I'm making another trip to Boston soon to hang out with our recently departed EDF mod.

We're determined to not be lazy this time and to make reservations at a handful of great restaurants in the city.

Last year we went to Grill 23, which was great, albeit a little salty. Where else shall we go? I have read great things about Abe & Louie's so that seems like a must.

in the non-steakhouse category:

Oleana (in Cambridge) (Mediterranean fusion)
No. 9 Park (Italian/French)
Troquet (French mostly)
Salts (in Cambridge) (American..the duck for 2 is amazing and will be cute on your date)
Petit Robert (French bistro)
B&G Oysters (Seafood)
Hamersleys (French)
Toro (Spanish)
East Coast Grill (in my hood in Cambridge, seafood, a step down from the others but it's a great place in my awesome neighborhood!)
Mooo is a cool new steakhouse/bar. I ate at the bar a couple weeks ago. it's not Abe & Louis, but if you are looking for a scene it's a bit cooler

Some of my favorite places (note that I am a broke graduate student)

Helmand - Afghani

Addis Red Sea - Ethiopian

Cafe Polonia - Polish

Rialto (in Cambridge) (high end Italian)

Les Zygomates - French bistro

Recently went to Sibling Rivalry and enjoyed the meal there. It's got a gimmick - the head chefs are brothers. The menu is a list of ingredients with a dish by each highlighting the ingredients. Good food.

I second the Helmand.

East Coast Grill isn't bad -- if I'm remembering correctly, they're next to All-Star Sandwich, which is a fantastic little place to get lunch.

Also, I like the Eastern Standard.

I'd highly recommend a small Italian place near fenway "Toscana Trattoria", reasonably priced and the food is awesome

B&G Oysters for high-end seafood

Dali for tapas (the food is very good, the atmosphere is a ton of fun)

The Oak Room for a great meal at an exorbitant price

If you like sushi, then Oishii Sushi Bar is the best restaurant I have ever been to.

Excelsior!

or Mamma Maria in the North End for Italian.

Olives in Charlestown was the best meal I had in 4 years in Boston, though.

Mamma Maria is great, I bet Daryn has been there. Excelsior is very expensive and not that great

Nice one guys, keep it coming. The more you write about these places the better. Any more steak recommendations?

prob just go to Abe & Louis

Yeah, good one, alimoe. Not high end, but the food is good, and the decor is off the chain - a cross between portuguese cathouse and devotional grotto.

I was disappointed with Sibling Rivalry. It's a great concept, but I thought the food wasn't excellent, and the service was pretty bad.

Smith & Wollensky isn't too bad for steak. It's obviously a chain and you've probably had it elsewhere - however, it's located in a castle (I think I've posted the image before). It makes for a pretty cool dining experience.

Sorellina on Huntington was one of the best meals i had in the city. The tuna tartar appetizer was amazing. Very old crowd in there though.

For steak after Grille 23 I chose either Smith or Abe & Louis. Both very good, obviously eating in a castle is cool.

I agree on sibling rivalry. Awesome concept, but the food was meh. Although when I ate there we were in a hurry and practically ate our meal before valet parked the car.

A list of random places I enjoy...
Tsunami (BYOB Sushi) Brookline
B&G Oysters (Seafood) South End
Tapeo (Tapas) Newbury
28 Degrees in South End. Tuna tartar and calamari is amazing. And I love a bloody bellini.
Wine Cellar (Fondue) Mass Ave near Beacon
Figs in Charlestown is good for lunch
Flour on Washington St also good for lunch (Bakery/Cafe)

Thats about all I can think of for now. Also, Boston dinner party? I love free meals.

im moving to cambridge soon so i'll have to check this stuff out too! i know there is one very good Korean Restaurant in porter square right next ot the tstop.

Border Cafe in Harvard Square is great if you want a cheap definitely not fancy tex-mex meal. I love Harvard Square, and I always end up eating here. Obviously not gourmet or on pace with the rest of the thread in that regard, but def. enjoyable.

for a little higher end southwestern food, I love Masa



I've gone there a couple times this year, and they have a tuna dish that is great, as well as a "Masarita" which is made with grapefruit juice.

They have an awesome/cheap brunch on sundays as well with texas toast w/ carmelized bananas and chocolate chip pancakes with mango butter.


I need to get out to more places, but these are two places where you're guaranteed to have good food and a good time.

bro,

i went to an amazing italian resturant last night in the north end called Cantina Italiana on 346 Hanover. Best [censored] dish I've ever eaten.

Hanover is best place to eat in this gawd aweful cold ass town to be honest.

Indy

that's exactly what we like visitors to think

everybody in this forum knows i dont mince words. boston is overrated and i cannot wait to get back to Cali SUnday. I can barely sleep in this weather. The italian food here is good, however. Cantina Italiana is supposed to be the oldest restuarant in the north end.

edit: actually there are some serious hotties here of the non-asian descent, and the pubs rock....i was very impressed with how hoppin the town was on a thursday night to be honest. Obv Im joking, boston is teh pwn Just too [censored] cold.

Indy

I'm pretty sure he was implying that we like visitors to think that Hanover is the best place to eat ... it's not even close.

hey guys, if you like feel free to extend this to cool bars to meet fun, hot girls. thanks!

Bars near Fenway (and more importantly BU):
Eastern Standard - definitely older than a college crowd, but good drinks
Game On - If there are any good games going on, it's probably the city's best sports bar

you could have good night near Fenway by eating at Eastern Standard (great burger) and hanging at the bar there, or going right next door to the Foundation Lounge, which is a cool little trendy lounge which usual has girls of all varieties. or you could eat at Petit Robert, which is also pretty close, but Eastern Standard is more of a loud/bar/type place that could get you in da groove faster. that's a pretty good itinerary for 1 night.

another combo night would be eating upstairs at 33 (which is decent, but a scene) then going downstairs to the dance area, which is a good singles scene.

Gypsy Bar is a bit frattier, but still not too bad, and it's a huge place with bars/dancing that always has a lot of girls.

Or you could take a drive out to Frmaingham and go to the Melting Pot.

Reasons.

`1. They give you bread to dip in a vat of melted cheese.

2. They give you lobster tails and filet mignon to coat in batter and then dip in boiling oil.

3. They give you brownie and cheesecake pieces to dip in bubbling hot hazelnut chocolate.



Fonduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue!

thanks again kbz, eastern standard sounds pretty good, i am partial to a great burger

haha noah that sounds sick. never tried anything like that before and am somewhat intrigued. daryn lives in woburn so we could easily check out the one in burlington. btw that website is off the chart cheesy

i urge you all to not ask for trip reports. diablo knows only too well the high probability that we are too lazy to actually eat at any of these places.