Tag: brookline

Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day Brunch 2017
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place! (From now on we'll just update this post for future years, so you can come back here anytime for our latest information.)

And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2017 with friends and family around a brunch table.

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
- Are you looking for a place to ring in 2017 with a happy crowd?
- Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
- Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
- Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.

Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's Eve celebrations at area restaurants.

You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.

We Do Recommend!

There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high-quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
- Select Oyster Bar offering a 3 course New Year's Eve menu all day Saturday, December 31st alongside their full regular menu this NYE.
- Coppa will be serving their regular a la carte menu throughout the evening for revelers who want to end the year with a meal full of familiar favorites.
- Row 34 Chef Sewall will be serving the regular dinner menu with luxurious additions, like Ossestra caviar service or plates like potato latkes with caviar and salmon pastrami.
- Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
- Craigie on Main early seating for a five-course prix fixe menu, with optional add-on wine pairings. Or, if you're ready to celebrate into night, choose the later seating for a six-course menu and Champagne toast.
- Grotto on Beacon Hill, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
- La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
- Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.
Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

New Year's Day Brunch

Here is a list of brunches from the members of Boston Chefs. Our pick from this list would be Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 a.m. to come up with our recommendations.
- Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day.
- Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang.
- Eastern Standard will be open with their great brunch menu.
- La Voile on Newbury serves a lovely meal and is a great way to start the year.
To be notified of updates to this post, sign-on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on Twitter for updates.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Photo: iStockphoto.com

Related articles

SELECT Oyster Bar: Our First Taste

Notes on a New Year's Eve Toast with Bollinger Rosé
December 21, 2016
Boston Area Winter Farmers Market Schedule: Our Updated Resource Page for 2017-2018 Season

The open air farmers market season is nearly over and it's time for us to start our list of the 2017-2018 Winter Farmers Markets in the Boston area. We'll add to this list as we discover more markets opening. And, if you bookmark this page, we'll keep it updated for future years as we hear of new dates and openings.

We have updated all the markets listed below for 2017-2018.

Boston Public Market

The Boston Public Market is open 7 days a week. Here you’ll find: farmers, craft brewers, cheesemakers, local meat, and Red's Best (an outstanding seafood vendor), bakeries, and artisan food producers.

Located at 100 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02108.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8am — 8pm, Sunday 10am — 8pm

Check the market's twitter and facebook pages for specific weather and holiday closings.

Brookline Winter Farmers Market

Winter Indoor Farmers Markets Around Boston

Check the links to confirm details on these markets before you set out on your shopping trip.

Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover Street at Haymarket Station, Monday – Saturday, 8am – 8pm, Sunday 10am - 8pm (year-round)

Boston/Egleston Winter Farmers Market, Urbano Project, 29 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, (Every Saturday *: November – February *We are closed on Saturday, November 25, 2017 & December 23rd & 30th)

Brookline Winter Farmers Market at The Arcade Building, 318 Harvard Street, (map) Sundays
11:00 am to 3:00 pm (November 19, 2016 thru April 2018)

Somerville Winter Farmers Market, 191 Highland Avenue, (map) Saturdays, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm (December 2, 2017- April 14, 2018 )

Cambridge Winter Farmers Market, 5 Callender Street, (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 6th-April 7th, 2018)

Dorchester/Codman Square Winter Farmers Market, 6 Norfolk Street, Dorchester, in the Great Hall (map) Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm (January 27to March 31)

Chelmsford Agway Winter Farmers Market, 24 Maple Road, Chelmsford, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (November 4, 2017 – February 24, 2018) Thanks to the reader who sent this one our way.

Roslindale Winter Farmers Market, 30 Birch Street, Roslindale, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 6th to March 31, 2018)

Destination Markets Worth the Trip

Wayland/Russell's Garden Center Winter Farmers Market, 397 Boston Post Road, Rte 20 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 6th – March 10th, 2018)

Newburyport Winter Farmers Market, Tannery Marketplace, 50 Water Street (map)
Sundays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Dec. 3 & 10, 2017, Jan. 7 & 21, Feb. 4 & 18, March 4 & 18, April 8 & 22, 2018

Plymouth Indoor Winter Market, 137 Warren Ave, Plymouth, MA (map) 2:30-6:30, Second Thursday of the month, November 2017 thru May 2018

Stillman's Farm and Stillman Quality Meats will both be at the Boston Public Market.

