Whole Boston Restaurant List

[Ellis S. Cohen]

The Whole Boston Restaurant List
********************************

(As of Oct 13, 1994)

o Introduction
o Boston Restaurants listed by Area
o Boston Restaurants organized by Cuisine
o Boston Beer and Cider
o Recommended Boston Sunday Brunch Buffets
o Other Boston Lists
o Restaurants Outside Boston
o Changes Since Last Month

========================================================================
Introduction
========================================================================

This is a list of recommended restaurants in the Boston area with a
focus primarily on flavor, quality & value, though the list reports on
things like service & ambience as well.

The emphasis is on moderately-priced restaurants which serve interesting
food. At the same time, I've included the really fancy expensive
restaurants that are reportedly good as well.

Typical dinner prices, per person, (including a drink, if liquor is
served, tax, and tip) are indicated as follows:

($-) $5-8, ($) $8-12, ($+) $12-15
($$-) $15-18, ($$) $18-22, ($$+) $22-25
($$$-) $25-28, ($$$) $28-32, ($$$+) $32-35
($$$$-) $35-38, ($$$$) $38-42, ($$$$+) $42-45, etc

Either I've had a good meal at each restaurant listed, or more likely,
someone else has recommended it. Note that most of the comments in the
list are not mine, but are from other people who've taken the time to
write up something about their dining experience.

If you have comments you'd like me to include (especially if they differ
from the current review or are for an unlisted restaurant), let me know
at el...@osf.org, post them to the ne.food or rec.food.restaurants
Usenet newsgroup, or send them via the Restauarant Review form available
via the World Wide Web.

----------------------------
| DON'T BE SHY! |
| |
| DON'T WORRY ABOUT |
| HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE |
| YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SAY |
----------------------------

I'm happy to get information about any and all aspects of any restaurant
you've eaten at, including

General
Name of the restaurant
Type of Cuisine
Typical price per person for dinner w drink, tax & tip
Overall rating (great / very good / good / mediocre / avoid )

Location & Access
Town, Neighborhood, Area
Address, nearest cross streets & landmarks
Nearest public transporation stop
Parking
Phone number
Days & hours the place is open
Reservations (accepted / suggested / essential)?
Wheelchair access from street to dining area & dining area to
restrooms (ok / one step up or down / difficult)

Food & Beverages
How was the food in general (e.g. quality, quantity, richness,
flavor, seasonings, style of preparation, etc.)
What dishes would you especially recommend?
What dishes should be avoided?
Anything special about beverages (do they serve alcohol, have
interesting beers, a good wine list, etc.)?

Service & Ambience
How was the service (pleasant, formal, helpful, rude, slow, etc.)?
What's the appearance & ambience of the place (size, seating,
crowded, noisy, calm, comfortable, posh, hole-in-the-wall, dark,
danky, etc.)?
How do most patrons dress (grundgy, casual, dressy, formal)?

Other
Prices for individual courses & appetizers
Takes credit cards or cash only?
Is an outdoor dining area available (with full service)?
How child-friendly is the place?
What kinds of options are there for vegetarians?
How good a place is it for getting low fat meals?
Anything else interesting, entertaining, or useful!

Entertaining quotes I can include, as well as any information that would
fill in holes in the current list are especially appreciated.

Please let me know if you do not want me to attach your name and/or
e-mail address to any review you send me. I'm also happy to use a
pseudonym or pen name if you send me one!

Ordinarily, recommended restaurants are not included in the list unless
I get two positive reviews (or unless I get a detailed review of a
restaurant which sounds particularly good).

I maintain a list of restaurants which only have one positive review so
far, or which were previously included, but have skimpy or out-of-date
reviews. I'd really like to get reviews of these restaurants. Sending a
positive review will get the restaurant on the list; a negative review
will keep it off. The list of these restaurants (both in Boston and
outside Boston) is available on-line for web users, and is also mailed
out twice a month to the ne.food news group.

The Boston Restaurant List has been in existence, and posted on Usenet
to rec.food.restauarants and ne.food since mid-1993.

Thanks to Brian Lucas at the University of Manitoba, both plaintext and
html versions of the latest version of the Boston Restaurant List are
available for anonymous ftp access in the rec.travel archives he
maintains

at
ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca
in the directory
rec-travel/north_america/usa/massachusetts
as
boston-restaurants.ellis (for plaintext), or
boston-restaurants.ellis.html (for html).

A more extensive hypertext version of the Boston Restaurant List has
been on the web since March 1994 at URL

http://www.osf.org:8001/boston-food/boston-food.html

Since August 1994, a search engine has been available on-line which
allows searches of restaurants by area, cuisine, and price range.

The list primarily covers restaurants within Rt 128 along the Mass Pike
corrider.

However, the "Outside Boston" part of the list covers highly recommended
restaurants anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts (as far as Worcestor),
Southeastern New Hampshire (bounded by Nashua / Manchester / Dover),
Southwestern Coastal Maine, or Rhode Island. I try to only include
restaurants that are especially good or very good and an exceptionally
good value -- that is, if someone should seek them out if they were
visiting nearby or travelling through the area.

If you have questions about this list, contact the maintainer,
Ellis S. Cohen, at el...@osf.org or 617-621-8718.

As noted above, restaurants are only included in the printed version of
the Boston Restaurant List if they are recommended; the list does not
attempt to cover the vast number of decent and mediocre but
unexceptional places to eat in the Boston area.

However, on-line users who access the list through the web can get
access to reviews for all restaurants received (both in Boston and
outside Boston), including mediocre and awful restaurants, and
restaurants which have only received a single positive review thus far.
On-line users can also access interesting or controversial long reviews
from which the reviews "in the list" have been distilled.

In addition, the printed version of the list only covers places where
you can sit down and eat; take-out only places aren't included.

Finally, the printed version of the list primarily covers places where
you can get dinner; lunch-only places are not included unless they are
very very good.

I'm not likely to support new locales or new categories myself, but if
you're interested in maintaining a new related list, let me know and
I'll include a link to it from this list.

I'm happy to receive suggestions about how the information in the list
can be made more useful, however, the time I can spend on the list is
fairly limited. If you're excited enough to make a suggestion, consider
being excited enough to do the work, so that I can include it or link to
it.

Words of Wisdom (from bet...@cs.umb.edu)
========================================

I read an article once where a reviewer replied to people who had bad
experiences at places he had given good reviews, and his advice made a
lot of sense.

The reviewer said that people who complained had usually been to the
restaurant at the busiest times, Friday and Saturday nights. At those
times the staff is rushed and more likely to make mistakes, the kitchen
is crowded and might be running short of ingredients, the customers can
be boisterous, everyone is under stress, and you will experience the
restaurant at its worst.

When this reviewer went to eat, he tried to go weeknights, at the very
beginning of the dinner hour. The staff is fresh, the food is fresh, and
everyone has time to pay attention to your dining experience.

Of course, it is always reasonable to expect a certain standard, but if
you want to experience the restaurant at its BEST, visit at the best
times.

======================================================================
Boston Area Restaurants (by SubArea)
======================================================================

This is a list of all recommended Boston area restaurants organized by
neighborhood within the towns of

Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelsea,
Medford, Newton, Somerville, Waltham, and Watertown.

Arlington
---------

Cafe Barada ($) [Lebanese / Middle Eastern]
China Cafe ($+) [Chinese]
Shanghai Village ($+) [Chinese]
Tandoor ($+) [Indian]

Belmont
-------

Andros Diner ($+) [Greek Diner]
Ling Gardens ($+) [Chinese] -- Waverly Sq

Boston (Allston)
----------------

Armadillo Cafe ($$-) [Tex/Mex]
Barbeque's International ($+) [Indian Barbeque]
Big Burrito ($-) [Tex/Mex]
Blackbird Baking Company ($+) [Cafe]
Cafe Brazil ($$-) [Brazillian]
Cafe Lampara ($$-) [Italian]
Cafe Shiraz ($$-) [Kosher Persian]
Chung Wah ($) [Chinese]
Ichiban ($$-) [Japanese]
Pho Pasteur ($) [Vietnamese]
Quan's Kitchen ($) [Chinese]
Rama Thai ($+) [Thai]
Saigon ($) [Vietnamese]
San Francisco Noodle House ($+) [Chinese]
Siam Cuisine ($$-) [Thai]
Thai House ($$) [Thai]
V Majestic ($) [Vietnamese]
Viet Hong ($) [Vietnamese]

Boston (Back Bay East, Copley to the Commons)
---------------------------------------------

Twenty-Nine Newbury St ($$$-) [Eclectic]
Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
Blue Wave ($$) [Eclectic]
Cottonwood Cafe ($$+) [Southwestern]
Grill 23 ($$$$-) [Steakhouse]
Kaya ($$) [Korean]
Milano's ($$) [Italian]
Mister Leung's ($$$) [Chinese]
PapaRazzi ($$) [Northern Italian]
Plaza Dining Room ($$$$+) [Continental]
Rattlesnake Bar and Grill ($$-) [Latin American / Caribbean]
Skipjack ($$+) [Seafood]
Small Planet ($$) [Eclectic]
Spasso ($$) [Italian]
Turner Fisheries ($$$) [Seafood]

Boston (Back Bay West, West of Copley)
--------------------------------------

Boodle's of Boston ($$$-) [Steaks]
Cactus Club ($$) [Southwestern]
Cafe Budapest ($$$$) [Hungarian]
Caffe Jaffa ($) [Israeli]
California Pizza Kitchen ($+) [Italian Pizza/Pasta]
Casa Romero ($$) [Mexican]
Capital Grille ($$$$-) [Steakhouse]
Ciao Bella ($$$-) [Northern Italian]
Davio's ($$$-) [Italian]
Eliot/Kotobukiya ($+) [Japanese]
Emporio Armani Express ($$$) [Italian]
Famous Atlantic Seafood Company ($$) [Seafood]
Gyuhama of Japan ($$+) [Japanese]
House of Siam ($$-) [Thai]
Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant ($) [Chinese]
India Samraat ($+) [Indian]
Kebab-N-Kurry ($+) [Indian]
King & I ($$-) [Thai]
Legal Seafood ($$+) [Seafood]
L'Espalier ($$$$$$-) [Nouvelle French]
Miyako ($$+) [Japanese]
Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) [Steakhouse]
Oceanic ($$-) [Chinese Seafood]
Sonsie ($$$) [Eclectic]
Steve's ($+) [Greek / Middle Eastern]
Thai Basil ($$-) [Thai]
Top of the Hub ($$$) [Traditional]

Boston (Beacon Hill / West End)
-------------------------------

Another Season ($$$+) [French-American]
Bangkok & Tokyo Grille ($$-) [Thai]
Hungry I ($$$+) [Contemporary French / American]
King & I ($$-) [Thai]
Phoenicia ($) [Middle Eastern]
Ristorante Toscano ($$$+) [Northern Italian]
Siam Cafe ($$-) [Thai]
Tangiers Cafe ($$) [North African]

Boston (Brighton)
-----------------

Bangkok Bistro ($$-) [Thai] -- Cleveland Circle
Bluestone Bistro ($+) [Italian Bistro]
Chef Chow ($$-) [Chinese] -- Cleveland Circle
Han Mi Ok ($$-) [Korean] -- Brighton Center
Jasmine Bistro ($$) [Eclectic] -- Brighton Center
Korea House ($$-) [Korean]
Pars Cafe ($+) [Persian] -- Oak Sq
Uva ($$+) [Italian]

Boston (Chinatown)
------------------

Art Zone ($$) [American Casual]
Asian Garden ($+) [Chinese]
Ba Dat ($) [Vietnamese]
Blue Diner ($+) [American Casual Funky Diner]
Buddha's Delight ($) [Vegetarian Chinese / Vietnamese]
Carl's Pagoda ($$-) [Chinese]
Chau Chow ($+) [Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum]
China Gate ($+) [Chinese]
China Grove ($+) [Chinese]
China Pearl ($+) [Chinese w Dim Sum]
East Ocean City ($$) [Chinese]
Eldo Tea House ($) [Chinese]
Food Hall ($-) [Chinese]
Fortune House ($$-) [Chinese Seafood]
Ginza ($$$) [Japanese]
Golden Gate ($+) [Chinese]
Golden Palace ($$-) [Chinese w Dim Sum ]
Grand Chau Chow ($$-) [Chinese Seafood]
Ho Yuen Ting ($$-) [Chinese Seafood]
Hong Kong Eatery ($$-) [Chinese]
Imperial Seafood Restaurant ($$-) [Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum]
King Fung Garden ($+) [Chinese]
New Shanghai ($$) [Chinese]
Ocean Wealth ($$) [Chinese Seafood]
Pho Bang ($-) [Vietnamese]
Pho Pasteur ($) [Vietnamese]
Rod Thai ($) [Thai]
Siam Square ($+) [Thai]
Vietnam Restaurant ($+) [Vietnamese]

Boston (Downtown / Financial District)
--------------------------------------

Ben's Cafe ($$$-) [French]
Cecil's ($+) [Latin / Caribbean]
Country Life ($) [7th Day Adventist Vegan Vegetarian]
Dakota's ($$$-) [Eclectic]
Fajita & 'Ritas ($+) [Tex/Mex]
Julien ($$$$$) [Nouvelle French]
Locke-Ober Cafe ($$$$) [New England / American]
Maison Robert ($$$$) [Classic French]
Milk St Cafe ($) [Kosher Vegetarian]
Nara ($$) [Japanese]
Parker's ($$$) [Traditional American]
Rami's Felafel ($) [Kosher Israeli]
Sakurabana ($$) [Japanese]
Schifino ($$$-) [Italian]
Sultan's Kitchen ($) [Turkish]
Trattoria Il Panino ($$$+) [Italian]

Boston (Dorchester / Mattapan)
------------------------------

Beijing Garden Restaurant ($+) [Chinese/Vietnamese w Dim Sum] -- Dorchester
Pit Stop ($) [Barbeque] -- Mattapan
Thai Gourmet ($+) [Thai] -- Dorchester

Boston (East Boston)
--------------------

Mama Julia ($) [Colombian / Salvadoran]
Nana Cora's ($$-) [Italian]
Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage ($$) [Italian]

Boston (Jamaica Plain)
----------------------

Acapulco ($+) [Mexican]
Black Crow ($+) [Cafe] -- Hyde Sq
Center Street Cafe ($+) [Cafe]
El Embajador ($) [Latin American]
Five Seasons ($$) [Macrobiotic]
International Restaurant ($) [Dominican]
Pupuseria Quintanilla ($) [Salvadoran]
Water Cafe ($$-) [Eclectic]

Boston (Kenmore Sq / West Fenway)
---------------------------------

Buteco ($+) [Brazillian] -- West Fenway
India Quality ($+) [Indian] -- Kenmore Sq
Maluken ($$) [Japanese] -- Kenmore Sq
Sorento's ($$-) [Italian] -- West Fenway
Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant ($+) [Chinese Seafood] -- West Fenway

Boston (North End)
------------------

Al Dente ($$) [Italian]
Artu ($+) [Italian]
Bella Vista ($?) [Italian]
Daily Catch ($$) [Seafood]
Da Natale ($?) [Italian]
Dom's ($$$+) [Northern Italian]
Five North Square ($$$-) [Italian]
Giacomo's ($$$-) [Italian Seafood]
G'Vanni's ($$$-) [Italian]
Il Nido ($$$) [Italian]
L'Osteria ($$) [Italian]
La Conte ($$-) [Italian]
La Piccola Venezia ($+) [Southern Italian]
Mamma Maria ($$$) [Nouvelle Italian]
Massimino's ($$) [Italian]
Mother Anna's ($$) [Italian]
Nicole's ($$) [Italian]
Pomodoro ($$) [Italian]
Ristorante Lucia ($$+) [Northern Italian]
Saraceno's ($$+) [Southern Italian]
Terramia ($$$-) [Nouvelle Italian]
Trattoria Il Panino: Dining Room ($$$+) [Italian]
Trattoria Il Panino: Il Bistro ($$+) [Italian]

Boston (Roslindale / West Roxbury)
----------------------------------

Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian] -- West Roxbury
Sami's ($) [Middle Eastern] -- Roslindale

Boston (South End)
------------------

Addis Red Sea ($+) [Ethiopian]
Appetito ($$) [Italian]
Azita Ristorante ($$+) [Northern Italian / Nouvelle American]
Bob the Chef ($+) [Soul Food]
Botolph on Tremont ($$$-) [Eclectic]
Butchie's ($$-) [Barbeque/Creole]
Buteco ($+) [Brazillian]
Claremont Cafe ($+) [Eclectic]
Giacomo's ($$) [Italian Seafood]
Hamersley's Bistro ($$$$) [Eclectic]
Icarus ($$$$-) [Eclectic]
Jae's ($$+) [Asian Eclectic]
Legal Seafood ($$+) [Seafood]
Moka ($) [Cafe]
On the Park ($$+) [Eclectic]
St Botolph ($$$-) [Eclectic]
St Cloud ($$$) [Eclectic Nouvelle American]
Thai Village ($$-) [Thai]

Boston (Symphony Area)
----------------------

Arirang House ($) [Korean]
Bangkok City ($$-) [Thai]
Bangkok Cuisine ($$-) [Thai]
Bangkok Room ($$-) [Thai]
Boston Shawarma ($) [Middle Eastern]
Dixie Kitchen ($+) [Cajun]
Fine Arts Restaurant ($$) [Eclectic]
Goemon ($+) [Japanese Noodle]
Shawarma King ($) [Middle Eastern]
Thai Cuisine ($$-) [Thai]

Boston (Theater District / Park Sq)
-----------------------------------

Aujord 'Hui ($$$$$) [Nouvelle French / Continental]
Biba ($$$$) [Eclectic]
David's ($$$) [Mediterranean]
Joyce Chen ($$-) [Chinese]
Legal Seafood ($$+) [Seafood]
Montien ($$) [Thai]
Rocco's ($$$) [Neo Italian]
Star of Siam ($+) [Thai]

Boston (Waterfront / Faneuil Hall)
----------------------------------

Bay Tower Room ($$$$) [Continental/French]
Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
Cornucopia on the Wharf ($$$) [Eclectic]
Daily Catch ($$) [Seafood]
Durgin Park ($$+) [Traditional NE Regional]
Eastern Pier Seafood ($$) [Chinese Seafood]
Jaspers ($$$$+) [Eclectic New England]
Joseph's Aquarium ($$-) [Italian-American Seafood]
Marco Polo ($+) [Chinese]
Old Spaghetti Factory ($+) [Italian-American]
Sally Ling's ($$+) [Chinese]
Seasons ($$$$$-) [Eclectic]
Tatsukichi ($$+) [Japanese]
Ye Olde Union Oyster House ($$$-) [Seafood]

Brookline (Coolidge Corner / JFK Crossing / North Brookline)
------------------------------------------------------------

Beijing III ($$-) [Chinese]
Bombay Bistro ($$-) [Indian]
Chef Chow ($$-) [Chinese]
Daily Catch ($$) [Seafood]
El Bandido ($) [Tex/Mex]
Enzo Ristorante ($$+) [Italian]
Mi Vami ($+) [Israeli]
Niko's ($+) [Greek]
Noble House ($$) [Chinese]
Providence ($$$$-) [Eclectic / Tuscan]
Rami's Felafel ($) [Kosher Israeli]
Rubin's Deli ($+) [Kosher Deli]
Ruth's Kitchen ($+) [Kosher]
Shawarma King ($) [Middle Eastern]
Takeshima ($$) [Japanese]
Victor's Pizza ($) [Kosher Pizza]
Yu's ($) [Chinese]

Brookline (St Mary's / Longwood)
--------------------------------

Atlas Kitchen ($+) [Turkish] -- St Mary's
Cafe Han River ($) [Korean] -- St Mary's
Chef Chang ($$-) [Chinese] -- St Mary's
Sol Azteca ($$) [Mexican] -- St Mary's
Veronique ($$$) [Classic French] -- Longwood

Brookline (Village)
-------------------

Davio's ($$$-) [Nouvelle Italian]
Fajita & 'Ritas ($+) [Tex/Mex]
Sawasdee ($$) [Thai]
Shalom Hunan ($$-) [Kosher Chinese]
Skipjack ($$+) [Seafood]
Village Fish ($$) [Seafood]
Village Smokehouse ($$-) [Barbeque]

Brookline (Washington Sq)
-------------------------

Golden Temple ($$) [Chinese]
Indian Cafe ($$-) [Indian]
T.J.'s Taqueria ($) [Mexican]
Tam O'Shanter ($$) [Eclectic]
Vinny Testa's ($$) [Italian]

Cambridge (Central Sq / MIT)
----------------------------

Anago Bistro ($$$) [Mediterranean]
Asmara ($+) [Ethiopian]
Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
Brookline Diner ($) [Middle Eastern]
Cinderella's ($) [Italian]
Fishery ($$) [Seafood]
Green St Grill ($$) [Eclectic Caribbean]
India Pavillion ($+) [Indian]
Indian Globe ($+) [Indian]
Korea Garden ($$-) [Korean]
La Groceria ($$) [Northern Italian]
Larry's ($+) [Chinese]
Mary Chung Restaurant ($+) [Chinese]
Middle East ($+) [Middle Eastern]
Miracle of Science ($+) [American Casual]
Oh Calcutta ($+) [Indian]
Picante ($) [Tex/Mex]
Pu-Pu Hot Pot ($+) [Chinese w Dim Sum]
Rhythm & Spice ($$-) [Caribbean]
Royal East ($+) [Chinese]
Shalimar ($$-) [Indian]
Taj India ($+) [Indian]
Tandoor House ($$-) [Indian]

Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
----------------------

Algiers ($+) [Middle Eastern]
Bangkok House ($$-) [Thai]
Bennett St Cafe ($$) [Eclectic]
Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
Bombay Club ($$) [Indian]
Border Cafe ($+) [Cajun/Southwestern]
Cafe of India ($+) [Indian]
Cafe Sushi ($$) [Japanese]
California Pizza Kitchen ($+) [Italian (Pizza/Pasta)]
Casa Mexico ($$) [Mexican]
Casablanca ($$) [North African]
Chef Chow ($$-) [Chinese]
Delhi Darbar ($+) [Indian]
Dolphin Seafood ($+) [Seafood]
Eight Holyoke ($$$+) [Bistro]
Giannino's ($$$-) [Northern Italian]
Grendel's Den ($+) [American Casual]
Harvest ($$$) [Eclectic]
House of Blues ($$-) [American Casual]
Iruna ($$-) [Spanish]
Mimi's Oriental Grill ($$+) [Asian Eclectic]
Pampas ($$) [Brazillian ]
Roka ($$) [Japanese]
Rosies ($) [American Casual]
Shilla ($$) [Korean]
Siam Garden ($$-) [Thai]
Singha House ($$-) [Thai]
Skewers ($) [Middle Eastern]
Skipjack ($$+) [Seafood]
Ta Sheng ($+) [Chinese]
Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) [Eclectic Continental / N Italian]

Cambridge (Inman Sqaure)
------------------------

Akbar India ($+) [Indian]
Cafe China ($$-) [European-Style Chinese]
Jae's ($$+) [Asian Eclectic]
Casa Portugal ($$-) [Portuguese]
Chez Vous Creole ($+) [Creole]
Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe ($$) [American Casual]
East Coast Grill ($$+) [Eclectic]
Jake & Earl's ($+) [Barbeque]
Koreana ($$) [Korean]
Magnolia's Southern Cuisine ($$+) [Southern / Cajun]
Midwest Grill ($$-) [Brazillian/Portuguese]
Portugalia ($$-) [Portuguese]
S & S Deli ($+) [Deli]
Sunset Cafe ($$) [Portugese]

Cambridge (Kendall Sq / East Cambridge)
---------------------------------------

Biggs Restaurant ($+) [Jamaican]
Blue Room ($$$-) [Eclectic]
Boca Grande ($-) [Mexican]
Chandra's ($+) [Caribbean / Indian]
Davio's ($$$-) [Nouvelle Italian]
Florentina ($$) [Italian]
Helmand's ($?) [Afghan] (not yet open)
Izzy's Sub Shop ($) [Puerto Rican]
Legal Seafood ($$+) [Seafood]
PapaRazzi ($$) [Italian]
Poppa & Goose ($+) [Asian Eclectic]
Rayz ($$-) [American Casual]
Salamander ($$$$) [Eclectic]
Sammy's Deli ($) [Deli]
Sindibad ($+) [Middle Eastern]
Thai's ($$) [Thai]

Cambridge (Porter Sq / North Cambridge)
---------------------------------------

Boca Grande ($-) [Mexican]
Cafe Mami ($) [Japanese]
Changsho ($$-) [Chinese]
Chez Jean ($$$-) [Classic French]
Cottonwood Cafe ($$+) [Southwestern]
Dali ($$+) [Spanish]
Greek Corner Restaurant ($) [Greek]
Hana Sushi ($$-) [Japanese]
Ittyo ($+) [Japanese]
Jade Flower ($) [Chinese]
Kotobukiya ($+) [Japanese]
Maharajah ($+) [Indian]
Masao's Kitchen ($+) [Vegan Macrobiotic]
Matsu-Ya ($$) [Korean / Japanese]
Mexican Cuisine {Forest Cafe} ($$) [Mexican]
Noelle ($+) [Eclectic]
Passage to India ($$) [Indian]
Porter Exchange Mall [Japanese Food Mall]
Porter House Cafe ($$-) [Barbeque]
Ristorante Marino ($$+) [Italian Natural]
Sapporo Ramen ($+) [Japanese Noodle House]
Snakebites Canteen ($$-) [Southwestern]

Cambridge (West Cambridge / Fresh Pond / Alewife)
-------------------------------------------------

Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
Jose's ($) [Mexican]
Joyce Chen ($$-) [Chinese]
Koto ($$) [Japanese]
Pentimento ($+) [American Casual & Natural]
Tokyo Restaurant ($$$-) [Japanese]
Trattoria Pulcinella ($$$) [Northern Italian]

Charlestown
-----------

Barrett's Restaurant ($$+) [Traditional]
Blossoms ($$-) [Nouvelle Italian]
Figs ($$) [Italian Pizza/Pasta]
Olive's ($$$$-) [Nouvelle Northern Italian]

Chelsea
-------

New Bridge Cafe ($+) [Barbeque]

Medford
-------

Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
May's Cafe ($+) [Chinese]

Newton (Centre)
---------------

Appetito ($$) [Italian]
Chengmai ($$-) [Thai]
Ha Ha ($+) [Chinese]
Provizer's Deli ($-) [Deli]
Sabra ($+) [Middle Eastern / Israeli]
Seoul House ($$-) [Korean]
Seven Stars Mandarin ($+) [Chinese]
Sol Azteca ($$) [Mexican]

Newton (Chestnut Hill)
----------------------

Bernard's ($$-) [Chinese]
Legal Seafood ($$+) [Seafood]
Marco Solo ($$+) [Eclectic]
PapaRazzi ($$) [Italian]

Newton (Four Corners / Highlands / Upper Falls)
-----------------------------------------------

Cantin Abruzzi ($$-) [Italian] -- Highlands
Mill Falls ($$$) [American Formal] -- Upper Falls
Moon Woman Cafe ($$+) [Mediterranean] -- Upper Falls
Vinny Testa's ($$) [Italian] -- Four Corners

Newton (Lower Falls / Auburndale / West Newton)
-----------------------------------------------

Pillar House ($$$) [Traditional] -- Lower Falls
Shogun ($$) [Japanese] -- West Newton

Newton (Nonantum / Newtonville / Newton Corner)
-----------------------------------------------

Amarin ($$-) [Thai] -- Newton Corner
Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian] -- Newton Corner
Karoun ($+) [Armenian] -- Newtonville
Ru Yee ($+) [Chinese] -- Nonantum

Somerville (Beacon St)
-----------------------

Chang Feng ($+) [Chinese]
Chef Lee ($+) [Chinese]
Jimmy Mac's ($+) [Barbeque]
Little Bali ($$) [Indonesian]

Somerville (Davis / Powderhouse / Teele / Ball Sq)
--------------------------------------------------

Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian] -- Davis Sq
India ($+) [Indian] -- Davis Sq
Johnny D's ($+) [American Casual] -- Davis Sq
Panda ($$-) [Chinese] -- Ball Sq
Picante ($) [Tex/Mex] -- Davis Sq
Redbones ($$-) [Barbeque] -- Davis Sq
Rudy's ($) [Mexican] -- Teele Sq
Sepal Cafe ($) [Vegetarian Middle Eastern] -- Teele Sq

Somerville (Union Sq)
---------------------

Elephant Walk ($$) [French/Cambodian]
Hometown/Kohyang ($$-) [Korean]
India Palace ($+) [Indian]
Neighborhood Restaurant ($+) [Portuguese]
New Asia ($$-) [Chinese]
Oasis Grille ($+) [Middle Eastern]
Union Square Bistro ($$+) [Eclectic]
WooChon ($$-) [Korean]

Waltham (Downtown)
------------------

Bombay Mahal ($$-) [Indian]
E.J.'s Barbeque ($+) [Barbeque]
Erawan of Siam ($$) [Thai]
Iguana Cantina ($$-) [Tex/Mex]
Il Capriccio ($$$$-) [Northern Italian]
Little India ($+) [Indian]
New Mother India ($$-) [Indian]
Sadie's ($+) [Barbeque]
Taqueria Mexico ($+) [Mexican]
Tuscan Grill ($$$) [Nouvelle Italian]

Waltham (Outlying Areas)
------------------------

Bertucci's ($+) [Pizza / Italian]
Bluestone Bistro ($+) [Italian / Pizza]
Buckaroo's ($+) [Barbeque]
Green Papaya ($$-) [Thai]
Sakura ($+) [Japanese]
Saro's ($$-) [Northern Italian]
VietFoods ($) [Vietnamese]

Watertown
---------

Ararat ($) [Armenian]
Casa Elena ($+) [Latin American]
Demo's ($) [Middle Eastern / Greek]
Hunan Palace ($$-) [Chinese]
Kareem's ($+) [Middle Eastern]
Le Bocage ($$$$-) [Nouvelle French]
Porcini's ($$+) [Italian]
Sepal ($+) [Vegetarian Middle Eastern]
Stellina ($$$-) [Nouvelle Italian]
Taste of India ($$-) [Indian]

======================================================================
Boston Area Restaurants (by Cuisine)
======================================================================

o Afghan
o American Casual
o American Formal
o Armenian
o Asian Eclectic
o Barbeque
o Brazillian
o Cafe
o Cajun
o California Cuisine
o Cambodian
o Caribbean
o Chinese
o Continental
o Creole
o Deli
o Eclectic
o Ethiopian
o French
o Greek
o Indian
o Indonesian
o Israeli
o Italian
o Japanese
o Korean
o Kosher
o Latin American
o Macrobiotic
o Mediterranean
o Mexican
o Middle Eastern
o Mongolian
o Moroccan
o North African
o Nouvelle American
o Persian
o Portuguese
o Seafood
o Southern
o Soul
o Southwestern
o Spanish
o Steaks
o Tex/Mex
o Thai
o Traditional
o Turkish
o Vegetarian/Vegan
o Vietnamese

Afghan Restaurants
******************

Helmand's -- East Cambridge
143 First St (nr Galleria), 492-4646
T: Green Line: Lechmere, Red Line: Kendall Sq

American Casual & Deli Restaurants
**********************************

Art Zone ($$) -- Chinatown
150 Kneeland St, 695-0087
While the food is perhaps not especially noteworthy, it is usually
fairly tasty, somewhat eclectic for barbecue, and comes in large
portions. The rib platters & pulled pork are quite good, though you
can get the occasional annoying huge glob of fat in pork sandwiches,
and the barbecue sauce (served in a plastic cup) is very sweet --
something that Kraft would sell in a supermarket. The bbq should
become better, now that the kitchen staff has been specially trained by
a barbeque expert.
The grilled calamari in balsamic vinagrette is an excellent
appetizer, they have some of the best onion rings, sweet potato chips,
and cornbread in Boston, and there's very good guacamole and veggie
chili (with grilled eggplant and zucchini, which is quite nice, but has
nothing whatsoever to do with chili). OK crab cakes (with a lamentable
sauce) and fajitas; other dishes are even more ordinary, including the
salad, served with "industrial" dressing. They do have a fine beer
list, including Burton Bitter from the Commonwealth Brewery. Overall,
the place is upscale and very pricey though, with the same owner as the
Blue Diner next door.
The main reason to come here is for the amusing decor -- its a lot of
fun, especially if it's uncrowded enough that you can look at the
tables on the way in and out -- they are all different creations from
local artists, in glass-topped boxes. The decor really steals the show
- every table is different, and their artistic content (or lack
thereof!) provides plenty of material for good dinner conversation
among friends. Good juke box too. [=>interesting long review]

Blue Diner ($+) -- Chinatown
178 Kneeland St (edge of Leather District), 338-4639
T: Red Line @ South Station
Fine retro-diner food, which is to say all the flash and fresh
ingredients of a gentrified neighborhood bistro (plus beer and wine) in
a genuine diner setting (assembled on-site in 1947). The sign in the
window says: "Food like your mother would have made, if she'd gone to a
very good white-trash cooking school." Traditional diner dishes with a
twist that makes them inauthentic but worthwhile. A tad pricy, but top
notch burgers, hand-cut fries, homefries, omelettes & excellent sausage.
Pies are worth a trip all on their own, esp the pineapple meringue or
apple. A recent review indicates problems and possible closure due to
the Central Artery construction (9/94) [=> review ]

Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe ($$) -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
134 Hampshire St, 354-8371
Reservations: Not Accepted, long wait on weekends
Good imaginative home cooking; if you can bring yourself to order
something as dull-sounding as macaroni and cheese, you *won't* regret
it. In some ways, Daddy O's food resembles the East Coast Grill's, but
with more of a Jewish accent and with more non-grilled dishes. The menu
changes seasonally. Good dishes have included latkes, mussel fritters,
black bean soup, seafood assortment (with a Chinese twist to the spices
and side dishes). Sunday Jazz Dinner. The wine list at Daddy O's is
also one of the best deals in town - interesting, well-selected and very
reasonably priced. (8/94)

Grendel's Den ($+) -- Harvard Sq
89 Winthrop St, 491-1050, T: Red Line @ Harvard Sq
A Harvard Sq institution, the menu feeds all tastes from vegan to
steak & potatoes, but ther main reason to go is for the salad bar,
which has a fairly good selection for vegetarians, including tabouli
and hummus. The rest of the food is good, but not exceptional; the
simpler things and the curried meats are best. The portions are a
little on the light side, but the prices aren't that bad either. The
atmosphere is pretty nice, relaxed and casual, and the staff is
pleasant and attentive -- a friendly, studenty sort of place. Can be
slow on weekends as it's too busy.

House of Blues ($$-) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
96 Winthrop St, 876-3030, T: Red Line @ Harvard Sq
Restaurant downstairs, blues club upstairs. The restuarant has
pretty good food, including smoked ribs, chicken tandoori (but beware
of it being undercooked), pizza w spinach, sundried tomatoes & roasted
garlic, and the chocolate peanut butter pie. There are many
complaints about the us vs them mentality of the waitstaff, and the
rushed service near showtime, but at other times, the service can be
pretty good. (7/94) Sunday Gospel Blues Brunch.
[=> reviews ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Johnny D's ($+) -- Somerville (Davis Sq)
17 Holland St, 776-2004, T: Red Line @ Davis Sq
A music club and restaurant owned by vegetarians. The menu has some
vegan options, but is not strictly vegetarian. It is pretty good
food, natural hormone-free ingredients, reasonable prices. Try the
chicken palermo, blackened chicken strips, broccoli, cajun fried
shrimp, pecan pie. The music tends to be blues, cajun, and folk; the
place gets crowded when the music starts later in the evening. Also
good for Sunday Brunch. If you like the band thats playing, then call
and make a reservation for dinner - you get to keep your table (just
pay the cover charge) and not have to run around beforehand. Early
bird special -- everything on the menu is half price, which is a real
bargain. (8/94)
[=> review ]

Miracle of Science ($+) -- Cambridge (MIT)
Mass Ave, T: Red Line @ Kendall Sq
Mostly a bar (albeit very trendy) in an otherwise isolated stretch of
Mass Ave. They have small tables and a limited menu, but the food,
though occasionally bizarre, is generally done well. Specialty is
shish kebab -- dry rubbed beef, chicken, shrimp, or veg. Good veg side
dishes. Good juicy burgers, which come w tasty fried potatoes and
tomato chutney. Good hummous w pita. Nice chutneys, relishes, and hot
sauces. If you don't drink, the meal will be extremely cheap for the
quality. Techies gotta love (or not) the well executed science-lab
decor, w cutesy little petri dishes and ehrlenmeyer flask. On the
other hand, there are those who hate the place -- the "100% pushy
yuppie scum crowd of the most obnoxious stripe" and because it can be
overcrowded, noisy, and the waitstaff can be slow and unprofessional.
[=> intense review]

Pentimento ($+) -- West Cambridge
344 Huron Ave (nr Fayerweather), 661-3878
A nice 60's style restaurant. Generally very good food, especially
"comfort food" such as stews & shepherd's pie, but service is uneven &
sometimes disdainful. Soups always sound better than they taste.
Homemade muffins and other desserts are great. At lunch, sandwiches
seem small but fresh. Wonderful place for Sunday Brunch, especially
the french toast & hash browns, though food is limited to omelets &
such, and beware of long lines. (10/94)

Provizer's Deli ($-) [Deli] -- ~Newton Center
Commonwealth Ave, couple of blocks E. of Center St.;
CreditCards: no; NonSmoking: none; Reservations: not accepted
Dress: casual; VegOptions: no; LowFat: no; Rating: very-good
This is not dining but it fits the bill of an "insider" place with
big delicious corned beef sandwiches, heaping pastrami sandwiches;
with meats hand-cut as you watch. Not a "real" restaurant -- they
have only a couple of little convenience tables, and zero ambience,
although it feels "authentic" as you read the long menu posted on the
wall. Customer smoking is bothersome. It's less than lunch counter
atmosphere but worth the trip. (8/94)

Rayz ($$-) -- East Cambridge
Cambridgeside Galleria, 577-0044, T: Green Line @ Lechmere
Friendly service, large portions, good bbq and grilled fish.
Pleasant place and good food, especially for a mall, but nothing to
write home about. Warning: the dinner menu and dinner portions are
virtually the same as the lunch menu and portions, but all the prices
go up for the dinner stuff.

Rosies ($) -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq)
Mass Ave, between Harvard and Porter Sqs
Prices: The most expensive steak is $13, entrees start at $6 or $7
Hours: kitchen open til 1am or later; Wheelchair: accessible
Hey, it's a bar with bar food, but it's a nice bar, the kind of bar
where you could take your mother. They've been named the bar that's
the most like Cheers was supposed to be. Reasonable prices, good
service, quite friendly. The food comes in large portions, well
prepared. Steak and fish are most of the menu, along with taco salads
and a lot of Italian stuff -- nothing fancy but everything is well
prepared. Good boneless buffalo wings. This is absolutly the place to
go to have a steak, a couple of beers and watch the game. (7/94)
[=> review ]

S & S Deli ($+) [Deli] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1334 Cambridge St (at Hampshire), 354-0777
Wheelchair accessible. No credit cards.
This place is a neighborhood classic. Like most delis, the emphasis
is on meat, with excellent generous burger & reuben plates, though
other sandwiches tend to be smaller and the bread is too thin for some.
Lots of veggie options too, including great appple or potato pancakes
and good lowfat options incl fruit plates. A pleasant busy place;
always good service.

