Anyone known of any local Vietnamese restaurants that make great porridge? I see it on some menus (mainly Dorchester spots) and am wondering if there's a particularly good one among them. Thanks!

Just drove by what I thought was a sign for a new butcher coming to Brookline just below Coolidge Corner on the inbound side of Beacon St. Anyone know anything about it?

Anyone spotted any yet? Farmers markets? Stop and shop? Those have been my go-tos in the past. Thanks.

I've tasted three of the sandwiches so far--they're all really, really good. (As are the perfectly seasoned homemade potato chips.) The standout is the Saturday-only roast pork sandwich with either pickled fennel and roasted garlic or with broccoli rabe and provolone. Terrific sesame roll, too. Must-try. Can't wait for breakfast sandwiches and donuts.

The company went out of business last year. Empire kosher birds might be a good alternative.

I like Pho Hoa--good broth. And for the non-Asian route, I'd make the drive to New England Soup Factory for Chicken Vegetable with a Matzoh Ball. Worth the trip, in my opinion. Also, more of a stew than a soup, but Qingdao Garden's Boiled Fish in Fiery Sauce will burn just about anything outa your system.

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Qingdao Garden Restaurant
2382 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

...Also the
Goldy's smoked fish bagel sandwich (Bagel Rising)
Farmer's Lunch (City Feed)

Extra-spicy tofu bahn mi (Mei Sum Bakery)
Cubano (Chez Henri)
Lamb with goat cheese and tomato chutney (Flour)
Fancy Egg Sandwich (Mike and Patty's)
Tuna Wrap (Kookoo Cafe)
Lobster BLT (B&G Oyster)
Sloppy Joe (Hot Tomatoes)
Beef on Weck (All Star Sandwich Bar)
Lentil Kofte and Chicken Kebab (Brookline Family Restaurant)
Arepa with Queso--plus garlicky sauce (Viva mi Arepa)

Looking forward to trying:
Speed's Pastrami
everything at Cutty's (opening soon in Brookline Village)

Extra Spicy Tofu at Mei Sum. Incredible.

On Brighton Ave. about a block off of Harvard St. towards N. Beacon St near Gitlo's Dim Sum Bakery and the new El Salvadoran place.

My favorites:
Crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli (pad ka na moo krob)
Tom Yum noodle soup with ground pork--hot, sour, salty, sweet, just like the book.
Som Tum (without crab)
Pad Si Eew

I have yet to try a curry, but that's next on my list.

Clams with Black Bean Sauce at East Ocean City are awesome.

Has anyone had their charcoal chicken? I love the ceviche, but wanted to hit up a place that did a good job with both dishes. Thanks.

Anyone know where to find it? Thanks!

NE Soup Factory--hands-down. I work right near there and eat one almost weekly. Completely addicted.

The food off of the "Chefs Specialties" section of the regular menu and the single page laminated Sichuan menu (you need to ask specifically for it) is often really good.

homemade sausage. version with lentils/beans is awesome.

Pad Kee Mow at Dok Bua--hands-down favorite.
Pad See Ew at Brown Sugar and Coconut Cafe

This may not be basic enough, but both The Cellar in Cambridge and Mike and Patty's in Bay Village do really tasty egg sandwiches.

I'm from Boston and I've got a few days on both South Florida coasts next month and need the skinny on where to get good food. seafood, Latin, farmer's markets, taco trucks, cupcake shops, ice cream, dim sum, sushi, Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese, cheap, high-end...the works! Thanks!

I bought some at that WFM not long ago; they must have just stopped carrying them. Russo's carries them, though that's in Watertown.

Sichuan Garden on Washington St--order off the "chefs specialties" section. Really good.
Matt Murphy's Pub on Harvard St
Oishii Sushi: Hammond and Rt 9 in Chestnut Hill
New England Soup Factory--across from T station

1: O Ya--various items, sitting at the bar
2: Chef's whim at Craigie
3: White truffle menu at Clio

bonus #4: All-out Sichuan food extravaganza at Fuloon

Craigie on Main is definitely #1 for me. These others are also great, but in no particular order.

Garden at the Cellar
Hungry Mother
Qingdao Garden
Rialto
Oleana
Sofra

Sportello is now open on Saturdays, I believe. I heard lunch is fantastic.

www.sportelloboston.com

Thai Food: Dok Bua on Harvard St. in Coolidge Corner is good. Try the Pad Kee Mow noodles--addictive.

Indian Food: Tamarind Bay Coastal Indian Kitchen on Beacon St. in Washington Sq. Pretty pricey for a neighborhood Indian restaurant, but they have more than run-of-the-mill tikka masala. The daal is superb, as are the fried cabbage cakes (appetizer).

Irish Food: Matt Murphy's in Brookline Village on Harvard St. Some of the only real Irish food in the city, as far as I know. Most things are very well-executed. Farmhouse plates are quite good (fish is my favorite) and they serve lovely hearty brown soda bread, housemade ketchup with great fries, very good soup, etc. Brunch is also nice.

Chinese Food: Already mentioned, but the authentic stuff at Sichuan Garden is really good. Cellophane noodles with minced pork is spicy and delicious (my favorite), as is the ma po tofu, dry-fried chicken with chiles, and (for something not hot) the homestyle eggplant is great.

Soup: Sounds like a cheesy chain, but the New England Soup Factory in Brookline Village makes awesome soup. Best chicken matzoh ball soup I've ever had.

2 recs:

Mirna's on Old York Road in Jenkintown. Really, really good pasta (tomato sauce is top-notch there) and lots of well-executed Middle Eastern food. Lovely setting, moderately priced. Very small. Reservations are a good idea for weekend nights.

Under the Oak Cafe in Oak Lane. Fabulous food made by really nice people, but only open for breakfast and lunch, I think. Very affordable.

Rolings Bakery in Elkins Park. Handmade bagels and (I think) bialys. They really know what they're doing there.

Tasting menu at Ten Tables is the best deal in town--and, more importantly, really well-executed.

Fuloon in Malden, I'm told, has awesome Peking duck. Their tofu in special sauce is also amazing.

Might want to check out the latest issue of Boston Magazine (November). I think there's a spread in there about cool venues for office parties.