Blue Ginger
My parents are going to Boston for a weekend and would realllllly love to eat at Blue Ginger. So my questions are: 1) Is it accessible without a car? Would the cab ride be excessive/is there easy public transportation for out-of-towners? and 2) Is it worth it?
Thanks!
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Okay... how about I put this challenge differently. We're actually en-route from Logan Airport to go to the Lobster Festival up in Rockland, Maine. But we want to stop over for lunch/dinner in Boston first and grab a few sights as well. My boyfriend is all about the "Chinese" style ginger and green onion fried lobster we typically find in Chinatown here. Any good suggestions?
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I am in the camp of Blue Ginger is plenty tasty, but not really worth the drive out from Boston for the *food*. I, however, do really enjoy getting to see a local celebrity like Ming, and he does work the room pretty well. A very friendly and charismatic guy.
So, if you want to see one of the celebrity chefs from around Boston, I'd say go for it. He'll likely be there, and it is a treat for out-of-towners -- especially ones that watch his show.
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MC Slim JB
Aug 1, 2006 01:54 AM
I've long been in the camp that believes that Blue Ginger's enduring popularity is a function of its chef's celebrity, not the merits of the food. It's one of those places I try to steer visitors away from. It might wow them in the western suburbs, where alternatives are few and far between, but it doesn't belong in the top tier of Greater Boston fine dining destinations, in my view.
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well, this goes to show you that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The dining room in Blue Ginger is really quite nice in my opinion, it certainly does not "suck." The food is also very nice. I am not going overboard in my praise and I think it is good to be temperate about these things given that it is only your opinion. BTW, the drive from Copley to wellesly in non rush hour traffic is about 20-30 minutes.
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re: emilief
yumyum
Jul 31, 2006 08:31 PM
But it's always just one person's opinion. That's why we read this board -- to correlate our opinions with other diners we trust. To stick to the topic, I found the room at Blue Ginger to be cold and reminiscent of a hotel function room, not a fine restaurant. The food was just okay and it was not worth a special trip, in my opinion.
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re: yumyum
I've been there twice, both in the wintertime. I felt the place to be a bit drafty myself. The front waiting area, where the bar is, is not the most comfy place to hang out either, with lack of seating, but I think there is a crazy rule in Wellesley about bar stools not being allowed in restaurants, or something. Food is good but not incredible imo.
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re: emilief
Perhaps the Blue Ginger does not "suck" but imo having to pay 30 plus dollars per entree for sub standard, not particularly well excecuted food does in fact suck. Add in the snobby suburban Wellesley vibe, the inattentive service and a pretty poor space and you have a place that would not even be in my top 30 in the Boston area- the Blue Ginger had its day- but that was years ago...
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beetlebug
Jul 31, 2006 03:50 PM
Wellesley Center is approximately 13.1 miles (halfway point of the Boston Marathon) from the Boston Public Library at Copley Square. The drive, with no traffic, is probably about 30 -45 minutes.
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re: TraderVic
yumyum
Jul 31, 2006 06:41 PM
I *really* wouldn't make a special trip there. There are so many great places in Boston proper, if that's where you're located, and Blue Ginger's room sucks, the food is just eh and it's expensive. That sounds a little harsh, but I was let down by my one experience there. YMMV
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I'm coming down from Toronto this weekend and would love to try his restaurant too. Having said that it is accessible by commuter rail; how far would the drive be from Boston?
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Thank goodness there are people who answer these boards who know what they are talking about. Yes, indeed, Blue Ginger is accessible by publice transportation. I live about 1/2 mile from there. It is only about 2 blocks from the train station. And, yes it is worth it if for no other reason than they would like to go there. The food is wonderful. The menu at lunch contains many of the same specials that you will find in the evening. I often walk in for lunch without a reservation, while it is very difficult to get a diner reservation.
Please go an enjoy. Ming Tsai is often there is comes around to chat. -
Boatrocker
Jul 29, 2006 11:59 AM
As I learned by reading the Chowhound Boston area board, Blue Ginger is a short walk from an MBTA Commuter Rail station on the Framinham/ Worcester line. In my opinion it is well worth the trip. I have previously posted messages about Blue Ginger, so won't repeat the specifics. Suffice to say that I have found both food and service to be excellent.
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re: mchang
Allstonian
Jul 30, 2006 12:33 PM
It may be a short walk from the commuter rail line, but the train schedule does not look at all amenable to a dinner out. Make sure they know that they want to do LUNCH there.
Weeknights there are inbound trains at 7:44pm and 12:24am. A Saturday or Sunday night is a little bit more manageable, if one got an early reservation - there are outbound trains that arrive in Wellesley Square at 5:04 and 6:32, and inbound trains at 9:02 and 9:42...and then a last train that turns up in Wellesley at 1:21am!
Getting out for a lunch is more doable, though even then there can be long gaps if your timing isn't right.
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BG is difficult to access without a car and it has received many mixed revies of late, mostly from early fans (myself included) who have noticed that the quality has become inconsistent. That being said, my last visit about 6 months ago was wonderful and I will absolutely return.
