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The 2018 Restaurant Thread
imnotalawyer
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
in PAX East
Older threads...
2014 Restaurant/Food Thread
2015 Restaurant/Food Thread
2016 Restaurant/Food Thread
2017 Restaurant/Food Thread
It’s that time of year again! Food is one of my favorite parts of traveling and PAX is no different. The Seaport area has experienced a lot of growth in the past few years and new restaurants have been cropping up - I figured another one of these threads couldn’t hurt.
So far as my recommendations are concerned...
BonMe Fort Point - Less than $10/person - http://www.bonmetruck.com/menu/
My top recommendation. This place is about a half a mile from BCEC and they have awesome Vietnamese sandwiches. Seriously, my fiancée and I wish we had one of these shops back home. Food is great and it’s usually pretty quiet in there (compared to PAX)
Tikkaway - Less than $10/person - http://www.tikkaway.com
The Indian version of chipotle. They offer rice bowls with your choice of protein and tons of veggies. This franchise actually started up in my hometown in Connecticut and I was so excited to see that they opened one up in the Seaport district last year!
2014 Restaurant/Food Thread
2015 Restaurant/Food Thread
2016 Restaurant/Food Thread
2017 Restaurant/Food Thread
It’s that time of year again! Food is one of my favorite parts of traveling and PAX is no different. The Seaport area has experienced a lot of growth in the past few years and new restaurants have been cropping up - I figured another one of these threads couldn’t hurt.
So far as my recommendations are concerned...
BonMe Fort Point - Less than $10/person - http://www.bonmetruck.com/menu/
My top recommendation. This place is about a half a mile from BCEC and they have awesome Vietnamese sandwiches. Seriously, my fiancée and I wish we had one of these shops back home. Food is great and it’s usually pretty quiet in there (compared to PAX)
Tikkaway - Less than $10/person - http://www.tikkaway.com
The Indian version of chipotle. They offer rice bowls with your choice of protein and tons of veggies. This franchise actually started up in my hometown in Connecticut and I was so excited to see that they opened one up in the Seaport district last year!
+2
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Fire and Ice is a very well wroth place for food. I would say its at the bottom of expensive but well worth it. $25/person
Friendly Toast which is also a little subway trip away. a bit on the high side but worth it. $20/person
Near the convention center you dont have much.
The north End is the best place for pastry or oysters/italian food. $30/person Aside from pizza
24 hour pastry shop in the north end is Bova's BEST pastry hands down. and its open all day and night every day and night. It's located on salam st. just before the hill. its average for price. Its very easy to spend $15 on three items
All depends on how much your willing to pay for food. The best places are also the most expensive.
Also Fire and Ice is delightful.
Yea, that's no joke. Longest waits I've ever seen. But the good thing is they are on the NoWait app, so you can technically get in a virtual line there
If you're going to Chinatown and have a big appetite: The Hot Pot Buffet is very worth the price if you go hungry.
This is awesome to know, usually stay at the hotel right above the Macys.
Ooh also when you go to this place don't miss the stairs down on the left from the entrance... that's where the real grocery store (that also is a liquor store) is.
With East being in April this year and a bit of luck it shouldn't be as brutally cold as it has been for the early March Easts we've had in the past. Hopefully the weather isn't a problem this time.
Id also like to add that last year my group went to A4CADE (bar/arcade with food) in Cambridge and it had one of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had.
Personally I really enjoy harpoon. They have a great beer hall with a wide selection of beers and the pretzels are always yummy.
Yes! The year PAX lines up with St. Patrick’s day was disappointing because it was (understandably) overrun. I am not usually one for breweries. If I want a beer I will just go to a bar, but this is a great space. Beer is fantastic and as the other user mentioned, the soft pretzels are phenomenal. They come with a variety of dipping sauces.
Worth noting that it will be 3/4 PAX people in there and usually at night there’s a PAX related party. Last year blizzard ran a fireside gathering and some of the devs showed up. Very cool.
