redelephant's Profile
Mexican Coke
Capone's on Mass Ave in Somerville also carries it. Or maybe that's Cambridge...
Drinks Near O Ya?
Drink in Fort Point is close, has great drinks/atmosphere in my opinion, but not a great beer list (although the bottled beers that they do have are great). Jacob Wirth has a decent/strong selection of Germain beers, but is not the most upscale of places. Stoddards has a great beer selection, but I've been unimpressed by the service and it can get quite loud in there. But alas, those are the only three places that I can think of in the area at the moment that could fit your criteria.
Oh, an edit: I personally love all three. I didn't mean to sound negative there.
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Jacob Wirth Restaurant
31 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116
Going to Radio City Christmas Spectacular! Romantic Dinner Suggestions?
I think Troquet, Pigalle, Erbaluce, Via Matta, and Market by JG are all pretty "special" and in the immediate area. Many more great places within walking distance but not as close, such as o ya and No. 9 Park.
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Pigalle
75 Charles Street South, Boston, MA 02116
Troquet
140 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Via Matta
79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Erbaluce
69 Church Street, Boston, MA 02116
Dinner and Brunch with group including infant in December
Very close to your hotels are Via Matta (Italian) and Bistro du Midi (French/good seafood), both would be easy destinations for dinner and places that I definitely enjoy. Sel De La Terre is good, but I would put it one rung below my previous two recs. Also a short walk away is Hammersly's Bistro, which is a popular/delicious spot, but in the wrong direction from your hotels on game day. One brunch option that is on the way to the Garden from your hotels that would take a reservation (I think) is Beacon Hill Bistro.
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Beacon Hill Bistro
25 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114
Via Matta
79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Sel De La Terre
776 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199
Bistro du Midi
272 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Nice lunch on Tuesday near Porter Square or Davis Square?
Gran Gusto or the Elephant Walk are the only two that come to mind at the moment (I'm not sure about the linen situation at either). The Harvard Square area would increase the number of weekday lunch spots that have linens.
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Elephant Walk
2067 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140
Gran Gusto
90 Sherman St, Cambridge, MA 02140
November Openings and Closings
Bondir has Nov. 26 posted as its opening date on its webpage. I'm looking forward to trying it.
Food Network show looking for your favorite outrageous food
Yeah, in the food world, I reserve the word "outrageous" only for describing the bill or the degree to which wines are marked-up.
Food Network show looking for your favorite outrageous food
Maybe we could get some crappy restaurant that's struggling to turn a profit to simply start preparing a 10 lb. burger made with an entire bottle of Dave's Hot Sauce and 24 slices of cheese. They could serve it with a gallon of frozen yogurt on the side or something, and if you eat it all, you get a t-shirt! (sorry, only size XXL and XXXL are available.) Then, the real Hell Night won't be affected, some struggling crappy restaurant can keep employing people by its new-found food-network-prompted awareness, and the food network can continue showcasing "outrageous" food. It's really a win-win.
Almost Turkey Time
I think Savenor's posted on Facebook that you have a few more days to order turkeys from them, which are from Bob's Turkey Farm in Lancaster, MA. I was in the Whole Foods at Charles River Plaze today and they had Misty Knoll Turkeys for either $3.50 or $4 per pound. I didn't check to see if they were previously frozen or not, but I was impressed that they carried Misty Knoll. I've not had MK turkeys, but I love their chickens.
1st time in Boston, help with dining itineray
I'm assuming they will go to the Flour in the South End, no? That's the easy one to walk to from the Back Bay and feeds right into their lunch plans, while the Seaport location is where you go the morning after you pass out on the sidewalk the night before after too many drinks at Drink. And yeah, personally, I too would sub Eastern Standard for the W Lounge.
1st time in Boston, help with dining itineray
I shouldn't say there are better options, just different options. But if you really like ginger and margaritas, the decision is simple. And if you don't like it there after a drink or two, then I would just bar hop back to your hotel---it's a great way to spend those late hours.
Cheap/comfort food near Suffolk?
I love the burger, the pulled-pork sandwich, and the chicken focaccia sandwich at the Hill Tavern on Cambridge St. It's cheap ($8-10 for the items listed above). Can't beat the Silvertone for comfort food as well. The Paramount on Charles St. is also affordable and decent along these lines.
1st time in Boston, help with dining itineray
Matt's great recs aside, I do like that Barbara Lynch-based day 1 plan. If only she served breakfast somewhere....
To clarify your day 2 late night plans: Market stops seating around 10 or 11 (depending on the day), so you will probably be in the adjacent W lounge (and have to enter through the hotel entrance and not the "Market" entrance which gets locked at some point). They have an addictive ginger margarita and a very yummy (but overpriced) truffle pizza, but it definitely feels like a hotel lounge to me. Sure, it's a very nice, swanky, W hotel lounge, but depending on where you are staying, there could be better options in my opinion.
Tourist stops? When I have first-time visitors in town, I do like getting drinks at the Top of the Hub if the day is clear. Combining drinks with tourist activities is important to me.
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Top of the Hub
800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199
Crescent Ridge Milk
I just saw their egg nog at the Alewife Whole Foods. I'll have to give that a try--and keep my eye out for their lemonade. Take that, Paul Newman!
Crescent Ridge Milk
Has anyone tried the Crescent Ridge Milk carried at Whole Foods/Dave's Fresh Pasta/other places? It's the stuff in the glass bottles that have a $1.50 deposit? I love that their packaging is very sustainable and from a great farm in Vermont, but I haven't been able to depart from my Highlawn brand allegance. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts who has tried both. I just drank a half gallon of the Highlawn chocolate milk over the course of about 24 hours; I think that it might be a clinical addiction now.
