SpicyTea's Profile
Donovan's (Savin Hill)
I've been thinking about writing them a letter, but instead I think I'll just post it here:
Please, please, please do not give us another Irish-y pub, poorly executed. I can get bad meatloaf and mashed potatoes served with attitude from my Mom, for free. When I go out, I like a friendly & food-smart staff that doesn't treat me anything LIKE family. You do a great job at McKenna's in terms of executing -- but the service can be hostile and the quality of the ingredients is not what I'm after. I've given a TON of money to the Ashmont Grill for brunch because they have better coffee & decor & non-factory-farmed meats. I would LOVE to be able to walk to a place that does that for me. And I drop a LOT of money in restaurants and I am not alone in this neighborhood, at all. If I see one framed photo of historic Dorchester, I'll run screaming. The 'hood has changed. The best food reviews for Savin Hill are never for the beer and 'tater joints -- they're for Ba Le. Surely there's a way to find the next Joanne Chang and lure her to Savin Hill to run a combination of Flour & Myers & Chang??? That's exactly what I want in that space. Plus a patio, and Brooklyn's Coffeehouse Porter on tap ;-)
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Ba Le Cafe
1449 Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA
Ashmont Grill
555 Talbot Ave, Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Myers + Chang
1145 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
For a city it's size, Boston has respectable Chow [moved from Boston board]
Barmy, swap 'burger, fries, Bud on tap' in for pot roast as regards Allston. I know it's gotten better around there. But I don't see the hordes of burger joints suffering.
All those other places, though? Check my posts. Consider decaf.
For a city it's size, Boston has respectable Chow [moved from Boston board]
Excellent clarification.
The rest of y'all, well . . .
I'm not making a direct, place-by-place comparison of Providence or Portland or even New Haven to Boston. I'm saying that for their size, they kick up a lot of good stuff. Per capita. Ratio-wise.
There's great deli, pizza, pasta, Japanese, Indian and good old diner food in a 15 minute radius in New Haven. Has been for years. Check the NY Times, Roadfood, etc.. Providence, well, for me it's Italian that wows at every price point. Again, over time. Portland was a wasteland in my teens, now it pops out with Standard Baking & Fore St., Duck Fat, and a handful of new places I've only been to once per last year, but that seemed to be trying hard, and to care about our experience with them.
I consider a place a good food city when I think it's possible to trip over something good by accident -- in my experience, in the metro Boston area, this rarely leads to a killer prosciutto situation. More like a tater tot attack. Speaking generally.
I'm not bashing, I'm noticing. Clarifying. Wondering what you all think. Chowhound matters here -- it's the best way to find the good stuff between pot roast and potato pushers. Maybe the only way if the Globe -- hard to believe -- actually gets shuttered.
For a city it's size, Boston has respectable Chow [moved from Boston board]
Here's my theory: this town has been dominated by the salt, pepper, butter taste triumvirate for way too long. It stunted the development of a thriving chow scene, because the bulk of the population breaks a sweat when faced with mild salsa. We're the anti-umami, more mashed potatoes please city. Ok, maybe not compared to St. Paul . . . but for the east coast, I find Boston the most boring place to eat. Montreal kicks our butt. My hometown of New Have, population be damned, does a lot more with what it's got. Providence, too. Boston eating makes me kind of crazy -- avoiding the overpriced big plate of boring is a challenge. But, it has improved in the 15 years I've been here. And I am very grateful for that.
As far as where the metro area extends -- sure, there are good places to eat outside of the city limits and within 128, or 495, and so on. But, in my experience, your chances of getting hosed -- with a big, overpriced plate of blah -- are much higher once you move beyond say, the reach of the T. Why? Because garlic mashed still makes a lot of menus go around. And stay in business.
Anyone want to offer a more hopeful, non-numbers based view?
Best Clam Shack "Experience" in/near Boston
I have to throw in a vote for the Barking Crab. I've been to Tony's & the Clam Box recently, and then the Crab, and noticed that many of the prices overlap -- $17 for a broiled entree, $13 for a fried platter or sandwich. The Crab has a great beer selection. The bucket appetizers are fun to share. The location is great for tourists -- you can walk along the Harborwalk to the ICA or to Quincy Market, or just sit and ogle the harbor. Wollaston's prettier, I suppose. But the Crab's got music, family-friendly chaos, and did I mention the better beer? It's a big hit with my guests. Lately, I like it because it's not fry-o-centric.
