Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts

Restaurant: Chilli's Braintree

Braintree-Chili's
170 Pearl Street Ivory Plaza
Braintree, MA 02184
Call: (781) 849-6151

Sometimes one neglects a quality place because of the 'familiarity' trap. By this I mean, as one sees more and more of something, like a Chilli's Restaurant, it slips his attention and he fail to notice it or care to visit the place.

This Chilli's restaurant in Braintree is located conveniently at the Pearl Plaza with ample parking. The restaurant has a large bar and a spacious seating area. The servers are friendly and courteous.

The menu features many choices, including delicious burgers, fish or my favorite, the Fajita trio, shown in the picture which comes with steak, chicken and shrimp. The guacamole costs another $1.29.

They also serve great margaritas like the Blue Pacific or Presidente margaritas. Do not let familiarity stop you from a quality meal.

Cheesecake Factory, South Shore Plaza, Braintree

The Cheesecake factory, located in the south shore plaza in Braintree is a great place for a business lunch or a romantic evening or just to enjoy the big game.
It is spacious and has an extremely elegant decor and a fine seating area. It's trademark cheesecakes are a fitting desert after a meal, if you are still hungry.

I say this because, in each of my visits, I had no other option but to bring home the leftovers for a delicious lunch 0r dinner the following day.
I was surprised that the menu was eclectic, featuring dishes from pasta, steak, fish, along with Mexican and South Asian cuisines.

I have tried the Orange Chicken, the Spicy Cashew Chicken or the Bang Bang Thai Chicken and Shrimp dish and are all well recommended. Also great in size and taste is the mammoth factory burger. You just have to make sure you have the appetite for it.

The Tex Mex rolls with the chutney and salsa makes for excellent appetizers.Finally, as it is located in the mall, there is ample spacing except for the holidays. I dare say, there will be ample parking during this holiday season :)

Osaka Sushi Express, Beacon Hill

106 Cambridge St
(between Bowdoin St & Collidge Ave)
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 624-3939

This is a small sushi place in Government Center that does not have an entrance of its own. There are two possible ways to get in, either via a Dunkin Donuts on one side or through a sub shop on the other.

The seating area is small but neat. Apparently it still does well and has a loyal clientelle. The asian waitress was friendly and courteous and very efficient. I did not try their Sushi but I did try their Spicy Chicken which I liked a lot. Go ahead and visit this place if you are in the area.

Mediterranean Grill, Downtown, Boston

Mediterranean Grill in the Financial district in Boston is another good sandwich shop in the area. I went there for a late 5PM sandwich. Of course, at that time, it was one of the few sandwich places open, besides subway.

At that time, they had a choice of Pizza and cold sandwiches. I choose the latter and went with a Chicken Kabab sandwich. The server was friendly and soon I was enjoying my sandwich which had a little too much cheese but I liked it. I will visit it again in the next few days.

Movie Shoot at South Station

This morning a big crowd gathered near South Station and part of Atlantic Ave was blocked. Though I did not get to see any celebrities, I heard from one of the passersby that they were filming Mel Gibson's Edge of Darkness.

Duty called, and I had to leave in a hurry.

A Web 2.0 Movie Poster

I saw this one at Quincy Center this morning. What caught my eye, (believe it or not,) was not what it said, but its design.

This poster has all the ingredients of a Web 2.o visual :

- The simple design
- The white background
- The large font
- Focus on Content
- Minimal images.

The South Station Trumpeter

After a tough day at work and all the dismal financial news this week, this guy brought me back to life with his trumpet. Thanks Mr. trumpeter!

Lunch at Subway: Chicken Pizziola

This was one of those days I decided to 'eat fresh'. Seriously, I felt the urge for marinara sauce and decided to have the Meatball Marinara at the Subway nearby. One rarely goes wrong with Subway.

When I saw the Chicken Pizziola, I decided to try it. Well, the foot long was just $5 but it was not the best that Subway had to offer. It was OK, but I should have just stuck with the Meatball Marinara. The new Chicken Pizziola is not much to write about.
The Macadamia nut cookie, also bought at Subway, made my little desert and was delicious.

Max's Deli, Downtown Boston

Max's Deli in Boston's Financial district is yet another good sandwich shop in the area. This was another place I had never tried before last week.

A mere $6.50 gave me a large delicious Chicken pull sandwich which the freindly server managed to spice up, just for me with chilli sauce. The deli is a small seating area and the servers are courteous and friendly. I'll be back there to pay them another visit.

