148539 Tue Jul 13 14:40:11 -0700 2004 20 12 Boston Area 0 796587 I am coming to Boston with my husband, who is a delegate, and I don't want to waste a single meal. Staying on Long Wharf, but willing to travel where walking and public transit can take me. Looking for inexpensive, interesting, casual dining suggestions. Thanks. Tue Jul 13 14:40:11 -0700 2004 0 sandy duval 1 796595 Welcome to Boston! You are staying at a very good location to enjoy the city. Long Wharf is right next to the famous North End and across from Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market.. Interesting, inexpensive, casual and accessible by foot or public transportation....I'll do my best. In the North End on Hanover Street is Il Panino. There are actually two across the street from each other.one has table service and the other counter. We like the counter service....I love the Italian sausage subs with onions and peppers. They also have nice pizza and pasta dishes. If you want to spend a little more money....Monica's, Giacomo's or Mama Maria's are all nice North End choices. A word about the North End bakeries...Mike's Pastry and Modern Bakery both on Hanover Street....while they both offer beautiful, delicious bakery goods.....they do their best or worst to live down to the Boston reputation for rudeness. The last two times we went to Mikes the lady picked up our pieces of cake with her bare hands. We declined of course. A good area for restaurants which is public transportation accessible is Beacon Street in Brookline on the green line (there is actually 3 branches of the green line so check the map)...We love Chef Cheng's House near Kenmore Square which isn't particularly interesting but always has great food at reasonable prices...Sol Azteca Mexican food is pretty good and has great sangria which makes everything more interesting....further down the street at Coolidge Corner..Beacon/Harvard is Taste of India which I like and there is a Lebanese place that I am blanking on the name which is very inexpensive, good and very casual. If you have the opportunity for daytrips from Boston...Providence is Hound Heaven and Ogunquit, Maine also offers great eating. Hope you have a great trip! Tue Jul 13 16:30:50 -0700 2004 796587 0 Ralph Cramden 2 796597 I would caution to keep in mind the chaos that the Convention is bringing, in terms of transportation (not that you and the other delegates are not completely welcome) When you think about the T, especially the Green Line, *heavily* pad your travel time and think about the sardine nature of commuting they are anticipating. Also, restaurants near your hotel will be PACKED, so I would recommend reservations before you even land in Boston. With some patience, good planning and accommodating nature, you should have a great visit to our city. Tue Jul 13 16:47:01 -0700 2004 796595 0 cheeseckae 3 796635 I will second the notion that restaurants throughout Boston proper, and in particular the North End and waterfront, will be packed with delegates, VIPs, assorted associates, and their families. Beyond the Green line, I'd suggest searching on this board for Red line recommendations in Cambridge and Somerville. Some of the most frequently mentioned (East Coast Grill, Oleanna, EVOO) are tough by T, but many others in Central, Harvard, and Davis are right near the T. Mike Wed Jul 14 11:14:29 -0700 2004 796597 0 Mike 1 796598 Welcome and Go KERRY/EDWARDS! Also in the North End, Galleria Umberto on Hanover for Arancini (fried rice balls filled with meat and peas) and Sicilian pizza. We like Pomodoro for mid priced fresh Italian, and Sage and Prezza is recommended for high end. In Chinatown (Take Haymarket Orange line to New England Medical Center), Peach Farm and Jumbo for seafood, Chau Chow City for dim sum, King Fung Gardens and Hong Kong Eatery for noodles, and Taiwan Cafe for (duh) Taiwanese. Bistro fare, Dedo Lounge (Church and Stuart near Park Plaza). Thai, Khao Sarn and Dok Bua (Near Coolidge Corner on Green Line Brookline). Enjoy and have a good and successful convention. Our nation needs you. Tue Jul 13 16:54:23 -0700 2004 796587 0 gourmaniac 2 796605 Thanks to everyone for taking the time to post. I'm looking forward to trying them all! Tue Jul 13 23:44:24 -0700 2004 796598 0 sandy duval 2 796607 Also try the panzarotti at Galleria Umberto. I prefer Centro in Central Sq to Pomodoro, but if you have to be in the North End, I'd also recommend The Daily Catch for squid ink pasta and monkfish marsala (I usually get the monkfish with the squid ink pasta as a side), and Carmen, a small and slightly loud but very nice trattoria with an excellent antipasti selection. My pick for dim sum in Chinatown is Pacific Garden, which has a smaller selection (order from a menu as opposed to a cart) but which I feel is a notch above the other dim sum places in Chinatown, fresher and better made. You'd want to get the fresh cheong fun in the morning at