Sammy's Deli ($) [Deli] -- Kendall Sq
1 Kendall Sq, Downstairs below Thai's
Not at all bad for a Boston Deli. It's not New York, but it does a
good job trying; good basic New York deli fare, and the characters
behind the counter really grow on you. Cafeteria-style service. Very
fast-paced feel at lunchtime; first-time visitors are often taken aback
by the barked "Next! You! What can I get you?", but it feels like home
to the Manhattanite. Nice photos of old Jewish delis and other Jewish
neighborhood scenes on the walls (though this is not a kosher deli).
For locals, they also have reasonable lunch specials, and give a
discount with an MIT ID. Outdoor dining at lunchtime.
Sufficient (though not enormous) sandwiches with good meats, in the
$5-7 range, still the pastrami sandwich comes in two sizes, big and too
big. Very chopped liver sandwiches too, and decent burgers. Very good
knishes, esp the turkey knish. The potato knish is tasty but fluffy - a
fork knish, not a hand knish. The kishke used to be good, but it's gone
downhill a bit. They have good pickles and pickled tomatoes that you
can help yourself to. Very nice salads with good homemade dressings. A
very good collection of oddball brands of soda. (9/94)

Asian Eclectic Restaurants
**************************

Jae's ($$+) [Hip Pacific Rim] -- South End & Cambridge (Inman Sq)
520 Columbus Ave, South End, 421-9405
T: Mass Ave Orange Line, #1 bus to Mass Ave at Columbus
1281 Cambridge St, Inman Sq, 497-8380; DineAccess: yes
VegOptions: not many; ChildFriendly: not particularly
Hours: Mo-Sa 11:30-4, 5-10:30, Su 12-10
Very good and very fresh tasty hip Korean/Thai/Japanese mix with a
twist. The Korean dishes were truest to tradition, but still with
some interpretation, esp the nouvelle / non traditional preparations
of standards like BibimBap. Lots of different kinds of nigiri sushi
and sushi rolls, as well as sushi boats ranging from $35 (24 pieces)
to $65 (for 64 pieces), and lots of sushi dinners.
GoodDishes: Very good large pieces of sushi. Excellent tuna nigiri,
tuna tartare, eel maki, salmon/avocado roll, East Coast grill maki,
soft shell crab maki, shredded squid maki, squid/cucumber maki.
Excellent Pad Thai, and the Crispy Pad Thai is even better. Good
tempura shrimp. Excellent grilled squid appetizer, good cold sesame
appetizer. Bento box combos for lunch are a very good deal, esp the
Jae's combo, which includes sashimi and lots of other goodies.
BadDishes: Weird soups, esp. the hot&sour. Uni.
Service: Service seems to vary widely. It is usually good and a bit
eclectic too, though sometimes a bit detached, esp since the wait
staff tends to be young and lacking in experience, but they are
nonetheless ususally helpful and pleasant. However, service can be
awful as well -- some wait staff have "an attitude", and you can be
ignored for long periods of time, esp if they're busy. And they seem
to be completely incompetent at dealing with large groups of people.
Ambience: Doesn't look like an Oriental/Japanese restaurant at all;
If you are looking for a traditional, serene, sushi bar, Jae's will
not be for you, though when not crowded, the decor is calm and restful
in a non-subdued, hip kind of way, which matches the crowd. The South
End location has reasonable lighting; The Inman Sq restaurant is quite
dark. During dinner, it can be quite crowded; there is rock music
playing at a fair volume -- the acoustics are a bit on the lively
side, so the restaurant tends to be very noisy and frenetic; like
eating in a stadium during a yuppie rock concert, so it will be
difficult to converse with people who are not seated directly next to
you or across from you. If you are in a sort of rock-n-roll sushi,
"let's party" kind of mood, it may be just the ticket.
The bar area is cut off from the main dining area by a long fish
tank which makes a wall about 5 feet high and 20 feet long. The tank
is well maintained with many beautiful salt-water fish (*NOT* on the
menu. :) There is seating for maybe sixty people.
[=> interesting reviews] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Mimi's Oriental Grill ($$+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
950 Mass Ave, betw Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 354-1665
Mixed reviews, a tad pricey -- some find it completely unimpressive,
others think its creative and great. Nice atmosphere, though. Try
the Korean beef dish, Formosa squid, tangerine scallops, the grilled
vegetable platter and the scallion pancakes.

Poppa & Goose ($+) -- East Cambridge
69 First St (nr Galleria/Lechmere), 497-6772
Excellent creative tasty inexpensive Asian, mostly Vietnamese, food
by the same people whose truck serves wonderful cheap lunches on Main
St at Tech Square in Cambridge. It's best to go for their lunch
buffet, incl a terrific thai roll, meat kabob, brown rice w veggies,
and various combos w chicken, meat, or tofu. Salad fixing and soup
too (though the hot & sour soup is really awful), all for $7. If you
order off the menu, there are great dishes available, incl crabmeat &
white asparagus soup, mi lanh, and seegoo chicken, but the service is
horrendously slow -- it's hard to get in and out in an hour for lunch,
and it's best to go early if you go for dinner. Apparently the place
isn't run to make oodles of money -- they just want to break even
mostly and be able to serve neat foods that people otherwise wouldn't
get a chance to savor. P.S. great Vietnamese iced coffee too.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Barbeque Restaurants
********************

Barbeque's International ($+) -- Allston
129 Brighton Ave (nr Harvard St), 782-6669
Barbeques from around the world, wildly mixed reviews. In general,
stick to the Indian food, especially the Bengal Shrimp, the Chicken &
Lamb Tikka and the Tandoori Lamb, although a recent review indicates
that the Chicken Tikka was bland -- it came with onions and had a lot
of paprika (which didn't really make up for the lack of spice) on a bed
of rice. Some like the pulled pork and beef kabob as well. If you
like their food, then with the recently done interior, it's not a bad
place to go for a nice informal dinner at reasonable prices.

Buckaroo's ($+) -- Waltham
This places has has a VERY Western atmosphere, from the upholstery on
the booths to the murals on the wall, to the Navajo type rugs on the
back of the barstools, to the branding irons on the walls. Amazingly
enough, it's tastefully done. The menu has ribs (pork only), BBQ
sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, chargrilled lamb and beef tips,
enchiladas, and some miscellaneous other items. The lamb tips over
rice were tasty, served with lots of grilled vegetables, for $8 or so.
The ribs, a light portion for lunch, were of the dry variety -- but
meaty and good. No sauce was served on the side; it was a decent sauce
but not memorable. Probably not unusual enough for rib enthusiasts but
a fine item on the menu.

Butchie's ($$-) [Bbq/Creole] -- South End
Washington St nr Mass Ave
The menu mostly emphasizes bbq, which is pretty good, but the Creole
dishes on the menu are quite good as well, esp the hush puppies &
Jampbalaya, which may be the best in Boston, as well as an excellent
Gumbo, with lots of crab, shrimp, and fish.
[=> Boston Globe Review when it was in Cambridge ]

E.J.'s Barbeque ($+) -- Waltham
275 Moody St, 891-7427
Mixed reviews -- the bbq ranges from ok to excellent, with large
portions and low prices. Good Memphis dry rub ribs, texarkana ribs,
babybacks, chicken, mashed potatos. Beef brisket & pulled pork are not
as good. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Jake & Earl's ($+) -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1273 Cambridge St, 491-RIBS
Excellent southern bbq, same kitchen as East Coast Grill. Excellent
dry rub pork chops. Try the pulled pork & the Memphis dry-rub rib
plate. Mostly take-out plus a small counter, though the food is also
featured next door at the East Coast Grill.)

Jimmy Mac's ($+) -- Somerville
300 Beacon St
Southern-style food place. Food has declined somewhat; the pulled
pork sandwich is now chopped pork and the sauce is not as good. The
new owner actually speaks, so that part has improved. The hand-made
sign on the door says something like "We are now friendly", but
evidently also now mediocre as well. Now sharing space with Little
Bali, an Indonesian restaurant.

New Bridge Cafe ($+) -- Chelsea
650 Washington Ave (at Woodlawn), 884-0134
Best steak tips and pork tips & ribs (red/chinese style) on the North
Shore; their dishes are accompanied by huge steak fries that are
awesome and a house salad with an vinegar-pepper dressing. Be prepared
to wait, esp on Fri & Sat nights, because the place is always packed.

Pit Stop ($) -- Mattapan
888a Morton St, 436-0485
Great bbq, better for take-out. Only open Th, Fr & Sa. Park in the
fenced yard.

Porter House Cafe ($$-) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
2046 Mass Ave, 354-9793
Good barbecue, in a different style than Redbones, more (occasionally
experimental) variety of sauces on the ribs, and a different assortment
of dishes (for fried okra, go to Redbones; for hoppin' john, go to
Porter House). Very good Texas bbq, superb pulled chicken & beef ribs,
great hot sauce, interesting food in enormous portions, often good
draft beer. The spicy fries & sides of beans and rice are average.
The "hashes" (sautes of whatever - such as chicken, shrimp, and Texas
sausage+veggies) are very good, as is the Texas brisket and
chicken-fried steak. It looks like a dive from the outside, but they
have separated the tables from the bar, so the eating situation is
reasonable. The servers are congenial and helpful, and don't rush you.

Redbones ($$-) -- Somerville (Davis Sq)
55 Chester St (off Elm), 628-2200
Hours: Closed between lunch & dinner
Great atmosphere, all kinds of bbq -- Memphis, Arkansas [bbq pork
chops/great ribs], Texas, Georgia. They are the quality leader in
Texas bbq, including the brisket & beef ribs; elsewhere, almost as
good as Jake & Earl's, though not everyone likes their baby-back ribs
& brisket sandwiches. Also good sausage, catfish, corn pudding,
greens, fried okra, pecan pie, ice tea (year-round!), and an improving
selection of draft beer. They have a $6 all-you-can-eat BBQ lunch
special on weekdays (with a 1 drink [$2 each] minumum required as well).
(8/94)

Sadie's ($+) -- Waltham (Moody St)
just off Moody, across from Iguana Cantina
Good inexpensive ribs and steak tips, w a decent spicy sauce for the
ribs. Service is friendly and efficient. The drawback is the bar
which is noisy and smoky, and the incredibly loud jukebox.

Village Smokehouse ($$-) -- Brookline Village
1 Harvard St, 566-3782; CreditCards: No, cash only
A bar/restaurant, with a brightly lit homey dining-room decor that is
full of Texas influences, including neon signs, checked tablecloths,
and country music. The atmosphere and presentation aren't as trendy or
authentic as Redbone's, but for some, that's a plus. Mixed reviews on
the food, though it seems to keep getting better -- good meat, esp. the
delectable brisket, the ribs (the pork ribs are almost always tender,
and the beef ribs are huge), and chicken. No choice of bbq sauces; the
sauce is ok though, very tasty, but not too hot/spicy. Good pecan pie
too. Some people love this place, but the general consensus is that
Redbones is still somewhat better.

Brazillian Restaurants
**********************

Buteco ($+) -- West Fenway, South End
130 Jersey St (nr Park Drive & Boylston), West Fenway, 247-9508
57 West Dedham St (betw Tremont & Dartmouth), 247-9249
Good solid Brazillian fare; the one in the South End is better. For
appetziers, try the frango a passarinho and the little
chicken/meat/cheese turnovers. Good black beans & rice, fried breaded
thin steak (w fried onions & limes), rolled steak w ham and cheese, and
chicken dishes. The feijoada is a bit dry. Decent but not great
desserts & coffee. Limited wine selection, but a good hearty house
wine.

Cafe Brazil ($$-) -- Allston
421 Cambridge St (nr Harvest Food Coop), 789-5980
Good flavorful food in a cozy atmosphere, sometime w a quiet
guitarist playing. Meat & poultry dishes are authentically prepared
and won't disappoint those w heartier appetites. The tastiest food can
be high in fat, e.g. fried manioc & chicken livers. Nice variety of
Brazilian appetizers and side dishes. Feijoada Completa, served on
Saturdays, is superb. Not very child friendly, though.

Midwest Grill ($$-) -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1124 Cambridge St, 354-7536
Excellent Brazillian & Portuguese food & service, family run w
friendly waitstaff. Generous meat and vegetables, but salad bar,
ambience & service are better at Pampas. No liquor license.

Pampas ($$) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
928 Mass Ave, between Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 661-6613
Great churrasqueria -- 15 kinds of skewered meat [not strongly
seasoned], including beef, pork, sausage, chicken, turkey, lamb, goat,
and even chicken hearts, all you can eat for $15. Price includes an
awesome salad bar (which can be ordered separately, for the
herbivorously inclined), containing lots of palm hearts. A great place
to go with friends or out-of-town guests. Clean, comfortable, and apt
to be filled with boisterous Brazilians, who pack many of the tables
until they're kicked out. The service may be leisurely at times, but
that's perfectly authentic, too. Feijoada on Sundays.

Caribbean / Cajun / Creole / Soul / Southern Restaurants
********************************************************

Biggs Restaurant ($+) [Jamaican] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
111 Harvard St (at Portland, betw Main & Broadway), 492-5154
A pleasant place serving very good and plentiful Jamaican food. Cash
only. The beef patties and the ackee & salted fish are especially good.
Also try the curried chicken (usually excellent, though on one visit, it
was very bony), curried goat, jerk chicken, & Jamaican fish. Jamaican
soft drinks & superb home made concoctions including ginger beer,
sorrel, and irish moss drinks. They also have serve beer, including Red
Stripe.

Bob the Chef ($+) [Soul] -- South End
604 Columbus Ave (nr Mass Ave), 536-6204
Quite good traditional soul food, as well as BBQ ribs to die for.
Especially good fried chicken, sweet potatoes, cornbread and collard
greens. Also good desserts, esp sweet potato pie.

Butchie's ($$-) [Bbq/Creole] -- South End
[see under Barbeque]

Chandra's ($+) [Indo-Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
266 Broadway (a few blocks west of Kendall Sq), 497-6955
Indian & Caribbean food, Trinidad style. A nicely done interior,
with decent food. Often plagued by long waits, caused by making
everything [except the microwaved frozen appetizers] from scratch.
Best to go when they have a lunch buffet, with jerk chicken, rice,
aloe chole, a steamed vegetable dish (esp good when its calaloo, akin
to creamed spinach), and chicken roti, all of which can be quite good.
Avoid the mushy veggy mixture over rice. No liquor license but good
soursop punch & ginger beer.

Chez Vous Creole ($+) [Creole] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1263 Cambridge St, 868-3161
Not much atmospehere -- a little on the shabby side w tacky posters
& a few tables, but large portions of tasty interesting inexpensive
food, especially the flavorful conch stew and goat. The menu is
interesting, but often only a few items are available. Pleasant and
very low-key, though service can be lackadaisacal.

Dixie Kitchen ($+) [Cajun] -- Symphony Area
182 Mass Ave (betw Boylston & Huntington), 536-3068
Pretty good, not as upscale as Magnolia's, and on some nights, the
balance of seasonings can be off, resulting in bland unsoulful food.
But, on other nights they're great, and they mean well, have dishes that
can't be had elsewhere in Boston, and the food always is inexpensive and
comes in large portions. Definitely try the Gumbo Ya-Ya, Etoufee,
Jambalaya, and the Jalapeno Cornbread. They even have fried alligator
tail. Also, good bread pudding, as well as other huge decadent desserts
incl key lime pie and banana custard. No liquor, and you can't BYOB.
The background music is great though!

Green St Grill ($$) [Caribbean] -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
280 Green St (betw Magazine & Pearl), 876-1655
DineAccess: 3 steps up; ChildFriendly: very
Caribbean influence, very good spicy seafood and ribs. A funky
place with unusual combinations of ingredients that usually works. It
is in the back of a downscale bar with atmosphere to match, but don't
let that stop you; the food is great. Often music late. Some of
their food (e.g. seafood stew, gazpacho) can be extremely fiery. Try
the conch fritters, and the Caesar salad (one of the best in town).
(7/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

International Restaurant ($) [Dominican] -- Jamaica Plain
3160 Washington St, 522-7410
Great inexpensive food. Funky neighborhood. Try fish escoveitch,
carne cerdo con berenguena, mondongo.

Izzy's Sub Shop ($) [Puerto Rican] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
169 Harvard St (at Windsor), 661-3910; Accessible: No
Not a sub shop; the owner (Izzy) is Puerto Rican and most of the
food is also Puerto Rican. The owner is quite a character and calls
frequent visitors "primo(a)" for cousin. A hole-in-the-wall that's
not in the nicest of neighborhoods. It is nicer than La Espanola,
though, and the service is good, friendly, and quick. The food has a
comfort food quality (if you are Cuban or Puerto Rican) although it is
not quite as good as La Espanola in quality. The black beans are
canned and the steaks a little bland. Then again, Puerto Ricans don't
really eat black beans, preferring red kidney beans or "gandules"
(pigeon peas?), of which they have plenty at Izzy's. Besides these,
they also serve some great snacks: filled (with meat) potatoes,
alcapurrias, bacalaitos, limbos (these seem to be Jamaican in origin),
etc. These are deep fried and fatty but delicious! They also serve a
wide variety of beverages popular with Latin Americans, such as malta
(non-alcoholic sweet malt drink) and Goya fruit juices.

Magnolia's Southern Cuisine ($$+) [Southern] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1193 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 576-1971
The old Cajun Yankee has gone Southern, the food is still good,
tasty and filling, though the decor is plainer and more crowded, and
consequently seems somewhat overpriced, especially for dishes like the
grilled chicken & fish. Some old favorites are gone, but they still
serve jambalaya, blacked redfish, cajun popcorn, awesome banana and
corn muffins & Blackened Voodoo beer. The desserts can be unpalatably
sweet. Reasonable wine list.
GoodDishes: fried avocado with melted cheese, vinegary fried green
tomatoes, home smoked salmon with olive oil biscuits, grilled pork
tenderloin with mango chutney, chicken with a honey-orange sauce, the
chicken and sausage jambalya, spicy & filling.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Rhythm & Spice ($$-) [Caribbean] -- Cambridge (MIT)
315 Mass Ave (across from Larry's Chinese), 497-0977
Accessible: One step at the entrance
The best atmosphere and service of the Caribbean restuarants; it is
also the most expensive. The chef and much of the staff from the
Seagrape Tree restaurant in Arlington have moved here. The
atmosphere, formerly pastel and serene, is now colorful, and the size
has gone from small to large. Not as cozy as Arlington was, but still
a very helpful and pleasant staff w very good service.
The food here is the same style and quality as the Seagrape Tree,
with a few changes, generally for the better. The rice and beans has
cut back a bit on the coconut milk, to good effect, and the vegetable
side dish remains superb, especially the cabbage & sauteed greens.
The Jamaican pattie appetizer is excellent -- 3 small stuffed
turnovers with a light flaky crust and a well- seasoned ground meat
filling. The smoked herring salad appetizer, a dish of shredded
smoked fish tossed with vinegar and spices, served with plantain chips
for dipping is very good, though some think the plantain chips here,
in general, are over crispy. The conch fritters are good, but are
somewhat bland without the tasty dipping sauce.
The escoviched fish is excellent, as is the curried goat -- very
lean tender goat, in a brown gravy w potatoes and carrots; the curried
chicken is ok, but can be too salty for some. The jerk chicken
entree, roasted over an open fire, is juicy and outstanding, as is the
grilled grouper w jerk seasoning. The ribs were done with a tasty
jerk seasoning but can be dry. The consensus is that the jerk
seasoning is too mild. There are also various stews; Matouk or Pukka
hot sauce can be added if you like them spicier.
The space is larger than the Seagrape Tree and quite reminiscent of
some city restaurants in the Caribbean. They also have a full liquor
license, with a good selection of Caribbean beers, including Banks,
which is hoppy yet light and fresh. Good homemade sorrel drinks too.
The restaurant seats about 60 and the bar can hold maybe 10 or so
more. Reservations seem like a good idea on weekend evenings. Great
reggae background music, though it can be distractingly loud, and they
have live music late in the evening on weekends, with a complimentary
buffet from 10:30 pm - 11:30 pm, and a $5 after 11 pm.
They also have a limited lunch menu, with jerk pork, a jerk chicken
cutlet sandwich, a jerk hamburger, and one or two other things, served
with plantain chips which appear to be out of a bag. The quality of
lunch varies tremendously; it is certainly worse than dinner, and
definitely overpriced. [=> review] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Chinese
*******

Asian Garden ($+) -- Chinatown
46 Beach St, in the basement, 695-1646
Good fresh food, esp great steamed fish (taken from the tanks by the
door, Hong-Kong style seafood, and excellent hotpots. Try the eel,
whole roe scallops, lobster, crab, chinese broccoli in oyster sauce.
Reasonable prices. If you're Chinese or know enough to ask, you get
an interesting dessert -- taro root and tapioca in coconut milk --
instead of the ubiquitous fortune cookie.

Beijing Garden Restaurant ($+) [Chinese/Vietnamese Dim Sum] -- Dorchester
1111 Dorchester Ave, Savin Hill (nr U Mass), 288-5345
T : Red Line @ Savin Hill
Dim Sum from 9am to 10 or 11pm. The dim sum are light, not greasy,
very fresh, w no MSG. Other items on the menu are of the same
quality. Tell them you heard about them via netnews.

Beijing III ($$-) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1366 Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Coolidge Corner, 277-1011
Mixed reviews, some think its great, others think it's the pits. Some
really like the lunch buffet; I think it was one of the worst buffets
I've ever tried. The place is a bit pricy, also one reviewers
questioned whether the food is handled/prepared safely. The Dragon &
Phoenix is reported to be very good.

Bernard's ($$-) -- Newton (Chestnut Hill Mall)
199 Boylston, 969-3388, 10 min walk from Chestnut Hill T Station
Excellent food, a bit pricey. Coldish ambience. Try the Hunan Lamb
or Sesame Chicken.

Buddha's Delight ($) [Vegetarian Chinese] -- Chinatown
5 Beach St (across from Naked I strip club), 451-2395
T: Orange Line @ Chinatown, Red Line @ Downtown Crossing
Temple cuisine -- very good vegan variants of Chinese & Vietnamese
dishes, well presented. Try the spring rolls, summer rolls, noodle
soup, hot & sour soup, moo shi, Lake Tung-Ting "shrimp", tofu and
vegetables, anything spicy or w lemongrass. Excellent bbq gluten!
Service can be slow when crowded.

Cafe China ($$-) -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1245 Cambridge St, 868-4300
Pretty food, reportedly bland, though. Good wine list and Swiss
desserts.

Carl's Pagoda ($$-) -- Chinatown
23 Tyler St, 357-9837; CreditCards: No, cash only; Accessible: No
T: Red Line @ South Station, Orange Line @ Chinatown
A hole-in-the-wall that's been around for 25 years, with Carl
sitting in the back. Good food, with lots of things on the menu worth
trying that are unique or at least done differently than elsewhere.
Try the tomato soup, Carl's Special Steak, and the better-than-average
lo mein, with pan fried noodles added to the dish. OK service, seats
about 30.

Chang Feng ($+) -- Somerville
289 Beacon St (across from Chef Lee's), 864-6265
Some unusual dishes on menu. Try the bean curd homemade style &
strange flavor chicken. Excellent appetizers, fried & steamed
dumplings & noodles, esp garlic noodles. Occasionally an off night,
but definitely the place to go in the area for cheap and delicious
food.

Changsho ($$-) -- Cambridge (betw Harvard/Porter Sq)
1712 Mass Ave (nr Linnean), 547-6565, Accessible
Mixed reports, lots of meat, somewhat elegant but unimpressive;
reports that it has gone downhill since under new management, though
still reasonable. They're now a step above your typical neighborhood
Chinese, but not worth going out of your way for. Used to have
wonderful dumplings, and a very good roast duck.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Chau Chow ($+) [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown
52 Beach St, 426-6266
Good cheap Chinese, sometimes long lines. Try pea greens, chicken w
black bean sauce, peking ravioli, hot & sour soup. Excellent seafood,
incl steamed fish w ginger sauce, salted jumbo shrimp, fried squid,
and squid in black bean sauce. Avoid the beef dishes; thet're often
mediocre & the moo shi beef, while tasty, was way too oily. Try the
fatty but tasty fried pig intestine [seriously!] and fried tofu w
seafood. The seafood is so good here, that some people think of this
place, rather than a standard seafood place, when they want good fresh
seafood! (9/94)

Chef Chang ($$-) -- Brookline (St Mary's)
1006 Beacon St, 277-4226
Average food -- lots of excellent dishes, especially the seasonal
specialities, as well as some real disappointments. Overall, moderate
prices & a pleasant place to eat. Try the potstickers, the crispy
beef, and the hot & spicy green beans.

Chef Chow ($$-) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Brighton (Cleveland Circle),
Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
54 Chestnut Hill Ave, Cleveland Circle, 566-2275
230 Harvard St, 1 blk s. of Beacon at Coolidge Corner, 739-2469
50 Church St, Cambridge, 492-2469
Many people find the food consistently good; others are unimpressed;
good lunches, though, and try the Szechuan Spicy Fish.

Chef Lee ($+) -- Somerville
296 Beacon St (across from Chang Feng), 876-7666
Pretty good, especially considering the neighborhood. Specials tend
to be very flavorful and occasionally interesting. The potstickers
are seasoned very differently from most other places in the area,
which makes them worthwhile just for the variety. Style is basic
neighborhood Chinese, w good Szechuan food, esp the Yu Hsiang dishes,
Kangsho shrimp, Ta Chien chicken, and shrimp-stuffed eggplant. BYOB.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

China Cafe ($+) -- Arlington Center
882A Mass Ave (betw High School and Stop & Shop), 646-6621
"Interesting" flavor variants of hot & sour soup and peking ravioli
[they like to add extra sugar to soups and sauces]. Try the schezuan
wontons, scallion pie, spicy aromatic & dry-cooked garlic shrimp, yu
hsian fish, peking noodles, and beef chow foon.

China Gate ($+) -- Chinatown
21-23 Edinboro St
Ok for conch in black bean sauce, seafood in ginger & scallions,
chow foon.

China Grove ($+) -- Chinatown
10 Tyler St, 542-5857
Good food, good prices, possibly slow service. Try the grilled eel
and the scallop or shredded eel w yellow leeks.

China Pearl ($+) [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Chinatown
9 Tyler St, 426-4338
NonSmoking: separate floor, ask for it, and your wait to be seated
should be shorter.
Very good dim sum, almost or as good as Golden Palace & less chaotic.
Good soups & Cantonese & Hong Kong style seafood. Also excellent
dinners, with good flavors and good variety, at very affordable prices.
Crowded and friendly on weekends, more comfortable during the week, wait
staff pleasant and patient in general. (10/94)

Chung Wah ($) -- Allston
Harvard St
Cheap & funky, good food, try the Broccoli in Garlic Sauce.

East Ocean City ($$) -- Chinatown
25 Beach St, 542-2504
Good place, good service, nice atmosphere, a lot of unusual dishes
which are really excellent -- one of the best places for seafood in
Boston. Excellent house-special soup, dungeness crab, fresh scallops,
crispy spicy shrimp, clams in black bean sauce, and chow foon. While
they have good familiar stuff like sesame beef, this is the place to
get adventurous, especially w the seafood dishes. However, prices
seem to have increased somewhat recently. Possibly better on weekends
than weekdays. (9/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Eastern Pier Seafood ($$) [Chinese Seafood] -- Waterfront
237 Northern Ave, Fish Pier, 423-7756
Excellent Chinese seafood, moderately priced, w one of the best hot
& sour soups in Boston. Try sauteed pea-pod stems as a light first
course. Good entrees include ginger crab, salt & pepper squid, and
squid w ginger & scallions. The sole dishes, such as sizzling grey
sole in black-bean sauce, are superb, but not cheap. If you're
adventurous, try the goose intestines with yellow chives. Don't be
afraid to ask for house recommendations which might not appear on the
menu.

Eldo Tea House ($) -- Chinatown
57 Beach St, 338-2128
Cheap, good, generous portions. Seafood is good. Try the Singapore
dishes, esp laksha noodle soup.

Food Hall ($-) -- Chinatown
Northeast corner of Beach & Harrison, 2nd floor
The atmosphere is unique, the opposite of elegant, with rows of
tables crowded with every sort of person at lunch time. If you're
looking for good, cheap Chinese or Thai food in Chinatown, this is it.
Wua Pei has some excellent dishes - sesame [chicken/tofu/beef],
garlic [chicken|pork|beef|shrimp|...], vegetable curry with or without
meat. The hot & sour soup, however, offered free if you eat there,
may not appeal to everyone. The rice plates are the best deal and the
owners are generally very accomodating to special requests. By the
way, this is only stand where they speak Mandarin (a Chinese dialect)
rather than the Cantonese dialect, which is the dominant one in
Chinatown.
The stall next to Wua Pei isn't as good but does have one dish -
satay chicken on pan-fried noodles which is great.
Rod Thai, a Thai stall is very good.
The other vendors tend to draw a more exclusively Chinese clientelle
and offer more unusual dishes like duck feet with tripe in black bean
sauce. (9/94)

Fortune House ($$-) [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown
3 Beach St, 2nd floor, 482-9800
Good Hong Kong style seafood; try stone oysters w garlic, ginger &
scallions.

Golden Gate ($+) -- Chinatown
66 Beach St (between Hudson & Tyler), 426-5022
All the ambience of an aging truck stop, but consistently high
quality. Try the Butterfly Shrimp w mixed Veggies & the Golden Gate
Chow Mein.

Golden Palace ($$-) [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Chinatown
14 Tyler St, 423-4565
Wonderful variety of tasty Dim Sum, probably best Dim Sum around. Get
there no later than 1 pm for hot food and the best variety.

Golden Temple ($$) -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1651 Beacon St, 277-9722
Good suburban Chinese food in a dramatic Chinese-modern setting
(without a hint of red!). Many good dishes, including the crispy
orange beef, and excellent lamb, though they can overdo the MSG. Fast
seating, even on a busy Saturday night. Usually good wait staff, but
if there are problems, the owner can be unpleasant if you're not a
regular. Great place for large unusual drinks.

Grand Chau Chow ($$-) [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown
41-45 Beach St, 292-5166
Same menu as Chau Chow, across the street, but is a tad more
expensive and is fancier & cleaner. Very elegant food, and extremely
flavorful and fresh fish (they bring the still-living fish to your
table for inspection before steaming it). Very friendly and efficient
service. Superb seafood includes steamed fish, clams in black bean
sauce, and lobster and crab with ginger and scallions, Also try the
stir-fried pea pods, squab, fried pig intestine, and fried tofu with
shrimp; these are only on the Chinese menu, which you can actually ask
the waiters to decode. (8/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Ha Ha ($+) -- Newton Centre
Langley Rd (at Centre), 332-3600
A new restaurant located in the same space that Sally Ling's used to
be. They still have the "core" of Sally Ling's menu, but the focus is
on "healthy" Chinese food, will a willingness to accomodate diet
restrictions. They have a whole slew of new, healthy, dishes. More
vegetable and noodle dishes. Less fried food. Lots of dishes sans
meat. Beware -- though there is less salt than usual, it is still too
much for those on salt-restricted diets.
The style of food seems to be more northern Chinese than southern...
not so hot and pepper-spicy. The food seems to be quite good (spiced
well, not over or undercooked, garnished nicely, etc.), but the
portions are small, and somewhat overpriced, though the prices are low
as well, with the new dishes in the range of $4.50 to $7.00 or so.
Service can be quite problematic. [=> review ]

Ho Yuen Ting ($$-) [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown
13 1/2 Hudson St, 426-2316 [original, and still the best]
58 Beach St, 426-2341
Very good food; specializes in seafood, but does a good job w
everything. Try hot & sour soup, peking ravioli, hunan chicken, beef
ginger scallion hot pot, hon sue sea bass, steamed & stir fried
flounder, lobster w black bean sauce, salted spicy shrimp, beef satay,
sizzling hot pots, Westlake beef soup, house special eggplant.
[=> Boston Globe Review 9/94 ]

Hong Kong Eatery ($$-) -- Chinatown
79 Harrison Ave, 423-0838
Just like being back in Hong Kong! Try the special for two,
including a special soup made from tiny, black-skinned chickens and
enough medicinal ingredients to cure anything that might ail you,
stir-fried conch with chives, lamb and dried beancurd hotpot, and rice
-- plentiful, cheap, and very tasty.

Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant ($) -- Back Bay
25 Mass Ave, 536-9852
Mixed reviews. Many think this is a wonderful soup and noodle
restaurant w excellent scallion pancake and house-special pan fried
noodles. Other reviews decry the mega-oily Chow Foon and the odd
tasting soups. [=> menu ]

Hunan Palace ($$-) -- Watertown
Galen St, just across the river from Watertown Square
One of the best of the suburban Chinese restaurants, with good food
and a good menu. Decor is minimal, but prices are low enough so that
you don't need to complain. Szechuan style food is the specialty,
particularly the two lamb dishes and a wonderful ginger-coriander-fish
soup that will feed four. They also do a very nice job on Crispy Fish
Filet.

Imperial Seafood Restaurant ($$-) [Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum] -- Chinatown
70 Beach St, 426-8439
The place has been done over since they were Imperial Teahouse --
not only decor but, it seems, the kitchen as well -- and the food is
fresher and the menu's a lot more interesting. The kind of place
where you go with a group of people and you have a hard time narrowing
your choices down to a dozen different dishes, and then everything's
really good. The dim sum is also pretty good, and the wait is shorter
than at China Pearl or Golden Palace, with a good chance of getting
your own table. Smoke isn't as bad here as at some dim sum spots
because the ventilation is decent, there's space between the tables,
and there are more (nonsmoking) gringoes here than elsewhere. The new
owner is frequently on the floor, chatting with clients and making
sure that all is well.

Jade Flower ($) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1908 Mass Ave, 497-8638
T: Red Line @ Porter Sq (just across the street)
Not a fancy place; just a long broad hall with tables on either
side. The food gets mixed reviews, but is reasonably priced -- $10
gets you enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch. Good bets are
Scallion Pancakes, Peking Ravioli, Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, Rice
Sticks Singapore Style or just about any noodle dish, Chicken in Black
Bean Suace, Cold Sesame Noodles, and Orange Chicken. The Suan La Sho
Chow actually is hot & sour soup w wontons. There are reports that
the food is gluey & that many dishes taste tomato-ey, based on a sweet
version of yu-shiang sauce. Fast, friendly service; quick delivery.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

King Fung Garden ($+) -- Chinatown
74 Kneeland St (across from the Mass Pike approach), 357-5262
Hours: Closed Mo; Accessible: No; CreditCards: None, cash only
A slightly rundown hole-in-the-wall dive converted from a gas
station w terrific food, though w lots of oil. Not a place to go to
if you're looking for refined atmosphere, healthy food, or fancy
cooking. You will find great Hunan style food, including a GREAT
scallion pie, good dumplings, noodles (esp the excellent homemade
Shanghai noodles), shrimp/tofu w vegetables, and an awesome
beef/tofu/hot pepper fried dish.
Service is good and dishes arrive promptly if the restaurant is not
packed. A very casual atmosphere; a place you can stay and talk for
hours. (9/94)

Joyce Chen ($$-) -- Cambridge (Alewife) & Theatre District
115 Stuart St, Theater District, 720-1331
390 Rindge Ave, Alewife, 492-7373
A comfortable place, very good food, w a high standard of
preparation, but a bit over-priced. Previously the food has sometimes
been overly greasy or salty, though they really excelled at sauces.
Recently, the quality has improved and the menu has undergone some
changes w a focus on low-fat low-sodium foods, and interesting
non-traditional dishes using local ingredients. Some say the downtown
restaurant is better, w excellent peking ravioli & lemon chicken, and
great service, even when crowded before the theater. At Alewife, the
food can be blander (though the soups are excellent and the Ma Pa Tofu
& General Gau's Chicken are very good), the service is worse, &
parking can sometimes be a problem. If you like Joyce Chen's (and
many think it is a major disappointment) go soon, before they are
closed down for nonpaymenet of rent -- at least downtown.
[=> Menus and on-line ordering (Alewife only) ]

Larry's ($+) -- Cambridge (MIT)
302 Mass Ave, 492-3170
Good place for cheap neighborhood urban Chinese fare, nice owners, no
MSG, recently redone decor -- a good place to hang out, but can
sometimes get annoying from the loud jukebar at the bar next door.
Extremely delicious Suan La Sho Chow and very good Dun Dun Noodles.
Also try the General Gau Chicken. They now have a new menu w new items
including several Chow Foon dishes, but no longer deliver. [=> menu ]

Ling Gardens ($+) -- Belmont (Waverly Sq)
A great find in a dismal part of Belmont. Fresh ingredients,
quickly prepared, tasty, large portions, with lots of good fresh
veggies, and msg-free. Imaginative approaches too, such as the
Szechuan Ruby Shrimp made w tangerines. Also, excellent dumplings.
Service is quick, friendly, and eager to please. Prices are avg for
Chinese food: $6-10 for most dishes, w free delivery within 2 miles
for orders over $20. Not a life-transforming experience, but very
pleasant. Separate non-smoking area.

Marco Polo ($+) -- Boston (Faneuil Hall)
19-21 Union St (next to Union Oyster House), 720-7811
T: Green/Orange Line @ Haymarket, Blue Line @ Govt Center
Hours: 11:3o-2am daily; Accessible: Yes
Excellent food. The pan fried Peking Ravioli that was not oily; the
meat inside is better quality than most in Boston. The Paradise
Chicken has perfectly cooked vegetables, and a good novel flavoring.
The Szechuan shrimp has a nice slightly sweet, yet tangy and spicy
sauce. The Orange Beef is pretty much like the standard Chinatown
dish, but made with higher quality beef. The steak teriyaki strips
are hot, juicy, and thick, and the Pork Fried Rice is chock full of
non-rice goodies. One of the best General Gau's Chicken around, and
even the hot mustard has a nicer flavor than many. Also a large wine
& beer list, reasonably priced. 2 Meals + Appetizer, about $22.00.
Pleasant, genuinely warm, friendly staff, quick service. ~25 tables.
Upscale compared to Chinatown, but not lavish; suitable for an evening
out; light bright enough to read by comfortably but subdued enough to
be intimate. Delivery downtown, good luncheon buffet as well.

Mary Chung Restaurant ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
460 Mass Ave
Closed, but poised to reopen at the above address as soon as the
license is transferred from the Crystal Restaurant.
[=> latest news! ]

May's Cafe ($+) -- Medford
Well done Szechuan and Mandarin dishes; the Yu Hsiang dishes are
particularly good. Efficient service, very fresh ingredients.

Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Back Bay
545 Boylston St (betw Clarendon & Dartmouth), 236-4040
Some say best Chinese in town, but quite pricey. In the process of
being rechristened as Bernard's.

New Asia ($$-) -- Somerville (Union Sq)
326 Somerville Ave, 628-7710
Pretty good; consistent and reasonably priced; very quick-cooked
Szechuan-style food. Try the Yu Hsiang [savory green beans]. Also in
Lexington. (8/94)

New Shanghai ($$) -- Chinatown
21 Hudson St (nr Kneeland), 338-6688
Prices: ~$10/person, VegOptions: lots
Shanghai/Szechuan food; not the usual Chinatown menu but very good
food, and pleasant decor, service, and prices. Especially good for
Westerners who are timid about Chinatown, this place has carpet,
(Western) classical music, a decipherable menu, a huge aquarium full
of tropical fish (as opposed to critters that may end up in your rice
bowl or on your dinner plate), and a mostly-Caucasian clientele.
Fairly elegant ambience, so a good place for a moderately fancy
Chinatown meal.
Mixed reviews on the food -- mostly very good reports, though some
find the menu and the food aren't particualrly exciting, with too
mmuch cornstarch. The double-cooked pork is unusual and excellent,
flavored with star anise. Also one of the best Peking ducks around --
ask the waiter to have soup made from the bones -- it's wonderful.
Great eggplant with hot garlic sauce, good scallion pancake appetizer
and broad beans (actually fava beans). [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Noble House ($$) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1306 Beacon St, 232-9580
Well prepared Szechuan & Cantonese food in a pleasant atmosphere.
Reviews are mixed. Some find it uninteresting and overpriced; others
consider the food very good and reasonably priced. The chef certainly
knows how to cook shrimp better than most other Chinese and
non-Chinese cooks. Also try the Singapore Rice Stick.

Ocean Wealth ($$) [Chinese Seafood] -- Chinatown
8 Tyler St, 423-1338
Very nice, dressier than the average Chinatown place. Emphasis is
on fresh and exotic seafood which is very good (often taken from the
tanks you see as you enter), with some dishes you don't find
elsewhere, but can get quite expensive. In their tanks they keep live
lobsters (including very large ones), scallops, abalone, giant clams
(geoducks), rockfish, etc. The steamed fresh rockfish with ginger and
scallion is very good, as is the soft tofu with shrimp (very good).
Non-seafood dishes, like the baby bok choy with garlic and the Chef's
special duck can also be quite good, but things like sesame beef are
just ok. More upscale than many Chinatown eateries, it even has
carpet on the floor, and the second floor is particularly clean and
well-ventilated. Ask for help from the manager to deal w the
chinese-language menu. (9/94) [=> review ]

Oceanic ($$-) [Chinese Seafood] -- Back Bay
91 Mass Ave, 353-0791
Good seafood dishes, a little expensive. While still seafood-
oriented, the menu is now more slanted to the usual meats &
vegetables. Food is tasty and varied, and they're not really bound by
the "neighborhood Chinese" formula. Good squid dishes.

Panda ($$-) -- Somerville (Ball Sq)
719 Broadway, 625-9441
Very decent neighborhood Chinese food. Good spicy wonton appetizer
-- variation of Suan La Sho Chow. Also a good spicy pork dish w
basil.

