superb carrot (gazer) halwa! Not a particularly insprired or exciting menu, but decent cheap standard Central Square Indian fare. Always full and can be quite cramped, a wait on weekends. They'll vary the spicyness on request. Lots of veggie options.) India Quality -- Kenmore Sq 536 Commonwealth Ave, 267-4499 (Funky place, but one of the best Indian restaurants with Punjab (North Indian) cuisine, and very reasonably priced. Try the Chicken Dahiwala, Beef Shajahanai, Beef Kabab Masala & Chicken Tikka. Also excellent breads, esp the chapati, garlic naan & spinach poori. Food tends toward the hot side) India Samraat -- Back Bay 51a Mass Ave, 247-0718 (Mixed reviews. Some say forgettable yucky food; others like the lamb jalfrozie & chicken tikka masala) Indian Cafe -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 1665 Beacon St (at Winthrop), 277-1752 Green Line: C train, Tappan St stop (at Star Market) (Standard Indian fare, very high quality, better in some ways than the more popular Bombay Bistro in Coolidge Corner, esp since the wait staff here is very pleasant and congenial. Above average tandoori dishes and shrimp samosas. One note: if you like your food spicy-hot, make sure you ask for 'hot'. Nice decor, spacious room. Very open feeling with large windows looking out onto Washington St, but avoid sitting by the window; it feels kind of like you're in a fish bowl. The overall ambience is very pleasant though. Open till ~10:30pm. Wheelchair accesible. Lots of veggie dishes. Very child-friendly.) Indian Globe -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 474 Mass Ave, 868-1866 (Reasonable prices. Good for take out. Try the Malia Kofta) Kashmir -- Back Bay 279 Newbury St, 536-1695, T: Green Line @ Hynes Auditorium (Average food, good prices, nice atmosphere, polite service, vegetarian options) Kebab-N-Kurry -- Back Bay 30 Mass Ave (betw Beacon & Marlboro), 536-9835 (A good value for pretty good, and often excellent food, though some dishes are only so-so. Really good chicken kachumbar salad, chicken jal frezi and do piaza. The vegetable kofti curry is flavorful and piquant, and the marinated lamb uses good quality meat and actually tastes like lamb, but the mint chapathi is just mediocre. It's a very small place, and there can be a long wait on weekend nights.) Little India -- Waltham Moody St (Reasonably priced, good veggie fare, tandoori chicken, and various biryanis) Maharajah -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 2088 Mass Ave (at Walden), 492-9538 (A small place which doesn't look like much on the outside, but it's superb, esp for vegetarians, and has great service. Very good dal, not heavy, and alu gobi. Good tandoori & curries, though one reviewer though the place was awful w chicken curry that looked like dogfoof on minute rice, w awful service too. Selection at different levels of spicyness, though specializes in especially spicy food.) New Mother India -- Waltham 336 Moody St, 893-3311 (Kind of pricey, since they got a modern, swanky mauve storefront, but very good food, though now somewhat less spicy. Lots of bottled beers. Service recently reported to be problematic.) Oh Calcutta -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 468 Mass Ave, 576-2111 (Favorite of many Indian connoisseurs, especially for lunch. Good for dinner too; try golden biryani) Passage to India -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 1900 Mass Ave, 497-6113 (The food gets mixed reviews. Good bets are the special dal nan, and the vegetarian stuffed pepper, a roasted yellow pepper with a chili-flavored sauce. Service is friendly, place is comfortable and warm.) Shalimar -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 546 Mass Ave, 547-9280 (Great place for dinner, w a few things that don't show up at other places, like the Shrimp Do Piazza [which is entirely different from the Lam Do Piazza]. Realiably high quality, w extra points for freshness & adjustability of spice level.) Taj India -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 781 Main St (nr Mass Ave), 354-4984 (Decent inexpensive lunch buffet which is an excellent deal. Good service. They now have a liquor license.) Tandoor -- Arlington (Mixed reviews, with the worst saying that Tandoor serves small portions of cheap Indian fast food and doesn't pretend to rise above medicrity or be anything more.) Tandoor House -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 991 Mass Ave, 661-9001 (Reasonable prices, excellent tasty Mogul style food, friendly service, though it can be noisy when crowded. Good & cheap for lunch. But the food can be greasy, and the chicken pullao can include bits of gristle and cartilage; might be best to go vegetarian here. ) Taste of India -- Watertown 91 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 926-1606 Viceroy -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 567 Mass Ave, 2nd floor, 354-0611 (Excellent food -- in fact, this is one of my favorites, but the service can be erratic, and is sometimes downright awful. Especially good curries & tandoors, a very good vindaloo and an excellent mixed grill. Nice, quiet, upstairs restaurant. Prices low to moderate. Indonesian Restaurants ********************** Jimmy Mac's) they still offer a bbq menu as well. Seating for about 20. They have what they call a rijstaffel but it's more just a dinner at $35 for 2 persons. You can also get other dinners (about $14) and order a la carte as well.) Italian Restaurants ******************* Al Dente -- North End 109 Salem St, 523-0990 (Comfortable, though crowded, place, serving ample quantities of well-flavored good quality food. Moderate prices; pleasant helpful service. Delicious appetizers; succulent clean mussels & a light flavorful rotini of eggplant. Wonderful specialities, particularly a melange of chicken, seafood, artichokes,... w the ubiquitous side of pasta. Go for the specials of the day. Gets busy early in warm weather; always is packed late) Appetito -- Newton Center, South End Beacon St, Newton Center 1 Appleton St, South End, 338-6777 (Good food, accent on Italian cuisine, moderate prices; long lines sometimes. Excellent linguine with shrimp, scallops, garlic, tomatoes, basil and scallions and "arrosto di pollo") Artu -- North End Prince St, nr Hanover (Pleasant informal place with good Italian bistro food, more eclectic & less expensive than usual for the North End. Good lamb & pork loin) Azita Ristorante -- South End 560 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 338-8070 (Combination of Northern Italian & Nouvelle American, stylish & romantic. Very very good, thoroughly modern Italian, moderately pricey. Service is pleasantly informal but attentive. There's a candle-lit annex which looks major-league romantic.) Bella Vista -- North End 288 Hanover St, 367-4999 (A very attractive place, with a more open feeling than many other North End restaurants. Though there are rarely lines there, this is a wonderful place to go for pasta. The penne pasta with spicy tomato sauce or the ziti al'arrabiata are favorite of vegetarians. The grilled lamb and sausage dish is very good too, well prepared, though it may be slightly tough. Service can be a bit slow. Entrees around $7-10. Amex only.) Black Goose -- Beacon Hill 21 Beacon St (at Bowdoin), 720-4500 (Great food, and for lunch, quite reasonably priced) Blossoms -- Charlestown One First Ave (Rear), Bldg #34, Navy Yard, 242-1911 Bluestone Bistro [Italian Pizza] -- Brighton, Waltham 1799 Commonwealth Ave (at Chiswick), 254-8309, T: Green Line, C train, Chiswick St stop 663 Main St, Waltham, 891-3339 (Excellent pizza, pasta, calzones & appetizers at very reasonable prices in a pleasant bistro atmosphere. The food is well-flavored but more importantly, everything here tastes very fresh, including an outstanding tomato sauce, and well-balanced salad dressings that go on large inexpensive salads. Superb vegetarian lasagna, made with mascarpone cheese, and fine appetizers like the smokin' shrimp, and the maple glazed scallops in bacon. Small, but very nice wine selection and hard cider available too. Service is friendly, but can be a bit scattered at times, and waits for food can be stretched by the large take-out business. Busy, so come early or expect to wait. Child-friendly (high chairs available), and wheelchair accessible, though the restrooms are downstairs.) Bluestone Boston [Italian Pizza] -- South End 480 Columbus Ave (Used to be a branch of Bluestone Bistro with the same menu, but recently split off; current status unknown) Cafe Lampara -- Allston 916 Commonwealth Ave (nr St Paul's), 566-0300 (Good atmosphere, dependable food, great bread. Authentic pizza. Reasonably priced, pretty good wine list. Good fried polenta, lentil soup, salads, antipasto & pastas) California Pizza Kitchen -- Back Bay & Harvard Sq Eliot St nr JFK, Harvard Sq, T: Red Line, Harvard Sq Prudential Mall, Back Bay (Quite good! Delicious soups and salads, tasty sauces for pasta. The Field Green salad was great, the small was enough for two, with a dozen difficult-to-identify greens in it, and the greek salad is very good as well. Not an Italian style "crust/tomato- sauce/cheese" pizza-place, instead, lots of funky Calif-style pizzas, many with chicken, or more unusual ingredients, such as the very good peking duck pizza. More unusual and exotic than Bertucci's, but reviews are mixed as to which is better. Also, pizzas come in individual sizes only. Avoid the Black Bean Shrimp and Pasta and beware of flat soda. Good lemonade though. Overall very good service, bright atmosphere, casual but neat. Not too crowded (yet). Wheelchair accessible. Beer & Wine.) Cantin Abruzzi -- Newton Highlands (Family friendly, reasonably priced, pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff. The food is good, though not particularly adventurous, and not as good as it was when it opened ~5 years ago. Often a long wait for tables from Thursday to Sunday. All-you-can-eat pasta Mondays and Tuesdays for ~$6) Ciao Bella -- Back Bay 240A Newbury St at Fairfield, 536-2626 (Upscale, excellent pasta, but last time I was there, admittedly late at night, the Carpaccio was dry and tasteless) Da Natale -- North End 448 Hanover St (nr Commercial), 720-4480 Davio's ($$$) -- Back Bay 269 Newbury St, 262-4810 (Very good tiramisu) Davio's ($$$) -- East Cambridge Royal Sonesta, 5 Cambridge Pkwy, 661-4810 (Very good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere. Try the grilled squid & chick pea crespelle, pizzas, corn chowder, rabbit ravioli, chicken w pappardelle, salmon, skirt steak. In general, the meat & fish dishes are great but perhaps too rich. For dessert, try the white chocolate torte & mango sorbet. Good wine list. Inconsistent service. Also very nice lunches.) Davio's ($$$) -- Brookline Village 204 Washington St, Brookline Village, 738-4810 (Good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere. Try the salt cod lobster cakes, pasta, duck, lamb & salmon, braised lamb shanks, and rib steaks) Dom's -- North End 100 Bartlett Place, off Salem St, 367-8979 (A somewhat eccentric restaurant w mixed reviews. You will find the tiny faux brick dining room in the basement to be somewhere between lovely and tacky, and it can be noisy. The menu is ummm.. interestingly organized, but Dom or his son will sit down with you to have a detailed serious discussion about your order, and if you express indecision about dishes, on occasion he will offer a small portion of the cheaper one for free. Outstanding veal dishes, and very fine pasta dishes, but some dishes, especially the more expensive ones, are simply too rich, without the subtlety or variety of flavoring that redeem them from simply being artery cloggers. Desserts are quite good, especially the chocolate cheesecake, but are marred by perhaps the worst espresso in the North End. They offer a discount (5%) for cash payments.) Emporio Armani Express ($$$) -- Back Bay 214 Newbury St, 437-0909 (Marvelous food, exquisite pastries, very good service. More a scene than anything else, though the food is rather good with superb pizza & risotto. A place for the glitterati) [=> review ] Enzo Ristorante -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 329 Harvard St, 277-1288 (One of my favorites; very nice ossu buco w risotto, excellent wait staff, moderately priced lunches, nice wines & romantic ambience. Also try antipasto, carpacio, saltimbocca, pappardelle alla bolognese, or anything grilled) Figs -- Charlestown 67 Main St, 242-2229 (Memorable pasta & the best pizza in town; try the calamari pizza. And try any dessert) Five North Square ($$$) -- North End 5 North Sq, 720-1050 (Enjoyable food & intimate atmosphere. Great Caeser Salad for 2) Florentina -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 143 Main St, 577-8300 (A great place for a cheap, interesting, authentically Italian lunch in a pleasant atmosphere. Much pricier but fairly good food for dinner w great service. Excellent, though somewhat overpriced appetizers, including the antipasto & portabella mushrooms. Excellent pepper pasta w grilled chicken, well made & perfectly spiced, and a very big portion. Excellent tiramisu & cinnamon ice cream.) [=> lunch menu ] Giacomo's -- North End, South End 355 Hanover St (betw Little Prince & Fleet), North End, 523-9026 431 Columbus Ave, South End, 266-1122 (A tiny, get-em-in-and-out place, with prompt, but not overly rushed service. Go early or expect a long wait. Not a place for an intimate, lingering evening, but a fun, light, busy atmosphere. The food is better than what might be expected -- excellent Italian-style seafood, though the prices seem a bit high.) Giannino's -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) in the Charles Hotel courtyard (Attractive, quiet place, with wonderful northern Italian food and very pleaant service. Nice ambience incl nice view of the hotel courtyard. It's been suggested, with justification, that the power lunch crowd goes to Rarities, while people who don't need to impress anyone go to Giannino. This is a place where anything you order will be excellent. The wild mushroom w garlic cream sauce is especially good. Also try the eggplant appetizer & the risotto. The desserts are very good also. Many entrees can be ordered in half portions. Excellent wine list with many wines not widely known.) G'Vanni's ($$$$) -- North End 2 Prince St (nr Hanover), 523-0107 (Consistently excellent food, emphasis on quality meat & seafood, prompt & professional service. Good cream of mushroom soup, excellent seafood pescatore (huge portion!), and superb raspberry cannoli. Good, but not exceptional house wines) Il Capriccio ($$$) -- Waltham 53 Prospect St, 894-2234 (Excellent Northern Italian food, a great wine list, a tad snooty. Try the lemon mousse nut dessert) Il Nido ($$$) -- North End 257 North St, 742-4272 Il Panino -- North End, Cambridge (Central/Harvard Sq) 295 Franklin St, 338-1001 (Il Bistro, 1st floor) Mass Ave, Cambridge (Good sandwiches, subs & pasta, homemade mozzarella) L'Osteria -- North End 109 Salem St (at Parmenter), 723-7847 (Nice enough place, not a terribly inspired menu, quiet, not fancy. Dinner for two was under $30, with a couple glasses of wine.) La Conte -- North End Salem St (Small restaurant with excellent food, very generous servings, good, inobtrusive, fast service, and reasonable prices. Excellent spaghetti carbonara and chicken marsala. Ok wine list) La Groceria -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 853 Main St, 497-4214 (Still good food, some say it's overrated and overpriced, and eats like "Cambridge WASPS do Italian". Good Penne Amalfi. Beware of coming for the early dinner special, but being seated late. And beware of an older woman who is an especially rude waittress.) [=>interesting long review] La Piccola Venezia -- North End 63 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 523-9802 (Very straightforward, cheap Italian-American food. A fun place w a family feel. The place is small, the tables are VERY close, the waitresses call you dear and put their hand on your shoulder when you order, and the owner's relatives serenade you on accordian. This is an order a pitcher of the house red wine kind of place. The traditional dishes (gnocchi, calamari) are best. Always a wait.) Mamma Maria ($$$) -- North End 3 North Sq at Prince St, 523-0077 (Pricey, but wonderful food and an interesting menu. Fawning service. Good wine list. A romantic evening in a charming building.) Massimino's -- North End 207 Endicott St, 523-5959 3 min walk from North Station or Haymarket T stations (One of the better of