Bella Moto made wonderful croissants and cookies and beyond-fabulous cakes for special occasions. Sadly, they have closed.

here's Paula's Chocolate Cobbler recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pa...

My in-laws are certain they can't find ANY bagels around Lakeland, but I'll bet there are at least one or two places where you can find some. What 2 places would you go to first for bagels around Lakeland?

Went Saturday night (1/24) and had a lovely dinner. The service was attentive and enthusiastic on a busy weekend night and what we ordered was grand.
-tempted by the ceviche of octopus, shrimp and mahi-mahi but on a cold night I wanted good soup
-Salsify & Celery Root Bisque -- quietly elegant
-tostones (disks of mashed and fried plantains -- fun!)
-a cassoulet of white beans, sausage, braised lamb and duck confit -- marvelous one-dish comfort food
-a prix fixe dinner of pan-roasted (I think) sardines with
-pork loin(?)
-banana tart (a MARVEL)
-chocolate bread pudding -- showy & large with chocolate and caramel sauce I could have bathed in it was so good

Thanks for the head's up -- that was suggested by a friend and I didn't know much about it.

another agreement on Blue Ribbon -- a little too sweet and sponge-cake-y for cornbread -- it isn't bad and I don't mind it, but it isn't great

Helping plan a 40th birthday party dinner celebration in early February -- 6 women (4 from out of town), narrowing down where to have dinner but now thinking about where to go AFTER dinner. Sip drinks, hang out, drink tea, maybe dance (maybe not), maybe music

ideas:
- Scullers Jazz Club (expensive for just hanging out)

-Ryles Jazz Club

-dancing at Felt (and reserve a VIP table) -- loud?

-dancing at Rumor -- Hip Hop and Latino music night -- might be loud

-Go to Kings for bowling and billards

-Limelight or Courtside for Karaoke singing

-Tomb- Egyptian Adventure $20

-Blue Man Group (10pm show -- $50 each -- maybe really fun, but too expensive probably)

Yeah, I'm sort of split on the idea -- you're right, East Coast Grill and plenty to drink can be great fun, but maybe they'd go for the nice food, nice wine thing and then go somewhere else (?) for more fun.
Any other suggestions along the ECG/fun line of thinking?

A friend is having a 40th birthday and will have 5 long-time friends in from out of town to celebrate.

Without breaking the bank, where should they go?
Requirements: maybe sort of upscale, perhaps colorful, not too noisy but not churchy, good food and wine, or perhaps something FUN and less upscale but still very good

My first thoughts:
-Mama Maria's
-Salts
-Lumiere
-Hammersley's
-Bistro 5 (Medford)
-Flora (Arlington)

but that's only a blink of a start

...so what places should we consider?

Sweet Sue's is also a cozy, warm bakery spot within a block of Bagels by US on Mass Ave in Arlington Center. They have some yummy treats but it is a bit overpriced and more upscale bakery than a true honest breakfast place.
http://sweetsuesbakery.com/

We (2 adults, 2 boys 7 & 10) are headed to an early afternoon event near Faneuil Hall on Sunday. The boys are solid, somewhat adventurous eaters and could walk away from the food court and toward Govt Center or the North End for a fun, casual or upper casual lunch or brunch. They would especially enjoy good chowders.

On Mass Ave in Arlington Heights (near the Lex/A'ton border) you might try the small, but pretty good Classic Cafe. Farther down Mass Ave in Arlington Center is Bagels by US which has a good, full breakfast and very good bagels. Farther down Mass Ave (closer to the Arlington/Cambridge border) you'll do well at the Arlington Diner. These are all 15-18 minutes at the most from Lexington. The Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown is more like 25-35 minutes from Lex'ton but well worth the trip on a Saturday or Sunday.
The Somerville Soundbites is also quite good and worth finding near Tufts.

Just out the Mass Pike in Framingham you can find hot open-faced turkey sandwiches every day at lunch at Gerards Turkey Farm. This is a wonderful little gem of a place with pie, turkey sandwiches, quiche, BBQ'd ribs and drumsticks and an ice cream window in the summer.

http://gerardfarm.com/

Is this where Out of the Blue used to be? On the corner of Highland, about a block up from Osco?

What bakeries in the Greater Boston & suburb area are recommended for Bear Claws?
Also, are Bear Claws a bit apple-y?

Do some bakeries call these bear claws? Or is that a different animal altogether?

had an early lunch there recently -- was pleasantly surprised b/c I thought it was above average -- slaw was better than usual fare, solid effort on the beans -- yes, smokiness was quite low

Where is Sagra precisely? Where in the Square?

What about other old-school bakery/coffeshops? Would Mike's Pasteries be a place to look?

What about other old-school bakery/coffeshops? Would Mike's Pasteries be a place to look?

Has anyone found good apple fritters in the greater Boston area? These are cousins of doughnuts but lumpy, heavy, with real identifiable pieces of apple mixed in and covered in
a heavy sugary glaze. A good apple fritter is very heavy, very unhealthy, and wonderful.

I've come across things called apple fritters in this area, but they are extremely lame--kind of like cinnamon buns with a little bit of tasteless apple sprinkled about.

In California, you can easily find them. Here...not so easily.

How about Blue Ginger in Wellesley? That's a short skip and a jump from Needham.

Let's see:

Zues Gallery Cafe - Menu changes daily, not too pricey. Great wine
and beer list. The food is great! It's in the Museum District on
Belmont Ave.

Rowland - Not cheap by any means, but it won best new restaurant in
Richmond for 2006. Great fresh seafood, very eclectic but incredible
food. We've eaten there 4 times and they've been the 4 best meals
I've had this in years. Corner of Shields and Main (We can see the
door from our porch!

The 4 Burner Cafe - Quiet, comfy. Older crowd most nights. Food is
good, but not a meal you'll remember in the morning.

Mom's Siam - Vietnamese and excellent! Quiet and comfy.

Those would be my top four picks for quiet and great food. If they
want more casual we end up at Kuba Kubas at least once a week.
Incredible Cuban food, but it's not quiet - just comfy. Fan family
regular hang-out.

Hope that helps.

I just called them (617-864-4100) and they answered "Pho Pasteur" so if the name -was- changed it has changed back!

I just called them (617-864-4100) and they answered "Pho Pasteur" so if the name -was- changed it has changed back!

Yes, and just the thought of Girard's bbq'd chicken legs is making me drool. The pork ribs are even better. Ice cream I haven't had recently, but I'm guessing it is from Richardson's or something similar so it is likely better than average.
Their lunch specialty is the hot, open-faced turkey sandwich with gravy which will stop you dead in your tracks and put you in that Thanksgiving naptime haze. You can also get regular turkey sandwiches with stuffing and cranberry sauce on whole wheat bread and then add a side of sole slaw or potato salad or something then add a slice of pie, cookie, brownie or whoopie pie for dessert.

A friend recently went to Mamma Maria and said her meal, service and everything was spectacular.

Not a thorough review, but two pizzas we've had from there were surprisingly good (one a standard pepperoni, one a standard mix of olives, mushrooms & something else).
Good crust, nice sauce, well made & well above average.

I second OpinionatedChef's review: Ixtapa is blandly ok, and a place for a standard family night out, but it isn't special by any stretch. Service is friendly, chips & salsa pretty good, guacamole quite nice. An extensive menu filled with solid but just-average and overly-cheesed dishes.