Best Watertown Restaurant for a Book Club

[Leticiaward]

Hi- I'm just getting to know the Waltham/Watertown area so I haven't been able to explore much, but I have an all ladies book club to meet next Thursday and since I enjoy finding cool spots to eat I was hoping to solicit ideas- so if anyone has a suggestion on unique or quality or just a cool place to try, I would love any suggestions. Keeping the price moderate will also be great. Thanks!

[Leticiaward]

so far all these suggestions are great- thank you!

[pamalamb]

I'm a big book geek, so I would definitely go for Chinese food with the Joy Luck Club. See if you can get some of the dishes mentioned in the book...

[Aromatherapy]

I was thinking Molana in Watertown Sq., it's usually fairly quiet and people linger and talk for a long time. Depending on how big the group is.

[tdaaa]

My first thought was Molana. Great food, nice space, not too loud, accustomed to groups, not upset at lingering.

[poho]

La Casa de Pedro in Watertown is great S American food. Good rice and black beans if anyone's vegetarian, awesome "ropa vieja"-like dish (can't recall what it's called in a non-Cuban place--shredded slow-cooked brisket), tender and beautifully marinated. I haven't been to the new location but the old place had a rear garden that was just lovely this time of year.

What are you reading? Anything that could tie in with a food theme?

[Leticiaward]

Actually I should have thought of that! We are reading The Joy Luck Club- so Chinease food would be appropraite, although I love the idea of checking out this South American restaurant- I lived on Martha's Vineyard where there was no ethnic influenced restaurants so I always enjoy going out to something other then "fine dining" food. Thanks so much!

[Pia]

For Chinese, there's an old Chowhound standby, Shangri-La in Belmont, just over the border from Watertown on Belmont Street.

Casa de Pedro is fine, I've never had a bad meal there, but I've never had an amazing meal there either. It is good for a group, though, since the new location is so big.

Or, for a completely different, very casual atmosphere, there's the Deluxe Town Diner. I find the diner to be overrated for breakfast, but I really like it for dinner -- good food (and not greasy diner food either -- last time I was there I had some yummy salmon with lentils) at moderate prices.

[StriperGuy]

I am biased, cause I live nearby, but Shangri-La is better then just a standyby. One of the better Chinese places in beantown. Taiwanese food with a huge, interesting menu. For a big group I would call ahead.

[Pia]

Just to clarify, by "Chowhound standby" I meant that it always gets recommended on this board because it's a great place, not that it's a backup option.

[bachslunch]

Check out this concurrent thread for some possibilities:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/418778

[teezeetoo]

Casa Pedro in the Arsenal Mall might do - reasonable and I think outside tables, large enough to accommodate a group. Parking is usually pretty easy.

[Leticiaward]

doh! why couldn't I have found that thread myself? thanks for pointing it out!

[Blumie]

Solea, discussed in the linked thread, would be a good place. They're open for both lunch and dinner, the food is very good (as is the sangria), it's relatively quiet, and it's the type of place where you never feel rushed.