Food Options

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mass88

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I thought it would be interesting to hear what everyone thinks are the best places to eat in and around Boston. So, feel free to list your top 10, or 12 places to eat in Boston, Quincy, Newton, Cambridge, etc.
 
Bon Chon in Allston
Sichuan Gourmet in Brookline
Dumpling Cafe in Chinatown
West Bridge in Cambridge
Posto in Somerville
 
Ugh. Bon Chon is really overblown. And it's a chain, from NYC. There's so much better REAL Korean food than sugary chicken wings.

Besides the tons of Korean joints, there's so many places in Allston, I'm not sure I could rank them all. The places I go on a fairly regular basis, in no particular order, Deep Ellum, Garlic and Lemon, Fish Market, Habanero, El Carrizal, @Union, Punjab Palace/India Quality, Jo Jo Taipei, May's cafe, Soul Fire, Alfredo's, Inaka (new Japanese spot), Shanghai Gate, Camino Real, Bagel Rising, Ecco, Le's, Super 88 (Pho Viet and more), etc just off the top of my head.

In Brighton Center I usually stop at Athan's (they have real food in this one), Cafenation, or Jim's.

In Harvard Square, it's either Charlie's or Grendel's. In Central, I tend to wind up at either the Indian dosa shop/market, or River Gods. Inman I go to Trina's, or walk a bit over to Lord Hobo. I know there's plenty more options too.

If I'm in the Back Bay I'll go to Thornton's for brunch or Bukowski's for drinks/food. I don't generally go to the Back Bay for food anymore. Nothing seems interesting. Maybe I should take another look.

Chinatown has the giant dim sum restaurants which are cool. But nowadays I usually end up at a tiny sushi shop called Avanna.
 
If you're in the Government Center area I'd suggest Saus on Union Street. Great sandwiches, fries, and an extensive beer collection.

In regards to Dim Sum I'd suggest Empire Garden on Washington mostly for the interior- it's inside a beautiful old theatre, but the food and service are less than exemplary. The pork buns are good, though.

I suggest Otto Pizza in Harvard Square and Brookline as well.

Great topic. I'm bookmarking this.
 
Otto also has a location at BU West which is usually considerably less crowded.
 
Matthew said:
In Brighton Center I usually stop at Athan's (they have real food in this one), Cafenation, or Jim's.
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Don't overlook Esperia Grill! They have Cafenation-quality food but with a full menu specializing in Greek food. Their half-chicken dinners are legendary in my head.
 
Chinese

Shanghai Gate - Allston
Gourmet Dumpling House - Chinatown (best xiao long bao in boston)
Windsor Dim Sum Cafe - a la carte dim sum
Sichuan Gourmet - (framingham is somehow much better than brookline)

Other

Myers & Chang - South End
East by Northeast - Inman
Strip T's - Watertown
Orinoco - South End
JM Curley's - Downtown (for the burger)
Tres Gatos - JP
The Haven - JP
L'Impasto - Cambridge
Galleria Umberto - North End

Bunch of others, but that's what I got for now...
 
Burger King
McDonald's
Pizza Hut
KFC
 
KentXie said:
Burger King
McDonald's
Pizza Hut
KFC
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LOL!




All transit accessible (and most are pricey!):

All Seasons Table (Chinese), Malden
Azorean (Mediterranean), Gloucester **Personal favorite, and perhaps most expensive**
Bar Lola (Tapas Bar), Back Bay
District 7 (American/Pub), Malden
Duck Walk (Thai), Wakefield
Exchange Street Bistro (American), Malden
Mexico Lindo (Mexican), Melrose
Penang (Malaysian), Chinatown
Pho Hoa (Vietnamese), Malden
Sam LaGrassa's (Sandwiches), Downtown
 
There is a Pho Hoa in Chinatown and one in Dorchester. Dunno about Malden.

Xinh Xinh next door is pretty good too. I get most of my Pho in Super 88 though.
 
Matthew said:
There is a Pho Hoa in Chinatown and one in Dorchester. Dunno about Malden.

Xinh Xinh next door is pretty good too. I get most of my Pho in Super 88 though.
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I listed the one in Chinatown as well (same owners) but took it off because I hadn't visited that location in particular. Didn't know there was one in Dorchester, too. Local chain?
 
Larger, national or semi-regional at least. I've been to one in Mountain View, CA.
 
In the Mountain View location, the menus mention their other locations, which include lots of places in Asia.
 
^ Been many times. Locations all over the West Coast, incl Vancouver, and throughout Asia.
 
Punjab Palace, danklicious! Some of the most tender chicken I've ever had, and the spices are perfect.

Qdoba. Yeah, it's a chain, but they make really good burritos. Better than Chipotle, El Pelon, and Boca Grande, the one's I've tried so far (BG actually kinda sucked).
 
I could list all of the places I like, but instead for effect I will list the place I LOVE the most:

Taqueria el Amigo in Waltham.

This is the best Mexican food in the area in my opinion. Very authentic, very affordable, very casual.
 
cozzyd said:
Not sure if you can answer this, but would it be worth going to if it were on the west coast? </excalifornian>
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I have had good Mexican food in California/Mexico, but I've never lived there so my point of view may be a little limited. My impression, though, is that it is the level of quality that would fit in on the West Coast. From what I can tell, that is very high praise.

ADDITION: I love Mexican food and am somewhat of a burrito connoisseur and one thing I can say for certain is that it is the best Mexican food in the Boston area. Take that for what it's worth.
 
I will have to check it out. I have been hunting for good Mexican food since I got back from California. The places in Allston are decent but they are Salvadorean. I've had to go to Eastie to find anything else.
 
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