Famous Dave's

If you live in the south shore and have cravings for barbecue, Famous Dave's in Braintree may just be what the doctor ordered for you. The restaurant chain, famous for its several barbecue is great for an intimate date or for a groups. Yes, this is a family friendly restaurant.

The wide array of dishes include a variety of barbecue sandwiches, served with house fries and corn and coleslaw. If your appetite is ravenous, and if there are two to four of you, you can order one of Dave' s feasts.
On our visit, we ordered the feast for two, shown below.
It included chicken, pork, ribs beans, corn on the cob, and muffins served with beans and coleslaw.
As one would expect after such a meal, we were too full to try their award winning deserts.
Despite the fact that the restaurant is spacious, the country western look of the furnishings and decor give it a cozy feel. Th waiters were friendly and hospitable. In addition, there is more than adequate parking outside. Well worth it, is my verdict
Click here for more photos.

Jane's Salad Buffet, Boston

274 Franklin St
Boston, MA 02110 (617) 737-1193

Despite the fact that this place is almost next door to work, I had not tried it until last week. Jane's Salad buffet serves a variety of salads, but my favorite is the sushi bar.

The choices are plenty: The salmon, the tuna, the california roll, the avacado role, the cucumber roll, etc and the quality is great too. Whatever type you choose, you only pay by weight.

Worth a lunch visit is my verdict.

J. P. Licks

If you have just finished lunch in a Jamaica Plains Restaurant or just cruising through the area, a stop at J. P. Licks may just be what you need to brighten your day.

The ice creams are simply great. On my visit, I tried the Pistachio and Coconut almond chip. Both were simply rich and delicious. This is a must visit if you are in the JP area. I'll be there soon to try their famous espressos.

P. F. Chang's China Bistro

With a name like P. F. Chang's China Bistro, an impressive exterior and an equally great decor inside, and with a prime location on Park street, one would expect this restaurant to be pricey.

Indeed, I was in for a very pleasant surprise this weekend, as I savored one of my best dinners in Boston, with great tasting entrees and a sampling of fine Sake, all at reasonable prices. As mentioned earlier, the decor is impressive outside with a statuette of a nicely decorated horse and a well lit seating area.

Inside the restaurant, a large mural displaying old Chinese royalty greets the patrons. The corners are decorated by old Chinese handcrafted statutes. The lighting is also impressive and is neither too dark or too bright.

As it was a cold night, we decided to sit inside. For the appetizers, we savored the Peking Ravioli, certainly among the best of its kind, I have tasted. Our main course included two entrees, the Chengdu Spiced Lamb and Kung Pao Shrimp, both of which were excellent choices. The Lamb came in a bed of lettuce and was soft and delicious. The Shrimp had its own spicy flavor.

For just $7, I could sample three of the restaurant's Sake offerings, the Living Jewel, the Wandering Poet and a cloudy Snow Maiden. Each had its own unique taste.

For $2, I sampled one of the several desert offerings, the Great Wall of Chocolate.While my choice was good, I must admit I was a bit disappointed that they did not have the traditional Chinese fried ice cream. Well, thats just me.

However, the service was a trifle slow, though for his part, the server was courteous and well mannered. Maybe, the restuarant could not keep up with the large crowd that evening. I still believe that this is one of the best places in Boston to get quality Chinese food for a decent price.

Click here for more photos.

Lannan Ship Model Gallery High Street Boston

I thought that this was the most appropriate article for Sept 19th, the International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Boston's Financial District, an urban jungle of financial institutions and restaurants is the most unlikely place for an antique store, especially a Ship Model Gallery. However, this is where Lannan Ship Model Gallery is located, and seems to hold fort with its offerings. If one were to look into into windows, one would see a lot of its 'Ship' paraphernalia but also a dearth of customers, most of the time.

The store owners do not seem to be too concerned. The sign on the door says that they are open by appointment only. However, as I walked into the store, the sales person was quite amicable and let me in to take a look. My guess is that Lannan has a debonair clientele that makes appointments ahead of time and knows what it wants from the store.

Inside the store are a lot of models of ships, paintings, compasses, scopes and 'nautical' items', all steeply priced. The sales person told me that they are brought in from several places. Most objects looked clean and well maintained, and exquisite. This is a great place to window shop, while on a lunch break.