the not so expensive North End Italian restaurants. Small, unpretentuous, excellent food, especially vegetable dishes. Fast service. Casual. Try the pork chops w potatoes & vinegared peppers) Michela's ($$$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Athenaeum St (off First), 225-2121 (Equivalent of very good eclectic restaurant in Italy; good flavorful food, formal yet relaxing, awesome ambience (wide open modern). Menu changes seasonally. Also a lunch counter usually serving very good food at a very reasonable price. Go now, since Michela's is scheduled to be replaced by a new restaurant in the summer.) Moon Woman Cafe -- Newton Upper Falls Oak St, betw Highland Ave & Chestnut St (Creative American/Italian, including pasta dishes and a full gamut of seafood, meat, poultry. Creative breads with a red pepper spread are set out on the tables to whet one's appetite and the wine list is also quite good. The menu is surprisingly large, and there are also daily specials. Friendly and knowledgable. Under Stellina's management w desserts brought in from there (excellent chocolate cake w raspberry sauce). Tables are closely spaced, so it can get noisy. Nice ambience w a bar area & a number of small connected rooms. Large parking lot. Main dishes in the teens to low twenties.) Mother Anna's -- North End 211 Hanover St (at Cross St), 523-8496 (Great food, good portions, reasonably priced. Try the Chicken Creation [kind of Chicken Eggplant Parmesan] & Shrimp Exquisito) Nana Cora's -- East Boston 295 Bennington, 569-1551 (Small family-owned restaurant w very good moderately priced food, including some excellent made-to-order dishes) Nicole -- North End 54 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 742-6999 (A wonderful place. Cozy atmosphere, wonderful food, an admirable wine list. It's not cheap, but it's not excessively expensive either.) Old Spaghetti Factory -- Waterfront 44 Pittsburgh St (nr Northern Ave), 737-8757 (Inexpensive family restaurant w funky entertaining furnishings. Mostly standard fare except for the excellent spaghetti in browned butter and mizithra cheese) Olive's ($$$) [Nouvelle Northern Italian] -- Charlestown 10 City Sq, 242-1999, 5 min walk from North Staton T (No reservations, great food, semi-Italian creative, but very noisy. Yuppie hangout. Excellent creative seafood dishes, such as whole sauteed red snapper with garlic mashed potates & olive/ eggplant chutney, good lamb & duck, good wine list, excellent desserts. The food is never disappointing. However, service can be extremely slow when they are busy, especially in the bar.) [=> review ] PapaRazzi -- Newton (Chestnut Hill), East Cambridge, Back Bay Chestnut Hill Mall, Newton, 527-6660 Cambridgeside Galleria, Cambridge, 577-0009 271 Dartmouth St nr Boylston, Back Bay, 536-9200 (Lots of people like this place, though I found the pasta entries disappointing. Unusual appetizers, mixed reviews on pizza, good salads, good for lunch. Try the antipasto plate, insalata toscana, grilled eggplant & mozzarella sandwich, chicken sandwich & pesto pizza. Good veal dishes, roasted chicken, lobster ravioli, Tuscan sausage. Chestnut Hill is the best location) Pomodoro -- North End 319 Hanover St, 367-4348 (A small place w a small menu and an exposed kitchen that can serve some wonderful imaginative dishes, including a nice collection of soups, stews and specials, at reasonable prices. Try the suckling pig. Cash only.) Porcini's -- Watertown 68 School St, 924-2221 (Most people think the place is great -- imaginative flavorful preparations using quality ingredients (though one dissenting review found the food overseasoned), good portions, moderate prices, pleasant professional waitstaff; overall a very enjoyable place to eat. Excellent Cacciucco (flavorful Italian fish stew); maple-roasted pork rib chop; wood-grilled shrimp w tomatoes, fennel & oyster mushrooms; beef tenderloin tart w risotto & porcini sauce, tuna steak w pimentoes, roasted garlic & tomatoes; pan fried ravioli w butternut squash & prosciutto; exquisite veal; very good Spaghetti Bolognese; and irresistible desserts. The actual entrees available will probably be different when you go though; the menu changes seasonally.) Ristorante Lucia -- North End 415 Hanover St, 367-2353 (Crowded & pricey, but quite good) Ristorante Marino [Italian Natural] -- North Cambridge 2465 Mass Ave, 868-5454 (All pesticide-free, anitibiotic-free, hormore-free ingredients, unfortunately also reportedly flavor-free and overpriced. Good sourdough rolls. Try the porchetta & pasta. Better than average wine list.) Ristorante Toscano ($$$) -- Beacon Hill 41 Charles St (nr Mt Vernon), 723-4090 (Mixed reviews. Some say elegant food, w nice ambience; others say hugely over-rated w boring food & small selection.) Rocco's ($$$) -- Theater District Transportation Building, 5 Charles St South, 723-6800 (Pricey, but very good. Similar to Michela's. Wild theatrical decor. Great pasta. Very creamy sauce w the Spaghetti Carbonara. Bread served w olive oil & roast garlic. Interesting wine list.) Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage -- East Boston (Excellent veal. Mostly patronized by locals, next to impossible to get in on weekends.) Saraceno's -- North End 286 Hanover St (betw Cross & Richmond), 227-5353 (Great Italian food -- perhaps the best traditional Italian in the North End. Unfortunately not cheap. Get the vegetable side dishes, because someone in the kitchen really knows how to saute. Very good service, lovely presentation of the food. Reservations needed for dinner. A wonderful place to take out of town guests.) Saro's -- Waltham Main St (Rt 117 nr 128), 899-SARO (Not fine dining, but a hole in the wall. Mixed reviews -- from "unusual and great dishes, w nice ambience and great jazz on the stereo" to "awful ambience, bored and ignorant waitstaff, no better than what you can make at home". Lots of food though) Schifino ($$$) -- Downtown 21 Broad St (betw State & Milk), 523-0590 (Wonderful restaurant w good friendly service. Superb calamari salad and main courses) Sorento's -- West Fenway 86 Peterborough St (betw Kilmarnock & Jersey), 424-7070 (Wonderful small casual place; you can taste the garlic when you enter! Service is sometimes flaky, but the food's always very good here. They know how to cook pasta al dente. Try the Rigatoni Milano, and the reliably good scampi. Good pizzas & calzones too.) Spasso -- Back Bay 160 Commonwealth (at Dartmouth), 536-8656 (Yes its a hotspot and a meat market, but the food is quite good, and at off hours, it can be a nice quiet little place. The somewhat overpriced food is rumored to be going downhill though, and the wine list still leaves something to be desired.) Stellina -- Watertown Sq 47 Main St, 924-9475 (Bistro ambience, combination of Italian & Nouvelle. Well prepared and flavorful foods. Friendly place. Excellent warm tomato salad, good spicy black bean soup, outstanding bread. Minority opinion is that meat entrees & desserts can be disappointing) Sweet Peppers -- Lexington Center 20 Waltham St, 862-1880 (Good portions of reasonably good somewhat nouvelle Italian food; very good pizza. Crowded, but accepts reservations. Reasonably priced.) Terramia -- North End 98 Salem St, 523-3112 (Very good Nouvelle Italian food. Entusiastic wait staff) Trattoria Il Panino (Dining Room) -- North End 295 Franklin St, 2nd floor, 338-1000 Trattoria Pulcinella ($$$) [Northern Italian] -- West Cambridge 147 Huron Ave (nr Concord Ave), 491-6336 Transport: #72, 74, 78 bus at Concord Ave. (An informal cafe serving terrific Northern Italian food, much more relaxed than previous restaurants in this space, but still not cheap. Depend on the waiters for useful recommendations. Good range of Italian reds wines, adequate whites. Dinner only, closed Mon. Wheelchair accessible.) Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Waltham 361 Moody St (betw Spruce & Walnut), 891-5486 (Very good nouvelle cuisine. Pricey, need reservations, worth it. You can sit at the food bar in the back and watch them cook. The softshell crab is exceptional. Also try the gnocchi, cacciucco, grilled squid, shrimp, steak & duckling) Uva -- Brighton 1418 Commonwealth Ave, 566-5670 (Nice neighborhood bistro, large portions, good antipasto & pizza) Verona -- Watertown 18 Mt Auburn, 926-0010 (Mixed reviews, from "awesome wonderful Italian food" to "a dump to be avoided". Emphasis on steaks, seafood, and pasta) Vinny Testa's -- Brookline (Washington Sq), Newton (Four Corners) 1700 Beacon St, Washington Sq, 277-3400 Beacon St (west of Walnut), Newton Four Corners (Good food with overly enormous portions. Large pleasant room w an informal, comfortable & tasteful atmosphere. You'll be happiest if you stick to simple foods. Good pasta, eggplant, chicken & veal parmigiana, shrimp scampi, and very good salads, though the Caeser salad gets mixed reviews. The bread served with roasted whole garlic in olive oil is great. Meals come in either solo or large size. Solo meals run from about $9-16 & includes a large dish of pasta. The large meals cannot be finished by anyone. For $3.50, you can get a side salad that is served family style and is easily enough for three.) Japanese Restaurants ******************** Cafe Mami -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) [see Porter Exchange Mall], 547-9130 (Very authentic food, but service can be very slow) Cafe Sushi -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Central Sq), 492-0434 (Just reopening, previously known for good quality food. It's mostly sushi with a few salads and appetizers and one or two other dishes, including hot pots, which are unexceptional. The quality is good. Quality comparable to Roka, with a wider variety of ingredients but fewer interesting combos on the menu. On the other hand, the guys at Cafe Sushi will make you whatever you want if you ask them nicely. For beer, stick to the Kirin. Service can be glacial if you don't sit at the sushi bar, which can be good or bad depending on what you have in mind. Beware of the 15% service charge they add for takeout!) Goemon -- Symphony Area 267 Huntington Ave (nr Gainsborough), Boston, 859-8669 (Japanese Noodle house with good Soba, Udon, and Ramen with Hot or Cold Broth and a wide choice of toppings, generously provided. There are complaints that at Symphony the soup is served luke-warm w mushy overcooked noodles.) Gyuhama of Japan -- Back Bay 827 Boylston St (betw Gloucester & Fairfield), 437-0188 (Good sushi; opinion varies as to whether it is great or not. In any case, it's a fun place, esp for late nite dining -- with Rock & Roll sushi from 11pm - 2am) Ichiban -- Allston 166 Harvard Ave (betw Coomonwealth & Brighton Ave), 787-5656 (A small storefront, a tad crowded, lower than average prices. A good place to sit at the sushi bar. Good sushi, noodle dishes, esp seafood yaki udon & chachamen noodles & dumplings. Also try the pressed sushi, cucumber roll, spicy tuna, salmon salad, soft-shell crab maki (pretty good, but not quite great), chicken & beef teriyaki. The songpan is ok, but not great, and the miso soup was flavorless. On a Sunday night a few weeks after the place opened, the service was truly awful.) Ittyo -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) [see Porter Exchange Mall], 354-5944 (Excellent noodle dishes and donburi, especially the eel. Very good Shrimp & Veggie Tempura w Udon) Koto -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond) 465 Concord Ave, 491-6600 (Small mom & pop sort of place w nice tempura) Kotobukiya -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) [see Porter Exchange Mall], 354-6914 (Perhaps the cheapest sushi in town; the quality is ok, but the ambience and presentation are not fancy) Maluken -- Kenmore Sq 645 Beacon St on west corner of Kenmore Sq, 859-3149 (Huge menu with lots of variety, especially lots of appetizers. excellent but expensive fresh thickly cut sushi, good soups & ohitashi. The tempura is somewhat disappointing; the batter is a tad too thick, and too little variety in the vegetables) Miyako -- Back Bay 279A Newbury St (at Gloucester), 236-0222 (Wonderful sushi and other dishes, with a stylish twist. try the eel and the mackarel oshi sushi, the smoked salmon sushi & the basil & plum paste maki) Nara -- Downtown 85 Wendell St (at Broad), 338-5935 (Very fresh and tasty food. Good selection of sushi and also other dishes for non-sushi eaters. Very friendly owner and waitstaff. Frequented by Japanese business folk - always a good sign. Try futomaki (large maki roll), chicken katsu (fried chicken bits w/ veggies), version of California roll using eel rather than crab. Prices are moderate (more than Porter Square, less than Roka). Very busy at lunch, but more relaxed at dinner time.) Porter Exchange Mall -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 1815 Mass Ave, T: Red Line @ Porter Sq (The place to go for an authentic Japanese eating experience, with a number of little stalls such as you might find at a Tokyo train station -- modest and fresh food, well prepared. Includes Kotobukiya, Ittyo, Cafe Mami, and Sapporo Ramen. There's also Seki Tei, a sit down Japanese restaurant, a Japanese grocery, Shiatsu massage, and Masao's Kitchen -- a macrobiotic restaurant.) Roka -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1001 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Central Sq), 661-0344 (Reliably good, fresh sushi, also lots of interesting maki rolls. Perhaps not the best in the area, but a good alternative. Not much of a sushi bar; it's more of a sit-down place w good service. Great eel! Watch out for extra charges for extra ginger, wasabi & inside-out California roll) Sakura -- Waltham on a little street off Rt 117, a block or so from Rt 20, 891-0720 (A very nice homey traditional Japanese place in a non-descript clapboard house, reminiscent of a somewhat rundown Tokyo restaurant. Small, maybe 8 tables, service sometimes suffers. Karaoke music. Average but not excellent food. BYOB. Possibly closed Sunday; limited hours in general. Sakurabana -- Downtown 57 Broad St (nr Milk & State Sts), 542-4311 (Excellent sushi, a tad pricey. Good Sushi heaven & Boston Maki. Recently redecorated, so its nice inside, but the sushi has gone downhill some. Small parking lot next door, but you need to pay.) Sapporo Ramen -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) [see Porter Exchange Mall], 876-4805 (Japanese noodle house, very good, just like Japan) Seki Tei -- Cambridge (Porter Sq), 354-8393 [see Porter Exchange Mall] (Mixed reviews. Most recently the news is that the food is just ok, not good enough to make up for the horrible service) Shogun -- West Newton 1385 Washington St (nr Elm), 965-6699 (Small homey pleasant place, a couple of blocks from the W Newton Cinema. Consistently good food, reasonably priced for Japanese food. Non-smoking. Very low staff turnover. Can fill up as the evening progresses. Good Chicken Katsu.) Takeshima -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 308 Harvard St (nr Babcock), 566-0200 (Pleasant place, reasonable prices, very good food & service. a perfect neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Good sushi and popular enough to be crowded on weekday nights.) Tatsukichi -- Faneuil Hall 189 State St (nr Atlantic Ave), 720-2468 (Very fresh, reliably excellent sushi. Also good cooked appetizers, especially their specialty, kashiage -- little tidbits deep fried and served on sticks. Huge portions of shabu-shabu. Karaoke bar upstairs w stiff cover that caters to Japanese.) Tokyo Restaurant -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond) 307 Fresh Pond Parkway, 876-6600 (Authentic Japanese food, frequented by visited Japanese business people. Excellent fresh, well prepared sushi in many varieties, and a good yakitori bar also. Don't miss the Dobinmushi (soup). The sushi lunch platters are really nice, but a bit expensive ($12 to $15); the general consensus is that the place is overpriced. Service is on the slow side - not a place to go for a quick meal. Tatami rooms can be reserved for $20 extra, a really nice touch for a quiet, private dinner.) Korean Restaurants ****************** Arirang House [Korean] -- Symphony Mass Ave (The reviews on the food overall seem to vary [other Korean restarants seem to be better), but the reason to come here is the all-you-can-eat buffet for $9, featuring a great variety of Korean food cooked to all levels of spiciness, and generally, quite good. About the only drawback is that the buffet dishes aren't labeled, so you should ask for help if you're wary of very spicy