GaryK's Profile
May 2012 Openings and Closings
9Lives, I'm a trademark lawyer and you understand the process pretty well. If the parties can't work it out, a judge will do an all-factors analysis under the standard of 'likelihood of confusion" including name similarity, customer overlap, how well-known the senior user is, whether there's any actual confusion (not required) etc.. Rights stem from actual use, not registration so even if M&D registered their name Cafe has priority if they can win the analysis, but as 9Lives says you need all the facts to make the determination.
Great restaurants near Copley Square?
Michael Schlow's latin small plates restaurant Tico is fun and tasty, but as in many tapas-style places those tiny bites can add up to a not-so-tiny bill if you aren't careful.
Looking for Dinner South of Downtown Sarasota
Will be staying with family about 20 minutes south of downtown off Vamo Road and looking for somewhere interesting for dinner in the neighborhood. Any suggestions? Bonus question: anywhere around there I can get a decent espresso (that means not Starbucks).
Looking for a Quick Early Dinner in JP
Reporting back: we wound up at Tres Gatos and were very happy. A variety of small dishes exceeded our expectations, particularly the large shrimp in garlic sauce (better than several versions we've had at other Spanish restaurants around town) and a confit chicken thigh with brussels sprouts and chanterelles. Service was prompt and friendly.
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Tres Gatos
470 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130
Looking for a Quick Early Dinner in JP
We need somewhere on Saturday night where we can be done in about an hour, so places like 10 Tables are out. We're flexible as to cuisine, more interested in food than drinks. Most recently tried the Haven and were underwhelmed. Any suggestions?
Miel: Restaurant Week 2011
I work right across the Channel from this place and have been there several times; I can tell you that your service experience is about par for the (3) course(s) and that Restaurant Week had nothing to do with it. That's why I tend to avoid it unless we are taking clients for a fancy lunch within close walking distance.
Need recs for restaurants in Coolidge Corner
There's also the Reagle Beagle for mid-priced gastropub (pardon the cliche) food, across from the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse and several steps up quality -wise, although there's been some talk of a downward trend on this board lately. In any case, it's a friendly, neighborhood type place.
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Coolidge Corner Clubhouse Restaurant
307 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446
This Beagle is an insult to Snoopy
I don't know if there has been a change in chefs, but we were there for the first time in several months last Friday night, and things seemed just a little bit off compared to prior visits. The kitchen was slower getting things out than in the past and our dishes lacked an edge that had been there before; previously I thought this place was a good value for the money and was punching a little higher than its price point but this time everything seemed more generic.
Best sandwich in boston?
Cutty's in Brookline uses very high quality ingredients with a few interesting twists, like their ham and pimento cheese with homemade pickles. I especially like their two different roast pork sandwiches (only on Saturdays).
Trattoria Toscana closed for vacation - where to go??
Two choices for Italian in opposite directions (location and style) but easy to get to from Kenmore Square - Carlo's Cucina, on Brighton Avenue in Allston, is family run, homestyle Italian and a great favorite on this board; go early to avoid the wait (no reservations). Via Matta, in Park Square, is more refined, upscale but informal. You'll do well at either.
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Via Matta
79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Kid-friendly in Watertown Square?
Try Molana, well-prepared Persian food and family-friendly, right in Watertown Square.
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Molana Restaurants
5 Spring St, Watertown, MA 02472
Looking for Good Bakery in Quincy/Milton Area
We will be in Quincy on Saturday morning and need to pick up a good foccacia or french bread for lunch with friends later. Any suggestions on a Clear Flour/Iggy's type bakery in the area?
Dorado Tacos & Cemitas Total Disappointment
We live close by and have been to Dorado a number of times for a quick weekend lunch. I have had good luck with the grilled swordfish taco and the cemitas. I agree some things are a bit on the bland side (I realize this isn't Angela's Cafe but East Boston is a little too far for us to to grab a quick taco on a regular basis and I just can't stand the ubiquitous Anna's which is almost right across the street) but everything is usually very fresh and the fish tacos are non-greasy. We tend to go in around noon and there is always a pretty steady flow of customers. However, I have to agree with Striper Guy that lately there is often that off-putting cleaning product smell; they really need to do something about that.
HELP: Lunch near Fed. Courthouse tomorrow?
