505017 Tue Apr 01 15:39:28 -0700 2008 31 12 Boston Area 0 3550782 What places have you completely written-off. Forever! My list includes: Umbertos on Hanover- Cheap but so what. Zoes on Beacon- What happen to this place? El Picante on Mass Ave- Boca Grande on Mass Ave- THESE THREE ALL MISS THE MARK! Annas in Porter- SummerShack- Expensive but so what. Pizzaria Regina on Thatcher (Duck)- Never got the big deal made about this place, never! CheeseCake Factory- Just testing to see if you were still awake. Carberry's on Prospect- Used to be an artisnal bakery, way back when. Tue Apr 01 15:39:28 -0700 2008 161777 gorditwo 1 3550899 Taste of Thailand on Dorchester Ave. Freeport Tavern on Morrissey Blvd. Pat's Pizza on Dorchester Ave. Fish Pier Restaurant on E. Broadway, S. Boston (gettting close) Sonny's on Adams St. Tue Apr 01 16:13:32 -0700 2008 3550782 115823 Guinness02122 2 3551617 i agree with four outta 5.... just a quick question (and i'm sure you'd be batting a perfect 1000.) where is tast of thailand on dot ave? close to shanti? banshee? Tue Apr 01 19:55:21 -0700 2008 3550899 12724 eLizard 3 3552558 It's down near Mrs. Jones in Lower Mills. Wed Apr 02 07:31:21 -0700 2008 3551617 15217 gini 4 3554535 I'm sorry to see Taste of Thailand make the list. It was decent for local take-out when it opened, but I haven't been in a while. Wed Apr 02 14:59:14 -0700 2008 3552558 51746 chowfamily 5 3554632 i use to love the pad kra pow, but they became very inconsistent (burning the chicken, not adding enough chilli). Wed Apr 02 15:22:52 -0700 2008 3554535 115823 Guinness02122 5 3556288 I've never been - just noticed it when I was getting my fried chicken fix at Mrs. Jones. Thu Apr 03 05:57:05 -0700 2008 3554535 15217 gini 2 3552895 Guinness, you can't write off Sonny's. The kitchen has started to turn around and I had some wonderful stuffed mushrooms there. Not great dining of course, but fun to kick back have a few drinks and enjoy the wing dings. As for Freeport Tavern, absolutely that place is off my list. Unfortunately, Gerards in Adams Village is off my list as well. I say unfortunately, because the people seem lovely and it has a nice atmosphere, but I have never had a good meal there. Wed Apr 02 09:05:31 -0700 2008 3550899 26213 Pegmeister 3 3554432 I keep Gerard's alive for the breakfast. They do a good job there, but I'm going to give A Lighter Fare in Milton (Milton Marketplace) a shot to unseat them. The Newcombe Farms hype didn't live up so I'm skeptical. I'm a bit sour on the Sonny's pizza, and there are new bartenders that are unappealing. I'll try them again soon. Also, I forgot to add Liberty Bell Roast Beef. They have fallen considerably in my opinion. Lousy service and lousy food. Too bad, I loved that place. Wed Apr 02 14:28:11 -0700 2008 3552895 115823 Guinness02122 1 3552534 Piccola Venezia in North End. I used to occasionally get dragged there when it was on Salem Street, and it was passable. Quantity over quality place, but it was okay. They left something behind when they moved to Hanover. Stunk royally since then. re Umberto's--they have something unique that I like: those potato thingies. I've never seen those anywhere else. That's why I can't write them off. Oh and that mural of the map of Italy makes for a lovely ambiance ;) Wed Apr 02 07:23:54 -0700 2008 3550782 152667 Ralphie_in_Boston 2 3552861 Hey, I'd love to see more people give up on Umberto's! It would make it that much less likely that they'd run out of arancini just before I get up to the counter! For me, first and foremost, Grotto. My one and only experience with that place was so ghastly that I cannot possibly imagine ever setting foot in there again. Awful food, worse service. Also, that place in the North End...I forget what it's called. Statue of the fat Italian chef with the missing hand out front. We got dragged there for a birthday party once and had a meal that was so mediocre that I can't remember a thing about it, but the remarkably stereotypical antics of our server tipped the night over into low comedy. I can still crack Allstonian up just by saying "ay yi yi!" in the right faux-Italian accent. Wed Apr 02 08:58:38 -0700 2008 3552534 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 3 3552927 The uber-kitchsy North End Italian place: La Dolce Vita, perhaps? In my mind, that