spectra21's Profile
Breakfast places downtown with baby
Any suggestions on a good place to have a Saturday breakfast with a baby in tow? I will also be eating with a large group of at least 8-10. Since I'm looking for a place that takes reservations so we don't have to wait. I will have to avoid the popular favorites like Yolk, Bongo Room, etc. Preferably a place that is closer to downtown and/or public transit accessible. Thanks for your recs!
Good Parking + Good Food in/near Boston = Possible?
Again, I am so impressed with the prolific recommendations on this thread. Thank you so much to all who contributed. Your comments unearthed many new possibilities that I hadn't considered. (No need for you guys to worry about the transit logistics of the flyers - I can handle that!) But I'm glad to see that my question clearly revealed a common desire for many Boston Chowhounds to find good parking when pursuing good eats - this thread certainly delivered. Thanks to all!
Good Parking + Good Food in/near Boston = Possible?
I am so thrilled for all the quick feedback so far. Boston Chowhounds rock. :) Please keep the ideas coming..
Prav- unfortunately Blue Ginger is probably a bit too "fancy" this time around (I went there during Thanksgiving weekend 2 years ago!) and HJ - yes, can't do the T with this group for many reasons. Thanks Rob and Mike for some new food for thought...
Good Parking + Good Food in/near Boston = Possible?
I've been so impressed with all the helpful advice on this board. Where do you guys go in Boston for a sure bet for good parking and good food and nice atmosphere?
I am wrestling with the perfect dinner choice with a host of complicated criteria:
What is the best choice for a large dinner party of 10 people on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.....with the below preferences:
1) Easy Parking - Lot if at all possible
2) Nice ambiance for conversation with a size that can comfortably handle our larger party
3) Not too divey but not high-end ($20 or so per person, no alcohol)
4) Asian preference (but not pure shabu and not Indian. Sushi might be okay if not too pricey).
5) Non-Asian options that could work would be "experiential" like a Fire + Ice or a Seafood place or "Healthier".
6) If not right in Boston, prefer suburb with convenience to Mass Pike and/or Rt. 9 as 2 elderly couples live in opposite directions off I-495. Others will be coming straight to the dinner from the airport.
See my challenge? :)
Obviously from the criteria above this is a pretty finicky bunch with elders very cautious about dealing with crazy traffic and difficult parking in Boston they are anticipating on that Wednesday night. One possible idea I have is Oga in Natick, but not sure. I would be so grateful for any other ideas, or if anything a bit closer to Boston so we could have dinner earlier (flights arriving close to 7pm). Thanks in advance.
Best Late Night Menu (post 11pm)
Ended up going to Lucca Back Bay - it was perfect for our needs and provided a nice atmosphere in their bar/lounge area. Had the bolognese rigatoni which was delicious. Other dishes were just okay. Thanks so much for the rec!
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Lucca Back Bay
116 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116
Best Chinese outside of Chinatown?
Thank you for this update KWagle. I tried the dim sum menu at Acacia Country Club in Westboro and it was also a disaster and quite dead inside. Don't bother! I will try Shanghai Gate in Allson another time.
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Shanghai Gate
204 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA 02134
Erbaluce v. Sorellina v. Via Matta
Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay and thanks for so many helpful recommendations. We got in so late in Boston on a Friday night that we ended up doing the late night menu at Lucca Back Bay which does include a Bolognese Rigatoni. The dining area was dead, so we opted to sit in their lounge/bar area which was livelier and had comfortable seating. I thought the bolognese rigatoni was delicous - the sauce was definitely meatier/chunkier like a traditional preparation, but the other dishes we had (tuna tartare, polpette, antipasto) were just okay. Looking forward to trying Erbaluce on a future trip and will re-post then!
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Erbaluce
69 Church Street, Boston, MA 02116
Lucca Back Bay
116 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116
Where to buy a late night sandwich in Clearwater?
I am arriving after 9pm on a Friday and would like to buy a few sandwiches for a boating excursion the very next morning. Is my best bet going to a Publix? I was wondering if there are any other Mexican or other types of take out counters/grocers that might open late where I can buy a sandwich to go.
Thanks!
Best Late Night Menu (post 11pm)
Thank you for the Franklin Cafe rec. Prefer near Back Bay. Looking for sit-down restaurant, not counter.
