Downtown Crossing/Commons dinner w/friends and a toddler?

Any good recommendations for a decent dinner with some friends and a toddler...in the downtown crossing/Boston commons area (tonight)?

As we have a 2 1/2-year-old, our foodie expectations are set kind of low...but we haven't had a chance to head into the commons area for ages, so just curious what people's suggestions are...thanks!

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Miyako in Danvers?

Blue Fin is definitely one of our favorite spots...the sushi prices seem to be decent (in general, I suspect the Middleton menu is cheaper than the Porter Exchange location) and the quality is always very very good. I've heard, on this board maybe, that their head sushi chef doesn't work on Sundays...though we've not noticed any difference in quality. They have a rotating list of interesting specials and special appetizers which are generally very tasty (our 2-year old loves the squid salad)...though the one time I tried the oden it was slightly disappointing.

It's an interesting place, too: 2/3's of the building is what you'd expect to be a traditional sushi restaurant...but there's also a bar/lounge area (separated well from the restaurant) which I actually think is pretty cool: if i'm going to watch a game somewhere, i'd love to do so with some Sapporo and some toro.

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Miyako in Danvers?

Just wanted to see if anyone on the board has been to Miyako in Danvers (http://www.miyakodanvers.com/ ). Looks like it's a new-ish "Japanese steak house" in the area...and was wondering if it is at all comparable to, say Bluefin in Middleton (one of our favorite places).

Thanks!

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Best bet for Turkey-day dining out?

I'm not familiar with Dante, but that Thanksgiving menu looks pretty delicious. Does anyone know if it is an appropriate place to bring a (generally well-behaved) toddler? Or would we risk ruining lots of peoples' holidays?

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High Street Grill in N Andover Ma

I'm curious if this is a "toddler amenable" place (meaning: comfortable, casual...not meaning: like the Rainforest Cafe)?

I'm very curious about checking it out...but chances of my getting out anywhere sans toddler are slim...and I can't get a good read of the atmosphere from the website.

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Looking for casual (non-chain) dining for friends and infant...North Reading area

Thanks all for the suggestions! A few comments:

Dailey's seems like a place i'd like to try (the big animated lit sign out front promoting "LIVER AND ONIONS" always catches my attention)...we're not expecting gourmet by any means, so I think Dailey's would be good. If we get there i'll try and report back.

And I haven't been to the Lobster Claw since I was kid...and I need to go back. By no means is that too casual :)

As for the Horseshoe Grille in N. Reading, we've actually been there quite a bit, but (my opinion), I really liked it a lot more prior to the rebuild. It was a lot more comfortable (comfortably "rough'n tumble") and low-key before...now it just strikes me as too... "nice" inside. Elegant little sconced lighting and fancy furniture...I miss the shiny vinyl booths! But the food is still good...we get takeout quite a bit.

The Big Dog - this is my new place to catch many football games. Not sure about it as a regular restaurant, but it fits the bill when I want burgers, beer, and football. I, too, thought it was a dive when we moved out to the area, but was pleasantly surprised.

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Fire at Montilio's Bakery, Quincy

Here's the report from the news:
http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/10/27/news/news01.txt

--
"I don’t know how long it will take as far as rebuilding goes," Montilio said. "We'll probably try to find someplace temporary until then.

"It's not a total loss. The floor is marble, so the floor joists and beams are undamaged, and the showcases are still intact," he said.

Montilio said customers who have ordered cakes have nothing to worry about because his main bakery is in Brockton. The Quincy store bakes pizza, sandwiches and muffins.
--

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Looking for casual (non-chain) dining for friends and infant...North Reading area

Lately, we've been venturing out to restaurants with the new baby...and it's been generally a good experience (good to get out of the house...baby seems to enjoy staring up at the ceiling...etc etc).

Last night, however, some friends (who live in Lowell) wanted to grab a bite to eat and we all, collectively, panicked and ended up at...sigh...Chili's (in the parking lot of the massive Jordan's off 128). Sigh.

Anyways, don't want that to happen again...so...does anyone have any suggestions for casual places to grab dinner with friends and our baby in the North Reading/Reading/Stoneham/north-ish area? Some place that has a comfortable vibe and won't mind if we tote in a baby in a car seat (who, so far, hasn't had a major melt-down). Booths also tend to be nice for more discrete nursing, if needed.

We've had good luck with the Bluefin in Middleton...but other than that, locally I am drawing a blank.

Thanks!

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Looking for recommendations for fancy (Austin-area) night out for parents...

I will check out these suggestions...thanks for sending them along!

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Looking for recommendations for fancy (Austin-area) night out for parents...

Greetings (Boston-area member here)!

My wife and I are looking to purchase a gift-certificate for her parents as a way of saying "thanks for helping us out taking care of our newborn for an extended period of time"...and are looking for some good recommendations.

They live in Austin (and I've been there several times, but have only visited...we'll say...less-fancy establishments)...we'd like to give them a really wonderful night out, a place with a fairly romantic atmosphere (but nothing too "formal-weary" or stuffy), perhaps a "contemporary romantic" feel if something like that exists. No real cuisine preferences other than no place that specializes in seafood (due to shellfish allergies). Cost isn't really an object...

Thanks in advance!

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Cold Rush in Melrose

I went there once...I think the night (or night after) it opened. We had just come from a dinner at Turner's Seafood and stopped in randomly. The ice cream we had was really really good...very rich. I can't vouch for anything else (nor what kind of ice cream they were serving...if it was made in house or not).

The atmosphere was kind of weird, though. It was clear the store was new, but it seemed awkward. When we were there (maybe 8:30pm...I don't recall) the place was very dimly lit...there were a few basic tables around the (small) perimeter, and a (or a couple) flat-panel TVs played a Patriots pre-season game. I can't say it was comfortable, but...it was also just an ice-cream place.

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Culpepper's in North Andover

Thanks for the reply. I was worried (since I noticed it was listed as "upstairs" from some sports complex) that it would be bowling-alley snack fare...but hoped it might be a diamond in the rough...alas!

Thanks!

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Culpepper's in North Andover

Driving on Turnpike Road (I think) in North Andover yesterday, I spotted a sign for Culpepper's (with some note about "authentic BBQ"). The sign looked relatively new...does anyone have any experience with the place?

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