The benefit of harpoon is that if you are into craft beer, they have many types that you can only try at the brewery, and sometimes some of those never make it to market.
Tikkaway which was mentioned in OP's post, has vegan and veggie options! By Chloe is in the area too, though I haven't eaten there.
https://eatbychloe.com
Had a company event at Harpoon and the tap room is just awesome.
Also, Trillium has a brew hall in Canton and the Boston beer co brewery (aka Sam Adams) is awesome as well.
Worden Hall is cool place for upscale pub fare. When I worked downtown, I would often go here to grab a beer and maybe a snack while waiting for my ride.
Stephi's is supposed to be ok.
According to my wife Moonshine 152 is supposed to be pretty good.
Also, if you aren't vegan and never had a proper minced meat pie (i.e. English) then try KO Pies (owner's Australian). I've been there a handful of times over the years and it's good.
I've been to Shenannigan’s a few times and well I can't speak for the food the drinks are usually good. It's a traditional Boston bar.
I would recommend any of the following restaurants:
The Townshend makes awesome drinks and the food is pretty good as well.
Sher-a-Punjab pretty good Indian plus they make Dosa (think Indian Crepes)
Zef Cicchetti ( multiple friends love this place)
KKatie's Burger (pretty good burgers)
Fuji @ WoC (really good sushi)
Pho Pasteur (same as the one in chinatown)
16C Awesome flatbread pizza and good overall drinks and food
Shaking Crab - you'll need to check out their website to see what the hub bub is about
Also, I would recommend the following quincy are restaurants
Near north quincy station
Pho linh - good pho
Taipei - Taiwanese cuisine, it's pretty good according to my wife's Taiwanese aunt.
Near Wollaston's T station, but wollaston's T station is temporary closed to add handicap functions; so these will be annoying to get to:
Windsor Dim Sum - pretty good dim sum and definitely less intimidating than normal cart lady dim sum places
Fuji - imho best sushi in quincy.
Just a Milton mention:
If you want to go to a NKoTB restaurant and Walhburger's isn't your thing, then try Novara which is co-owned by Jordan Knight. People have seen him here from time to time.
If you like steak and can swing the Seaport has about 3-4 steak houses
between seaport blvd and Summer street
Shake Shack - you know shake shack
Chipotle
Aceituna Grill - Mediterranean/shawarma
Rosa Mexicano - I've been here multiple times and would recommend getting the table side guac
La Casa de Pedro - Tapas and darn good
Flour - good bakery and sandwich shop (been to other locations and those were good)
Legal seafood has two restaurants (harbor-side and test-kitchen)
Cafe Nero
Lucky's Lounge
sweetgreen
Blue dragon - Ming Tsai's restaurant
plenty of seafood options: No Name, Row 34, 75 on Liberty Wharf
near broadway T stop (< than a mile/15 minute walk)
Moonshine 152
Stephi's
Worden Hall
Subway
KO pies
Not really a complete list but I've either been to or hear good things about these restaurants.
In Little Italy (North End, Near the Aquarium):
La Cantina Italian -Expensive for dinner, slightly less expensive prices for lunch, again, worth the splurge. amazing Authentic Italian
You HAVE to stop at Mikes Pastries - CASH ONLY, dont let the line intimidate you, if you've been waiting in PAX lines and survived them, this line is nothing even if its out the door- they server like 8 people at the same time, so it moves quick. Tiramisu and the peanut butter cannoli are my go-to's.
Like others have said, Quincy Market/ Fannueil Hall are awesome, a little bit of a tourist trap I feel. Hopefully its open by then though, they closed it a while ago for renovations, i dont recall when they are supposed to open.
Lady M - expensive but their Mille crepe slices are unique and something to die for
Santouka Ramen - it’s a tiny place so it’s hard to get a spot without waiting but one of the better ramen places
Cafe Vittoria - skip the lines as Mikes Pastries (it’s not bad just over hyped) and go literally next door instead. Their iced cafe mocha is the real deal
James T Hook - want a lobster sandwich that isn’t just all claw meat, shredded lobster and cole slaw? This place will give you your money’s worth of real lobster meat
Pauli's - Don't go for the tourist trap nonsense in Fanieul Hall. Cross the parkway and head over to Pauli's for a lobster sandwich. They're full of actual meat, and for a bit extra they fry it in butter which is like amazing so yeah definitely get that.