Where should we eat near BU?
Uburger in Kenmore for cheap delicious burgers.
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Uburger
636 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02215
Need help for Anniversary - First Post!
No. 9 is right around the corner and I never wear a tie there. :-)
BEST brunch in Boston?
I don't know if it is the best but I've always enjoyed Aquitaine's brunch. Although I haven't been to any of the places you mentioned for brunch for comparison.
Almost Turkey Time
I can imagine doing a lot of things with $160, but this is not one of them.
Almost Turkey Time
Savenor's just announced the limited availability of some pasteur-rasied turkeys from the 4 Corners Farm in Newburg, VT. $8/lb with an average size of 20lbs.
http://www.savenorsmarket.com/onlinemarket/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14&products_id=117
1st time in boston...whats not to be missed?
Blue Ginger is right next to the commuter rail stop in Wellesley Square, so with the proper schedule/timing//desire/luck, one can do a pretty easy trip from Back Bay Station [close to where you are staying] to Blue Ginger and back, although the train schedule might dictate your dining time somewhat and you might have to hang out in Wellesley a bit more than desired [the commuter rail runs infrequently, especially on the weekends; schedules are available on the mbta website]. You could train over at a set time and then taxi back, which could save a bit of money and then there would be no rushing through dinner to catch the last train.
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Blue Ginger
583 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482
Coturri tastings at Ten Tables, Bergamot, Formaggio
As I have expressed my love for Coturri wines on another post, and at least one other poster added a similar sentiment, I thought I would post a list of these events which will be attended by Tony Coturri. This is from the Coturri web site:
Friday, November 26th
Ten Tables Restaurant
597 Centre St.
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 524-8810
Wine Tasting. Contact the Jamaica Plain location for more information.
Saturday, November 27th
Formaggio Kitchen
244 Huron Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138-1328
(617) 354-4750
12-2 p.m.
Stand Up Wine Tasting.
The Spirited Gourmet in Cushing Square
448 Common St
Belmont, MA 02478
(617) 489 9463
4-7 p.m.
In-Store Wine Tasting.
Monday, November 29th
Bergamot Restaurant
118 Beacon Street
Somerville, MA 02143-4304
(617) 576-7700
Winemaker Dinner. Call restaurant for reservations. [this will be a five course meal with wineparings for $75]
Tuesday, November 30th
Ten Tables Restaurant
5 Craigie Circle
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 576-5444
Winemaker Dinner. 4 courses of delicious food paired with 4 of Tony’s most delicious wines for $65 per person. Contact the Cambridge location for details.
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Formaggio Kitchen
244 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Ten Tables
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA 02138
Spirited Gourmet
448 Common St, Belmont, MA 02478
UES Mayor needs your help Boston fine dining rec!
i.e., there aren't plates. I like to eat off of plates. Or, there aren't enough forks. I like to eat with forks. I don't think this is unreasonable, and having to request these items repeatedly really interupts conversation and I think should be considered bad service in a fine-dining setting.
UES Mayor needs your help Boston fine dining rec!
I've been multiple times and just don't think it fits the mayor's wants. Highlights would be the the spaghetti with cracklings, the lamb chops and the pork chop. Oh, and the pizza with figs and mushrooms--that's really really good. Lowlights for me: all of the mozzarellas, multiple starters, every other entree besides the lamb and pork, most of the breads, and the service. Every time that I have been there with a group of four or more people (~ 5 times), the waiters have to ask "who ordered the lamb?" or they place multiple meals in front of the wrong person or they don't provide the proper settings to share the appetizers after we specifically said that we were sharing the appetizers, and then we have to ask for additional service, and that just doesn't cut it for me as part of a fine dining experience. Oh, and every time I've been there with groups after we have the third of fourth bottle of water, they clarify that the house still costs money and that they will do us a favor by not charging us for subsequent bottles, and it's all just a hassle that interrupts conversation. And it's hapened every time I 've been there so even though I work right across the street we now avoid business dinners there. So I don't think it is a good place to either be Wowed by the fine dining or a good place for a group of five people when compared to Menton or Clio.
November Openings and Closings
True Bistro in Teele Square will be opening on Tuesday, Nov. 9th. They had a sign announcing the news posted on their door. I'm not one to seek out vegan food, but they will be serving alcohol as well, so that makes it okay in my book. And, it's touted as "upscale"....
http://somervillescout.com/2010/10/going-upscale-vegan-in-teele-square/
Oh, it's also announced on their website: http://www.truebistroboston.com/
Jeeze, it's a bit pricey. I was hoping for something similar to the Angelica Kitchen in NYC when I read the words "upscale vegan", but this makes the Angelica Kitchen seem really cheap. And AK is BYOB. Sigh...
a replacement for original-Craigie's atmosphere
All great ideas above. I think TW Foods might fit exactly what you describe. Maybe the Red House in Harvard Square (not quite the same caliber of food as those places suggested above).
Eating Animals
I think that what Craigie and Journeymen are doing concerning their sourcing is very responsible along these lines and laudable, and relatively speaking, quite environmentally minded. So I eat at Craigie and feel very satisfied in knowing the relatively humane sources for their meats, and forget entirely about my leather belt and shoes and sweatshop-made clothing and just ignorantly and blissfully enjoy the food. yeah....
UES Mayor needs your help Boston fine dining rec!
Yes, I have been very underwhelmed by Scampo. I would forget that one if I were you.
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Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114