Sportello may be out of your price range, and Flour is agonizingly slow. However, Yada Yada Cafe, at the end of Farnsworth Street closer to the courthouse, has excellent sandwiches and a variety of homemade dishes from the sweet Albanian family owners, added bonus is there's rarely a long wait.
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Sportello
348 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02110
Anyone been to Lineage recently? Any recommendations?
We were there about a month ago for the first time in several years. Pleased to report that things were very good, I had fish and my wife had scallops; everything well prepared and the service was personable and accommodating. Extra bonus: I believe they have lowered their prices somewhat, perhaps because of the recession.
Looking for Saturday Lunch Near Milton Academy
My daughter will be taking a Saturday course at Milton Academy and we're looking for a few places to get lunch afterwards. We're open to a variety of possibilities (but the closer the better) but hoping for something interesting.
Looking for flageolet
Which one? I tried the one in Brighton a few weeks ago and they did not have them.
Boston Hound Seeks suggestions for NW, Central DC
My wife and I and our intrepid (foodwise) 9 year old daughter will be visiting next week and we are looking for dinner suggestions near our hotel (Omni Shoreham) as well as lunch suggestions near the Mall and other tourist attractions. We have very eclectic tastes (New American/french/Italian/Asian/other ethnic) and a moderate budget (entrees up to $20-25 max). Would love to sample Southern or other local specialties. We have a car and the Metro is nearby for something really special, but would like to get a feel for what is closer to where we'll be.
Best Coffee?
Cafe Fixe in Washington Square in Brookline is obsessively fixated on quality (watch them clean their espresso machine like a fire engine after each use). The cafe itself is sort of spartan, with 60s jazz playing in the background and a sort of nouveau NYC coffeehouse vibe. They make a "triple ristretto" espresso that I think is one of the best in town. A few weeks ago the usually somewhat dour proprietor was in a state of near ecstacy when he told me that they had a limited quantity of beans from Stumptown Roasters in NY, it's that kind of place.
(Quick) Lunch options IN South Station?
Don't even think about Flour if you're in a hurry. Great food but infuriatingly slow lines.
Looking for Sunday Lunch/Brunch near or South of Jewish Museum
It's at 92d and Fifth, and then we're heading down towards 65th, so anything in between would be good. We'll be with our 9 year old daughter, who is open to anything. We've been to Payard Patisserie recently and enjoyed it.
Looking for Breakfast Near Omni Shoreham Hotel
We may be staying there in August and have no interest in a $14 "continental breakfast". Are there any other early morning breakfast options within walking distance (the hotel is located at 2500 Calvert St)?
Flour, Picco
The family is Albanian, they bought the business a few years ago from the prior owners and everyone pitches in. The father, who used to make the sandwiches, had a stroke a few months ago and the family has had a hard time lately. Crabtree has accurately described the food and service, so I urge everyone in the Fort Point neighborhood to support this truly Chowhoundish place.
Sportello Report
Just back from lunch at Sportello, which is down the block from my office. Had a very nice takeout sandwich there last week with salami, provolone, caponata and olive oil on a torpedo shaped roll. This time I sat down at the counter (very uncomfortable stools, a high end version of the McD's philosophy of making the seating sufficiently unappetizing that you don't want to linger, plus the overall industrial chic decor is a little chilly, especially in this weather). Friendly but somewhat hesitant service, they're still learning the ropes. I ordered the strozzapreti ("priest stranglers"), short twisted pasta with braised rabbit and green olives, and a lemonade. While I was waiting they brought out a little dish of soft ricotta with fig jam and olive oil and some good scali bread to spread it on. The strozzapreti was nicely done, pasta just right and rabbit unctuous and flavorful, only problem was no olives. Not one. And at $17 for a not too large serving, that was a significant omission. However, the waitress was gracious and apologetic when I pointed it out and they comped me a delicious dish of hazelnut gelato, which was dense and creamy, plus when I left the hostess slipped me a bag with a couple of good looking pastries I'm looking forward to sampling later. Bottom line - food is very good, up to Barabara Lynch's high standards, unfortunately so are the prices (that lemonade, served in a medium size glass, was $4.00!). In this environment, once the novelty wears off, this may be a tough sell. In the meantime, I intend to return for takeout and, when I'm feeling flush, the occasional pasta.