Pu-Pu Hot Pot ($+) [Chinese Dim Sum] -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
907 Main St (nr Mass Ave), 491-6616, T: Red Line @ Central Sq
A nice friendly place, one of the best in the area -- very popular
and busy at lunchtime. They do a nice job w duck in general &
especially w the Pressed Duck Appetizer. The Kung Pao Shrimp, General
Gau's Chicken (flavorful, w interesting spices & slightly hot) &
Szechuan Braised Beef (quite hot) are good too. Pu Pu Scallion Donuts
are interesting. Great vegetarian dishes. Note that by default, the
steamed rice has veggie pieces mixed in. Tasty dim sum on the
weekends. [=> menu ]

Quan's Kitchen ($) -- Allston
1026 Commonwealth Ave (betw Brighton Ave & Babcock), 232-7617
T: B Green Line @ Babcock St, #57 bus. Mo-Sa 11am-2am, Sun 1pm-11pm
Not for that fancy sit-down dinner with a hot date, the prices and
decor say "cheap eats" -- this place is just a handful of plastic
tables in a fluorescent-lit room; most people get take out. The menu
has over 180 items on it, incl Hong Kong style soups, Congee dishes,
and Chinese Bbq. Very satisfying & good food for the price, though
highly variable. No MSG & 100% veg oil, but many of the dishes are
overly oily, esp vegetable dishes like watercress; go with dishes
where this doesn't matter, esp good are the rice dishes w duck, smoked
chicken & bbq pork (better than Chinatown), salt & pepper shrimp, most
noodle dishes, esp seafood fried noodle & soup noodles w beef brisket.
Also avoid the hot & sour soup, stir-fried noodles, and Ma Po Tofu.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Royal East ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
782 Main St, 661-1660
Still erratic, but some say this is one of the best in the area.
Good quality Chinatown-style food -- chow fun, rice sticks, fantastic
tangerine beef, good Suan La Sho Chow. Very nice hot & sour soup with
good dose of Szechuan peppercorns. [=> menu ]

Ru Yee ($+) -- Newton (Nonantum)
Adams & Rt 16 (Watertown St)
Not fancy, but the food is great and the lunch specials are an
excellent value. Also good Lemon Chicken and Hot & Sour Soup.

Sally Ling's ($$+) -- Waterfront
256 Commercial St (next to Long Wharf Marriot), 227-4545
Mixed reviews -- some say bland food, overpriced, small portions;
others say expensive but good. Their lamb with scallions is
remarkable. Do not fall for desserts though.

San Francisco Noodle House ($+) -- Allston
1029 Commonwealth Ave, 783-5111
Pretty good place, spacious, extremely clean. Service is very
polite, but can be haphazard, since it just recently opened. Nice
potstickers and scallion pizza; excellent cheap large portions of chow
foon noodles. Also good tangerine chicken w tangerine rind actually
ground into the sauce. Lots of unusual seafood entrees on the menu,
but many were not actually available, and you should avoid the sea
conch w vegetables unless you like an overly strong smell of conch.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Seven Star Mandarin House ($+) -- Newton Center
22 Union St, 527-3841
Probably the best Chinese food in the area. Fast service & cheap.
Decor leaves something to be desired, but it is comfortable &
child-friendly. Good ravioli, great five-flavor chicken, and "ants
climbing the tree"; maybe the best scallion pancakes around.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Shalom Hunan ($$-) [Kosher Chinese] -- Brookline Village
92 Harvard St (at School)
Tasty well prepared food, generous portions, a tad pricy [though
possibly due to the extra cost of kashrut]. A diverse menu including
veal, beef, chicken, duck, and whole fish dishes, as well as moo shu,
not to mention chicken soup w matzoh balls. Polite attentive wait
staff, pleasant comfortable dining room, wine/beer available. Quite
good for Chinese food; Excellent for Kosher Chinese. Try the hot &
sour soup, veal in garlic sauce, triple crown, orange-flavored
chicken. May have to wait -- it's very popular.

Shanghai Village ($+) -- Arlington Center
434 Mass Ave on left just before center of town, 646-6897
Prices: $8-10/person; VeggieOptions: lots
Mixed reviews, though most find the food consistently good &
reasonably priced. Szechuan-style entrees are quite fiery. They are
very accomodating to vegetarians and serve especially good vegetarian
dishes -- lots of food, well seasoned, and even the "vegetarian's
delight" is good, as is the sizzling rice soup with vegetables, and
vegetarian crispy fried lo mein.
A calm, comfortable, well-maintained, clean place. The service is
is almost always fantastic, though it can be horrible on off nights.
(7/94)

Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant ($+) [Chinese Seafood] -- W. Fenway
70-72 Kilmarnock St, 236-0384
Cheap & good, w no atmosphere to speak of, but very very nice
people. One of the best hot & sour soups around, and their wonton
soup is also an order of magnitude better than what you get in most
places -- the wontons actually taste like, well, wontons, and not like
boiled lumps of dough wrapped around last week's mystery meat, but
avoid the house special soup, which is flavorful but uses canned
mushrooms & isn't very special. Try the crispy crispy scallion
pancake, the Shanghai duck, lemongrass shrimp, and the green beans.

Ta Sheng ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
Elliot St, 2nd floor, across from the Charles Hotel
Mixed reviews. Those who like it say that it is reliably good to
excellent, and reasonably priced, with a fantastic whole crispy fish,
and a very good Crispy Orange Chicken. Tasty, specially-priced lunch
menu, too. Those who don't like it say that it's bland -- even the
spicy dishes aren't, that the hot & sour soup is neither, and that the
beef dishes are greasy. Go figure. (7/94)

Yu's ($) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1374 Beacon St, 734-2929
Takeout, with sitdown area, now serving noodle dishes. Not fancy,
but good food at reasonable prices. Good hot & sour soup, Peking
noodles, Beef Chow Foon.

Continental / Traditional / French Restaurants
**********************************************

Another Season ($$$+) [French-American] -- Beacon Hill
97 Mt Vernon St (nr Charles), 367-0880
Odette Berry's imaginative French-American restaurant. Food at
lunchtime is only average.

Aujord 'Hui ($$$$$) [Nouvelle French] -- Park Sq Area
Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St, 338-4400
Mixed Reviews: Some say maybe the best restaurant in Boston; others
say there are much better places in this price range. Reasonably
interesting food, superb presentation, excellent service. The dining
room is extremely spacious, and has a very nice view.)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Barrett's Restaurant ($$+) [Traditional] -- Charlestown
2 Constitution Plaza (on Boston Harbour), 242-9600
Good food, and reasonably priced, with several $9.95 meals on the
menu. Friday night, for $27.95, they have All You Can Eat Lobster,
which includes salad, potato, and the like -- the lobsters vary from
good to outstanding. (8/94)

Bay Tower Room ($$$$) [Continental/French] -- Faneuil Hall Area
60 State Street, next to Faneuil Hall, 33rd floor, 723-1666
Terrific food, wine list, live jazz on Fri and Sat, smashing view of
Boston, contingent on good visibility. It falls in the romantic, posh,
elegant, and pricey categories, but the food, ambiance, and view of the
city and harbor is well worth every cent. Good dishes are escargot,
lobster bisque, swordfish with lobster-chive vinaigrette and roasted
tomato couscous.

Ben's Cafe ($$$-) [French] -- Downtown
Downstairs at Maison Robert, 45 School St, 227-3370
Food somewhat lighter and in a more modern setting than the formal
upstairs dining room at Maison Robert. Order from a number of choices
within either a $17 or $23 prix-fixe menu that changes monthly.

Cafe Budapest ($$$$) [Hungarian] -- Back Bay
Copley Hotel, 90 Exeter St (at Huntington), 266-1979
Expensive classic Hungarian food, good food, fancy classy romantic
ambience, but some say the prices are a bit high for the quality, that
there are too few authentic Hungarian dishes, and that it has perhaps
gone a bit downhill lately. The mixed grill for two and the tir tarator
is wonderful, the Gulyas soup has a nice kick to it, and the goulash is
decent. The desserts, of course, are to die for.

Chez Jean ($$$-) [French] -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq)
1 Shephard St (at Mass Ave), 354-8980
VegOptions: not really
Reasonably priced quite good traditional French food. Been around for
a long time; needs redecoration. Great Steak Au Poivre.

Durgin Park ($$+) [Traditional NE Regional] -- Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall Market, 227-2038
Prices: Entrees $8-12 for the most part
Food is basic American seafood and steak. So traditional that they
regularly have mashed turnips on the menu, and their beef stew also
has lots of turnips in it. The beef is always in large amounts.
delicious prime rib, well-flavored and tender. Try their baked beans,
which are excellent. Fish chowder is good, but do not depend on their
fresh fish. There is a "Bale of Hay" (vegetarian platter) for those
who discover they came to the wrong restaurant.
Interesting atmosphere -- you can watch the cooks preparing since
the kitchen is open to customer view & waitresses always seem to be
hustling around. Their waitstaff is renowned for an "attitude" --
sharp tongue, but the service is basically good, and the waitresses
are not as rude as they were years ago. They mostly don't yell at you
any more, or refuse to get you desert if you didn't eat your
vegetables. Tablecloths are still red checker. That will never
change. Excellent place for very fast lunch. Singles sit at a common
table. Have lunch with a busy Beacon Hill legislator.
[=> interesting long review ]

Hungry I ($$$+) [Contemporary French / American] -- Beacon Hill
71 1/2 Charles St, 227-3524
Wonderful food in a very romantic elegant atmosphere, esp
downstairs, which has a warmer ambience than the upstairs room, which
can stark & uncomfortable when empty. Food as expected for the price,
excellent service. Try the game dishes.

Julien ($$$$$) [Nouvelle French] -- Downtown
Hotel Meridian, 250 Franklin St, 451-1900
An impressive French Nouvelle place w a beautiful dining room that
really must be seen. An enjoyable place but too expensive & too
stuffy [real French accents w real French snobbery]. The food was
very good but w very small portions for the entrees although the
excellent desserts were large & spectacularly presented.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Le Bocage ($$$$-) [Nouvelle French] -- Watertown
72 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 923-1210
Nouvelle French food. They often host full course meals w various
vineyards & running wine commentaries. Portions are on the light and
rich end of the scale, though there's also regular dishes like poached
salmon. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

L'Espalier ($$$$$$-) [Nouvelle French] -- Back Bay
30 Gloucester St (nr Commonwealth Ave), 262-3023
Very expensive Nouvelle French. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Locke-Ober Cafe ($$$$) [Traditional New England] -- Downtown
3 Winter Place (betw Winter & Washington), 542-1340
American / New England Cuisine in a wonderful (some say stuffy)
old-Boston atmosphere. At one time it was one of the better
restaurants in town, and still remains reliable with a meat-heavy
menu, dark, rich decor, good wine list, minimal experimentation. The
kind of place where firms take lawyers when they pass the bar or join
the firm, or where you might go for a very private dinner. Excellent
appetizers & steaks. Reservations a must. Service is good and food,
using those famous "best of ingredients", is often excellent [their
calves liver is superb] and you can have a good meal for a reasonable
price. Their baked alaska is monumental in size, of reasonable
quality and served flaming [if you don't want the alcohol, tell your
server]. Their indian pudding is also an excellent desert choice.
(8/94)

Maison Robert ($$$$) [Classic French] -- Downtown
45 School St (betw Tremont & Washington), 227-3370
Classic French w some Nouvelle touches, cooked to perfection. Not
very experimental or inspiring, and somewhat meat-heavy, but very
consistent and very very good. Upstairs is a formal, though
pleasantly open, dining room; Ben's Cafe is downstairs. A rather
formal dining experience with knowleadgable, impeccable, though
slightly haughty service. One of the best wine lists in Boston esp.
for clarets (and also unusual Alsatian wines). Limited list of
traditional appetizers, w some pastas and soups changing daily. Very
good sauce reductions on the main entrees, and very good desserts,
especially the apple tart & souffles) [see long review]

Mill Falls ($$$) [Contemporary American] -- Newton Upper Falls
383 Eliot St (at Chestnut), 244-3080; Accessible: Yes
Hours: Closed Su, Lunch Mo-Fr only; Prices: Most Dinner Entrees $12-18
Basic & contemporary American food w a lovely view of the falls and
a romantic atmosphere. The food can be very good, though often bland,
and the prices are really for the view. Dress code; a nice place to
take the relatives. Service is pretty good, but can vary. Very good
filet mignon; good, and somewhat inexpensive pasta dishes. Lunch is a
better deal, especially on a hot day when you can sit on the terrace
next to the roaring waterfall.

Parker's ($$$) [Traditional American] -- Downtown
Omni Parker House, 60 School St (at Tremont), 227-8600, ext 1600
Ritzy atmosphere, with beautifully prepared classic traditional food.
Great dessert tray.

Pillar House ($$$) [Traditional] -- Newton Lower Falls
26 Quinobequin Rd (Rts 16 & 128), 969-6500
Dress: dressy; Reservations: suggested; NonSmoking: completely
ChefsTable: yes!
While the clientele is often "older", the food is universally
excellent. There is a single chef's table in the kitchen which seats
four, putting yourselves in the hands of the chef for food and wine,
while you get to watch your dinner being prepared -- it makes for a
memorable meal.
[=> Middlesex News Review ]

Plaza Dining Room ($$$$+) [Continental] -- Back Bay
Copley Plaza Hotel, Copley Sq, 267-5300
Expensive Continental food. Sunday Brunch available.

Top of the Hub ($$$) [Traditional] -- Back Bay
52nd floor of the Prudential Center (Boylston/Huntington), 536-1775
Prices: Entrees in the $15-24.00 range.
The lure of this establishment is the view; call ahead, tell them
it's a special occasion and request a table at the window, for a
wonderfully romantic evening. A recent change in management has
reportedly led to better food, w beautiful presentation and delectable
sauces, though brunch gets mixed reviews.
GoodDishes: superb mussel cream soup, very good caesar salad, garlic
bread with a tomato and leek salsa on top, filet of sole, rack of
lamb, and prime rib, w good veggies and potato. Good desserts include
the green apple tart with caramel and the key lime pie.
Service: Consensus is tha service is attentive yet relaxed, though
some find it snooty.
They'll be moving downstairs in January '95 to remodel. [=> reviews ]

Veronique ($$$) [French] -- Brookline (Longwood)
Longwood Apts, 20 Chapel St, 731-4800
Hours: Closed Mo, Open Su til 9pm; Prices: Most Dinner Entrees $14-20
Classic French cuisine.

Eclectic / Nouvelle American / Californian / Cafes
**************************************************

Bennett St Cafe ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, 661-5005
Pleasant environment w decent food. They now have a dessert buffet,
Fr&Sa 9pm-midnite, $7/person

Biba ($$$$) -- Park Square
272 Boylston St, 426-7878
Trendy and stylish but informal, strange and unusual food
combinations, food that can be showy but inedible; people's reactions
vary widely from "it's amazing" to "how awful". Richly flavored food,
but not heavy, w relatively generous portions. The wide ranging menu
has some great individual dishes, but you won't necessarily get a great
meal overall. High energy room intriguingly designed, somewhat lacking
in comfort, tables spaced closely. Good service. Excellent but
expensive wine list. First course $8-$16, entrees $15-25. Good bets
are the lobster and the spit-roasted quail. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Black Crow Caffe ($+) [Cafe] -- Jamaica Plain (Hyde Sq)
403 Centre St (at Perkins), 983-9231
T: the #39 bus stop at Perkins and S. Huntington;
Small, excellent full-service California-style casual cafe, w an
emphasis on fresh fish and expertly cooked seasonal vegetables, and
light flavorful dishes that may use regional or ethnic flavorings as
inspiration, w attention paid to presentation. Pizzas, extravagant
desserts, Beer & wine also too. Friendly service. Prices are not
cheap for a cafe, but not out of line for the quality.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Blackbird Baking Company ($+) [Cafe] -- Allston
1032 Commonwealth Ave (nr Brighton Ave), 739-9755
Hours: Dinner Tu-Th 5-12, Fr-Sa 5-1, Lunch Sa 10-2, Su 10-3 (w jazz)
Music Tu-Sa after 9pm
Blackbird Baking Company is possibly the best of the new cafes that
are burgeoning around town. The owners and wait staff are friendly
and relaxed, and the cafe is as well. So while the eclectic
nouvelle-yuppie food is quite good, the cafe doesn't exude the hip
pretentiousness that its Back Bay and South End cousins do.
Not to say the place isn't interesting. In fact, when you walk in,
your eye is immediately drawn to the colorful mural behind the serving
area, which is a collage of Miro takeoffs, painted by one the owners.
The love of things Spanish extends beyond Miro -- they frequently serve
a really nice selection of tapas (along w a variety of sherrys).
The restaurant is partly a front for an excellent bakery, now
supplying baked goods to a variety of other restaurants as well. But
this place is more than just a fine place to have a capuccino and baked
goods. The food here is generally creative and tasty as well, though
some dishes are blander than one might expect. The menu changes daily.
For lunch and late evening, there is eclectic snack food, including
tapas, a very good baked brie, unusual veggie combo sandwiches, and dips
such as a mashed fava beans and eggplant dip, which is nice and light;
it's slight lack of flavor is made up by the terrific toasted bread
served with it. Avoid the mushy crabcakes. At dinner, there are a
variety of entrees (many on the light side) as well, artfully presented.
Soups tend to be very good, including a subtle but flavorful squash
soup, and a wonderful rich garlic soup. Salads are very nice, with
flavorful and well balanced salad dressings. The warm noisettes of
lamb salad w chevre and pinenuts is excellent.
Leave room for dessert, including one of the best blueberry
cheesecakes in town. One odd thing, they don't have coke or other
common sodas, though they do have Orangina and a full liquor license.
Ventilation can be a problem, especially up on the balcony, which can
be annoying. And when the karate studio upstairs is in high gear, the
occasional thumps of people falling can be disconcerting. (9/94)
[=> reviews ]

Blue Room ($$$-) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
1 Kendall Sq (On Hampshire St), 494-9034, T: Red Line @ Kendall Sq
Very good unusual combinations of multi-ethnic grilled foods; always
an innovative menu and very pleasant ambience. I love it, because of
the flavorful, exciting, well-prepared dishes, and the majority of the
are very positive, but others have been disappointed. It is possible
here to go for entrees, or just stick to the appetizers; a group can
graze nicely on appetizers for less money. They have a fairly
well-stocked bar with some unusual entries, like their own list of
flavored grappas, as well as special beers from the Cambridge Brewery
next door. They also offer free parking for a nearby garage. On
weekends they have live performers, and they periodically host
reservation-only shindigs with all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffets.
Excellent Sunday brunch & evening buffet. [=> reviews ]
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Blue Wave ($$) -- Back Bay
142 Berkeley St (betw Stanhope & Columbus), 424-6711
Hip, interesting menu, a good value, can be noisy. A bright open
atmosphere; one of the most Californian restaurants in town. Food is
ample, tasty & reliable. The salads, pizzas & roast poultry are all
first rate, with most entrees in the $9-13 range. Well chosen wine
list w nice selection of wines by the glass. The atmosphere is fun,
but noisy. (7/94)

Botolph's on Tremont ($$$-) -- South End
569 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 424-8597
A cafe menu w wonderful appetizers and entrees served all day; the
food is very flavorful, though some dishes are overly rich. Good
calamari in a nice light batter & great sweet potato fries w w maple
sour cream. Great foccacio, wacky gourmet pizzas -- the bbq pork &
onions is esp good. Excellent skewered veggies w rice noodles & pnut
sauce; superb penne w tomoatos, gorgonzoal & wild mushrooms. The
risooto is very tasty but way too oily, and the duck ravioli is very
falvorful but the buerre blanc sauce is way too rich.

Center Street Cafe ($+) [Cafe] -- Jamaica Plain
597 Center St, 524-9217
T: Orange Line / Arborway Bus (E Green Line extension) @ Green St
Cozy cafe w great food and vegetarian options. Also an excellent
Sunday Brunch served from 9am - 3pm

Claremont Cafe ($+) -- South End
535 Columbus Ave, 247-9001
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Cornucopia on the Wharf ($$$) -- Waterfront
100 Atlantic Avenue, 367-0300
The consensus is that you will find delicious, creative food in a
comfortable atmosphere, w great views and ambience, and an emphasis on
fruits & vegetables, but not vegetarian. It's not cheap, but food and
service is good and location is especially nice in the summer. An
opposing review suggests that the food is good but not great, and that
there is better dining elsewhere. Recommended dishes include the lamb
on a pizza style circle of polenta, grilled portobello mushroom
carpacio, duck w figs, seafood specials, oven-roasted lobster w veg
enchilada, white chocolate bread pudding. Good wine list. Eat
downstairs, where the kitchen is, so you won't have over-tired
waiters. (7/94) [=> negative review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Dakota's ($$$-) -- Downtown
34 Summer St/101 Arch St, 737-1777
Food is good, fresh and creative, the service is quick, but the room
can be too noisy to hear across a large table. For lunch, its probably
the perfect place for salesmen to bring their slightly-hip but
ultimately-not-too-hip prospects. Try the lobster dishes -- especially
the mesquite grilled lobster, the lobster tempura, and Dakota's
lobster.

East Coast Grill ($$+) -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1271 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 491-6568
Very very good. No reservations. Excellent bbq and jerk dishes,
made next door at Jake & Earl's,
as well as superb grilled fish (esp tuna), veggies, and fruits.
Terrific veggie platter (w or w/o dairy), great salads, and terrific
desserts. Very nice collection of bottled microbrewery beers that go
well w the food. However, recent reviews have been mixed, naysayers
found the food undercooked and uninteresting. [=> reviews ] (8/94)

Eight Holyoke ($$$+) [Bistro] -- Harvard Sq
8 Holyoke St (next door to Hasty Pudding), 497-5300
T Stop: Harvard (Red Line)
Hours: Lunch M-Sa 11:30a - 2:30p (Brunch Sunday)
Dinner daily 5:30p - 11:00p, Tapas 11:30a - 1:00a
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok, through elevator
CreditCards: yes; Dress: casual
Prices: Tapas ~ $6, Entrees: $17 - $25, less for a vegetarian/pasta
dish which changes daily; VegOptions: few
Food: The food is excellent, tasty and carefully prepared. The food
is primarily Spanish, Provencal, and North African. Portions are just
right to leaave you satisfied without feeling bloated. Excellent
well-seasoned grilled fish, chicken & meat as well as an extensive tapas
menu.
GoodDishes: The tapas are all wonderful, especially the baked goat
cheese (wonderfully herbed), Catalan Pork Ribs, grilled wild mushrooms &
leeks and the kiba (spiced ground lamb balls). The roasted pumpkin with
lentils was also very good.
Delicious Free Range Chicken: tender, moist, baked with a North
African rub, served over spinach with preserved lemon. Also excellent
grilled maine salmon (with plantains?), in a sauce enriched with foie
gras.
Save room for dessert; especially good ones include the Orange
Couscous pudding (a pudding of couscous made with pistachio nuts,
pomegranite seeds, orange water, and served with creme anglaise), the
Moroccan Serpentine (flaky pastry with a nut filling, served with a
small scoup of lavendar ice cream), the warm apple/pineapple charlotte
with honey-vanilla ice cream, and the strangely named (?) chocolate
concoction.
BadDishes: Nothing to avoid, but for those who have been to Aigo
Bistro (under the same ownership), the Aigo Bouido is different (no
croutons and the soup has been thickened with bread), and not as good.
Also the reddened drummettes were sort of bland.
Beverages: Good wine and sherry selection, with some interesting,
moderately priced wines from Languedoc incl a nice Cotes de Rousillon.
Almost 40 wines available by the glass.
Service: The wait staff is helpful, friendly and attentive without
being fawning, but at this point, a little inexperienced.
Ambience: Very comfortable. Upscale without being pretentious. The
restaurant interior is decorated with paintings, etc. which are
variations on the motif of the numeral "8". Quiet, no loud music.
Plenty of room at the tables and they aren't crowded together. The
decor makes one feel like one is in a small neighborhood restaurant in
southern France. (9/94)
[=> reviews ]

Fine Arts Restaurant ($$) -- Symphony Area
in the Museum of Fine Arts , 465 Huntington Ave, 266-3663
Considering that it's a museum restaurant, this place is amazing.
The ambiance is quite nice, and the food is actually rather good. The
menu is all over the place, nouvelle, regional, whatever. Often,
dishes are intended to match up with featured exhibits at the museum.
Good starters of two smoked salmons and ceviche; very good lemon roast
chicken (and enough for a picnic the next day!). The venison chilli in
corn bread is a bit monotonous, but OK in smaller quantities. Quite
good wine list, some wines as low as $17, reasonable prices for what
you get. Very pleasant setting, especially if you can get a table near
the window. It's the obvious place to go if you're going to a concert
or movie at the museum, not a bad choice if you're headed to the
theater district. NB: if you tell the people at the entrance to the
museum that you're going to the restaurant, they normally won't make
you pay the museum entrance fee. [=> Boston Globe Review 7/94 ]

Hamersley's Bistro ($$$$) -- South End
553 Tremont (at Clarendon in Boston Center for the Arts), 423-2700
The new location in the Cyclorama bldg is more elegant than than the
old, and the clientele seems richer and better-dressed. Service is
generally impeccable, but since they cater to a well- dressed
middle-aged crowd, service can potentially be a problem if you're out
of place. Food continues to be very good -- delightful, interesting,
meticulously prepared. Try the veal chop, or the roast chicken w
garlic, lemon & parsley. Interesting wine list also. The environment
is pleasant though it can be overly noisy at times. Caveat: you'll
need reservations, and you'll need to reconfirm them the day you plan
to dine. About $55/person w first course, main course, dessert, & 1/2
bottle of their cheapest wine ($20/bottle) per person.
[=> dissenting review] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Harvest ($$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
44 Brattle St, 492-1115
Hours: L Mo-Sa 11:30-2:30pm Su 11:30-3pm, Di Su-Th 6-10, Fr-Sa 6-10:30
Reservations: accepted; NonSmoking: completely; CreditCards: yes
DiningAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok
Well prepared interesting food, a bit pricy [some say overpriced], in
a very Cambridgy [some say stuffy] atmosphere crowded w upscale
academic types, and decent service. Sometimes quite creative, but not
always successfully. Very good wine list, and a wonderful place for a
business lunch. A bit expensive for Sunday brunch ($10-15), but go
early for great Eggs Benedict. The attached cafe is good for smaller
and simpler meals. [=> Boston Globe Review 9/94 ]

Icarus ($$$$-) -- South End
3 Appleton St (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 426-1790
Creative food which keeps getting better, nice atmosphere. Try the
polenta w mushrooms, thai squid, grilled tuna w cumin & coriander,
scallops w black ink ravioli stuffed w white beans, grilled salmon w
lemon sauce. Mixed reviews on the hazelnut sweetbreads. Avoid curried
pork tenderloin & grilled chicken. Wonderful desserts, eclectic wine
list. Romantic setting. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Jasmine Bistro ($$) -- Brighton Center
412 Market St, 789-4676
A small storefront, made elegant, serving Hungarian Goulashes,
nouvelle pasta, curries, kabobs, and more, presided over by the ex-chef
of the Cafe Budapest and his family. All the food is excellent, with
high quality ingredients, subtly spiced, and yet the prices are very
reasonable. Exceptional choices include the tuna cake appetizer, veal
gulyas, lamb curry, and the chocolate mousse. They also do a take-out
business. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Jaspers ($$$$+) [NE Regional] -- Waterfront
240 Commercial St (at Atlantic Ave), 523-1126
Fresh native New England ingredients sensually prepared. Definitely
worth going to every couple of years. Prepares some of the best
seafood in town.

Marco Solo ($$+) -- Newton (Chestnut Hill) [The Atrium]
Recently opened by the ex-manager and son of the owner of Legal
Seafood, and already quite popular. The olive sampler is an unassuming
little bowl of perhaps half a dozen different varieties of olives and
an exquisite olive pate. The chicken sate was done to perfection & the
grilled chicken was tender, moist, but minimally spiced if at all,
accompanied by a sauce that was tastier than it was hot. The
create-your-own salads are huge -- basic Caeser/Garden/Spinach salad to
which the customer can add such things as calimari, grilled mushrooms,
roasted peppers, etc. Desserts, including the flourless passover cake
& the white chocolate cheesecake are terribly rich and terribly good,
and can be got with a very good cappucino. Lunch for 2, about $35.
[=> Boston Globe Review 9/94 ]

Moka ($) [Cafe] -- South End
next to Back Bay Station
Moka explicitly calls itself a California cafe -- we're talking
about a very self-consciously casual interior setting, with both table
service on the upper level (including a livingroom sofa) and take-out
counter service on the lower level. Al fresco dining, too, when
weather permits. The menu is soups-sandwiches-burritos-pizzas, with
an emphasis on fresh ingredients and artful combinations. All in all,
a great place to hang out. Cheap for dinner (under $10 a meal),
average for lunch, as far as prices. Just slightly higher price, but
much much better value than, say, Au Bon Pain.
GoodDishes: The burritos are big and tasty, and one of the best
value on the menu. The baked brie is delicious, as well as the
mushroom/leek duxelle sandwich. Soups of the day, such as the carrot
w cilantro, are superb. Interesting polenta dishes too, such as the
red pepper polenta w wonderfully rich pestos of basil, and of spinach
& dried tomato on the side. Also, delicious desserts, incl a sweet
potato pie with whipped cream that's very rich, but not too sweet, and
a nice white chocolate covered mousse. Good coffee too, and wonderful
almond-flavored milk.
BadDishes: The pizzas are individually sized, meaning small, and
somewhat disappointing: e.g. a chicken-pesto topping rested in the
center of a too-tough square crust like an oversized hors-d'oeuvre.
No sauce held the ensemble together; a couple of bites and the whole
thing crumbled into fragments, spilling the topping off.
Ambience/Service: Nice atmosphere, eclectic clientele, beer and wine
license, and friendly service, although the tables inside tend to get
slighted when the tables outside get busy.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Noelle ($+) -- Cambridge (Porter Square)
1755 Mass Ave (nr Linnean, betw Harvard & Porter Sq), 491-7750
T: Red Line @ Porter Sq, #77 Bus
NoSmoking: completely; DineAccess: ok
Mixed reviews. While some have found the food to be good and
well-prepared, others thought the food uninspiring and mediocre. Latest
news indicates it's back on the upswing. As ever, the specials of the
day are much more interesting than the regular fare, but it seems to be
finding its mark.
The prices are low ($7-12), although the main courses might be a
little bit small if you're very hungry. Lunches are also a good deal,
and the homemade soups are very good, esp the clam chowder. Try the
spicy "Chicken Noelle", the steak tips, fra diavolo, and the excellent
pork chop special. The specials seem to be higher-priced than the menu
items. Some interesting beers on tap, incl Sam Adams, Bass & Tucher.
The "posh" Cambridge facade belies a very friendly restaurant.
Service is VERY friendly and VERY professional/formal at the same time;
pretty much they start out on the formal side until they decide they can
relax a little. There are two floors; the downstairs room feels a bit
too much like a basement painted white; the bright, airy, skylit
upstairs area includes a bar area, and seats around 20, but a dark
ceiling makes the lighting somewhat difficult. (9/94)
[=> review ]

On the Park ($$+) -- South End
1 Union Park (on Shawmut Ave), 426-0862
An absolutely delightful hole-in-the-wall with friendly informal
service, and uniformly delicious food. The daily specials are reliably
good, as are the standbys - garlic chicken is a perennial favorite.
The wine selection is thoughtful and changes month to month.
Reminiscent of Hamersley's Bistro, but a little less formal, a little
more friendly and crowded, and less expensive.

Providence ($$$$-) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1223 Beacon (at St Paul), 232-0300
A mix of Tuscany & nouvelle New England food in a room transformed
from its former stuffiness to funky w columns, fireplace, blue cobalt
ceilings, black marble pillars, gargoyles everywhere, and interesting
lighting. The menu is set up like Biba's but is more interesting.
Mixed reviews, though most are very positive, citing subtly presented,
excellently prepared great food; the negative reviews argue that the
food is complicated, but not complex. The pastrami-style veal, which
usually gets rave reviews, also can be mealy and fatty. One person
loved the thick braised pork chop over white beans and cabbage; another
thought that it was ok, but not as good as Porterhouse Cafe's. Go
figure. Great vegetable side dishes too w lots of flavor, unlike
insipid renditions elsewhere. You will either love or hate some of the
more unusual appetizers like the fruity(!) squash polenta w grilled
squid. Desserts still need improvement, though the chocolate fondant
cake is excellent. Service also seems to be extremely variable.
Entrees from $7-20, appetizers and desserts from $5-$9. Good wine list
in the >$15 range. Reservations needed, though even with them there
can still be long waits. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Salamander ($$$$) [Eclectic] -- Kendall Sq
1 Athenaeum St (off First), 225-2121
Reservations: essential, but 15% of seating reserved for walk-ins
This is an expensive place, with entrees ranging for $16 for chicken
breast and fish dishes to over $30 for the lobster dishes; most are in
the $25 range. Recommended as a special occasion place; the price is
very fair for the quality that you get, though some dishes appear to be
real losers -- order them and you will be very disappointed. Owned by
Stan Frankenthaler, who was chef and co-owner of The Blue Room when it
opened.
GoodDishes: Superb bread. The scallion pancake w beef three ways
appetizer serves the purpose of supplying interesting little tastes,
without filling you up. Also there's a really good garden salad incl
some grilled squash and a very piquant and peppery dressing. Excellent
entrees include the duck special w foie gras and plum and fig confit,
the hoisin-and-spice rubbed squab served w a couple of delicious roasted
oysters, and "pan-seared dumplings" (like blintzas), a great delmonico
steak with wild mushroom ragout, and a very tasty boneless rabbit loin,
with rabbit ragout and sausage. Excellent very large portion of
chocolate walnut cake with cookies, candies, and fruit. Other desserts,
incl the chocolate tart, creme brulee, and the banana wontons, are
fairly good, but not up to the same standard as the entrees.
BadDishes: Mixed reviews on the appetizers incl pumpkin/ginger soup
and the cod cheeks. The squid appetizer, while very tasty, can be
overcooked. Avoid the fried giant prawn, which is beautifully
presented, but contains little food, and the chick-pea cakes, an
uninteresting badly reheated vegetarian chili served over mashed chick
peas.
Beverages: Well chosen and well priced wine list. DeLoach 1992 Late
Harvest Gewurztraminer and 1977 Taylor Vintage Port available by the
glass. An interesting aspect of the wine list is that the by-the-glass
selections are available in very reasonably sized "tasting" portions at
half the price of a full glass.
Ambience: The basic shape of the place and some of the seating remains
from Michela's, but there's an open kitchen now and the mural is gone;
the colors are a little darker overall. Tables are nicely spaced.
Don't go if you dislike the smell of wood smoke.
Service: Prompt attentive and helpful, but can be on the leisurely
side -- perhaps too leisurely for some. Excellent helpful wine steward,
who obviously enjoys wine, enjoys the work, and helps the customer feel
at ease. (10/94)
[=> reviews ]

Seasons ($$$$$-) -- Fanueil Hall
Bostonian Hotel, 9 Blackstone St (nr North St), 523-3600
T: Red Line @ Aquarium
ToiletAccess: ok; CreditCards: yes; OutdoorDine: no
Reservations: suggested; ChildFriendly: no; Dress: dressy
VegOptions: some; LowFat: pretty good
Food: Mixed reviews; seems to depend on how busy they are. Can be
excellent w a beautiful overall presentation of dishes. Different fixed
prices depending on the # of courses.
GoodDishes: An excellent ham appetizer, and the fried sweetbread
appetizer is exactly the right crispiness -- "Brings to mind my
grandmother's best turkey stuffing, only much better". Excellent soups
include the Nantucket & Sweet Corn Chowder, and the Lobster chowder.
The seafood appetizers and entrees seemed better than the rest.
BadDishes: The sauce for the duck doesn't work, and the sirloin entree
with mustard/pepper crust can be both tough and tasteless. The
carmelized onion soup has a good flavor, but the texture is off.
Beverages: Good wine list, though not very many wines are available by
the glass.
Service: Can be awful when they are busy (9/94) [=> review ]

Small Planet ($$) -- Back Bay
565 Boylston nr Dartmouth, 536-8993/4477
Groovey vibes, nice service, reasonable prices, casual, gets louder
later. A colorful place serving multicultural food which is quite
good, but lacks the extra something that would make the food
exceptional -- on the other hand, the food seems lower in fat that
similar food elsewhere. Try the jerk chicken salad, gourmet pizza,
ratatouille, quesadilla, fried conch, veggie risotto. The kitchen can
be slow at lunchtime. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Sonsie ($$$) -- Back Bay
327 Newbury St, 351-2500
Well, the food is supposed to be quite good, especially entrees like
the Filet of Sole in Chervil Sauce & the Roast Lamb Stew. But beware
the ambience -- the crowd is young and affluent and mostly foreign...
which is to say, you'd better be hip, urban, and xenophilic or you may
feel a little out of place. It's an absolute poser's paradise, only
slightly less pretentious than the Emporio Armani Express. The wait
staff is, naturally, also hip and snooty, and if you're not a Newbury
St regular, the service may be lacking unless you order an expensive
meal. [=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

St Botolph ($$$-) -- South End
99 St Botolph (at W. Newton), 266-3030
A pleasant open sunny casual techno-brick environment, w slightly
formal but very pleasant service. The same cafe menu as Botolph on
Tremont is served at lunch; separate dinner menu.

St Cloud ($$$) -- South End
557 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 353-0202
Interesting Nouvelle American cuisine serving some of the best food
in town, visually appealing, though not always exceptional. For
example, the veal, though high quality, can be bland and boring, making
the appetizers and potatoes au gratin the highlights of a dinner.
Small menu, but each offering is equally appealing. The portions are
not huge; rather, they are perfectly sized so you can eat an appetizer
or salad, an entree, a dessert (which can be quite large though), and a
cappucino and not feel bloated when you leave. The atmosphere is
typical snobby, arty South End, but don't let that deter you. Now
serving a dessert buffet 11pm-1am on weekends.

Tam O'Shanter ($$) -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1648 Beacon St, 277-0982
Good food, good value, live music later in the evening. Often food
combines unusual ingredients that work perfectly [but not always].
Good inexpensive food on the menu too; try the meat loaf. Perfect for
lunch & Sunday Brunch as well.

Twenty-Nine Newbury St ($$$-) -- Back Bay
29 Newbury St (nr Berkeley), 536-0290
Nouvelle at quite reasonable prices. Gracious, attentive, pleasant
service in comfortable surroundings despite its chic reputation.
Excellent flavors, wonderful presentations, and enormous portions, all
at very reasonable prices (e.g. $15 for an excellent veal risotto, and
$6-7 for an excellent large fried calamari appetizer). Tasty duck soup
too. A decent wine list as well. [=> review ]

Union Square Bistro ($$+) -- Somerville (Union Sq)
16 Bow St, 628-3344
Hours: Lu Tu-Fr, Su Br 2-5, Di 5-9:30 daily
Very good food, romantic atmosphere, reasonable (though increased)
prices, friendly service, easy to park. Busy on Fri and Sat nights,
but there's a bar/lounge on the first floor, almost always empty and
you can get any of the food downstairs as well as up. Upstairs is a
lovely dining room, warm and pleasant at night, light and airy during
the day, with windows along one side that open up onto a roof deck
used for outdoor dining. The food ($8-$17 for entrees) is very good,
starting with a gread breadbasket including carrots, and whole walnuts
w a nutcracker.
GoodDishes: the very onionny french onion soup, the polenta or wild
mushroom appetizers w goat cheese, an incredibly tender osso bucco w a
fine rich sauce, and eggplant & garlicky potato cakes (a steal at
$12), a good sized paella, with perfectly nicely done ingredents
($17), and a very good chicken esposito. You can order from a
separate "Nutritionally Correct" menu, then blow it all on one of
their really decadent desserts, such as the chocolate mousse cake with
fresh raspberry sauce, or some of the best the home-made expresso ice
cream in the city. (9/94)
[=> reviews ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
10 Holyoke St (off Mass Ave), 864-1933
Expensive, but romantic & sublime. Always nice and very impressive
for its 'Havahd' ambience, high ceilings (its easy to carry on a
conversation) and its very good imaginative cooking, though the result
can be extraordinarily variable. Game meats are a specialty.
Reasonably priced lunches. For dinner, the best bet (though expensive)
is the complete dinner. (9/94) [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Water Cafe ($$-) -- Jamaica Plain
701 Centre, 522-6458
Pleasant place to eat. Try the barbecued duck & white bean empanada,
and the cajun seafood gumbo. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Ethiopian Restaurants
*********************

Addis Red Sea ($+) -- South End
544 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 426-8727
Good well-spiced Harrar food, more than adequate portions. For
folks who don't know much about Ethiopian food, the numerous
combination plates provide excellent samplers. Intimate seating;
authentic woven tables, close together. Fancier, larger menu & higher
prices than Asmara. Heating problems on cold days. Down one flight;
not wheelchair accessible.

