Message-Id: <9311171623.AA16216@postman.osf.org> To: dkk@MIT.EDU Subject: Boston Restaurant List Reply-To: ellis@osf.osf.org Voice-Mail: +1 617 621 8718 Fax: +1 617 621 0584 Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 11:22:59 -0500 From: "Ellis S. Cohen" --------------------- BOSTON ------------------------------------------- (As of 11/15/93) I've been putting together a list of good restaurants in the Boston area (mostly within 128, along the Mass Pike corrider) with an emphasis on flavor, quality & value, rather than ambience (except for Sunday Brunch) & service, though I've also included the really fancy expensive restaurants that are also (supposedly) pretty good. If a typical meal costs $30/person or more, I've noted that (each $ means $10) 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 about a restaurant you'd like me to include, let me know at ellis@osf.org or, even better, post them to the ne.food or rec.food.restaurants Usenet newsgroup. I'm especially interested in hearing about particular dishes to get or avoid at specific restaurants, so I can include that information in this list, which I now post monthly to ne.food and rec.food.restaurants. This will turn into a FAQ next month, and be archived in the usual way. Boston Area Restaurants ======================= Asian Eclectic -------------- Jae's (Hip Pacific Rim) -- South End 520 Columbus Ave, 421-9405 (very good Korean/Thai/Japanese mix) Mimi's Oriental Grill -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 950 Mass Ave, betw Central Sq & Harvard Sq, 354-1665 (very mixed reviews, a tad pricey -- some find it completely unimpressive, others think it's great. Try the Korean beef dish, Formosa squid, and tangerine scallops) Poppa & Goose -- East Cambridge 69 First St (nr Galleria/Lechmere), 497-6772 Barbeque -------- 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) 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) Jimmy Mac's -- Somerville 300 Beacon St, 547-1700 (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.) New Bridge Cafe -- Chelsea 650 Washington Ave (at Woodlawn), 884-0134 Porter House Cafe -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 2046 Mass Ave, 354-9793 (very good Texas bbq, superb pulled chicken & beef ribs, great hot sauce, interesting food, good draft beer, enormous portions) Redbones -- Somerville (Davis Sq) 55 Chester St (off Elm), 628-2220 (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. Also good sausage, catfish, corn pudding, greens, pecan pie, and an improving selection of draft beer) Village Smokehouse -- Brookline Village 1 Harvard St, 566-3782 (mixed reviews -- brisket, ribs & chicken, good pecan pie. Some people love this place, but the general consensus is that Redbones is better) Brazillian ---------- Buteco -- Fenway, South End 130 Jersey St (nr Park Drive & Boylston), Fenway, 247-9508 57 West Dedham St (betw Tremont & Dartmouth), 247-9249 Cafe Brasil -- Allston 421 Cambridge St (nr Harvest Food Coop), 789-5980 (good flavorful food, though some of it is on the fatty side. I did find them to be unpleasant to kids, though. Feijoada served on Saturdays) Midwest Grill -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1124 Cambridge St (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], all you can eat for $15, awesome salad bar, including lots of palm hearts. A great place to go with friends or out-of-town guests.) Valdamares -- Somerville (Union Sq) 374 Somerville Ave, 2nd floor Caribbean / Cajun / Creole / Southern / Soul -------------------------------------------- Biggs Restaurant -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 111 Harvard St (at Portland, betw Main & Broadway) (a pleasant place serving 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 mostly small pieces of bones), curried goat & Jamaican fish. No liquor license, but Jamaican soft drinks & good home made ginger beer) Bob the Chef -- South End 604 Columbus Ave (nr Mass Ave), 536-6204 Chandra's -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 266 Broadway (a few blocks west of Kendall Sq), 497-6955 (Indian & Caribbean food, Trinidad style) Chez Vous Creole -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1263 Cambridge St, 868-3161 (was ok a few years ago, heard the Conch stew is good) Dixie Kitchen -- Symphony Area 182 Mass Ave (betw Boylston & Huntington), 536-3068 (pretty good, not as upscale as Magnolia's, good bread pudding) Green St. Grill -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 280 Green St (betw Magazine & Pearl), 876-1655 (Caribbean influence, very good spicy seafood and ribs, A funky place with unusual combinations of ingredients that usually works. Often music late. Try the conch fritters. Some of their food (e.g. seafood stew, gazpacho) can be extremely fiery. Also, a very child-friendly place) International Restaurant (Dominican) -- Jamaica Plain 3160 Washington St, 522-7410 (Great inexpensive food. Funky neighborhood. Try fish escoveitch, carne cerdo con berenguena, mondongo) Magnolia's Southern Cuisine -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1193 Cambridge St (nr Prospect), 576-1971 (the old Cajun Yankee now serves food from all over the south still serving blackened redfish & Blackened Voodoo beer. Try the cajun popcorn, vinegary fried green tomatoes, home smoked salmon with olive oil biscuits and grilled pork tenderloin with mango chutney. Desserts very sweet. Reasonable wine list.) Seagrape Tree Restaurant -- Arlington 890 Mass Ave, 646-5999 (very pleasant, authentic Jamaican & other Caribbean food. Try conch chowder, escoveitch fish, anything jerked) Chinese ------- Asian Garden -- Chinatown 46 Beach St, in the basement, 695-1646 (good fresh food, esp Hong-Kong style seafood. Try the eel, whole roe scallops, lobster, crab, hot pots, chinese broccoli in oyster sauce, hot tapioca in coconut milk) Beijing III -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1366 Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Coolidge Corner, 277-1011 (mixed reviews, a bit pricey, try Dragon & Phoenix) Bernard's -- Newton (Chestnut Hill Mall) 199 Boylston, 969-3388 (excellent food, a bit pricey. Try the Hunan Lamb) 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 (hole-in-the-wall with good food. Try Carl's Special Steak) 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) Changsho -- Cambridge (betw Harvard/Porter Sq) 1712 Mass Ave (nr Linnean), 547-6565 (mixed reports, lots of meat, somewhat elegant but unimpressive; gone downhill since under new management) Chau Chow -- 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, and fried squid. Avoid the beef dishes; thet're often mediocre & the moo shi beef, while tasty, was way too oily. Grand Chau Chow across the street has the same menu but is a tad more expensive and is fancier & cleaner. Try the fatty but tasty fried pig intestine [seriously!] and fried tofu w seafood] Chef Chang -- Brookline (St Mary's) 1006 Beacon St, 277-4226 (still very good) Chef Chow -- Brookline & Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 354 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 (Good Szechuan food, esp the Yu Hsiang dishes, Kangsho shrimp, and Ta Chien chicken. Also try shrimp-stuffed eggplant) China Cafe -- Arlington 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 (try the grilled eel and the scallop or shredded eel w yellow leeks) China Pearl -- Chinatown 9 Tyler St, 426-4338 (very good dim sum, almost or as good as Golden Palace & less chaotic. Good soups & Cantonese & Hong Kong style seafood) Chung Wah -- Allston Harvard St (cheap & funky, good food, try the Broccoli in Garlic Sauce) Crystal Restaurant -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 460 Mass Ave, 576-1550 (good, but not outstanding -- good Dun Dun noodles. Stick with the specialities, like red sauce eggplant) Dynasty -- Chinatown 33 Edinboro St (nr Beach), 350-7777 (very good dim sum, though I've had money stolen by a waiter, and there are rumors that the wait staff is badly treated by the management) East Ocean City -- Chinatown 25 Beach St, 542-2504 (good place, good service, nice atmosphere, a lot of unusual dishes. Try house-special soup, clams in black bean sauce, and chow foon) Eastern Pier Seafood -- Waterfront 237 Northern Ave, Fish Pier, 423-7756 (excellent Chinese seafood, moderately priced, w one of the best hot & sour soups in Boston. Get ginger crab, salt & pepper squid, grey sole in black-bean sauce, stir-fried pea-pod stems, sizzling squid w ginger & scallions) 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 & Tyler, 2nd floor (variety of good food) Fortune House -- 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 -- Chinatown 14 Tyler St, 423-4565 (wonderful variety of tasty Dim Sum, probably best Dim Sum) Golden Temple -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 1651 Beacon St, 277-9722 (good suburban Chinese food w too much MSG. Usually good wait staff, but if there are problems, the owner can be unpleasant if you're not a regular. The lamb is excellent) Ho Yuen Ting -- 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 flounder) Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Back Bay 25 Mass Ave, 536-9852 (Wonderful soup and noodle restaurant. Try scallion pancake and house-special pan fried noodles) Imperial Seafood Restaurant -- Chinatown 70 Beach St, 426-8439 (When they were Imperial Teahouse, they had good dim sum, but not as good as Golden Palace. Current status unknown) King Fung Garden -- Chinatown Kneeland St (across from the Mass Pike approach) (hole-in-the-wall dive w amazing food. Great Hunan style food and scallion pie) Joyce Chen -- Cambridge (Alewife) & Theatre District 115 Stuart St, Theater District, 720-1331 390 Rindge Ave, 492-7373 (good low-fat low-sodium foods) Larry's -- Cambridge (MIT) 302 Mass Ave, 492-3170 (ok place. Try the General Gau Chicken and Suan Loo Chow Show) Mandarin -- Cambridge (MIT) 332 Mass Ave, 497-1544 Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Back Bay 545 Boylston St (betw Clarendon & Dartmouth), 236-4040 New Asia -- Somerville (Union Sq) & Lexington 326 Somerville Ave, 628-7710 211 Mass Ave, Lexington 863-5533 (pretty good; very quick-cooked Szechuan-style food, try the Yu Hsiang [savory green beans]) New House of Toy -- Chinatown 16 Hudson St, 426-5587 (Hong Kong style; less oily. Good original food, good dim sum. Try the dried scallop, winter melon & sliced duck soup, and the grey sole w Chinese ham & black mushrooms. Also a nice place to go for dim sum; they have some things not found elsewhere) New Shanghai -- Chinatown Noble House -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1306 Beacon St, 232-9580 (well prepared Szechuan & Cantonese food in a pleasant atmosphere, though some find it uninteresting and overpriced, try the Singapore Rice Stick) Ocean Wealth -- Chinatown 8 Tyler St, 423-1338 (good for exotic seafood or chef's special duck) Orchid Garden -- Brookline (Brookline Village) 92 Harvard St at School, 731-9760 (Taiwan style. Try Royal chicken delight, pan fried noodles, crispy cod in curry sauce, chung king pork, fried shumai) Panda -- Somerville (Good spicy wonton appetizer -- variation of Suan La Sho Chow) Peking Garden -- Lexington Center 27 Waltham St, 862-1051 (Well established, excellent, very good Hot & Sour soup, Dim Sum on the weekends; try the Chicken with Pine Nuts.) Pu-Pu Hot Pot -- Cambridge (Central Sq) nr corner of Mass Ave and Main St (try Kung Pao Shrimp & Pressed Duck Appetizer) Quan's Kitchen -- Allston 1026 Commonwealth, nr Brighton Ave, 232-7617 (take out, a few tables, no msg, good & cheap, esp noodle dishes) Royal East -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 782 Main St, 661-1660 (still erratic, but some say this is the best in Cambridge now. good quality Chinatown-style food -- chow fun, rice sticks, fantastic tangerine beef, good Suan La Chow Show) Sally Ling's -- Newton Center & Waterfront 10 Langley Rd (off Centre St), 332-3600 (mixed reviews -- bland food, overpriced, small portions) San Francisco Noodle House -- Allston 1029 Commonwealth Ave Seven Star -- Newton Center 22 Union St, 527-3841 (great five-flavor chicken; best scallion pancakes around) Shang Chai [Kosher Veggie] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 404 Harvard Ave (betw Beacon & Commonwealth), 566-9043 (Kosher Veggie Chinese with mock-meat using tofu, seitan, etc. Good "beef" w broccoli & "chicken" curry, but dishes are generally greasy & service is slow & disorganized) Shanghai Village -- Arlington (Arlington Center) 434 Mass Ave on left just before center of town, 646-6897 (mixed reviews -- incredibly cheap) Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant -- West Fenway 70-72 Kilmarnock St, 236-0384 (cheap & good, try the Shanghai duck, house special soup) Tai Pan -- East Cambridge Cambridgeside Galleria, 494-0008 (Try clams in black bean sauce, lobster Chinatown, sesame chicken) Yangtse River -- Lexington 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) Yu's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1374 Beacon St, 734-2929 (takeout, with newly added sitdown area, no msg, good hot & sour soup, Peking noodles, Beef Chow Foon) Continental / Traditional / French ----------------------------------- Another Season ($$$) -- Beacon Hill 97 Mt Vernon St (nr Charles), 367-0880 (Odette Berry's imaginative French-American restaurant) Aujord 'Hui ($$$$$) -- Park Sq Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St, 338-4400 Cafe Budapest ($$$$) -- Back Bay Copley Hotel, 90 Exeter St (at Huntington), 266-1979 (expensive classic Hungarian food, perhaps gone downhill lately) Chez Jean -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq) 1 Shephard St (at Mass Ave), 354-8980 (reasonably priced traditional French food) Hungry I ($$$) -- Beacon Hill 71 1/2 Charles St, 227-3524 (Interesting Contemporary American food. Try the game dishes) Julien ($$$$$) -- Downtown Hotel Meridian, 250 Franklin St, 451-1900 (Impressive French Nouvelle place) Le Bocage ($$$$) -- Watertown 72 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 923-1210 (Nouvelle French food) L'Espalier ($$$$$$) -- Back Bay 30 Gloucester St (nr Commonwealth Ave), 262-3023 (very expensive Nouvelle French) Locke-Ober Cafe ($$$$) -- Downtown 3 Winter Place (betw Winter & Washington), 542-1340 (American / New England Cuisine) Maison Robert ($$$$) -- Downtown 45 School St (betw Tremont & Washington), 227-3370 (Classic French) Mill Falls ($$$) -- Newton Upper Falls 383 Eliot St (at Chestnut), 244-3080 (Contemporary American) Parker's ($$$$) -- Downtown Omni Parker House, 60 School St (at Tremont), 227-8600, ext 1600 (Classic traditional food) Peacock -- West Cambridge 5 Craigie Circle (betw Concord & Brattle nr Radcliffe), 661-4073 (French country cooking using an interesting combinations of ingredients. Try the melon, cuke & tomato salad, and the shrimp fritters w sole. Tapas now Monday & Tuesday) Plaza Dining Room ($$$$$) -- Back Bay Copley Plaza Hotel, Copley Sq, 267-5300 (expensive Continental food) Ritz Dining Room ($$$$) -- Back Bay Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Arlington & Newbury, 536-5700 Veronique ($$$) -- Brookline (Longwood) Longwood Apts, 20 Chapel St, 731-4800 (Classic French cuisine) Eclectic -------- 29 Newbury St -- Back Bay 29 Newbury St (nr Berkeley), 536-0290 Bennett St Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, 864-1200 Biba ($$$$) -- Park Square 272 Boylston St, 426-7878 (trendy but informal, strange and unusual food combinations, and the food can be showy but inedible; people's reactions vary widely from "it's amazing" to "how awful". Good service. Good bets are the spit-roasted quail and the lobster) Black Forest Cafe -- West Cambridge, Somerville (Davis Sq) Concord Ave nr Huron, Cambridge, 661-6706 Holland Ave nr Davis Sq (not yet open) (good seafood & great desserts) Blue Diner -- Chinatown 178 Kneeland St, 338-4639 Blue Room ($$$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Kendall Sq (On Hampshire St), 494-9034 (very good unusual combinations of multi-ethnic grilled foods; I love it, but others have been dissapointed. A group can graze nicely for less money. Excellent Sunday evening buffet, with small batches replenished as necessary.) Blue Wave -- Back Bay 142 Berkeley St (betw Stuart & St James), 424-6711 (hip, interesting menu, a good value, can be noisy. Great salads) Botolph's on Tremont -- South End 569 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 424-8597 (wild appetizers, good calamari & sweet potato fries, great breads wacky gourmet pizzas, risotto-of-the-day, duck ravioli) Cafe Monagene -- Brookline (St Mary's) 1032 Beacon St, 232-3303 (hip but quiet cafe w unusual decor. I found the food a tad too rich. Try the shrimp dumplings & quesadilla w smoked chicken) Cornucopia ($$$) -- Waterfront 100 Atlantic Avenue, 367-0300 (delicious food in a comfortable atmosphere, emphasis on fruits & vegetables, but not vegetarian. Try grilled portobello mushroom carpacio, seafood specials, oven-roasted lobster w veg enchilada, white chocolate bread pudding. Good wine list.) Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 134 Hampshire St, 354-8371 (Good imaginative home cooking. Try the latkes, mussel fritters, black bean soup. Sunday Jazz Dinner) Dakota's ($$$) -- Downtown 34 Summer St/101 Arch St, 737-1777 (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 good. no reservations, has excellent bbq and jerk dishes) Hammersley's Bistro ($$$) -- South End Clarendon & Tremont (at Boston Center for the Arts), 423-2700 (Very good. Try the roast chicken w garlic, lemon & parsley) Harvard St Grill ($$$) -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 398 Harvard St, betw Beacon & Comm Ave, 734-9834 (Expensive but wonderfully prepared food) Harvest ($$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 44 Brattle St, 492-1115 (Recently taken over by the owner of Rocco's; food said to be quite good) House of Blues -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 96 Winthrop St, 876-3030 (pretty good food, but go for blues entertainment upstairs. Try the smoked ribs & chocolate/peanut butter pie) Icarus ($$$$) -- South End 3 Appleton St (betw Arlington & Berkeley), 426-1790 (creative food which keeps getting better, nice atmosphere. Try the polenta w mushrooms, thai squid, grilled tuna w cumin & coriander, scallops w black ink ravioli stuffed w white beans, grilled salmon w lemon sauce. Mixed reviews on the hazelnut sweetbreads. Avoid curried pork tenderloin & grilled chicken. Wonderful desserts, eclectic wine list) Jaspers ($$$$) -- Waterfront 240 Commercial St (at Atlantic Ave), 523-1126 (fresh native New England ingredients sensually prepared. Definitely worth going to every couple of years) Johnny D's -- Somerville (Davis Sq) 17 Holland St, 776-2004 (Pretty good food. Try the chicken palermo, blackened chicken strips, broccoli, cajun fried shrimp, pecan pie) Marais ($$$) -- Downtown 116 Boylston (betw Charles & Tremont), 482-7799 (Pricy. Try chicken bstilla, goat cheese terrine, lamb w polenta, chocolate pava, clafouti) On the Park -- South End 1 Union Park (on Shawmut Ave), 426-0862 On the Square ($$$) -- Watertown Sq 9 Galen St, right in Watertown Square 923-1522 (also home of Caffe Espresso, which is more casual) Pentimento -- West Cambridge 344 Huron Ave (nr Fayerweather), 661-3878 Providence -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1223 Beacon (at St Paul) Rarities ($$$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) Charles Hotel, 864-1200, ext 1214 Rayz -- East Cambridge Cambridgeside Galleria, 577-0044 (friendly service, large portions, good bbq and grilled bluefish in season) Seasons ($$$$) -- Fanueil Hall Bostonian Hotel, 9 Blackstone St (nr North St), 523-3600 Small Planet -- Back Bay 565 Boylston nr Dartmouth, 536-8993 (groovey vibes, nice service, reasonable prices, casual, gets louder later. Try the gourmet pizza, ratatouille, quesadilla, fried conch, veggie risotto) Sonsie -- Back Bay 327 Newbury St, 351-2500 St Botolph -- South End 99 St Botolph (at W. Newton), 266-3030 St Cloud ($$$) -- South End 557 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 353-0202 (interesting Nouvelle American food) Tam O'Shanter -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 1648 Beacon St, 277-0982 Union Square Bistro -- Somerville (Union Sq) on Bow St, just outside Union Sq (good food, reasonable prices. The french onion soup, baked lamb, and potato pancakes were quite good; the hom-made expresso ice cream is one of the best in the city. Good bread too) Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 10 Holyoke St (off Mass Ave), 864-1933 (expensive, but sublime; reasonably priced lunches) Water Cafe -- Jamaica Plain 701 Centre, 522-6458 Ethiopian --------- Addis Red Sea -- South End 544 Tremont St (betw Dartmouth & Clarendon), 426-8727 (good Harrar food) Asmara -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 739 Mass Ave, 497-9635 (Eritrean -- it was ok on a visit a few years ago) Ethiopian Restaurant -- Symphony Area 333 Mass Ave (at Huntington), 424-1132 (mediocre -- avoid the fake vinegary mej) Indian ------ 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) Barbeque's International -- Allston 129 Brighton Ave (nr Harvard St), 782-6669 (barbeques from around the world, but stick to the Indian food, especially the chicken & lamb tikka and the tandoori lamb. cheap) Bombay Bistro -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 1353 Beacon St, west of Harvard, 734-2879 (Good sheesh kabobs & tandoor. Try the makhabar curry, chicken tikka, chicken or seafood xacuti, sour chicken soup, kulcha & peshwari naan) Bombay Club -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 57 JFK at Winthrop, 661-8100 (Better than average. Try achar gosht [for spice freaks], chicken methi, lamb shorba, veggie curries, reshmi kebab, kachumber salad. South Indian brunch on weekends w idlis, sambar. North Indian buffet weekdays) Bombay Mahal -- Waltham Moody St (Mixed reviews) Cafe Bombay -- East Cambridge (Somewhat expensive for Indian, but there are some good interesting dishes and breads) Cafe of India -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 52a Brattle, 661-0683 (maybe 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 [better than Bombay Club's]) India -- Somerville (Davis Sq) 256 Elm, 354-0949 (mixed reviews, most people think the food is good) India Globe -- Cambridge (Central Sq) (Reasonable prices. Good for take out. Try the Malia Kofta) India Palace -- Somerville (Union Sq) 23 Union Sq, 666-9770 India Pavillion -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 17 Central Sq (nr Mass Ave), 547-7463 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) India Samraat -- Back Bay 51a Mass Ave, 247-0718 (good lamb jalfrozie & chicken tikka masala) Indian Cafe -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 1665 Beacon St (at Winthrop), 277-1752 Kashmir -- Back Bay 279 Newbury St, 536-1695 Kebab & Curry -- Back Bay 30 Mass Ave (betw Beacon & Marlboro), 536-9835 (a good value for pretty good food. Really good chicken kachumbar salad, chicken jal frezi and do piaza. Some think only so-so) Little India -- Waltham Moody St (reasonably priced, good veggie fare, tandoori chicken, and various biryanis) Maharajah -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) Mass Ave. New Mother India -- Waltham 336 Moody St, 893-3311 (kind of pricey, but very good food & service; lots of bottled beers) 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 Shalimar -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 546 Mass Ave, 547-9280 (great place for dinner) Taj India -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 781 Main St (nr Mass Ave), 354-4984 (decent inexpensive lunch buffet) Tandoor -- Arlington (mixed reviews, small portions) Tandoor House -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 991 Mass Ave, 661-9001 (good & cheap for lunch, tasty for dinner) Taste of India -- Watertown 91 Bigelow Ave (nr Mt Auburn), 926-1606 Viceroy -- Cambridge (Central Sq) Mass Ave, 2nd floor (one of my favorites, but service can be erratic) Italian ------- Al Dente -- North End 109 Salem St, 523-0990 Appetito -- Newton Center Beacon St (good food, accent on Italian cuisine, moderate prices; long lines sometimes) Artu -- North End Prince St, nr Hanover (pleasant informal place with good Italian bistro food, more eclectic & less expensive than usual for the North End. Good lamb & pork loin) Azita Ristorante -- South End 560 Tremont St (at Clarendon), 338-8070 (combination of Nortern Italian & Nouvelle American, stylish & romantic) Black Goose -- Beacon Hill 21 Beacon St (at Bowdoin), 720-4500 Blossoms -- Charlestown One First Ave (Rear), Bldg #34, Navy Yard, 242-1911 Bluestone Bistro -- Brighton & South End 1799 Commonwealth Ave, Brighton, 254-8309 (Good pizza if you like lots of sauce and cheese; Try the smokin shrimp and scallops wrapped in bacon.) Buoniconti's -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 143 First St (nr Galleria), 491-3663 (Flavorful food, well prepared & presented; elegant yet relaxing, now serving grazing portions) Cafe 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) 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) Da Natale -- North End 448 Hanover St (nr Commercial), 720-4480 Davio's ($$$) -- Back Bay 269 Newbury St, 262-4810 Davio's ($$$) -- East Cambridge Royal Sonesta, 5 Cambridge Pkwy, 661-4810 (very good Nouvelle Italian food in a dressy atmosphere. Try the grilled squid & chick pea crespelle, pizzas, corn chowder, rabbit ravioli, chicken w pappardelle, salmon, skirt steak. In general, the meat & fish dishes are great but perhaps too rich or too composed. For dessert, try the white chocolate torte & mango sorbet. Good wine list. Inconsistent service) Davio's ($$$) -- Brookline Village 204 Washington St, Brookline Village, 738-4810 (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 (outstanding veal dishes, but a noisy place) Emporio Armani Express ($$$) -- Back Bay 214 Newbury St, 437-0909 (marvelous food, exquisite pastries, very good service. Superb pizza & risotto. A place for the glitterati) Enzo Ristorante -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 329 Harvard St, 277-1288 (One of my favorites; very nice ossu buco w risotto, excellent wait staff, moderately priced lunches, nice wines & romantic ambience. Also try antipasto, carpacio, saltimbocca, pappardelle alla bolognese, or anything grilled) Figs -- Charlestown 67 Main St, 242-2229 (best pizza in town; try the calamari pizza. And try any dessert) Florentina -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 143 Main St, 577-8300 (A great place for a cheap, interesting, authentically Italian lunch. Pricier but very good food for dinner w great service) Giacomo's -- North End 355 Hanover St (betw Little Prince & Fleet), 523-9026 G'Vanni's ($$$) -- North End 2 Prince St (nr Hanover), 523-0107 Il Capriccio ($$$) -- Waltham 53 Prospect St, 894-2234 (excellent Northern Italian food and lemon mousse nut dessert, great wine list, a tad snooty) Il Nido ($$$) -- North End 257 North St, 742-4272 Il Panino -- North End, Cambridge (Central/Harvard Sq) 11 Parmenter St, between Hanover & Salem St, North End, 720-1336 295 Franklin St, 338-1000 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Good sandwiches, subs & pasta, homemade mozzarella. try the Lobster Risotto and Gnocchi) L'Osteria -- North End 109 Salem St (at Parmenter), 723-7847 (said to get good reviews) 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 Famiglia Giorgio's -- North End & Back Bay 250 Newbury St (betw Exeter & Fairfield), Back Bay, 247-1569 112 Salem St (nr Parmenter), 367-6711 (large portions, long wait, quality lately disappointing) La Groceria -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 853 Main St, 497-4214 (still good food, some say its overrated. Try Penne Amallfi) La Trattoria -- Beacon Hill 288 Cambridge St (across from MGH), 227-0211 (excellent pesto and fried calamari) Mama Maria ($$$) -- North End 3 North Sq at Prince St, 523-0077 (pricey, but wonderful food and an interesting menu. Fawning service. Good wine list. A romantic evening in a charming building.) Marcella's -- South End 1 Appleton St (at Tremont), 742-7832 Marino's -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 2465 Mass Ave, 868-5454 (all pesticide-free, hormore-free ingredients, unfortunately also reportedly flavor-free and overpriced. Good sourdough rolls. Try the porchetta & pasta. better than average wine list) Massimino's -- North End 207 Endicott St, 523-5959 (one of the better of the not so expensive North End Italian restaurants. Try the pork chops w potatoes & vinegared peppers) Michela's ($$$) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Athenaeum St (off First), 225-2121 (equivalent of very good eclectic restaurant in Italy; good flavorful food, formal yet relaxing. Try hazelnut crumbed rabbit, or anything roasted or braised. Also a lunch counter w superb food at a great price) 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) Nicole -- North End 54 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 742-6999 Old Spaghetti Factory -- Waterfront At the end of Pittsburgh St (nr Northern Ave) (Inexpensive family restaurant w funky entertaining furnishings. Mostly standard fare except for the excellent spaghetti in browned butter and mizithra cheese) Olives ($$$) -- Charlestown 10 City Sq, 242-1999 (no reservations, great food, semi-Italian creative, but very noisy. Excellent creative seafood dishes, such as whole sauteed red snapper with garlic mashed potates & eggplant/olive chutney, excellent desserts. Never disapointing) PapaRazzi -- Newton (Chestnut Hill), East Cambridge, Back Bay Chestnut Hill Mall, Newton, 527-6660 Cambridgeside Galleria, Cambridge, 577-0009 271 Dartmouth St nr Boylston, Back Bay, 536-9200 (Lots of people like this place, though I found the pasta entries disappointing. Unusual appetizers, mixed reviews on pizza, good salads, good for lunch. Try antipasto plate, insalata toscana, grilled eggplant & mozzarella sandwich, chicken sandwich & pesto pizza. Good veal dishes, roasted chicken, lobster ravioli, Tuscan sausage. Chestnut Hill is the best location) Piccola Venezia -- North End 63 Salem St (betw Cross & Parmenter), 523-9802 Pomodoro -- North End 319 Hanover St, 367-4348 (nice collection of soups, stews and specials. Excellent food Cash only. Try the suckling pig) Porcini's -- Watertown 68 School St (Good risotto, spaghetti Bolognese, exquisite veal, good desserts; Most people think the place is great, but a dissenting review found the food disappointing -- prepared unskillfully and overseasoned; yet another review said this place is better than Stellina's. Try the Cacciucco, a flavorful Italian fish stew, or the maple-roasted pork rib chop) Ristorante Lucia -- North End 415 Hanover St, 367-2353 (expensive, but said to be one of the better of the usual places) Ristorante Toscano ($$$) -- Beacon Hill 41 Charles St (nr Mt Vernon), 723-4090 (elegant food, nice ambience in old part) Rocco's ($$$) -- Theater District Transportation Building, 5 Charles St South, 723-6800 (pricey, but very good. Similar to Michela's. Wild theatrical decor) Saraceno's -- North End 286 Hanover St (betw Cross & Richmond), 227-5353 Saro's -- Waltham Main St (Rt 117 nr 128), 899-SARO (not fine dining, but a hole in the wall. Mixed reviews -- from "unusual and great dishes, w nice ambience and great jazz on the stereo" to "awful ambience, bored and ignorant waitstaff, no better than what you can make at home". Lots of food though) Schifino ($$$) -- Downtown 21 Broad St (betw State & Milk), 523-0590 Sfuzzi -- Newton (Chestnut Hill) Atrium Mall, 300 Boylston St (at Heath St), 965-7707 (mixed reviews -- overpriced) Sorrento's -- West Fenway 86 Peterborough St (betw Kilmarnock & Jersey), 424-7070 (wonderful small casual place; you can taste the garlic when you enter! Try the Rigatoni Milano. Good pizzas & calzones) Spasso -- Back Bay 160 Commonwealth (at Dartmouth), 536-8656 (yes its a hotspot and a meat market, but the food is great) Spinelli's -- East Boston 282 Bennington St (wonderful food, but takeout only. Nr Logan. Great Arancini & Calzone) Stellina -- Watertown Sq 47 Main St, 924-9475 (Bistro ambience, combination of Italian & Nouvelle. Well prepared and flavorful foods. Friendly place. Excellent warm tomato salad, good spicy black bean soup, outstanding bread. Meat entrees & desserts reported to be disappointing) Sweet Peppers -- Lexington Center 20 Waltham St, 862-1880 (Good somewhat nouvelle Italian food; very good pizza) Terramia -- North End 98 Salem St, 523-3112 Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Waltham 361 Moody St (betw Spruce & Walnut), 891-5486 (very good nouvelle cuisine. Pricey, need reservations, worth it. Try the softshell crab, gnocchi, cacciucco, grilled squid, shrimp, steak & duckling) Uva -- Allston 1414 Commonwealth Ave, 566-5670 (nice neighborhood bistro, large portions, good antipasto & pizza) Verona -- Watertown 18 Mt Auburn, 926-0010 Vinny Testa's -- Brookline (Washington Sq) Beacon St (good food with very enormous portions. You'll be happy if you stick to simple foods. Good pasta, and eggplant and chicken parmigiana and very good salads. Free bread served with roasted whole garlic in olive oil is wonderful) Japanese -------- Goemon -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) & Symphony Area 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 577-9595 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) Gyosai -- Faneuil Hall 200 State St (at Surface Rd), 345-0942 (excellent sushi. Also try kabeyaki eel & hijiki appetizer, broiled seafood and meat dishes, tempura, noodles & soups. Pricy, Karaoke from 11pm - 2 am) Gyuhama of Japan -- Back Bay 827 Boylston St (betw Gloucester & Fairfield), 437-0188 (good sushi; opinion varies as to whether it is great or not. In any case, it's a fun place, esp for late nite dining -- with Rock & Roll sushi from 11pm - 2am) Ichiban -- Allston 166 Harvard Ave, 787-5656 (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, chicken & beef teriyaki. However, the songpan is ok, but not great; the miso soup was flavorless, and the service was awful. A good place to sit at the sushi bar) Ittyo -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) see Porter Exchange (excellent noodle dishes and donburi, especially the eel) Kotobukiya -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) see Porter Exchange (perhaps the cheapest sushi in town; the quality is ok, but the ambience and presentation are not fancy) 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 fresh thickly cut sushi, good soups & ohitashi) Matsuya -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 1790 Mass Ave (nr Arlington), 491-5091 (good noodle dishes, reasonable prcies, service can be slow) 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 Porter Exchange -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 1815 Mass Ave (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. Includes Kotobukiya, Ittyo, and Sapporo Ramen. There's also 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 excellent. lot of interesting maki rolls) Sakurabana -- Downtown 57 Broad St (nr Milk & State Sts), 542-4311 (excellent sushi, good Sushi heaven & Boston Maki) Sapporo Ramen -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) see Porter Exchange (Japanese noodle house) Shogun -- West Newton 1385 Washington St (nr Elm), 965-6699 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, though disappointings recents from a recent visit.) Tatsukichi -- Faneuil Hall 189 State St (nr Atlantic Ave), 720-2468 (reliably excellent sushi) Tokyo Restaurant -- Cambridge (Fresh Pond) 307 Fresh Pond Parkway, 876-6600 (very expensive, mixed reviews. Good yakitori bar) Korean ------ Han Mi Ok -- Brighton 351 Washington St (nr Market), 783-2090 Hometown -- Somerville (Union Sq) 9A Union Sq, 623-7220 (good food, friendly service) Kaya -- Back Bay 521 Boylston St, 236-5858 (Try 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 good cheap sushi) Korea Garden -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 20 Pearl St, 492-9643 (Interesting dishes; good bibim-bap) Korea House -- Brighton 111 Chiswick St (off Comm. Ave, betw Wash. & Market), 783-7030 (One of the best Korean restaurant in Boston, great soup dishes) Koreana -- Cambridge (~Central Sq) 154 Prospect (at Broadway), 576-8661 (said to be very good, especially for spicy food & sushi) Shilla -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 95 Winthrop St (off JFK), 547-7971 (Very good Korean food, especially Bibim Bap and cold noodles, and a fun place) Seoul House -- Newton Center 57 Union St (across from T stop), 244-6438 (good food, but just slightly suburbanized) WooChon -- Somerville (Union Sq) 290 Somerville Ave, 623-3313 (Excellent Korean Food. Terrific 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) Latin American -------------- Casa Elena -- Watertown 45 Lexington St (at Main), 926-3222 (Peruvian owner; try the fried yucca w carrot sauce, paella) Cecil's -- Downtown 129 South St, 542-5108 (Variety of Latin & Caribbean food. Good black bean soup & Jamaican Jerk Pork) Mama Julia -- East Boston 54 Bennington St, 568-9020 (Good Colombian & Salvadoran food; cheap delicious soups) Pupuseria Quintanilla -- Jamaica Plain Washington St, 522-9680 (Try Salvadoran pupusas, tamales, arroz negro, shrimp soup) Macrobiotic / Vegetarian ------------------------ Five Seasons -- Jamaica Plain 669 Centre St, 524-9016 (tasty, fresh, well prepared fish & veggie dishes) Masao's Kitchen -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) in Porter Exchange, 1815 Mass Ave, 497-7348 (very good new vegan macrobiotic restaurant; good adzuki bean soup, macro platters & vegan blueberry "cheese" cake) Mediterranean ------------- Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Cambridge (Main St) 798 Main St (well prepared Mediterranean-influenced food, but pricey, and the flavors were less interesting than I had hoped for, but others praise it highly. Simple food, elegantly presented. Try the pan roasted baby manila clams w rabe, duck croquettes, grilled mushrooms, chocolate rum bread pudding) David's -- Theater District 123 Stuart St (Transportation Bldg), 367-8405 (gutsy, full-flavored food. Try the spanakopita, shish kebab, grilled squid) Mexican, Tex/Mex, Southwestern ------------------------------ Acapulco -- Jamaica Plain Centre St (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 eclectic Mexican food, mixed reviews) Boca Grande -- Cambridge (Harvard/Porter Sq & Kendall Sq) 1728 Mass Ave (betw Porter & Harvard Sq), 354-7400 149 First St (nr Galleria), 354-5550 (Not fancy, but nice burritos, and cheap. Sometimes more interesting stuff, including tamales and elote) Border Cafe -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 32 Church St, 864-6100 (Fun, cheap, pretty good cajun/southwestern food, rodents & roaches. A noisy studenty Harvard Sqaure-y kind of place. There's also one in Saugus, which has fewer vermin and better ambience) 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.) 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 (pricey, but good haute-Mexican, excellent margaritas) 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 interesting and tasty food. Good salads, pot stickers, puebla duckling, zuni roll, desserts, esp. pecan pie.) El Phoenix Room -- Brighton 1430 Commonwealth Ave (at Kelton), 566-8590 (decent relatively inexpensive Tex/Mex) Iguana Cantina -- Waltham 313 Moody St (betw Crescent & Spruce), 891-3039 (trendy, good meat dishes. Try the chicken Veracruz & the catfish) Jose's -- Fresh Pond 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) 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. Emphasis on seafood; try the Tuna with Mole Verde or the Salsa Mocajete con Pescado) Picante -- Somerville (Davis Sq) & Cambridge (Central Sq) 217 Elm St, Davis Sq, 628-6394 (Good burrito place with a changing 6 choice salsa bar) 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) Rudy's -- Sommerville (Teele Sq) 248 Holland St (off Broadway), 623-9201 (good cheap basic Mexican, and they have Pacifico beer! Not as cheap as Jose's, but more options) 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 (Pretty good haute-Mexican food, reasonably priced. 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) T.J.'s Taqueteria -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 690 Washington St (nr Beacon), 734-8226 (takeout, excellent burritos & other authentic Mexican takeout food; I find their food too greasy, but try the machacha & carnitas fillings as well as the soups) Taquieria -- Waltham Crescent St, off of Moddy (very cheap, large servings, huge tasty burritos w lots of onions) Zuma -- Faneuil Hall 7 North Market Bldg, Faneuil Hall, 367-9114 Middle Eastern / Greek / Israeli -------------------------------- Anne's -- Beacon Hill 240 Cambridge St, 523-4606 Brookline Diner -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 9 Brookline St, 354-9473 (small place w stylish food) Cafe Barada -- Arlington Mass Ave nr Capitol Theater (Lebanese, uniformly good & cheap; excellent grape leaves) Caffe Jaffa -- Back Bay 48 Gloucestor (between Newbury & Boylston) (good inexpensive Israeli/Middle Eastern food. Good steak tips, hummus, and eggplant dishes. Forget dessert) Demo's -- Watertown Sq 64 Mt Aurburn St, 924-9660 (decent cheap food, very good shish kebab) Jasmine -- Brighton 412 Market St (Middle & Near Eastern & Hungarian food!) Kareem's -- Watertown 600 Mt Auburn St, 926-1867 (chaep but excellent felafel, kibbee, hummus, kebabs, and sauteed chicken) Karoun -- Newtonville 261 Walnut St, 964-3400 (excellent shish-kabobs, shrimp kabobs, shwarma. Excellent coffee brewed in Ibriks. Inexpensive. Entertainment Fri/Sat nite) Middle East -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 472 Mass Ave, 354-8238 (quite good, w a great pumpkin kibby) Mi-Vami -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 14A Pleasant St (at Beacon), 277-0272 (inexpensive, no ambience, but very good shish kebab, grilled chicken, greek salad, felafel & hummus, and a wonderful smoky baba ganoush that's one of the best I've ever had) Nadia's Eastern Star -- South End 280 Shawmut Ave (betw Tremont & Columbia), 338-8091 Niko's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 187a Harvard St, 277-2999 (Small Greek place. Try the skordalia & taramosalata, spinach pies, gyros, meatballs, grape leaves & roast lamb) Rami's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) 324 Harvard St, 738-3577 (mostly a takeout place. Some think it is excellent, esp the felafel/hummus plate, but I find the food too greasy) Shawarma King -- Symphony Area & Brookline (Coolidge Corner) Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Harvard, Coolidge Corner Huntington St, Symphony Area (very good grape leaves -- mediocre baba & hummus. The downtown one is takeout + counter; the Brookline one is a tad less funky with a few tables) Sabra -- Newton Center 45 Union St, 527-5641 (good, but not great Israeli food, though a good lunch buffet. Try the dardara, moussaka, pilaf, tabouli, hummus & shwarma) Sepal -- Watertown 555 Mt Auburn St (excellent baba, falafel, hummos) Steve's -- Back Bay 316 Newbury (at Hereford), 267-1817 (excellent hummus, interesting chips, very good gyros. Rude waitresses) North African ------------- Casablanca -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 40 Brattle St, 876-0999 (Moroccan & other foods, pretty good) Harvard Bookstore Cafe -- Back Bay 190 Newbury St (nr Exeter), 536-0095 (Tunisian-influenced salads & grilled foods) Route of the Caravan -- Brookline (Washington Sq) 700 Washington St (nr Beacon), 232-5501 (Located in the T-stop, a nondescript pizza parlor Wonderful Moroccan food, esp Kibbee and Lamb Tagine, but take it out -- perhaps it is no longer there(?)) Tangiers Cafe -- Beacon Hill 37 Bowdoin St, 367-0273 (Good middle east appetizers, plus Moroccan entrees. Try the harina, mujadara, mashwi chicken & sokatha tea) Persian ------- Rose's -- Watertown Sq 59 Mt Auburn St, 924-5401 (Good shish kebab, pomegrante chicken, and pastries) Russian ------- St Petersburg Cafe -- Brookline Village 236 Washington St, 734-4673 (excellent food. Try a cabbage pierozhik, the stuffed cabbage & the chicken tabaka) Troika -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1154 Mass Ave (at Arrow St), 864-7476 (great food, good atmosphere, very reasonable prices) Seafood ------- Atlantic Fish Company -- Back Bay 777 Boylston St (nr Gloucester), 267-4000 Captain Marden's Takeaway -- Wellesley Linden St (good seafood, cheap prices. Avoid the broiled food; get the fried stuff. Get the seafood rather than the clam chowder) Daily Catch -- North End, Brookline (Coolidge Corner), Somerville (Davis Sq), Waterfront 323 Hanover St, North End, 523-8567 441A Harvard St, Coolidge Corner, 734-5696 261 Northern Ave, Waterfront, 338-3093 215 Elm St, Davis Sq, 623-0375 (good Sicilian seafood dishes, great place for calamari (esp the fried stuffed calamari), lobster fra diavolo, black pasta aglio et olio (w calamari). You may have to wait if not there early. Best calamari is in North End; best ambience is in Coolidge Corner) Dolphin -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 1105 Mass Ave (betw Harvard Sq & Central Sq), 354-9332 (good and reasonably priced -- as good as No-Name used to be. A child-friendly place) Fishery -- Cambridge (Central Sq) 718 Mass Ave, 868-8800 (Try the crabcakes, calamari w roasted garlic, mussels w lemongrass, hazelnut cappucino torte) Giuffre's -- North End 50 Salem St, 523-8541 (stick to the grilled seafood dishes) 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 5 Cambridge Center (Main St), Kendall Sq, 864-3400 43 Boylston St, Chestnut Hill Mall, 277-7300 Park Plaza Hotel, 35 Columbus Ave, Park Sq, 426-4444 100 Huntington Ave (bet Dartmouth & Exeter), Copley Place, 266-7775 (very nice fresh fish, but a long wait & somewhat overpriced. Avoid anything fancy. e.g. cioppino. Excellent chowder & lobster casserole. Kendall Sq is the best location) No Name -- Waterfront 15 1/2 Fish Pier off Northern Ave, 423-2705 (gone down the tubes -- no longer has great food, except perhaps for the seafood chowder, usually fast but obnoxious service, reasonable prices) 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 (good but boring, though the blackened tuna sashimi is great if you like it spicy. Good broiled bass & fried seafood platter) Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Back Bay Westin Hotel, 10 Huntington Ave (in Copley Place), 424-7425 (Try the poached fish w tapenade & the salmon fennel soup. Expensive, but good service, and they take reservations) Village Fish -- Brookline Village 22 Harvard St, 566-3474 (good fresh fish, served w pasta & salad) Ye Olde Oyster House -- Downtown 41 Union St, 227-2750 (good seafood pasta) Spanish / Portuguese -------------------- Casa Portugal --- 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, 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 -- Cambridge (~Porter Sq) 415 Washington St (at Beacon), 661-3254 (very good tapas, wonderful Catalan Spanish food & Sangria. a great place to go with friends or out of town guests. Can be a long wait at peak periods, but you can get tapas at the bar. Good spanish wine selection. Try the baked goat cheese, and the tripe w chickpeas) Iruna -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) 56 JFK (nr Mt Auburn), 868-5633 Neighborhood Restaurant -- Somerville (Union Sq) 25 Bow St, 623-9710 (Huge cheap portions of Portuguese food. Try the roasted chicken, baked cod, grilled pork casserole w clams) Portugalia -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 723 Cambridge St (at Tremont), 354-9340 Sunset Cafe -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 857 Cambridge St, 547-2938 (Specialities include roast goat, octopus stew, pork & littleneck clams, seafood casseroles) Tapas -- Cambridge (Porter Sq) 2067 Mass Ave, 576-2240 (not really tapas so much as small overpriced portion of variable quality) Steaks ------ Boodle's of Boston -- Back Bay Back Bay Hilton, 40 Dalton St (btw Boylston & Huntington), 266-3537 Capital Grille ($$$) -- Back Bay 359 Newbury St, 262-8900 (Upscale steakhouse, aged steaks almost as good as Morton's. Stick to meat, seafood & salads) Grill 23 ($$$) -- Back Bay 161 Berkeley St (at Stuart), 542-2255 (good foood, but noisy) Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Back Bay One Exter Plaza on Boylston St, 266-5858 (Superb prime rib, amazing porterhouse steak, good souffles. Best steak in Boston. Good high-class, steakhouse atmosphere w prices to match. Lousy coffee) Thai ---- Amarin -- Newton Center 287 Centre St, 527-5255 (rumored to be one of the best, great Pad Thai & Tom Kar Gai) Bangkok & Tokyo Grille -- Beacon Hill 26 Charles St, 723-5939 (Thai w Japanese dishes too. 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) Bangkok City -- Symphony Area 167 Mass Ave, 266-8884 (Biggest of the thai restaurants nearby, so easiest to get seated before a concert. Try the shrimp mermaid, garlic fish, beef jungle, mee grob noodles) Bangkok Cuisine -- Symphony Area 177A Mass Ave (nr Berklee), 262-5377 (great Chicken Cashew Nut, Pad Thai & Tom Mar Gai) Bangkok Flavors -- Waltham 585 Moody St, 647-4484 (good Thai food at very reasonable prices) Bangkok House -- Cambridge 50 JFK, 547-6666 (pretty good food) Bangkok Room -- Symphony Area 329 Huntington Ave, 859-2969 (Good hot & sour shrimp soup, satay & golden bags) Chengmai -- Newton Center Picadilly Square Erawan of Siam -- Waltham 469 Moody St, 899-3399 (Excellent food -- as good as Amarin. Lovely atmosphere, friendly service. A large place, so never a wait for a table) 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 Thai, but maybe not as good as it used to be) Lemon Grass -- Lexington Center (lot's of people think this is great, but I had a horrible dinner -- they used too much fish sauce in everything!) Montien -- Theater District 63 Stuart St (betw Tremont & Washington), 338-5600 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) Sawasdee -- Brookline Village 320 Washington St, 566-0720 (usually very good food. Very good golden bags and stuffed wings. Perhaps they've gone downhill -- the mussel appetizer usually good was gritty and used cheap mussels; the whole tamarind fish, usually excellent was too vinegary) 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 (One of my favorite Thai restaurants. Very pleasant ambience and uniformly excellent food. Very nice Chicken Coconut Soup and Beef Macadamia) Siam Garden -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) Mt Auburn St (popular, but reported to be awful) 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) Star of Siam -- Theater District 93 Church St (at Stuart), 451-5236 Thai's -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) 1 Kendall Sq, 577-8668 (Mixed reviews. Try the shrimp asparagus roll, grilled meats w lemongrass, shrimp chee, pad thai) Thai House -- Allston 1033 Commonwealth Ave (few blocks from BU Bridge), 787-4242 (some think it is the best Thai restaurant in Boston; I thought their soups were only so-so; one duck dish was good though the sauce was just a tad off) 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) Vietnamese/Cambodian -------------------- Ba Dat -- Chinatown 28 Harrison Ave, 426-8838 (very good pho) Buddha's Delight (Vegetarian) -- Chinatown 5 Beach St, 451-2395 (Good vegan variants of Vietnamese & Chinese dishes. Try the spring rolls, summer rolls, noodle soup, hot & sour soup, moo shi, Lake Tung-Ting "shrimp", anything spicy or w lemongrass) Elephant Walk -- Somerville (Union Sq) 70 Union Sq, 623-9939 (very good Cambodian and good French food. Need reservations. Not inexpensive, but plenty of food for the price. Try the soups, Cambodian salads, noodle appetizer, and poulet phochani) Pho Bang -- Chinatown 7 Beach St, 422-0501 (excellent cheap large bowls of pho) Pho Pasteur -- Allston, Chinatown 137 Brighton Ave (just east of Harvard St), Allston 8 Kneeland St, Chinatown, 451-0247 (great salads, beef (pho) and seafood soups, very good 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) Saigon -- Allston 431 Cambridge St (Try the lemongrass squid and the banh xeo. Good spring rolls and tofu dishes. Inexpensive) V Majestic -- Allston 164 Brighton Ave, 782-6088 Viet Hong -- Allston 182 Brighton Ave (Friendly owners, though the food is not as good as it was before they moved. Still, the Fisherman's Soup and the Ginger Fish are excellent, and the Curried Tofu & Vegetables are good. I'd stay away from the chicken dishes though.) VietFoods -- Waltham Willow St, nr River St (Try the fried wonton) Vietnam Restaurant -- Chinatown 38 Boylston St, 423-1665 (Oldest Vietnamese restaurant in Boston. Great canh chua, goi cuon, bun, cari) ====================================================================== Allston/Brighton ---------------- Armadillo Cafe (Allston) -- Tex/Mex Bangkok Bistro (Cleveland Circle) -- Thai Barbeque's International (Allston) -- Indian Barbeque Bluestone Bistro -- Italian Pizza Cafe Brasil (Allston) -- Brazillian Cafe Lampara (Allston) -- Italian Chung Wah (Allston) -- Chinese El Phoenix Room (Brighton) -- Tex/Mex Han Mi Ok (Brighton) -- Korean Ichiban (Allston) -- Japanese Jasmine (Brighton) -- Middle & Near Eastern & Hungarian Korea House (Brighton) -- Korean Pho Pasteur (Allston) -- Vietnamese Quan's Kitchen (Allston) -- Chinese Rama Thai (Allston) -- Thai Saigon (Allston) -- Vietnamese San Francisco Noodle House -- Chinese Noodle Siam Cuisine (Allston) -- Thai Thai House (Allston) -- Thai Uva (Allston) -- Italian V Majestic (Allston) -- Vietnamese Viet Huong (Allston) -- Vietnamese Arlington --------- Cafe Barada -- Middle Eastern Seagrape Tree Restaurant -- Caribbean Shanghai Village (Arlington Center) -- Chinese Tandoor -- Indian Back Bay -------- 29 Newbury St -- Eclectic Atlantic Fish Company -- Seafood Blue Wave -- Eclectic Boodle's of Boston -- Steakhouse Cactus Club -- Southwestern Cafe Budapest ($$$$) -- Hungarian Caffe Jaffa -- Middle Eastern / Israeli Casa Romero -- Mexican Capital Grille ($$$) -- Steakhouse Ciao Bella -- Northern Italian Cottonwood Cafe -- Southwestern Davio's ($$$) -- Italian Emporio Armani ($$$) -- Italian Grill 23 ($$$) -- Steakhouse Gyuhama of Japan -- Japanese Harvard Bookstore Cafe -- Nouvelle Tunisian House of Siam -- Thai Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Chinese India Samraat -- Indian Kashmir -- Indian Kaya -- Korean Kebab & Curry -- Indian King & I -- Thai La Famiglia Giorgio -- Italian Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood L'Espalier ($$$$$$) -- Nouvelle French Mister Leung's ($$$) -- Chinese Miyako -- Japanese Morton's of Chicago ($$$$) -- Steakhouse PapaRazzi -- Northern Italian Plaza Dining Room ($$$$$) -- Continental Rattlesnake Bar and Grill -- Tex/Mex Ritz Dining Room ($$$$) -- Traditional Skipjack -- Seafood Small Planet -- Eclectic Sonsie -- Eclectic Spasso -- Italian Steve's -- Greek / Middle Eastern Turner Fisheries ($$$) -- Seafood Beacon Hill / West End ---------------------- Anne's -- Middle East Another Season ($$$) -- French-American Bangkok & Tokyo Grille -- Thai Black Goose -- Nouvelle Italian Hungry I ($$$) -- Contemporary American King & I -- Thai La Trattoria -- Italian Ristorante Toscano ($$$) -- Northern Italian Siam Cafe -- Thai Tangiers Cafe -- Moroccan Brookline --------- Beijing III (Coolidge Corner) -- Chinese Bombay Bistro (Coolidge Corner) -- Indian Cafe Monagene (St Mary's) -- Eclectic Chef Chang (St Mary's) -- Chinese Chef Chow (Coolidge Corner & Cleveland Circle) -- Chinese Daily Catch (Coolidge Corner) -- Seafood Davio's ($$$) (Brookline Village) -- Nouvelle Italian Enzo Ristorante (Coolidge Corner) -- Italian Golden Temple (Washington Sq) -- Chinese Harvard St Grill ($$$) (Cooldige Corner) -- Eclectic Indian Cafe (Washington Sq) -- Indian MiVami (Coolidge Corner) -- Middle Eastern / Israeli Niko's (Coolidge Corner) -- Greek Noble House (Coolidge Corner) -- Chinese Orchid Garden (Brookline Village) -- Chinese Providence (Coolidge Corner) -- Eclectic Rami's (Brookline) -- Middle Eastern / Israeli Route of the Caravan (Washington Sq) -- Moroccan Sawasdee (Brookline Village) -- Thai Shang Chai (Coolidge Corner) -- Kosher Veggie Chinese Shawarma King (Coolidge Corner) -- Middle Eastern Skipjack (Brookline Village) -- Seafood Sol Azteca (St Mary's) -- Mexican St Petersburg Cafe (Brookline Village) -- Russian T.J's Taqueteria (Washington Sq) -- Brookline Takeshima (Coolidge Corner) -- Japanese Tam O'Shanter (Washington Sq) -- Eclectic Veronique ($$$) (Longwood) -- Classic French Village Fish (Brookline Village) -- Seafood Village Smokehouse (Brookline Village) -- Bbq Vinny Testa's (Washington Sq) -- Italian Yu's (Coolidge Corner) -- Chinese Cambridge (Central Sq / MIT) -------------------------------- Anago Bistro ($$$) -- Mediterranean Asmara -- Ethiopian Brookline Diner -- Middle Eastern Crystal Restaurant -- Chinese Fishery -- Seafood Green St. Grill -- Eclectic Caribbean India Globe -- Indian India Pavillion -- Indian Korea Garden -- Korean Koreana -- Korean La Groceria -- Northern Italian Larry's -- Chinese Mandarin -- Chinese Middle East -- Middle Eastern Oh Calcutta -- Indian Picante -- Tex/Mex Pu-Pu Hot Pot -- Chinese Royal East -- Chinese Shalimar -- Indian Taj India -- Indian Tandoor House -- Indian Viceroy -- Indian Cambridge (Fresh Pond / West Cambridge) --------------------------------------- Black Forest Cafe -- Eclectic Jose's -- Mexican Joyce Chen -- Chinese Peacock -- Country French Pentimento -- Eclectic Natural Tokyo Restaurant -- Japanese Cambridge (Harvard Sq) -------------------------- Bangkok House -- Thai Bennett St Cafe -- Eclectic Border Cafe -- Cajun/Southwestern Cafe of India -- Indian Casa Mexico -- Mexican Casablanca -- North African Chef Chow -- Chinese Delhi Darbar -- Indian Harvest ($$$) -- Eclectic House of Blues -- Eclectic Il Panino -- Italian Iruna -- Spanish Mimi's Oriental Grill -- Asian Eclectic Pampas -- Brazillian Rarities ($$$$) -- Eclectic Nouvelle American Roka -- Japanese Shilla -- Korean Siam Garden -- Thai Skipjack -- Seafood Troika -- Russian Upstairs at the Pudding ($$$$) -- Eclectic Continental / N Italian Cambridge (Inman Sqaure) ------------------------ Akbar -- Indian Cafe China -- European-Style Chinese Casa Portugal -- Portuguese Chez Vous Creole -- Creole Daddy-O's Bohemian Cafe -- Eclectic East Coast Grill -- Eclectic Jake & Earl's -- Barbeque Magnolia's Southern Cuisine -- Southern / Cajun Midwest Grill -- Brazillian/Portuguese Portugalia -- Portuguese Sunset Cafe -- Portugese Cambridge (Kendall Sq / East Cambridge) ------------------------------------------- Biggs Restaurant -- Jamaican Blue Room ($$$) -- Eclectic Boca Grande -- Mexican Buoniconti's -- Nouvelle Italian Cafe Bombay -- Indian Chandra's -- Caribbean / Indian Davio's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian Florentina -- Italian Goemon -- Japanese Noodle Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood Michela's ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian PapaRazzi -- Italian Poppa & Goose -- Asian Eclectic Rayz -- Eclectic Thai's -- Thai Cambridge (Porter Sq / North Cambridge) ------------------------------------------- Boca Grande -- Mexican Changsho -- Chinese Chez Jean -- Classic French Cottonwood Cafe -- Southwestern Dali -- Spanish Ittyo -- Japanese Kotobukiya -- Japanese Maharajah -- Indian Marino's -- Italian Masao's Kitchen -- Macrobiotic Vegan Matsuya -- Japanese Mexican Cuisine [Forest Cafe] -- Mexican Passage to India Cambridge -- Indian Porter Exchange -- Japanese Food Mall Porter House Cafe -- Barbeque Sapporo Ramen -- Japanese Noodle House Tapas -- Spanish Charlestown / Chelsea / East Boston ----------------------------------- Blossoms (Charlestown) -- Nouvelle Italian Figs (Charlestown) -- Italian (Pizza) Mama Julia (East Boston) -- Latin American New Bridge Cafe (Chelsea) -- Bbq Olives ($$$) (Charlestown) -- Creative Northern Italian Spinelli's (East Boston) -- Italian Chinatown --------- Asian Garden -- Chinese Ba Dat -- Vietnamese Blue Diner -- Eclectic (Funky Diner) Buddha's Delight -- Vegetarian Vietnamese Carl's Pagoda -- Chinese Chau Chow -- Chinese China Gate -- Chinese China Grove -- Chinese China Pearl -- Chinese Dynasty -- Chinese East Ocean City -- Chinese Eldo Tea House -- Chinese Food Hall -- Chinese Fortune House -- Chinese Seafood Golden Gate -- Chinese Golden Palace -- Chinese Ho Yuen Ting -- Chinese Imperial Seafood Restaurant -- Chinese King Fung Garden -- Chinese New House of Toy -- Chinese New Shanghai -- Chinese Ocean Wealth -- Chinese Pho Bang -- Vietnamese Pho Pasteur -- Vietnamese Siam Square -- Thai Vietnam Restaurant -- Vietnamese Downtown -------- Cecil's -- Latin Dakota's ($$$) -- Eclectic Julien ($$$$$) -- French Nouvelle Locke-Ober Cafe ($$$$) -- New England / American Maison Robert ($$$$) -- Classic French Marais ($$$) -- Eclectic Nara -- Japanese Parker's ($$$$) -- Traditional American Sakurabana -- Japanese Schifino ($$$) -- Italian Ye Olde Oyster House -- Seafood Jamaica Plains -------------- Acapulco -- Mexican Five Seasons -- Macrobiotic International Restaurant -- Dominican Pupuseria Quintanilla -- Salvadoran Water Cafe -- Eclectic Kenmore/Fenway -------------- Buteco (Fenway) -- Brazillian India Quality (Kenmore Sq) -- Indian Maluken (Kenmore Sq) -- Japanese Sorrento's (Fenway) -- Italian Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant (West Fenway) -- Chinese Lexington --------- Lemon Grass -- Thai New Asia -- Chinese Peking Garden -- Chinese Sweet Peppers -- Italian Yangtse River -- Chinese Newton ------ Amarin (Newton Center) -- Thai Appetito (Newton Center) -- Italian Bernard's (Chestnut Hill) -- Chinese Chengmai (Newton Center) -- Thai Karoun (Newtonville) -- Middle Eastern Legal Sea Foods (Chestnut Hill) -- Seafood Mill Falls ($$$) (Upper Falls) -- Contemporary American PapaRazzi (Chestnut Hill) -- Italian Sally Ling's -- Chinese Sabra (Newton Center) -- Middle Eastern / Israeli Seoul House (Newton Center) -- Korean Seven Star (Newton Center) -- Chinese Sfuzzi (Chestnut Hill) -- Northern Italian Shogun (West Newton) -- Japanese Sol Azteca (Newton Center) -- Mexican North End --------- Al Dente -- Italian Artu -- Italian Daily Catch -- Italian Da Natale -- Italian Dom's -- Nortern Italian Giacomo's -- Italian Seafood Giuffre's -- Seafood G'Vanni's ($$$) -- Italian Il Nido ($$$) -- Italian Il Panino -- Italian L'Osteria -- Italian La Conte -- Italian La Famiglia Giorgio -- Italian Mama Maria ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian Massimino's -- Italian Mother Anna's -- Italian Nicole -- Italian Piccola Venezia -- Southern Italian Pomodoro -- Italian Ristorante Lucia -- Northern Italian Saraceno's -- Southern Italian Terramia -- Italian Somerville ---------- Black Forest Cafe (Davis Sq) -- Eclectic Chang Feng -- Chinese Chef Lee -- Chinese Elephant Walk (Union Sq) -- French/Cambodian Daily Catch (Davis Sq) -- Seafood Hometown (Union Sq) -- Korean India (Davis Sq) -- Indian India Palace (Union Sq) -- Indian Jimmy Mac's -- Bbq Johnny D's (Davis Sq) -- Eclectic Neighborhood Restaurant (Union Sq) -- Portuguese New Asia (Union Sq) -- Chinese Panda -- Chinese Picante (Davis Sq) -- Tex/Mex Redbones (Davis Sq) -- Barbeque Rudy's (Teele Sq) -- Mexican Union Square Bistro (Union Sq) -- Eclectic Valdamares (Union Sq) -- Brazillian WooChon (Union Sq) -- Korean South End --------- Addis Red Sea -- Ethiopian Azita Ristorante -- Northern Italian / Nouvelle American Bluestone Bistro -- Italian Bob the Chef -- Soul Food Botolph on Tremont -- Eclectic Buteco -- Brazillian Hammersley's Bistro ($$$) -- Eclectic Icarus ($$$$) -- Eclectic Jae's -- Asian Eclectic (Hip Pacific Rim) Marcella's -- Italian-American Nadia's Eastern Star -- Middle Eastern On the Park -- Eclectic St Botolph -- Eclectic St Cloud ($$$) -- Eclectic Nouvelle American Thai Village -- Thai Symphony Area ------------- Bangkok City -- Thai Bangkok Cuisine -- Thai Bangkok Room -- Thai Dixie Kitchen -- Cajun Ethiopian Restaurant -- Ethiopian Goemon -- Japanese Noodle Shawarma King -- Middle Eastern Theater District / Park Square ------------------------------ Aujord 'Hui ($$$$$) -- Nouvelle French / Continental Biba ($$$$) -- Eclectic David's -- Mediterranean Joyce Chen -- Chinese Legal Sea Foods -- Seafood Montien -- Thai Rocco's ($$$) -- Neo Italian Star of Siam -- Thai Waltham ------- Bangkok Flavors -- Thai Bombay Mahal -- Italian EJ's Barbeque -- Barbeque Erawan of Siam -- Thai Iguana Cantina -- Tex/Mex Il Capriccio ($$$) -- Northern Italian Little India -- Indian New Mother India -- Indian Saro's -- Italian (Northern) Taquieria -- Mexican Tuscan Grill ($$$) -- Nouvelle Italian VietFoods -- Vietnamese Waterfront / Faneuil Hall ------------------------- Cornucopia ($$$) -- Eclectic Daily Catch -- Italian Eastern Pier Seafood -- Chinese Seafood Gyosai -- Japanese Jaspers ($$$$) -- Eclectic New England Joseph's Aquarium -- Seafood No Name -- Seafood Old Spaghetti Factory -- Italian-American Sally Ling's -- Chinese Seasons ($$$$) -- Eclectic Tatsukichi -- Japanese Zuma -- Tex/Mex Watertown --------- Casa Elena -- Latin American Demos -- Middle Eastern / Greek Kareem's -- Middle Eastern Le Bocage ($$$$) -- Nouvelle French On the Square ($$$) -- Eclectic / Nouvelle Italian Porcini's -- Italian Rose's -- Persian Sepal -- Middle Eastern Stellina -- Nouvelle Italian Taste of India -- Indian Verona -- Nouvelle Italian ====================================================================== Boston Area Brew Pubs --------------------- Boston Beer Works (near Fenway Park) Commonwealth Brewery (near Boston Garden) Jacob Wirth's (Theater District) John Harvard's (Dunster St, Harvard Sq, Cambridge) Cambridge Brewery (Kendell Sq, Cambridge) Exceptional Sunday Brunch Buffets --------------------------------- Bay Tower Room -- Downtown 60 State St, 723-1666 ($32 Champagne Brunch, with jazz) Guest Quarter Suites -- Allston 400 Soldier Field Rd (at River St/Cambridge Ave), 783-0090 (wonderful buffet, great ambience, my favorite) Rowes Wharf Restaurant -- Waterfront Boston Harbor Hotel, Atlantic Ave, 439-3995 Sheraton Commander -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) ($21 for very good buffet) Spinnaker -- Cambridge 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 Prudential Center (Boylston/Huntington), 536-1775 (terrific views of Boston) Turner Fisheries (Seafood) -- Back Bay (extensive excellent seafood-focused brunch, $22/head) Wonderful Sunday Brunch Non-Buffets ----------------------------------- Blue Room (Eclectic) -- Cambridge (Kendall Sq) (standard & non-standard brunch fare, with wonderful surprises, live jazz) Center Street Cafe -- Jamaica Plain (9am - 3pm) House of Blues (Eclectic) -- Cambridge (Harvard Sq) (for an extra amount, hear a gospel concert upstairs, but they rush you) Johnny D's (Italian) -- Somerville (Davis Sq) Pentimento (Eclectic) -- Cambridge (good hash browns, beware of long lines) S & S Deli -- Cambridge (Inman Sq) 1334 Cambridge St, 354-0777 (lines betw 10:30 & 1, but they move quickly. Never a bad meal. several brunch specials from which to choose, in addition to the standard menu. The food is wholesome, good and reasonably priced. For brunch, try the blueberry pancakes with fresh fruit and maple syrup or croissant, French toast and a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. They also have traditional deli fare.) ====================================================================== Very Good Cape Cod Restaurants ------------------------------ Abbicci ($$$$) (Yarmouthport MA) -- Italian 43 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 362-3501 Chillingsworth ($$$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Nouvelle french 2449 Main St (on Rt 6A), (508) 896-3640 Flume (Mashpee MA) -- Portuguese / Seafood off Rt 130, nr the turnoff to Mashpee Commons (A popular place with good seafood, though a bit overpriced. Go for the Portuguese items on the menu, which are both cheaper and more interesting) High Brewster ($$$$) (Brewster MA) -- Eclectic New England Satucket Rd (betw Airline & Stonybrook), (508) 896-3636 Regatta of Cotuit ($$$$) (Cotuit MA) -- Eclectic 4631 Falmouth Rd (nr Rt 130), (508) 428-5715 Regatta of Falmouth ($$$$) (Falmouth MA) -- Eclectic 217 Clinton Ave (nr Scranton), (508) 548-5400 Very Good South Shore Restaurants --------------------------------- Vin & Eddie's ($$$) (Abington MA) -- Northern Italian 1400 Bedford St (Rt 18 betw Rts 58 & 139), 871-1469 La Rivage ($$$) (Dartmouth MA) -- Classic French 7 Water St, (508) 999-4505 Navona ($$$) (Hingham MA) -- Italian-French-American 415 Whiting St (nr Rt 3), 337-0757 Saporito ($$$) (Hull MA) -- Northern Italian 11 Rockland Circle (nr Nantucket Ave), 925-3023 Caffe Bella (Randolph MA) -- Italian 19 Warren St (Rt 139 E), 961-7729 Very Good West of Boston Restaurants ------------------------------------ Aigo Bistro ($$$) (Concord MA) -- Mediterranean 84 Thoreau St, Concord, 371-1333 (Try the brandade, the seafood entrees, any North African food, and the honey-lavender-thyme flan) Cafe Luigi (Bedford MA) up 4/225 in the Purity shopping ctr (good, though not very adventurous, Italian food, fairly cheap. Nice selection of black pasta dishes) Grappa (Maynard MA) -- Italian on Rt 62 (an unassuming place that serves inspired Italian dishes. Try Eggplant Napolean, Spit-roasted chicken, and veal scallopine in vanilla infused lobster sauce) Great Wall (Bedford MA) -- Chinese in the shopping center on the west side of 4/225 before Bedford Ctr (Not stupendous, but extremely good standard suburban Chinese food) Harrington Fram (Princeton MA) -- American 178 Westminster Rd, (508) 464-5600 Hartwell House (Bedford MA) -- American 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) Sherborn Inn ($$$) (Sherborn MA) -- Traditional 33 Main St (Rts 16 & 27), (508) 655-9521 Very Good North Shore Restaurants --------------------------------- Asahi (Salem MA) -- Japanese 21 Congress St, (508) 744-5376 Flash In The Pan (Danvers MA) -- Contemporary American 181 Newbury St (betw Rts 114 & 62), (508) 774-9367 Glen's Galley (Newburyport MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill Eclectic 44 Merrimac St, (508) 465-3811 (Artfully prepared. Menu varies weekly - some standards. Great seafood. Occasional oddities such as wild boar, antelope, venison, etc. Get reservations on weekends.) Grog (Newburyport MA) -- Southwestern/Traditional 13 Middle St (first left off of State St), (508) 465-8008 (1760 meets 1960. Relaxed atmosphere days -- loud R&B/Blues at night - local artists on display. Try the Black Bean Soup or the White Ash Blackened Steak - ouch.) Hilltop Steak House (Saugus MA) -- Steakhouse Rt 1 [look for the cow!], 233-7700 Joseph's Winter St. Cafe (Newburyport MA) -- Italian/Continental Winter St. (Cozy up-scale room. Piano bar on weekends. Terrace in summer. Try the roasted peppers, veal. Get reservations on weekends.) O'Fado (Peabody MA) -- Portuguese 52 Walnut St (nr Central), (508) 531-7369 Palmer's ($$$) (Swampscott MA) -- Italian 408 Humphrey St (at Greenwood), 596-1820 Ponte Vecchio ($$$) (Danvers MA) -- Northern Italian 435 Newbury St (nr Topsfield Fairgrounds), (508) 777-9188 Tien's Thai (Marblehead MA) -- Thai 12 School St (at Mt Pleasant), 639-1334 Union Grill (Beverly MA) -- Nouvelle American Grill 208 Rantoul St, (508) 927-2028 White Rainbow ($$$) (Gloucester MA) -- Nouvelle American 65 Main St (at Rogers), (508) 281-0017 Very Good New Hampshire Restaurants ----------------------------------- Blue Strawberry ($$$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- Nouvelle American 39 Ceres St (off Bow St), (603) 431-6420 (Wonderful fixed choice dinners using unusual combinations of ingredients) D'Artagnan ($$$$) (Lyme NH) -- Nouvelle French 13 Dartmouth College Hwy (Rt 10), (603) 795-2137 Metastasis (Salem NH) -- Eclectic (Cuisine is an unsual combination of Portuguese, Italian, French, Californian. Double Diamond & Sam Adams on tap) Strawberry Court: Restaurant Francais ($$$) (Portsmouth NH) -- French 20 Atkinson St (betw State & Court), (603) 431-7722 Very Good Southern Maine Restaurants ------------------------------------ Alberta's Cafe (Portland ME) -- Eclectic 21 Pleasant St (betw Danforth & Foke), (207) 774-0016 Arrows ($$$$) (Ogunquit ME) -- Nouvelle American Berwick St, (207) 361-1100 Cape Neddick Inn ($$$) (Cape Neddick ME) -- Nouvelle American At Rts 1 & 1A, (207) 363-2899 Maine Dining Room (Freeport ME) ($$$$) -- Nouvelle American Harakeeset Inn, 162 Main St, (207) 865-9377 Very Good Rhode Island Restaurants ---------------------------------- Al Forno (Providence RI) -- Nouvelle Italian 577 S Main St (behind Corliss Landing), (401) 272-2980 (Like Olive's, but better & more refined. Large portions. Attention to small details. Eat slowly to savor the taste.) Blue Point Oyster Bar ($$$) (Providence RI) -- Seafood 99 Main St (at Elizabeth), (401) 272-6145 Le Petit Auberge ($$$$) (Newport RI) -- Country French 19 Charles St (betw Washington Sq & Marlboro), (401) 849-6669 Newport Grill ($$$) (Newport MA) -- Italian 1 Broadway (Washington Sq), (401) 847-8353 Pot Au Feu ($$$) (Providence MA) -- French 44 Custom House St (at Weybosset), (401) 273-8953 Toscano's ($$$) (Providence MA) -- Italian 265 Atwells Ave (DePasquale Plaza), (401) 274--8820 White Horse Tavern ($$$$) (Newport MA) -- Eclectic New England Marlborough & Farewell Sts, (401) 849-3600