Get : Restaurants

Moroccan magic

Stuff Boston — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Crowded see-and-be-seen bars? Been there. Packed dance clubs? Done that. Whimsical, Moroccan-themed lounge with a cigar room, hookahs, and private Sultan’s Tents? Hail us a magic carpet and send us on our way. Charlestown oasis Tangierino (83 Main Street, Charlestown, 617.242.6009) — just unveiled its $1.6 million expansion, and the results are nothing short of opulent. The new lounge, Koullshi, boasts lavish features including the Marrakech Salon (for private dining) and a mahogany bar. And you’ll surely appreciate the state-of-the-art air-purifying system that continuously pulls stale air out and circulates fresh air in, so you won’t even notice that you’re in one of Boston’s few establishments where smoking is not only accepted but encouraged. Unless, of course, you’re too busy ogling the belly dancers.

Not Just For Starving Artists

Stuff Boston — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

We consider dining and drinking a true art form. Turns out, the folks over at the Royal Sonesta Hotel (40 Edwin Land Boulevard, Cambridge, 617.806.4122) do, too. Their recently opened ArtBar is a treat for the senses — a restaurant with a combination of small plates and larger plates to share (pan-seared sea scallops and roasted native striped bass are examples of the seasonal offerings), an extensive wine list, specialty cocktails, and a feast of artwork from the hotel’s collection adorning the walls. And did we mention there’s a patio with views of the Charles open daily for lunch? First the Royal Sonesta brought us the culinary gem that is Dante; now this. They just keep raising the bar.

Changing Tide

Stuff Boston — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

You know that old “no white after Labor Day” rule? We don’t follow it, but it seems Great Bay (500 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.5300) does. This contemporary seafood sanctuary recently had some work done and will reopen this month; the facelift includes rich, eggplant-colored walls to replace the bright-white originals. The revamped bar area features a communal table that seats up to 12 of your closest drinking buddies, plus dark leather stools, lounge chairs, and banquettes to give the space a vibe that’s a little less light and airy and a little more lavish lounge. The main dining area has some new seats, too, with large, plush booths that seat about six people. Great Bay’s combination of great seafood and warm new décor is sure to have Bostonians riding this wave.

Two’s a charm

webteam — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:27:00 GMT

It’s not just the birds who’ll be flying south this winter. A Newbury Street landmark is heading that way too. To the South End, that is. Stephanie’s on Newbury — the iconic Back Bay spot for weekend brunch and some of the best people-watching around — is slated to open a second location in December or January at the corner of Tremont and Union Park, adding another stellar option to the bustling South End dining scene. We expect Stephi’s on Tremont (571 Tremont Street, Boston) to be like Stephanie’s younger, more laidback sister, thanks to a 66-seat dining room, outdoor patio, bar with three widescreen televisions, and the kind of sophisticated comfort food Stephanie’s has been serving up for nearly 15 years. Stephi’s final menu is still in the works, but we can’t imagine that executive chef Corey Comeau won’t include the beloved warm goat cheese appetizer or the grilled cheese on brioche from the original Stephanie’s list. This year, there’s a reason to get excited about old man winter rolling in.

Frozen’s solid

webteam — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:03:00 GMT

Not all of the good F-words are of the four-letter variety. Case in point: Fried and Frozen Mondays at Highland Kitchen (150 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.625.1131). The weekly event at this neighborhood eatery features two of our favorite food groups. Chef Mark Romano switches up the menu every week, but one indispensible entrée is the buttermilk fried chicken. Past options have included fried green tomatoes, fried oysters, fried pickles, and a fried pork sandwich. The concept — which bartender Joe McGuirk came up with after tripping over a blender in the restaurant’s basement — pairs all sorts of fried goodness with frozen margaritas, blackberry daiquiris, and Fernet Branca slushes. This could be the single best answer to a manic Monday that we’ve seen in a long while.