Do you have a favorite place to shop for local foods in winter? Let us know!

Related Posts:

Do You Have a Great Farmers Market Plan & Kit? Tools We Use & Love!

Buying bread at the market?

Here's a Great Tip for Keeping Bread Fresher Longer

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Holiday Gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 – 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

November 18, 2016
Boston Area Winter Farmers Market Schedule: Our Updated Resource Page for 2017-2018 Season

The open air farmers market season is nearly over and it's time for us to start our list of the 2017-2018 Winter Farmers Markets in the Boston area. We'll add to this list as we discover more markets opening. And, if you bookmark this page, we'll keep it updated for future years as we hear of new dates and openings.

We have updated all the markets listed below for 2017-2018.

Boston Public Market

The Boston Public Market is open 7 days a week. Here you’ll find: farmers, craft brewers, cheesemakers, local meat, and Red's Best (an outstanding seafood vendor), bakeries, and artisan food producers.

Located at 100 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02108.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8am — 8pm, Sunday 10am — 8pm

Check the market's twitter and facebook pages for specific weather and holiday closings.

Brookline Winter Farmers Market

Winter Indoor Farmers Markets Around Boston

Check the links to confirm details on these markets before you set out on your shopping trip.

Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover Street at Haymarket Station, Monday – Saturday, 8am – 8pm, Sunday 10am - 8pm (year-round)

Boston/Egleston Winter Farmers Market, Urbano Project, 29 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, (Every Saturday *: November – February *We are closed on Saturday, November 25, 2017 & December 23rd & 30th)

Brookline Winter Farmers Market at The Arcade Building, 318 Harvard Street, (map) Sundays
11:00 am to 3:00 pm (November 19, 2016 thru April 2018)

Somerville Winter Farmers Market, 191 Highland Avenue, (map) Saturdays, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm (December 2, 2017- April 14, 2018 )

Cambridge Winter Farmers Market, 5 Callender Street, (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 6th-April 7th, 2018)

Dorchester/Codman Square Winter Farmers Market, 6 Norfolk Street, Dorchester, in the Great Hall (map) Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm (January 27to March 31)

Chelmsford Agway Winter Farmers Market, 24 Maple Road, Chelmsford, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (November 4, 2017 – February 24, 2018) Thanks to the reader who sent this one our way.

Roslindale Winter Farmers Market, 30 Birch Street, Roslindale, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 6th to March 31, 2018)

Destination Markets Worth the Trip

Wayland/Russell's Garden Center Winter Farmers Market, 397 Boston Post Road, Rte 20 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 6th – March 10th, 2018)

Newburyport Winter Farmers Market, Tannery Marketplace, 50 Water Street (map)
Sundays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Dec. 3 & 10, 2017, Jan. 7 & 21, Feb. 4 & 18, March 4 & 18, April 8 & 22, 2018

Plymouth Indoor Winter Market, 137 Warren Ave, Plymouth, MA (map) 2:30-6:30, Second Thursday of the month, November 2017 thru May 2018

Stillman's Farm and Stillman Quality Meats will both be at the Boston Public Market.

Do you have a favorite place to shop for local foods in winter? Let us know!

Related Posts:

Do You Have a Great Farmers Market Plan & Kit? Tools We Use & Love!

Buying bread at the market?

Here's a Great Tip for Keeping Bread Fresher Longer

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Holiday Gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 – 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

November 18, 2016
Where to Buy or Rent Costumes in the Boston Area: Our Updated Resource Page
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons, this post is for you. We've even included a couple of places that carry party goods and elegant seasonal home decor.

This post was updated for Halloween 2017.

Just before Halloween and the traditional holiday seasons seems like the best time for us to make a list and check it twice to help you locate places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. Costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for Santa time, New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and beyond!

Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.

The Garment District in Cambridge has a floor devoted to Boston Costume. This is probably the best-known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.

It's open seven days a week. And "Open 'til Midnight ALL October!"

They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing, if you want to create your own.

They also sell items to finish the look, like:
- washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
- prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
- masks from simple gold or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs or feathery carnival styles
- heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
- an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
- accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume" division rents full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.