Looking for private dining room in Cambridge Area
I've been to some lovely small & large private events at Rialto. The Elephant Walk on Mass Ave has a quiet lower level & can do a big table that feels like a private room. Good luck.
Spring 2009 Openings and Closings
Chau Chow City is reopened yesterday. Parking lot's packed tonight.
And the best dish I've had so far in 2009 is...
The gnocchi at Bina. Meyer lemon, chorizo wafers, lobster, clams. Heavenly.
Hosting a North Shore Lobster Bake
I've hired Woodman's, in Essex, to do a 50+ person clambake every summer for the last decade. They do a knockout job, in terms of customer service and quality of the food. We had steamers, chowder, lobster & corn, and it was always excellent. We did it outside, so I can't help you on the room. They could probably suggest some places. Good luck.
Spring 2009 Openings and Closings
Good thing they're doing all that washing stuff, then ;-) Thanks for the info. If it reopens, I'll post. Right after I finish eating there.
Spring 2009 Openings and Closings
Chowers, help -- I haven't had time to stop and ask, but my beloved Chau Chow City in Dorchester has been dark twice this past week. Yesterday, during prime dim sum hours, I drove by and saw no lights, no cars, just some furniture being hosed off in the parking lot. Anyone have any news?
Lunch near Franklin Park Zoo
you're right, catsmeow. i usually eat in the car ;-) i should've mentioned that. not everyone's idea of fine dining.
Canadian desserts in Boston
fitzlicious, Oso Negro is THE best coffee i've ever had. easily worth a trip to Nelson! killer skiing in the winter, but it's lovely in the summer, too. it makes a nice road trip to hit the wineries and fruit orchards in the nearby Okanagan valley -- a low-key foodie road trip ;-)
Lunch near Franklin Park Zoo
If you're driving, Mrs. Jones in the lower mills neighborhood of Dorchester is not far -- just down BH Ave., left on Morton -- 15 minutes, tops, and it's great soul food. Not sure about their Sunday hours, though. I drive by Chef Lees Soul Food at Morton & BH Ave. a lot, but have never been -- that'd be too long to walk, for me, for lunch. If you head over to JP, consider Cuban -- El Oriental de Cuba does a mean fried tostone, and with their chicken fricasee, you would feel soulful and well fed.
Spring 2009 Openings and Closings
Baja Fresh in Hingham, at the Derby Street outdoor mall, is gone. The real question is, why is the Panera Bread that's 50 yards away doing gangbusters? Baja Fresh approached real restaurant status, with food that tried, and a pleasant staff. PB is airplane food without the reward of the trip, complete with gum snapping service and dirty tables. Why, Hingham, why, did you not eat more salsa and less faux focaccia?
Canadian desserts in Boston
Take almansa up on the offer of grandma's recipe & then twist someone's arm to make them for you! I have a Canadian hubby who is a big fan of Nanaimo bars . . . I've never seen them anywhere in the US. I recommend the following unorthodox strategy -- call a coffee shop in Nelson, BC called Oso Negro. They roast their own blends, it's a fantastic place, and if you told them what you needed they could probably hook you up. Then again, since it's Canada we're talking about, you could probably get the recipe by calling Canadian Tire (kind of like Walmart) and asking the first person who answers the phone for THEIR recipe! Good luck.
teen birthday near Dorchester?
Chau Chow City in Dorchester, on Morrissey Blvd., does great dim sum. Midday on the weekends is best -- the most fun, loudest, most rolling carts. They mix some soups up table-side. A Globe reviewer last year said: "Dinner at Chau Chow is a party, held halfway between Hong Kong and Chuck E. Cheese’s." This captures the place perfectly. They have a few tables on a raised platform with a brass rail around them -- I'd call & ask to reserve one of those. You can order off the menu, too, if anyone can't deal with the cart selections. It's a family oriented place, and if you're lucky, there'll be a wedding reception going on, with karaoke ;-) And did I mention that the food is superb?
Pho within walking distance of CambridgeSide Galleria?
I used to live in that area, and don't recall anything Vietnamese. When I'm around there now, I like Despinas, the Greek place that's at 3rd & Charles Sts (pretty sure.) Mulan, on Broadway, is farther away, has killer dumplings & rice based dishes -- it's Taiwanese -- and if they serve noodles, I'm sure they're good, too. Good luck, and let us know how your exploration goes.