Hot Sunday morning alternative: Church

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:45:00 GMT

We’re not here to judge your religious practices, but if, come Sunday morning, you can’t bear an hour-and-a-half spent glued to an unforgiving wooden pew, there’s an alternative path to redemption: brunch at Church (69 Kilmarnock Street, Boston, 617.236.7600). Offerings include breakfast items, sandwiches, other entrées, and even some healthier options. (Plus, there’s something special about stumbling over to brunch at the place you stumbled out of at last call the night before.) Hungover? Soothe your pounding head and feed your empty belly with a plate of Huevos Rancheros del Diablo ($9) or Bonzo Flapjacks ($9). Still drunk? Prolong your buzz with picks from Church’s “Demon Slayers” cocktail menu ($8 each). Neither? You clearly didn’t have enough fun last night. But breakfast’s good, regardless.

Hot bar bites: Bacon-and-sea-salt pretzel at Persephone

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:39:00 GMT

Our cravings for greasy potato skins and buffalo tenders only surface after particularly tough days at work (and four or five beers), but even generally, we’re against overly fussy bar snacks — even if they’re meant to complement a $15 martini. Our latest fixation is the made-to-order bacon-and-sea-salt pretzel ($8), best enjoyed dipped in apple mustard at the bar at Persephone (283 Summer Street, Boston, 617.695.2257). A soft, bready treat served still steaming, the pretzel satisfies our hankering for something salty yet refined. This is one snack worth getting in a twist over.

Hot patio: Alibi

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:36:00 GMT

You own one of the hottest lounges in Boston, you generate one of the earliest and best-looking door queues in the city, and your guest list is an impressive collection of both Hollywood A-listers and title-touting professional athletes. So where do you go when you’re on top? Outside! Alibi (Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, 857.241.1144), the hot Lyons Group property located inside the Liberty Hotel, now boasts one of Boston’s hippest outdoor social scenes. Their 100-seat patio is an oasis unlike any other in Boston. Comfortable sofas, decorative bamboo, and sprawling patio umbrellas give the space a feel that’s more South Beach than West End. A wide variety of food is available until midnight, but a wide variety of seats? We suggest you arrive early.

Hot greasy takeout alternative: Myers+Chang

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:23:00 GMT

Sometimes, only the greasiest of 2 a.m. Chinese food will do. But when we’re in the mood for spare ribs, scallion pancakes, and noodles that don’t feel like a block of cement in our stomach for the next seven hours, we’ve found that South End eatery Myers+Chang (1145 Washington Street, Boston, 617.542.5200) is the perfect solution. M+C, which has lived up to the foodie buzz that only a couple like Joanne Chang (Flour) and Christopher Myers (Radius, Via Matta, Great Bay) could inspire, melds Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese influences for a fresh twist on the traditional that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Add executive chef Alison Hearn — formerly of Ten Tables and B&G Oysters — to the mix and it’s a can’t-miss. If that isn’t enough, Myers+Chang’s spirited atmosphere makes it an easy choice when we’re craving a festive launching pad for a great night out.

Hot sour: Pickled vegetables

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:36:00 GMT

Crisp summer veggies are one of our favorite warm-weather perks, but plain old salads and steamy green sides can get a little boring. Chew on this: restaurants across the city are taking a culinary cue from their grandmothers and serving up piles of house-pickled veggies by the Mason jarful. But naturally, given diners’ proclivity for taste and texture, these ain’t an old lady’s flaccid green beans. Picture tart and crunchy summer squashes, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and beets, all with the refreshing pucker synonymous with summer meals. You’ll find these treats at the Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069), T.W. Food (377 Walden Street, Cambridge, 617.864.4745), and the Butcher Shop (552 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.4800), among others. Enjoy them with relish.