Restaurant: Susan's Deli

Today, I did something, I had never done before. I had lunch at Susan's Deli. What kept me away from this place, so close to where I work for so long? It was the bland decor that is visible from outside.

The walls are white, no pictures, no posters, nothing inviting either on the entrance or on the menu. Everything inside is plain. Still, I made it in today.

I ordered the Chicken Kabab meal which came with rice and salad. My choice of the salad was Russian. The portion was OK for the $6.75 Chicken Kabab meal.

About the taste, well it was pretty much like the decor. It was bland.

Hearth & Kettle

The Hearth and Kettle restaurant in Weymouth, MA is a typical New English Inn known for its breakfasts and dinners. I decided I'd try it out on a Saturday at around noon.

Well, the decor was OK with wooden panels, and the seating area is a combination of booths and tables. The restaurant itself was a little dark for my taste. My choice of breakfast was the steak and cheese omelet and blueberry pankakes. The latter was an add-on and cost me about $1.80 more. It turned out to be the best part of the meal.

What did I think about the rest of the experience? Well, the waitress was friendly and asked if I'd return. The seating was quick, but then the place was not that crowded.

Let's talk about the breakfast. Yes, I did mention that the pancakes were good. The omlette was good, but I'd had better. The prices: well, way too expensive. The portions were adequate for my apetite but then, I could have had as good or a better breakfast elsewhere. Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed.

Taiwan Cafe, Chinatown Boston

Hidden in the corner of Oxford and Beach street, Taiwan Cafe, modest in appearance is easy to miss by many a passerby. However, it is truly one of Chinatown's hidden jewels. With a variety of many interesting dishes, Taiwan cafe is not your typical Chinese restaurants.

I have been here several times while attending MIT. However, this was my first visit in a long time. For appetizers, we savored the beef tendons served cold with soya sauce and delicious Peking ravioli. For dinner we had three entrees including the delicious sauteed beef with long horn pepper. The other two dishes we had were Jumbo shrimp with chili sauce and the simmered chopped chicken leg with three essences in a hot pot. Both had their own special flavor and were unlike any dish I have ever tasted. The quantities were ample and Taiwan cafe was indeed worth the visit.

Umbria Restaurant

A few moons ago, we had a team dinner at Umbria, one of the fancier Italian restaurants in the Boston area.
Sure, the ambiance was good and its brick panels gave the place a lot of elegance. OK, now for the rest.

What is it about these restaurants, that they have to design their menu only for supermodels? The meal was good, but don’t ask me if it was worth the steep price. I ordered the Ravioli d’Aragosta which came in a bowl of flavorful sauce and had a few pieces of ravioli. The interesting part of the meal was desert which was delicious and a cross between yogurt and ice cream.

Apparently, the trick is to wine and dine your client or (supermodel)date in a place like this and then pickup a burger at Wendy’s on your way home. Your stomach will have plenty of room for it. (Wish I could say the same about your wallet.). Rajiv’s verdict: Enough said!

Restaurant: Roberts Maine Grill and market

Your visit to Maine is not complete unless you try out their 'world famous' seafood. The restaurant we used to sample the food this time was Roberts Maine Grill and market. The lighthouse on the restaurant's exterior beckons to travelers on Route 1. One look at its parking lot reveals that many have headed its call.

The decor inside is impressive and the maitre' d was friendly. He pulled out a live lobster from a tank near the restaurant entrance and invited us to hold it.

The restaurant, according to locals is fairly new, but its management has been in the business for years. This was amply evident from the dishes they served. The clams were fresh and had a light flavor of the ocean unlike those served in Boston restaurants. As the special of the day(the grilled swordfish ) was sold out, I ordered the baked Haddock for dinner. It was delicious.

For desert, I ordered bite size portions of the Sunday and received the whole portion, at no extra cost. (Not a bad deal)

I washed down dinner with a glass of Smuttynose blueberry ale which had a great flavor. This is one of the best seafood restaurants that I have been to, in the recent past.

Yummies Candy and Nuts, Kittery,ME

Just as Route 1 in the city of Kittery, is lined with brand name store, the ailes of Yummies candy store in Kittery is lined with candies of several hues,shapes and sizes. Labelled one of the 'great ates' by the Phantom Gourmet.

Candies from all over the world are exhibited in the store and the staff is friendly. However, the prices were a bit steep for some items.
Click here for more photos.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)