The exterior work that they did (some decorative stone/granite work) was taken down last week. doesn't look like anything is going on in the space anymore.

Chickpea fritter from Clover--a falafel-like sandwich wrapped to go, with all the fixins. Messy but delicious!

Seiji is clearly passionate about his work. I believe he trained at Sushi Ran in Sausalito before coming back home to Cafe Sushi. He has always been willing to create interesting dishes for us to try based on what he has on hand. I agree that it's a bit of a hidden gem that could benefit from some updating.

Seconding Christina's--very inexpensive compared to Whole Foods!

I drove past the two empty buildings near the hole in the ground/Harvard science complex on Western Ave near N Harvard St today and saw a sign for Swiss Bakers in one of them. A little googling turned up a Crimson article that the Swiss Bakers (originally in Reading) will be opening soon, as will a Stone Hearth Pizza (of Belmont) in the former Citgo station next door. Neither look like openings are imminent but they will certainly breathe a little life into a desolate area of Allston for those looking beyond the Bus Stop Pub.

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Stone Hearth Pizza
57 Leonard St, Belmont, MA 02478

Centre Street Cafe is the best in the neighborhood in my opinion! Yes, you can drink your coffee in line and I agree, the trick is that smaller parties are seated quicker. Service is casual, as expected, but a lot of fun. Waitstaff is always very friendly and cheery. Huge portions, small prices.

You can always try Sorella's in Hyde Square for a true greasy spoon experience.

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Centre Street Cafe
669 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Sorella's
388 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

I second Oleana's vegetarian tasting menu, it has never disappointed!

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Oleana
134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139

I second Lyndell's, they did cupcakes for my wedding and everyone really liked them. They're not available in as "fancy" flavors as you'd find from a wedding cake baker, but they were scarfed up none the less! The manager Karen suggested ordering 2 per guest, which I didn't do, but I wish I had because the cupcakes were gone very quickly when we put them out for a buffet. I did a ton of research in the Boston area and Lyndell's by far (very far) was the cheapest. We had yellow cake with chocolate frosting, red velvet, carrot cake, oreo, and peanut butter. Raves all around.

I feel like we should start a thread for "best neighborhood place you really want to like that is always sadly underwhelming." I'd nominate Alchemist in JP.

I have been to Solea twice recently, once at the bar and once in the main dining room, both for weekend lunches. The bar service was markedly better than the table service, which was extremely (painfully) slow and not at all attentive. On both occasions the food was good, the dates wrapped in bacon with cheese was my favorite! I'll stick to the bar for my next visit.

Does anyone know if they are open to catering events there?

I ate with my dining companion at the bar on a Friday night and it was a wonderful experience. We ordered from both the bar and the full menu. I had a wonderful potage with rabbit sausage and tempura fried cod cheeks, and my companion had the three-course tasting menu with fried smelts, roast chicken, and a fruit crumble-y dessert. The bar staff was impeccable and the food was outstanding. I would recommend it!

I stopped by after a dentist appointment down the street, badly in need of a treat, and had the spinach ricotta brioche. It was really wonderful, and I have gone back again specifically in pursuit of another one! I agree with the common opinion here, the prices seemed a bit steep to have a regular coffee-and-pastry following for breakfast. I'll stop by again if I'm in the neighborhood, but the prices will discourage me from frequenting regularly.

I do like that they are open later than most bakeries. However, around 3:30 on a weekend, they had run out of a lot of their smaller pastry items, which was a disappointment to some customers while I was there.

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Tatte Fine Cookies and Cakes
1003 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446

I would LOVE a great Italian place in the neighborhood! I have often wondered how we got such an array of Cuban, Thai, Indian, etc, yet no pasta joints...

I ate at Vee Vee this week, lured by the owners' past ties to Zon's, a favorite of mine in JP. I won't be going back. When you have Zon's, Cafe D, and 10 Tables, Vee Vee's prices are a bit high for the quality of the food they serve, as well as for the neighborhood. The bill for 2 (wine by the glass, apps, entrees and tip) came to $100. I find that a bit steep for an average mid-week meal in JP.