Anna's Dessert House. If you haven't had much Northern Chinese food, try the five spice pork at Noodle Alcove and the potstickers at King Fung Garden in Chinatown. If you;re willing to negotiate a Chinese only menu at Ho Yuen Ting, ask for the Teochew/Chiu Chow style braised duck. Brookline is a long T ride away, but Rice Garden in Washington Sq is worth the trip for authentic Sichuan cooking. Take the Green Line C Train, get off at Washington Sq. If you're in the mood for fried fish, call ahead 2 days ahead and preorder a squirrel fish. Also a substantial T ride away is Reef Cafe in Allston (Green Line, B Train) but it's great Lebanese mom's cooking and very inexpensive. Killer Lebanese coffee. Tamarind Bay for refined if slightly pricey Indian in Harvard Sq. New place, very promising food, many unique dishes, spot on saucing. Wed Jul 14 00:11:31 -0700 2004 796598 0 Limster 3 796615 Hi Limster: I usually also recommend Pacific Garden but my experience last week was dreadful with woefully overcooked dumplings. The skins were sticky and inedible though the filling was good. Have you been there recently and did I just find them on a off day? Wed Jul 14 09:06:14 -0700 2004 796607 0 gourmaniac 4 796642 Ditto on Centro. We ate there last month and were terribly disappointed. The fine and fairly priced wine list has been eliminated, the food was okay but not exceptional, and the service was friendly enough but incredibly inefficient -- the place was almost deserted, but our meal seemed to stretch into infinity (and beyond). We won't be back, sadly. Wed Jul 14 13:06:30 -0700 2004 796615 0 Mezzodiva 4 796655 Howdy - have been having dinner there lately as opposed to dim sum. Could be either an off day or a downhill alert; have others dim sum'd there lately? Wed Jul 14 18:37:08 -0700 2004 796615 0 Limster 3 796617 galleria umberto is closed til Aug 5 Wed Jul 14 09:19:07 -0700 2004 796607 0 9lives 3 796730 the daily catch is still just a hole in the wall, right? last time I went, you could only sit about 15 people in the whole place. amazing amazing fresh seafood. do you think the crowds will be a problem? Mama Maria's will take a reservation, which is also good. the squid there is wonderful. help with this- can you walk to radius? it's a wonderful, upscale, dress to the nines kind of restaurant. great seasonal food. very expensive, but worth it. to be in boston, and so close to the north end, you should stay focused on that area. so many good places. so much fun to walk. a feeling of old boston- walk the freedom trail. Thu Jul 15 22:48:27 -0700 2004 796607 0 steakandeggs 4 796734 Yep, the Daily Catch is still a little place. Dunno if it'll get worse than other places in the North End, but it is often crowded (I eat late there and in general to avoid crowds). Thu Jul 15 23:08:17 -0700 2004 796730 0 Limster 2 796698 Sorry to say that Umberto's is closed for vacation for the month of July. Thu Jul 15 14:25:43 -0700 2004 796598 0 bostonpizza2001 1 796621 Another idea is to walk over to the Barking Crab, a seafood in the rough place on Fort Point Channel near the Federal Court House with good food and a spectacular view of the city. Look for me, I'll be in the convention motor pool. Wed Jul 14 09:49:00 -0700 2004 796587 0 chuck s 1 796624 It's not cheap, but right across from the Long Wharf is Sel de la Terre, one of the city's nicest Provencal-style bistros. You can get a three course lunch for $19, better yet you can get delicious take out sandwiches on their superior artisan bread for $5-7, as well as other take out items in their tiny boulangerie right by the entrance. Wed Jul 14 10:17:58 -0700 2004 796587 0 GaryK 1 796664 Has anyone mentioned Chacarero yet? It's a remarkably good Chilean sandwich made with grilled chicken or beef, muenster cheese, avacado spread, tomatoes, steamed green beans, salt, pepper and hot sauce on homemade bread. (Trust me, no description can do this sandwich justice.) They are located on the side of Filene's Department Store, an easy walk from Long Wharf. Thu Jul 15 00:32:33 -0700 2004 796587 0 Ian 2 796665 In the same area, I'll add Pita Kabob. Thu Jul 15 01:02:43 -0700 2004 796664 0 Limster 1 796813 Where are you coming from, and what kind of food do you like? If you're coming from BBQ country, or the Southeastern coast, or the Southwest, we won't want to send you to a place that has that kind of food. So let us know a bit more about what you like and want to try! Also, sit down or take out? fancy or ethnic? We want you to have a good time, and try our best places! Sat Jul 17 23:02:33 -0700 2004 796587 0 Lisa 2 796814 OOps, sorry--just reread your message, and saw that you mentioned casual, interesting, etc. Sat Jul 17 23:03:51 -0700 2004 796813 0 Lisa 2 796998 Thanks, I am coming from the midwest. I like Asian food best, but like to try anything. I like cheap, ethnic, off the beaten track places! Wed Jul 21 15:52:26 -0700 2004 796813 0 sandy duval