Food shopping in Dorchester
You could jump on/off the redline at Broadway in Southie for Sophia's Cafe, a great coffeeshop in the Macallen building (espresso's hard to come by in EE Square, this is the closest spot), and now the new Franklin Cafe across the street on Dot Ave., too. And if you're driving, it's very quick to get from where you'll live to Myers & Chang by shooting up Dot Ave., taking a left at the Macallen onto West 4th St, which turns into Berkeley St. Lots of good stuff between you & the Butcher Shop. Gaslight has free parking - a great thing for Dot-ites, too ;-)
Food shopping in Dorchester
Right -o! Cafe Polonia is fantastic -- friendly, cheap, excellent food & an astonishing array of eastern european beers. I don't remember seeing anyone mention 224 Boston St., the best thing walkable in , uh, "north dorchester," for drinks, apps & a cozy room.
Food shopping in Dorchester
If you're on the SE side of Dot, here's something good to know -- it took me years to figure it out -- the Whole Foods in Symphony validates parking for an hour in the garage right behind it. I'm surprised at all the responses to your post. I find Dot a bit of a wasteland in terms of fresh, high quality food. Plenty of my neighbors make long treks to Russo's, Wilsons, etc.. to get good green stuff. The Milton/Lower Mills farmer's market is much better than the Field's Corner one, but that's a long haul from the north end of Dot, as is the Milton Marketplace. Government Center is easier to get to on the T, for a farmer's market. South End Formaggio & Foodies are good stops in the South End. Dim Sum at Chau Chow City on the weekends is a great cheap date, as are the sandwiches at Ba Le in Savin Hill. Avoid all pizza ;-)
Dorchester coffeeshops
Target in South Bay is walkable, and has a Starbucks. Sophia's Cafe in the Macallen building, on Dot Ave. at Broadway in Southie is very good with the espresso drinks, they're super friendly & it's a sunny spot to sit. Ba Le on Dot Ave in Savin Hill has the best Vietnamese coffee, but no seating. The Lower Mills cafe you're referring to is Flat Black, and they've opened a branch in the Carruth building in Peabody Square -- a little closer than they're LM spot. We often drive to Flour & the Buttery in the South End & find parking w/o too much trouble. And of course, Dunkies are everywhere. The one inside the New Store On The Block is fun to sit around in and observe the lottery trade & watch TV ;-)
UPPER CRUST goin Down
Thanks -- that was the only other stone-unturned in our pizza-quest. We will try it!
Casual w/ excellent wine list?
A 3rd opinion -- Bin 26 Enoteca sounds like a perfect fit. I love that place.
UPPER CRUST goin Down
I had a slice in Brookline last week, and it was just fine -- for me, it's B to B+ pizza. For better pizza, I go home to New Haven. But, you want bad delivery, try moving to Dorchester. We resorted to Domino's a few days ago, and sadly, it was the best entry after three years of trying. The stuff UC throws out at the end of a shift would've been better.
Family-friendly chow in South Boston or near Convention Center?
Sel de la Terre -- I second that. It manages to be refined but relaxed, the food is excellent, and it's in the neighborhood. Bertucci's is good mall-food. Polonia in Southie is good, but much more casual, unless your idea of discerning is a huge number of eastern European beers to choose from (I love it, but would call it casual & interesting), and you'll grow old waiting for cabs to & fro. Legal's Test Kitchen is in the same neck of the woods as Sel de la Terre, and they can handle groups/kids, and there's always something interesting on the menu, in addition to some Legal's basics. Legal's itself is a snore, for me -- reasonably well executed fish for the Boston palate -- a sort of Irish-WASP-y butter, salt & pepper vibe. The service is determinedly good -- not a bad choice if your kids are fractious, they'll work themselves into a lather trying to help/get you out of there quickly ;-)
Christmas in Chinatown
I've always enjoyed East Ocean City. Just a few weeks ago we had a superb whole steamed fish - don't recall exactly what, it was white, mild & perfectly done in a ginger scallion soy sauce - and a few sides. Service & atmosphere are both up to the challenge of a special family meal. Enjoy.
Which restaurants serve grass-fed beef?
The Ashmont Grill in Dorchester serves a sub-ten dollar burger that is grass-fed beef. It is delicious. As far as source . . . Northeast Family Farms. I'm pretty sure. Good luck.
Dinner near UMass Boston
Agreed, about the bar, and the cost -- even though I've argued that it's fair pricing. I still think it is, but I'm now too broke to afford it very often, so, umm -- yes, it could be cheaper! I've had some really, really good meals at Tavolo, too, but something in me revolts at dropping $50 for a casual meal that includes a view of Ashmont Tire. I'll always prefer the AG patio & bar.