The shrimp/scallop app was very good and the standout of our visit. The romaine salad was not--it had large chunks of the inedible root-area of the lettuce and was scant on the toppings, while being overwhelming in the citrus category.

The skate entree was overdone--cooked to the point of oblivion. The quinoa pancake entree was very good, but at $16 for quinoa, it's not worth the ticket price.

I did like the room in orange and black hues. The bench seating, while adorned with pillows, was uncomfortable. The night we visited, I found it extremely distracting, not to mention annoying, that they had staged some kind of photo shoot during dinner service. The repeated flashes were intrusive, and no one stopped by to let us know what was going on or ask our permission to be included in candid shots of the dining room. The room itself was dimly lit for dinner, so this extended and repeated flashing was quite irritating.

I wouldn't be surprised if they recalibrate to a more neighborhood-friendly menu and price range.

I stopped in this weekend for the first time and like a lot of other hounds, was very impressed with the unique space. Service, however, left a lot to be desired. Here are some of my thoughts:

-Unfortunate name, especially seeing it branded all over coffee mugs, t-shirts, water bottles, etc--all for sale.

-Not enough seating--could use more 2-tops to accommodate smaller parties throughout the space, which has some wide open areas

-HORRENDOUS service. The counter setup itself is confusing, with one line diverging and feeding two registers--no signs to inform people where to order. The woman who took my order was not even slightly polite and made several mistakes, causing us to wait a long time for both our food and beverages. She also under-charged us, which I realized later when I took a second glance at the menu, which leads me to my next point...

-Very expensive breakfast sandwiches. Yes, I appreciate the bread and eggs and cheese are local, cage free, and organic, respectively, but $7 for an egg and cheese? The menu said focaccia, we got regular white bread. It was good but not $7 good, especially when combined with expensive beverages. Please, at least come up with some kind of nominal charge for refills on coffee.

-Lack of outlets for laptops (I overheard someone tell a woman that they only have 3 outlets in the whole place)

+The back room with fireplace also has games available, so we played some cribbage while eating our breakfast sandwich

+Outdoor seating will be nice in warmer weather

+Versatile space could be a stage for some interesting performance art, or events, in the future

+The salads looked like they would be delicious. I will try them on my next visit, which will likely be my last if the staff doesn't at least crack a smile.

I feel like for a local coffee shop that (in my opinion) is a bit expensive, they should start cultivating a customer base by being friendly and welcoming to neighborhood people who likely are visiting for the first time. First impressions go a long way!

Any recommendations for branching out from the usual rice and beans at this Cuban eatery? As someone with very little Cuban knowledge, I'd appreciate any expert guidance from other hounds. Thanks!

If they're ever out at Savenor's, you can always go across the street to the Buscuit (formerly Toscanini's) for challah at Washington and Beacon streets. They have one with cinnamon swirled throughout that is great for french toast!

I've been a JP resident for three years how, and I've always loved Zon's. I see the recent questions about a possible management change, but I was there this weekend, and the food and service were both the high level I'm accustomed to.

For breakfast, I cannot stand the line at Centre St Cafe, so I go to Sorella's in Hyde Square (across from Bella Luna/Milky Way). Also a line, but they're quick about getting people in and out. Massive menu, spotty service, but solid breakfast.

El Oriental: An absolute must, you get a ton of food for your money and it's always a pleasant experience.

Bella Luna: Good place for casual, affordable comfort food. Nothing fancy.

Alchemist: I went there for dinner a few times last year and was disappointed, and I haven't been back because of it. The menu was half sold out, service poor, and it was expensive for what they offered. I'd love to hear if they've worked those kinks out and hit their stride.

Purple Cactus: Great for grab and go lunch or dinner--salads and burritos are top notch.

Wonderspice: I avoid it, bad service and bland food annoys me.

Bukhara: Love it--and ask for the frequent diners card. You accumulate points (double points early in the week). 150 points = $15 off. Great food.

Cafe D: I am neutral about this place; service is good but their food isn't that imaginative, and the menu hasn't changed much since it opened. Pricey.

10 Tables: I've always been pleased with the food/service here.