Neptune Oyster - If you're heading to Pauli's and think "holy wtf is this line for!!" Its for Neptune Oyster next door. Its a good seafood place. The problem is without reservations the thing is like a 2 hour wait. Its good, but if you're interested make a reservation, unless you're a Hobbit and need "Second Dinner" at 9pm
Ogawa Coffee - are you a coffee lover? Skip Starbucks and the "Brown Water" Dunkin serves. This place is originally from Japan and they’re not screwing around. They have stuff to go, but honestly sit down and wait for a fresh cup. Its very very good.
Did you win the lottery? Do you have a rich friend who loves paying for dinner? Are you on a corporate account and need to impress someone? Well here are all the dumb places you can go to blow more money than you ever imagined possible (Unless you live in New York City in which case this list looks like a poor man's version of the NYC Michelin Guide)
Menton - Positives its within walking distance of the BCEC! Negatives its like $170+ a person, requires a reservation, and takes like 2 hours to go through their menu. Basically French food which is huge plates with tiny portions. Like I said you're burning money right?
L'Esplaier - Where poor rich people go if they can't go to Menton since its only like $100 a person! Its a bargain I tell ya! Again French food so expect tiny portion on giant plates
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Stake House - Hey another place walking distance from the BCEC! Hope you appreciate saving that Uber ride because that Wagyu Steak for $100 isn't gonna cook itself for you. Don't worry there are more "reasonably priced" options like a $50 filet mignon! with no sides..... Seriously why do all the fancy steak houses never give you sides!!
If you're going to any of these places please invite me and pay the tab :biggrin:
I'd add a few more to your list
B.good and Shake Shack are now in Southie near the BCEC so they're viable options to walk to
"By Chole" is also near the BCEC and is all vegan so its a great option for those wanting vegan options (for those who don't know Chole is a designer brand who doesn't use animal products in their handbags and such that's why their restaurant is vegan). They also have a few other locations in boston as well
paging @LexiconGrrl .... what was that place you took me to? And, more importantly, can we go again? :biggrin:
Yes, they do the carts. They even have some specialized carts like congee carts where you can customize your own congee.
http://empiregardenboston.com/
If you want the carts
China Pearl - 9 Tyler St
If you want carts and amibance (the food is kinda eh-ok but the restaurant decor itself really is something to behold)
Empire Garden as per above
If you don't need carts
Windsor Dim Sum Cafe - 10 Tyler st
I'll give you bonus points if you post a picture of your son eating steamed intestines. Double points if he eats chicken feet.
In addition to Satoru's suggestions, Hei La Moon also has tons of carts, and has the small (huge for some) bonus of not requiring you to walk up any steps. One thing to keep in mind is that many of the people pushing around these carts are not always fluent in English. If you have any specific dietary needs or preferences and can't speak Cantonese or Mandarin, things could be a little challenging. I'd say, even if the food is a bit mysterious, it's still worth the experience (unless there's a major food allergy involved).
If you go to yelp.com, and search "dim sum" for Boston, MA, all of these places should visible on a map with pictures of their food and interiors. They're all very close to one another, so you could even scout them out a bit before committing if you wanted (especially if you had time to kill while on a waitlist). I wouldn't be too worried the middling yelp reviews. Many of the negative reviews are either about poor service (be ready for it) or made by folks who are accustomed to the selection in NYC or LA, which have much larger asian communities and more authentic options. That said, the extra half-stars that Winsor and Great Taste have are hard-earned.
I haven't eaten at Empire in a long time, but I did just walk in this weekend to check out the interior. The dining room is an old, ornate theater. So it's big, high ceilinged, and ornate. It really does look fantastic. You would never suspect to find something like it inside the building. It's worth walking in just to take a peek.