Asmara ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
739 Mass Ave, 497-9635/864-7447. T: Red Line @ Central Sq
Quite good Eritrean food, especially for the price, and good service
too. Small and family run, this place has a limited menu and a very
relaxed atmosphere, with an incredibly warm & hospitable owner. The
food is inexpensive and pretty good, though a lot of the dishes do
seem very similar to each other, both in description and taste. It's
a great place to go with a group to talk, since the style of eating
puts you around a central platter and really forces you to interact.
Intriguing homemade honey wine also. Good vegetarian options.

Indian Restaurants
******************

Akbar India ($+) -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1250 Cambridge St, 497-6548
Very good buffet, unusual South Indian items like black doughnut,
sambar, masala dosai. Try the samosas, allo bada, dahi vada, garlic
naan, tandoori fish, chicken, and shrimp masala special.
[=> menu ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Barbeque's International ($+) -- Allston
[Look under Bbq Listings]

Bombay Bistro ($$-) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1353 Beacon St, west of Harvard, 734-2879
Excellent Indian food w a very pleasant slightly upscale ambience.
focus is not on hot and spicy food, but on food which is very
flavorful, fresh and well-prepared. This is possibly the least oily
Indian food I've ever had. Good sheesh kabobs & tandoor. Also try the
makhabar curry, chicken tikka, chicken or seafood xacuti, and sour
chicken soup. Also excellent vegetarian dishes, including a very
flavorful aloo chole, as well as an excellent eggplant in tamarind
sauce. Excellent breads including terrific papadum topped w onions and
cilantro, kulcha, and peshwari nann. A good beer selection, but also
check out the yogurt drinks, esp. the one with saffron. Service isn't
super speedy, but acceptable. Not very wheelchair-accessible or
particularly child-friendly though. Quite popular; even a line on
weekday nights.

Bombay Club ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
57 JFK at Winthrop, 661-8100
Better than average, and perhaps the best in Boston for taste,
atmosphere, and lower-than-usual oiliness, with an adventurous menu to
boot. The kadai (similar to a wok) dishes are particularly good and
relatively low-fat. Also try achar gosht [for spice freaks], chicken
methi, lamb shorba, veggie curries, reshmi kebab, kachumber salad, the
kadai dishes, the nan, prawn saag & (for dessert) badami kheer. South
Indian brunch on weekends w idlis, sambar.
North Indian buffet weekdays for $6 incl tandoori chicken, which is
good, and a number of other excellent dishes, incl basmati rice,
lentil soup, minced beef and peas, a veggie zucchini dish, and
excellent rice pudding for dessert. Also yogurt, and superb mint,
onion and sweet chutneys. (8/94)

Bombay Mahal ($$-) -- Waltham
Moody St
Mixed reviews. Some folks really like this place, especially the
very tasty bhaigan bharta. A great, though slightly pricey, South
Indian brunch on Sundays from 12-3 w good dosai and Dahai Burra. Some
questions about sanitation, though recent reviews have not seen any
evidence of uncleanliness. If they're playing insipid rock music, ask
them to play Indian music instead. (8/94)

Cafe of India ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
52a Brattle, 661-0683
One of the best in the square, reasonable prices too. Try bhindi
masala kadahi, aloo chole, baingan bharta

Delhi Darbar ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
14 Holyoke St, 492-8993
Pretty good overall, w excellent weekend brunch -- some say even
better than Bombay Club's -- though they overuse their tomatoey sauces.
Special menu of South Indian vegetarian dishes served Sunday
afternoons. Very extensive menu, and they will adjust the spices on
any dish as you wish. Try the chicken w spinach, tandoori mixed grill,
chick pea dish, mango lassi

India ($+) -- Somerville (Davis Sq)
256 Elm St, 354-0949, T: Red Line @ Davis Sq
Prices: Entrees $8-10; Veggie Options: lots
Mixed reviews, food said to range from excellent to uninspired --
nothing particularly original, but there are generally no unpleasant
surprises, the food is nicely spiced, and the prices are reasonable,
for adequate, though not generous portions. Not very busy often (even
on Sat nights), so the place is kind of dark & quiet (unless they
happen to be cranking the tinny-sounding Indian music) and service is
usually fast and attentive, but can be careless. Good bhajia, breads,
chicken tandoori, curries & mango lassi, but the vindaloo is too mild
and the nan can be stale. Make sure they give you the chutney
assortment (it's free for the asking); the red onion stuff is
particularly good. This place lends itself to the "everybody picks a
dish and samples a little of each" school of ordering, so bring
friends. (8/94)

India Palace ($+) -- Somerville (Union Sq)
23 Union Sq, 666-9770
Prices, serving size, service, and food quality are all excellent.
Particularly good dishes include the garlic naan (w lots of garlic),
the subtly flavored chana masala, the chicken saag, and a saag aloo
that is very hot but still retains the separate flavors of the spinach
and the spices. They also have a pretty good lunch buffet on Fridays
and Saturdays. Romantic Indian music videos for ambience. (8/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

India Pavillion ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
17 Western Ave (at Mass Ave), 547-7463, T: Red Line @ Central Sq
Quality of food can vary, but often excellent, and cheap. The Pullao
dishes are tasty but somewhat greasy. Superb carrot (gazer) halwa!
Not a particularly insprired or exciting menu, but decent cheap
standard Central Square Indian fare. Always full and can be quite
cramped, a wait on weekends. They'll vary the spicyness on request.
Lots of veggie options.

India Quality ($+) -- Kenmore Sq
536 Commonwealth Ave, 267-4499
Funky place, but one of the best Indian restaurants with Punjab
(North Indian) cuisine, and very reasonably priced. Try the Chicken
Dahiwala, Beef Shajahanai, Beef Kabab Masala & Chicken Tikka. Also
excellent breads, esp the chapati, garlic naan & spinach poori. Food
tends toward the hot side. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

India Samraat ($+) -- Back Bay
51a Mass Ave, 247-0718
Mixed reviews. Some say forgettable yucky food; others like the lamb
jalfrozie & chicken tikka masala

Indian Cafe ($$-) -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
1665 Beacon St (at Winthrop), 277-1752
Green Line: C train, Tappan St stop (at Star Market)
Standard Indian fare, very high quality, better in some ways than the
more popular Bombay Bistro in Coolidge Corner, esp since the wait staff
here is very pleasant and congenial. Above average tandoori dishes and
shrimp samosas. One note: if you like your food spicy-hot, make sure
you ask for 'hot'.
Nice decor, spacious room. Very open feeling with large windows
looking out onto Washington St, but avoid sitting by the window; it
feels kind of like you're in a fish bowl. The overall ambience is very
pleasant though. Open till ~10:30pm. Wheelchair accesible. Lots of
veggie dishes. Very child-friendly.

Indian Globe ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
474 Mass Ave, 868-1866
Reasonable prices. Good for take out. Try the Malia Kofta

Kebab-N-Kurry ($+) -- Back Bay
30 Mass Ave (betw Beacon & Marlboro), 536-9835
A good value for pretty good, and often excellent food, though some
dishes are only so-so. Really good chicken kachumbar salad, chicken
jal frezi and do piaza. The vegetable kofti curry is flavorful and
piquant, and the marinated lamb uses good quality meat and actually
tastes like lamb, but the mint chapathi is just mediocre. It's a very
small place, and there can be a long wait on weekend nights.

Little India ($+) -- Waltham
Moody St
Reasonably priced, good veggie fare, tandoori chicken, and various
biryanis

Maharajah ($+) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
2088 Mass Ave (at Walden), 492-9538, T: Red Line @ Porter Sq
Mixed reviews. A small place which doesn't look like much on the
outside, but some think it's superb, esp for vegetarians, w great
service; others think the food is awful or at least boring. Very good
tarka dal, alu gobi, chicken tikka masala, good tandoori & curries, but
avoid the baingan bartha. Selection at different levels of spicyness,
though specializes in especially spicy food. One reviewer though the
place was awful w chicken curry that looked like dogfoof on minute
rice, w awful service too. Cheap, but some concerns w sanitation --
one reviewer saw a rat sliding out the door. (7/94)

New Mother India ($$-) -- Waltham
336 Moody St, 893-3311
Kind of pricey, since they got a modern, swanky mauve storefront,
but very good food, though now somewhat less spicy. Lots of bottled
beers. Service recently reported to be problematic.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Oh Calcutta ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
468 Mass Ave, 576-2111
Favorite of many Indian connoisseurs, especially for lunch. Good for
dinner too; try golden biryani

Passage to India ($$) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1900 Mass Ave, 497-6113
The food gets mixed reviews. Good bets are the special dal nan, and
the vegetarian stuffed pepper, a roasted yellow pepper with a
chili-flavored sauce. Service is friendly, place is comfortable and
warm.

Shalimar ($$-) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
546 Mass Ave, 547-9280
Great place for dinner, w a few things that don't show up at other
places, like the Shrimp Do Piazza [which is entirely different from the
Lamb Do Piazza]. Realiably high quality, w extra points for freshness
& adjustability of spice level.

Taj India ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
781 Main St (nr Mass Ave), 354-4984
Decent inexpensive lunch buffet which is an excellent deal. Good
service. They now have a liquor license.

Tandoor ($+) -- Arlington
Mixed reviews, with the worst saying that Tandoor serves small
portions of cheap Indian fast food and doesn't pretend to rise above
medicrity or be anything more.

Tandoor House ($$-) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
567 Mass Ave, 661-9001
Reasonable prices, excellent tasty Mogul style food, friendly
service, though it can be noisy when crowded. Good & cheap for lunch.
But the food can be greasy, and the chicken pullao can include bits of
gristle and cartilage; might be best to go vegetarian here.

Taste of India ($$-) -- Watertown
91 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 926-1606
Indian food on a par with the best in Cambridge, but without the
traffic. Try the paneer dish from the small section of specialties on
the menu.

Indonesian Restaurants
**********************

Little Bali ($$) -- Somerville
300 Beacon St, joint w Jimmy Mac's
Mixed reviews on the food, which is a combination of
Javanese/Sumatra/ Balinese. They have gado-gado, chicken and pork
satays, bami kecap (pork), opor ayam (chicken), but no nasi goreng.
They have a vegetarian dinner as well. Some say the food is good,
others say its way too greasy. Service was fair; they seemed to not
have enough kitchen staff to really keep up with a Saturday night
crowd. The place has very interesting bbq decor with some Indonesian
bits thrown in, and as Jimmy Mac's, they still offer a bbq menu as
well. Seating for about 20. They have what they call a rijstaffel
but it's more just a dinner at $35 for 2 persons. You can also get
other dinners (about $14) and order a la carte as well.

Italian Restaurants
*******************

Al Dente ($$) -- North End
109 Salem St, 523-0990
Comfortable, though crowded, place, serving ample quantities of
well-flavored good quality food. Moderate prices; pleasant helpful
service. Delicious appetizers; succulent clean mussels & a light
flavorful rotini of eggplant. Wonderful specialities, particularly a
melange of chicken, seafood, artichokes,... w the ubiquitous side of
pasta. Go for the specials of the day. Gets busy early in warm
weather; always is packed late.

Appetito ($$) -- Newton Center, South End
761 Beacon St, Newton Center, 244-9881
1 Appleton St, South End, 338-6777
Prices: Most entrees $10-17
Good food, accent on Italian cuisine, moderate prices; long lines
sometimes. Excellent linguine with shrimp, scallops, garlic, tomatoes,
basil and scallions and "arrosto di pollo". [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Artu ($+) -- North End
6 Prince St (nr Hanover), 742-4336
Pleasant informal place with good Italian bistro food, more eclectic
& less expensive than usual for the North End. Good lamb & pork loin.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Azita Ristorante ($$+) -- South End
560 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 338-8070
Combination of Northern Italian & Nouvelle American, stylish &
romantic. Very very good, thoroughly modern Italian, moderately
pricey. Service is pleasantly informal but attentive. There's a
candle-lit annex which looks major-league romantic.

Bella Vista -- North End
288 Hanover St, 367-4999
A very attractive place, with a more open feeling than many other
North End restaurants. Though there are rarely lines there, this is a
wonderful place to go for pasta. The penne pasta with spicy tomato
sauce or the ziti al'arrabiata are favorite of vegetarians. The grilled
lamb and sausage dish is very good too, well prepared, though it may be
slightly tough. Service can be a bit slow. Entrees around $7-10. Amex
only.

Bertucci's ($+)
Faneuil Hall, 227-7889
43 Stanhope, Boston (Back Bay), 247-6161
683 VFW Pkwy, Boston (West Roxbury), 327-0898
4 Brookline Place, Brookline (Village), 731-2300
1 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge (Alewife), 876-2200
21 Brattle, Cambridge (Harvard Sq), 864-4748
799 Main St, Cambridge (Central Sq), 661-8356
Medford, 396-9933
275 Center St, Newton (Corner), 244-4900
197 Elm St, Somerville (Davis Sq), 776-9241
475 Winter St, Waltham, 684-0650
The most ubiquitous of the wood-fired-brick-oven pizza joints. High
quality (if sometimes a bit sparse) toppings. Recommended: Melanzana
(eggplant), Nolio (carmelized onion), Fra Diavolo,
pesto/proschiutto/artichokes/tomato slices. Excellent rolls, usually
served hot. Other Italian entrees and appetizers worth trying:
bruschetta, tomato-mozzerella salad, gnocchi. Cioppino portion tasty,
but on the small side. Went non-smoking in July. Noisy.

Blossoms ($$-) -- Charlestown
One First Ave (Rear), Bldg #34, Navy Yard, 242-1911

Bluestone Bistro ($+) [Italian Pizza] -- Brighton, Waltham
1799 Commonwealth Ave (at Chiswick), 254-8309,
T: Green Line, C train, Chiswick St stop
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: difficult (downstairs)
663 Main St (nr Moody), Waltham, across from town green, 891-3339
DineAccess: ok; Parking: nearby municipal lot
Dress: casual; VegOptions: some; ChildFriendly: yes w high chairs
Excellent pizzas, pasta (w interesting combinations), calzones (huge
at $6.75) & appetizers at very reasonable prices in a pleasant, but
somewhat noisy bistro atmosphere. The food is well-flavored but more
importantly, everything here tastes very fresh, including an
outstanding tangy tomato sauce w basil, very good on pasta and
ravioli. Good appetizers include the smokin' shrimp, and the maple
glazed scallops in bacon. Well-balanced salad dressings go on large
inexpensive salads; both the house and the Mediterranean salad are
good. The vegetarian lasagna, made with mascarpone cheese, is usually
superb, as is the wild mushroom (mainly potrabella) dish served over
linguine, but the asparagus w crabmeat calzone is disappointing.
Small, but very nice wine selection (nice merlot) and hard cider
available too. Service is friendly, but can be a bit scattered or
inexperienced at times, and waits for food can be stretched by the
large take-out business. Busy, so come early or expect to wait. Full
bar at both locations. (9/94)
[=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Caffe Lampara ($$-) -- Allston
916 Commonwealth Ave (nr St Paul's), 566-0300
Good atmosphere, dependable food, great bread. Authentic pizza.
Reasonably priced, pretty good wine list. Good fried polenta, lentil
soup, salads, antipasto & pastas.

California Pizza Kitchen ($+) -- Back Bay & Harvard Sq
Eliot St nr JFK, Harvard Sq, T: Red Line, Harvard Sq
DineAccess: yes
Prudential Mall, Back Bay
DineAccess: yes
Quite good! Delicious soups and salads, tasty sauces for pasta. The
Field Green salad was great, the small was enough for two, with a dozen
difficult-to-identify greens in it, and the greek salad is very good as
well. Not an Italian style "crust/tomato- sauce/cheese" pizza-place,
instead, lots of funky Calif-style pizzas, many with chicken, or more
unusual ingredients, such as the very good peking duck pizza. Their
Moo Shi Calzone is really weird, but tasty. More unusual and exotic
than Bertucci's, but reviews are mixed as to which is better. Also,
pizzas come in individual sizes only. Avoid the Black Bean Shrimp and
Pasta and beware of flat soda. Good lemonade though. Overall very
good service, bright atmosphere, casual but neat. Not too crowded
(yet). Beer & Wine. (7/94) [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Cantin Abruzzi ($$-) -- Newton Highlands
51-53 Lincoln St, 964-7260
Family friendly, reasonably priced, pleasant atmosphere, friendly
staff. The food is good, though not particularly adventurous, and not
as good as it was when it opened in the mid 80's. Often a long wait
for tables from Thursday to Sunday.

Ciao Bella ($$$-) -- Back Bay
240A Newbury St at Fairfield, 536-2626
Upscale, excellent pasta, but last time I was there, admittedly late
at night, the Carpaccio was dry and tasteless.

Cinderella's ($) [Italian] -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
901 Main Street, nr Mass Ave, 576-0280; T: Red Line @ Central Sq
Hours: Su-We 11am-1am, Th-Sa 11am-2am
Food: Very good food, not too spicy; if you like garlic, you will like
this place.
GoodDishes: Their pasta dishes have all been very good. The
sandwiches are also very good. Try the garlic bread at your own risk
(risk of garlic-OD, that is).
Service: *very* casual, not so fast, but pleasant
Ambience: small, half a dozen tables not usually too crowded. Well
kept, but not fancy
Other: Free, prompt, friendly delivery (8/94) [=> Menu ]

Da Natale -- North End
448 Hanover St (nr Commercial), 720-4480

Davio's ($$$-) -- Back Bay
269 Newbury St, 262-4810
Very good tiramisu.

Davio's ($$$-) -- East Cambridge
Royal Sonesta, 5 Cambridge Pkwy, 661-4810
Very good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere. Try the
grilled squid & chick pea crespelle, pizzas, corn chowder, rabbit
ravioli, chicken w pappardelle, salmon, skirt steak. In general, the
meat & fish dishes are great but perhaps too rich. For dessert, try
the white chocolate torte & mango sorbet. Good wine list.
Inconsistent service. Also very nice lunches.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Davio's ($$$-) -- Brookline Village
204 Washington St, Brookline Village, 738-4810
Hours: Early Bird Special Mo-Th 5-6:30, Fr-Su 5-6
Prices: Most entrees $12-20
Good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere. Try the salt cod
lobster cakes, pasta, duck, lamb & salmon, braised lamb shanks, and rib
steaks.

Dom's ($$$+) -- North End
100 Bartlett Place, off Salem St, 367-8979
T: Green Line @ Haymarket
DineAccess: difficult; ToiletAccess: difficult
CreditCards: yes; OutdoorDine: no
Reservations: essential; ChildFriendly: no; Dress: dressy
VegOptions: some; LowFat: no; Rating: good to very-good
A somewhat eccentric restaurant w mixed reviews. The menu is ummm..
interestingly organized, but Dom or his son will sit down with you to
have a detailed serious discussion about your order, and if you
express indecision about dishes, on occasion he will offer a small
portion of the cheaper one for free or a reduced price. They offer a
discount (5%) for cash payments.
Food: In general, generous portions of high-quality, Northern
Italian cooking, that is sometimes great, and sometimes misses the
mark. The use of quality ingredients adds multidimensional layers of
flavor to every dish. Outstanding veal dishes, and very fine pasta
dishes. Generally good seafood dishes. Risotto and osso bucco are
good, but can be overcooked. Some dishes, especially the more
expensive ones (including the osso bucco), are simply too rich,
without the subtlety or variety of flavoring that redeem them from
simply being artery cloggers. Desserts are quite good, especially the
chocolate cheesecake, but are overpriced and marred by perhaps the
worst espresso in the North End.
Beverages: The wine selection is rather expensive.
Service: The service can be problematic when they are busy. Even w
reservations, you may wait a while to be seated. One can have trouble
getting bread and water served, and requests may either be forgotten
or fulfilled very slowly.
Ambience: You will find the tiny faux brick dining room in the
basement to be somewhere between lovely and tacky, and it can be
noisy, though the brick walls control the noise levels somewhat.
Nevertheless, if you enjoy the food, you will find this a lovely
romantic experience. (8/94)

Emporio Armani Express ($$$) -- Back Bay
214 Newbury St, 437-0909
Marvelous food, exquisite pastries, very good service. More a scene
than anything else, though the food is rather good with superb pizza &
risotto. A place for the glitterati.
[=> reviews ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Enzo Ristorante ($$+) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
329 Harvard St, 277-1288
One of my favorites; very nice ossu buco w risotto, excellent wait
staff, moderately priced lunches, nice wines & romantic ambience. Also
try antipasto, carpacio, saltimbocca, pappardelle alla bolognese, or
anything grilled.

Figs ($$) -- Charlestown
67 Main St, 242-2229
Memorable pasta & the best pizza in town; try the calamari pizza or
the fig w prosciutto. Wonderful bread too, perhaps even better than
the pizza. And try any dessert. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Five North Square ($$$-) -- North End
5 North Sq, 720-1050
Enjoyable food & intimate atmosphere. Great Caeser Salad for 2.

Florentina ($$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
143 Main St, 577-8300
A great place for a cheap, interesting, authentically Italian lunch
in a pleasant atmosphere. Much pricier for dinner with mixed reviews.
Excellent, though somewhat overpriced appetizers, including the
antipasto & portabella mushrooms. Excellent pepper pasta w grilled
chicken, well made & perfectly spiced, and a very big portion.
Excellent tiramisu & cinnamon ice cream. A recent review indicates
problems with the food and the service (10/94). [=> review ]
[=> lunch menu ]

Giacomo's ($$$-) -- North End, South End
431 Columbus Ave, South End, 266-1122, 536-5723
Hours: Mo-Th 5-10, Fr-Sa 5-11, Su Br 11-3, Su Di 5-9
Reservations: only for parties of 6 or more; CreditCards: yes
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok
355 Hanover St (betw Little Prince & Fleet), North End, 523-9026
A tiny, get-em-in-and-out place, with prompt, but not overly rushed
service. Go early or expect a long wait. Not a place for an intimate,
lingering evening, but a fun, light, busy atmosphere. The food is
better than what might be expected -- excellent Italian-style seafood,
though the prices seem a bit high.

Giannino's ($$$-) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
in the Charles Hotel courtyard, 20 University Rd, 661-0733
Attractive, quiet cozy place, with wonderful northern Italian food and
very pleasant service (though there are reports of rudeness from the
hosts). Nice ambience incl nice view of the hotel courtyard. It's
been suggested, with justification, that the power lunch crowd goes to
Rarities, while people who don't need to impress anyone go to
Giannino. This is a place where anything you order from the varied
menu will be excellent.
GoodDishes: The wild mushroom w garlic cream sauce is especially
good. Also try the eggplant appetizer & the risotto. The desserts
are very good also. Many entrees can be ordered in half portions.
Excellent wine list with many wines not widely known. (10/94)

G'Vanni's ($$$-) -- North End
2 Prince St (nr Hanover), 523-0107
Consistently excellent food, emphasis on quality meat & seafood,
prompt & professional service. Good cream of mushroom soup,
excellent seafood pescatore (huge portion!), and superb raspberry
cannoli. Good, but not exceptional house wines.

Il Capriccio ($$$$-) -- Waltham
53 Prospect St, 894-2234
Excellent Northern Italian food, a great wine list, a tad snooty.
Try the lemon mousse nut dessert. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Il Nido ($$$) -- North End
257 North St, 742-4272

L'Osteria ($$) -- North End
109 Salem St (at Parmenter), 723-7847
Nice enough place, not a terribly inspired menu, quiet, not fancy.
Dinner for two was under $30, with a couple glasses of wine.

La Conte ($$-) -- North End
Salem St
Small restaurant with excellent food, very generous servings, good,
inobtrusive, fast service, and reasonable prices. Excellent spaghetti
carbonara and chicken marsala. Ok wine list.

La Groceria ($$) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
853 Main St, 497-4214
Mixed reviews. Some say it's still good food, others say it's
overrated and overpriced, and eats like "Cambridge WASPS do Italian".
Good Penne Amalfi. Beware of coming for the early dinner special, but
being seated late. And beware of an older woman who is an especially
rude waittress. (8/94) [=>reviews]

La Piccola Venezia ($+) -- North End
63 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 523-9802
Very straightforward, cheap Italian-American food. A fun place w a
family feel. The place is small, the tables are VERY close, the
waitresses call you dear and put their hand on your shoulder when you
order, and the owner's relatives serenade you on accordian. This is an
order a pitcher of the house red wine kind of place. The traditional
dishes (gnocchi, calamari) are best. However, some think that the food
and ambience are awful, but there's always long lines.

Mamma Maria ($$$) -- North End
3 North Sq at Prince St, 523-0077
Pricey, but wonderful food and an interesting menu. Fawning service.
Good wine list. A romantic evening in a charming building.

Massimino's ($$) -- North End
207 Endicott St, 523-5959
3 min walk from North Station or Haymarket T stations
One of the better of the inexpensive North End Italian restaurants.
Casual; fast service; off the beaten North End track, which probably
helps. Small, unpretentuous, excellent food, especially vegetable
dishes. Try the gnocchi Massimino's, potato gnocchi of just the right
density, with a robust sauce of olive oil, carmelized onions and black
pepper, or the pork chops w potatoes & vinegared peppers.

Milano's ($$) -- Back Bay
47 Newbury St, 267-6150
OutdoorDine: yes
On Newbury St, but actually has very good food, good prices and good
service without the pretense. There is usually a long wait during the
weekends and no waiting area.
Food: Interesting dishes, incl brick-over pizza, and great pasta.
Excellent food, but portions are on the small side; a salad is a must
if you are hungry. Tasty desserts, and a nice wine list,
Prices: Entree and salad: $10 - $14 per person (8/94)

Mother Anna's ($$) -- North End
211 Hanover St (at Cross St), 523-8496
Great food, good portions, reasonably priced. Try the Chicken
Creation [kind of Chicken Eggplant Parmesan] & Shrimp Exquisito.

Nana Cora's ($$-) -- East Boston
295 Bennington, 569-1551
Small family-owned restaurant w very good moderately priced food,
including some excellent made-to-order dishes.

Nicole ($$) -- North End
54 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 742-6999
A wonderful place. Cozy atmosphere, wonderful food, an admirable
wine list. It's not cheap, but it's not excessively expensive either.

Old Spaghetti Factory ($+) -- Waterfront
44 Pittsburgh St (nr Northern Ave), 737-8757
Inexpensive family restaurant w funky entertaining furnishings.
Mostly standard fare except for the excellent spaghetti in browned
butter and mizithra cheese. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Olive's ($$$) [Nouvelle Northern Italian] -- Charlestown
10 City Sq, 242-1999, 5 min walk from North Staton T
Reservations: no, often long waits
Great, though rich and heavy food. Semi-Italian creative, menu
changes seasonally. Expensive, but ample portions. The consensus is
that the food is rarely disappointing, though some would argue that
though there are very original culinary ideas here, execution falls
just short of the mark.
GoodDishes: Excellent creative seafood dishes, such as whole sauteed
red snapper with garlic mashed potates & olive / eggplant chutney, good
lamb & duck, excellent desserts.
Beverages: The wine list had good selection, and fairly reasonable
prices.
Bad Dishes: Avoid the (cold) creamed spinach w mushrooms
Ambience: A very popular hangout for the well-heeled yuppie and
beautiful people set, or for those who totally trust the Zagat guides.
The brick-oven, hustle-bustle, very noisy atmosphere can either be very
annoying or cozy and romantic, depending on what like.
Service: Service is attentive, efficient, and polite, and is better
than might be expected given the hustle-bustle. However, service can
be extremely slow when they are busy, especially in the bar, and can
sometimes be downright surly. (9/94)
[=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

PapaRazzi ($$) -- Newton (Chestnut Hill), East Cambridge, Back Bay
Chestnut Hill Mall, Newton, 527-6660
Cambridgeside Galleria, Cambridge, 577-0009
271 Dartmouth St nr Boylston, Back Bay, 536-9200
Lots of people like this place, though I found the pasta entries
disappointing, although the Bolognese is quite good, albeit too small a
portion. At some Papparazzi locations one can order "grande" portions
of pasta, which are intended to feed 3-4 people, for about double the
price of a "medio" (regular) portion. Unusual appetizers w very good
carpaccio. Mixed reviews on pizza, good salads, good for lunch. Try
the antipasto plate, insalata toscana, grilled eggplant & mozzarella
sandwich, chicken sandwich & pesto pizza. Good veal dishes, roasted
chicken, lobster ravioli, Tuscan sausage. Very reasonably priced wine
list. Chestnut Hill is the best location. Also in Burlington
and Wellesley.

Pomodoro ($$) -- North End
319 Hanover St, 367-4348
A small place w a small menu and an exposed kitchen that can serve
some wonderful imaginative dishes, including a nice collection of
soups, stews and specials, at reasonable prices. Try the suckling pig.
Cash only. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Porcini's ($$+) -- Watertown
68 School St, 924-2221
Most people think the place is great -- imaginative flavorful
preparations using quality ingredients (though one dissenting review
found the food overseasoned), good portions, moderate prices, pleasant
professional waitstaff; overall a very enjoyable place to eat.
Excellent Cacciucco (flavorful Italian fish stew); maple-roasted pork
rib chop; wood-grilled shrimp w tomatoes, fennel & oyster mushrooms;
beef tenderloin tart w risotto & porcini sauce, tuna steak w pimentoes,
roasted garlic & tomatoes; pan fried ravioli w butternut squash &
prosciutto; exquisite veal; very good Spaghetti Bolognese; and
irresistible desserts. The actual entrees available will probably be
different when you go though; the menu changes seasonally.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Ristorante Lucia ($$+) -- North End
415 Hanover St, 367-2353
Crowded & pricey, but quite good. Also in Winchester.

Ristorante Marino ($$+) [Italian Natural] -- North Cambridge
2465 Mass Ave (nr Washburn), 868-5454
Prices: Entrees $13-18, apps $3-7
All pesticide-free, anitibiotic-free, hormore-free ingredients, though
some say this also means that it is flavor-free and overpriced, while
others say that the food is excellent. Good pasta but even better roast
and grilled meats. Organic vegetables are the highlight, also
steroid-free free-range meats. Good sourdough rolls, served w herbed
olive oil. Try the porchetta & pasta, butternut squash ravioli, and the
roast pork. Better than average wine list. Full bar. Espresso and
cappucino available, including decaf.
The servers are knowledgable and professional, never rude but not
especially friendly. The maiun room has high ceilings with a trellis
covered with plants; light, spacious and airy. Well-lit, not smoky.
Tables a little too close together. Very busy and popular and weekend
evenings - get reservations.

Ristorante Toscano ($$$+) -- Beacon Hill
41 Charles St (nr Mt Vernon), 723-4090
Mixed reviews. Some say elegant food, w nice ambience; others say
hugely over-rated w boring food & small selection.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Rocco's ($$$) -- Theater District
Transportation Building, 5 Charles St South, 723-6800
Pricey, but very good. Similar to Michela's. Wild theatrical decor.
Great pasta. Very creamy sauce w the Spaghetti Carbonara. Bread served
w olive oil & roast garlic. Interesting wine list.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Sablone's Veal 'N Vintage ($$) -- East Boston
107A Porter St (nr Logan local traffic exit), 567-8140
Excellent veal. Mostly patronized by locals, next to impossible to
get in on weekends.

Saraceno's ($$+) -- North End
286 Hanover St (betw Cross & Richmond), 227-5353
Great Italian food -- perhaps the best traditional Italian in the
North End. Unfortunately not cheap. Get the vegetable side dishes,
because someone in the kitchen really knows how to saute. Very good
service, lovely presentation of the food. Reservations needed for
dinner. A wonderful place to take out of town guests.

Saro's ($$-) -- Waltham
Main St (Rt 117 nr 128), 899-SARO
Not fine dining, but a hole in the wall. Mixed reviews -- from
unusual and great dishes, w nice ambience and great jazz on the stereo"
to "awful ambience, bored and ignorant waitstaff, no better than what
you can make at home". Lots of food though.

Schifino ($$$-) -- Downtown
21 Broad St (betw State & Milk), 523-0590
Wonderful restaurant w good friendly service. Superb calamari salad
and main courses.

Sorento's ($$-) -- West Fenway
86 Peterborough St (betw Kilmarnock & Jersey), 424-7070
Wonderful small casual place; you can taste the garlic when you nter!
Service is sometimes flaky, but the food's always very ood here. They
know how to cook pasta al dente. Try the Rigatoni ilano, and the
reliably good scampi. Good pizzas & calzones too.

Spasso ($$) -- Back Bay
160 Commonwealth (at Dartmouth), 536-8656
Yes its a hotspot and a meat market, but the creative Northern
Italian food is quite good, and at off hours, it can be a nice quiet
little place -- the nice, quiet below-street-level patio seating area
that makes it seem you are someplace calmer than the Back Bay. Good
service. Prices are moderate, but some claim that the food is
overpriced and rumored to be going downhill, and the wine list still
leaves something to be desired.

Stellina ($$$-) -- Watertown Sq
47 Main St, 924-9475
Bistro ambience, combination of Italian & Nouvelle. Well prepared
and flavorful foods. Lots of imaginative dishes at moderate prices.
Friendly place. Excellent warm tomato salad, good spicy black bean
soup, outstanding bread. Minority opinion is that meat entrees &
desserts can be disappointing. (7/94)

Terramia ($$$-) -- North End
98 Salem St, 523-3112
Very good Nouvelle Italian food. Entusiastic wait staff.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Trattoria Il Panino: Dining Room ($$$+) -- North End
Parmenter St, 2nd floor, North End 338-1000
Franklin St, Downtown
Excellent vegetable antipasto, wild mushroom risotto, fresh ravioli
stuffed w lobster & mushrooms, veal sauteed in wine & pine nuts. Avoid
the chicken w prosciutto in cream sauce. Very good tiramisu, but still
lacking good liquor and expresso flavors. If you want water, you must
buy it. Popular, make reservations or arrive very early.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Trattoria Il Panino: Il Bistro ($$+) -- North End
Parmenter St, 1st floor, 338-1001
Better than average food. Fair prices, clean, and relaxed.
Good pasta dishes, especially good gnocchi. (9/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Trattoria Pulcinella ($$$) [Northern Italian] -- West Cambridge
147 Huron Ave (nr Concord Ave), 491-6336;
T: #72, 74, 78 bus @ Concord Ave; DineAccess: ok
Credit Cards: NO!, checks ok; Hours: Dinner only, Closed Mo
An informal cafe serving terrific Northern Italian food, much more
relaxed than previous restaurants in this space, but still not cheap.
They've made the decor a lot less formal, and it's somewhat noisier than
it used to be but still not overly loud. A fair amount of grilled meat
and fish and a lot of extra virgin olive oil. The food quality varies
from fairly good to superb, with the waiters' suggestions being
reliable. Good range of Italian reds wines, adequate whites. (7/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Waltham
361 Moody St (betw Spruce & Walnut), 891-5486
Hours: Dinner Tu-Th til 9:30, Fr-Sa til 10
Reservations: essential; NonSmoking: completely; Dress: casual
Very good nouvelle cuisine. Pricey, need reservations, worth it. You
can sit at the food bar in the back and watch them cook. The softshell
crab is exceptional. Also try the gnocchi, cacciucco, grilled squid,
shrimp, steak & duckling. (8/94)
[=> Middlesex News Review ]

Uva ($$+) -- Brighton
1418 Commonwealth Ave, 566-5670
Nice neighborhood bistro, large portions, good antipasto & pizza,
wonderful entrees. Choose your own ingredients for pasta.
GoodDishes: Eggplant salad (on the antipasto), crostini w an olive
spread. The grilled lamb served tender and perfectly medium rare,
over foccaicia, w roasted new potatoes and arugala, chicken
saltimbocca (chicken breast served with mozzerella, spinach,
prosciutto, and a sage butter sauce that was just wonderful). For
dessert, the macademia nut ice cream with a dark chocolate terrine,
and raspberry sauce over.
Beverages: Extensive & reasonably priced wine list.
Service: good
Ambience: relatively casual.
Prices: It's pricey, but not outrageous. Entrees were $13-20 or so
(7/94) [=> mixed reviews ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Vinny Testa's ($$) -- Brookline (Washington Sq), Newton (Four Corners)
1700 Beacon St, Washington Sq, 277-3400
1114 Beacon St (west of Walnut), Newton Four Corners, 332-6767
Outdoor Dining Available in Washington Sq; Accessible: Yes
Hours: Open late (11pm or so) weekends
Good food with overly enormous portions. Large pleasant room w an
informal, comfortable & tasteful atmosphere. You'll be happiest if you
stick to simple foods. Good pasta, eggplant, chicken & veal parmigiana,
shrimp scampi, and very good salads, though the Caeser salad gets mixed
reviews. The bread served with roasted whole garlic in olive oil is
great. Meals come in either solo or large size. Solo meals run from
about $9-16 & includes a large dish of pasta. The large meals cannot be
finished by anyone. For $3.50, you can get a side salad that is served
family style and is easily enough for three.

Japanese Restaurants
********************

Cafe Mami ($) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall], 547-9130
Very authentic food, but service can be very slow

Eliot/Kotobukiya ($+) -- Back Bay
Mass Ave, betw Newbury & Commonwealth Ave.
There's definitely a niche for a casual, quick, inexpensive sushi
bar, the place where you'd go if you just wanted a tekka maki or two
and weren't expecting a really stellar experience. Mixed reviews on
whether or not the Eliot fills that niche, primarily because the
service varies from reasonable to abysmal/nonexistent when crowded.
However, the sushi is good (not terrific, but good), and if the wait
for sushi is bad, you can always have noodles! (8/94)

Cafe Sushi ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Central Sq), 492-0434
Just reopening, previously known for good quality food. It's mostly
sushi with a few salads and appetizers and one or two other dishes,
including hot pots, which are unexceptional. The quality is good.
Quality comparable to Roka, with a wider variety of ingredients but
fewer interesting combos on the menu. On the other hand, the guys at
Cafe Sushi will make you whatever you want if you ask them nicely. For
beer, stick to the Kirin. Service can be glacial if you don't sit at
the sushi bar, which can be good or bad depending on what you have in
mind. Beware of the 15% service charge they add for takeout!

Ginza ($$$) -- Chinatown
16 Hudson St (nr Beach), 338-2261
CreditCards: yes; OutdoorDine: no; Reservations: accepted
Dress: casual
Prices: depending on how much you eat, can run anywhere from $10-20
to $40-50 per person. $4 - $9 for sushi a al carte
Food: Majority opinion is that this is one of the best Japanese
restaurants around, w a huge selection of excellent sashimi (esp the
melt-in-your-mouth salmon) and sushi, including very tasty maki in
interesting designs, such as caterpillar, spider, and scorpion, though
a minority think that fresher & better quality sushi can be had
elsewhere for less.
GoodDishes: Perfectly fried tempura. The Ginza boat ($72 for 2
people), a beautiful display of food, comes with sashimi, shumai,
tempura, raw beef, baked lobster, plus soup and salad.
Service: Generally very courteous and quick. The waitresses are
polite and nice. There can be serious screw-ups in service though.
Ambience: From the outside, the place looks small but once you go
inside, you realize it is really big. There are two huge rooms, the
main one has the sushi bar. The place is nicely laid out and
well-lit, but the air-conditioner can sometimes be revved up way too
high (8/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Goemon ($+) -- Symphony Area
267 Huntington Ave (nr Gainsborough), Boston, 859-8669
Japanese Noodle house with good Soba, Udon, and Ramen with Hot or
Cold Broth and a wide choice of toppings, generously provided. There
are complaints that at Symphony the soup is served luke-warm w mushy
overcooked noodles.

Gyuhama of Japan ($$+) -- Back Bay
827 Boylston St (betw Gloucester & Fairfield), 437-0188
T: Green Line @ Hynes Convention Center
Good, generally fresh sushi; opinion varies as to whether it is
great or not. The "Treasure Boat" is nice looking and has a good
assortment, but is overpriced. Avoid anything in the annoying
"ice-cream cone" roll...they are too small and hard to eat. Its a
small place w a nice setting and the service is generally polite and
courteous, though the head hostess can be quite volatile w loud
parties, and a recent review warns of extremely inappropriate behavior
on the part of the management. Becomes "Rock & Roll Sushi" from 11pm
to 2am, which can be fun if you can tolerate or emulate the upscale
snobbish clientele. (8/94)
[=> reviews ]

Hana Sushi ($$-) -- North Cambridge
Reliable excellent sushi. The presentation isn't as fancy as some
places, but the quality is high. The eel is particularly fine, as is
the ohitashi. It is a small, clean place with good service and
moderate prices. They deliver, also. (7/94)

Ichiban ($$-) -- Allston
166 Harvard Ave (betw Coomonwealth & Brighton Ave), 787-5656
A small storefront, a tad crowded, lower than average prices. A
good place to sit at the sushi bar. Good sushi, noodle dishes, esp
seafood yaki udon & chachamen noodles & dumplings. Also try the
pressed sushi, cucumber roll, spicy tuna, salmon salad, soft-shell
crab maki (pretty good, but not quite great), chicken & beef teriyaki.
The songpan is ok, but not great, and the miso soup was flavorless.
On a Sunday night a few weeks after the place opened, the service was
truly awful.