Lunch Places In Dedham?
I've got jury duty at the courthouse in Dedham tomorrow. Is there anywhere decent where I can get lunch not too far from the courthouse, as my time will be limited?
Need Advice for Chimayo, NM
We'd consider it but it's closed on Tuesday's and Wednesday's, which is when we'll be there. Is there anything in Espanola other than fast food?
Need Advice for Chimayo, NM
We are going to be staying there one night next week on our way from Santa Fe to Taos, were planning dinner at Rancho de Chimayo but they are closed due to a serious fire last month. Any alternative suggestions not too far from Chimayo?
Where can I get pre-peeled hazelnuts?
Dairy Fresh in the North End is no longer an option, any other suggestions?
Mixed Bag at Benatti (Long)
We tried this upscale Italian place for my birthday last Saturday and had a mostly good but strangely inconsistent meal. Considering the obvious care the owner has put into it and the very high price point one would expect better; on the other hand if the rumors are true that the East Cambridge location has kept customers away and it is already on the way out then that maybe explains some of the glitches.
We received friendly greetings from the owner and our waitress, who presented us with some excellent Italian bread, unusually yeasty and with a very crunchy crust. She then told us that they were out of several items on the already quite short menu, a bad sign for 7:30 on a Saturday night (there were a couple of specials). For appetizers, I had a half portion of agnolotti with sun-dried tomatoes and tiny asparagus and a vegetable filling. The agnolotti were very tasty, with just the right toothsomeness for homemade filled pasta, and the asparagus was very flavorful, but sparse. However, the broth it came in and the tomatoes were seriously oversalted, almost to the point of being inedible. I am usually tolerant of salty dishes, but this was really excessive. My wife had a green salad special, nice greens but nothing unusual except the streak of thick balsamic vinegar on the plate (the owner is from Emilia-Romangia, and takes pride in sourcing the real thing).
Moving on to main dishes, I had roast Berkshire pork with a "lasagnette" of onions, pancetta and tomato, which was like a little sandwich with crisped pasta squares. There was no sign of the pancetta in the lasagnette or the streak of balsamic vinegar on the plate (again) listed by another reviewer. The pork was very flavorful, with that fatty piggy porkiness you get from a non-factory pig, and the lasagnette was fun, but the whole dish was nearly ruined by a wildly oversalted reduction sauce. My wife had a great piece of perfectly cooked salmon with leeks in a creamy lemon sauce that did not suffer from the same salt problem. Both dishes were really minimal with the sides, and there were no contorni on the menu, so your options for vegetables were pretty limited, and if you wanted carbos you had to order a pasta dish (my lasagnette hardly counted at about two bites). Given the prices, I would have liked a little more on the plates, and the saltiness problem was unacceptable. Normally I wouldn't hesitate to say something to the waitress, but it was my birthday dinner and I didn't want to make an issue of it.
Desserts, on the other hand, were flawless. I had a negroni terrine paired with orange nougatine, it was like a very grownup creamsicle! Campari lovers will swoon, others should stay away. My wife's tiramisu was completely traditional, but well executed and light as a feather.
Service was friendly and competent. The room is very stark with a large picture window looking out over a not very appetizing part of Cambridge Street, the disconnect with the upscale interior is a bit disconcerting. It would be a shame if this place doesn't make it, with some window treatments and some small adjustments in their kitchen it could really shine.
Orinoco, Brookline Village (overrated?)
Sorry you had a bad experience but it sounds unusual for this place. We were there the night before and it was quite different. I had the smoked churrasco with a side of yuca and there was enough to take home for a snack. The beef had a complex smoky flavor with a hint of sugar cane and was delicious, BBQ with a twist. We have had the tostones several times and they have never been greasy or mealy as is often the case in other places, and the garlicy mojo sauce is a delight. My wife had the pollo polveroso, which initially came out barely warm but when she told the waiter they brought a new one almost immediately and it was much better, spiced and shredded chicken in a pastry shell, small but intensely flavored. My 8 year old daughter always enjoys the arepas and fruit juices. Prices are very reasonable and we certainly didn't leave hungry. The staff was very friendly, and they all wished me a happy birthday even though we decided to skip dessert for cake at home. Give it another try.