Best Late Night Menu (post 11pm)
Want to have a late night dinner/snack at around 11pm on a Thursday night. I heard about Stella. Are there any other tasty options in Boston proper? Don't need anything too fancy, but anything at least a step above greasy bar food.
Thanks!
Sushi/Japanese, Can't Afford O Ya
Thanks everyone for the recs and for updating me on the scene. I am intrigued by Shiki, and have heard about Oishii for many years now. I did visit Blue Ginger 2 years ago. It was indeed a nice meal, but not looking for fusion this time around. Will post where I end up going!
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Shiki
9 Babcock Street, Brookline, MA 02446
Blue Ginger
583 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482
An Austin, TX chowhound needs suggestions in Gaslamp district
ouch! i guess i'll let the locals take the floor then. :)
An Austin, TX chowhound needs suggestions in Gaslamp district
I was just in San Diego for a short trip and also stayed in the Gaslamp. Friends of mine brought me to Yard House, which might not have the best food, but had a great selection of beers and seemed like a nice place to watch sports.
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Yard House Restaurant
1023 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Sushi/Japanese, Can't Afford O Ya
Wanted to revive this thread as well! I am looking for moderately priced, good sushi restaurants, but want to stay in or close to Boston. Don't want to go to a trendy scene, just a comfortable, down-to-earth place for a nice dinner. Also trying to do $150 or less like the original post. Will go to Oga next time I'm in the suburbs so that's already on my list...
Used to enjoy Mr. Sushi in Brookline and Ginza in Brookline/Boston, but this was several years ago. Are these places still good, or there are any other options like it? I cannot afford O Ya this time around, maybe next time.
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Ginza
16 Hudson St, Boston, MA 02111
Ginza Japanese Restaurant
1002 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
Mr Sushi
329 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446
Best Chinese outside of Chinatown?
Would love to revive this old thread! I've eaten at both South Garden and China Pearl in Quincy this year, and they serve excellent and authentic Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine outside Boston - I would recommend both places.
Are there any other good Chinese places in the 'burbs? I will always go to Chinatown as my first choice, but I'm increasingly faced with friends/family who are reluctant to deal with the tight parking issues there. Anyone have recent updates on good Chinese places further outside Boston than requested by the original post, i.e. places convenient to the Masspike, Rt. 9, or 495?
I'm especially curious about any recent experiences with Shanghainese cuisine/dim sum at Uncle Cheung's in Framingham? (there are pretty negative Yelp reviews that say this restaurant (owner?) is often rude to non-Mandarin speakers.) In addition, any update on the Newton area? I know there were Taiwanese places popping up there at least a few years ago. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
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China Pearl
237 Quincy Ave, Quincy, MA
South Garden
217 Quincy Ave, Quincy, MA 02169
Uncle Cheung's Restaurant
266 Worcester Rd, Framingham, MA 01702
Erbaluce v. Sorellina v. Via Matta
Thank you so much for such thoughtful feedback! I am excited to now have narrowed it down to Erbaluce and Via Matta, with an edge to Erbaluce. But I will check both restaurant's availabilities for lunch or dinner during the time I will be in town. I will write a review afterwards!
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Via Matta
79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Erbaluce
69 Church Street, Boston, MA 02116
Erbaluce v. Sorellina v. Via Matta
I am a native New Englander but moved away from Boston 6 years ago -- my how the dining scene has changed!! Going back in August to catch a Sox game and also to celebrate my wedding anniversary. We would like to have a romantic, delicious meal where we can relive a little bit of the experience we had during our honeymoon in Italy. I've narrowed it down to Erbaluce, Sorellina, and Via Matta, based on recent threads. What would you choose and why? Any comments on the general vibe of these restaurants would be great too - I would prefer a warm atmosphere that is not too stuffy or pretentious. My husband has a weakness for Tagliatelle Bolognese which I notice on Via Matta's menu, but we would love this board's feedback. Thanks so much in advance.
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Via Matta
79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Sorellina
1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116
Erbaluce
69 Church Street, Boston, MA 02116
Korean options in Arlington Heights/Deerfield/N. Suburbs area?
Could anyone familiar with the Northern Suburbs area recommend some Asian restaurants to bring a larger dinner group (7 people) for dinner?
I would prefer Korean BBQ (where there is a grill built into the table / not a dinky George Forman grill!) but pan-Asian or Thai cusines may work too (we already have plans to visit Chinatown/Argyle). Can't do purely sushi unfortunately.
