cmd's Profile
"Least Favorite Vegetable" Poll
Agreed. I like most vegetables (and don't mind the ones I don't especially like), but beets taste like dirt to me.
Superbowl Brownies! Wrong Ingredient? Help please! :)
I think it looks like it will be fine as is with unsweetened chocolate. I make my brownies with unsweetened chocolate, and use 2 c. of sugar for 8 oz of chocolate.
Cookbook recommendation for a REAL beginner. I mean, a REAL beginner.
I still have a copy of "The Idiot's Guide to Cooking Basics"---it starts with something like "this is a measuring cup" and gets about as advanced as "how to roast a chicken." I liked it. Haven't pulled it out in awhile, but it's good for building up confidence.
Palazzo/Venetian Eats
It wasn't exactly what I consider "affordable" (just looked at the receipt, and it was ~$145 all in for 2 drinks, 1 app, 1 side, 2 entrees) but we enjoyed Table 10 at the Palazzo. It was sort of contemporary American...not at all farm to table, but felt like it could have been. The side of truffle mac and cheese was oh so good (ridiculously rich, though), and could have been a meal for two with a salad. The bar seats looked quite comfortable if you wanted to sit there with an appetizer or two.
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Table 10
3327 Las Vegas Blvd South Suite 2900, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Anniversary Night
If you haven't tried Hamersley's, you might consider that. It could be a bit light on the "fun" factor (though the patio may still be open in September--and people watching is fun to me!), but definitely not formal. Since you enjoy Sel de la Terre, this would sort of similar but a good step up foodwise. It's also a bit higher in price, but comfortably within your budget.
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Sel de la Terre
774 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199
Looking for a Restaurant with Way Too Many Caveats... and oh yeah, for Tomorrow
Is West Roxbury too far/urban? If not, West on Centre might work.
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West on Centre
1732 Centre St., West Roxbury, MA 02132
Brunch at Umami in Brookline
I didn't realize Noon had left Khao Sarn (guess it has been awhile since I've been). That's a good reason for me to get up there and try Umami.
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Khao Sarn
250 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446
Nice, Foodie Quality Lunch near Colonial Theater - Reservations a Plus?!
Maybe Market? They are on Opentable and have reservations available for Saturday lunch. Or for less fancy but good food, Montien.
Having seen the show, a cocktail with lunch would not be out of line :).
Allergy friendly restaurants
It's not exciting, but I have a friend with similar allergies and she had a very good experience at Papa Razzi in Wellesley (out of your geographic range, but I believe there is one in town as well--since it's part of a group I suspect there is some kind of corporate training). She ordered something that looked safe, told the waiter about her allergy, and the manager later came over to tell her how they were making sure it was safe for her.
80's Party!!!
I just think of "When Harry Met Sally"---- "Pesto is the quiche of the 80s." :)
Need recs for restaurants in Coolidge Corner
Reagle Beagle is maybe one of two places in CC that I wouldn't consider especially kid friendly (the other being Lineage)--it's just a little tight, IMO. To be fair, I've only been there at night, and maybe earlier in the day it has a different feel.
I've been to Khao Sarn with several toddlers (though, thankfully, not all at once) and it has worked well. It's a bit pricier than the other Thai places mentioned, but it's still fine for kids --the fish tank works well as a distraction-- and I prefer it to either Dok Bua or S&I. And it has a full bar and fantastic bartender.
I'm in the middle on Zaftig's--I can't disagree that it's a fake deli, but I like it for breakfast, and sometimes for the 'I'm exhausted" dinner. It's definitely kid friendly, and has a playground next door.
I'd say the best pizza is at Mangia in Brookline Village, and they deliver (free!) to Coolidge Corner.
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Khao Sarn
250 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446
Mangia
655 Washington St, Canton, MA 02021
Is everything at Sichuan Gourmet wicked spicy??
As I recall, the cumin beef/lamb has a lot of spice but not a lot of heat. And it's delicious :).
Best Wine Shop
I don't, but almost right across the street (in the same parking lot as Starbucks) is Winestone, which I love. It's a little shop, with almost nothing I've ever heard of, and great staff--I regularly ask for suggestions around $15 and under (with the occasional splurge bottle) and they are always helpful and gracious.
LA Chowhounds Coming to Boston for the First Time
Hamersley's Bistro doesn't fit any of your specific categories, but to me it's one of our best examples of "well-established.....stood the test of time for very good food and service." It's not a dive in the slightest, but isn't super formal.
My mom loved the lobster roll at B&G oyster, and I thought the BLT was fantastic. Agree on the Grill 23 suggestion, but it is LOUD (as 9lives said).
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Hamersley's Bistro
553 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116
Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116
Any good Restaurant Week reports?
When I was at L'Andana earlier this summer, they had a 3 course menu in the $30-$35 range. IIRC, it was offered Mon-Thurs with 3 choices for each course. I didn't try it (had to have the milanese from the regular menu). If you'd like to go back it might be worth checking to see if they are still running that menu.
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L'Andana
86 Cambridge Street, Burlington, MA 01803
When Pigs Fly & farmer's markets
If you like olives, try their olive bread. It has a nice crust, and is really dense and chewy on the inside, with lots of olives and some hot pepper.
Coolidge Corner Dinner...for TONGIHT..Friday....see requirements
Agreed. If you know about what time the show will get out, you might want to reserve. It's a bit tight in there.