foods.) Han Mi Ok -- Brighton Center 351 Washington St (nr Market), 783-2090, T: #57 & #86 bus (Very good Korean food in a slightly funky but pleasant cozy atmosphere. The food is not as highly spiced as some other places, the portions are larger, and prices are moderate. Very fresh sushi, wonderful noodle soup dishes, especially the seafood ones. Lots of beef dishes, lots of seafood specials on the blackboard, not much for vegetarians. Try the squid dish or the beef bulgogi for a safe intro to the cuisine. The bibimbap is good, too. Sometimes the service can be slow when crowded (mostly w Asians at the sushi bar). Thai & Chinese food too, and the spicy fried squid, under the Chinese menu, is outstanding. No sushi on Wednesdays.) Hometown -- Somerville (Union Sq) 9A Union Sq, 623-7220 (Mixed reviews on food, ranging from ok to delicious, and on the sushi from below average to fresh & well prepared. Friendly service, reasonable prices, mostly Korean clientele (including some w diplomatic license plates). Try squid Korean style.) Kaya -- Back Bay 521 Boylston St, 236-5858 (Try skewered chicken, yaki gyoza, steak tartare, red snapper shioyaki, galbi, spicy stir-fried squid, bi bim bap, chapchae, tempura udon, green tea & red bean ice cream. Also good cheap sushi) Korea Garden -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 20 Pearl St, 492-9643 (This is a very good, small, family-run restaurant. A nice traditional place w nothing too inventive and a fairly limited menu, but what the place serves is prepared well and consistently. And with lots of garlic! Their Ok dol bi bim bap is excellent, and stone-pot dishes are good also. Lots of Koreans eat here, giving confidence that the food is fairly authentically Korean. Service is friendly and low-key; the atmosphere is casual and relaxed. Reasonable prices.) Korea House -- Brighton 111 Chiswick St (off Comm. Ave, betw Wash. & Market), 783-7030 (One of the better Korean restaurant in Boston, great soup dishes, though some are extremely fiery. Clientele is almost exclusively Korean, therefore there is no such thing as a non-smoking section. Service can be slow since it's a family run place. The restaurant does traditional dishes traditional style (as opposed to Jae's or Han Mi Ok, which adds more vegetables than usual). Best Bul Go Gi and Kim Chee stew around here. Stir-Fried Squid and Bi Bim Bap are also good. Avoid the sushi.) Koreana -- Cambridge (~Inman Sq) 154 Prospect (at Broadway), 576-8661 (An ambitious variety of Korean food in a pleasant atmosphere with comfy booths and somewhat variable service. Very fresh sushi; especially the hamachi. The Korean food is really very fiery, though they will make it milder on request (but it will still be quite hot). Some dishes are exceptional (such as the stir fried squid and baby octupus); others are still fairly good, but not as good as elsewhere. Good standard condiments. Open til 1 am some nights. Parking can be a problem. Prices somewhat high.) Matsu-Ya -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 1790 Mass Ave (nr Arlington), 491-5091 (Food generally well done, not very spicy though, with good noodle dishes. Reasonable prices. Small place, relatively quiet, though it can get crowded on weekends, when service can be quite slow) Shilla -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 95 Winthrop St (off JFK), 547-7971 (Very good Korean food -- a fun place w a wondeful menu and lots of interesting things to try. Excellent Bibim Bap, cold noodles, and a delicious huge bowl of soup which included meat dumplings, rice sticks, noodles, cilantro, and other goodies.) Seoul House -- Newton Center 57 Union St (across from T stop), 244-6438 (Small family run place w good, reliable, but slightly suburbanized food. Portions just a tad small; prices just a tad high) WooChon -- Somerville (Union Sq) 290 Somerville Ave, 623-3313 (Excellent high quality Korean food in a pleasant contemporary setting, often crowded, though still not overly noisy. Nice group of side dishes come incl with your meal, which they will keep refilling, including spinach, seaweed, kimchee, & marinated tofu. The food tends toward the fiery side. Good dumplings, mung bean pancake, bulgoki, bibim pap and chap chae, and the many eel and fish items on the menu provided a pleasant surprise. Good, piping hot barley tea too. Reasonable prices, though a tad higher than some competitors. Service somewhat variable, but generally quite pleasant. No liquor license, but BYO from across the street.) Kosher Restaurants ****************** Cafe Shiraz [Persian] -- Allston [see under Persian] Milk St Cafe [Vegetarian] -- Brookline (Longwood), Downtown 350 Longwood Ave, 739-2233 0 Post Office Sq, 350-7275 50 Milk St, 542-3663 Rami's Felafel [Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Downtown [see under Israeli] Rubin's Deli -- North Brookline 500 Harvard St (nr Commonwealth), 731-8787 Ruth's Kitchen -- North Brookline 401 Harvard St, 734-9810 (Run by an Asian woman who converted to Judaism. Latke's and Szechuan beef right next to each other! Not really a restaurant as much as a prepared foods counter with seating. The food is quite good & reasonably priced.) Shalom Hunan [Chinese] -- Brookline Village [see under Chinese] Shang Chai [Chinese Vegetarian] -- North Brookline [see under Chinese] Victor's Pizza -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1364 Beacon St, 730-9903 Latin American Restaurants ************************** Casa Elena [Peruvian / Spanish / Mexican] -- Watertown 45 Lexington St (at Main, nr Waltham line), 926-3222 (Small, casual, family-run restaurant -- Peruvian owner. Good, well-prepared, interesting dishes, good-sized portions. Service ok, bt it can take awhile to get the food. Good fried yucca w carrot sauce, paella. Moderate prices, dinner only.) Cecil's [Latin / Caribbean] -- Downtown 129 South St, 542-5108 (Variety of Latin & Caribbean food. Good black bean soup & Jamaican Jerk Pork) El Embajador [Latin American] -- Jamaica Plain 3371 Washington St, 524-6812 Mama Julia [Colombian / Salvadoran] -- East Boston 54 Bennington St, 568-9020 (Good Colombian & Salvadoran food, but make sure you speak some Spanish, since the staff doesn't. Cheap delicious soups, and good fish in "homemade" sauce. The main dish comes with a huge plate of rice, beans, banana and a generic salad. The food is very home style and way filling.) Pupuseria Quintanilla [Salvadoran] -- Jamaica Plain Washington St, 522-9680 (Try Salvadoran pupusas, tamales, arroz negro, shrimp soup) Rattlesnake Bar and Grill -- Back Bay 384 Boylston (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 859-8555 (Good reasonably priced food, fairly authentic. Urban Canyon Patio in back is nice in the summer) Mediterranean Restaurants ************************* Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Cambridge (Main St) 798 Main St (Small intimate place serving well prepared Mediterranean- influenced food, pricey, but with a wonderful, very inventive menu and knowledgeable, enthusiastic waitpeople. Often simple food, elegantly presented. Try the pan roasted baby manila clams w rabe, duck croquettes, grilled mushrooms, chocolate rum bread pudding. Reservations needed.) Cafe Bellecour -- Lexington Center 10 Muzzey St, 861-9400 David's -- Theater District 123 Stuart St (Transportation Bldg), 367-8405 (Gutsy, full-flavored food. Try the spanakopita, shish kebab, grilled squid. Fun ambience.) Mexican, Tex/Mex, Southwestern Restaurants ****************************************** Acapulco -- Jamaica Plain, Back Bay 464 Centre St, 524-4328 (Good food, very inexpensive, good service. Try the Camarones Veracruzanos, which is broiled shrimp in wine and garlic with mexican rice and beans @ 7.95. No margaritas, just wine & beer) Armadillo Cafe -- Allston 1314 Commonwealth Ave, 2 blocks west of Harvard Ave, 232-4242 (Small range of generally reliable, somewhat eclectic Mexican food (though not very hot or spicy) and chicken and ribs as well, all very good. Great smoked chicken quesadillas. Good chips & salsa. Good size portion, reasonable prices -- dinner for 2 w drinks is about $25. Nice decor, service can be slow on off nites. Live Mexican music on week-nights, old rock&roll on weekends. A recent review suggests that the food and service may be going downhill, and live music is just on Wednesday's.) Big Burrito [Tex/Mex] -- Allston Brighton Ave just W of Harvard Transport: 57 Bus, Harvard T Stop (B Line) (Fresh, massive quantity for a great price. Most Bs are at $3.95 - $4.95. Basically the idea is a burrito wrapped around rice, lettuce, and fresh cooked meat, made to order. Even cheaper than Boca Grande or Picante, superdelicious, and you won't leave hungry. Excellent beef burrito and cilantro salad. Very friendly pleasant counter service, food came up pretty quick. Not really crowded, but has the atmopshere of a Taco Deli. Designed for a quick bite, not a quiet dining experience. Cash only. Wheelchair accessible.) Boca Grande -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq & E. Cambridge) 1728 Mass Ave (betw Porter & Harvard Sq), 354-7400 149 First St (nr Galleria), 354-5550 (Not ambience or decor, but nice burritos, and cheap. The burritos are all good, including the chicekn, beef, carnitas, and grilled veggie ones; all but the veggie are worth spedning 50 cents on for guacamole. Sometimes more interesting stuff, including tamales and elote. The 1/2 grilled chicken w hot sauce is definitely a steal for $4 or so. Great lemonade. See review) Border Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 32 Church St, 864-6100 (Fun, cheap, pretty good cajun/southwestern food, rodents & roaches. A noisy studenty Harvard Square-y kind of place with a party-like atmosphere. Great fajitas & popcorn shrimp, good jambalaya, but think of it as a sort of Bennigan's with a quasi tex-mex/cajun slant.) Cactus Club -- Back Bay 939 Boylston St, 236-0200 (Good lunches, abundant food, reasonable prices; great Venison stew, and the Mountain Oysters are worth a try. Good people watching; good place to unwind after work. Dinner said to be less exciting, though they now have a new dinner menu, including a very good, tho nonstandard Caesar salad.) Casa Mexico -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 75 Winthrop St (at JFK), 491-4552 (Mixed reviews -- it used to be better 20 years ago, but on a good night, some entrees may still be quite good. Try the Chicken Mole, Enchilada Mole, and the Camarones al Cilantro. Also excellent Mexican coffee) Casa Romero -- Back Bay 30 Gloucester St (betw. Comm Ave & Newbury St), 536-4341 T: ICA/Hynes Green Line stop, also the #1, #55, & inbound #39 buses (Prices may be on the high side, but for an excellent sampling of Mexican haute cuisine, this is *the* place to go in Boston. From the handpainted tile decor to the desserts, this place could have been lifted right out of Mexico city. Try the chile relleno, the mole poblano, the avocado soup, and the flan with Cognac and pleasantly dispel the notion that Mexican food means nothing but nachos and burritos. Also good margaritas.) Cottonwood Cafe -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) & Back Bay 222 Berkeley St (at St James), Downtown, 247-2225 Porter Exchange Bldg, 1815 Mass Ave, 661-7440 (The most upscale and eclectic of the Southwestern places, with creative tasty food. Good salads, pot stickers, puebla duckling, zuni roll, desserts, esp. pecan pie. Expensive appetizers.) El Bandido -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1412 Beacon St (at Summit), 730-5663 (Pleasantly decorated storefront, serving excellent homemade Tex/Mex food. No lard! Superb Carnitas Burritos, and they have Chicken Mole too. No liquor license.) Fajita & 'Ritas -- Brookline Village, Downtown 48 Boylston (Rt 9), Brookline, 566-1222 (A charming kindergarten atmosphere, with the crayon on the walls and the butcher paper tablecloths. The service is friendly and fast, w very good fajitas (esp chicken), pretty good assorted munchies, and good margaritas and beer. Lunch is better than dinner, as the portions are similar and it's a bit cheaper. A very boisterous & noisy place, but it's lots of fun.) Iguana Cantina -- Waltham 313 Moody St (betw Crescent & Spruce), 891-3039 (Trendy, good meat dishes. Try the chicken Veracruz & the catfish) Jose's -- Cambbridge (Alewife) Sherman St between Harvard & Alewife (Freshly made chips, OK food, nice people -- perhaps the best cheap Mexican place. Good salsa w lots of cilantro. Good fajitas & burritos. Avoid the frozen drinks) [=> menu ] Mexican Cuisine / Forest Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1682 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Porter Sq), 661-1634 (Looks like a dive, but don't be put off -- excellent authentic Mexican food very reasonably priced. Yucatan Peninsula style w an emphasis on seafood; try the Tuna with Mole Verde or the Salsa Mocajete con Pescado. Also excellent chicken-coriander soup. They temper their use of spices for the delicate New England palate, but they'll put some kick into your food if you ask. Be prepared to spend $40- for the two of you. Entrees are in the $10 to $20 range, with most between $13 and $15.) Picante -- Somerville (Davis Sq) & Cambridge (Central Sq) 217 Elm St, Davis Sq, 628-6394 735 Mass Ave, Central Sq, 576-6394 (Good burrito place with big wonderful burritos, and a changing 6 choice help-yourself salsa bar (though some think the salsas are all too smoky). Also flan to die for. It's nothing fancy, but it's good food.) Rudy's -- Sommerville (Teele Sq) 248 Holland St (off Broadway), 623-9201 (Good cheap basic Mexican, and they have Pacifico and Catamount beer! Not as cheap as Jose's, but more options, w quality a bit below Armadillo or the Border Cafe. A dissenting review calls it a a cross between Taco Bell and the Sizzler w endless psuedo- Mexican variations on ground beef and diced tomatoes.) Snakebites Canteen -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) Porter Exchange Bldg, 1815 Mass Ave, 661-7440 (A more casual, less expensive sidekick to the Cottonwood Cafe. Try the baked Sonoran Chimichanga) [Possibly CLOSED] Sol Azteca -- Brookline (St Mary's) & Newton Center 914A Beacon St, St Mary's, 262-0909 75 Union St (betw Beacon & Langley), Newton Center, 964-0920 (Good haute-Mexican food, reasonably priced, though the quality can be somewhat variable. Try the Pork in Orange Chipotle sauce or Adobo, the Shrimp in Cilantro sauce, and the Fish in spicy Tomato sauce. Service can be lackadaisacal as well) T.J.'s Taqueria -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 690 Washington St (nr Beacon), 734-8226 (Mostly takeout w small eat in area. Excellent burritos & other authentic Mexican food, which keeps getting better. Try the chicken & carnitas fillings as well as the soups. No liquor license, but lots of tasty homemade Mexican candies & sweets) Taqueria Mexico -- Waltham 139 Prospect St, off of Modoy (The place is kind of a dive, but they serve large huge tasty burritos w lots of onions at prices which are probably cheaper than Taco Bell. The corn tortillas tend to be gritty & fall apart easily, but you can ask for a flour tortilla instead. Try their plain nachos-chips, cheese, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapenos -- all for $2. Entrees run from 3.95 to about 8.95. The large Mexican clientele is a good indicator. No liquor license, but you can BYOB, or get the great "liquados" (banana, made fresh is especially good). The service, however, is pretty lackadasical -- in other words, you could be in for a long wait to get your sodas!) Middle Eastern Restaurants ************************** Greek / Turkish / Israeli / Persian / Armenian ********************************************** Algiers -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 40 Brattle St (Although not entirely Middle Eastern (is grilled steak a Middle Eastern dish??), the Algiers in Harvard Square has the usual assortment of hummus, falafel, tabouli, etc and is cheap. Plus the tiny tables jammed together, various odd people with 15 books in front of them, and the regular erratic service. What more could you want?) Andros Diner [Greek Diner] -- Belmont Trapelo Rd (Good, high-quality food, generous portions, friendly surroundings, casual, and inexpensive! The accent is on diner-like Greek food, w excellent lighty-spiced gyros w a perfect yogurt cucumber sauce, monstrous souvlaki, and very good spinach pie & loukiniko. They also have an extensive menu of breakfast and excessively generous sandwich items as well (very good grilled chicken sandwich w good