fabeneag's Profile
Any special Boston deals tonight?
Thinking of heading into Boston tonite for some drinks and eats. Anyone know of some unusally good "specials" going on around town (ie. half price burgers at the bar, small bites for $5, that kind of stuff)?
BostonChefs.com has a list of stuff but nothing really all that exciting.
Please help - Just read negative review on Scampo. Should I still go on Saturday night or should I go to Sorrelina?
Sorrelina is a wonderful restaurant and delivers consistently good food with excellent service as well. The room is a little more subdued than Scampo but I wouldn't call it stuffy. To me, Sorrelina is a "can't miss" place when you want really good food/service and you're willing to pay for it.
I've had some decent meals at Scampo but every time I leave there, I comment how the apps always outshine the entrees.
Steak Tips
Bison County on Moody Street in Waltham has unbelievable steak tips. Better than Sadies nearby. If you are in that part of town it is worth checking out.
Good Place to Watch Playoffs in Waltham?
I also agree with Bison County. Wings are unreal. Beer selection is actually pretty good and they just added a bunch of bottled specialty brews. I am partial to the Victory Hop Devil on tap.
Further up on Moody is Tempo. More upscale. Very decent wine selection and good food to boot. They have a couple of TVs in the bar area.
Market at the W Hotel-Jean-Georges in Boston
I went last night and yet another enjoyable and satisying meal. We started with rice cracker crusted tuna appetizer which is fantastic. I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly and served with some kind of truffles vinegarette. Wife had the market burger which didn't stand a chance.
Not only is the service great, atmosphere happening and the food top notch, but I was also very surprised at the price points of the entrees. My salmon was only $24 and there was a number of other entrees in the $20 to $25 range. They recently redid their wine list as well and they had some pretty decent bottles at not-that-outrageous prices. Faust Cab was $82 and a delicious LaJota Howell Mtn Cab was $90.
This place has quickly become one of my favorites. You should check it out.
Thoughts on New Met Club Back Bay?
Went last nite and overall thought it was fine for what I was expecting (not much in the food department). Went downstairs to sit at the bar before dinner and have a drink. They changed the lighting and spruced up the place a bit but I thought overall the placed looked kind of bland. Nothing all that interesting.
Upstairs for dinner and the dining room was also very neutral and uninteresting. First annoyance - bread baskets are $5 and they put some thick pretzel sticks down with some unknown spread as the freebie. Ugggh. Terrible.
We had a $13 Pizzette to start which was pretty good. Bacon, carmelized onion and cheese. Pretty good but nothing to run back for. Also had the "made at tableside tuna tartar" which was good except it didn;t come with anything chip-like to eat it. We asked for some of the chips they serve with another tuna/salmon tartar appetizer and they improved the dish althought they did charge another $2 on the top of the $18 for the side of chips.
Three of us had a bacon cheeseburger with onions and a side of fries. Very good overall and much better than those 5 inch hockey pucks they serve at Met Bar in Natick. Cooked perfectly and with a good sesame bun. Big hit.
Other dc had the tuna entree over brown rice which he liked but it was nothing out of the ordinary.
Chocolate something or other for dessert was good. Pretty standard chocolate dessert you really can't mess up.
I thought wine options were pretty solid overall. Order a bottle of the Prisoner for $70 and they had a lot of $40-$60 bottles as well as some pretty good deals on some more expensive stuff (Darioush was $95 I think.)
Place was loud and hopping at 10:00 when we left. I'm guessing the location will have a lot to do with keeping the place busy. We enjoyed our meal and I would go back but having the right expectation is pretty important here. This is not the same food as Mistral or No. 9 Park and the prices aren';t at those levels either.
Business trip to Waltham--where to eat?
Best restaurant by far in Waltham is Campania on Main Street. Rivals some of the best italian restaurants in the city. A bit more casual but still good option would be Tempo on Moody Street.
Young NYC Professionals wanting Special Occasion Eats and Fun bars
I second the suggestion to hang at the hotel Friday night. You have Scampo for dinner followed by either upstairs at Clink or downstairs at Alibi (darker, music, lounge). Great scene either way.
My favorite place for Sat nite is Mistral. Great atmoshphere, great service and great food. Make sure to get the tenderloin/mashed potato pizza and the tuna tartare!
Good Take out Pizza Framingham/Natick
Try DELIMAX off of Wethersfield in Natick (right before the bowling alley on Route 9). Good, thin crust. I get it "well done" for a crispy crust. Best in the area in my opinion.
Mistral.
I understand that some believe that Mistral's prices are too high, but the request was for food suggestions for a birthday dinner, not a commentary on the prices. You go to Mistral for a birthday dinner and I'm pretty sure you know what you're getting into from a price perspective.
