433530 Tue Aug 21 11:27:01 -0700 2007 8 12 Boston Area 0 2866378 In the true spirit of Chowhound, I did my jog/lunch over to the same crawl space from last Saturday's chow crawl (Centre Street) and tried a couple of the places that we missed: Yely's Coffee Shop and Cristal Restaurant. I view the running and chowing together as a sort of conservation of mass and energy to balance the calories. I'm afraid to say that Cristal was just OK. I had a fried chicken thigh and a couple of meatballs with rice and beans ($5). All were fine but not the revelation I had hoped while running there. Yely's, on the other hand, was very good. It was lined up with locals at lunch which was a good sign. Since, I'd had lunch, I only got a serving of chicharones ($2), sliced in pieces of porky goodness. Think a side of bacon with bones, dusted with adobo powder and deep fried to crisp the rind. A heart attack in a snack! I managed only a couple of pieces with enough left over for lunch tomorrow. Everything else looked good and it's clearly a local favorite. Tue Aug 21 11:27:01 -0700 2007 13803 gourmaniac 1 2866405 Where is Cristal again? I don't remember ever seeing that. Next stop, Amory Restaurant. Tue Aug 21 11:31:32 -0700 2007 2866378 14253 Joanie 2 2866486 IIRC, it's a storefront on Centre Street, between Alex's Chimi's and Miami restaurant, a little closer to Miami and on the same side of the street. Tue Aug 21 11:48:21 -0700 2007 2866405 10076 limster 1 2866526 That's awesome, I have to get down there to try Yely's and also the chicken at Alex's. Tue Aug 21 11:54:33 -0700 2007 2866378 10076 limster 2 2869757 Alex's is definitely my in-a-pinch go-to spot when pizza or pupusas just won't do. I highly recommend their delicious, flavorful (though maybe not the juiciest) rotisserie chicken. They typically want to cut it up for you, but I prefer it whole personally... I'm not wild about their sides- kinda greasy, you're better off to grab a bird and throw together your own sides. If you were feeling really lazy, maybe head across to Food Wall and order some garlic green beans! Wed Aug 22 10:14:24 -0700 2007 2866526 74791 hungryi 1 2867027 You're a man on a mission. Nice one! Tue Aug 21 13:42:31 -0700 2007 2866378 10232 yumyum 1 2867338 mmm, yely's sounds good. where are the pictures? jk :) Tue Aug 21 15:04:25 -0700 2007 2866378 95845 lschow 1 2896596 I'm sad that I missed the original JP crawl. But, I need to point out that it is about time more chowhounders start going to Yely's. I have been a fan of this place for ages. Every time I go, I ask them to pile up a container with a couple pieces of each of the following: chicken, pork, chicharones, plantains, and sausages. The price always ends up being about $10 (give or take a little each time), and it feeds at least three to four people. Thu Aug 30 09:45:28 -0700 2007 2866378 15202 eatanddestroy 1 2896790 Oh yeah, Yely's Coffee Shop!!! I lived near there for a year, and had lunch at Yely's as often as I could (until it started to make me feel... unhealthy). For anyone curious, it's right across from the Jackson Square stop on the Orange line... thier pork (which is whacked with a cleaver before being put onto a mound of rice, served with lime wedges) is, to my tastes, one of the best lunches in the city. Get it with a side of yucca and you'll be ready for a nice, long nap afterwards..... aahhh... Also, I don't think they actually sell any coffee. Thu Aug 30 10:37:19 -0700 2007 2866378 121798 tulseluper