fries). No liquor. Open Sundays only til 1:30 pm.) Ararat [Armenian] -- Watertown Arlington St, betw Mt Auburn & Arsenal Mall (An Armenian barbecue place described as a Middle Eastern version of "Mom's Diner," which sums up its ambiance pretty well. The TV is on all the time. You pretty much get to choose between barbecued chicken halves, falafel, and schwarma (well, there's more than that, but that's the general idea, anyway). The chicken comes with a garlic sauce that (to garlic lovers) is a good reason to go there on its own. Decent variety of beer & soda.) Atlas Kitchen [Turkish] -- Brookline (St Mary's) 1002 Beacon St (Quite good authentic Turkish cuisine in a pleasant spacious room, reasonably priced, though a bit higher than most Middle Eastern places. Excellent appetizers include the stuffed eggplant & red lentil soup, though the grape leaves were bland, and the eggplant spread was definitely overpriced. Tasty lamb w okra, though short on the lamb. Excellent desserts, esp the milk "cake". Beer available. Open til midnite weekdays.) Boston Shawarma -- Symphony Area Huntington St (If you're in a hurry and don't mind being dressed better than the restaurant, Boston Schwarma on Huntington Ave. serves up some very tasty schwarma and other Middle Eastern sandwiches. Like Schwarma King on the same block, but Boston Schwarma has tables whereas Schwarma King just has a counter.) Brookline Diner -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 9 Brookline St, 354-9473 (Small place w stylish food. Good cashew chicken salad for lunch) Cafe Barada [Lebanese] -- Arlington Mass Ave nr Capitol Theater (Lebanese, uniformly good & cheap; excellent grape leaves) Caffe Jaffa [Israeli] -- Back Bay 48 Gloucestor (between Newbury & Boylston) (Good inexpensive Israeli/Middle Eastern food. Interesting falafel & very good steak tips, shashlik, hummus, and eggplant dishes. Avoid dessert) Cafe Shiraz [Kosher Persian] -- Allston 1030 Commonwealth Ave (nr Brighton Ave), 566-8888 (Fairly tasty Persian food (as well as a diverse selection of other stuff), but nothing spectacular if you don't keep kosher, and a bit pricey for what you get. A spacious place that doesn't get too busy, nice owners, unremarkable service. The Persian Wedding Soup is different and worth trying, excellent skewers, and there's a vegetarian platter very heavy on the garlic). Demo's [Greek] -- Watertown Sq 64 Mt Aurburn St (Rt 16), 924-9660 (Decent cheap food, very good shish kebab -- in fact, get the Demos special sandwich -- a lamb shishkabob with pita and a greek salad -- enough very good food to fill you, for the extraordinary price of $3.75. Seating for 100, split between smoking and non. Tables for 2, 4, 6, with a good chance you'll share with people you don't know. Stand in a line (sometimes long, but it moves along) to order. Generally full but not crowded, noisy, child- friendly, wheelchair accessible. Great for take-out, too.) Kareem's -- Watertown 600 Mt Auburn St, 926-1867 (The food is superb, the ambiance a somewhat nice version of storefront, and the prices are reasonable. It is NOT open late, however; I believe they close around 8PM. The menu is small but augmented by a continually changing set of specials, and tends more to kibbeh than falafel (which are both excellent). Also try the fine hummus, kebabs, and sauteed chicken) Karoun [Armenian] -- Newtonville 261 Walnut St (at Washington), 964-3400 (A family run Armenian restaurant, with a friendly atmosphere and excellent food. Most of the wait staff are family members of the owner, and regular patrons are greeted like old friends. The best dishes include the Dolma (a combination of stuffed grape leaves, stuffed zucchini, and stuffed cabbage), Patlijan (a layered meat and eggplant dish) and the various kabobs (lamb, swordfish, and shrimp are excellent). Excellent shwarma as well. They have a whole range of tasty Armenian appetizers and delicious baklava for dessert, along w excellent coffee brewed in Ibriks. Very good wine list as well. Entertainment on weekends after about 8:30 PM, including middle eastern music and belly dancing. Inexpensive.) Middle East -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 472 Mass Ave, 354-8238, T: Red Line @ Central Sq (Quite good, w a great pumpkin kibby) Mi Vami [Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 14A Pleasant St (at Beacon), 277-0272 (Inexpensive, no ambience, but very good shish kebab [which can be chewy on occasion], grilled chicken, greek salad, felafel & hummus, and a wonderful smoky baba ganoush that's one of the best I've ever had) Nadia's Eastern Star -- South End 280 Shawmut Ave (betw Tremont & Columbia), 338-8091 Niko's [Greek] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 187a Harvard St, 277-2999 (Small family-run Greek place with decent moderately priced food. Pretty good avgolemono. Try the skordalia & taramosalata, spinach pies, gyros, meatballs, grape leaves & roast lamb. Avoid the combo platter; go for the daily special instead) Oasis Grille [Middle Eastern] -- Somerville (Union Sq) 255 Washington St, 666-5122 Rami's Felafel [Kosher Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge C.), Downtown 324 Harvard St (Coolidge Corner), 738-3577 48 Winter St (Downtown), 426-9770 (Mostly a takeout place. Some think it is excellent, esp the felafel/hummus plate, but I find the food too greasy) Pars Cafe [Persian] -- Watertown Washington St. (Perhaps the best Persian food in Boston. While other Persian restaurants have come and gone, Pars Cafe has consistently provided authentic, rich-tasting, and mouth-watering Persian dishes for several years, and at reasonable prices. Try the beef & chicken kabobs and the traditional stew dishes, all served over rice. No alcoholic beverages, but they have yogurt drinks & persian tea as well as ice cream and other deserts. Nice and cozy place, with traditional Persian arts and crafts decorating the dining area along w lots of plants. Service is always cordial and quick. About $15 for dinner; lunch specials about half that. Open daily from 11 am - 10 pm.) Phoenicia [Middle Eastern] -- Beacon Hill 240 Cambridge St, 523-4606 (Good solid middle-eastern food. The name was changed from Anne's recently when it was expanded and spruced up. The food is the same; good cheap great stuff) Sami's -- Roslindale 4197 Washington St, Roslindale Sq, 323-2799 Shawarma King -- Symphony Area & Brookline (Coolidge Corner) Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Harvard, Coolidge Corner Huntington St, Symphony Area (Very good shawarma & grape leaves -- mediocre baba & hummus. The downtown one is takeout - counter; the Brookline one is a tad less funky with a few tables) Sabra [Isareli] -- Newton Center 45 Union St, 527-5641 (Quite good Israeli food; good lunch buffet. Try the dardara, moussaka, pilaf, tabouli, hummus, shwarma & shish kebab) Sepal -- Watertown, Somerville (Teele Sq) 555 Mt Auburn St, Watertown 235 Holland St, Teele Sq, 776-7771 (Excellent baba, falafel, hummos, plus the best falafel in Boston, sold by the piece.) Sindibad -- East Cambridge 145 First St (across from the Galeria), 492-2421 (Mixed reviews, but good sized portions, very reasonable prices (mostly about $3-5 per item), and the folks who run it seem quite nice. The place is huge, and at least at off-peak times, you order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Lots of vegetarian items as well as halal meat dishes.) Skewers [Middle Eastern] -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) Mt Auburn St nr JFK (While the reviews are mixed, many think this crowded basement dive has reliably good and sometimes great food for great prices, with especially noteworthy shwarma and hummos. Service is always prompt if not elegant.) Steve's [Greek] -- Back Bay 316 Newbury (at Hereford), 267-1817 (Excellent hummus, interesting chips, very good gyros. Rude waitresses) North African Restaurants ************************* Casablanca -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 40 Brattle St, 876-0999 (Moroccan & other foods, very interesting, and pretty good, especially for brunch or lunch. If you like spices, this is the place to try. Their food generally is a bit hot. The appetizers should not be missed, and are reasonably priced. The grilled eggplant, crab cakes, and Middle Eastern platter are particularly good. Good wine selection. Very good desserts. Nice interior, w a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The service is a bit slow. Weekends are very crowded.) Tangiers Cafe [North African] -- Beacon Hill 37 Bowdoin St, 367-0273 (A small informal place with reasonable prices, but the food gets Mixed reviews. Good middle east appetizers, plus Moroccan entrees. Try the harina, mujadara, mashwi chicken & sokatha tea. But the lamb dishes can vary from overly oily to watery. [=> see review ] ) Russian Restaurants ******************* Troika -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1154 Mass Ave (at Arrow St), 864-7476 (A charming Russian cafe with a nice atmosphere serving good, though simple food at very reasonable prices. Good lentil soup & pelmeni. Several vegetarian selections. Service can be slow.) Seafood Restaurants ******************* [In addition to the places below, there are a number of Chinese and Italian restaurants that specialize in seafood.] Daily Catch -- North End, Somerville (Davis Sq), Waterfront 323 Hanover St, North End, 523-8567 261 Northern Ave, Waterfront, 338-3093 215 Elm St, Davis Sq, 623-0375 (good Sicilian seafood dishes, great place for calamari (esp the fried stuffed calamari & calamari scampi), lobster fra diavolo, black pasta aglio et olio (w calamari). You may have to wait if not there early. Best calamari is in North End. Avoid the Davis Sq location, which is reportedly awful except for the fried calamari [=>review] ) Dolphin Seafood -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq), 354-9332 (Good simple fresh seafood at good prices in a neighborhood atmosphere. Many say its as good as No-Name used to be, though some say its not that lately good and too crowded and unrelaxed. All agree the lunch special is a good deal. Try the fish chowder, lobster & broiled fish. Also good farm-raised catfish, esp the Cajun-style. 100% No Smoking. A child-friendly place. Also a fancier branch in Natick.) Famous Atlantic Seafood Company -- Back Bay 777 Boylston St (betw Fairfield & Gloucester), 267-4000 T; Green Line, Auditorium stop (The best food here is plain fish: broiled, grilled, fried or baked. It's fresh and carefully prepared in the best yankee no- frills style. Their bowl of clam chowder served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread is an outstanding antidote to winter. Full licence. Fair beer list, short wine list. Service is sometimes hurried but usually competent. Saloon ambiance, oak & brass decor. High ceilings help keep the noise level tolerable. Most entrees $10-15.) Fishery -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 718 Mass Ave, 868-8800 (Very good seafood. Other reviews recommend the crabcakes, calamari w roasted garlic, briney oysters, mussels w lemongrass, smoked alligator sausage, & hazelnut cappucino torte) Joseph's Aquarium -- Waterfront 101 Atlantic Ave, 523-4000 (good seafood -- the specialty is cheap twin lobsters) Legal Sea Foods -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq), Newton (Chestnut Hill), Back Bay, Park Sq, South End Park Plaza Hotel, 35 Columbus Ave, Park Sq, 426-4444 Statler Office Bldg, 27 Columbus Ave, 426-5566 5 Cambridge Center (Main St & Ames), Kendall Sq, 864-3400 43 Boylston St, Chestnut Hill Mall, 277-7300 Copley Place, 100 Huntington Ave (bet Dartmouth & Exeter), 266-7775 Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St, 266-6800 (Very nice fresh fish, but a long wait & somewhat overpriced. Avoid anything fancy. e.g. cioppino. Excellent chowder, clam chili, haibut, lobster casserole, and bananas foster. On good days, the fried clam roll is wonderful, w tender, sweet, big- bellied clams. Cost for two for dinner, excluding booze, should be between $40 and $50. Lobster is very overpriced. Kendall Sq is the best location; Chestnut Hill is the worst, especially when it is busy -- beware of over-righteous management and small fish portions. Natick is a good location as well. Also in Burlington and Peabody. [=> menu ] [=> interesting long review ] No Name -- Waterfront 15 1/2 Fish Pier off Northern Ave, 423-2705 (Mixed reviews. Many think it has gone down the tubes -- no longer has great food, except perhaps for the seafood chowder, usually fast but obnoxious service, reasonable prices) Skipjack -- Brookline Village, Cambridge (Harvard Sq), Back Bay 2 Brookline Place on Boylston St, Brookline Village, 232-8887 199 Clarendon St, Back Bay, 536-3500 5 Bennett St in Charles Sq, Cambridge, 876-9900 (Consistently good, w several "lite" entrees. Service efficient and light-hearted, pleasant atmosphere. Mostly standard fare, except for their wonderful but spicy blackened tuna sashimi. Good broiled bass, fried seafood platter, crab cakes, pan-fried scallops & shark. Clam chowder has an odd flavor. Excellent chocolate bread pudding.) [=> review ] Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Back Bay Westin Hotel, 10 Huntington Ave (in Copley Place), 424-7425 (Upscale ambience and prices, but pleasant waitstaff and good service. Best elaborate seafood dishes you could find in Boston. Expensive, so no need to go there if all you need is just broiled salmon or somesuch. Awesome clam chowder & bouillabaise. Also try the poached fish w tapenade, the salmon fennel soup, and the crab cakes. They also have an outstanding steamed dish, prepared in a bamboo steamer, with several types of vegetables and seafood, and 3 dipping sauces. Reservations helpful.) Village Fish -- Brookline Village 22 Harvard St, 566-3474 (Casual atmosphere, comfortable open brick-modern, red & white checkered tablecloth kind-of-place. The kitchen is in the open, so you can watch your food being prepared. The waitstaff is always very busy but always in good spirits. There's a raw bar for "snacking" while you wait for your table, and a nice selection of wines by the glass. The menu is written on a big chalkboard high up on one of the brick walls. The food is quite good, and there's lots of it. Try the excellent fresh fish, or the shrimp or scallop marsala, which arrive in front of you in the frying pan they were cooked in, and the lobster fra diavlo, or fried calamri. Entrees come with pasta, with a choice of red (marinara) or white (clam) sauce (which is excellent) and salad. No reservations, so be prepared to wait more than an hour on weekends, and cash only. Beer and wine license. Used to be called the Village Catch; it's rumored the Daily Catch complained.) Ye Olde Union Oyster House ($$$$) -- Faneuil Hall 41 Union St, 227-2750 (Wildly mixed reviews. At worst, this is an over-rated, over- priced tourist trap serving overcooked bland food. Prices are definitely steep, but still the place may be worth a shot, since the crab cakes and the seafood pasta are said to be good, and I've had excellent poached salmon there.) Spanish & Portuguese Restaurants ******************************** Casa Portugal [Portuguese] --- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1200 Cambridge St (at Prospect), 491-8880 (Mixed reviews. The seafood stews and salt cod dishes are good, and the sausage & fig appetizer is delicious, as are the Vitella Grilhada (grilled veal) [ask for extra garlic] & Porco Escallopes [in a spicy sour onion sauce]. The House Special Shrimp is good too. Ask for your potatoes extra-well done (less oily that way), and hope that the soup of the day is kale soup. I may have been there on an off night, but I thought the food was unimpressive (starting with the bread), as have some other respondents, though you do get lots of it. Friendly service, low prices, and a nice selection of inexpensive Portuguese wines) Dali [Spanish] -- Cambridge (~Porter Sq) 415 Washington St (at Kirkland/Beacon), 661-3254 (Very good tapas, and wonderful Catalan Spanish food in reasonable sized portion. Good spanish wine selection and excellent Sangria. A great unique fun place to go with friends or out of town guests, though it can be noisy when it gets crowded. Can be a long wait at peak periods, but you can get tapas at the bar. Warm, homey, romantic, funky Dali-esque decor. Service is quick & not overly formal service, but can be occasionally fussy. Can be pricey if you go overboard; it can be better to get a variety of tapas and fewer main courses. Most of the tapas are very good; try