As for the food, I'm a huge fan. The tuna tartate appetizer is amongst the best in Boston. Delicious! The steak pizza described below is another must. I like the tenderloin and sirloin entrees as well and the Sole. Mistral fries on the side are great too.
Btw, for those that sit at the bar, Mistral has an AMAZING burger that's not on the menu. It's really, really good.
I count Mistral as one of the best (and one of my favorite) restaurants in Boston factoring in the vibe, food and service. Expensive, yes. Worth it, yes as well.
Need a good place in Waltham
I agree that Tempo is the best bar option (upscale) in Waltham.
Sky Restaurant in Sudbury - Pretty good stuff...
I enjoyed my Sat nite dinner (w the kids) at Sky Restaurant in Sudbury so much I felt compelled to let others know there's a pretty decent casual place in the Metrowest that fellow 'hounds would enjoy.
First, I gotta say that there's some pretty decent bottles of wine that they are featuring as discounted bottles. 04 Joseph Phelps Napa $50, 04 Groth Cab $65, '03 Cain Five $85, '06 Caymus Cab $75, '03 Franciscan Magnificat $45. I'm gonna head back just for some of the great wine deals.
I had a Tuna special that was pretty damn good. Pepper crusted Ahi seared rate with a ginger soy dressing over wasabi mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was very tasty and the Tuna was sushi quality. My wife had a parmesan crusted chicken over a risotto that was also very, very good. Some roasted teryaki wings to start that were yummy (a bit small) with a sweet and tangy glaze.
We ate in the bar area which has 6 or 7 Plasmas showing the US Open and Red Sox game. Good lively atmosphere. Wachusett IPA on draft which was good as well.
For those in Metrowest who are looking for an alternative to the Route 9 scene (with or without kids) , this place deserves a look. I'm not crazy about the main dining room atmosphere so I don't know if I'd like it so much on a romantic date nite, but for an upscale dinner with the kids I was pretty happy.
Bev Gannon taking over Seawatch. Plus a few Maui dining question.
Just read on Wailea Golf's website that Bev Gannon is taking over Seawatch this August. I always enjoyed her stuff at Joe's the couple of times I went (which was 9 and 12 years ago). Seawatch was always a good lunch spot.
My question - I'm staying at Grand Wailea in a couple of week's for 7 nites. Definetely will be heading next door to Ferraro's and Spago. Is Duo a must? Also will go to Lahaina at least one night and was thinking Lahaina Grill. Should we even consider Pacific'O or I'O? Any other places if we drive back to Lahaina for another nite? Is a drive to Merriman's worth it one night? Also, I remember eating at A Pacific Cafe down the road in Kihei. Is that place still around?
I heard Nick's Fishmarket went downhill. That was a hot place when I was last there 9 years ago. Any recent reports?
I guess we should consider Mama's as well. Anyone know how long of a drive from the Wailea area?
Lastly, do I need reservations a week in advance for these places or will I be able to decide when we get down there and go with the flow?
Thanks in advance!
where to eat with parents/in-laws in metro-west
Food at BBC is pretty marginal at best. On par with Friday's, Chili's, etc. If you're in the mood for a few beers and maybe an appetizer, I'd say give it a shot, but I wouldn't bring my folks there for a good dinner.
where to eat with parents/in-laws in metro-west
How about Tempo in Waltham (nearish to Newton)? I've had one great meal after the other there and the prices are pretty reasonable ($22-$25 entree). Always a good selection of beers on tap and a decent wine list. I live in Natick and go there often.
For all the wine lovers in Metrowest...
Stopped by Sky Restaurant on Route 20 in Sudbury/Wayland last nite for a bite and was very pleased to find a few wine specials that are being offered "due to the economic slowdown". Had a delicious 2006 Caymus Cab for $75, which is about $5-$10 over retail. They also have a 2003 Cain Five for $85 and 2004 Groth Cab for $60.
Food there is ok, nothing spectacular but everything tasted a little better with the Caymus.
Enjoy...
Suggestions for Capital Grille
Porcini rubbed, balsamic glazed delmonico is OUTSTANDING!!!
Celtics-Lakers game dinner around the area?
I've come to the conclusion that there is very few "chowish" options to consider before a game at The Garden. Nothing in the immediate vicinity is worth mentioning and the halfway decent places are all just outside a comfortable walking distance in the dead of winter (Celtics playoff game in June not withstanding).
I usually end up at Boston Beer Works for their delicious Back Bay IPA with a Southwestern Chicken Sandwich (in a wrap) along with the sour cream n chive fries.
I have tried DJ's at The Garden a few times and while it's a bit less crowded than Beer Works, it ends up being the same Pub-Style experience.
All of the other places usually mentioned as a bit more upscale in the area are really not that great and tend to receive disappointing reviews.
Dinner at Rialto (bar menu) - Word of caution...
