Boston - was Re: Joints Between Philly...

 Holly M. wrote:

 >OK - maybe I'll skip Loch-Ober's though I had many a great dinner
 >there when I lived in the area.  At the same time I'm not exactly
 >excited by pizza/pasta and Mediterranean places in Boston - We have
 >an ample supply here in Philly.

 Hmmm.  Well, I am willing to bet that you don't have a food quite
 like Olive's in Philly.  I am really impressed by the chef (Todd
 English)...but it is Mediterranean-inspired fare.

 >So, other than No Name and Durgan Park (Square?), where are the
 >unique Boston restaurants, the likes of which I won't find in
 >Philadelphia?

 Well, if you want a "unique Boston experience" perhaps Locke-Ober
 isn't such a bad choice.  In the same vein ("old favorites") you
 could try Cafe Budapest (Hungarian).  Or you could get a "Harvard"
 experience at Upstairs at the Pudding (although this is Italian
 food).  Honestly, though, if I wanted a "Boston" experience, I
 would probably just go to the Ritz for afternoon tea.  I would
 go for a walk around the Public Garden, Beacon Hill, and perhaps
 the Common (work off that tea!).  Then, having been properly
 "Bostoned," I would go to one of the moderately priced restaurants
 which serves _good_ food for dinner (not specifically New England
 oriented), probably save money, and have a better time besides.

 Right now, a lot of the best and most exciting restaurants are
 not really specifically "Boston" in character.  Unfortunately,
 the best and most interesting New England oriented restaurant,
 Jasper's, is closing at the end of the week.  Another restaurant
 which tries to use New England influences is Rowes Wharf in
 the Boston Harbor Hotel--I have heard good things about it,
 but I have never been there; it is supposed to be pretty pricey.

 Area standouts include the aforementioned Olives, the nationally
 known Biba (Boston, nr. Public Garden, eclectic food) and
 Hamersley's Bistro (Boston, South End, French with some N.E.
 influences, Gordon Hamersley just won the James Beard award
 for the best chef in New England).

 For some other interesting places, I would suggest some of the
 "grill" places--East Coast Grill (Cambridge, Inman Sq., tiny,
 cramped, crowded, great grilled foods, with an emphasis on
 Caribbean flavors--good spicy foods), Salamander (Cambridge,
 more upscale, takes reservations, grilled foods, often with
 an Asian influence), and The Blue Room (Cambridge, Kendall Sq.,
 great grilled meats; a little tamer than East Coast in the
 spicing, less cramped too, great job on grilled pork, a really
 good Sunday Brunch too).  All three of these are on the cutting
 edge of grilled foods.  We also have a French/Cambodian restaurant,
 The Elephant Walk (2 locations, Union Sq., Somerville, and Boston/
 Brookline Line on Beacon St.).  There are plenty of good ethnic
 places: Chinese--especially Chinese Seafood, Japanese, Korean,
 Spanish/Tapas, etc.  If you want more suggestions in any of these
 areas, just ask.

 You should also check out Ellis Cohen's Boston Restaurant List,
 which is available on the web (there is also an ftp version
 somewhere).  You can find a link to it on the Open Software
 Foundation home page:  http://www.osf.org (the actual location
 of the list has changed recently and I don't remember it's
 URL, but this will work).

 Hope this helps.

 Marcel

 Someone wrote:
 >OK - maybe I'll skip Loch-Ober's though I had many a great dinner
 >there when I lived in the area.  At the same time I'm not exactly
 >excited by pizza/pasta and Mediterranean places in Boston - We have
 >an ample supply here in Philly.
 >
 >So, other than No Name and Durgan Park (Square?), where are the
 >unique Boston restaurants, the likes of which I won't find in
 >Philadelphia?

 Hmmm.  That's different.  Not so many good ones left, now that
 Boston (downtown, anyway) has been yuppified to Hell.  In my
 recollection, there are three kinds of "typical Boston" food:
 Italian, which you can get in Philly;  Seafood, which you can find
 for less money and with better quality in Maine;  and Portuguese,
 which is better in Gloucester or New Bedford.  There's also a
 sub-category of "food" exemplified by Durgin Park and
 Locke-Ober's, which is still there, but why you'd travel all that
 distance to eat mushy peas and Indian pudding is beyond me.  Boston
 is less of an ethnic enclave and more of a "sophisticated" city,
 for better or worse, than when you lived there and when I went to
 school there.  Happened in the '80's.

 Maybe the Union Oyster House?  Next to Faneuil Hall.  Jasper's was
 a great bet, but it may be closed by the time you get there.
 Biba's is wierd and interesting food with a nice view of the
 Boston Common -- I doubt there's anything quite like it in Philly.

 You might try the voluminous Boston Restaurant Guide maintained
 on-line by Ellis Cohen(?), or contact him directly.  I'll try to
 find his address.

 APforz

 >