Ittyo ($+) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall], 354-5944
Excellent noodle dishes and donburi, especially the eel. Very good
Shrimp & Veggie Tempura w Udon.

Koto ($$+) -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond)
465 Concord Ave, 491-6600
Small mom & pop sort of place seats 34 people with 6 more at the
sushi bar. It may not be the very best Japanese food around, but
*great* value -- very good fresh, high quality fish, thickly sliced;
the $13.50 chirashi sushi is so jam-packed it's tough to finish;
likewise the noodle dishes are usually more than one person can eat.
The sushi chef makes some truly novel combination maki! There's an
"Early Bird Special" which is a dinner box for $9.50. There is a
choice of 5 different boxes, sushi, tempura, chicken teryaki, chicken
katsu, and yakitori/yakisoba. The Early Bird Special is offered
Tuesday through Thursday 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM.
GoodDishes: Octopus, unagi, salmon, uni, plum maki (strong), miso
soup, tempura.
BadDishes: Rice!
Ambience: Pleasant, simple, moderately informal decor; Needs
better air-conditioning on hot days.
Prices: Appetizer prices ranged from $4 to $8. (8/94)
[=> Boston Sushi Society Review ]

Kotobukiya ($+) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall], 354-6914
Perhaps the cheapest good sushi in town; the quality is ok, but the
ambience and presentation are not fancy, and the pieces are small.
(8/94)

Maluken ($$) -- Kenmore Sq
645 Beacon St on west corner of Kenmore Sq, 859-3149
Huge menu with lots of variety, especially lots of appetizers.
Excellent but expensive fresh thickly cut sushi, good soups &
ohitashi. The tempura is somewhat disappointing; the batter is a tad
too thick, and too little variety in the vegetables.

Miyako ($$+) -- Back Bay
279A Newbury St (at Gloucester), 236-0222
Wonderful sushi and other dishes, with a stylish twist. try the eel
and the mackarel oshi sushi, the smoked salmon sushi & the basil &
plum paste maki.

Nara ($$) -- Downtown
85 Wendell St (at Broad), 338-5935
Very fresh and tasty food. Good selection of sushi and also other
dishes for non-sushi eaters. Most of the sushi pieces (except
futomaki) are bite sized. Very friendly owner and waitstaff.
Frequented by Japanese business folk - always a good sign. Try
futomaki (large maki roll), chicken katsu (fried chicken bits w/
veggies), version of California roll using eel rather than crab.
Prices are moderate (more than Porter Square, less than Roka). Very
busy at lunch, but more relaxed at dinner time. (8/94)

Porter Exchange Mall -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1815 Mass Ave, T: Red Line @ Porter Sq
The place to go for an authentic Japanese eating experience, with a
number of little stalls such as you might find at a Tokyo train
station -- modest and fresh food, well prepared. Includes Kotobukiya,
Ittyo, Cafe Mami, and Sapporo Ramen. There's also Seki Tei, a sit
down Japanese restaurant, a Japanese grocery, Shiatsu massage, and
Masao's Kitchen -- a macrobiotic restaurant.

Roka ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1001 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Central Sq), 661-0344
Reliably good, fresh sushi, somewhat expensive; also lots of
interesting maki rolls. Perhaps not the best in the area, but a good
alternative. Not much of a sushi bar; it's more of a sit-down place w
good service. Great eel! Watch out for extra charges for extra
ginger, wasabi & inside-out California roll.

Sakura ($+) -- Waltham
on a little street off Rt 117, a block or so from Rt 20, 891-0720
A very nice homey traditional Japanese place in a non-descript
clapboard house, reminiscent of a somewhat rundown Tokyo
restaurant. Small, maybe 8 tables, service sometimes suffers.
Karaoke music. Average but not excellent food. BYOB. Possibly
closed Sunday; limited hours in general.

Sakurabana ($$) -- Downtown
57 Broad St (nr Milk & State Sts), 542-4311
Excellent sushi, a tad pricey, but a welcome break if you happen to be
at Quincy Market and don't relish a dinner of greasy things. Recently
redecorated, so its nice inside though rather small. The sushi is still
better than many places, and there is disagreement about whether it has
gone downhill some. Good Sushi heaven & Boston Maki. Don't forget to
look at the specials board near the cash register, because there's
always something fun to try. Small parking lot next door, but you need
to pay.
[=> Menus and on-line ordering ]

Sapporo Ramen ($+) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall], 876-4805
Japanese noodle house, very good, just like Japan. One reviewer
recently complained about the taste of cinnamon in their ramen.

Shogun ($$) -- West Newton
1385 Washington St (nr Elm), 965-6699
Small homey pleasant place, a couple of blocks from the W Newton
Cinema. Consistently good food, reasonably priced for Japanese
food. Non-smoking. Very low staff turnover. Can fill up as the
evening progresses. Good Chicken Katsu.

Takeshima ($$) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
308 Harvard St (nr Babcock), 566-0200
Pleasant place, reasonable prices, very good food & service.
a perfect neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Good sushi and
popular enough to be crowded on weekday nights.

Tatsukichi ($$+) -- Faneuil Hall
189 State St (nr Atlantic Ave), 720-2468
Very fresh, reliably excellent sushi. Also good cooked
appetizers, especially their specialty, kashiage -- little
tidbits deep fried and served on sticks. Huge portions of
shabu-shabu. Karaoke bar upstairs w stiff cover that caters to
Japanese.

Tokyo Restaurant ($$$-) -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond)
307 Fresh Pond Parkway, 876-6600
Authentic Japanese food, frequented by visited Japanese business
people. Excellent fresh, well prepared sushi in many varieties, and a
good yakitori bar also. Don't miss the Dobinmushi (soup). The sushi
lunch platters are really nice, but a bit expensive ($12 to $15); the
general consensus is that the place is overpriced. Service is on the
slow side - not a place to go for a quick meal. Tatami rooms can be
reserved for $20 extra, a really nice touch for a quiet, private
dinner.

Korean Restaurants
******************

Arirang House ($) -- Symphony
162 Mass Ave, 536-1277
The reviews on the food overall seem to vary (other Korean
restarants seem to be better), but the reason to come here is the
all-you-can-eat buffet for $7.50 (at dinner; for lunch it is $5.50),
featuring a great variety of Korean food cooked to all levels of
spiciness -- nothing spectular, but still, generally quite good. The
meats are a tad fatty, and the jigaes a bit salty, but the pan-chan
were good. There are over 20 items at the buffet (almost all Korean)
including several types of kim-chi. There's also california roll, but
it is mediocre. About the only drawback is that the buffet dishes
aren't labeled, so you should ask for help if you're wary of very
spicy foods. (9/94)

Cafe Han River ($) [Korean] -- Brookline (St Mary's)
1009A Beacon St, 739-6221; T: Green Line C @ St Mary's
Hours: 'til 10:30; OutdoorDine: no; NonSmoking: completely;
DineAccess: ok; Dress: casual; VegOptions: some; LowFat: pretty good
Rating: very-good; Beverages: No alcohol
A Korean cafe that looks more like an industrial modern sandwich
place -- very clean, brightly lit, a counter down one wall and a few
tables. Very pleasant and surprisingly good. Order from the limited
menu at the counter for both eat-in or take-out. Very good bibim-bop
($6.25) and bulgolgi on brown rice. Kimchee could be a tad spicier.
(8/94)

Han Mi Ok ($$-) -- Brighton Center
351 Washington St (nr Market), 783-2090, T: #57 & #86 bus
Very good Korean food in a slightly funky but pleasant cozy
atmosphere. The food is not as highly spiced as some other places, the
portions are larger, and prices are moderate. Very fresh sushi,
wonderful noodle soup dishes, especially the seafood ones. Lots of beef
dishes, lots of seafood specials on the blackboard, not much for
vegetarians. Try the squid dish or the beef bulgogi for a safe intro to
the cuisine. The bibimbap is good, too. Sometimes the service can be
slow when crowded (mostly w Asians at the sushi bar). Thai & Chinese
food too, and the spicy fried squid, under the Chinese menu, is
outstanding. No sushi on Wednesdays.

Hometown/Kohyang ($$-) -- Somerville (Union Sq)
9A Union Sq, 623-7220
The food quality seems to vary enormously, ranging from delicious to
horrible, and on the sushi from below average to fresh & well
prepared. Friendly service, reasonable prices, mostly Korean
clientele (including some w diplomatic license plates). Try squid
Korean style.

Kaya ($$) -- Back Bay
521 Boylston St, 236-5858, T: Green Line @ Copley
Hours: Open till 11pm daily.
Well prepared flavorful dishes, in generous portions, and served at
just the right temperature. Good choices are dumpling soup, skewered
chicken, yaki gyoza, steak tartare, red snapper shioyaki, galbi, spicy
stir-fried squid, bi bim bap, chapchae, tempura udon, green tea & red
bean ice cream. Also very good reasonably priced sushi, though the
size of slices varies tremendously from visit to visit. Avoid the
spicy pork dish, and note that the rice can be gummy. Food can take a
while to come, and once it does, you may need to work to get your wait
person's attention. Nice place w a lot of greenery, quiet even when
crowded w upscale Asian clientele. (8/94)
[=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Korea Garden ($$-) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
20 Pearl St, 492-9643
This is a very good, small, family-run restaurant. A nice traditional
place w nothing too inventive and a fairly limited menu, but what the
place serves is prepared well and consistently. And with lots of
garlic! Their Ok dol bi bim bap is excellent, and stone-pot dishes are
good also. Lots of Koreans eat here, giving confidence that the food is
fairly authentically Korean. Service is friendly and low-key; the
atmosphere is casual and relaxed. Reasonable prices.

Korea House ($$-) -- Brighton
111 Chiswick St (off Comm. Ave, betw Wash. & Market), 783-7030
One of the better Korean restaurant in Boston, great soup dishes,
though some are extremely fiery. Clientele is almost exclusively
Korean, therefore there is no such thing as a non-smoking section.
Service can be slow since it's a family run place. The restaurant does
traditional dishes traditional style (as opposed to Jae's or Han Mi Ok,
which adds more vegetables than usual). Best Bul Go Gi and Kim Chee
stew around here. Stir-Fried Squid and Bi Bim Bap are also good.
Avoid the sushi.

Koreana ($$) -- Cambridge (~Inman Sq)
154 Prospect (at Broadway), 576-8661
An ambitious variety of Korean food in a pleasant atmosphere with
comfy booths and somewhat variable service. Very fresh sushi; especially
the hamachi. The Korean food is really very fiery, though they will
make it milder on request (but it will still be quite hot). Some dishes
are exceptional (such as the stir fried squid and baby octupus); others
are still fairly good, but not as good as elsewhere. Good standard
condiments. Open til 1 am some nights. Parking can be a problem.
Prices somewhat high.

Matsu-Ya ($$) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
1790 Mass Ave (nr Arlington), 491-5091
Food generally well done, not very spicy though, with good noodle
dishes. Reasonable prices. Small place, relatively quiet, though it
can get crowded on weekends. A number of complaints, though, about
abysmal service. See review.)

Seoul House ($$-) -- Newton Center
57 Union St (across from T stop), 244-6438
Small family run place w good, reliable, but slightly suburbanized
food. Portions just a tad small; prices just a tad high. The best
stuff here is the Galbi and Bulgogi. (9/94)

Shilla ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
95 Winthrop St (off JFK), 547-7971; Prices: $10-15/person
Very good Korean food -- a fun place w a wondeful menu and lots of
interesting things to try. They give you the typical korean entries
when you order like kimchee and sprouts but they give you a couple
more like cucumber and a little seafood type dish, so that is a nice
bonus. The food is always well prepared and in generous portions so
go with a large appetite! Excellent Bibim Bap, esp. the version in
the stone pot, very good cold noodles, and they serve a wondeful huge
bowl of soup which includes meat dumplings, rice sticks, noodles,
cilantro, and other goodies. The sushi is ok, and reasonably priced,
but not always the freshest.
Service/Ambience: The service is friendly and courteous. Also very
relaxed, so you may need to flag down the waiter/waitress in order to
get the eheck, more water, or anything else. Unlike other
Korean/Japanese places, Shilla is very wide open and uncramped. The
tables are huge and are not in close proximity to other tables, so you
don't have to worry about squeezing into a table and practically
becoming close friends with the table next to you. They have two
stories, but mostly use the first floor. (7/94)

WooChon ($$-) -- Somerville (Union Sq)
290 Somerville Ave, 623-3313
Excellent high quality Korean food in a pleasant contemporary
setting, often crowded, though still not overly noisy. Woo Chon just
came under new ownership (8/94), and the food quality seems to have
slightly declined. Could improve again with time, though.
Nice group of side dishes come incl with your meal, which they will
keep refilling, including spinach, seaweed, kimchee, & marinated tofu.
The food tends toward the fiery side. Good sushi, cut in large pieces
(even too large for some), and they provide a good amount for the
price.
GoodDishes: Dumplings, mung bean pancake, bulgoki, bibim pap and
chap chae, and the many eel and fish items on the menu provided a
pleasant surprise. Great duk man du guk too! Good, piping hot barley
tea as well.
Beverages: No liquor license, but BYO from across the street.
Service: Somewhat variable, but generally quite pleasant.
Prices: Reasonable prices, though a tad higher than some
competitors. (8/94) [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Kosher Restaurants
******************

Cafe Shiraz ($$-) [Persian] -- Allston
[see under Persian]

Milk St Cafe ($) [Vegetarian] -- Brookline (Longwood), Downtown
0 Post Office Sq (Franklin & Congress St), 350-7275
50 Milk St (at Devonshire), 542-3663

Rami's Felafel ($) [Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Downtown
[see under Israeli]

Rubin's Deli ($+) -- North Brookline
500 Harvard St (nr Commonwealth), 731-8787

Ruth's Kitchen ($+) -- North Brookline
401 Harvard St, 734-9810
Run by an Asian woman who converted to Judaism. Latke's and Szechuan
beef right next to each other! Not really a restaurant as much as a
prepared foods counter with seating. The food is quite good &
reasonably priced.

Shalom Hunan ($$-) [Chinese] -- Brookline Village
[see under Chinese]

Victor's Pizza ($) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1364 Beacon St (actually behind the parking lot), 730-9903
Prices: About $10/large pizza; Hours: Open til 8pm daily, except
closes before sunset Fr, Open Sa in winter only after sunset
Primarily a take-out place. If you're in Brookline, keep kosher, and
want pizza, this is really your only option, aside from making it
yourself -- and while the price seems a little high, they are pretty
good, albeit somewhat greasy and bland. The pizzas are generally made
fresh, but it takes about 10 minutes. [=> review ]

Latin American Restaurants
**************************

Casa Elena ($+) [Peruvian / Spanish / Mexican] -- Watertown
45 Lexington St (at Main, nr Waltham line), 926-3222
Small, casual, family-run restaurant -- Peruvian owner. Good,
well-prepared, interesting dishes, good-sized portions. Service ok, but
it can take awhile to get the food. Good fried yucca w carrot sauce,
paella. Moderate prices, dinner only.

Cecil's ($+) [Latin / Caribbean] -- Downtown
129 South St, 542-5108
Variety of Latin & Caribbean food. Good black bean soup & Jamaican
Jerk Pork.

El Embajador ($) [Latin American] -- Jamaica Plain
3371 Washington St, 524-6812

Mama Julia ($) [Colombian / Salvadoran] -- East Boston
54 Bennington St, 568-9020
Good Colombian & Salvadoran food, but make sure you speak some
Spanish, since the staff doesn't. Cheap delicious soups, and good fish
in "homemade" sauce. The main dish comes with a huge plate of rice,
beans, banana and a generic salad. The food is very home style and way
filling.

Pupuseria Quintanilla ($) [Salvadoran] -- Jamaica Plain
Washington St, 522-9680
Try Salvadoran pupusas, tamales, arroz negro, shrimp soup.

Rattlesnake Bar and Grill ($$-) -- Back Bay
384 Boylston (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 859-8555
Good reasonably priced food, fairly authentic. Urban Canyon Patio in
back is nice in the summer.

Mediterranean Restaurants
*************************

Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
798 Main St, 876-8444
Small intimate place serving well prepared Mediterranean- influenced
food, pricey, but with a wonderful, very inventive menu and
knowledgeable, enthusiastic waitpeople. Often simple food, elegantly
presented. Try the pan roasted baby manila clams w rabe, duck
croquettes, grilled mushrooms, chocolate rum bread pudding.
Reservations needed. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

David's ($$$) -- Theater District
123 Stuart St (Transportation Bldg), 367-8405
Gutsy, full-flavored food, creative and well-prepared, in a relaxed
atmosphere, with a fun ambience, and with prices relatively low for
this kind of place. An excellent place to go when you want to dress
up a little and have a nice dinner. Try the spanakopita, shish kebab,
grilled squid, and the outstanding desserts. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Moon Woman Cafe ($$+) -- Newton Upper Falls
108 Oak St (betw Highland Ave & Chestnut St), 630-9569
Hours: Tu-Fr 11:30-2:30, 5:30-9:30, Sa-Su 5:30-9:30
DineAccess: ok
Creative American/Italian, including pasta dishes and a full gamut of
seafood, meat, poultry. Creative breads with a red pepper spread are
set out on the tables to whet one's appetite and the wine list is also
quite good. The menu is surprisingly large, and there are also daily
specials. Friendly and knowledgable. Under Stellina's management w
desserts brought in from there (excellent chocolate cake w raspberry
sauce). Tables are closely spaced, so it can get noisy. Nice ambience
w a bar area & a number of small connected rooms. Large parking lot.
Main dishes in the teens to low twenties. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Mexican, Tex/Mex, Southwestern Restaurants
******************************************

Acapulco ($+) -- Jamaica Plain, Back Bay
464 Centre St, 524-4328
Good food, very inexpensive, good service. Try the Camarones
Veracruzanos, which is broiled shrimp in wine and garlic with mexican
rice and beans @ 7.95. No margaritas, just wine & beer.

Armadillo Cafe ($$-) -- Allston
1314 Commonwealth Ave, 2 blocks west of Harvard Ave, 232-4242
Small range of generally reliable, somewhat eclectic Mexican food
(though not very hot or spicy) and chicken and ribs as well, all very
good. Great smoked chicken quesadillas. Good chips & salsa. Good
size portion, reasonable prices -- dinner for 2 w drinks is about $25.
Nice decor, service can be slow on off nites. Live Mexican music on
week-nights, old rock&roll on weekends. A recent review suggests that
the food and service may be going downhill, and live music is just on
Wednesday's. [=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Big Burrito ($-) [Tex/Mex] -- Allston
Brighton Ave just W of Harvard
Transport: 57 Bus, Harvard T Stop (B Line)
Fresh, massive quantity for a great price. Most Bs are at $3.95 -
$4.95. Basically the idea is a burrito wrapped around rice, lettuce,
and fresh cooked meat, made to order. Even cheaper than Boca Grande or
Picante, superdelicious, and you won't leave hungry. Excellent beef
burrito and cilantro salad. Very friendly pleasant counter service,
food came up pretty quick. Not really crowded, but has the atmopshere
of a Taco Deli. Designed for a quick bite, not a quiet dining
experience. Cash only. Wheelchair accessible.

Boca Grande ($-) -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq & E. Cambridge)
1728 Mass Ave (betw Porter & Harvard Sq), 354-7400
149 First St (nr Galleria), 354-5550
Not ambience or decor, but nice burritos, and cheap. The burritos
are all good, including the chicekn, beef, carnitas, and grilled veggie
ones; all but the veggie are worth spedning 50 cents on for guacamole.
Sometimes more interesting stuff, including tamales and elote. The 1/2
grilled chicken w hot sauce is definitely a steal for $4 or so. Great
lemonade. [=> review ]

Border Cafe ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
32 Church St, 864-6100
Fun, cheap, quite good cajun/southwestern food. A noisy studenty
Harvard Square-y kind of place with a party-like atmosphere, though
still very child-friendly. Great margaritas, fajitas (chicken & beef)
& popcorn shrimp, good jambalaya, but think of it as a sort of
Bennigan's with a quasi tex-mex/cajun slant. There have been reports
of rodents & roaches, though they were absent on a recent summer visit
Also in Saugus (8/94)

Cactus Club ($$) -- Back Bay
939 Boylston St, 236-0200
Good lunches, abundant food, reasonable prices; great Venison stew,
and the Mountain Oysters are worth a try. Good people watching; good
place to unwind after work. Dinner said to be less exciting, though
they now have a new dinner menu, including a very good, tho nonstandard
Caesar salad.

Casa Mexico ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
75 Winthrop St (at JFK), 491-4552
Mixed reviews -- it used to be better 20 years ago, but on a good
night, some entrees may still be quite good. Try the Chicken Mole,
Enchilada Mole, and the Camarones al Cilantro. Also excellent Mexican
coffee.

Casa Romero ($$) -- Back Bay
30 Gloucester St (betw. Comm Ave & Newbury St), 536-4341
T: ICA/Hynes Green Line stop, also the #1, #55, & inbound #39 buses
Prices may be on the high side, but for an excellent sampling of
Mexican haute cuisine, this is *the* place to go in Boston. From the
handpainted tile decor to the desserts, this place could have been
lifted right out of Mexico city. Try the chile relleno, the mole
poblano, the avocado soup, and the flan with Cognac and pleasantly
dispel the notion that Mexican food means nothing but nachos and
burritos. Also good margaritas. [=> review & info ]

Cottonwood Cafe ($$+) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) & Back Bay
222 Berkeley St (at St James), Downtown, 247-2225
Porter Exchange Bldg, 1815 Mass Ave, 661-7440
The most upscale and eclectic of the Southwestern places, with
creative tasty food. Good salads, pot stickers, puebla duckling, zuni
roll, desserts, esp. pecan pie. Expensive appetizers.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

El Bandido ($) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
1412 Beacon St (at Summit), 730-5663
Pleasantly decorated storefront, serving excellent homemade Tex/Mex
food. No lard! Superb Carnitas Burritos, and they have Chicken Mole
too. No liquor license.

Fajita & 'Ritas ($+) -- Brookline Village, Downtown
48 Boylston (Rt 9), Brookline, 566-1222
A charming kindergarten atmosphere, with the crayon on the walls and
the butcher paper tablecloths. The service is friendly and fast, w
very good fajitas (esp chicken), pretty good assorted munchies, and
good margaritas and beer. Lunch is better than dinner, as the portions
are similar and it's a bit cheaper. A very boisterous & noisy place,
but it's lots of fun. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Iguana Cantina ($+) -- Waltham
313 Moody St (betw Crescent & Spruce), 891-3039
NonSmoking: completely; Dress: casual; LowFat: pretty good
Food: The food is fresh, flavorful, and almost as eclectic as the
atmosphere. Trendy, good meat dishes.
GoodDishes: The West Indian grilled chicken with fried bananas and
cucumber salad is fantastic. Try the chicken Veracruz & the catfish.
BadDishes: If you have an apetite for "snake bites", you're better
off at Cottonwood's.
Beverages: They have Boston Ale on tap.
Service: The ambiance is *very* informal, and a bit peculiar. This
isn't a place to bring the folks. Given that, the waitstaff is
surprisingly cordial and helpful.
Ambience: The restaurant is small and easy to miss. It the outward
appearance of a bar, but is well-lit and comfortable inside. The mix
of wall murals and southwestern decor with strategic paint splatters
and concrete floors make it a nice diversion from the norm. (7/94)

Jose's ($) -- Cambridge (Alewife)
Sherman St between Harvard & Alewife
Freshly made chips, OK food, nice people -- perhaps the best cheap
Mexican place. Good salsa w lots of cilantro. Good fajitas &
burritos. Avoid the frozen drinks. [=> menu ]

Mexican Cuisine / Forest Cafe ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1682 Mass Ave (betw Harvard & Porter Sq), 661-1634
Looks like a dive, but don't be put off -- excellent authentic
Mexican food very reasonably priced. Yucatan Peninsula style w an
emphasis on seafood; try the Tuna with Mole Verde or the Salsa Mocajete
con Pescado. Also excellent chicken-coriander soup. They temper their
use of spices for the delicate New England palate, but they'll put some
kick into your food if you ask. Be prepared to spend $40+ for the two
of you. Entrees are in the $10 to $20 range, with most between $13 and
$15. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Picante ($) -- Somerville (Davis Sq) & Cambridge (Central Sq)
217 Elm St, Davis Sq, 628-6394
735 Mass Ave, Central Sq, 576-6394
Good burrito place with big wonderful burritos, and a changing 6
hoice help-yourself salsa bar (w wild varying reviews; some think the
salsa bar is the only good thing at Picantes, others think the salsas
are not spicy enough, or all too smoky). The chicken flautas are sorta
dry but the enchiladas are great. Also flan to die for. It's nothing
fancy, but it's good food. (7/94)

Rudy's ($) -- Sommerville (Teele Sq)
248 Holland St (off Broadway), 623-9201
Good cheap basic Mexican, and they have Pacifico and Catamount beer!
Not as cheap as Jose's, but more options, w quality a bit below
Armadillo or the Border Cafe. A dissenting review calls it a a cross
between Taco Bell and the Sizzler w endless psuedo-Mexican variations
on ground beef and diced tomatoes.

Snakebites Canteen ($$-) -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
Porter Exchange Bldg, 1815 Mass Ave, 661-7440
A more casual, less expensive sidekick to the Cottonwood Cafe, with
light southwestern meals, sandwiches and snacks. Try the unusual
roasted vegetable nachos or the baked Sonoran Chimichanga)

Sol Azteca ($$) -- Brookline (St Mary's) & Newton
Center
914A Beacon St, St Mary's, 262-0909
75 Union St (betw Beacon & Langley), Newton Center, 964-0920
Good haute-Mexican food, reasonably priced, though the quality can be
somewhat variable. Try the Pork in Orange Chipotle sauce or Adobo, the
Shrimp in Cilantro sauce, and the Fish in spicy Tomato sauce. Service
can be lackadaisacal as well.

T.J.'s Taqueria ($) -- Brookline (Washington Sq)
690 Washington St (nr Beacon), 734-8226
Mostly takeout w small eat in area. Excellent burritos & other
authentic Mexican food, which keeps getting better. Try the chicken &
carnitas fillings as well as the soups. No liquor license, but lots of
tasty homemade Mexican candies & sweets.

Taqueria Mexico ($+) -- Waltham
139 Prospect St, off of Modoy
The place is kind of a dive, but they serve large huge tasty burritos
w lots of onions at prices which are probably cheaper than Taco Bell.
The corn tortillas tend to be gritty & fall apart easily, but you can
ask for a flour tortilla instead. Try their plain nachos-chips,
cheese, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapenos -- all for
$2. Entrees run from 3.95 to about 8.95. The large Mexican clientele
is a good indicator. No liquor license, but you can BYOB, or get the
great "liquados" (banana, made fresh is especially good). The service,
however, is pretty lackadasical -- in other words, you could be in for
a long wait to get your sodas!

Middle Eastern Restaurants
**************************
Greek / Turkish / Israeli / Persian / Armenian
**********************************************

Algiers ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
40 Brattle St
Although not entirely Middle Eastern (is grilled steak a Middle
Eastern dish??), the Algiers in Harvard Square has the usual assortment
of hummus, falafel, tabouli, etc and is cheap. Plus the tiny tables
jammed together, various odd people with 15 books in front of them, and
the regular erratic service. What more could you want?

Andros Diner ($+) [Greek Diner] -- Belmont
Trapelo Rd
Hours: Close 8pm weeknights, Open Sundays only til 1:30 pm
Good, high-quality food, generous portions, friendly surroundings,
casual, and inexpensive! The accent is on diner-like Greek food, w
excellent lighty-spiced gyros w a perfect yogurt cucumber sauce,
monstrous souvlaki, and very good spinach pie, loukiniko, shish kebab,
lamb stew, greek salad dressings. They also have an extensive menu of
breakfast and excessively generous sandwich items as well (very good
grilled chicken sandwich w good fries). No liquor. Usually a line for
tables. [=> review ]

Ararat ($) [Armenian] -- Watertown
71 Arlington St, betw Mt Auburn & Arsenal Mall, 924-4100/7011
Hours: Mo-Sa 11-9; DineAccess:ok; ToiletAccess: ok
Dress: Casual; ChildFriendly: yes; Rating: very-good
A wonderful small Armenian restaurant with all the usual Middle
Eastern favorites (including a superb smoky Baba Ghanoush), as well as
Armenian specialities such as Sujuk (Armenian sausages), Pilaki (white
bean salad) and Lahmejune (Armeniuan Pizza). They specialize in
barbeque, especially a barbequed chicken served with a garlic sauce
that (to garlic lovers) is a good reason to go there on its own. The
Chicken Taratour sandwich, made w a thick tahini sauce, and pickled
vegetable is amazingly good, and cheap at $2.75. Beer & Wine
available as well,
The place is casual -- a kind of Armenian version of Mom's diner.
There is table seating for about 25, but there's no table service --
you order and pick up your food at the counter, and get to watch the
TV which is on all the time. But who cares about ambience; this is a
great place to come for excellent inexpensive Middle Eastern food.

Atlas Kitchen ($+) [Turkish] -- Brookline (St Mary's)
1002 Beacon St, 566-6605, (fax) 566-7750;
Prices: $10-15/person ($8-16 for entrees, $3-6 for appetizers)
Hours: Open Su-Th till midnite, Fr-Sa til 2am; Accessible: Yes
Quite good authentic Turkish cuisine in a pleasant well-lit spacious
room, reasonably priced, though a bit higher than most Middle Eastern
places. Excellent appetizers include the stuffed eggplant ($4.25), red
lentil soup (well, not everyone agrees), cigar pies ($4.50) -- a
heavenly mixture of feta cheese, parsley & light spices rolled in flaky
dough; and fried eggplant ($3.95) served w/a delicious yogurt sauce,
though the grape leaves were bland, and the eggplant spread was
definitely overpriced. For entrees, try the manti ($10), which is
something like Turkish tortellini served w/delectable garlic-yogurt
sauce ($9.95). Tasty lamb w okra, though short on the lamb. Delicious
Turkish-style shish-kebabs; also the doner-kebab (Turkish-style
shwarma, $9) is good and comes in generous portions, and the mixed
grill plate ($16) is recommended as well.
Service is quite pleasant, though it can be slow at times.
Excellent desserts, esp the milk "cake". Beer available. (7/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Boston Shawarma ($) -- Symphony Area
Huntington St
If you're in a hurry and don't mind being dressed better than the
restaurant, Boston Schwarma on Huntington Ave. serves up some very
tasty schwarma and other Middle Eastern sandwiches. Like Schwarma King
on the same block, but Boston Schwarma has tables whereas Schwarma King
just has a counter.

Brookline Diner ($) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
9 Brookline St, 354-9473
Small place w stylish food. Good cashew chicken salad for lunch

Cafe Barada ($) [Lebanese] -- Arlington
Mass Ave nr Capitol Theater
Lebanese, uniformly good & cheap; excellent grape leaves

Caffe Jaffa ($) [Israeli] -- Back Bay
48 Gloucestor (between Newbury & Boylston)
Good inexpensive Israeli/Middle Eastern food. Interesting falafel &
very good steak tips, shashlik, hummus, and eggplant dishes. Avoid
dessert. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Cafe Shiraz ($$-) [Kosher Persian] -- Allston
1030 Commonwealth Ave (nr Brighton Ave), 566-8888
Fairly tasty Persian food (as well as a diverse selection of other
stuff), but nothing spectacular if you don't keep kosher, and a bit
pricey for what you get. A spacious place that doesn't get too busy,
nice owners, unremarkable service. The Persian Wedding Soup is
different and worth trying, excellent skewers, and there's a vegetarian
platter very heavy on the garlic.

Demo's ($) [Greek] -- Watertown Sq
64 Mt Aurburn St (Rt 16), 924-9660
Decent cheap food, very good shish kebab -- in fact, get the Demos
special sandwich -- a lamb shishkabob with pita and a greek salad --
enough very good food to fill you, for the extraordinary price of
$3.75. Seating for 100, split between smoking and non. Tables for 2,
4, 6, with a good chance you'll share with people you don't know.
Stand in a line (sometimes long, but it moves along) to order.
Generally full but not crowded, noisy, child- friendly, wheelchair
accessible. Great for take-out, too.

Greek Corner Restaurant ($) [Greek] -- North Cambridge
Dudley St & Mass Ave
T: Red Line @ Davis Sq
Hours: Open late. closed Sundays.
This is a little hole-in-the-wall family-run place, with low prices
and a friendly extremely casual atmosphere. The menu is pretty much
basic Greek, but all very competent, if not particularly memorable.
The food is simple, tasty & fresh, w good mousaka, and Greek standbies
such as taramousalata, a fish egg paste appetizer which is actually
very good, and not found at many other places. Service friendly and
considerate; can be a little distracted, particularly when local guys
come by to flirt with the waitress. Wine & Greek beers. Very
child-friendly. (9/94)

Kareem's ($+) -- Watertown
600 Mt Auburn St, 926-1867, Hours: Odd/short hours, closed by 8pm
Veggie Options: lots
The food is superb, the ambiance a somewhat nice version of
storefront, and the prices are very reasonable. The menu is small but
augmented by a continually changing set of specials, and tends more to
kibbeh than falafel (which are both excellent). Also try the fine
hummus, kebabs, and sauteed chicken. Lots of vegetarian entrees too,
including excellent veggie versions of baked kibbeh and stuffed grape
leaves.

Karoun ($+) [Armenian] -- Newtonville
261 Walnut St (at Washington), 964-3400
A family run Armenian restaurant, with a friendly atmosphere and
excellent food. Most of the wait staff are family members of the
owner, and regular patrons are greeted like old friends. The best
dishes include the Dolma (a combination of stuffed grape leaves,
stuffed zucchini, and stuffed cabbage), Patlijan (a layered meat and
eggplant dish) and the various kabobs (lamb, swordfish, and shrimp are
excellent). Excellent shwarma as well. They have a whole range of
tasty Armenian appetizers and delicious baklava for dessert, along w
excellent coffee brewed in Ibriks. Very good wine list as well.
Entertainment on weekends after about 8:30 PM, including middle eastern
music and belly dancing. Inexpensive.

Middle East ($+) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
472 Mass Ave, 354-8238, T: Red Line @ Central Sq
A pleasant casual restaurant w pretty good food; also live music in
the back room. Great pumpkin kibby, tasty lentil stew, but mediocre
falafel. Fairly inexpensive. A really nice staff, and an interesting
clientele.

Mi Vami ($+) [Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
14A Pleasant St (at Beacon), 277-0272
Inexpensive, no ambience, but very good shish kebab [which can be
chewy on occasion], grilled chicken, greek salad, felafel & hummus, and
a wonderful smoky baba ganoush that's one of the best I've ever had.

Niko's ($+) [Greek] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
187a Harvard St, 277-2999
Small family-run Greek place with decent moderately priced food.
Pretty good avgolemono. Try the skordalia & taramosalata, spinach
pies, gyros, meatballs, grape leaves & roast lamb. Avoid the combo
platter; go for the daily special instead

Oasis Grille ($+) [Lebanese/Armenian] -- Somerville (Union Sq)
255 Washington St, 666-5122; DineAccess: quarter step at entrance
Hours: Mo-Fr 8:30am-9pm, Sa 9am-10pm; Cash Only
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Rami's Felafel ($) [Kosher Israeli] -- Brookline (Coolidge C.), Downtown
324 Harvard St (Coolidge Corner), 738-3577
48 Winter St (Downtown), 426-9770
Mostly a takeout place. Some think it is excellent, esp the
felafel/hummus plate, but I find the food too greasy

Pars Cafe ($+) [Persian] -- Brighton (Oak Sq)
559 Washington St, 783-4900
Perhaps the best Persian food in Boston. While other Persian
restaurants have come and gone, Pars Cafe has consistently provided
authentic, rich-tasting, and mouth-watering Persian dishes for several
years, and at reasonable prices. Try the beef & chicken kabobs and the
traditional stew dishes, all served over rice. No alcoholic beverages,
but they have yogurt drinks & persian tea as well as ice cream and
other deserts. Nice and cozy place, with traditional Persian arts and
crafts decorating the dining area along w lots of plants. Service is
always cordial and quick. About $15 for dinner; lunch specials about
half that. Open daily from 11 am - 10 pm.

Phoenicia ($) [Middle Eastern] -- Beacon Hill
240 Cambridge St, 523-4606
Accessible: half-step to entrance
Good solid middle-eastern food. The name was changed from Ann's
recently when it was expanded and spruced up. The food is the same;
good cheap great stuff. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Sabra ($+) [Israeli] -- Newton Center
45 Union St, 527-5641
Quite good Israeli food; good lunch buffet. Try the dardara,
moussaka, pilaf, tabouli, hummus, shwarma & shish kebab

Sami's ($) -- Roslindale
4197 Washington St, Roslindale Sq, 323-2799

Sepal ($) -- Watertown, Somerville (Teele Sq)
555 Mt Auburn St, Watertown (mostly takeout, 3 sm tables), 924-5753
235 Holland St, Teele Sq, 776-7771
Reservations: not accepted; ChildFriendly: ok; Dress: casual
VegOptions: lots; LowFat: no (but felafel can be baked!)
Rating: very-good
Food: A good cut better than your average Felafel place. Also, a
more interesting selection of dishes. Everything is meatless.
GoodDishes: Combination plate (felafel, baba ghanoush, grape leaves,
tabouli, hummus), Mujadharra (rice, lentils, onions), both soups
(squash and red lentil). Possibly the best felafel in Boston, sold by
the piece, and much healthier than normal: it's made with 8
vegetables, which makes it green inside. It's not oily at all -- but
if you really don't want oil, you can even get it baked instead of
fried, and available with a very tasty hot sauce. Excellent hummos,
and the baba ganouge is unusually good, smokier than most, with some
pieces of unmashed eggplant left in it. The kibby sounds good as well
-- a shell of cracked wheat and butternut squash; a filling of chick
peas, onions, pomegranate(!), and more squash.
Beverages: No alcohol.
Service: Seems to be a "family run" sort of place. They seem eager
to please. I asked if there was iced coffee which was not on the menu
and they were willing to make it for me. The owner is a really nice
guy, too.
Ambience: Fairly small. Not elegant, but not unpleasant. They have
newspapers to read if you're alone or want to ignore your dining
companion. (7/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Shawarma King ($) -- Symphony Area & Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Harvard, Coolidge Corner
Huntington St, Symphony Area
Very good shawarma & grape leaves -- mediocre baba & hummus. The
downtown one is takeout + counter; the Brookline one is a tad less
funky with a few tables

Sindibad ($+) -- East Cambridge
145 First St (across from the Galeria), 492-2421
I think the food is terrific, although other reviews are mixed. The
food is much more interestingly favored than similar places in the city;
the kibbee and grape leaves are particularly tasty. The baba ghanoush
has a very good eggplant flavour, those not as smoky as I would have
liked. Good sized portions, very reasonable prices (mostly about $3-5
per item), and the folks who run it are very nice -- they were happy to
add more bulghur to my taboule. The place is huge, so you order at the
counter and they bring the food to you. Lots of vegetarian items as
well as halal meat dishes. At dinner time, they are not very busy, so
beware of food that has been sitting there since lunch (e.g. dried out
shwarma & shish-kebab, soggy salad). (7/94) [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Skewers ($) [Middle Eastern] -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
92 Mt Auburn St (nr JFK), 491-3079
While the reviews are mixed, many think this crowded basement dive as
reliably good and sometimes great food for great prices, with specially
noteworthy shwarma and hummos. Service is always prompt if not
elegant.

Steve's ($+) [Greek] -- Back Bay
62 Hereford / 316 Newbury, 267-1817
Excellent hummus, interesting chips, very good gyros. Rude waitresses

Sultan's Kitchen ($) [Turkish] -- Downtown
Broad St; Hours: lunch only
Seating is non-luxury (:-) to say the least, but the food
is cheap and very good. Ozcan is a lemon juice and garlic wizard.