Had dinner at Rialto last nite before a Regattabar show. Had never stepped foot in the place but had always heard great things. We wanted something less formal (and less expensive) so we sat in the bar area and overall had a pleasant experience.
Couple of Harpoons for the guys and a couple of flavored vodka drinks for the gals and we were raring to go. The "Antipasti" section of the menu offers $4 small plates (or 3 for $10). We had the roasted cauliflower with capers and parsley and the prosciutto parma. Both were great but SMALL. In retrospect we should have ordered a few more plates. Also order the Spicy Shrimp with Garlic off of the Bar Classics section. 6 smallish shrimp that were tasty but not too spicy.
3 of us got the Burger with Buffalo mozzarella, crispy prosciutto and a mild bbq-sauce. Burgers came exactly as ordered, but were definetely on the SMALL size. Fries were more of a waffle/lattice cut and were tasty but not a heaping portion. Do you see the pattern here?
Last DC ordered the slowed-cooked chicken with porcini, portabello, and polenta. Came in a iron skillet and was two palm-sized chicken thighs, which was a surprise since the menu didn't specifically say chicken "thighs". She enjoyed the dish but probably wouldn't have ordered it had she known it was a breast.
We had a couple of glasses of Nero D'Avola, which was ok but the wines by the glass offerings were slim pickings.
Overall, it was a decent dinner with a nice atmosphere and good service. My word of caution for those who haven't been is to expect small portions and order accordingly. If you're in the mood for a little gnosh and some cocktails and are in the Harvard Square area, I'd say it's a good solid choice.
Anniversary Recommendation - Downtown Boston
I agree Atlantic FIsh and Great Bay are not anniversary worthy. Persephone at Achilles Project is so-so and pretty much in the middle of a desolate section of town. Clio and No. 9 Park are top shelf and definetely anniversary worthy. I would also throw in Mistral (Dover Sole is signature dish) and Sorrelina as other places to consider. Clio and No. 9 would most likely be a bit more subdued while Mistral/Sorrelina probably a bit louder and livelier but certainly a great atmosphere.
Boston Hound in Metrowest: Stop the Chain Restaurant Madness
Tomasso in Southboro ain't bad.
CBS Scene at Patriots Place--Surprisingly not awful
I would think there's a huge difference in food quality on game days compared to every other day. I too, would be ashamed to eat there before a game rather than a normal tailgate!
CBS Scene at Patriots Place--Surprisingly not awful
Eaten here twice. First time : chicken sandwich which was fine. Nothing great. Nothing awful. One of my kids ordered the kids pizza was nothing short of inedible which was a surprise b/c the adults pizza I saw a few people eating looked pretty decent.
Second time went with a bigger crowd so more menu items were ordered. Wife had the chicken caeser wrap was pretty good. Grilled chicken pieces on a tasty homemade wrap. Father-in-law had the Wings for a meal and they were pretty tasty. Not extremely plump but slathered in a sweet and spicy sauce. I went with the BBQ chicken pizza which was decent. Thin, crispy crust and enough chicken, red onions and scallions to make me happy. Kids went with Pasta and chicken fingers which were both fine. Fries are ok.
I wouldn't make this place a dining destination and there are plenty of better restaurants at Patriot Place but for a sports bar and fun place to take the kids, you can get a halfway decent meal.
As an aside, in addition to the standard bevy of draft beers to choose from, they have a couple of other higher-end bottled beers as well. But beware they charge an arm and a leg for them. I'm a big fan of Dogfish and they had the 90min IPA which I happily ordered. Don't know if it was worth $8.50 tho!!
Like Eastern Standard (for Sunday night)...
I'm a fan of Union although more so from the food side than the mixology side. Sorrelina is much more serious in my opinion than Union. Haven't eaten at Banq, but seems to get rave reviews for the scene and drinks.
Bars in Newton / Wellesley / Needham area?
O'Haras in Newton Highlands for a more "neighorhood feel" vibe. Same goes for Dunn and Gerrins in Needham. More upscale is Blue on Highland in Needham. Cottage in Wellesley also upscale.
Four Seasons Hotel Boston
Those 4 recommendations are the only 4 places you need to consider. I'd take my expense account to any of them and you won't be disappointed for sure.
Sports Bars w/ good food in the Newton/Waltham vicinity.
Halfway Cafe is 10-15 minutes away. Perfect spot for what you're looking for!
Craving Chicken Tortilla Soup
Houstons in Fanueil Hall has Tortilla Soup on Thursdays. Pretty decent.
British Beer Company
I agree wholeheartly. The food is pretty bad, although from a distance, the pizza actually looked pretty decent. The service in Framingham cannot currently handle the extra traffic so if you go there now, make sure to lower your expectations.
Great beer selection though and there's nightly entertainment which can also be a plus.