I'll also plug my favorite, Khao Sarn, as a backup. I'm in the minority on this, but I prefer their food to Dok Bua's, and they have booze (and a great bartender).
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Khao Sarn
250 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446
fri night baby friendly?
Sol Azteca is fine with kids. I know a baby doesn't need a kids menu, but they have one.
How is the noise level at Sorellina?
Great, thank you .I think I'll offer this as option A, with maybe Oak Room as a backup. I appreciate the help!
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Oak Room
138 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116
How is the noise level at Sorellina?
I'm trying to plan a dinner with my parents for next month, and it looks like Sorellina might be a good choice. How is the volume level there? My dad doesn't hear well, so something like Grill 23 (or even Davio's) would not be a great fit.
I'm open to other suggestions. Menu-wise, I suspect Italian, American, or a steakhouse would be best (definitely nothing too "creative"--Sorellina is about as far as I think I can push it). Valet parking or a garage nearby would be better, as they will be driving in and walking more than a couple of blocks would be tough.
We'd be going on a Friday night, so I know that doesn't help on the quiet front. I'm not looking for church quiet, but something short of deafening would be good.
Thanks for any help/suggestions :).
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Davio's
75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116
Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116
Sorellina
1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116
Sichuan in Brookline: Garden or Gourmet?
I was surprised in Shanghai when dan dan noodles (ordered for me by a colleague) had not a peanut in sight. I liked them, but they weren't what I was expecting. I like both versions.
I took this same colleague to Sichuan Gourmet when he was here (coals to Newcastle, but he was sick of dealing with forks and knives). He claimed to enjoy it (and I loved the cumin beef), but was confounded by the fortune cookies.
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Sichuan Gourmet
502 Boston Rd, Billerica, MA 01821
good profiteroles?
Legal still has them. I haven't had them in years so I don't know how they compare to others.
Pizzeria Dante - A hidden gem you need to discover
It's on Cypress St. in Brookline Village (across from the CVS). They deliver to Coolidge Corner pretty quickly.
Pizzeria Dante - A hidden gem you need to discover
Not to talk you out of making your own, but have you tried Mangia? It's my new go-to. I used to be an Upper Crust defender (one of the last holdouts), but we tried it again this weekend (craving their spinach leaf with ricotta) and it was awful--had the taste and texture of cardboard. The margherita pizza at Mangia has been great several times in a row, though the sauce might be a little sweet for some people.
On the original topic, I tried the pizza at Pizzeria Dante after reading about it on here, and it was...fine. I wouldn't mind having it again, but I don't know that I'd bother.
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Pizzeria Dante
1398 Beacon St 02446, Brookline, MA
Mangia
655 Washington St, Canton, MA 02021
Where to find bleu cheese stuffed olives
I know I've bought them at the TJs in Brookline before, but I don't know if I have recently.
West side, 20s-60s, maybe nice-ish ethnic?
I'm planning dinner with a friend for next Saturday (so getting a little tight on reservation time). We're planning to end up in the W40s after dinner, so I'm sort of taking a stab at the neighborhood, but that's flexible. Price-wise, we'd prefer ~$100 +/- for 2 apps, 2 entrees, 1 dessert (drinks/tax/tip additional). Neither of us enjoys sushi (or seafood in general, really), and I suspect she'll veto American/Italian/French (her husband will go to those places, and I am used to branch out :) ). Asian/Greek/Turkish/North African, maybe? In the past, we've enjoyed Marseille, Casalula, Kashkaval... so not fancy, but a pleasant environment to hang out, catch up, and eat and drink. I'd appreciate any thoughts/suggestions. Thanks!
Steak or Italian 13 People this Saturday
You could see if Davio's has space available, and hit both steak and Italian.
Columbus--M, Rosendale's, G. Michael's, or other?
I know it's tacky to bump my own post, but it's either that or start a new one, and I'm not sure which is worse :). After a year, any changes/new recommendations? I know places open/close/go downhill.
I'm looking for somewhere where a nice dinner for two can be had for $100 - $150 with a drink or two... Fancy is not required, and any ethnicity is fine. Proximity to German Village is a plus, but not required. Past choices were Lindey's, Barcelona, G Michael's, and I think all were enjoyed.
Are there additions/deletions, or should I recycle/pick from last year's not-chosen list? Thanks much!
Lunch Under $10
Depending on what you order, Petit Robert would work, possibly even with tax/tip.
Lobster, out of the shell
Thanks for the suggestions. We ended up at Grill 23 (I know I was looking for alternatives to the steakhouse, but I couldn't get him to go for the Chinatown option--he wanted the whole dipping it in butter thing). The meal was very good, if pricey, and the room is indeed deafening. I've sat upstairs in the past, so I always thought those comments were exaggerated. Nope, it's loud. Also, there was a lot of salt. I happen to love salt so it wasn't a problem, but I noticed the butter with the bread basket was quite salty, the mushrooms were salty, even the crust on my (really tasty) dry aged steak was salty. The "truffle tots," though, were not. They also weren't all that truffle-ish, and didn't really work for me.
Anyway, I hadn't been there in years, and probably won't be back for awhile, but I enjoyed it. Thank you for the other suggestions--I'll keep them in mind for the next visitor who just has to have lobster.
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Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116