North African Restaurants
*************************

Casablanca ($$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
40 Brattle St, 876-0999
Moroccan & other foods, very interesting, and pretty good, especially
for brunch or lunch. If you like spices, this is the place to try.
Their food generally is a bit hot. The appetizers should not be missed,
and are reasonably priced. The grilled eggplant, crab cakes, and Middle
Eastern platter are particularly good. Good wine selection. Very good
desserts. Nice interior, w a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The
service is a bit slow. Weekends are very crowded.

Tangiers Cafe ($$) [North African] -- Beacon Hill
37 Bowdoin St, 367-0273
A small informal place with reasonable prices, but the food gets mixed
reviews. Good middle east appetizers, plus Moroccan entrees. Try the
harina, mujadara, mashwi chicken & sokatha tea. But the lamb dishes can
vary from overly oily to watery. [=> review ]

Seafood Restaurants
*******************

[In addition to the places below, there are a number of Chinese
and Italian restaurants that specialize in seafood.]

Daily Catch ($$) -- North End, Waterfront
441A Harvard St, North Brookline, 734-5696
Hours: Daily Noon-10pm
323 Hanover St, North End, 523-8567
261 Northern Ave, Waterfront, 338-3093
Good Sicilian seafood dishes, great place for calamari (esp the
fried stuffed calamari & calamari scampi), lobster fra diavolo, and
pasta-based seafood dishes, especially the black pasta aglio et olio
(w calamari). You may have to wait if not there early. Best calamari
is in North End. The Brookline location just reopened, and has the
nicest ambience. (9/94) [=>review]

Dolphin Seafood ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq), 354-9332
Good simple fresh seafood at good prices in a neighborhood
atmosphere. Many say the food is excellent -- as good as No-Name used
to be, though some say its not that good lately and too crowded and
unrelaxed. All agree the lunch special is a good deal. Try the fish
chowder & broiled fish. Also good farm-raised catfish, esp the
Cajun-style. Often a twin lobster special for around $12 (though they
can sometimes be overcooked). 100% No Smoking. A child-friendly
place. Also a fancier branch in Natick.

Famous Atlantic Seafood Company ($$) -- Back Bay
777 Boylston St (betw Fairfield & Gloucester), 267-4000
T: Green Line, Auditorium stop
The best food here is plain fish: broiled, grilled, fried or baked.
It's fresh and carefully prepared in the best yankee no- frills style.
Their bowl of clam chowder served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread is
an outstanding antidote to winter. Full licence. Fair beer list,
short wine list. Service is sometimes hurried but usually competent.
Saloon ambiance, oak & brass decor. High ceilings help keep the noise
level tolerable. Most entrees $10-15.

Fishery ($$) -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
718 Mass Ave, 868-8800
Very good seafood. Other reviews recommend the crabcakes, calamari
w roasted garlic, briney oysters, mussels w lemongrass, smoked
alligator sausage, & hazelnut cappucino torte.

Joseph's Aquarium ($$-) -- Waterfront
101 Atlantic Ave, 523-4000
Good seafood -- the specialty is cheap twin lobsters.

Legal Sea Foods ($$+) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq), Newton (Chestnut Hill),
Back Bay, Park Sq, South End
Park Plaza Hotel, 35 Columbus Ave, Park Sq, 426-4444
Statler Office Bldg, 27 Columbus Ave, 426-5566
5 Cambridge Center (Main St & Ames), Kendall Sq, 864-3400
43 Boylston St, Chestnut Hill Mall, 277-7300
Copley Place, 100 Huntington Ave (bet Dartmouth & Exeter), 266-7775
Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St, 266-6800
Very nice fresh fish, but a long wait & somewhat overpriced. Avoid
anything fancy. e.g. cioppino, but excellent chowder, clam chili,
lobster casserole, and bananas foster. Your best luck is with fish,
prepared simply, e.g. cod, haddock, bluefish, tuna, farm-raised Arctic
Char. On good days, the mussels are fine, and the fried clam roll is
wonderful, w tender, sweet, big-bellied clams. The Imperial Hot &
Sour soup (w seafood) is very good as well.
Maryland Crab Cakes are very good -- big, moist, and a bit spicy.
prepared differently depending on which location is serving them: the
ones from the Burlington Mall location are deep-fried whereas the ones
from Chesnut Hill location are pan-fried. Either way, they are very
tasty (and high in calories). Also, their sizes vary at different
times and places.
Cost for two for dinner, excluding booze, should be between $40 and
$50. Lobster is very overpriced. Kendall Sq is the best location;
Chestnut Hill is the worst, especially when it is busy -- beware of
over-righteous management and small fish portions. (9/94)
Natick is a good location as well. Also in Burlington and Peabody.
[=> menu ] [=> interesting long review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Skipjack ($$+) -- Brookline Village, Cambridge (Harvard Sq), Back Bay
2 Brookline Place on Boylston St, Brookline Village, 232-8887
199 Clarendon St, Back Bay, 536-3500
5 Bennett St in Charles Sq, Cambridge, 876-9900
Consistently good, w several "lite" entrees. Service efficient and
light-hearted, pleasant atmosphere. Mostly standard fare, except for
their wonderful but spicy blackened tuna sashimi. Good broiled bass,
fried seafood platter, crab cakes, pan-fried scallops & shark, and
grilled catfish prepared "skipjacks style". In season, twin lobster
dinner on Sundays for $12.95. Clam chowder reported to have an odd
flavor. Excellent chocolate bread pudding. The Brookline Village
location offers free validated parking in the garage.
[=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Back Bay
Westin Hotel, 10 Huntington Ave (in Copley Place), 424-7425
Upscale ambience and prices, but pleasant waitstaff and good
service. Best elaborate seafood dishes you could find in Boston.
Expensive, so no need to go there if all you need is just broiled
salmon or somesuch. Awesome clam chowder & bouillabaise. Also try
the poached fish w tapenade, the salmon fennel soup, and the crab
cakes. They also have an outstanding steamed dish, prepared in a
bamboo steamer, with several types of vegetables and seafood, and 3
dipping sauces. Reservations helpful. Sunday Brunch too.

Village Fish ($$) -- Brookline Village, Jamaica Plain
22 Harvard St, Brookline Village, 566-3474
707 Centre St, Jamaica Plain (opening July '94)
Reservations: not accepted, so be prepared to wait more than an hour
on weekends; CreditCards: no, cash only
Casual atmosphere, comfortable open brick-modern, red & white
checkered tablecloth kind-of-place. The kitchen is in the open, so
you can watch your food being prepared. The waitstaff is always very
busy but always in good spirits. There's a raw bar for "snacking"
while you wait for your table, and a nice selection of wines by the
glass. The menu is written on a big chalkboard high up on one of the
brick walls. The food is quite good, and there's a reasonable amount
of it. Try the excellent fresh fish, or the shrimp or scallop
marsala, which arrive in front of you in the frying pan they were
cooked in, and the lobster fra diavlo, or fried calamri. Entrees come
with pasta, with a choice of red (marinara) or white (clam) sauce
(which is excellent) and salad. Beer and wine license. Used to be
called the Village Catch; it's rumored the Daily Catch complained.

Ye Olde Union Oyster House ($$$-) -- Faneuil Hall
41 Union St, 227-2750
Wildly mixed reviews. At worst, this is an over-rated, over-priced
tourist trap serving overcooked bland food. Prices are definitely
steep, but still the place may be worth a shot, since the crab cakes
and the seafood pasta are said to be good, and I've had excellent
poached salmon there.

Spanish & Portuguese Restaurants
********************************

Casa Portugal ($$-) [Portuguese] --- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
1200 Cambridge St (at Prospect), 491-8880
Mixed reviews. The seafood stews and salt cod dishes are good, and
the sausage & fig appetizer is delicious, as are the Vitella Grilhada
(grilled veal) [ask for extra garlic] & Porco Escallopes [in a spicy
sour onion sauce]. The House Special Shrimp is good too. Ask for your
potatoes extra-well done (less oily that way), and hope that the soup of
the day is kale soup. I may have been there on an off night, but I
thought the food was unimpressive (starting with the bread), as have
some other respondents, though you do get lots of it. Friendly service,
low prices, and a nice selection of inexpensive Portuguese wines.

Dali ($$+) [Spanish] -- Cambridge (~Porter Sq)
415 Washington St (at Kirkland/Beacon), 661-3254
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok; Dress: casual; LowFat: no
CreditCards: yes; OutdoorDine: no; ChildFriendly: no
Reservations: not accepted, long wait on weekends
Very good tapas, and wonderful Spanish (Catalan, Pyrenees, Basque)
food in reasonable sized portions. Can be pricey if you go overboard;
it can be better to get a variety of tapas and fewer main courses.
Very good spanish wine selection and excellent Sangria. A great
unique fun place to go with friends or out of town guests, though it
can be noisy when it gets crowded.
GoodDishes: Most of the tapas are very good; try the baked goat
cheese, mussels, marinated mushrooms, chorizo & tripe w chickpeas.
The baby eels sauteed in garlic oil are pricy but very interesting,
and thesquid in its own ink is definitely memorable. Good oxtail
soup. Most main courses are wonderful; the rabbit is especially good,
as is the specialty of the house -- a fish baked in coarse sea salt,
very tender and impressively presented. There are lots of dishes here
you'll get nowhere else in the Boston area, and they use fiddlehead
ferns in some dishes when in season. Some of the desserts are good as
well, esp the dessert crepe w chocolate sauce.
BadDishes: Oddly enough, there have been reports that the paella, of
all things should be avoided -- it can be cold and flavorless.
Service: Can be a long wait at peak periods, but you can get tapas
at the bar. Service is quick & not overly formal service, but can be
occasionally fussy.
Ambience: Warm, homey, romantic, funky Dali-esque decor. Talk about
romantic -- well this is the place. It's dark, and loaded with dark
hardwood, candles on the table, etc. If you go with just a date, the
owner comes over to you and welcomes you to the restaraunt and seats
you and tells you how beautiful your date is. (10/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ] [=> review ]

Iruna ($$-) [Spanish] -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
56 JFK (nr Mt Auburn), 868-5633 (not wheelchair accessible)
OutdoorDine: yes; CreditCards: yes
Mixed, but mostly positive, reviews for a restaurant that's been
around a long time. Many people love the place, others find the food
bland. The food is not haute cusisine -- and not as complex as
Dali's, but Iruna serves the sort of food that people in Spain might
actually eat at home on a regular basis. Reliable, and a good value.
Crowded, relatively plain atmosphere; service good, friendly, fairly
efficient except when the kitchen bogs down. Somewhat short menu.
Wonderful garlic soup, good squid in ink sauce, authentic Cuban Black
Bean Soup, delicious steak w herbed butter, very good paella. Good
lunch deals, about $5-$6 for soup, salad, and a potato omlette.

Neighborhood Restaurant ($+) [Portuguese] -- Somerville (Union Sq)
25 Bow St, 623-9710; Hours: Open early for breakfast
Huge cheap portions of Portuguese food, very tasty, but not necc.
high quality. Try the roasted chicken, baked cod, grilled pork
casserole w clams. Large aluminum washtubs filled w arroz con pollo.
Fried Sardines in tomato sauce is a strongly flavored treat. Very
tight seating indoors, w no decor, but they open a very pleasant
wheelchair accessible terrace in summer. Also good cheap, very large,
somewhat unpredictable, breakfast specials -- pancakes with fruit,
lobster omlettes, homemade bread w amazing homemade jam, excellent
scrambled eggs, homefries with lots of onions and garlic. Unusual
oatmeal on the weekends. Interesting waiters too, esp. if you're into
the 70's. (7/94)

Portugalia ($$-) [Portuguese] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
723 Cambridge St (at Tremont), 354-9340
A nice clean little upgraded neighborhood restaurant, and an excellent
value. Smallish place, w nice ambiance, not overbearing at all, soft
Portuguese or Spanish music in the background. Polite but inconsistent
service, faster on weeknights, which are not very busy. For lunch, the
mussels steamed in beer is an unbelievable value. For dinner, the piece
de resistence is the mussels in wine broth appetizer - ask for
additional bread (it's good & toasted hot) to sop up the broth. The
veal entree is tender and tasty, and the accompanying veggies are ok.
The shrimp entrees are also good, perhaps the shrimp could be a little
softer but they're decent size. The prices are moderate, and well worth
the food.

Sunset Cafe ($$) [Portuguese] -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
857 Cambridge St, 547-2938
Large amounts of food, good & flavorful, though sometimes heavy on the
salt, good service, reasonably priced. Specialities include garlic
soup, roast goat, octopus stew, pork & littleneck clams, seafood
casseroles, as well as a killer paella chock full of clams, mussels,
lobsters, etc. Fun to go on Fri or Sat evening for the fados
(Portuguese torch songs) w acoustic guitar accompaniment.

Steak Restaurants
*****************

Boodle's of Boston ($$$-) -- Back Bay
Back Bay Hilton, 40 Dalton St (btw Boylston & Huntington), 266-3537
Service & food went downhill for a while, but they're better again,
and moreover, they serve about 90 different beers from
micro-breweries. Both their regular and their brewers dinners are
fine, and prices are reasonable. They have bi-weekly beer dinners and
monthly brewer's dinners that feature different beers matched with
each course, typically from one brewery which then does a
presentation. When Brooklyn Beer Company was there with their
Brooklyn Lager and Brown Ale, the main course was duck, buffalo and
pheasant that had been marinated in a sauce with the beer before
roasting and was very good.

Capital Grille ($$$$-) -- Back Bay
359 Newbury St, 262-8900
Upscale steakhouse, aged steaks almost as good as Morton's, but this
place has the more elegant atmosphere. Stick to meat, seafood &
salads.

Grill 23 ($$$$-) -- Back Bay
161 Berkeley St (at Stuart), 542-2255
Price: Appetizers: $5-9, Entrees: ~$20-25, Deserts: ~$7
Steaks and other traditional food in an elegant atmosphere,
elegantly prepared; a nice place to show off or celebrate. The food
has mixed reviews -- some say food is good; others say terrible.
Don't skip the appetizers, but skip the plain cuts of meat section and
order the house specialties. Service is exceptional and the waiters
are very knowlegable. In general, this is a very memorable place for
dinner; however, the price is a bit forbidding, and the place is very
noisy. The dining area is one large room connected to an open
kitchen; you can see your meal being prepared. (9/94)

Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Back Bay
One Exeter Plaza on Boylston St, 266-5858
Superb prime rib, amazing porterhouse steak, wonderful shrimp
appetizer, seafood dishes & desserts; good souffles too. Best steak &
potatoes in Boston in a high-class, steakhouse atmosphere w prices to
match. Avoid the coffee, though.

Thai Restaurants
****************

Amarin ($$-) -- Newton Corner
287 Centre St, Newton Center, 527-5255
Very pretty restaurant, and excellent food, almost as good as Erawan.
Great Pad Thai & Tom Kar Gai; the noodles and beef at lunch are good and
not served elsewhere. Service is generally good, but there can be
exceptions. They have a pretty good tolerance for noisy kids.

Bangkok & Tokyo Grille ($$-) -- Beacon Hill
26 Charles St, 723-5939
Good soups, satay, green curries.

Bangkok Bistro ($$-) -- Brighton (Cleveland Circle)
1952 Beacon St, 739-7270
Good and consistent, especially good chili fish, shrimp, sate, pad
thai, and stir fries. Large portions, moderately priced. It is a
small seating area, but the service is great. Lunch $5-8. (8/94)

Bangkok City ($$-) -- Symphony Area
167 Mass Ave, 266-8884
Biggest & nicest & best of the thai restaurants nearby, & easiest to
get seated before a concert. Tell them your time constraints and they
will meet them. Very good food and surprisingly inexpensive. Try the
shrimp mermaid, garlic fish, beef jungle, mee grob noodles. Good soups
too.

Bangkok Cuisine ($$-) -- Symphony Area
177A Mass Ave (nr Berklee), 262-5377
Some say this place is better for soups than for main dishes. But
said to have great Chicken Cashew Nut, Pad Thai & Tom Mar Gai. The
service can be rude though, and the mostly student clientele makes for a
noisy place. Recent report that it has perhaps "lost its edge"; it is
still good, but not as good as it once was -- the duck choo-chee, in
particular.

Bangkok House ($$-) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
50 JFK, 547-6666
VegOptions: yes, and they're willing to substitute tofu
Very good food, but cramped accomodations, small portions for the
money. Fast lunch specials Mon-Sat. (10/94)

Bangkok Room ($$-) -- Symphony Area
329 Huntington Ave, 859-2969
Good hot & sour shrimp soup, satay & golden bags.

Chengmai ($$-) -- Newton Center
Picadilly Square
Ok food & decor; service not so good.

Erawan of Siam ($$) -- Waltham
469 Moody St, 899-3399
Excellent food -- as good as Amarin. Beautiful, stylized Thai temple
setting. Attentive, pleasant, friendly service. A large place, so
never a wait for a table.

Green Papaya ($$-) -- Waltham
475 Winter St (at Winter St exit off Rt 128), 487-9988;
Reservations: accepted; Hours: L Mo-Sa, D 5-9:30 daily
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok; Dress: casual; VegOptions: some
A pleasant surprise. Don't be put off by the name and the chubby
cartoon-character pictures of happy little Thai people on the menu;
this turns out to be a serious place, owned by the same people as the
Lemon Grass in Lexington, serving food with excellent flavor and
appearance, and with some unusual dishes not seen on other menus.
They can be quite inconsistent with the use of hot peppers. While the
Wild Board Basil & Hot and crazy Noodles are hot, many other dishes
(even 3 pepper ones) can be very mild.
Good Dishes: Spicy Basil Chicken, Wild Boar Basil, Huglay chicken,
Larb Kai, and Hot & Crazy Noodles, a sweet/spicy dish using wide
udon-type noodles. The Oriental Salmon manages to be quite spicy
without killing the delicate taste of the salmon,
Beverages: They now serve alcohol as well as some Thai beers such as
Singha.
Service: Amazingly fast on crowded weekend night; at lunch, they
kinda throw the food on the table.
Ambience: comfortable and pleasant, plenty of room, lots of plants
Prices: Luncheon $5.50-7.75 is about the standard (9/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ] [=> Middlesex News review ]

House of Siam ($$-) -- Back Bay
21 Huntington Ave (nr Exeter), 267-1755

King & I ($$-) -- Beacon Hill & Back Bay
145 Charles St, Beacon Hill, 227-3320
259 Newbury St (at Fairfield), Back Bay, 437-9611
Good sized servings of good Thai food, though some say it's not quite
as good as it used to be. One of the best Pad Thai's around. Try the
Chicken w basil, mint & chili peppers, and the beef tar-tar (oddly
named, since it is cooked). The Back Bay location has better
atmosphere, but the food in Beacon Hill is better.

Montien ($$) -- Theater District
63 Stuart St (betw Tremont & Washington), 338-5600
Very good under-patronized (and under-publicized) Thai food -- it's
hard to go wrong no matter what you order. They put a lot of emphasis
on food presentation as well as taste. Service is also good, and they
can speed things up if you are rushing to the theatre. Hot and Sour
soup is very good, as are the curries, the seafood specialties, and the
Pad Thai. Prices are moderate, but higher than other Thai restaurants
in the area, but the food and atmosphere are better.

Rama Thai ($+) -- Allston
181 Brighton Ave (Osco Plaza), 783-2434
Cheap, large portions, well flavored, good Tom Yung Goong soup, Pad
Thai, Fish Choo Chee, Spicy & Sour salads. Food somewhat better and
less expensive ($3.50 - $5 for lunch) than Bangkok Bistro, though
ambience a tad more downscale. (8/94)

Rod Thai ($) -- Chinatown
In the Food Hall, NE corner of Beach & Harrison, 2nd floor
One of the best Thai places around. They have very good food and
don't hold back on the spices (not meaning that the food is necessarily
spicy hot either). The usual curries (more than you can eat for $4),
ram long and pad thai are very popular. Sub-zero atmosphere, but who
cares?

Sawasdee ($$) -- Brookline Village
320 Washington St, 566-0720
Pleasant decor; Usually very good food, elegantly presented, as good
or better than most Thai food in the area. Very good golden bags,
stuffed wings, pad thai, and veggie curry. The food can be variable
though; on a recent visit, the mussel appetizer which is usually good
was gritty and used cheap mussels; the whole tamarind fish, usually
excellent, was too vinegary, and the wait staff didn't handle my
complaints very well.

Siam Cafe ($$-) -- Beacon Hill
197 Cambridge St (Charles River Plaza), 277-1431
Good satay & spicy seafood dishes.

Siam Cuisine ($$-) -- Allston
961 Commonwealth Ave (couple blocks from BU Bridge), 254-4335
ChildFriendly: yes; Accessible: steps to both entrance & restrooms
One of my favorite Thai restaurants. The food doesn't dazzle, but is
reliably and uniformly good. Very nice Chicken Coconut Soup and
excellent Beef Macadamia, Siam Fish, and a wonderfully crunchy Siam
Duck. Very pleasant ambience, including a special seating area at the
center of the room, worth asking for, especially if you have infants or
toddlers, and a pleasant, soliticious wait staff. (7/94)

Siam Garden ($$-) [Thai] -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
45 1/2 Mt Auburn St, 354-1718
Popular, but wildly mixed reviews. Some think this is the best of
the Thai places in the square (though there are better places
elsewhere in Boston), with the balance of spices much less
heavy-handed than the other two. Others think it is awful or at least
hit & miss, and they don't offer to replace bad dishes, either. The
moderate view is that they have a rather standard Thai menu, Pad Thai,
Chicken Himmaparn, etc, prepared well, but uncreatively.
GoodDishes: The Stuffy Shrimp are an excellent appetizer (if you eat
shrimp and meat), and the Golden Jumbo Shrimp dish is highly
recommended, with an exquisite explosion of flavor from the herbs and
spices.
BadDishes: the rubbery fried fish.
Prices: Entrees are $10-$13. (7/94)

Siam Square ($+) -- Chinatown
86 Harrison Ave, 338-7704
Try tod mun, chicken coconut soup, squid pik pow, vanilla tea. Also
good chow foon & steamed ginger fish. Cheap, but small portions.

Singha House ($$-) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq), 864-5154
A very good value in Thai food for lunch; more expensive for dinner.
Duck dishes are very good, esp Chili Duck. Soups are tasty and loaded
with stuff (try the chicken coconut soup). Curries are good w just the
right amount of fire. Excellent vegetarian curry and Chicken in the
Garden (especially good peanut sauce in the latter). A dissenting
review notes several interesting choices on the menu, but nothing very
unusual or well executed. Wheel chair accessible. Service is cordial
and prompt. They usually get a rush at lunch which they handle very
well.

Star of Siam ($+) -- Theater District
93 Church St (at Stuart), 451-5236
The food here seems to be different from that of other local Thai
restaurants, more homey/rustic, but fairly good and copious. The menu
is orthogonal, you can get any main ingredient prepared in any way (Pork
Massaman or Duck Pad Thai, for instance). They validate parking in the
garage on the same block. Good service, even when crowded before the
symphony.

Thai's ($$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
1 Kendall Sq, 577-8668
Nicely prepared and flavored Thai food, though the portions are on the
small side, and the food is mild, so you may need to ask it to be made
hotter. Good beef spring roll & shrimp asparagus roll, grilled meats w
lemongrass, shrimp chee, red curries & pad thai. When they're very busy
for lunch, service and food can suffer, though. (7/94)
[=> negative review ]

Thai Basil ($$-) [Thai] -- Back Bay
132 Newbury Street, Australian Clothing Store, 424-8424
T: Green Line at Copley
DineAccess: difficult; ToiletAccess: difficult
NonSmoking: completely; Reservations: accepted
Dress: casual; VegOptions: lots
Food: Quite good, with excellent quality and flavor, though perhaps
somewhat overpriced (not uncommon for Newbury St). They can customize
dishes to your taste.
GoodDishes: Chicken Basil and Chicken Ginger
Beverages: Beers available include Singha
Service: Excellent: courteous and available
Ambience: Small but very comfortable and lovely modern decor. Special
Thai tables are available as well.
Prices: Entrees $6.75-$13.00 approximately (7/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Thai Cuisine ($$-) -- Symphony
Has good food and is very close to the symphony, but it's small & hard
to get into unless you arrive quite early before a show.

Thai Gourmet ($+) -- Dorchester
1155 Dorchester Ave, Savin Hill, 436-0444

Thai House ($$) -- Allston
1033 Commonwealth Ave (few blocks from BU Bridge), 787-4242
Many think this is one of the better Thai restaurant around; I
thought their soups were only so-so; one duck dish was good though the
sauce was just a tad off. A very good peanut sauce (try the
Rama-a-bathing, which puts it on top of steamed vegetables).

Thai Village ($$-) -- South End
592 Tremont St, 536-6538
Small place, very good food. Try fried sweet potato sticks, mussel
pancake, seafood salad. Good soups.

Vegetarian / Vegan / Macrobiotic Restaurants
********************************************

Buddha's Delight ($) [Vegetarian Chinese/Vietnamese] -- Chinatown
[See under Chinese]

Country Life ($) [7th Day Adventist Vegan] -- Downtown
High St nr Intl Place, nr expressway, 350-8625
T: Red Line @ South Station, Orange Line @ Washington / State,
Blue Line @ Aquarium
Pretty good all-you-can-eat lunch and sunday brunch buffets based on
low-fat dairy-free vegetarian food, very innovative, w lots of
well-prepared food for the price. Everyday they have different soups
and entree, and you can always get an advanced copy of the menu for
the entire month. Quiet atmosphere.
Sunday Brunch too.)

Five Seasons ($$) [Macriobotic] -- Jamaica Plain
669A Centre St, 524-9016
T: Arborway Bus (E Green Line extension) / Orange Line @ Green St
Tasty, fresh, well prepared fish & veggie dishes. They also serve
poultry, but the focus is on vegan & macrobiotic fare. The desserts
are really good, enough to recommend the place by itself, especially
considering how low in fat and sugar they are. Go for the
mocha-hazelnut tort, it was fantastic. Large portions, too. Pleasant
service, but the place can be quite crowded. No smoking, wheelchair
accessible, very child-friendly. About $15/dinner.

Masao's Kitchen ($+) [Vegan Macrobiotic] -- Cambridge (Porter Sq)
[see Porter Exchange Mall], 497-7348, T: Red Line @ Porter Sq
Vegan macrobiotic restaurant with very affordable, excellent,
well-prepared food; good adzuki bean soup, seitan dishes, macro platters
& vegan blueberry "cheese" cake. Try their organic carrot juice. Nice
people. (10/94)

Milk St Cafe ($) [Kosher] -- Brookline (Longwood), Downtown
[See under Kosher]

Vietnamese & Cambodian Restaurants
**********************************

Ba Dat ($) -- Chinatown
28 Harrison Ave, 426-8838
Very good large bowls of pho. Good noodle & rice dishes too, esp the
bbq chicken w/lemongrass & shrimp w/sugarcane. A cafe like atmosphere,
and a nice place to share a long table w a bunch of people when you're
eating alone.

Elephant Walk ($$) [French Cambodian] -- Somerville (Union Sq)
70 Union Sq, 623-9939
Dress: casual; Rating: great
Reservations: needed, but not always accepted
Very good Cambodian and decent French food. Not inexpensive, but
plenty of food for the price.
GoodDishes: Try the soups, Cambodian salads, spring rolls, shrimp
toast, noodle appetizer, amok, poulet phochani, poulet dhomrei, and
the mie siem. On the French side, the Coquilles St Jacques is spicy,
subtle, and artfully presented.
BadDishes: The vegetarian noodle dish is rather plain. In general,
stick to the Cambodian side of the menu; french dishes like the
Mussels au gratin are ok, but unimpressive, though.
Other: Do try to go early or be prepared for a wait. It's worth it,
though. (8/94) [=> review ]

Pho Bang ($-) -- Chinatown
7 Beach St, 422-0501
Very good food, not a very large menu -- it's mostly pho, noodle
dishes, a few rice dishes, and the usual selection of creative
beverages. Their pho is not quite as good as Pasteur's or Ba Dat's, but
the difference is slight and all three are excellent. They also seem to
use a slightly skinnier noodle. Pho with a drink and a tip was $6.50.

Pho Pasteur ($) -- Allston, Chinatown
137 Brighton Ave (just east of Harvard St), Allston, 783-2340/2060
8 Kneeland St, Chinatown, 451-0247
682 Washington St, Chinatown, 482-7467
Great salads, beef (pho) and seafood soups, very good quail appetizer,
banh xeo, Lemongrass Chicken and Shrimp in Special Sauce; other entrees
not as good. Very inexpensive, nice ambience. Lots of unusual
non-alcoholic drinks. The Allston location is better.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Saigon ($) -- Allston
431 Cambridge St, 254-3373
Hours: Closed Sundays; VegOptions: lots
Small low budget restaurant, good & inexpensive, though portions
aren't that large. A storefront but the atmosphere is quiet and
relaxing. The food is consistently good with a homestyle feel to it.
It is a tiny restaurant, and looks kind of run down, but the service
is excellent -- the husband minds the tables; the wife cooks. Saigon
is a solid choice for good food with no frills. Lots of vegetarian
food; the veggie rolls are especially good. Try the lemongrass squid
and the banh xeo. Good spring rolls and tofu dishes. Oversized soup
bowls are filled with rich fragrant broths, vegetables, chicken and
seafood, and rice noodles (not to mention lemongrass) but avoid the
seafood soup. Very good Fisherman's soup, though the portion is
small. The chicken curry is a simple dish, well executed, which
captures what this restaurant is all about. All the dishes are made
on the spot and the freshness of the ingredients is exhilarating.
Their tea contains some Jasmine and is heart-warming. (10/94)

V Majestic ($) -- Allston
164 Brighton Ave, 782-6088
T: B Green Line @ Harvard Ave, also on the #66 & #57 bus lines
The decor might be Food-Import-Company-Calendar Modern, some entrees
might be forgettable, but within certain categories this place
consistently shines for many people, while others (myself included) find
the food to be somewhat greasy & mediocre. Stick to anything w Special
Noodle or Caramel Sauce. The Rolling Beef & Sea of Vietnam are very
good here, too, and the Yellow Crispy Noodle dishes and the Shrimp with
Vermicelli compares favorably w more expensive Chinatown versions.
Soups are good, too, esp the Crab Meat soup & the hot & sour soup,
though better Pho can be had elsewhere. I'd avoid the fried greasy
spring rolls (though some people think they're great) but try the
excellent Vietnamese rolls -- a little spicy, not fried, with a
wonderful dipping sauce. Also very good lemon-grass chicken and pan
fried fish. A funky place w friendly service, which is often prompt,
but can get slower when it gets crowded. This place cultivates
regulars. Amazingly cheap.

Viet Hong ($) -- Allston
182 Brighton Ave, 254-3600
T: Green B Line, Harvard Ave, also on the #66 & #57 bus lines
Superb food, inexpensive, with very large portions -- I think this
is the best Vietnamese food in the city. The specialty seafood soups,
such as sea moss soup and fisherman's soup are superb. There are lots
of Pho variations as well, which are quite good, though for Pho and
for Vietnamese salad, Pho Pasteur, down the block, is still better.
If you like Crab Rangoon, their's is excellent, and their Vietnamese
rolls (both fried and unfried) are good too. Most of the entrees are
very good here, including the various tofu and vegetable dishes,
caramel shrimp, ginger fish. Their beef w lemon grass, seafood
spaghetti, and salt & pepper fried squid are especially good. They
sometimes do tend to undercook chicken; if you order chicken dishes
(which are good), ask them to make sure the main ingredient is very
well cooked. The owners, who generally wait on the tables, are very
friendly, and will make you feel welcome and taken care of. Open till
11pm most nights. No liquor license, but you can BYOB as long as you
hide it in a bag under the table.

Viet Foods ($) -- Waltham
Willow St, nr River St
Out of the way, hole in the wall place with excellent food. No decor
to speak of, and service is slow because only 2 people work there and
only one seems to know English. But they are very nice, and remember
you after only a couple of times. Everything there is good -- very
light and not greasy. Favorites include the Fresh Spring Rolls, Fried
Wonton, Pho, Cha Chien (Vietnamese meat patties over vermicelli) and
Vietnamese iced coffee. Prices are very cheap.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Vietnam Restaurant ($+) -- Chinatown
38 Boylston St, 423-1665
Oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Boston. Great canh chua, goi cuon,
bun, cari.

======================================================================
Where to Drink Beer & Cider Around Boston
======================================================================

Brew Pubs
=========

Boston Beer Works ($+) -- West Fenway (near Fenway Park)
61 Brookline Ave (at Lansdowne St), 536-2337
T Green Line: Kenmore Square
Excellent micro-brewed beer. Wide selection: well-hopped lagers,
amber ales, porters, stouts, barley wines, Weissbier, and seasonal brews
like pumpkin ale and spiced winter ale. The lighter beers are
particularly nice.
The food here is not incredibly extraordinary, but it's well-prepared
standard pub food, from light fare in small portions to huge
starch-laden dishes, reasonably priced for the location. Good sweet
potato fries, mako shark with raspberry marinade, and very good burgers.
Avoid the filling but bland and overcooked pasta dishes.
Not exactly a charming place. Rather big, clean, and slightly
industrial. But interesting architecturally, and not as much high
school cafeteria feel as Cambridge Brewery.
Service seems to vary -- it can be awful, but it generally is very
good for a place that gets very crowded. Expect big crowds and long
waits during concert events and club nights on Lansdowne St. Extra
points to their servers -- they're friendly folks and don't seem to get
frazzled by the zooey atmosphere. Not recommended, EVER, for an
intimate occasion... very, very highly recommended if you want a
slightly noisy time with a lot of friends. Least stuffy brewpub in
Boston. Snacks: $5-10; meal w a beer: $10-20. Wheelchair accessible.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Cambridge Brewing Company ($+) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
1 Kendall Sq, 494-1994
Excellent beer, and they serve it in pitchers! The standard beers are
excellent, especially the pale ale. Special beers vary all over the
place, though they're rarely less than good, which makes them worthwhile
just for the adventure, and there have been truly excellent brews, incl
the raspberry stout. The worst thing that can be said about the
specials is that they're variable, with flavors changing noticably from
batch to batch, so if you want consistency, go for the standards.
The food is occasionally interesting, but usually indifferently
prepared; it's been better at points in the past -- at present it's best
to avoid anything even remotely fancy.
The atmosphere is lots of red brick and a jukebox that's usually one
notch too loud -- there's not much atmosphere to speak of. Service is
extremely variable, though never positively rude.

Commonwealth Brewery ($+) -- West End (near Boston Garden)
138 Portland St, 523-8383
The food and the beer are somewhat similar to that of the Cambridge
Brewing Company, with some disagreement about which has the better
brews. At Commonwealth, the dark brews are particularly recommended,
especially the porter and bitter. Go for the beer, and avoid any truly
fancy food. They also have hard cider.

John Harvard's Brew House ($+) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
33 Dunster St, 868-3585
Mixed reviews on the beer; some think its great, others find it
disappointing, though recently musch improved. The ales are
light-bodied, and at worst weak & bland, although the flavors that make
it through are worthwhile. The food also gets mixed reviews; some find
it imaginative and tasty, w excellent home made sausages and great lunch
specials, while others think its a ripoff, with the presentation
frequently winning out over edibility; they're obviously trying hard to
provide interesting (if often heavy) dishes, but they might have done
better working on the basics. The steak & garlic mashed potatoes are
good. Enormous desserts heavy on the maple sugar (although the
strawberry shortcake is good), and poor coffee.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Other Great Beer Places
=======================

Boodle's of Boston ($$$-) [Steaks] -- Back Bay
[see listing under Steaks]

Cornwall's ($$-) -- Kenmore Sq
The best British-style pub in the area, and it is very good indeed.
They have Woodpecker and Welsh Ale on tap, scores of other beers, nd the
couple who owns it is on-site, managing really well, an lso doing a
first-rate job of cooking good fish & chips, and lots ore. It draws a
crowd of regulars, including lots of BU faculty at lunchtime.

Doyle's ($) -- Jamaica Plain
Washington St (at Williams)
T: Orange Line; Hours: 7 days; CreditCards: no; OutdoorDine: no
NonSmoking: ok; Reservations: not accepted; ChildFriendly: ok
Dress: casual; VegOptions: some; LowFat: no
Doyle's is an old Boston establishment, around since 1882. A very
community/family type place; relaxed and easy -- the kind of place
your softball team would go after a game in the summer. Typical bar
atmosphere, so it can get crowded and noisy. Good hearty fare -
nothing spectacular, but good food at cheap prices -- very good pizza,
good burgers (esp the Braddock burger), steak, American-type food,
chowder, soup, salad, fish n' chips.
Primarily a great place for beer, with 20+ beers on tap! Not as
great a selection as the Sunset but much better prices - near the
Boston Beer Company and thus gets new Sam Adams products first. (9/94)

Sunset Grille and Tap ($+) -- Allston
130 Brighton Ave nr Harvard St, 254-1331
T: B Green Line at Harvard & Comm Ave, also #66 & 57 buses
Best known for its unparalled selection of beers on tap (74, and not
one of them Budweiser or any of that mass-produced crap) and in bottles
-- a total of 150 beers and 5 or 6 ciders. They also serve enormous
portions of butter-heavy food that gets mixed reviews. Very good
nachos. 3 rooms, one busy and open, one quieter, one for smokers.
Mostly a 20-something crowd with a lot of BU students. The waitstaff is
young and friendly. The wait can be tough at peak weekend times but
otherwise it's pretty easy to get a seat. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Places that serve Hard Cider
============================

Bill's Bar Cider Jack on tap about one day in six...
Boston Beer Works Woodpecker (and others?) in bottles
Commonwealth Brewery
Cornwalls Woodpecker on tap
Crossroads Woodpecker on tap
Plough & Stars Cider Jack on tap!
Sunset Grill & Tap Woodchuck & Woodpecker on tap; also
Merrydown, Strongbow, Cider Jack, Purpom

======================================================================
Recommended Boston Sunday Brunch Buffets
======================================================================

[Note: this list is really incomplete. New entries very welcome!]

Barrett's Restaurant [Traditional] -- Charlestown
I've had Sunday Brunch at Barrett's a couple of times. The price is
about $16 per person. The price includes some non- alcoholic drinks,
like juice.
The buffet is quite large. They have all the standard breakfast
items, like eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins, etc. They also make fresh
waffles and omelettes. They also have some lunch type stuff, carved
roast beef and turkey, several sides, shrimp, etc.
The dessert area is extensive. Lots of cakes, cookies, and
pastries. Also, they have a whole table with various package candy
and chocolate.
The quality of the food overall is good. There are some average
things, and some outstanding things.
They have a deck which faces the water, which is one of the things
my wife and I like best. (Steve...@analog.com 9/94)

Bennett St. Cafe ($$$) [Bistro] -- Harvard Sq
in the Charles St. Hotel
T: Red Line @ Harvard Sq
Price $25/head excluding alcohol, tax, or tip
CreditCards: yes; OutdoorDine: yes
Reservations: accepted; Dress: dressy
VegOptions: lots; Rating: great
Food: The food was EXCELLENT!!! This is the best brunch I have ever
seen. They had everything from omlettes, fruit (very fresh
blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, melon, and a few other
fruits), cheeses and crackers, pastries, and eggs benedict, to smoked
salmon, shrimp, oysters, roast beef, and other various, and extremely
wonderful entrees. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet-style brunch, and
the sevice was prompt and friendly. They also had a wide array of
desserts, including chocolate covered strawberries, fruit tarts, flan,
cheesecake, bread pudding, peacan pie, and some other desserts that
Ican't remember (there was a whole table full of them). I left
totally stuffed, and totally in heaven!!
GoodDishes: I would recommend the salmon, the roast pork with
cherries, and the eggs benedict.
Beverages: For $6.50 they have a personal bottle of champagne
waiting on you table for you to mix with you fresh squeezed orange
juice (which is included in the cost of the brunch, and the server
refills your glass frequently)
Service: The service was excellent, friendly, and very prompt...but
not too prompt.
Ambience: The restaurant was located on the first floor patio of the
Hotel. Most of the inside was covered in skylights, and you could eat
outside if you wanted to. (9/94)

Blue Room [Eclectic] -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq)
Sunday brunch is recommended highly -- for $15 adults, $8 kids under
12, patrons are treated to a good combination of your standard
buffet-style brunch as well as hip out-of-the-ordinary dishes with
many unexpected items; its a cold and hot buffet of delights that fit
the Blue Room's standard philosophy of ethnic blendo nouvelle cuisine,
but without any portion control. This means you might find
apple-pineapple-guava crumble next to old- fashioned chocolate
brownies (but updated with that hint of bitter chocolate instead of
gooey sweetness) and traditional scones (equally modern with their
lacing of apricots), or pasta salad next to maki rolls, buttermilk
pancakes next to collard greens and fried bananas, sausage and bacon
next to eggs scrambled with asparagus tips and sundried tomato.
Everything works well together, and not a thing cannot stand proudly
on its own -- a remarkable feat, I think, for a buffet. Portions of
the hot food are prepared continually in small amounts so that nothing
sits long enough to cool. A full menu of cocktails for the person who
has to wake up with a screwdriver is available, at additional cost.
To add to the whole effect, a pianist belts out a few sets of
foot-stomping ragtime New Orleans jazz from an upright they wheel in
to near the bar; if conversation is critical, don't sit too close.
Goes from 11am - 3pm, with a similar dinner buffet that starts at 4pm.