Dorothy's Boutique

Soon you'll find people lined up (above) waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.

If you want a quick look before you get in line, you can click over to the Google view of the store's fully stocked interior.

For luxe Halloween decor and fun accessories, visit Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.

Party Favors in Brookline in Coolidge Corner has lots of holiday party goodies!

New additions to our list.

Here are a couple of places recommended by our social media friends and readers. We have not checked these out personally but confirmed they are open this year.

Oona's in Harvard Square has this photo featured on their site. Vintage costumes can be fun.

Great Eastern Trading Co. in Central Square Cambridge sell vintage if that is the direction you would like to take with your costume.

The Costume Company in Belmont.

Note: These Are Closed

In case you have visited New Millennium Costumes on Tremont Street in the past, they have closed.

Reflections on Newbury Street had some great holiday items in past years but is now closed. The good news is that if you loved their style, you can get similar items at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill.

If you're more of an Internet shopper, you can find costumes for the entire family from this one page: Visit the Costume Store At Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011-2014 Ed & Penny Cherubino plus a screenshot from The Garment District and top photo from iStockphoto.com
October 14, 2016
Where to Buy or Rent Costumes in the Boston Area: Our Updated Resource Page
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons, this post is for you. We've even included a couple of places that carry party goods and elegant seasonal home decor.

This post was updated for Halloween 2017.

Just before Halloween and the traditional holiday seasons seems like the best time for us to make a list and check it twice to help you locate places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. Costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for Santa time, New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and beyond!

Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.

The Garment District in Cambridge has a floor devoted to Boston Costume. This is probably the best-known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.

It's open seven days a week. And "Open 'til Midnight ALL October!"

They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing, if you want to create your own.

They also sell items to finish the look, like:
- washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
- prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
- masks from simple gold or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs or feathery carnival styles
- heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
- an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
- accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume" division rents full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.

Dorothy's Boutique

Soon you'll find people lined up (above) waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.

If you want a quick look before you get in line, you can click over to the Google view of the store's fully stocked interior.

For luxe Halloween decor and fun accessories, visit Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.

Party Favors in Brookline in Coolidge Corner has lots of holiday party goodies!

New additions to our list.

Here are a couple of places recommended by our social media friends and readers. We have not checked these out personally but confirmed they are open this year.

Oona's in Harvard Square has this photo featured on their site. Vintage costumes can be fun.

Great Eastern Trading Co. in Central Square Cambridge sell vintage if that is the direction you would like to take with your costume.

The Costume Company in Belmont.

Note: These Are Closed

In case you have visited New Millennium Costumes on Tremont Street in the past, they have closed.

Reflections on Newbury Street had some great holiday items in past years but is now closed. The good news is that if you loved their style, you can get similar items at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill.

If you're more of an Internet shopper, you can find costumes for the entire family from this one page: Visit the Costume Store At Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011-2014 Ed & Penny Cherubino plus a screenshot from The Garment District and top photo from iStockphoto.com
October 14, 2016
Where to Dine in Boston on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2016

Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, 2016.

Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Northeastern, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2016 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)

For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 8, 2016

Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure your reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.

OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list.

Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members.

As more great Boston food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions!

Our picks and, for us, al la carte Menus Get Our Nod

Bistro du Midi has a prix fixe menu in their formal dining room but they're also offering an al la carte menu in the Cafe. With the Swan Boats and Public Garden across the street, this can be a wonderful choice for lunch and a stroll and family photos in a beautiful setting.

Lineage in Brookline is also on the a la carte option plan. Boston Chefs says, "Lineage will be open early for brunch and dinner this Mother's Day, offering up a special a la carte brunch menu, as well as, their regular dinner menu."

The Red Dory in Tiverton, RI: Like many Bostonians, we are long-time fans of chef Steve Johnson and miss his food and smiling face at Rendezvous in Central Square. If a road trip to a waterfront destination would make your Mother's day perfect, head to his new place, The Red Dory. We asked about his Mother's Day plans and he wrote, "Open M'sDay/no special menu except many recent seasonal updates + including Sunday Tapas supplemental menu – Cheers!"

For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.

If you are meeting people from outside the city, you might consider La Morra in Brookline.

If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled.