Hot replacement: Crema Café

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:50:00 GMT

Crema Café (27 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.876.2700), in the former home of an Au Bon Pain in Harvard Square, is a standout example of a trend we’re happy to see taking off: a locally-owned coffee house performing better than the veteran chains. Crema’s calming sage-green walls, skylights, and lofted seating area with exposed brick are a fine accompaniment to the menu’s homey comfort food — and they defy that stuffy rep Harvard has held onto for so long. Since it opened this spring, Crema has been constantly buzzing with college students and laptop-wielding espresso drinkers. Just call this place the cream of the crop.

Hot and close: Locavore dining

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:37:00 GMT

Now that the impact of our over-industrialized food supply is staring us in the face, it’s time to take the locavore movement more seriously. Thankfully, with so many options at our feet, we can. Meat, for example, can be removed of its stigma when purchased through Stillman’s Farm (1205 Barre Road, New Braintree, 508.867.7193). Their six-month meat CSA is brimming with pork, chicken, beef, and lamb, all raised humanely on their farm; they deliver to local farmer’s markets, too. Meanwhile, Crescent Ridge Dairy (800.660.2740) brings local organic milk, among other things, direct to your door. If you (like us) can’t live without cheese, the handmade mozzarella from Fiore di Nonna (781.259.8582) is produced in Lincoln and is sold at Lionette’s Market (577 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.778.0360). If all of that doesn’t make it easy enough, Vela (312 Washington Street, Wellesley, 781.235.4449) brings the market to you with their “To Market, To Market” monthly dinners, where you can get face time (plus a three-course meal) with local purveyors.

Hot sweets: Dessert shops

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:34:00 GMT

Sure, Boston is constantly compared to cities across Europe. But never have we been more proud to share the distinction until the arrival of so many patisseries and chocolate shops The opening of Lee Napoli’s Chocolee Chocolates (83 Pembroke Street, Boston, 617.236.0606) had us thinking we’d passed right on up to truffle heaven. Then a few blocks away, former Langham Hotel pastry chef Alejandro Luna opened Aroa Fine Chocolate (1651 Washington Street, Boston, 617.425.4988), a temple to all things made from sugar and Venezuelan chocolate. (He had us at those bite-sized macaroons.) Now, we’re simply salivating over Troquet’s first-floor addition of Le Patissier (140 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.695.9463), where pastry chef Sarah Woodfine is teasing us with a three-course dessert tasting. All in all, we think it’s pretty sweet.

Hot new contender in the burrito wars: Olecito

webteam — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:34:00 GMT

The good people at Olé Mexican Grill (11 Springfield Street, Cambridge, 617.492.4495) serve up authentic Mexican fare (no fajitas here) in a vibrant dining room exploding with ambiance. Still, Americans love a good basic burrito, so Olé, coming to terms with that cultural truth, has expanded across the street with the recently opened Olecito (12 Springfield Street, Cambridge, 617.492.4495). The burritos at Olecito are tender and hearty, stuffed with your choice of rice and beans, cheese, and melt-on-your-tongue chicken, beef, or succulent braised pork. (Vegetarians and health nuts can go for grilled veggies if they so desire.) No charge for guacamole, which is a happy little treat. Watch out, other burrito joints: Olecito is spicy-hot on your heels.

Hot splurge: O Ya

webteam — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:30:00 GMT

In a weakening economy, it seems that the last luxury we’re willing to forgo is a dinner outside our own kitchens. And in the case of O Ya (9 East Street, Boston, 617.654.9900), the proof is in the sushi. Diners with adventurous palates and deep pockets (or those of us who simply have impeccable taste and want to splurge) have been pouring into Tim and Nancy Cushman’s upscale Japanese restaurant since its 2007 opening. New York Times critic Frank Bruni only made the tables at O Ya more coveted when he named it the country’s best restaurant outside of New York in a March 19 feature. We’re not arguing. At approximately $125 a person for a dinner of sashimi, nigiri, and inventive vegetable dishes, this is undoubtedly one of the city’s most splurge-worthy restaurants. Really want to stimulate the economy, moneybags? Opt for the $159.99 Aragawastyle Wagyu beef.