Country Life [7th Day Adventist Vegan] -- Downtown
All you can eat; serve and bus tables yourself. Very impressive
lowfat selection (I asked specifically about fat content). Included 2
soups, small salad bar, hot entree, rice, vegetable, french toast &
waffles, fresh fruit, frozen fruit drink, a fruit tart (all this was
non or low fat), "scrambled" tofu, other baked goods & desserts.
Herbal teas and juice included, other (soft) drinks were extra.
$7.95/adults, $4.50/children.

Dick's Last Resort -- Back Bay
Sunday Gospel Brunch. Every Sunday, 10a-3p I believe. The
entertainment is a rock/jazz gospel group. Food was good, omlette bar,
waffle bar, lots of fresh fruits, breakfast and lunch foods. Deep
southern backwoods feel to the place. A great new experience. It was
about $15pp. Parking validated for the Pru Mall Garage.

House of Blues -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
3 hr Gospel brunch Sundays, 1/2 for eating, 1/2 for music -- you can
get reservations a week in advance, but they're often not necessary.
The food is ok, though they don't always refill the better stuff, and
the gospel is good, but they rush you in and out -- it's more like a
"ride" than a brunch.) [=> reviews ]

Marriot Copley Place -- Back Bay
Great food, about $20/head, excellent shrimp.

Meridian Hotel -- Downtown
The Meridien hotel in Boston runs an excellent Sunday brunch,
possibly w a special "kids table". Neat way to introduce someone to
sushi (one table) too because they use only smoked salmon and other
commonly-eaten products to produce their maki rolls. Shrimp & mussel
table, crepe table, usual egg & etc. table, usual cheese & breads
table, usual salads table, a pseudo-natural breakfast foods table, and
on the hot food side, they always have salmon en croute of some sort,
as well as the usual beef, vegetable, and potato entrees. Desserts
are worth eating, too; real stuff, not the usual over-sugared generic
goop.

Milk St Cafe ($) [Kosher Vegetarian] -- Downtown
0 Post Office Square
T: Red/Orange Line-Downtown Crossing
Hours: Sunday Brunch 10AM-2PM, July-August (Weather permitting)
OutdoorDine: only; VegOptions: lots; Rating: very-good
GoodDishes: Eggplant parmesan is particularly good
Service: Cafeteria style service
Ambience: Seating is outside in the park, surrounded by the downtown
skyline
Prices: Individual items: $2.95-$4.95,
All you can eat: $14.95/Children $8.95 (8/94)

Park Plaza -- Park Square
Park Plaza Hotel, 35 Columbus Ave, Park Sq, 426-4444
Really good hotel brunch -- excellent even if seated just before
closing time. Excellent omelettes, roast beef, plus some slightly
more unusual stuff like tuna steaks in orange sauce and capellini with
sun-dried tomatoes. Good selection of dessert stuff too -- cakes,
some nice fruit tarts, etc. Good quality. All of it was fresh,
well-prepared, made with the right ingredients. Service was
excellent, plates were removed and silverware was replaced promptly
but without rushing us. Basically, we never had to wait for anything.
Servers were all very pleasant, too. $18/head.

Parker's [Traditional American] ($$$$) -- Downtown

Rowes Wharf Restaurant -- Waterfront
Boston Harbor Hotel, Atlantic Ave, 439-3995
One of the most lavish brunches around if price is no object.

Sheraton Commander -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$21 for very good buffet.

Spinnaker -- Cambridge (Cambridgeport)
Top of the Cambridge Hyatt Regency Hotel
575 Memorial Drive (nr BU Bridge), 492-1234
$25/person, large variety, complimentary champagne, the whole
restaurant revolves.

Top of the Hub -- Back Bay
2nd floor of the Prudential Center (Boylston/Huntington), 536-1775
Classical Sunday brunch, ~$22/person. Interesting cheeses, and a
reasonable wine list (w Frascatti a good value). Mixed reviews on the
food, but terrific views of Boston.

Turner Fisheries (Seafood) -- Back Bay
Extensive excellent seafood-focused brunch. Not cheap at $22/ head,
but simply wonderful. They had just about anything you could want in
a brunch, lots of it, and the quality was excellent -- bacon, sausage,
waffles, omelettes, blackened monkfish, sole, smoked seafood platter,
clam chowder, etc.

Help make the Sunday Brunch Buffet list more complete and keep it
up-to-date by sending in your own reviews of new restaurants, or
updating reviews of restaurants already in the list!

======================================================================
Other Boston Lists
======================================================================

Where to have English Tea around Boston
=======================================

Ace of Cups Tea Room -- Brookline Village
220 Washington St, 232-1114
High Teas available 3-5 Th-Sa w 24 hrs notice. $12 for scones,
clotted cream, cakes, finger sandwiches. Otherwise they are a normal
tea place with lots of good teas and baked goods.

Colonial Inn -- Concord Center

Four Seasons Hotel -- Boston
200 Boylston St, 338-4400

Montage -- Chelmsford

Ritz Tea Room -- Boston (Back Bay)
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Arlington & Newbury, 536-5700
[=> negative review ]

SpecialTeas -- Grafton

Dessert & Chocolate Buffets in Boston
=====================================

Cafe Fleuri [Chocolate Buffet] -- Downtown
Hotel Meridian, 250 Franklin St, 451-1900
The Cafe Fleuri's chocolate buffet at the Hotel Meridien on
Saturdays from 1-4pm from Sept. thru May is highly recommended.
Basically, it is chocolate ecstacy for $13.50 pp. Cakes, cookies,
puddings... Crepes prepared for you by a chef who can drizzle
chocolate sauce or scoop ice cream on it for you. Reservation
required. (8/94)

======================================================================
Outside of Boston
======================================================================

o North Shore (east of US 1)
o North of Boston (east of Rt 3, west of US 1)
o West of Boston (as far as Worcestor)
o South of Boston (east of US 1)
o Cape Cod & the Islands
o Southeastern New Hampshire
(bounded by Nashua, Manchester, Dover)
o Southwestern Coastal Maine
o Rhode Island

North Shore Restaurants
***********************
(east of US 1)
**************

Beverly
-------

Union Grill ($$) (Beverly MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill
208 Rantoul St, (508) 927-2028
Fresh food, of very high quality, and very imaginatively prepared.
The decor is lovely, the service is excellent, and the wine list good.

Danvers
-------

Ponte Vecchio ($$$) (Danvers MA) -- Northern Italian
435 Newbury St (nr Topsfield Fairgrounds), (508) 777-9188

Essex
-----

Tom Shea's ($$$) (Essex MA) -- Seafood
Good food, mostly seafood, w/some meat entrees. Food done a la Legal
Seafood (traditional (i.e., baked stuffed) cajun, broiled, fried) and
there's several pasta dishes. Setting is nice - right on Essex marshes
so you can watch boats coming in from Ipswich bay. Fairly extensive
wine list, good desserts.

Woodman's ($+) (Essex MA) -- Seafood (Clam Shack)
Rt 133, a bit east of Rt 22
Wildly mixed reviews. A place for fried seafood, boiled lobster,
french fries & onion rings, cole slaw, beer and wine, too. Indoor &
outdoor dining on picnic tables w/paper plates, with a nice view of
the surrounding marshes. Long lines on beach days, but they move
quickly.
The clams (as well as everything else) are fried (proudly) in lard.
While some say the clams are perfect, others claim the breading on the
clams is tasteless and thick, and that the clams are rubbery, and not
always fresh.
As for other food, some say its great, w excellent fried sole,
reasonably priced, very good onion rings, and very good scallops and
shrimp. The shrimp in particular are fried in the tastier Southern
way using a salty corn flour batter. The lobster and the
fritter-style crab cakes gets wildly mixed reviews. Others claim all
the food is bland, greasy and overpriced (not substantially cheaper
than fried food at Legal). Avoid the corn on the cob. (9/94)
[=> reviews ]

Gloucester
----------

Bistro ($$$) (Gloucester MA) -- Eclectic
Very good, with lots of Mediterranean food, including fine seafood and
grilled foods of all sorts.

Ipswich
-------

Clam Box (Ipswich MA) -- Seafood
Rt 133 / 1A north of the Ipswich town center
Highly recommended for their fried clams and fried fish, though some
think the place is over-rated. It get's a low decor rating on the
interior but then the building's exterior is shaped like a clam box to
make up for that. (8/94)

Newburyport
-----------

Captain's Quarters (Newburyport MA) -- Fried Seafood
Downtown, on the harbor
Excellent fried seafood in a beautiful setting. Excellent huge
Fisherman's Platter w a fair sampling of fried fish (Cod) and shrimp
and lots of scallops. Very good Shrimp Casserole. Reports that the
fish chowder is not quite up to par. (10/94)

Ciro's ($$) (Newburyport MA) -- Italian
Firehouse Theater (nr the waterfront), (508) 463-3335
Prices: Pizza/Calzone 6-11$, Entrees 8-14$
Hours: Sun-Thur 11-11 Fri-Sat 11-12; DineAccess: ok
Food: Lots of good Italian food. It tends to be very busy.
Servings are fairly large, lots of interesting pizza e.g. gorgonzola
and walnut on a white pizza; some think it's not quite as good as
Bertucci's nor does it have as expansive a menu. Fair sized portions.
Moderately priced.
Good Dishes: Tortellini al Ferro
Beverages: Full bar. 2 Italian beers, neither very good. Others
range from BudMillerCoors to SamAdams. Wines: small list,
below-average quality, above-average prices. Get the carafe of
Montipulciano - 1 liter of decent table wine at a reasonable price -
sets a festive mood.
Service: Attentive (uncrowded) - mildly unpleasant (crowded.)
Ambience: Great location! There are two outdoor eating areas. In
the rear is a terrace facing the Newburyport Waterfront Park and
Newburyport Harbor. The front faces the Market Square area. These
seating areas fill up quickly - during nice weather count on a long
wait. While you wait you can visit the art gallery in the lobby (no
seating.) Or get a beeper and wander around downtown. (9/94)

David's ($$$+) (Newburyport MA) -- American/Continental
11 Brown Sq, in the Garrison Inn, (508) 462-8077
CreditCards: yes; OutdoorDine: no; Dress: casual
Dress: Casual; Rating: very-good
Food: The food is exceptional, w fresh ingredients and amazing
sauces. Food is prepared perfectly, w shrimp served as tender and
succulent as salmon. The presentations are inventive and attractive.
The portions are just right, served on large white plates, with fresh
herb garnishes.
GoodDishes: the appetizer of Ipswich goat cheese with sun-dried
tomatoes, in a nest of crispy leeks is both attractive and delicious.
Excellent grilled salmon, and also excellent grilled shrimp in a sauce
of artichokes, basil, and lemon over linguini. For dessert, try the
white chocolate mousse (presented as a Napoleon) with a raspberry
sauce; one of the best desserts anywhere.
Beverages: They have a full liquor license. A fairly short wine
list that is medium priced (most bottles are in $20 range).
Service: The service is pleasant and helpful.
Ambience: Elegant and relaxed at the same time in a quant colonial
atmosphere. White tablecloths and attractive place settings.
Prices: approx. $4 - $6 for appetizers, $16 - $20 for entrees
Other: A pleasant way to end a day of bird watching at Plum Island.
More enjoyable than Joseph's Winter Street Cafe or Scandia.
There is also a less formal cafe downstairs which serves full
portions and half-portions. We didn't try it, but it might be a good
way to sample this wonderful food for less money. (9/94)

Glenn's Galley ($$$) (Newburyport MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill Eclectic
44 Merrimac St, (508) 465-3811
Artfully prepared, tastefully presented food, servings tend to be
small (one reviewer felt that they paid a lot of money for 4 beautifully
presented pieces of asparagus with some fish on top. :-) Menu varies
weekly - some standards, with lots of potential for hot (spicy) foods,
and lots of specials. Great seafood. Occasional oddities such as wild
boar, antelope, venison, etc. Get reservations on weekends.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Grog (Newburyport MA) -- Southwestern/Traditional
13 Middle St (first left off of State St), (508) 465-8008
1760 meets 1960. Relaxed atmosphere days -- loud R&B/Blues at night
-- local artists on display. Some say the the quality & selection has
gone downhill somewhat in the past few years, but still reasonably
good family fare, moderately priced. Try the Black Bean Soup or the
White Ash Blackened Steak. (7/94)

Joseph's Winter St Cafe (Newburyport MA) -- Italian/Continental
Winter St.
Cozy up-scale room. Piano bar on weekends. Terrace in summer. Try
the roasted peppers, veal. Get reservations on weekends.

Middle St Foods (Newburyport MA) -- Eclectic
Middle St.
Similar to the old Black Forest in Cambridge. An excellent selection
of salads and small entrees, which vary by the day -- almost all of it
very good. Take out or self serve. Best at lunch. Good recent bets
are paella and the curried vegetables with lobster in filo. Fairly
Spartan decor.

Peabody
-------

Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Peabody MA) -- Steakhouse
[=> Legal Sea Foods ($$+) (Peabody MA) -- Seafood
Northshore Shopping Center, (508) 532-4500

O'Fado ($$-) (Peabody MA) -- Portuguese
52 Walnut St (nr Central), (508) 531-7369
Mixed reviews. Huge portions, but overall disappointing.

Revere
------

Mirage ($$) (Revere MA) -- Russian
220 Lynnway, 286-3310/3359
This is the place to come for a unique Russian dining experience.
The decor and location would make it a good candidate for something
more like a VFW post; the food is, well, meat-and-potatoes, but very
good and genuine. The reason to go, though, is to experience the
Russian rock'n'roll band that provides the live entertainment, as well
as the groups of Russians and Armenians getting as smashed as they
can; if you're lucky, the place will erupt into table dancing and
raucous sing-alongs; toast everyone's health, the health of their
spouses and children, and you'll get along just fine. Needless to
say, it's the sort of place you would best go to in the company of at
least six others, so you can raise your own hullaballoo if no else
does. It's only open on the weekends, and reservations are advised,
mostly because they do a lot of Russian parties, weddings, receptions,
etc. Oh, the Mirage also has a dress code (jackets, ties preferred,
absolutely no jeans or sneakers) and runs $20/person easy, more
depending on your alcohol consumption. (10/94)

Rowley
------

Agawam Diner (Rowley MA) -- Diner
A steel-and-chrome old-time diner, with food from your childhood, or
from your parents childhood. Salisbury steaks, turkey with gravy....
Good quality food, good desserts (excellent pie, esp the banana cream
pie), inexpensive. (9/94)

Seafood Village ($) (Rowley MA) -- Seafood
Rt 1, about a mile N of rt 133
Great fried seafood; one of the best on the North Shore. Better
fried clams than Woodman's. Nothing fancy. Not a place for someone
who is watching their fat intake.

Salem
-----

Asahi ($$) (Salem MA) -- Japanese
21 Congress St, (508) 744-5376
Very nice Japanese food, lovely service, pleasant decor. Good sushi,
also specializing in simmered dishes. Nice bento box selections.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Grapevine ($$+) (Salem MA) -- Nouvelle Italian
26 Congress St, (508) 745-9335
Very nice -- pizzas, pasta, duck dishes. One of the better
restaurants in the area. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Red Raven ($$-) (Salem MA) -- Eclectic
75 Congress St, (508) 745-8558
A small place that is very pleasant, with a very dramatic but very
dark decor, and food that can be very good. The menu consists of
dishes (many spicy) which the owner finds interesting, with influences
from many continents. Moderately priced. Interesting wine list, w
many unusual moderately priced wines.
GoodDishes: a very nice cold smoked mackerel, jumping squid in a
perky sauce with vegetables over spinach, grilled shrimp with a tomato
polenta and a vegetable and bean salad on the side.
[=> review ] [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Salisbury
---------

Chin Chin (Salisbury MA) -- Mongolian Bbq / Chinese
237 Elm St (Rt 110, I95/495), (508) 463-4332
Good food. The mongolian barbeque/buffet Fri and Sat nights is
worth a visit. The Bbq is quite good, you can observe them cooking
your food. They typically have around 8 vegetable and 6 meat
selections for the bbq. The traditional food is Mandarin and
Szechuan. Typical price for good chinese food. (7/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Saugus
------

Border Cafe ($+) (Saugus MA) -- Tex/Mex
Rt 1, betw Friendly's & Hilltop; Accessible: yes; ChildFriendly: very
Prices: Entrees from $5 (tacos, beans, & rice) to $15; full meal < $20
Rating: great
Like the one in Harvard Sq, but with fewer vermin and better ambience.
Excellent quality, flavor, variety; esp good fajitas. Tex/Mex beers
only. Good margaritas. Variable service, but usually helpful. Lots of
tables (50?) but always a wait; noisy; OK lighting; always kids present
-- there's a kid's menu.

Hilltop Steak House ($$-) (Saugus MA) -- Steakhouse
Rt 1 [look for the cow!], 233-7700
A family place w long lines and good reasonably priced steak, though
some say that the quality has gone a bit downhill over the years.

Swampscott
----------

Bertucci's ($+) (Swampscott MA) -- Pizza / Italian
581-6588

Palmer's ($$$-) (Swampscott MA) -- Italian
408 Humphrey St (at Greenwood), 596-1820

Restaurants North of Boston
***************************
(east of Rt3, west of US 1)
***************************

Andover
-------

Bertucci's ($+) (N Andover MA) -- Pizza / Italian
(508) 685-4498

Burlington
----------

Cafe Escadrille ($$+) (Burlington MA) -- Italian/American
26 Cambridge St (Rt 3A & 128), 273-1916
Most upscale decor and highest prices of nearby Italian restaurants --
a big place with above average quality and prices; not overly expensive,
but not cheap. Not gourmet fare, but solid, though the frog legs are
delicious. Dissenters say that dinners are dull with indifferent
preparation (esp fish). But it's a place with a great Sunday brunch.

Jimmy's on the Mall ($+) (Burlington MA) -- American Casual
In the Burlington Mall
Standard American fare -- meat-chicken-seafood -- with good sized
portions of above average food at average prices; never a bad meal, and
hard to beat for the price. A large restauarnt with plenty of seating
and speedy service. Excellent Salmon w Dill sauce & Baked Stuffed
Shrimp and great desserts too, including Mud Pie & Strawberry Shortcake.
Entrees, which include potato or rice (a nice pilaf w spinach), are
generally $8-$11. Salads ~$1.45 extra. [=> review ]

Legal Seafood ($$+) (Burlington MA) -- Seafood
In the Burlington Mall, 270-9700
Good food, pricey, always crowed, forget it for 6-8 people unless you
arrive after 9:00 PM or want to wait an hour. Excellent baked stuffed
lobster and the salmon is also good.

PapaRazzi ($$) (Burlington MA) -- Italian
Wall St. in Burlington off Rt. 3 just S of Rt. 128
T: 350 bus from Alewife; Outdoor Dining: available

Thai Tai (Burlington MA) -- Thai
Middlesex Turnpike, across 128 from the Mall
ChildFriendly: very
Food: Good food; well presented dishes. Some dishes are Chinese.
Good but not spectacular lunch buffet.
GoodDishes: Great appetizers, excellent Thai PuPu. The chicken
coconut soup is the best anywhere. Very good Pad Thai. Best Chicken
Satay anywhere -- meat is real juicy.
BadDishes: Avoid the Salmon dish.
Beverages: Anchor Steam on tap!
Service: Good service; very helpful waiter, remembers you.
Ambience: Nice relief carving on river delta market that I find
fascinating. Beautiful plain woodwork inside. Pleasant and not
overpowering. Not noisy in the evening. (8/94)

Dracut
------

Lin Garden ($+) (Dracut MA) -- Chinese
511 Merrimack Ave. (Rte 110), 508-458-8113
Good Chinese food, including a variety of authentic Chinese dishes
(plus others available by special order), which attracts a large
Chinese clientele. Good all-you-can-eat buffet and Sunday Dim Sum
buffet. Too much MSG, but if you can get over that, the food will
satisfy, and the price is right. From the menu, the curry chicken was
quite tasty. Nice view of the Merrimack river.

Haverhill
---------

Hong Kong Kitchen ($$-) (Haverhill MA) -- Chinese
Rt. 125, Bradford (Haverhill), 508 521-3399
This is owned by the same people as Royal East in Cambridge, and has
the same menu; it is certainly the best Chinese outside in the area.
Best dishes: any of the daily specials (including whole fish), Cantonese
fried chicken, veal ribs, rock crab, pork and pickle soup, pork with
pickles, the chow foons, swan la chow show, chow meins (believe it or
not), the list goes on ... You can never get a bad dish there. Prices
are moderate (about $50-60 after tip for a family of three, but that
includes leftovers to take home with you). The ambience is typical for
a small suburban Chinese place, but here you go for the food.

Lawrence
--------

Bishop's ($$) (Lawrence MA) -- Lebanese / American
99 Hampshire St (at Lowell), (508) 683-7143
Bishop's has two types of food: American steaks, chops, and seafood,
and Middle Eastern (Lebonese) specialties. Both are very good to
excellent. The American food comes in huge portions -- lobsters start
at perhaps 3 pounds, for example. Prices are expensive, but you really
do get your money's worth. The french fries (served family style) are
not to be missed, as well as the Syrian dressing on the salad. Even
though the prices are on the high side and the atmosphere and service
are very nice, dress is informal.

Lowell
------

Khemara (Lowell MA) -- Cambodian
It's nothing fancy, but it's run by a very pleasant Cambodian family,
and they serve wonderful House Special Sizzling Rice Soup and
Cambodian-style fried fish, for those who like spicy dishes, at very low
prices. The smoke can get bad here at times.

La Boniche (Lowell MA) -- French
110 Gorham St
Intimate atmosphere, the courses are perfectly cooked & seasoned,
and the desserts are to die for.

Southeastern Asian Restaraunt (Lowell MA) -- Asian Eclectic
Possibly the best food of it's type in the Boston area - really! They
have Laotian, Viet, Thai, Cambodian and Burmese food - and are *NOT*
afraid of the heat! Try the Nom Prik Ong or Pad Prik Bai Grapow. Both
are hot and good. Sticky rice is excellent (when they remember to wash
it well enough so it doesn't have a film of gooey starch) -- one order
is plenty for two people. Gyoza is ok, but ask them to try not to make
it soggy. They now have buffets at lunch and dinner, incl. weekends,
where you can eat quite reasonably.
The worst part of the Southeast Asian is it's downtown location.
Don't forget to lock your car and arm the laser turrets :-)
The owners are an Italian Database Consultant named Joe and his Thai
wife. If the food isn't up to snuff, let Joe know. He's
techmar!j...@wang.com

Reading
-------

Caffe Amore ($$+) (N Reading MA) -- Italian
Rt 28, near Kittys, across st, 1/4 mi south, (508) 664-6260
Prices: Dinner entrees ~$10 (w unlimited salad & bread)
Hours: Tu-Su 11am-10pm; DineAccess: ok;
Food: Delicious fresh food, excellent quality, generous portions.
moderatley heavy use of garlic. Excellent bread.
GoodDishes: Chicken Rachel; ANY of the homemade desserts (tiramisu -
yum!)
Beverages: Italian beers; above-avg house wines; expresso etc.
Service: helpful, friendly, not rushed but not slow either
Ambience: SMALL (~15 tables); 1 of several places in small 'mall';
had live music at dinner (guitar); hole in the wall; can wait outside
in chairs eating bread/wine
Other: Not very conveniently located, but seems to have a devoted
clientele (9/94)

Stoneham
--------

Three Amigos Taco Shop ($) (Stoneham MA) -- Mexican
Pretty good. Very small, *great* chili verde, a bit of bite for a
change! Other food's just ok, but they deliver and are cheap and give
large portions. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Wakefield
---------

Ristorante Molise ($$$-) (Wakefield MA) -- Contemporary Italian
Main St (just S of town center), 245-9169; Hours: Daily til 9 or 10
Prices: Meal $25-$30 (app, entree, drink, dessert, coffee)
NonSmoking: inadequate; Accessible: yes; ChildFriendly: no
This is a pleasant, low-key restaurant with very good food, almost
as good as the best Italian restaurants in Boston. The food is very
well prepared, though could sometimes use more seasoning. Very good
Seafood Puttanesca Fettuccine Gustose (prosciutto and peas in a creamy
pesto sauce), and chicken & pasta dishes. OK wine list, not fancy.
Service is pleasant, low-key, as is the ambiance. As one would
expect for a suburban restaurant, most patrons are middle aged:
couples and families. There is adequate spacing between tables, and a
pleasant din of conversation -- just enough to produce a feeling of
warm conviviality. Overall not quite as good as Caffe Amore; recently
prices have increased while portions have decreased. [=> review ]

Szechuan Restaurant ($+) (Wakefield Center MA) -- Chinese
across from the police station on Centre St
Very good food, reasonable prices. The shrimp & veggie dish is fine,
and a dish called Patriarch Chicken (small sauteed pieces of chicken
over broccoli, sweetish, spicy sauce) is really good! Hot & Sour,
wonton soups are very good. Friendly, pleasant staff. The seafood is
pretty much limited to shrimp.

Winchester
----------

Ristorante Lucia ($$+) (Winchester MA) -- Italian
553 Mt Vernon St (betw Main & Washington), 729-4585
Downstairs you can get good pizza (and many, many toppings) for
reasonable prices in a non-pizza-parlor atmosphere.

Woburn
------

Bertucci's ($+) (Woburn MA) -- Pizza / Italian
933-1440

Restaurants West of Boston
**************************
(as far as Worcester)
*********************

Acton
-----

David's Bistro ($$$) (Acton MA) -- Eclectic
Rt 2A, (508) 263-6161
A relatively new, and wonderful restaurant, serving very well
prepared and delicious food, and the portions are large, which is
unusual for this type of restaurant. Many of the dishes are complex
and somewhat spicy; if you want fairly simple food, this place may not
be for you. Entries worth trying include Roasted Lamb Loin and
Grilled Venison Sausage with a barley and wild rice timbale with
natural drippings ($16), Roasted Rainbow Trout stuffed with smoked
shrimp and scallops with a brown butter, caper sauce and lemon
couscous ($15), & Grilled Semi-Boneless Duckling, soy-marinated, with
lo mein noodles, and spicy peanut sauce ($14). The menu includes
vegetarian dishes as well. For the price, quality, and portion size,
this restaurant is a very good deal. [=> cautionary review ]

Golden Bull ($$-) (Acton MA) -- Chinese
36 Great Road (Rt 2A/119), (508) 371-2828
short distance west of Concord Rotary
Hours: Sun-Thurs: 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat:11:30am-11pm
Reservations: accepted; Dress: casual
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok
VegOptions: some; LowFat: pretty good
Rating: great
Food: A definite cut above the other Chinese restaurants in the area.
Well prepared, good-sized portions, tasty. Well-rounded, extensive
menu. Some steamed and soup-noodle dishes availabe for low-fat
GoodDishes: Hot & Sour soup is exemplary: good flavor, rich with
solid ingredients Chicken with Chinese Eggplant Shrimp with Garlic
Sauce but all dishese we've tried are good
Service: Service has always been fine. We are regulars at lunch.
Ambience: Pleasant, not tacky, subdued. Decor is left over from an
Italian restaurant in the same location. (7/94)

Le Lyonnaise ($$$+) (Acton MA) -- French Country
416 Great Road (Rt 2A & 27), (508) 263-9068
Somewhat mixed reviews. The consensus is that it is a very pleasant
restaurant in a converted house w a comfortable, relaxed, intimate
atmosphere, and delicious, though not necessarily remarkable food.
One reviewer called it OK, but wholly unremarkable wrt food, wine
list, service, and atmosphere, but w rather nice presentation.
Wonderful duck w plum sauce and Coq au Vin. Complete Table d'Hote
dinners available. (9/94) [=> reviews ]

Bedford
-------

Cafe Luigi ($$-) (Bedford MA) -- Italian
on 4/225 in front of Marshall's in the Purity shopping ctr
Very good, though not very adventurous, Italian food, fairly cheap.
The Northern Italian dishes are best. Try the Chicken Tornelli, or
the nice selection of black pasta dishes.

Great Wall ($$-) (Bedford MA) -- Chinese
309B Great Road, 275-7007
in shopping center on west side of 4/225 before Bedford Ctr
Not stupendous, but extremely good standard suburban Chinese food,
probably the best in the area, in a pleasant atmosphere. Serves good
Suan La Sho Chow. Good veggie dishes. Lunch buffet includes a very
tasty hot & sour soup and peking Dumplings. It does quite a brisk
business during weekday lunches. Mixed reviews on the buffet (other
than the soup), but the consensus is that it is fairly good, though
not their strongest point. They also serve Dim Sum -- no carts like in
Chinatown, but you can order individual items. (10/94)

Chelmsford
----------

Panda Wok ($$-) (Chelmsford MA) -- Chinese
313 Littleton Road (Rte 110, across from ex-drive-in),
(508) 250-1888, wheelchair accessible, lots of veggie options.
Entrees $6-15.
One of the best Chinese restaurants in the area w excellent food,
esp the sauces. All the dishes are superb, even things like chicken
fingers. Nuts are still crisp for those dishes that include them; the
vegetables appear to be fresh and of good quality; the meat dishes are
cooked yet tender. Highly recommended dishes include Schezuan chicken
and the prawn dishes, Peking ravioli (don't miss the ginger sauce),
Amazing chicken, Kung-Pao Three Delights, and the various seasonal
specialties.
The decor is modern, well lut, with lots of natural wood. Seats
60-80 people in boothes that are close but do not lose their privacy.
The restaurant is rarely full, being situated somewhat out of the way.
There is a bar with a big screen T.V. off of the lobby, far enough
away from the eating area so as not to be noisy or smoky for diners.
While service is good, there is something lacking in the atmosphere --
it seems to lack that comfortable feel that makes a restaurant totally
great.

Szechuan Chef ($$-) (N Chelmsford MA) -- Chinese
6 Vinal Square on Rt 3A, (508) 251-9888
take exit 33 from the south, exit 34 from the north
Good Chinese restaurants in the area are in very short supply,
and this is the best. Good lunch buffet with about 6 items,
including peking ravioli.

Tai Shiang Garden ($+) (Chelmsford Center MA) -- Taiwan Chinese
7 Summer Street, Market Place, (508) 256-8584
One of the the most "authentic" (no compromise for Western taste)
Chinese restaurants around. The food is very good and pretty
inexpensive as well. Check out all the noodle dishes especially the
rice vermicelli and the spicy beef noodle soup. Their special fried
rice is also very authentic. On their menu, the last page is their
Taiwanese dishes. This is the stuff that they excel in. The daily
specials are not bad, but not as good as their authentic menu items. It
is a typical small strip-mall type place so has very little atmosphere.
Not something you go for a romantic dinner, but if you want good
Taiwanese food, this is the place to go.

Concord
-------

Aigo Bistro ($$$) (Concord MA) -- Mediterranean / Basque
84 Thoreau St, Concord, 371-1333
Adjacent to the commuter train station in Concord center
Reservations: essential, call a few days in advance
Very good food, eclectic, but not fancy. Part owned by the owners
of L'Espalier in Boston
GoodDishes: Try the brandade, the seafood entrees, any North African
food, and the honey-lavender-thyme flan. (10/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Chang An ($$) (Concord MA) -- Chinese
at the Concord Train Station on Sudbury Rd, across from Stop & Shop
Very good restaurant aiming for high quality ingredients and
excellent preparation, but with overly bland seasonings, even when
asking for spicy food. Very tender, perfectly cooked poultry, and
perfectly cooked, juicy tender duckling. Nice decor, but prices are
on the high side, $4 to $6 for appetizers, and $10 to $15 for entrees.

Framingham
----------

Bertucci's ($+) (Framingham MA) -- Pizza / Italian
150 Worcester Rd, 879-9161

Oh! Calcutta ($+) (Framingham MA) -- Indian
16 Irving St (Rt 126) at Grove St (Rt 135), (508) 875-6212
Excellent Indian restaurant -- better than most in Cambridge or
Boston. Especially good Channa Baji -- chick peas steamed with
tomatoes, ginger, garlic, onions & spices. For lunch at $3.95 it is a
very good deal. And don't forget the onion relish.

Shogun 9 (Framingham MA) -- Japanese
Shogun 9 is consistently good; surprisingly good considering they're
not in the city. The sushi bar has mostly standard fare (i.e. tuna,
salmon, mackerel, octopus, squid, also geoduck and clam, but rarely
uni) and is always fresh. Their cooked food is also excellent. (9/94)

Thai Orchid ($+) (Framingham MA) -- Thai
Rt 9
Good food, freshly prepared w fresh ingredients. Basil Beef a good
choice for those who prefer western tastes; Masuman Curry is a good
choice for those who like the unusual. The "Golden Bags" appetizers
are wonderful, and the grilled seafood skewers with a sweet and sour
sauce are also good.
This is a really nice Thai restaurant. The atmosphere is among the
most pleasant seen locally, with a central seating area under a wooden
platform; in this area you sit on the floor. Around that area are
standard tables and booths. Prompt pleasant service. $10-15/person.
Seats about 60. Mixed drinks available. Wheelchair accessible.
Smoke can be a problem.

Uncle Cheung's (Framingham MA) -- Chinese
on Rt 9
A great place, with some of the best Chinese food outside of
Chinatown, very reasonably priced and quite tasty. Try the Crispy
Whole Fish, and the Crispy Shrimp. The chicken fingers and sweet&sour
chicken are very good as well. Typical service and atmosphere. One
report of possible food poisoning though. (9/94)

Yen's Wok ($+) (Framingham MA) -- Chinese
Rt 9, western edge of Framingham
Great lunch and dinner buffet Sunday through Thursday. Very good
Chinese food, worth a drive. Excellent fried squid -- really tasty
and not spicy-hot (7/94)

Holliston
---------

Bertucci's ($+) (Holliston MA) -- Pizza / Italian
(508) 429-4571

Lexington
---------

Cafe Bellecour ($$$-) (Lexington Center MA) -- Mediterranean
10 Muzzey St, 861-9400
Good but not knock-your-socks off food. Moving to 20 North
St, Bedford, and changing its name to Dalya. Roka will open at this
location. (10/94)
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Hartwell House ($$+) (Lexington MA) -- American Traditional
Hartwell Ave (first left with a light N or 128 on 4/225)
Excellent food, nice atmosphere, but pricy. Good steaks, burgers,
and simple seafood dishes. Good early bird special before 6:30, w
prime rib on Friday's.

Lemon Grass ($$-) (Lexington Center MA) -- Thai
On the main drag of town, east of Waltham St.
DineAccess: ok
Wildly mixed reviews, varying from great to good to awful. Highly
regarded dishes include the Cocnut Chicken soup (w a bit of lime in
it), the Siam rools, and the wild-boar basil (just a little spicy).
OK Pad Thai. I had a horrible dinner -- they used too much fish sauce
in everything! (8/94)

New Asia ($$-) (Lexington MA) -- Chinese
211 Mass Ave, 863-5533
Pretty good; very quick-cooked Szechuan-style food, try the Yu
Hsiang [savory green beans]. Also in Somerville.)

Peking Garden ($$-) (Lexington Center MA) -- Chinese Dim Sum
27 Waltham St, 862-1051
Well established, excellent, very good Hot & Sour soup, Dim Sum on
the weekends; try the Chicken with Pine Nuts.

Sweet Peppers ($$) (Lexington Center MA) -- Italian
20 Waltham St, 862-1880
ChildFriendly: yes, w balloons & inexpensive children's menu
Reservations: accepts
Mixed reviews. While food preparation can be uneven, especially on
busy nights, and there are definitely dishes to avoid, Sweet Peppers,
in general, serves good portions of reasonably good somewhat nouvelle
Italian food, including very good pizza, good baked ravioli, good
antipasto (but small portion), and excellent Boston cream pie. Avoid
the bland fettucini primavera and extremely ambitious dishes like the
duck. Not a place to go for that romantic evening out, but a fun,
crowded, trattoria atmosphere. Reasonably priced. Also has a very
nice bakery w their own Italian pastries. (9/94) [=> reviews ]

Yangtse River ($$-) (Lexington MA) -- Chinese
21 Depot Square, 861-6030
Peking Garden's longtime competitors, very, very good, though not
quite great -- try Hacked Chicken, Yangtse River Beef, Ma La Shrimp,
Twice Cooked Pork.

Littleton
---------

Yangtse River ($$) (Littleton MA) -- Chinese
584 King Street, (508) 486-0500
DineAccess: ok; ToiletAccess: ok
ChildFriendly: ok; Hours: Daily til 9:30
Reservations: not accepted; Dress: casual; VegOptions: some
Wildly mixed reviews -- from excellent to very disappointing. A
nice comfortable place w very good service -- pleasant and quick.
Those who like it think it is the only good Chinese place in the
immediate vicinity, and that the food is well prepared and plentiful,
with delectable flavors. Recommended dishes include the KungPao
shrimp, chicken, or beef, the Spicy jumbo shrimp w/tomato & onion, the
crispy beef dish, the veggie lo mein, and the Crab Rangoon. Those who
don't, find it very dissapointing, w lousy food & service, much
inferior to the Lexington branch. (7/94)

Marlborough
-----------

Bertucci's ($+) (Marlborough MA) -- Pizza / Italian
(508) 460-0911

Escargot ($$) (Marlborough MA) -- Thai / Japanese / French
On Main St (at the end of a row of stores at the west end, next to the
little park)
CreditCards: yes; Beverages: no liquor license yet
VegOptions: limited; Lowfat: no
Food: Escargot has something to fulfill your every craving. A great
place for a group that can't settle in on a single cuisine -- Thai
dishes are very good, mixed reviews on the Japanese dishes, though
sushi & sashimi are well presented. In general, food is very fresh,
presentation is above average (the crispy duck is boned & especially
nicely presented), and servings are generous. Not so good for
vegetarians although they can make a veggie with basil dish on request
(I think there was only one veggie dish on the menu), and not good for
lowfat (the one steamed dish is served with peanut sauce).
GoodDishes: the crispy duck, veggies with basil (very spicy as
requested), house fried rice (though some might like the rice
crispier) the curried chicken dish (ordered to spec: hot enough to
burn chrome off bumpers), tempura shrimp and vegtables is light and
sweet, and a French shrimp dish is praiseworthy as well. Good
chocolate souffle & ginger ice cream.
Ambience: Fairly nice atmosphere with above average table settings.
Service: Very good, and friendly owners.
ChildFriendly: No high chairs but otherwise child friendly,
especially the big bowl of candy presented with the check. (9/94)
[=> reviews ]

Tom's Seabreeze ($+) (Marlborough MA) -- Seafood
on Rt 20
Not a fancy place, but the fried clams and scallops are impeccably
fresh, the breading light and not greasy. You order at the counter
and they bring the food out to you. Highly recommended!

Maynard
-------

Grappa ($$-) (Maynard MA) -- Italian
on Rt 62
An unassuming place that serves unique inspired Italian dishes at
moderate prices -- a very enjoyable place to eat. Try Eggplant
Napolean, Spit-roasted chicken, and Veal scallopine in vanilla infused
lobster sauce. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends.