Looking for a comfortable, casual atmosphere, with generous portions. AYCE/buffet type features would be a bonus.
The group is staying in Deerfield, and will be going to the Arlington Racetrack for a day excursion. We prefer not to go further West than Arlington Heights or more North than Deerfield. Trying not to trek into Chicago if possible.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations!
Upscale Asian Fusion?
Are there any upscale Asian Fusion restaurants in Boston or the Boston area, besides Blue Ginger? Thanks for any recommendations.
Quince vs. Va Pensiero in Evanston
Has anyone been to either restaurant lately? I am interested in any recent reviews; the opinions on this board seem dated for these restaurants. Thanks for any feedback.
GREAT Dinner at Michael in Winnetka!
Has anyone been to Michael's for dinner lately? I am interested in taking my husband there for a birthday dinner and would be interested in getting more recent feedback.
Birthday, BYOB, and 20-30 people
I would be curious to feedback for good BYOB places for large parties as well. I am planning something for about 15 people. Any places below $50/person?
Wildfire Glenview or Pete Miller Evanston or other?
Thank you everyone for such great feedback. We will stick to Pete Miller's. Thank you also nxstasy for the detailed parking tips! I'll post later and let you know how the meal goes. Our party has ballooned to 12 people!
Wildfire Glenview or Pete Miller Evanston or other?
We will be treating out of town relatives (at least a party of 9) to dinner in early August and wanted to bring them to a place for good Chicago steak without breaking the bank. We haven't ruled out the city, but are leaning toward places closer to Evanston, where they are staying; additionally we will need a venue where it is convenient to park 2 cars.
Any comments on the pricing of steaks at either location? I saw a previous post on Pete Miller's prices, but don't know Wildfire's. Also, if there are better steak dining options for a large family group, I'm all ears. We are looking for a good price/quality combination for a large group if it exists.
East-coast Style Pizza
I second Piece Brewery - great pizza co-owned by a Boston University alum and the guitarist from Cheap Trick. I make a special trip to Wicker Park once in awhile just to get my fix for East Coast pizza. It also has a great selection of beers, which they brew themselves. Lively atmosphere too.
Dinner in Evanston
Ate at Kuni's in Evanston last Wed night. Not impressed. The nigiri sushi had a too sweet quality to it (maybe too much sugar in the rice), and was laced with too much wasabi under the fish. It seemed like they were trying to cover up the mediocre quality of the fish. I also felt that the fish was a little warm for my taste and did not taste the freshest. One of the things we ordered was the omakase, which at their restaurant is basically what they call a chef's selection sushi platter for $32. They included a piece of uni (asked us first, and we agreed since we usually love uni and figured they would select their best pieces), but the uni was below average. While the total bill was one of the cheaper sushi dinners I've ever had for 2 people, I was very disappointed in the quality of the fish. The only thing I liked was the fried tofu appetizer. There must be a better sushi place in the Evanston area.
Saugatuck, MI recs?
Ate at Everyday People Cafe for dinner last Thursday night. Great food, the most happening restaurant on the street. However, try to call ahead and make reservations if you can, we had to wait 40 minutes to be seated despite seeing an empty table or two within eyesight--they may have been short a waiter. The waiting area is awkward, and we did not see room at the small bar. It was a boring wait because most of the shops were closed on the street and the hostesses that night looked like teenage girls. When we did get seated, we had great food, just wish we didn't have to wait so long.
Traverse City, MI - good eats?
Hi all, due to a travel hiccup, we didn't arrive in Traverse City until very late at night, so we only had time to eat breakfast before heading up further north to Mackinac. We ate at Mabel's, which is a family-owned diner with tasty and hearty breakfasts. We had some delicious omelettes, which were tasty and generous, and the pancakes and waffles with fresh fruit. A very enjoyable meal with friendly service.
Traverse City, MI - good eats?
Thanks to all for your feedback! I can't wait to check some of these places out and will report back on the stand-outs!
Traverse City, MI - good eats?
I'll be staying in Traverse City for a day with my husband and in-laws on the way to Mackinac Island. All the previous posts on dining in this city are at least 3 years old from my search.
Just wondering if any of you can update this topic with some good recs on where to eat? We are not looking for upscale fine dining, but some place to get a tasty, medium-priced meal in a casual setting, around the $20-25 per person price range.
Thanks for any tips!