We also love the Island Creek Team spot in the Fort Point neighborhood, Row 34. Here's our post on this great addition to the city's dining scene.

And, for the best gift, let Mom choose something from her Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: istockphoto.com

April 22, 2016
Where to Dine in Boston on Easter, March 27, 2016

Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This is one of the big days for dining out, and popular restaurants will fill their tables for Sunday, March 27, 2016, quickly.

First up, the list of places that organize information about Easter reservations and special offerings:

Open Table seems to have the most complete information, and you can click right through to make reservations. They also give you some idea of prices and special menus. And you'll find a few places that are offering their regular menus as well.

Boston Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

Gayot lists favorite Easter brunches at places like Henrietta's Table in Cambridge.

Next, places we picked from these lists (we'll add more as we learn about particular offerings):

Erbaluce invites you to join them for an Easter Feast.

Bistro du Midi says, "For brunch we are only serving a three course prix fixe menu with 5 options per course for $55 pp. For dinner, join us for our a la carte menu and early spring specials." We say, you can plan a walk through the Public Garden after your meal.

Craigie on Main is offering both an Easter Prix Fixe menu and special additions to their regular menu for Passover.

To meet up with family who don't want to come into the city, consider AKA Bistro in Lincoln. We're happy to see that they're offering their regular brunch menu in addition to some Easter specials. The nearby deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is the perfect place to walk off your brunch and take Easter photos.

Another good suburban/urban meeting place is La Morra in Brookline. They are serving a $38 prix fixe menu.

Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when some people would try to book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can cause the restaurant to turn away other potential customers and makes the venues require a deposit to hold a place.

One thing we would look for, if we were dining out on a holiday, is a place that is offering its regular menu for the day. That's always a plus for us. We're not fans of special menus.

If you know of places where the regular menu will be served, let us know. If it's a place we can recommend, we'll add it to our list. And we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

Opting Out of Easter

If this holiday stuff is really not part of your life, this is a great day to go ethnic. Chinatown will be wide open and filled with great menu options. Your neighborhood Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Persian restaurant will be happy to feed you. And most BBQ and Pizza places do not have Easter menus.

Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice if we add updates to this page.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: from iStockphoto.com

March 18, 2016
BostonZest Take on Some 2016 Local Food Trends

In her January 5, 2016, Fresh & Local food column, Penny wrote about some of the food trends we thought we'd see strengthening in our area this year.

Do you remember early bowl pioneer "Jack and the Bean Bowl" back in 2009?

More Food in Bowls!

Bowls filled with ramen, vegetables, grains, noodles, and soups will grow in importance on restaurant, food truck, and take out menus. Part of this trend is due to our growing acceptance of authentic ethnic cuisines. The need for gluten-free (GF) menu items has restaurants offering the GF-safe ingredients from something like a burrito in a bowl rather than a wrap.

Here's one of our favorite bowls of Bun Thit Nuong from Pho Basil. (More on that dish here.)

In addition, many of these bowls contain warm, filling, comfort foods from the cultures where they originated and we quickly grow to love them for the same reason.

We were thrilled when we saw that the food minds over at the Globe agreed with us by publishing a simultaneous prediction!

Rumanian Pastrami from Sam LaGrassa's (More on this here.)

Good Deli Options

"What the Back Bay needs is a good deli," we hear this from neighbors all the time. We try to explain that the economics of rents in this neighborhood is probably going to prevent that from happening, but we do think we will have more great delicatessens popping up around the area.

And this new version of the old deli features high quality, often house-made meats, and prepared foods. This trend was started in Waltham by Moody's Delicatessen & Provisions. We are thrilled to learn that we will be able to sample their wares from shared space within the new Gordon's Boston store in Downtown Crossing.

While for us a deli sandwich is an occasional treat, we do have a few old favorites. Sam LaGrassa's is always on our list of recommendations for visitors. If we're in Coolidge Corner, we'll pick up sandwiches from Michael's Deli.

Tacos filled with lamb in barbacoa sauce from Tenoch Mexican Taqueria. (More photos here.)

Regional Mexican Food

A second national trend that seems to be slowly appearing in Boston is restaurants offering authentic, regional Mexican cuisines like our much loved Angela’s Cafe in East Boston and the small local Tenoch Mexican Taqueria restaurants and food cart.