Little Pusan ($+) (Maynard MA) -- Korean
83 Main St, (508) 897-5107
Closed Sundays. Restrooms not wheelchair-accessible.
Small family place -- she's Korean and cooks, he's American and
serves. Food is quite good (a lot of it is spicy), with 4 or 5
different marinated vegatables served with every meal. Portions are
fairly generous too, especially for excellent appetizers such as the
the Korean-style futomaki, the Kimchee pancake, and the noodle
appetizer. Entrees are very good as well, esp a steamed layered big
bowl of meat and vegetables that seemed to be a specialty, as well as
the spicy stir fry of squid or pork. No liquor license but you can
bring your own. Only seats 25, so you might want to avoid on weekends
(they really can't handle a crowd); weekdays usually uncrowded. When
not crowded, the owner is very good w special requests also. Very
reasonable prices for the amount of food -- $30 feeds 2 adults and 1
child very well.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Quarterdeck ($$-) (Maynard MA) -- Seafood
177 Main St (Rt 62), (508) 897-9165; Hours Mo-Th til 9, Fr-Sa til 10
Resevations: large parties only; NonSmoking: completely
Excellent, and known for its very fresh seafood, reasonably priced
(and also sold in the adjacent retail shop). A variety of types of
fish are available, though preparation are not particularly
interesting -- just mostly basic broiled. Small & casual.
Reservations recommended, especially on weekends. (7/94)
[=> Middlesex News Review ]

Thai Chili ($$-) (Maynard MA) -- Thai
Really good food, and best Thai in the area. The spicy dishes are
authentic -- really spicy and flavorful. Chicken w Basil is
particularly good. (7/94)

Natick
------

Chef Chen ($+) (Natick MA) -- Chinese
61 Worcester Road (Route 9 westbound, next to Boston Chicken)
(508) 650-1533
The location (recently moved here from Framingham) and lack of
waiting lines could lead you to believe this is the typical mediocre
suburban Chinese restaurant, but you'd be wrong. This is a nice
place, especially if you like to eat off linen at paper prices. The
owner and staff are genuinely friendly and make eating there a
pleasure. Weekdays they have an excellent special for two of
appetizer plate, choice of soup and two dishes for $17! Very good
beef and scallop dish, lo mein is a little pasty. The spicy dish vary
enormously from day to day in spiciness -- sometimes very mild,
sometimes fiery -- so be specific about how spicy you want it.
Overall good food, good service, kid-friendly. (8/94)

Dolphin Seafood Too ($+) (Natick Centre MA) -- Seafood
on South St, opposite the train station
Hours: Closed Sunday
Fancier version of the Cambridge restaurant. More spacious, full bar,
fish market, similar low prices. Great food, atmosphere and service.
The swordfish special dinner for $10.75, is very reasonable and tasty.
Excellent seafood pasta w 8 large shrimp & linguine in a garlicky sauce.
Unusual rasberry low cal salad dressing -- a big change from the usual
gummy diet dressings you usually see. The children's menu offers "fish
sticks" which are actually haddock pieces. Also on the children's menu
are shrimp, and other choices all for $3.95.
The atmosphere is very pleasant and perfect for a business lunch. The
only problem is that they do not take reservations and the waiting area
is quite small. There can be a long (~1 hour) wait on weekend nights.
Only for seafood-lovers -- only one non-seafood dish on the menu.

Legal Seafoods ($$+) (Natick MA) -- Seafood
Rt 9 eastbound, (508) 820-1115; Hours: Mo-Th til 10, Fr-Sun til 10:30
Excellent fish chowder. Overpriced fish and lobster. Long waits on
weekend nights.
[=> Middlesex News Review ]

Sherborn
--------

Sherborn Inn ($$$) (Sherborn MA) -- Traditional
33 Main St (Rt 27 nr Rt 16), (508) 655-9521
Hours: Lunch Tu-Su, Dinner til 9:30 daily (Mo-Tu tavern only)
Reservations: accepted
Very upscale, elegant, pricey. Superb menu and wine list. Many
dishes are quite good, including the veal chops, crab cakes &
shepherd's pie, but others fall short of the mark, incl the salad w
roasted mushrooms, and the cheese tortolini with grilled chicken and
pesto. Service is spectacular, though for the price, more attention
should be given to the details of presentation. Also does a good job
with small group functions.
[=> Middlesex News Review ]

Southborough
------------

Ipanema ($$-) (Southborough MA) -- Brazillian
106 Southville Rd (At Rt 85 S of Rt 9), (508) 460-6144
Very authentic Brazilian food, casual atmosphere. Reasonably
priced, enormous portions. Offers all you can eat marinated/ grilled
meats, served right off the skewers by the chef who wanders through
the dining area. Servers are helpful with suggestions if you are
unfamiliar with the food - will also tell you if they think you have
ordered too much !! Offers live Brazilian music and dancing on
weekend. Definitely worth the trip.

Sudbury
-------

Lotus Blossom ($$-) (Sudbury MA) -- Chinese
Rt 20
Run by the same people that run the Lotus Flower in Framingham, but
the interior and atmosphere are much nicer -- very tasteful
(un-chinese-restaurant-like) decor. The food is both prepared and
presented well, with some of the best Chinese food outside of
Chinatown. Good mu-shi, vegetarian dumplings, with some steamed
entrees and brown rice available for healthier choices. Good
shang-hai panfried noodles and their peking duck is ok too (but not
served with pancakes unless you ask for them). Sometimes they have
unusual specials like chicken w/champagne sauce, which are good.
Prices are moderate to a bit high, but worth it. They also do
impressive special banquets w VERY good food and service. Always jam
packed on Saturday nights - wall to wall people waiting to be seated.

Sierras ($+) (Sudbury MA) -- Southwestern
470 North Road (Rt. 117), (508) 443-0820
nr Maynard line, E of 27, W of 126, westbound side
A suburban variant of the Border Cafe for the 20's-30's crowd, with
wildly mixed reviews. Those who like it say the food is good, comes
in large portions and is reasonably priced. Recommendations include
posole, the "heavenly" black bean, chili fettucine, shrimp diablo, and
chicken nachos, as well as any specials made with chipotles. Those who
don't like find the service can be pushy, the beans weird, and the
mole poblano abominably bad.) [=> reviews]

Wayside Inn ($$+) (Sudbury MA) -- American Classic
Wayside Inn Rd, (508) 443-1776
A restaurant/attraction that is worth seeking out. The food is
solid if not spectacular. It is basic "American" food that must be
intended to represent what might have been available in a wayside
restaurant: roasts, chicken pot pie, homemade pies. The atmosphere
and surroundings contribute to the experience at least as much as the
food does. Good cornbread. Festive at Christmas. Excellent service,
the price is reasonable for what you get, and it is just a wonderful
dining experience. You don't have to travel to Vermont or New
Hampshire to get that "Country Inn" style of food - you just come
here. (7/94)

Wellesley
---------

Amarin II ($$) (Wellesley MA) -- Thai
27 Grove St (at Spring St), Wellesley, 239-1350
Very pretty restaurant, and excellent food, almost as good as
Erawan. Great Pad Thai & Tom Kar Gai; the noodles and beef at lunch
are good and not served elsewhere. Service is generally good, but
there can be exceptions. They have a pretty good tolerance for noisy
kids.

Bertucci's ($+) (Wellesley MA) -- Pizza / Italian
380 Washington St, 239-0990

Captain Marden's Takeaway ($) (Wellesley MA) -- Seafood
Linden St
Good seafood, cheap prices. Avoid the broiled food; get the fried
stuff. Get the seafood rather than the clam chowder.

PapaRazzi ($$) (Wellesley MA) -- Italian
14 Washington St, 235-4747

Westborough
-----------

Willy's ($+) (Westborough MA) -- Tex/Mex
Rt 9, next to Sams Discount Club, (508) 366-1881
Hours: Daily till 10pm; ChildFriendly: very
If you like cajun and mexican food, this is the place. Not fancy, but
a very good and diverse menu. Heaps of food (in fact, an appetizer can
serve as a meal), so bring an appetite. Good dishes include Tequila
shrimp, Fajitas, Giant Burrito, and Chicken dishes. However, The ribs
are kinda greasy and the coconut beer shrimp have a lot of batter on
them. Margheritas are the specialty...and each one seems to have its
own personality...
Service/Ambience: Service is fast, food is served pipin hot, and with
a smile. Very casual, laid back ambience. Interesting Texas decor,
rustic.

Weston
------

Cafe 456 ($$)(Weston MA) -- Eclectic
456 Boston Post Rd (Rt 20), 891-9161
By day, it is a sub shop / pizza joint featuring very good
sandwiches (good roast beef w boursin cheese, and chicken salad w
fresh tarragon & grapes). In the evenings (they used to do this every
night, but they scaled back recently to just Friday and Saturday
nights), they transform into a gourmet restaurant w excellent food
creatively prepared from fresh ingredients and elegantly presented.
The place has a certain charm to it with the combination of fine food
in a (very) casual setting (you won't likely ever see any two pieces
of silverware at a table that match). The place is decorated with
artwork which changes every few weeks. Very good beef tenderloin and
chicken risotto, wonderful hearty lentil/tomato soup; desserts were
fantastic. A very pleasent dining experience. Not a cheap one, mind
you, but satisfying.

Worcester
---------

Chopsticks ($+) (Worcester MA) -- Chinese
On the west side
Known for its excellent lunch buffet -- $5.99, all you can eat,
until 3 pm. Chopsticks has better decor than Ping's (by the same
owner) and a more varied menu including hot pot dishes and chow foon.
(7/94)

Peking Wok ($+) (Worcester MA) -- Chinese
Grove (Rt 122A) and West Boylston Streets (across from Perce's)
The food is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the service is
excellent, with a very pleasant waitstaff. Really cool dinnerware
too, and neat wall hangings in the smoking section. Their buffet is
good, too; it even has more than one vegetarian dish, although it is a
little more expensive than most. They also have a cool non-alchoholic
drink called Strawberry Pops. (7/94)

Thai Orchid ($$-) (Worcester MA) -- Thai
Moderate prices, pretty good lunch & dinner buffets, though better
choices off the regular menu. The sesame beef appetizer w coriander
and fried crispy is really excellent. Service is good, as long as you
don't go on a night with a popular Centrum event.

Restaurants South of Boston
***************************
(east of Rt 1A)
***************

Abington
--------

Vin & Eddie's ($$$) (Abington MA) -- Northern Italian
1400 Bedford St (Rt 18 betw Rts 58 & 139), 871-1469
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Braintree
---------

Bertucci's ($+) (Braintree MA) -- Pizza / Italian
412 Franklin, 849-3066

El Serape (Braintree MA) -- Mexican
5 Commercial St, Weymouth Landing, 843-8005

Brockton
--------

Bertucci's ($+) (Brockton MA) -- Pizza / Italian
(508) 584-3080

Dartmouth
---------

La Rivage ($$$) (Dartmouth MA) -- Classic French
7 Water St, (508) 999-4505

Hingham
-------

Bertucci's ($+) (Hingham MA) -- Pizza / Italian
90 Derby, 740-4405

Navona ($$$) (Hingham MA) -- Italian-French-American
415 Whiting St (Rt 53 nr Rt 3), 337-0757
[=> Boston Globe Review 10/94 ]

Hull
----

Saporito ($$$) (Hull MA) -- Northern Nouvelle Country Italian
11 Rockland Circle (nr Nantucket Ave), 925-3023
Inventive delicious food in a homey trattoria atmosphere. Terrific
food; everything is superb. Well worth the drive.

Mansfield
---------

LaDonna (Mansfield MA) -- Italian
on Copeland Drive (left at 1st traffic light going west on 106 from
140...no more than a mile from 95)
A fairly nice, pricey Italian place in a restaurant-sparse area of
Mass, owned by the same people as Carla's in Norwood. (8/94)

Norwood
-------

Bertucci's ($+) (Norwood MA) -- Pizza / Italian
1405 Providence Highway, 762-4155

Quincy
------

La Paloma ($$-) (Wollaston, Quincy MA) -- Tex/Mex
195 Newport Street, 773-0512, T: Red Line @ Wollaston (4 blocks)
DineAccess: ok
Very good Tex/Mex food. The fajitas are particularly good --
veggies fresh, salsa good and spicy. Also try the chili, shedded beef
burritos, sopa seca, carne asada, and Mexican paella. Complementary
homemade nachos with excellent salsa. Competent and friendly service,
comfortable booths, informal but pleasant decor, pleasant bar to wait
in if you have to (esp oin weekends). Sometimes live music on
weekends. Plenty of parking. Good value for money. $4 for a
margarita. (7/94)

Randolph
--------

Caffe Bella ($$$-) (Randolph MA) -- Northern Italian
19 Warren St (Rt 139 E), 961-7729
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Seekonk
-------

Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Seekonk MA) -- Steakhouse
[=> reviews ]

Stoughton
---------

Iguana Cantina ($$-) (Stoughton MA) -- Tex/Mex
Washington St

Taunton
-------

Bertucci's ($+) (Taunton MA) -- Pizza / Italian
(508) 880-0222

Weymouth
--------

La Paloma ($$-) (S Weymouth MA) -- Tex/Mex
1037 Main St (Rt 18)

Cape Cod & the Islands Restaurants
**********************************

Barnstable
----------

Matakeese Wharf ($$) (Barnstable Harbor MA) -- Seafood
271 Mill Way (off 6A), (508) 362-4511
A very enjoyable place for dinner, with the quality of the seafood
the star attraction. Good cioppino. Pleasant, attentive service. A
wonderful place to sit on the deck facing Barnstable harbor and watch
the boats. [=> review ]

Brewster
--------

Chillingsworth ($$$$$-) (Brewster MA) -- Nouvelle French / Continental
2449 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 896-3640
Very expensive, but worth it for a special occasion. Generally
considered to be the best restuarant on the cape. The food is
thoroughly excellent; never a bad meal. An excellent bet is the prix
fixe 5 or 7 course meal. The fruit souffle for dessert is
particularly recommended but needs to be ordered at the beginning of
the meal. Formal yet friendly service; graceful, efficient, and
tactful. Get reservations well in advance. They also have a cafe,
which is less espensive.) [=> review ]
[=> Boston Globe Review 6/94 ]

High Brewster ($$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Eclectic New England
924 Satucket Rd (betw Airline & Stonybrook), (508) 896-3636

Bourne
------

Chart Room ($+) (Cataumet, Bourne MA) -- Traditional
On the harbor at Kingman Marina, (508) 563-5350
Food is traditional American family-style - broiled swordfish
w/anchovy butter, baked stuffed lobster, steaks, lamb chops, etc. but
it's very good and is very inexpensive for the location. Typical
entree is ~$10, including salad, veggies, potato. Limited inexpensive
wine list and full bar. Indoor & porch dining w beautiful sunset
views of harbor, Bassett's Island, out to Buzzard's Bay. As you might
expect, the place is PACKED in the summer time, esp. on weekends, and
can be very noisy. Entertainment on some nights (usually piano player
w/bass - show tunes, traditional jazz, etc.). Hard to get
reservations, and they're definitely advised. Open Thurs-Sat May, all
days June - Sept, Thurs-Sat October.

Chatham
-------

Vining's Bistro (Chatham MA) -- Southwestern Grill
595 Main St, Upstairs at the Gallery at Chatham, (508) 945-5033
Fresh ingredients, interesting menus, friendly service, and a nice
atmosphere; not inexpensive but delicious and interestingly different
dishes. (7/94)

Cotuit
------

Regatta of Cotuit ($$$$-) (Cotuit MA) -- Eclectic
4631 Falmouth Rd (Rt 28, nr Rt 130), (508) 428-5715
Very elegant, somewhat traditional food. Very fresh, wonderfully
prepared seafood.

Dennis
------

Swan River Restaurant and Fish Market (Dennisport MA) -- Seafood
5 Lower County Road, (508) 394-4466
Very fresh and well-prepared seafood, terrific chowder, with plenty
of non-fried items on the menu. Friendly service, and even a view if
you get the right table. Portions not the largest (not really small,
just not huge), but quality high. Never a bad meal, and often really
good ones. Informal atmosphere.

Eastham
-------

Lobster Pool (Eastham MA) -- Seafood
Rt 6
A good place for simple seafood. Lots of options -- they will prepare
whatever fish they've got fresh as either poached, broiled, baked, or
fried. They do a splendid job w poached fish, especially swordfish, and
and they also do a great job on lobsters, which come in several sizes.
Clambakes too. Atmosphere is very casual and informal. You won't get
anything fancy here but it'll be very good. Better than the Lobster
Hutt. (7/94)

Falmouth
--------

Regatta of Falmouth ($$$$-) (Falmouth MA) -- Eclectic
217 Clinton Ave (nr Scranton), (508) 548-5400
Very good food -- you can't order a bad meal; everything is
exquisite. Especially good mushroom strudel appetizer and chocolate
decadence dessert. Reservations recommended. Off-season, the service
can be slow.

Mashpee
-------

Cefalo's ($+) (Mashpee MA) -- American Casual
Mashpee Commons (Rts 151 & 28), 477-8100
Prices: Most entrees $8-14, include vegs+salad
ChildFriendly: yes, incl crayons; Accessible: yes
A low-key unpretentious restaurant with a relatively small menu of
standard entrees, all prepared reasonably well. Unexpectedly good
clam chowder, shrimp scampi, and scrod. (6/94)

Flume ($$) (Mashpee MA) -- Seafood / Portuguese
Lake Avenue (off Rt 130, nr turnoff to Mashpee Rotary), (508) 477-1456
A popular place with good seafood, though a bit overpriced. Go for
the Portuguese items on the menu, which are both cheaper and more
interesting. Open year round, need reservations weekends in summer.

Gone Tomatoes (Mashpee MA) -- Northern Italian
Mashpee Commons (Rts 151 & 28), (508) 477-8100
Hours: Su-Th 11:45-10, Fr-Sa 11:45-10:30
OutdoorDine; yes, but from a restricted menu
Food: Very good food; much improved in the past few years. Pizzas
are excellent, though marred by the difficulty of getting the toppings
one wants; the menu describes a number of predesigned pizza combos,
and the manager's intercession may be needed to get variations.
Reasonable wiine selection.
Good Dishes: Pizza, Cozze alla Salsiccia (mussels and sausages over
linguini), Veal Piccatta.
Ambience: The restaurant is very pleasant, dark wood and glass, one
step up from Bennigan's-style decor, without being overly formal.
Very busy during the summer, with long waits on weekends; probably
the best restaurant in its class in the area. (9/94) [=> review ]

Nantucket
---------

Brotherhood of Thieves (Nantucket MA) -- Pub
Excellent quaint atmosphere, about a minute from where you get off
of the ferry. Staggering array of drinks. Good pub food and
inexpensive. Large portions. Presumably this location was a home of
the underground railroad prior to the civil war. They typically have
a perfomer, acoustic, at night. (9/94)

Cap'n Tobey's Chowder House (Nantucket MA) -- Seafood
Straight Wharf, (508) 228-0836
Perhaps the best clam chowder in New England.

Provincetown
------------

Ciro & Sal's (Provincetown MA) -- Northern Italian
4 Kiley Ct (behind 430 Commercial St), (508) 487-0049
Very good Italian, many dishes with fresh seafood in them. It's
crowded, it's noisy, and it's always good. Note this is not Sal's
place, which is good, but this is better.

Lobster Pot (Provincetown MA) -- Seafood
321 Commercial St, (508) 487-0842
P-town restaurants come and go, but the Lobster Pot is always there
and always good. Still casual, and a bit busy and hectic, but
somewhat fancier than other places. Basic fresh seafood in rather
plain surroundings, with some particularly good dishes. The
Portuguese kale soup is a must as is the wonderful clam chowder.
Other good bets are soft-shell crabs, seafood skewers, and the cold
smoked appetizer plate. They also usually have a pretty impressive
dessert menu.

Napi's (Provincetown MA) -- Eclectic
7 Freeman St, (508) 487-1145
Interesting and innovative cuisine -- a wide variety of fresh
seafoods and some Portuguese specialties. They have such a large menu
that pretty much everyone can find something that they'll like....
there's even a page of vegetarian things.

Wellfleet
---------

Aesop's Tables ($$$) (Wellfleet Center MA) -- Traditional
Main St (next to Town Hall), (508) 349-6450
Hours: May to October
For a fancy dinner, there is Aesop's Tables in Wellfleet Center. It's
food is excellent, but very pricey. Good appetizers include Logan's
Littlenecks (w black beans and sausage) and monet's salad (incl edible
flowers). Mixed reviews on the entrees, which seem to vary from
excellent to uninspiring. (7/94) [=> review ]

Lobster Hutt (Wellfleet Center MA) -- Seafood
91 Commercial St
Good fresh fish, lobsters in various sizes (1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1 1/2),
clam bakes (lobsters, clams [1 1/8 lb each, and excellent] and very
fresh corn), various fried and grilled fish. They have soda, but if
you want any alcoholic beverage, you had to BYO. Order your food
outside then go inside and ask to be seated. They look for enough
empty spots at either the loooong picnic table running down the center
or the perpendicular tables along the sides; you may end up sitting
between strangers and it can be pretty noisy. There may be more
comfortable places to get good fresh seafood (notably the Eastham
Lobster Pool), but this place is still quite good. (8/94)

Serena's ($$-) (S Wellfleet MA) -- Italian / Seafood
Rt 6, (508) 349-9370
Italian family-style dining, emphasis on seafood. Good basic stuff
-- their menu has changed little over the years. Excellent scampi,
seafood/lobster fra diavolo, great garlic bread. Preparations are not
fancy but the food quality is superb. They're used to kids, too.
Very friendly folks. Casual. Entrees $10-$12.

Yarmouth
--------

Abbicci ($$$) (Yarmouthport MA) -- Italian
43 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 362-3501
[=> Boston Globe Review 6/94 ]

Southeastern New Hampshire Restaurants
**************************************
(bounded by Nashua, Manchester, Dover)
**************************************

Statewide
---------

Foodies Restaurant (NH Chain) -- Italian Casual
Bedford, Hampton, Nashua, Portsmouth NH, 9 others outside the area
Danial Webster Highway (near Shaws Grocery Store), Nashua
DineAccess: ok; ChildFriendly: very; NonSmoking: Completely
VegOptions: lots; LowFatOptions: pretty good;
Eclectic pizzas, very good pasta choices, good large salads. Wide
variety of creative pizza combinations. Particularly veg-friendly:
the Mediterranean (feta cheese, broccoli, tomatoes, garlic), spinach,
and eggplant combos are good choices; carnivores should try the
sizzler (hot sausage and jalapenos), chicken fajita, or reuben (corned
beef, sauerkraut, mustard, pickle). Heart-healthy choices highlighted
on menu. Choice of about 6 crusts, from an excellent traditional thin
to sourdough, to a chewy whole wheat. During lunch they have an all
you can eat menu of their various pizza slices, which is a good value,
but the pizza sometimes suffers from holding. Also, a very good beer
selection. Comparable to Bertucci, but a bit kinder on ther wallet.
Service & Ambience: Recently converted to table service at dinner.
Ample seating; not crowded; clean enviroment. Newer locations (all of
these) are bright and cheery; original Hillsborough location a bit
funkier. (7/94)

Newicks ($) (NH Chain) -- Seafood
Delicious seafood. Gigantic nightly specials. Giant fried seafood
platters, and the broiled stuff's ok too. They all have *slightly*
different names, but all the names contain "Newick's." Ambience? Open,
casual, friendly -- like a big, indoor picnic. Cheap. Good. Fun. Avoid
the fast food versions in malls though!

Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse ($+) (NH Chain) -- Tex/Mex
Much better than passable, even to those who have sampled what
California and Texas have to offer. Good mexican food with a good
atmosphere and good beer selection.

Bedford
-------

Weather Vane ($+) (Bedford NH) -- Seafood

Hampton
-------

Los Burros (North Hampton Beach NH) -- Mexican
Excellent food, with all items home-made. Excellent guacamole dip
(large portion, fresh taste, lots of cilantro), fajitas burrito (both
chicken and beef are very good), and rice (interesting flavor, cooked
with chicken broth? and herbs?). The homemade salsa is also
consistently fresh. Also very good chili (red or green) and
enchiladas, and there are also specials sometimes like tamales and
stuffed jalapenos).
Other info about the new location: Still minimal seating (3 or 4
small tables and a couple of picnic tables), but the restaurant is
about 100 yards from the beach. No liquor/beer sales. Credit cards OK.
(8/94)

Nashua
------

Bertucci's ($+) (Nashua NH) -- Pizza / Italian
Amherst St, (603) 595-7244

Cafe Mardi Gras (Nashua NH) -- Cajun/Creole
Nice cafe style restaurant w inexpensive tasty food, though small
portions (at least for lunch). Lots of alligator on the menu.

Chili's ($+) (Nashua NH) -- Southwestern
DW Highway, across from Pheasant Lane Mall
Noisy, friendly, busy place w southwestern decor, and well- prepared
southwestern style food. Good chicken fajitas. The best appetizer is
the awesome blossom (fried onion with horseradish sauce) although the
quesadillas are good also. They also have good salads and burgers. Sam
Adams and lots of soft drinks available w free refills. Short wait,
very good service. Most things on the menu are between $6-10. Very
child-friendly; the waiting area has children's books!

Coyote Cafe ($$$-) (Nashua NH) -- Southwestern
Main St, (603) 883-1610
Recently opened, so the waitstaff is still undertrained, but the food
is excellent. A bit less creative than Cottonwood Cafe, but still very
tasty and a better value.
GoodDishes: To start, try the Hopi Pan Bread appetizer, the
rattlesnake bites (deep fried mozzarella stuff jalopenios) and their
award winning 5 chile chili (beat out Shorty's and Hacienda's among
others - no beans, shredded beef and pork served with tortilla chips).
Then try the Grilled Scallops (with pumpkinseed pesto), the Seafood
Diablo, the Smokehouse Saute (smoked chicken w/ linguini) or the
fajitas (though served w too few tortillas; hint: when asking for more
tortillas you only get charged for 3 or more). For dessert, try the
almond flan.
Drinks: Coyote makes their margaritas with Tequilla, Lime Juice, and
Triple Sec. NO MIX, a real Margarita!! The make them right and they
taste great. Decent beer selection on tap (Anchor Steam, Sam Adams,
etc..) as well as in bottles, though Mexican beers are lacking.
Service: The Coyote opened early this year and still has new
waitstaff. The server Dave has worked there since the opening and he
is the only original server/bartender still there; he has been known
to send back a drink or dish if the presentation is not what he
expects for his customers. The rest of the staff is friendly and
courteous but presentations may vary from one server to the next.
Atmosphere: Relaxed - not noisy but not dead either. Small bar with
no TV. Usually Jazz or Mexican music. They will be expanding soon
for a larger dining area. Occasionally live local jazz/blues band in
the evening, sometimes w a a free buffet to accompany the music,
though then there will be a line at the door to get in.
Price: Average Lunch with appetizers and Drinks will be around $22
pp. Dinner around $26. Entres around $8-13 (8/94)

Giant of Siam ($$-) (Nashua NH) -- Thai
One of the best around... great food, good service, classy
presentation/surroundings, reasonable prices. Still others think it has
gone downhill since it first opened.

Indian Village ($+) (Nashua NH) -- Indian
295 Daniel Webster Hwy, (603) 891-1140; Hours: Closed Sun
Still the best Indian food in the area, and an excellent lunch buffet,
authentically prepared and spiced. Lunch ~$6; 100% Non-smoking.

Osaka Tea Garden ($$-) (Nashua NH) -- Japanese
Very good sushi along with other Japanese food.

Ya Mamma's ($$-) (Nashua NH) -- Northern Italian
Canal St
Very good to excellent Northern Italian food; especially good seafood,
and the fra diavolo, sun-dried tomato butter, and pesto sauces. A bit
on the expensive side; entrees are $12-15. Ugly neighborhood.

Portsmouth
----------

Blue Strawbery ($$$$-) (Portsmouth NH) -- Nouvelle American
39 Ceres St (off Bow St), (603) 431-6420
Wonderful prix fixe dinners using unusual combinations of ingredients.

Strawberry Court: Restaurant Francais ($$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- French
20 Atkinson St (betw State & Court), (603) 431-7722

Salem
-----

Bertucci's ($+) (Salem NH) -- Pizza / Italian
(603) 890-3434

Metastasis (Salem NH) -- Eclectic
(603) 890-3362. Take I-93 to NH Exit 2. Head east. It's on the
right side of the road about 1/4 mile after you cross Rt. 28.
Cuisine is an unsual combination of Portuguese, Italian, French,
Californian. Double Diamond & Sam Adams on tap. A wonderful place &
well worth a trip. If you're thinking of a Friday or Saturday night,
better call for reservations.

Southwestern Coastal Maine Restaurants
**************************************

Cape Neddick
------------

Cape Neddick Inn ($$$) (Cape Neddick ME) -- Nouvelle American
At Rts 1 & 1A, (207) 363-2899

Freeport
--------

Maine Dining Room ($$$+) (Freeport ME) -- Nouvelle American
Harasackett Inn, 162 Main St, (207) 865-9377/1085
Excellent lunch & Sunday brunch buffets. It is American/Continental
food, with very good deserts. The Sunday brunch was $15 for adults $9
for kids over 8. The right number of dishes. Not so many that you
stuff yourself trying everything, but a lot of variations.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Kittery
-------

Weather Vane ($+) (Kittery ME) -- Seafood
DineAccess: ok
The Weather Vane is a good spot for lunch or dinner while shopping
the outlet malls of Rt. 1 in Kittery. In keeping with the retail
surroundings, it's quite casual with paper plates, and in the
inexpensive-to-moderate category. Luncheon plates offer excellent
value. Don't be scared by apparently long lines at peak hours. This
restaurant is BIG, and the line moves fast. Mediocre rice may be
substituted for french fries. Full liquor license.
GoodDishes: Delicious seafood. Try the fried native shrimp. The
fried haddock is equally tasty and well prepared.
ChildFriendly: very. "Mini-Mariner" menu provides
good value. Rainbow sherbet is an excellent dessert. (9/94)

Ogunquit
--------

Arrows ($$$$) (Ogunquit ME) -- Nouvelle American
Berwick St, (207) 361-1100
ChildFriendly: no
Probably the top restaurant in the area. It is extremely expensive,
even desserts are $8 or so, and the portions aren't very large.
[=> Boston Globe Review ]

Portland
--------

Alberta's Cafe ($$+) (Portland ME) -- Eclectic
21 Pleasant St (betw Danforth & Foke), (207) 774-0016

Newicks ($) (Portland ME) -- Seafood
(see NH Chain writeup)

Rhode Island Restaurants
************************

Cranston
--------

Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Cranston RI) -- Steakhouse
off of Rt. 95 (you can see it from the highway)
[=> reviews ]

Newport
-------

Le Petit Auberge ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Country French
19 Charles St (betw Washington Sq & Marlboro), (401) 849-6669

Puerini's (Newport RI) -- Italian
24 Memorial St, (401) 847-5506
Reservations: not accepted
A little Italian restaurant on Memorial Blvd around the corner from
the Tennis Hall of Fame. They are famous for their fresh pasta.

White Horse Tavern ($$$$-) (Newport RI) -- Eclectic New England
Marlborough & Farewell Sts, (401) 849-3600
Beautifully maintained/restored Colonial setting, friendly but very
professional service, excellent food, good (and not overly
price-inflated) wine list.

Providence
----------

(also see Brown University Graduate Student Handbook Reviews)

Adesso ($$$-) (Providence RI) -- Nouvelle Italian
161 Cushing St (betw Thayer & Hope), 521-0770
Excellent restaurant, slightly expensive w nouvelle Italian food as
well as as well as very good grilled meats. Pasta dishes are best, many
cooked w alcohol (vodka, cognac, wine, etc). Always a variety of
specials usually including one pasta w seafood. Spicing leans towards
the savory (rosemary, tarragon); sauces to complement not overwhelm.
Good salads & appetizers reflect the nouvelle style of the cuisine such
as warm duck and radicchio. Breads are also very good, not fancy, but
with real taste. Largish portions, so share appetizers. Good but
overpriced wine selection.
Professional service, very competent, moderately friendly, helpful
without being intrusive. About 20 tables and it tends to be noisy.
Open kitchen facing into the dining area with a clay oven for breads and
pizza. The place itself is interesting. It looks to be the last
holdout in a failed shopping mall behind Thayer Street w solarium type
windows looking onto the alley/ parking lot. If there are a number of
people waiting they will serve drinks. (6/94)

Al Forno ($$$+) (Providence RI) -- Nouvelle Italian
577 S Main St (behind Corliss Landing), (401) 273-9760
Reservations: no
Creative Italian Like Olive's in Boston (Charlestown), but better &
more refined. Lots of grilled items, excellent pizzas, a fine apple
tart, nice wine list, fairly expensive. Large portions. Attention to
small details. Eat slowly to savor the taste. Some might find the
atmosphere stuffy or the waits too long (occasionally 2 hrs, though
rarely); if so, try Lucky's, a more casual room in the bldg w the same
kitchen [272-7980].

Bertucci's ($+) (E Providence RI) -- Pizza / Italian
(401) 431-1470

Blue Point Restaurant & Oyster Bar ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Seafood
99 N Main St (at Elizabeth), (401) 272-6145
Cozy well-worn blue-blood room. Fantastic, and always interestingly
prepared seafood. Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. This serious
fish restaurant is not for the baked-stuffed- haddock crowd. There's a
focus on regional fishes such as trout, shad, pollock, flounder, salmon
and of course, shellfish. Try the shad with roe, spiced in earthly
realism. The menu changes weekly with daily specials and some house
standards - such as oysters/ mussels which are recommended. Casual, but
not inexpensive. [=> Boston Globe Review ]

Hemmenway's ($$+) (Providence RI) -- Seafood
1 Old Stone Sq, (401) 351-8570
Excellent food, including superb lobster casserole, seafood chowder
and bluefish pate. Every fish is fresh and deliciously prepared. If
you like curry, you'll love their house dressing. They fly in a
variety of oysters for oysters on the half shell and you can order your
favorites if available or a sampler of 6 or so types. (8/94)

La Fogata ($$-) (Providence RI) -- Mexican
East Avenue, about 3 miles from Brown University
Has the best Mexican food in RI (perhaps the best anywhere). The chef
spent much time in Mexico, and the food reflects that. The chef was
also on the new cable tv food channel demonstrating her dish "Camarones
rellenos" (wood grilled shrimp dipped in chipotle sauce stuffed with
goat cheese and baked in verde sauce.) You'll find tacos and burritos
here, but there is much more interesting fare that you won't find at the
"chain" Mexican restaurants. Everything is wood grilled, most entrees
come with wood-grilled vegetables. Try the chile rellenos con pollo
(fresh roasted poblano pepper stuffed with chicken that's been grilled
with chipotle orange sauce, then topped with chile con queso and baked)
and beef fajitas that are *hot*. Prices are reasonable: $7.95 to $13.95
for an entree. It's not high on atmosphere (very casual), but the food
is excellent. No liquor license, but you can bring your own and they'll
supply glasses and corkscrew, opener, etc. They don't take credit
cards, but will take a personal check if you're relatively local (and
maybe if you're not, check first). Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday
through Saturday. (Great salsa, too!). It's worth the trip.

L'Epicurea ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Italian
Federal Hill (the Atwells Ave. area)
The menu is limited to only about 20 things, but the food is very good
and the atmosphere and presentation are also done very nicely. The
restaurant is sparkling new; they've renovated their older, much smaller
restaurant. Excellent Lobster Ravioli, Pecorino Seafood (penne pasta w
shrimp & scallops), and focaccia. The portions are about average in
size and the price is a little up there for a-la-carte meals but the
food is outstanding.

New Rivers ($$$-) (Providence RI) -- Eclectic
7 Steeple St (extension of Angell St by the river), (401) 751-0350
Another winner in the interesting, novel dishes category. Fresh
ingredients, interesting herbs. Nice atmosphere, small, reasonable
prices.

Pot Au Feu ($$$) (Providence RI) -- French
44 Custom House St (at Weybosset), (401) 273-8953
Great French food with great atmosphere. Lots of rave reviews;
never had a bad dish. Amazing creme brulee. They have an upstairs
which is expensive and posh (jackets required), but downstairs is
casual, with both inexpensive soups/salads/quiches, etc. and more
expensive entrees ($15-20). (8/94)

Siam Square ($+) (Providence RI) -- Thai
Thayer St, Just uphill from the Avon Cinema
About $10/person, maybe $12 with a drink. No non-smoking area.
Very good food; vegetables crispy, fish fresh and light, food very
well spiced and flavored. When they say hot, they mean it. Three
pepper dishes are not for the faint of heart. Good dishes include the
Tom Yum soup, Two-lovers (beef, pork and vegetables), Ginger fish with
crispy noodles, Bangkok Chicken, and Pad Thai.
A casual collegiate ambience, w 10-15 closely set tables. Not a
hole-in-the-wall, but even w Thai decorations on the wall, not fancy
either. Informal but pleasant service.

Toscano's ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Italian
265 Atwells Ave (DePasquale Plaza), (401) 274--8820

Warwick
-------

Bertucci's ($+) (Warwick RI) -- Pizza / Italian
(401) 732-4343

Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Warwick RI) -- Steakhouse
[=> reviews ]

======================================================================
Changes Since Last Month
======================================================================

September 1994: Boston Area
===========================

New Entries
-----------

Barrett's Restaurant ($$+) [Traditional] -- Charlestown
Barrett's Restaurant ($$+) [Traditional BRUNCH] -- Charlestown
Ben's Cafe ($$$-) [French] -- Downtown
Bennett St. Cafe ($$$) [Bistro BRUNCH] -- Harvard Sq
Daily Catch ($$) [Seafood] -- North Brookline
Eight Holyoke ($$$+) [Bistro] -- Harvard Sq
Salamander ($$$$) [Eclectic] -- Kendall Sq
Top of the Hub ($$$) [Traditional] -- Back Bay

Updated Reviews
---------------

Bangkok House ($$-) [Thai] -- Harvard Sq
Beijing III ($$-) [Chinese] -- Coolidge Corner
Blackbird Baking Company ($+) [Cafe] -- Allston
Bluestone Bistro ($+) [Italian Bistro] -- Waltham
Chau Chow ($+) [Chinese Seafood, Dim Sum] -- Chinatown
Chez Jean ($$$-) [Classic French] -- Porter Sq
China Pearl ($+) [Chinese w Dim Sum] -- Chinatown
Daily Catch ($$) [Seafood]
Dali ($$+) [Spanish] -- ~Porter Sq
East Ocean City ($$) [Chinese] -- Chinatown
Florentina ($$) [Italian] -- Kendall Sq
Food Hall ($-) [Chinese] -- Chinatown
Iruna ($$-) [Spanish] -- Harvard Sq
King Fung Garden ($+) [Chinese] -- Chinatown
La Piccola Venezia ($+) [Southern Italian] -- North End
Legal Seafood ($$+) [Seafood]
Magnolia's Southern Cuisine ($$+) [Southern / Cajun] -- Inman Sq
Masao's Kitchen ($+) [Vegan Macrobiotic] -- Porter Sq
Noelle ($+) [Eclectic] -- Porter/Harvard Sq
Pentimento ($+) [American Casual & Natural] -- West Cambridge
Saigon ($) [Vietnamese] -- Allston
Seasons ($$$$$-) [Eclectic] -- Faneuil Hall Area
Thai's ($$) [Thai] -- Kendall Sq
Trattoria Il Panino: Il Bistro ($$+) [Italian] -- North End
Union Square Bistro ($$+) [Eclectic] -- Union Sq
Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) [Eclectic Continental / N Italian] -- Harvard Sq

Removed Entries
---------------

Bluestone Boston ($+) [Italian / Pizza] -- South End
[Replaced by Althea]
Crystal Restaurant ($+) [Chinese] -- Central Sq
[Will be the new site of Mary Chung]
Dynasty ($$-) [Chinese w Dim Sum] -- Chinatown
[Bad reviews, moved to non-recommended list]
Harvard St Grill ($$$+) [Nouvelle American] -- Coolidge Corner
[Closing at end of September]
Marais ($$$) [Eclectic] -- Downtown
[Closed, to be replaced by the Mercury Bar]
No Name ($$-) [Seafood] -- Waterfront
[Bad reviews, moved to non-recommended list]
Troyka ($$-) [Russian] -- Harvard Sq
[Bad reviews, moved to non-recommended list]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

September 1994: Outside Boston Area
===================================

New Entries
-----------

Brotherhood of Thieves (Nantucket MA) -- Pub
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Cranston RI) -- Steakhouse
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Peabody MA) -- Steakhouse
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Seekonk MA) -- Steakhouse
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (Warwick RI) -- Steakhouse
Caffe Amore ($$+) (N Reading MA) -- Italian
Captain's Quarters (Newburyport MA) -- Fried Seafood
Escargot ($$) (Marlborough MA) -- Thai / Japanese / French
Weather Vane ($+) (Kittery ME) -- Seafood
Weather Vane ($+) (Bedford NH) -- Seafood

Updated Reviews
---------------

Agawam Diner (Rowley MA) -- Diner
Aigo Bistro ($$$) (Concord MA) -- Mediterranean / Basque
Ciro's ($$) (Newburyport MA) -- Italian
Great Wall ($$-) (Bedford MA) -- Chinese
Le Lyonnaise ($$$+) (Acton MA) -- French
Red Raven ($$-) (Salem MA) -- Eclectic
Sweet Peppers ($$) (Lexington Center MA) -- Italian

Removed Entries
---------------

Newport Grill ($$$) (Newport RI) -- Italian
[Closed]