Winsor Dim Sum Cafe (not actually spelled "Windsor") has better quality food, but is smaller and just does normal table service. Expats from Asia prefer it because it tastes better, but it's not a "dim sum experience". Another place in this category is Great Taste Bakery (the restaurant half). The cruller-in-rice-roll (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhaliang) is a very tasty dim sum treat, and Great Taste made the best one I've tried in Chinatown. Again, Great Taste has no "cart experience".
I'd say pick a cart place, and if the experience was fun and the food was interesting, but you wish you had more of a clue about what heck you were getting, follow up with another dim sum meal at Winsor or Great Taste. I don't remember if Great Taste does it, but Winsor lets you order your dim sum dishes off of a photo menu, so you can see the food and its name. It's helpful. And if you're enjoying the food, places in Chinatown tend to more affordable. Thus, the more you eat here, the less you'll probably spend.
On weekends, all of these places will fill up. Check their hours and try to get their early so you don't have to wait a half hour.
summary:
Carts, average food: China Pearl Restaurant, Empire Garden Restaurant, Hei La Moon
No carts, better food: Winsor Dim Sum Cafe, Great Taste Bakery & Restaurant
Satoru, my pedigree on judging good dim sum is basically zero, I rely on the opinions of others I know, but have you been to Shangri-la in Belmont? And if so, what did you think? They do some things very well (as I understand it).
Shangri-la is more Taiwanese style and its pretty good for that, but not really a dim-sum thing. In the same vein Chung-Shin Yuan is also good for Taiwanese style food as well.
I more or less go with "If my mother-in-law will mildly tolerate this place its probably good enough" because lord or lord is she a fussy eater
Of course myself being a spoiled Japanese kid, I look at what Americans call 'sushi' and externally give you the polite Japanese "oh my that's adorable you call that sushi". While internally I'm trying to nto dry heave at why some insane person though slathering mayo on a sushi roll was something that needed to be done, like ever!
Anyway sort of a side thing, dim sum is a Canton thing which is primarily southern China. Most of the Boston Chinese population is from Northern China/Taiwan. So while they tend to get that type of food pretty good, the whole 'dim sum' thing they just sort of wing it. Most of the Hong Kong chefs who fled HK after the Chinese handover, basically went to Toronto/Vancouver, reason being Canadian investment permanent resident requirements were $250k and 4 employees (which you could basically say any family member over 18 was an 'employee'), while in the US it was $1million and required 10 American employees, so yeah pretty much everyone came to Canada and opened a family 'business'. Which is also why Toronto has like a dozen separate Chinatowns. Developers made malls, they filled those malls with anything, HK people with any amount of money opened a shop in those malls just to get the permanent resident thing. "Does this mall that's double the size of Cambridge Side Galleria need 30 different cellphone cover shops?" Not really, but what they were selling was never really the point. And yes there is a Chinese mall that is literally double the size of Cambridge Side galleria called "Pacific Mall". Then you have "Highway 7" which is basically if you took the Route 1 corridor from Route 60 to 95 and filled it with just Chinese malls.
tl'dr: So if you want real good dim-sum Toronto/Vancouver are your best bets.
If you'd like to see a sort of American version of "how do Chinese people get Chinese food wrong its all the same right?"
Basically southerners looking at Brooklyn NYC hipsters going "how in the god damn hell did you screw up BBQ!" While dry rub vs wet sauce BBQ afficainados will die on their swords swearing theirs is better, I'm pretty sure anyone BBQ bit boss with their pork rinds agrees Brooklyn BBQ is a travesty against humanity.
In my defense, I freaking love dim sum
- even-bad-dim-sum-is-pretty-good kinda love- and will be going with @WuShock, who is from a dim sum desert and can’t get it at home.
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57086731/shutterstock_628640663.0.jpg
All for me.
EDIT: @Lindsay Lohan when are you arriving? If schedules work out, you and your kiddo would be welcome to join us.