In December, we learned that Angela's is opening a second location in Orient Heights much closer to transit. Getting there without a car has limited our visits to the original place.

What are you seeing in the world of local food that makes you smile? Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

We have a few more trends to talk about and will link to that post when it is published.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2009-2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Tenoch Mexican Restaurants & Food Truck

Where to Pick Up Great Food for Boston Summer 2014 Events

January 20, 2016
BostonZest Take on Some 2016 Local Food Trends

In her January 5, 2016, Fresh & Local food column, Penny wrote about some of the food trends we thought we'd see strengthening in our area this year.

Do you remember early bowl pioneer "Jack and the Bean Bowl" back in 2009?

More Food in Bowls!

Bowls filled with ramen, vegetables, grains, noodles, and soups will grow in importance on restaurant, food truck, and take out menus. Part of this trend is due to our growing acceptance of authentic ethnic cuisines. The need for gluten-free (GF) menu items has restaurants offering the GF-safe ingredients from something like a burrito in a bowl rather than a wrap.

Here's one of our favorite bowls of Bun Thit Nuong from Pho Basil. (More on that dish here.)

In addition, many of these bowls contain warm, filling, comfort foods from the cultures where they originated and we quickly grow to love them for the same reason.

We were thrilled when we saw that the food minds over at the Globe agreed with us by publishing a simultaneous prediction!

Rumanian Pastrami from Sam LaGrassa's (More on this here.)

Good Deli Options

"What the Back Bay needs is a good deli," we hear this from neighbors all the time. We try to explain that the economics of rents in this neighborhood is probably going to prevent that from happening, but we do think we will have more great delicatessens popping up around the area.

And this new version of the old deli features high quality, often house-made meats, and prepared foods. This trend was started in Waltham by Moody's Delicatessen & Provisions. We are thrilled to learn that we will be able to sample their wares from shared space within the new Gordon's Boston store in Downtown Crossing.

While for us a deli sandwich is an occasional treat, we do have a few old favorites. Sam LaGrassa's is always on our list of recommendations for visitors. If we're in Coolidge Corner, we'll pick up sandwiches from Michael's Deli.

Tacos filled with lamb in barbacoa sauce from Tenoch Mexican Taqueria. (More photos here.)

Regional Mexican Food

A second national trend that seems to be slowly appearing in Boston is restaurants offering authentic, regional Mexican cuisines like our much loved Angela’s Cafe in East Boston and the small local Tenoch Mexican Taqueria restaurants and food cart.

In December, we learned that Angela's is opening a second location in Orient Heights much closer to transit. Getting there without a car has limited our visits to the original place.

What are you seeing in the world of local food that makes you smile? Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

We have a few more trends to talk about and will link to that post when it is published.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2009-2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Tenoch Mexican Restaurants & Food Truck

Where to Pick Up Great Food for Boston Summer 2014 Events

January 20, 2016
Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2015 & New Year’s Day Brunch 2016
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place!

And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2016 with friends and family around a brunch table.

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
- Are you looking for a place to ring in 2015 with a happy crowd?
- Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
- Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
- Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.

Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's Eve celebrations at area restaurants.

You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.

We Do Recommend!

There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
- Select Oyster Bar will serve a 7-course tasting menu. There are still a few seats left for a 6pm and 9pm seating.
- Island Creek Oyster Bar is serving its regular menu and that kindness puts them high on our list.
- Row 34 will serve their regular menu with a special addition: "Caviar and Champagne are the name of the game this New Year's Eve. Ossetra caviar and NV Krug Grand Cuvee are available for enjoying at cost …"
- Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
- Craigie on Main will present a five course tasting menu.
- Grotto on Beacon Hill, Kitchen in the South End, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
- La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
- Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.
Update: 12/17/15 - From Eater Boston here's a list and map of Where to Eat on New Year's Eve in Boston.

Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

New Year's Day Brunch

Here is a list of brunches from the members of Boston Chefs. Our pick from this list would be Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 AM to come up with our recommendations.
- Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day.
- Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang.
- Eastern Standard will be open with their great brunch menu.
- La Voile on Newbury serves a lovely meal and is a great way to start the year.
Update: 12/17/15 - From Eater Boston here's a list and map of Where to Eat on New Year's Day in Boston

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Photo: iStockphoto.com

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