144949 Mon Jun 02 20:18:04 -0700 2003 9 12 Boston Area 0 777082 We'll be staying at the new Nine Zero soon (on Tremont near Park St. t stop). I'd like to pick two good and possibly new restaurants within walking distance. We've done and love No. 9 Park. I'm thinking Teatro. Has anyone heard anything about Spire (at Nine Zero)? Is The Federalist worth it? (One dinner is our anniversary celebration..) I've never been to Locke-Ober--is the new incarnation any good? TIA! Mon Jun 02 20:18:04 -0700 2003 0 Lauren Paul 1 777086 The new Locke Obers is excellent...a magnificent "old Boston" room..I haven't been to Teatro yet but it gets good reviews..good food at reasonable prices..a little loud. Teatro is fun..Lockes is more high end for an anniversary. I've heard nothing about Spire or the Federalist for a while. They're both very expensive..and aren't getting any positive reports. Too many good places. You might want to put Excelsior on your short list..just reopened..formerly Biba..same ownership as Lockes. A fun bar is Limbo..live jazz downstairs. Mon Jun 02 20:40:02 -0700 2003 777082 0 9lives 2 777103 I stayed at the Nine-Zero last month and attempted to eat dinner at Spire. Unfortunately the kitchen had closed early, and my only option was room service (cold options only). The dinner menu seemed interesting at the time, but I now can't remember what it was like. My room service was some of the better cold room service I've had in recent memory. It was a ham and brie sandwich on fluffy white bread, and a Caesar salad. Both were quite good. I also had breakfast there. The menu wasn't particularly exciting, but the food was very good and the service great. It was too expensive and I wouldn't have eaten there had I not been on business and in a hurry. Mon Jun 02 23:25:59 -0700 2003 777086 0 Hinman Guy 3 777109 I ate at Spire last year and it was good, not great. It's a nice room and if you feel like making things easy for yourselves, should be fine. I had a quite good meal at the Federalist in Feb. which was better than when it first opened and was the hot spot. Someone on ne.food just ate there recently and enjoyed it too. Silvertone on Bromfield St. is good for a cheap meal and Mantra on Temple Place can be good and is certainly "happening". Troquet is right around there too. Tue Jun 03 08:35:59 -0700 2003 777103 0 Joanie 1 777106 Teatro has good food, but infernally loud, at times loud enough to warrant ear plugs if you have sensitive ears.... Tue Jun 03 07:50:44 -0700 2003 777082 0 Karl S. 1 777112 Close to Nine-Zero, I'd recommend blu (upstairs at the new Ritz) and Mantra: they're both expensive, the former is consistently excellent, the latter can be a bit uneven but is usually great. In my view, Spire is just okay and certainly overpriced. The Fed is just okay and extraordinarily overpriced, though they do have a well-heeled oenophile's dream of a wine list. Silvertone is, as the sign says, "a bar with great food". It's easily the best value in the neighborhood, and has surprisingly good wines to go with its slightly fancy comfort food. No longer smoke-filled. You're a short walk from the North End; this board has endless posts on the topic of where to eat there that's newish and not pedestrian. If you've never eaten at Maison Robert, that's worth considering: very old-school haute French, a kind of fossil relic of the peak of Boston fine dining circa 30 years ago. Not terribly innovative (it doesn't try to be), but it does what it does very well indeed. A super wine list there, too. Tue Jun 03 09:24:45 -0700 2003 777082 0 MC Slim JB 2 777116 Lunch on the patio at Maison Robert is a nice summertime treat. They usually have live music in the afternoons a few nights a week; but probably later in the season. Tue Jun 03 10:02:18 -0700 2003 777112 0 9lives 1 777119 nt Tue Jun 03 10:19:10 -0700 2003 777082 0 Lauren Paul 1 777136 I had a great dinner at Locke-Ober, all the more so because I had heard negatives and was expecting not to like it. BE SURE to ask for the UPSTAIRS dining room if you plan to go for your anniversary dinner, it's beautiful. Don't miss the famous "lobster stew" (we tried both the bisque and the stew that night, but the stew was the hands-down favorite). Tue Jun 03 13:04:10 -0700 2003 777082 0 Rubee 1 777161 Spire is good for drinks and light meals (separate bar menu) Also nearby are Mantra and Limbo. Mantra is expensive, but interesting indian influenced menu. Limbo is OK - small plates, good for a light meal. Pigalle is not in the ladder district but nearby in the Theater district. I recently had an awesome dinner there (tasting menu). I agree with others - Federalist is overpriced (and frankly, pretty boring). Tue Jun 03 16:07:13 -0700 2003 777082 0 jody