the baked goat cheese, mussels, marinated mushrooms, chorizo & tripe w chickpeas. Good oxtail soup. Most main courses are wonderful; the rabbit is especially good. Some of the desserts are good as well, esp the dessert crepe w chocolate sauce.) Iruna [Spanish] -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 56 JFK (nr Mt Auburn), 868-5633 (not wheelchair accessible) (Mixed, but mostly positive, reviews for a restaurant that's been around a long time. Many people love the place, others find the food bland. The food is not as complex as Dali's, but Iruna serves the sort of food that people in Spain might actually eat at home on a regular basis. Crowded, relatively plain atmosphere; service good, friendly, fairly efficient except when the kitchen bogs down. Somewhat short menu. Wonderful garlic soup, good squid in ink sauce, authentic Cuban Black Bean Soup, delicious steak w herbed butter, very good paella. Good lunch deals, about $5-$6 for soup, salad, and a potato omlette. Outdoor seating during the summer. They now take credit cards.) Neighborhood Restaurant [Portuguese] -- Somerville (Union Sq) 25 Bow St, 623-9710 (Huge cheap portions of Portuguese food, very tasty, but not necc. high quality. Try the roasted chicken, baked cod, grilled pork casserole w clams. Large aluminum washtubs filled w arroz con pollo. Fried Sardines in tomato sauce is a strongly flavored treat. Very tight seating indoors, w no decor, but they open a very pleasant wheelchair accessible terrace in summer. Also good cheap, very large, somewhat unpredictable, breakfast specials -- pancakes with fruit, lobster omlettes, homemade bread and jam. Unusual oatmeal on the weekends. Interesting waiters too, esp. if you're into the 70's) Portugalia [Portuguese] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 723 Cambridge St (at Tremont), 354-9340 (A nice clean little upgraded neighborhood restaurant, and an excellent value. Smallish place, w nice ambiance, not overbearing at all, soft Portuguese or Spanish music in the background. Polite but inconsistent service, faster on weeknights, which are not very busy. For lunch, the mussels steamed in beer is an unbelievable value. For dinner, the piece de resistence is the mussels in wine broth appetizer - ask for additional bread (it's good & toasted hot) to sop up the broth. The veal entree is tender and tasty, and the accompanying veggies are ok. The shrimp entrees are also good, perhaps the shrimp could be a little softer but they're decent size. The prices are moderate, and well worth the food.) Sunset Cafe [Portuguese] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 857 Cambridge St, 547-2938 (Large amounts of food, good & flavorful, though sometimes heavy on the salt, good service, reasonably priced. Specialities include garlic soup, roast goat, octopus stew, pork & littleneck clams, seafood casseroles, as well as a killer paella chock full of clams, mussels, lobsters, etc. Fun to go on Fri or Sat evening for the fados (Portuguese torch songs) w acoustic guitar accomp.) Steak Restaurants ***************** Boodle's of Boston [Steaks] -- Back Bay Back Bay Hilton, 40 Dalton St (btw Boylston & Huntington), 266-3537 (Service & food went downhill for a while, but they're better again, and moreover, they serve about 90 different beers from micro-breweries. Both their regular and their brewers dinners are fine, and prices are reasonable. They have bi-weekly beer dinners and monthly brewer's dinners that feature different beers matched with each course, typically from one brewery which then does a presentation. When Brooklyn Beer Company was there with their Brooklyn Lager and Brown Ale, the main course was duck, buffalo and pheasant that had been marinated in a sauce with the beer before roasting and was very good.) Capital Grille ($$$) -- Back Bay 359 Newbury St, 262-8900 (Upscale steakhouse, aged steaks almost as good as Morton's, but this place has the more elegant atmosphere. Stick to meat, seafood & salads) Grill 23 ($$$) -- Back Bay 161 Berkeley St (at Stuart), 542-2255 (Steaks and other traditional food in an elegant atmosphere; a nice place to show off or celebrate. Food has mixed reviews -- some say food is good; others say terrible. The place is very noisy.) Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Back Bay One Exeter Plaza on Boylston St, 266-5858 (Superb prime rib, amazing porterhouse steak, wonderful shrimp appetizer, seafood dishes & desserts; good souffles too. Best steak & potatoes in Boston in a high-class, steakhouse atmosphere w prices to match. Avoid the coffee, though) Thai Restaurants **************** Amarin -- Newton Center 287 Centre St, Newton Center, 527-5255 (Very pretty restaurant, and excellent food, alomost as good as Erawan. Great Pad Thai & Tom Kar Gai; the noodles and beef at lunch are good and not served elsewhere. Service is generally good, but there can be exceptions. They have a pretty good tolerance for noisy kids.) Bangkok & Tokyo Grille -- Beacon Hill 26 Charles St, 723-5939 (Thai w Japanese dishes too. Good soups, satay, green curries) Bangkok Bistro -- Brighton (Cleveland Circle) 1952 Beacon St, 739-7270 (Good and consistent, especially good chili fish, shrimp, sate, pad thai, and stir fries) Bangkok City -- Symphony Area 167 Mass Ave, 266-8884 (Biggest & nicest & best of the thai restaurants nearby, & easiest to get seated before a concert. Tell them your time constraints and they will meet them. Very good food and surprisingly inexpensive. Try the shrimp mermaid, garlic fish, beef jungle, mee grob noodles. Good soups too.) Bangkok Cuisine -- Symphony Area 177A Mass Ave (nr Berklee), 262-5377 (Some say this place is better for soups than for main dishes. But said to have great Chicken Cashew Nut, Pad Thai & Tom Mar Gai. The service can be rude though, and the mostly student clientele makes for a noisy place. Recent report that it has perhaps "lost its edge"; it is still good, but not as good as it once was -- the duck choo-chee, in particular.) Bangkok Flavors -- Waltham 585 Moody St, 647-4484 (good Thai food at very reasonable prices) Bangkok House -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 50 JFK, 547-6666 (Very good food, but cramped accomodations, small portions for the money. Fast lunch specials Mon-Sat) Bangkok Room -- Symphony Area 329 Huntington Ave, 859-2969 (Good hot & sour shrimp soup, satay & golden bags) Chengmai -- Newton Center Picadilly Square (Ok food & decor; service not so good) Erawan of Siam -- Waltham 469 Moody St, 899-3399 (Excellent food -- as good as Amarin. Beautiful, stylized Thai temple setting. Attentive, pleasant, friendly service. A large place, so never a wait for a table) Green Papaya -- Waltham 475 Winter St (at Rt 128), 487-9988 (A pleasant surprise. Don't be put off by the name and the chubby cartoon-character pictures of happy little Thai people on the menu; this turns out to be a serious place with some unusual dishes not seen on other menus. Especially recommended: Oriental Salmon, which managed to be quite spicy without killing the delicate taste of the salmon, and Hot and Crazy Noodles, a sweet/ spicy dish using wide udon-type noodles. Service was amazingly fast on a crowded Friday night. BYOB, but next door to Wine Cellar of Silene) House of Siam -- Back Bay 21 Huntington Ave (nr Exeter), 267-1755 King & I -- Beacon Hill & Back Bay 145 Charles St, Beacon Hill, 227-3320 259 Newbury St (at Fairfield), Back Bay, 437-9611 (Good sized servings of good Thai food, though some say it's not quite as good as it used to be. One of the best Pad Thai's around. Try the Chicken w basil, mint & chili peppers, and the beef tar-tar (oddly named, since it is cooked). The Back Bay location has better atmosphere, but the food in Beacon Hill is better.) Lemon Grass -- Lexington Center (Wildly mixed reviews, varying from great to good to awful. I had a horrible dinner -- they used too much fish sauce in everything! OK Pad Thai. Wheelchair accessible.) Montien -- Theater District 63 Stuart St (betw Tremont & Washington), 338-5600 (Very good under-patronized (and under-publicized) Thai food -- it's hard to go wrong no matter what you order. They put a lot of emphasis on food presentation as well as taste. Service is also good, and they can speed things up if you are rushing to the theatre. Hot and Sour soup is very good, as are the curries, the seafood specialties, and the Pad Thai. Prices are moderate, but higher than other Thai restaurants in the area, but the food and atmosphere are better.> Rama Thai -- Allston 181 Brighton Ave (Osco Plaza), 783-2434 (cheap, large portions, well flavored, good Tom Yung Goong soup, Pad Thai, Fish Choo Chee, Spicy & Sour salads) Sawasdee -- Brookline Village 320 Washington St, 566-0720 (Pleasant decor; Usually very good food, elegantly presented, as good or better than most Thai food in the area. Very good golden bags, stuffed wings, pad thai, and veggie curry. The food can be variable though; on a recent visit, the mussel appetizer which is usually good was gritty and used cheap mussels; the whole tamarind fish, usually excellent, was too vinegary, and the wait staff didn't handle my complaints very well) Siam Cafe -- Beacon Hill 197 Cambridge St (Charles River Plaza), 277-1431 (Good satay & spicy seafood dishes) Siam Cuisine -- Allston 961 Commonwealth Ave (couple blocks from BU Bridge), 254-4335 (One of my favorite Thai restaurants. Very pleasant ambience and uniformly good food. Very nice Chicken Coconut Soup and excellent Beef Macadamia) Siam Square -- Chinatown 86 Harrison Ave, 338-7704 (Try tod mun, chicken coconut soup, squid pik pow, vanilla tea. Also good chow foon & steamed ginger fish. Cheap, but small portions) Singha House -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq), 864-5154 (A very good value in Thai food for lunch; more expensive for dinner. Duck dishes are very good, esp Chili Duck. Soups are tasty and loaded with stuff (try the chicken coconut soup). Curries are good w just the right amount of fire. Excellent vegetarian curry and Chicken in the Garden (especially good peanut sauce in the latter). A dissenting review notes several interesting choices on the menu, but nothing very unusual or well executed. Wheel chair accessible. Service is cordial and prompt. They usually get a rush at lunch which they handle very well.) Star of Siam -- Theater District 93 Church St (at Stuart), 451-5236 (The food here seems to be different from that of other local Thai restaurants, more homey/rustic, but fairly good and copious. The menu is orthogonal, you can get any main ingredient prepared in any way (Pork Massaman or Duck Pad Thai, for instance). They validate parking in the garage on the same block. Good service, even when crowded before the symphony.) Thai's -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Kendall Sq, 577-8668 (Nicely prepared and flavored Thai food, though the portions are on the small side, and the food is mild, so you may need to ask it to be made hotter. Good beef spring roll & shrimp asparagus roll, grilled meats w lemongrass, shrimp chee, red curries & pad thai) Thai Cuisine -- Symphony (Has good food and is very close to the symphony, but it's small & hard to get into unless you arrive quite early before a show) Thai Gourmet -- Dorchester 1155 Dorchester Ave, Savin Hill, 436-0444 Thai House -- Allston 1033 Commonwealth Ave (few blocks from BU Bridge), 787-4242 (Some think it is the best Thai restaurant in Boston; I thought their soups were only so-so; one duck dish was good though the sauce was just a tad off) Thai Village -- South End 592 Tremont St, 536-6538 (Small place, very good food. Try fried sweet potato sticks, mussel pancake, seafood salad. Good soups) Vegetarian / Vegan / Macrobiotic Restaurants ******************************************** Buddha's Delight [Vegetarian Chinese/Vietnamese] -- Chinatown [See under Chinese] Country Life [7th Day Adventist Vegan] -- Downtown High St nr Intl Place, nr expressway, 350-8625 T: Red Line @ South Station, Orange Line @ Washington / State, Blue Line @ Aquarium (Pretty good all-you-can-eat lunch and sunday brunch buffets based on low-fat dairy-free vegetarian food, very innovative, w lots of food for the price. Everyday they have different soups and entree, and you can always get an advanced copy of the menu for the entire month.) Five Seasons [Macriobotic] -- Jamaica Plain 66 1/4 Centre St, 524-9016, T: Arborway Bus (E Green Line extension) / Orange Line @ Green St (Tasty, fresh, well prepared fish & veggie dishes. They also serve poultry, but the focus is on vegan & macrobiotic fare. The desserts are really good, enough to recommend the place by itself, especially considering how low in fat and sugar they are. Go for the mocha-hazelnut tort, it was fantastic. Large portions, too. Pleasant service, but the place can be quite crowded. No smoking, wheelchair accessible, very child-friendly. About $15/dinner.) Masao's Kitchen [Vegan Macrobiotic] -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) [see Porter Exchange Mall], 497-7348, T: Red LIne @ Porter Sq (very good vegan macrobiotic restaurant with well-prepared food; good adzuki bean soup, macro platters & vegan blueberry "cheese" cake) Milk St Cafe [Kosher] -- Brookline (Longwood), Downtown [See under Kosher] Shang Chai [Kosher Chinese] -- North Brookline [See under Chinese] Vietnamese & Cambodian Restaurants ********************************** Ba Dat -- Chinatown 28 Harrison Ave, 426-8838 (Very good large bowls of pho. Good noodle & rice dishes too, esp the bbq chicken w/lemongrass & shrimp w/sugarcane. A cafe like atmosphere, and a nice place to share a long table w a bunch of people when you're eating alone.) Elephant Walk [French Cambodian] -- Somerville (Union Sq) 70 Union Sq, 623-9939 (Very good Cambodian and good French food. Need reservations. Not inexpensive, but plenty of food for the price. Try the soups, Cambodian salads, noodle appetizer, amok, and poulet phochani) Pho Bang -- Chinatown 7 Beach St, 422-0501 (Very good food, not a very large menu -- it's mostly pho, noodle dishes, a few rice dishes, and the usual selection of creative beverages. Their pho is not quite as good as Pasteur's or Ba Dat's, but the difference is slight and all three are excellent. They also seem to use a slightly skinnier noodle. Pho with a drink and a tip was $6.50.) Pho Pasteur -- Allston, Chinatown 137 Brighton Ave (just east of Harvard St), Allston, 783-2340/2060 8 Kneeland St, Chinatown, 451-0247 682 Washington St, Chinatown, 482-7467 (Great salads, beef (pho) and seafood soups, very good quail appetizer, banh xeo, Lemongrass Chicken and Shrimp in Special Sauce; other entrees not as good. Very inexpensive, nice ambience. Lots of unusual non-alcoholic drinks. The Allston location is better) Saigon -- Allston 431 Cambridge St, 254-3373 (Small low budget restaurant, good & inexpensive -- the husband minds the tables; the wife cooks. A storefront, but the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing. Lots of vegetarian food; the veggie rolls are especially good. Try the lemongrass squid and the banh xeo. Good spring rolls and tofu dishes. Oversized soup bowls are filled with rich fragrant broths, vegetables, chicken and seafood, and rice noodles (not to mention lemongrass) but avoid the seafood soup. Very good Fisherman's soup, though the portion is small. All the dishes are made on the spot and the freshness of the ingredients is exhilarating. Their tea contains some Jasmine and is heart-warming. Closed Sundays.) V Majestic -- Allston 164 Brighton Ave, 782-6088 T: B Green Line @ Harvard Ave, also on the #66 & #57 bus lines (The decor might be Food-Import-Company-Calendar Modern, some entrees might be forgettable, but within certain categories this place consistently shines for many people, while others (myself included) find the food to be somewhat greasy & mediocre. Stick to anything w Special Noodle or Caramel Sauce. The Rolling Beef & Sea of Vietnam are very good here, too, and the Yellow Crispy Noodle dishes and the Shrimp with Vermicelli compares favorably w more expensive Chinatown versions. Soups are good, too, esp the Crab Meat soup & the hot & sour soup, though better Pho can be had elsewhere. I'd avoid the fried greasy spring rolls (though some people think they're great) but try the excellent Vietnamese rolls -- a little spicy, not fried, with a wonderful dipping sauce. Also very good lemon-grass chicken and pan fried fish. A funky place w friendly service, which is often prompt, but can get slower when it gets crowded. This place cultivates regulars. Amazingly cheap.) Viet Hong -- Allston 182 Brighton Ave T: Green B Line, Harvard Ave, also on the #66 & #57 bus lines (Very good food, inexpensive, with very large portions. The specialty seafood soups, such as sea moss soup and fisherman's soup are superb. There are lots of Pho variations as well, which are quite good, though for Pho and for Vietnamese salad, Pho Pasteur, down the block, is still better). Most of the entrees are very good here, including the various tofu and vegetable dishes, caramel shrimp, ginger fish, and beef w lemon grass. They do tend to undercook chicken and shellfish; if you order these dishes (which are good), ask them to make sure the main ingredient is very well cooked. The owners, who generally wait on the tables, are very friendly, and will make you feel welcome and taken care of. Open till 11pm most nights.) VietFoods -- Waltham Willow St, nr River St (Out of the way, hole in the wall place with excellent food. No decor to speak of, and service is slow because only 2 people work there and only one seems to know English. But they are very nice, and remember you after only a couple of times. Everything there is good -- very light and not greasy. Favorites include the Fresh Spring Rolls, Fried Wonton, Pho, Cha Chien (Vietnamese meat patties over vermicelli) and Vietnamese iced coffee. Prices are very cheap.) Vietnam Restaurant -- Chinatown 38 Boylston St, 423-1665 (Oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Boston. Great canh chua, goi cuon, bun, cari) ====================================================================== Where to Drink Beer & Cider *************************** ====================================================================== Brew Pubs ========= Boston Beer Works -- West Fenway (near Fenway Park) 61 Brookline Ave (at Lansdowne St), 536-2337 T Green Line: Kenmore Square (Excellent micro-brewed beer. Wide selection: well-hopped lagers, amber ales, porters, stouts, barley wines, Weissbier, and seasonal brews like pumpkin ale and spiced winter ale. The food here is not incredibly extraordinary, but it's well- prepared standard pub food, from light fare in small portions to huge starch-laden dishes, reasonably priced for the location. Good sweet potato fries, mako shark with raspberry marinade, and very good burgers. Avoid the filling but bland and overcooked pasta dishes. Not exactly a charming place. Rather big, clean, and slightly industrial. But interesting architecturally, and not as much high school cafeteria feel as Cambridge Brewery. Service is very good for a place that gets very crowded. Expect big crowds and long waits during concert events and club nights on Lansdowne St. Extra points to their servers -- they're friendly folks and don't seem to get frazzled by the zooey atmosphere. Not recommended, EVER, for an intimate occasion... very, very highly recommended if you want a slightly noisy time with a lot of friends. Least stuffy brewpub in Boston. Snacks: $5-10; meal w a beer: $10-20. Wheelchair accessible.) Cambridge Brewing Company -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Kendall Sq, 494-1994 (Excellent beer, and they serve it in pitchers! The standard beers are excellent, especially the pale ale. Special beers vary all over the place, though they're rarely less than good, which makes them worthwhile just for the adventure, and there have been truly excellent brews, incl the raspberry stout. The worst thing that can be said about the specials is that they're variable, with flavors changing noticably from batch to batch, so if you want consistency, go for the standards. The food is occasionally interesting, but usually indifferently prepared; it's been better at points in the past -- at present it's best to avoid anything even remotely fancy. The atmosphere is lots of red brick and a jukebox that's usually one notch too loud -- there's not much atmosphere to speak of. Service is extremely variable, though never positively rude.) Commonwealth Brewery -- West End (near Boston Garden) 138 Portland St, 523-8383 (The food and the beer are somewhat similar to that of the Cambridge Brewing Company, with some disagreement about which has the better brews. At Commonwealth, the dark brews are particularly recommended, especially the porter and bitter. Go for the beer, and avoid any truly fancy food.) John Harvard's -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 33 Dunster St, 868-3585 (Mixed reviews on the beer; some think its great, others find it disappointing, though recently musch improved. The ales are light-bodied, and at worst weak & bland, although the flavors that make it through are worthwhile. The food also gets mixed reviews; some find it imaginative and tasty, w excellent home made sausages and great lunch specials, while others think its a ripoff, with the presentation frequently winning out over edibility; they're obviously trying hard to provide interesting (if often heavy) dishes, but they might have done better working on the basics. The steak & garlic mashed potatoes are good. Enormous desserts heavy on the maple sugar (although the strawberry shortcake is good), and poor coffee.) Other Great Beer Places ======================= Boodle's of Boston [Steaks] -- Back Bay [see listing under Steaks] Cornwall's -- Kenmore Sq (The best British-style pub in the area, and it is very good indeed. They have Woodpecker and Welsh Ale on tap, scores of other beers, and the couple who owns it is on-site, managing really well, an also doing a first-rate job of cooking good fish & chips, and lots more. It draws a crowd of regulars, including lots of BU faculty at lunchtime.) Sunset Grille and Tap -- Allston 130 Brighton Ave nr Harvard St, 254-1331 T: B Green Line at Harvrad & Comm Ave, also #66 & 57 buses (Best known for its unparalled selection of beers on tap (74, and not one of them Budweiser or any of that mass-produced crap) and in bottles -- a total of 150 beers and 5 or 6 ciders. They also serve enormous portions of butter-heavy food that gets mixed reviews. Very good nachos. 3 rooms, one busy and open, one quieter, one for smokers. Mostly a 20-something crowd with a lot of BU students. The waitstaff is young and friendly. The wait can be tough at peak weekend times but otherwise it's pretty easy to get a seat.) Places that serve Hard Cider ============================ Bill's Bar Cider Jack on tap about one day in six... Boston Beer Works Woodpecker (and others?) in bottles Cornwalls Woodpecker on tap Crossroads Woodpecker on tap Plough & Stars Cider Jack on tap! Sunset Grill & Tap Woodchuck & Woodpecker on tap; also Merrydown, Strongbow, Cider Jack, Purpom ====================================================================== Other ***** ====================================================================== Where to have English Tea around Boston ======================================= Ace of Cups Tea Room -- Brookline Village Colonial Inn -- Concord Center Four Seasons Hotel -- Boston Montage -- Chelmsford Ritz -- Boston SpecialTeas -- Grafton ====================================================================== Recommended Boston Sunday Brunch Buffets **************************************** ====================================================================== [Note: this list is really incomplete. New entries very welcome!] Blue Room [Eclectic] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) (Sunday brunch is recommended highly -- for $15 adults, $8 kids under 12, patrons are treated to a good combination of your standard buffet-style brunch as well as hip out-of-the-ordinary dishes with many unexpected items; its a cold and hot buffet of delights that fit the Blue Room's standard philosophy of ethnic blendo nouvelle cuisine, but without any portion control. This means you might find apple-pineapple-guava crumble next to old- fashioned chocolate brownies (but updated with that hint of bitter chocolate instead of gooey sweetness) and traditional scones (equally modern with their lacing of apricots), or pasta salad next to maki rolls, buttermilk pancakes next to collard greens and fried bananas, sausage and bacon next to eggs scrambled with asparagus tips and sundried tomato. Everything works well together, and not a thing cannot stand proudly on its own -- a remarkable feat, I think, for a buffet. Portions of the hot food are prepared continually in small amounts so that nothing sits long enough to cool. A full menu of cocktails for the person who has to wake up with a screwdriver is available, at additional cost. To add to the whole effect, a pianist belts out a few sets of foot-stomping ragtime New Orleans jazz from an upright they wheel in to near the bar; if conversation is critical, don't sit too close. Goes from 11am - 3pm, with a similar dinner buffet that starts at 4pm.) Country Life [7th Day Adventist Vegan] -- Downtown (All you can eat; serve and bus tables yourself. Very impressive lowfat selection (I asked specifically about fat content). Included 2 soups, small salad bar, hot entree, rice, vegetable, french toast & waffles, fresh fruit, frozen fruit drink, a fruit tart (all this was non or low fat), "scrambled" tofu, other baked goods & desserts. Herbal teas and juice included, other (soft) drinks were extra. $7.95/adults, $4.50/children) Dick's Last Resort -- Back Bay (Sunday Gospel Brunch. Every Sunday, 10a-3p I believe. The entertainment is a rock/jazz gospel group. Food was good, omlette bar, waffle bar, lots of fresh fruits, breakfast and lunch foods. Deep southern backwoods feel to the place. A great new experience. It was about $15pp. Parking validated for the Pru Mall Garage.) Marriot Copley Place -- Back Bay (Great food, about $20/head, excellent shrimp) Meridian Hotel -- Downtown (The Meridien hotel in Boston runs an excellent Sunday brunch, possibly w a special "kids table". Neat way to introduce someone to sushi (one table) too because they use only smoked salmon and other commonly-eaten products to produce their maki rolls. Shrimp & mussel table, crepe table, usual egg & etc. table, usual cheese & breads table, usual salads table, a pseudo-natural breakfast foods table, and on the hot food side, they always have salmon en croute of some sort, as well as the usual beef, vegetable, and potato entrees. Desserts are worth eating, too; real stuff, not the usual over-sugared generic goop.) Park Plaza -- Park Square Park Plaza Hotel, 35 Columbus Ave, Park Sq, 426-4444 (Really good hotel brunch -- excellent even if seated just before closing time. Excellent omelettes, roast beef, plus some slightly more unusual stuff like tuna steaks in orange sauce and capellini with sun-dried tomatoes. Good selection of dessert stuff too -- cakes, some nice fruit tarts, etc. Good quality. All of it was fresh, well-prepared, made with the right ingredients. Service was excellent, plates were removed and silverware was replaced promptly but without rushing us. Basically, we never had to wait for anything. Servers were all very pleasant, too. $18/head.) Parker's [Traditional American] ($$$$) -- Downtown Rowes Wharf Restaurant -- Waterfront Boston Harbor Hotel, Atlantic Ave, 439-3995 (One of the most lavish brunches around if price is no object) Sheraton Commander -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) ($21 for very good buffet) Spinnaker -- Cambridge (Cambridgeport) Top of the Cambridge Hyatt Regency Hotel 575 Memorial Drive (nr BU Bridge), 492-1234 ($25/person, large variety, complimentary champagne, the whole restaurant revolves) Top of the Hub -- Back Bay 52nd floor of the Prudential Center (Boylston/Huntington), 536-1775 (Good classical Sunday brunch. Interesting cheeses, and quite a reasonable wine list (w Frascatti a good value). A good value overall (about $18.00) and terrific views of Boston.) Turner Fisheries (Seafood) -- Back Bay (Extensive excellent seafood-focused brunch. Not cheap at $22/ head, but simply wonderful. They had just about anything you could want in a brunch, lots of it, and the quality was excellent -- bacon, sausage, waffles, omelettes, blackened monkfish, sole, smoked seafood platter, clam chowder, etc.) ====================================================================== Outside of Boston ***************** ====================================================================== Cape Cod Restaurants ******************** Brewster -------- Chillingsworth ($$$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Nouvelle French / Continental 2449 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 896-3640 (Very expensive, but worth it for a special occasion. Generally considered to be the best restuarant on the cape. The food is thoroughly excellent; never a bad meal. An excellent bet is the prix fixe 5 or 7 course meal. The fruit souffle for dessert is particularly recommended but needs to be ordered at the beginning of the meal. Formal yet friendly service; graceful, efficient, and tactful. Get reservations well in advance. They also have a cafe, which is less espensive.) [=> review ] High Brewster ($$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Eclectic New England Satucket Rd (betw Airline & Stonybrook), (508) 896-3636 Bourne ------ Chart Room (Cataumet, Bourne MA) -- Traditional On the harbor at Kingman Marina, (508) 563-5350 (Food is traditional American family-style - broiled swordfish w/anchovy butter, baked stuffed lobster, steaks, lamb chops, etc. but it's very good and is very inexpensive for the location. Typical entree is ~$10, including salad, veggies, potato. Limited inexpensive wine list and full bar. Indoor & porch dining w beautiful sunset views of harbor, Bassett's Island, out to Buzzard's Bay. As you might expect, the place is PACKED in the summer time, esp. on weekends, and can be very noisy. Entertainment on some nights (usually piano player w/bass - show tunes, traditional jazz, etc.). Hard to get reservations, and they're definitely advised. Open Thurs-Sat May, all days June - Sept, Thurs-Sat October) Cotuit ------ Regatta of Cotuit ($$$$) (Cotuit MA) -- Eclectic 4631 Falmouth Rd (Rt 28, nr Rt 130), (508) 428-5715 (Very elegant, somewhat traditional food. Very fresh, wonderfully prepared seafood.) Dennis ------ Swan River Restaurant and Fish Market (Dennisport MA) -- Seafood Lower County Road, Dennisport (Very fresh and well-prepared seafood, terrific chowder, with plenty of non-fried items on the menu. Friendly service, and even a view if you get the right table. Portions not the largest (not really small, just not huge), but quality high. Never a bad meal, and often really good ones. Informal atmosphere.) Eastham ------- Lobster Pool (Eastham MA) -- Seafood Rt 6 (A good place for simple seafood. They will prepare whatever fish they've got fresh as either poached, broiled, baked, or fried. They do a splendid job w poached fish, especially swordfish, and and they also do a great job on lobsters. Atmosphere is very casual. You won't get anything fancy here but it'll be very good.) Falmouth -------- Regatta of Falmouth ($$$$) (Falmouth MA) -- Eclectic 217 Clinton Ave (nr Scranton), (508) 548-5400 (Very good food -- you can't order a bad meal; everything is exquisite. Especially good mushroom strudel appetizer and chocolate decadence dessert. Reservations recommended. Off-season, the service can be slow) Mashpee ------- Flume (Mashpee MA) -- Portuguese / Seafood off Rt 130, nr the turnoff to Mashpee Commons (A popular place with good seafood, though a bit overpriced. Go for the Portuguese items on the menu, which are both cheaper and more interesting) Provincetown ------------ Ciro & Sal's (Provincetown MA) -- Italian in an alley off Commercial St (Very good Italian, many dishes with fresh seafood in them. It's crowded, it's noisy, and it's always good. Note this is not Sal's place, which is good, but this is better.) Lobster Pot (Provincetown MA) -- Seafood Commercial Street (P-town restaurants come and go, but the Lobster Pot is always there and always good. Still casual, and a bit busy and hectic, but somewhat fancier than other places. Basic fresh seafood in rather plain surroundings, with some particularly good dishes. The Portuguese kale soup is a must as is the wonderful clam chowder. Other good bets are soft-shell crabs, seafood skewers, and the cold smoked appetizer plate. They also usually have a pretty impressive dessert menu.) Nappi's (Provincetown MA) -- Eclectic (Interesting and innovative cuisine -- a wide variety of fresh seafoods and some Portuguese specialties. They have such a large menu that pretty much everyone can find something that they'll like.... there's even a page of vegetarian things.) Wellfleet --------- Serena's (South Wellfleet MA) -- Italian Seafood Route 6 (Italian family-style dining, emphasis on seafood. Good basic stuff -- their menu has changed little over the years. Excellent scampi, seafood/lobster fra diavolo, great garlic bread. Preparations are not fancy but the food quality is superb. They're used to kids, too. Very friendly folks. Casual. Entrees $10-$12.) Yarmouth -------- Abbicci ($$$$) (Yarmouthport MA) -- Italian 43 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 362-3501 North Shore Restaurants *********************** (east of US 1) ************** Beverly ------- Union Grill (Beverly MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill 208 Rantoul St, (508) 927-2028 (Fresh food, of very high quality, and very imaginatively prepared. The decor is lovely, the service is excellent, and the wine list good.) Danvers ------- Flash In The Pan (Danvers MA) -- Contemporary American 181 Newbury St (betw Rts 114 & 62), (508) 774-9367 Ponte Vecchio ($$$) (Danvers MA) -- Northern Italian 435 Newbury St (nr Topsfield Fairgrounds), (508) 777-9188 Essex ----- Tom Shea's ($$$) (Essex MA) -- Seafood (Good food, mostly seafood, w/some meat entrees. Food done a la Legal Seafood (traditional (i.e., baked stuffed) cajun, broiled, fried) and there's several pasta dishes. Setting is nice - right on Essex marshes so you can watch boats coming in from Ipswich bay. Fairly extensive wine list, good desserts.) Gloucester ---------- Bistro ($$$) (Gloucester MA) -- Eclectic (Very good, with lots of Mediterranean food, including fine seafood and grilled foods of all sorts) Newburyport ----------- Glenn's Galley (Newburyport MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill Eclectic 44 Merrimac St, (508) 465-3811 (Artfully prepared, tastefully presented food, servings tend to be small. Menu varies weekly - some standards, with lots of potential for hot (spicy) foods, and lots of specials. Great seafood. Occasional oddities such as wild boar, antelope, venison, etc. Get reservations on weekends.) Grog (Newburyport MA) -- Southwestern/Traditional 13 Middle St (first left off of State St), (508) 465-8008 (1760 meets 1960. Relaxed atmosphere days -- loud R&B/Blues at night - local artists on display. Try the Black Bean Soup or the White Ash Blackened Steak - ouch.) Joseph's Winter St Cafe (Newburyport MA) -- Italian/Continental Winter St. (Cozy up-scale room. Piano bar on weekends. Terrace in summer. Try the roasted peppers, veal. Get reservations on weekends.) Middle St Foods (Newburyport MA) -- Eclectic Middle St. (Similar to the old Black Forest in Cambridge. An excellent selection of salads and small entrees, which vary by the day -- almost all of it very good. Take out or self serve. Best at lunch. Good recent bets are paella and the curried vegetables with lobster in filo. Fairly Spartan decor.) Peabody ------- Legal Sea Foods (Peabody MA) -- Seafood Northshore Shopping Center, (508) 532-4500 O'Fado (Peabody MA) -- Portuguese 52 Walnut St (nr Central), (508) 531-7369 (Mixed reviews. Huge portions, but overall disappointing.) Revere ------ Mirage (Revere MA) -- Russian 220 Lynnway, 286-3310/3359 (This is the place to come for a unique Russian dining experience. The decor and location would make it a good candidate for something more like a VFW post; the food is, well, very meat-and- potatoes, but apparently genuine enough. The reason to go, though, is to experience the Russian rock'n'roll band that provides the live entertainment, as well as the groups of Russians and Armenians getting as smashed as they can; if you're lucky, the place will erupt into table dancing and raucous sing-alongs; toast everyone's health, the health of their spouses and children, and you'll get along just fine. Needless to say, it's the sort of place you would best go to in the company of at least six others, so you can raise your own hullaballoo if no else does. It's only open on the weekends, and reservations are advised, mostly because they do a lot of Russian parties, weddings, receptions, etc. Oh, the Mirage also has a dress code (jackets, ties preferred, absolutely no jeans or sneakers) and runs $20/person easy, more depending on your alcohol consumption.) Rowley ------ Agawam Diner (Rowley MA) -- Diner (Food from your childhood, or from your parents childhood. Salisbury steaks, turkey with gravy.... Good quality food, good desserts (excellent pie), inexpensive.) Seafood Village (Rowley MA) -- Seafood Rt 1, about a mile N of rt 133 (Great fried seafood; one of the best on the North Shore. Nothing fancy. Not a place for someone who is watching their fat intake.) Salem ----- Asahi (Salem MA) -- Japanese 21 Congress St, (508) 744-5376 (Very nice Japanese food, lovely service, pleasant decor. Good sushi, also specializing in simmered dishes. Nice bento box selections.) Grapevine (Salem MA) -- Nouvelle Italian 26 Congress St, (508) 745-9335 (Very nice -- pizzas, pasta, duck dishes. One of the better restaurants in the area.) Red Raven (Salem MA) -- Eclectic 75 Congress St, (508) 745-8558 (Very striking decor. Food represents various international spicy cuisines. Moderately priced.) Saugus ------ Border Cafe (Saugus MA) -- Tex/Mex (Like the one in Harvard Sq, but with fewer vermin and better ambience.) Hilltop Steak House (Saugus MA) -- Steakhouse Rt 1 [look for the cow!], 233-7700 (A family place w long lines and very good reasonably priced steak) Swampscott ---------- Palmer's ($$$) (Swampscott MA) -- Italian 408 Humphrey St (at Greenwood), 596-1820 Restaurants North of Boston *************************** (east of Rt3, west of US 1) *************************** Burlington ---------- Cafe Escadrille (Burlington MA) -- Italian/American on 3 nr 128 (Most upscale decor and highest prices of nearby Italian restaurants -- a big place with above average quality and prices; not overly expensive, but not cheap. Not gourmet fare, but solid, though the frog legs are delicious. Dissenters say that dinners are dull with indifferent preparation (esp fish). But this a place with a great Sunday brunch.) Jimmy's on the Mall (Burlington MA) -- American Casual In the Burlington Mall (Standard American fare -- meat-chicken-seafood -- with good sized portions of above average food at average prices; never a bad meal, and hard to beat for the price. A large restauarnt with plenty of seating and speedy service. Excellent Salmon w Dill sauce & Baked Stuffed Shrimp and great desserts too, including Mud Pie & Strawberry Shortcake. Entrees, which include potato or rice (a nice pilaf w spinach), are generally $8-$11. Salads ~$1.45 extra.) [=> review ] Legal Seafood (Burlington MA) -- Seafood In the Burlington Mall (Good food, pricey, always crowed, forget it for 6-8 people unless you arrive after 9:00 PM or want to wait an hour. Excellent baked stuffed lobster and the salmon is also good.) Haverhill --------- Hong Kong Kitchen (Haverhill MA) -- Chinese Rt. 125, Bradford (Haverhill), 508 521-3399 (This is owned by the same people as Royal East in Cambridge, and has the same menu; it is certainly the best Chinese outside in the area. Best dishes: any of the daily specials (including whole fish), Cantonese fried chicken, veal ribs, rock crab, pork and pickle soup, pork with pickles, the chow foons, swan la chow show, chow meins (believe it or not), the list goes on ... You can never get a bad dish there. Prices are moderate (about $50-60 after tip for a family of three, but that includes leftovers to take home with you). The ambience is typical for a small suburban Chinese place, but here you go for the food.) Lawrence -------- Bishop's (Lawrence MA) -- Lebanese / American (Bishop's has two types of food: American steaks, chops, and seafood, and Middle Eastern (Lebonese) specialties. Both are very good to excellent. The American food comes in huge portions -- lobsters start at perhaps 3 pounds, for example. Prices are expensive, but you really do get your money's worth. The french fries (served family style) are not to be missed, as well as the Syrian dressing on the salad. Even though the prices are on the high side and the atmosphere and service are very nice, dress is informal.) Lowell ------ Khemara (Lowell MA) -- Cambodian (It's nothing fancy, but it's run by a very pleasant Cambodian family, and they serve wonderful House Special Sizzling Rice Soup and Cambodian-style fried fish, for those who like spicy dishes, at very low prices. The smoke can get bad here at times.) La Boniche ($$$?) (Lowell MA) -- French 110 Gorham St (Intimate atmosphere, the courses are perfectly cooked & seasoned, and the desserts are to die for) Southeastern Asian Restaraunt (Lowell MA) -- Asian Eclectic (Possibly the best food of it's type in the Boston area - really! They have Laotian, Viet, Thai, Cambodian and Burmese food - and are *NOT* afraid of the heat! Try the Nom Prik Ong or Pad Prik Bai Grapow. Both are hot and good. Sticky rice is excellent, (when they remember to wash it well enough so it doesn't have a film of gooey starch) -- one order is plenty for two people. Gyoza is ok, but ask them to try not to make it soggy. They now have buffets at lunch and dinner, incl weekends, where you can eat quite reasonably. The worst part of the Southeast Asian is it's downtown location. Don't forget to lock your car and arm the laser turrets :-) The owners are an Italian Database Consultant named Joe and his Thai wife. If the food isn't up to snuff, let Joe know. He's [email removed]) Stoneham -------- Three Amigos Taco Shop (Stoneham MA) -- Mexican (Pretty good. Very small, *great* chili verde, a bit of bite for a change! Other food's just ok, but they deliver and are cheap and give large portions.) Wakefield --------- Szechuan Restaurant (Wakefield Center MA) -- Chinese across from the police station on Centre St (Very good food, reasonable prices. The shrimp & veggie dish is fine, and a dish called Patriarch Chicken (small sauteed pieces of chicken over broccoli, sweetish, spicy sauce) is really good! Hot & Sour, wonton soups are very good. Friendly, pleasant staff. The seafood is pretty much limited to shrimp.) Restaurants West of Boston ************************** (as far as Worcester) ********************* Acton ----- David's Bistro (Acton MA) -- Eclectic Rt 2A, (508) 263-6161 (A relatively new, and wonderful restaurant, serving very well prepared and delicious food, and the portions are large, which is unusual for this type of restaurant. Many of the dishes are complex and somewhat spicy; if you want fairly simple food, this place may not be for you. Entries worth trying include Roasted Lamb Loin and Grilled Venison Sausage with a barley and wild rice timbale with natural drippings ($16), Roasted Rainbow Trout stuffed with smoked shrimp and scallops with a brown butter, caper sauce and lemon couscous ($15), & Grilled Semi-Boneless Duckling, soy-marinated, with lo mein noodles, and spicy peanut sauce ($14). The menu includes vegetarian dishes as well. For the price, quality, and portion size, this restaurant is a very good deal.) [=> cautionary review ] Le Lyonnaise ($$$$$) (Acton MA) -- French on 2A, west of 2/2A rotary, past 27 (A very pleasant restaurant in a converted house w an intimate atmosphere, and delicious excellent food. Wonderful duck w plum sauce and Coq au Vin. Complete Table d'Hote dinners available.) Bedford ------- Cafe Luigi (Bedford MA) -- Italian on 4/225 in front of Marshall's in the Purity shopping ctr (Very good, though not very adventurous, Italian food, fairly cheap. The Northern Italian dishes are best. Try the Chicken Tornelli, or the nice selection of black pasta dishes.) Great Wall (Bedford MA) -- Chinese 309B Great Road, 275-7007 in the shopping center on the west side of 4/225 before Bedford Ctr (Not stupendous, but extremely good standard suburban Chinese food, probably the best in the area. Serves good Suan La Sho Chow. Good veggie dishes, as well as a very good buffet.) Chelmsford ---------- Szechuan Chef (North Chelmsford MA) -- Chinese 6 Vinal Square on Rt 3A, (508) 251-9888 take exit 33 from the south, exit 34 from the north (Good Chinese restaurants in the area are in very short supply, and this is the best. Good lunch buffet with about 6 items, including peking ravioli.) Concord ------- Aigo Bistro ($$$) (Concord MA) -- Mediterranean 84 Thoreau St, Concord, 371-1333 (Try the brandade, the seafood entrees, any North African food, and the honey-lavender-thyme flan) Chang An (Concord MA) -- Chinese at the Concord Train Station on Sudbury Rd, across from Stop & Shop (very good restaurant aiming for high quality ingredients and excellent preparation, but with overly bland seasonings, even when asking for spicy food. Very tender, perfectly cooked poultry, and perfectly cooked, juicy tender duckling. Nice decor, but prices are on the high side, $4 to $6 for appetizers, and $10 to $15 for entrees.) Framingham ---------- Thai Orchid (Framingham MA) -- Thai Rt 9 (Good food, freshly prepared w fresh ingredients. Basil Beef a good choice for those who prefer western tastes; Masuman Curry is a good choice for those who like the unusual. The "Golden Bags" appetizers are wonderful, and the grilled seafood skewers with a sweet and sour sauce are also good. This is a really nice Thai restaurant. The atmosphere is among the most pleasant seen locally, with a central seating area under a wooden platform; in this area you sit on the floor. Around that area are standard tables and booths. Prompt pleasant service. $10-15/person. Seats about 60. Mixed drinks available. Wheelchair accessible. Smoke can be a problem.) Yen's Wok (Framingham MA) -- Chinese (Great lunch and dinner buffet Sunday through Thursday. Very good Chinese food.) Littleton --------- Yangtse River (Littleton MA) -- Chinese (Wildly mixed reviews -- from excellent to very disappointing. A nice comfortable place w very good service -- pleasant and quick. Those who like it think it is the only good Chinese place in the immediate vicinity and recommend the KungPao shrimp, chicken, or beef, the Spicy jumbo shrimp w/tomato & onion, the crispy beef dish, and the veggie lo mein. Those who don't, find it very dissapointing, w lousy food & service, much inferior to the Lexington branch. Open daily till ~9:30) Marlborough ----------- Tom's Seabreeze (Marlborough MA) -- Seafood on Rt 20 (Not a fancy place, but the fried clams and scallops are impeccably fresh, the breading light and not greasy. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. Highly recommended!) Maynard ------- Grappa (Maynard MA) -- Italian on Rt 62 (An unassuming place that serves unique inspired Italian dishes at moderate prices -- a very enjoyable place to eat. Try Eggplant Napolean, Spit-roasted chicken, and Veal scallopine in vanilla infused lobster sauce. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends) Little Pusan (Maynard MA) -- Korean 83 Main St, (508) 897-5107 (Small family place -- she's Korean and cooks, he's American and serves. Food is quite good (a lot of it is spicy), with several complimentary appetizers. Portions are fairly generous too, esp. for the appetizers. The Korean-style futomaki and the noodle appetizer are especially good. Entrees are very good as well, esp a steamed layered big bowl of meat and vegetables that seemed to be a specialty. No liquor license but you can bring your own. Only seats 25, so you might want to avoid on weekends (they really can't handle a crowd); weekdays usually uncrowded. When not crowded, the owner is very good w special requests also. Very reasonable prices for the amount of food -- $30 feeds 2 adults and 1 child very well.) Quarterdeck (Maynard MA) -- Seafood on Rt 62 (Excellent, and known for its very fresh seafood, reasonably priced. Casual. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends) Thai Chili (Maynard MA) -- Thai (Really good food, and best Thai in the area. The spicy dishes are authentic -- really spicy and flavorful) Natick ------ Dolphin Seafood Too (Natick Centre MA) -- Seafood on South St, opposite the train station (Fancier version of the Cambridge restaurant. More spacious, full bar, fish market, similar low prices. Closed Sunday. There can be a long wait on weekend nights. But even after an hour wait the food, atmosphere and service are great. The swordfish special dinner for $10.75, is very reasonable and tasty. The children's menu offered "fish sticks" which are actually haddock pieces. Also on the children's menu are shrimp, and other choices all for $3.95.) Legal Seafood (Natick MA) -- Seafood (Excellent fish chowder. Overpriced fish and lobster. Long waits on weekend nights.) Sherborn -------- Sherborn Inn ($$$) (Sherborn MA) -- Traditional 33 Main St (Rt 27 nr Rt 16), (508) 655-9521 (Very upscale, elegant, pricey. Superb menu and wine list. Many dishes are quite good, including the veal chops, crab cakes & shepherd's pie, but others fall short of the mark, incl the salad w roasted mushrooms, and the cheese tortolini with grilled chicken and pesto. Service is spectacular, though for the price, more attention should be given to the details of presentation. Also does a good job with small group functions) Southboro --------- Ipanema (Southboro MA) -- Brazillian Off Rt 85 south of Rt 9, (508) 460-6144 (Very authentic Brazilian food, casual atmosphere. Reasonably priced, enormous portions. Offers all you can eat marinated/ grilled meats, served right off the skewers by the chef who wanders through the dining area. Servers are helpful with suggestions if you are unfamiliar with the food - will also tell you if they think you have ordered too much !! Offers live Brazilian music and dancing on weekend. Definitely worth the trip.) Sudbury ------- Lotus Blossom (Sudbury MA) -- Chinese Rt 20 (Run by the same people that run the Lotus Flower in Framingham, but the interior and atmosphere are much nicer -- very tasteful (un-chinese-restaurant-like) decor. The food is both prepared and presented well, with some of the best Chinese food outside of Chinatown. Good mu-shi, vegetarian dumplings, with some steamed entrees and brown rice available for healthier choices. Good shang-hai panfried noodles and their peking duck is ok too (but not served with pancakes unless you ask for them). Sometimes they have unusual specials like chicken w/champagne sauce, which are good. Prices are moderate to a bit high, but worth it. They also do impressive special banquets w VERY good food and service. Always jam packed on Saturday nights - wall to wall people waiting to be seated.) Wellesley --------- Amarin II (Wellesley MA) -- Thai 27 Grove St (at Spring St), Wellesley, 239-1350 (Very pretty restaurant, and excellent food, almost as good as Erawan. Great Pad Thai & Tom Kar Gai; the noodles and beef at lunch are good and not served elsewhere. Service is generally good, but there can be exceptions. They have a pretty good tolerance for noisy kids.) Captain Marden's Takeaway (Wellesley MA) -- Seafood Linden St (good seafood, cheap prices. Avoid the broiled food; get the fried stuff. Get the seafood rather than the clam chowder) Weston ------ Cafe 456 (Weston MA) -- Eclectic (By day, it is a sub shop / pizza joint featuring very good sandwiches (good roast beef w boursin cheese, and chicken salad w fresh tarragon & grapes). In the evenings (they used to do this every night, but they scaled back recently to just Friday and Saturday nights), they transform into a gourmet restaurant w excellent food creatively prepared from fresh ingredients and elegantly presented. The place has a certain charm to it with the combination of fine food in a (very) casual setting (you won't likely ever see any two pieces of silverware at a table that match). The place is decorated with artwork which changes every few weeks. Very good beef tenderloin and chicken risotto, wonderful hearty lentil/tomato soup; desserts were fantastic. A very pleasent dining experience. Not a cheap one, mind you, but satisfying.) Worcester --------- Thai Orchid (Worcester MA) -- Thai (Moderate prices, pretty good lunch & dinner buffets, though better choices off the regular menu. The sesame beef appetizer w coriander and fried crispy is really excellent. Service is good, as long as you don't go on a night with a popular Centrum event.) Restaurants South of Boston *************************** (east of US 1) ************** Abington -------- Vin & Eddie's ($$$) (Abington MA) -- Northern Italian 1400 Bedford St (Rt 18 betw Rts 58 & 139), 871-1469 Braintree --------- El Serape (Braintree MA) -- Mexican 5 Commercial St, Weymouth Landing, 843-8005 Dartmouth --------- La Rivage ($$$) (Dartmouth MA) -- Classic French 7 Water St, (508) 999-4505 Hingham ------- Navona ($$$) (Hingham MA) -- Italian-French-American 415 Whiting St (nr Rt 3), 337-0757 Hull ---- Sapporito ($$$) (Hull MA) -- Northern Nouvelle Country Italian 11 Rockland Circle (nr Nantucket Ave), 925-3023 (Inventive delicious food in a homey trattoria atmosphere. Terrific food; everything is superb. Well worth the drive.) Randolph -------- Caffe Bella (Randolph MA) -- Italian 19 Warren St (Rt 139 E), 961-7729 Southeastern New Hampshire Restaurants ************************************** (bounded by Nashua, Manchester, Dover) ************************************** Newicks (NH Chain) -- Seafood (Delicious seafood. Gigantic nightly specials. Giant fried seafood platters, and the broiled stuff's ok too. They all have *slightly* different names, but all the names contain "Newick's." Ambience? Open, casual, friendly -- like a big, indoor picnic. Cheap. Good. Fun. Avoid the fast food versions in malls though!) Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse (NH Chain) -- Tex/Mex (Much better than passable, even to those who have sampled what California and Texas have to offer. Good mexican food with a good atmosphere and good beer selection.) Lyme ---- D'Artagnan ($$$$) (Lyme NH) -- Nouvelle French 13 Dartmouth College Hwy (Rt 10), (603) 795-2137 (very pretty country inn sort of restaurant. They serve the freshest of ingredients -- which is quite a feat in the middle of winter in northern NH -- in tasty and interesting ways.) Nashua ------ Cafe Mardi Gras (Nashua NH) -- Cajun/Creole (Nice cafe style restaurant w inexpensive tasty food, though small portions (at least for lunch). Lots of alligator on the menu.) Chili's (Nashua NH) -- Southwestern DW Highway, across from Pheasant Lane Mall (Noisy, friendly, busy place w southwestern decor, and well- prepared southwestern style food. Good chicken fajitas. The best appetizer is the awsome blossom (fried onion with horseradish sauce) although the quesadillas are good also. They also have good salads and burgers. Sam Adams and lots of soft drinks available w free refills. Short wait, very good service. Most things on the menu are between $6-10. Very child-friendly; the waiting area has children's books!) Coyote Cafe (Nashua NH) -- Southwestern Main St, (603) 883-1610 (Recently opened, so the waitstaff is still undertrained, but the food is excellent. A bit less creative than Cottonwood Cafe, but still very tasty and a better value. Try the Hopi Pan Bread appetizer, the Smokehouse Saute, and the Grilled Scallops (with pumpkinseed pesto), as well as the almond flan.) Giant of Siam (Nashua NH) -- Thai (One of the best around... great food, good service, classy presentation/surroundings, reasonable prices. Still others think it has gone downhill since it first opened.) Indian Village (Nashua NH) -- Indian (Still the best Indian food in the area, and an excellent lunch buffet, authentically prepared and spiced. Lunch buffet: $6; dinners: around $10-12. 100% Non-smoking) Osaka Tea Garden (Nashua NH) -- Japanese (Very good sushi along with other Japanese food) Ya Mamma's (Nashua NH) -- Northern Italian Canal St (Very good to excellent Northern Italian food; especially good seafood, and the fra diavolo, sun-dried tomato butter, and pesto sauces. A bit on the expensive side; entrees are $12-15. Ugly neighborhood) Portsmouth ---------- Blue Strawbery ($$$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- Nouvelle American 39 Ceres St (off Bow St), (603) 431-6420 (Wonderful prix fixe dinners using unusual combinations of ingredients) Strawberry Court: Restaurant Francais ($$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- French 20 Atkinson St (betw State & Court), (603) 431-7722 Salem ----- Metastasis (Salem NH) -- Eclectic (603) 890-3362. Take I-93 to NH Exit 2. Head east. It's on the right side of the road about 1/4 mile after you cross Rt. 28. (Cuisine is an unsual combination of Portuguese, Italian, French, Californian. Double Diamond & Sam Adams on tap. A wonderful place & well worth a trip. If you're thinking of a Friday or Saturday night, better call for reservations. Southwestern Coastal Maine Restaurants ************************************** Cape Neddick ------------ Cape Neddick Inn ($$$) (Cape Neddick ME) -- Nouvelle American At Rts 1 & 1A, (207) 363-2899 Freeport -------- Maine Dining Room ($$$$) (Freeport ME) -- Nouvelle American Harakeeset Inn, 162 Main St, (207) 865-9377 Ogunquit -------- Arrows ($$$$) (Ogunquit ME) -- Nouvelle American Berwick St, (207) 361-1100 Portland -------- Alberta's Cafe (Portland ME) -- Eclectic 21 Pleasant St (betw Danforth & Foke), (207) 774-0016 Newicks (Portland ME) -- Seafood (see NH Chain writeup) Rhode Island Restaurants ************************ Newport ------- Le Petit Auberge ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Country French 19 Charles St (betw Washington Sq & Marlboro), (401) 849-6669 Newport Grill ($$$) (Newport RI) -- Italian 1 Broadway (Washington Sq), (401) 847-8353 White Horse Tavern ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Eclectic New England Marlborough & Farewell Sts, (401) 849-3600 (Beautifully maintained/restored Colonial setting, friendly but very professional service, excellent food, good (and not overly price-inflated) wine list.) Providence ---------- Al Forno (Providence RI) -- Nouvelle Italian 577 S Main St (behind Corliss Landing), (401) 273-9760 (Creative Italian Like Olive's in Boston (Charlestown), but better & more refined. Lots of grilled items, excellent pizzas, a fine apple tart, nice wine list, fairly expensive. Large portions. Attention to small details. Eat slowly to savor the taste. Some might find the atmosphere stuffy or the waits too long (occasionally 2 hrs, though rarely); if so, try Lucky's, a more casual room in the bldg w the same kitchen [272-7980].) Blue Point Rrestaurant & Oyster Bar ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Seafood 99 N Main St (at Elizabeth), (401) 272-6145 (Cozy well-worn blue-blood room. Fantastic, and always interestingly prepared seafood. Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. This serious fish restaurant is not for the baked-stuffed- haddock crowd. There's a focus on regional fishes such as trout, shad, pollock, flounder, salmon and of course, shellfish. Try the shad with roe, spiced in earthly realism. The menu changes weekly with daily specials and some house standards - such as oysters/ mussels which are recommended. Casual, but not inexpensive.) La Fogata (Providence RI) -- Mexican East Avenue, about 3 miles from Brown University (Has the best Mexican food in RI (perhaps the best anywhere). The chef spent much time in Mexico, and the food reflects that. The chef was also on the new cable tv food channel demonstrating her dish "Camarones rellenos" (wood grilled shrimp dipped in chipotle sauce stuffed with goat cheese and baked in verde sauce.) You'll find tacos and burritos here, but there is much more interesting fare that you won't find at the "chain" Mexican restaurants. Everything is wood grilled, most entrees come with wood-grilled vegetables. Try the chile rellenos con pollo (fresh roasted poblano pepper stuffed with chicken that's been grilled with chipotle orange sauce, then topped with chile con queso and baked) and beef fajitas that are *hot*. Prices are reasonable: $7.95 to $13.95 for an entree. It's not high on atmosphere (very casual), but the food is excellent. No liquor license, but you can bring your own and they'll supply glasses and corkscrew, opener, etc. They don't take credit cards, but will take a personal check if you're relatively local (and maybe if you're not, check first). Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. (Great salsa, too!). It's worth the trip. L'Epicurea (Providence RI) -- Italian Federal Hill (the Atwells Ave. area) (The menu is limited to only about 20 things, but the food is very good and the atmosphere and presentation are also done very nicely. The restaurant is sparkling new; they've renovated their older, much smaller restaurant. Excellent Lobster Ravioli, Pecorino Seafood (penne pasta w shrimp & scallops), and focaccia. The portions are about average in size and the price is a little up there for a-la-carte meals but the food is outstanding.) New Rivers (Providence RI) -- Eclectic 7 Steeple St, (401) 751-0350 (Another winner in the interesting, novel dishes category. Fresh ingredients, interesting herbs. Nice atmosphere, small, reasonable prices) Pot Au Feu ($$$) (Providence RI) -- French 44 Custom House St (at Weybosset), (401) 273-8953 (Great creme brulle at Pot Au Feu in Providence. They have an upstairs which is expensive and posh (jackets required), but downstairs is casual, with both inexpensive soups/salads/quiches, etc. and more expensive entrees ($15-20). But, the creme brulee is amazing!) Toscano's ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Italian 265 Atwells Ave (DePasquale Plaza), (401) 274--8820 ====================================================================== Changes Since Last Month ************************ ====================================================================== Changes since May 1994 ====================== The list of restaurants to avoid has been merged in with the other Boston restaurants not on the recommended list (and distribured separately). New Entries ----------- Agawam Diner (Rowley MA) -- Diner Andros Diner [Greek Diner] -- Belmont Bay Tower Room [Continental/French] ($$$$) -- Faneuil Hall Area Big Burrito [Tex/Mex] -- Allston Bluestone Bistro [Italian / Pizza] -- Waltham Butchie's [Bbq/Creole] -- South End Cafe Mardi Gras (Nashua NH) -- Cajun/Creole Center Street Cafe [Cafe] -- Jamaica Plain Chang An (Concord MA) -- Chinese Chili's (Nashua NH) -- Southwestern Giacomo's [Italian Seafood] -- South End Jimmy's on the Mall (Burlington MA) -- American Casual Legal Sea Foods [Seafood] -- Prudential Legal Sea Foods (Peabody MA) -- Seafood Little Pusan (Maynard MA) -- Korean Lotus Blossom (Sudbury MA) -- Chinese Newicks (NH Chain) -- Seafood Sadie's [Bbq] -- Waltham (Moody St) Seafood Village (Rowley MA) -- Seafood Thai Chili (Maynard MA) -- Thai Trattoria Pulcinella ($$$) [Northern Italian] -- West Cambridge Vinny Testa's [Italian] -- Newton Four Corners Wild Ginger Bistro [Asian/French] -- Back Bay Yen's Wok (Framingham MA) -- Chinese Updated Reviews --------------- Asmara -- Ethiopian Bangkok City [Thai] -- Symphony Area Bella Vista [Italian] -- North End Bernard's [Chinese] -- Chestnut Hill Biggs Restaurant [Jamaican] -- Kendall Sq Boca Grande [Mexican] Chillingsworth ($$$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Nouvelle French / Continental David's Bistro (Acton MA) -- Eclectic Dixie Kitchen [Cajun] -- Symphony Area Eastern Pier Seafood -- Chinese Seafood Genghis Khan [Chinese / Mongolian] -- Newtonville Glenn's Galley (Newburyport MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill Eclectic Great Wall (Bedford MA) -- Chinese Hamersley's Bistro ($$$$) [Eclectic] -- South End House of Blues [American Casual] -- Harvard Sq Indian Cafe [Indian] -- Washington Sq Ipanema (Southboro MA) -- Brazillian Johnny D's (Davis Sq) -- American Casual Joyce Chen [Chinese] Karoun [Armenian] -- Newtonville L'Epicurea (Providence RI) -- Italian Mama Julia [Colombian / Salvadoran] -- East Boston Massimino's [Italian] -- North End Middle St Foods (Newburyport MA) -- Eclectic Noelle [Eclectic] -- Porter Sq Ocean Wealth [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown Olive's ($$$) [Nouvelle Northern Italian] -- Charlestown Pu-Pu Hot Pot -- Chinese w Dim Sum Sally Ling's [Chinese] -- Waterfront Sherborn Inn ($$$) (Sherborn MA) -- Traditional Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse (NH Chain) -- Tex/Mex Skipjack [Seafood] Sonsie -- Back Bay Szechuan Chef (North Chelmsford MA) -- Chinese Taqueria Mexico [Mexican] -- Waltham (Moody St) Top of the Hub [BRUNCH] -- Back Bay Troika -- Russian Turner Fisheries ($$$) [Seafood] -- Back Bay Union Sq Bistro [Eclectic] -- Union Sq V Majestic -- Vietnamese Viet Hong [Vietnamese] -- Allston White Horse Tavern ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Eclectic New England Removed Entries --------------- Bay Tower Room [BRUNCH only] -- Downtown [still open, but no longer open for Sunday Brunch] Daily Catch [Seafood] -- North Brookline [has not been open for quite a while] Goemon [Japanese Noodle] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) [they will be opening on Commonwealth Ave up by BU and in the Harvard Square area] Haim's Deli -- Kosher Deli [No longer Kosher; the same people run the place now as Washington Sq Deli]