place pretty much epitomizes everything that's wrong with the North End. Wed Apr 02 09:13:29 -0700 2008 3552861 10143 MC Slim JB 4 3552953 That's the one. I couldn't remember if it was that or the equally appallingly named Mamma Mia, but if I'm not mistaken, I think Mamma Mia has its defenders round these parts. Wed Apr 02 09:21:50 -0700 2008 3552927 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 5 3553287 You don't mean Mamma Maria instead of Mamma Mia by chance? Wed Apr 02 10:33:24 -0700 2008 3552953 152667 Ralphie_in_Boston 6 3553410 Is that what it's called? Lower end of Hanover Street, sort of across from the ex-Martignetti's? You're right, now that I think of it. Mamma Mia is the awful pizza place on Brighton Ave just out of Union Square Allston. Wed Apr 02 11:05:20 -0700 2008 3553287 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 7 3553501 Oh, Lower end of Hanover....Mother Anna's?? Mamma Maria is the fancy place in North Square Wed Apr 02 11:22:22 -0700 2008 3553410 152667 Ralphie_in_Boston 8 3553543 Yes! Mother Anna's! That's exactly the one. But the place with the lousy food and the guy who was about to break into "O Sole Mio" at any given second was definitely La Dolce Vita, as Slim said. Wed Apr 02 11:30:01 -0700 2008 3553501 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 9 3553743 Right. Understood. I've heard about that guy and his singing. Mother Anna's was mediocre in a different way, in my experience. I got dragged there with a group which chose that place because they were one of the few N End rest's to accept reservation for a party our size. It wasn't horrible, just not good enough for me to want to go back when there are other places nearby I'd like to try. Wed Apr 02 12:13:26 -0700 2008 3553543 152667 Ralphie_in_Boston 1 3552668 Zoe's seems to be very inconsistent. Some days its great, other days it is terrible. It does *seem* to track a bit with specific days of the week (although that's not 100%), so I figure it has to do wtih who is in the kitchen. Wed Apr 02 07:59:11 -0700 2008 3550782 111910 jgg13 2 3552838 What did you order at Zoe's? The Americanized menu is terrible, the "real" menu is fantastic, never had a bad meal (though some have been better than others) when I've ordered off of that. Wed Apr 02 08:53:05 -0700 2008 3552668 20717 sailormouth 3 3552909 I've almost only ever ordered off of their sichuan menu (not including soups & appetizers). I regularly hit up just about everything that's not seafood based on that page. I should also note that I have only ever done delivery, which is itself inconsistent. Its not completely unknown to see soup containers cut open and spilled everywhere, dipping sauces missing, etc. Wed Apr 02 09:10:24 -0700 2008 3552838 111910 jgg13 4 3553036 > I have only ever done delivery, which is itself inconsistent. My Zoe's delivery experiences have been so inconsistent that I've stopped ordering from them. I have not once had a bad meal at the restaurant. I've never tried the Americanized stuff, but the Sichuan and Shanghainese dishes are great when they're on. Wed Apr 02 09:43:32 -0700 2008 3552909 11344 finlero 1 3552836 Jimbo's in Braintree Bertuci's (I swear I'm the only person who doesn't like those rolls and crust, but to me it's like old chewing gum) Anthony's Pier 4 (well trying to avoid - people keep dragging me back there!) Union Oyster House That's actually all I can think of right now. Wed Apr 02 08:52:11 -0700 2008 3550782 68819 chowciao 2 3552902 Forgot about Jimbos, That place smells like stale beer, can't get past the front door. Wed Apr 02 09:07:21 -0700 2008 3552836 26213 Pegmeister 1 3553735 Thanks gorditwo - permit me to to elaborate on yours, because I agree on a number of your choices? El Picante, Boca Grande, Anna's These places all border on Tex-Mex (bland, dull, americanized) to my palate. Of the three, I want to like 'Picante' most (yes, the salsa bar is some redemption) the most. Boca Grande is so meh that I only ever go there if starving, and Anna's I just don't get (Jumex juices a plus, however.) A few years back, the NYT ran a story about riding the FungWah 7 hrs for a fix at Anna's ... INSANE?! Well, to each his own... I avoid chains/tourist/themed restos like the plague - always a disappointment, I'm never chasing calories. Life is too short and I want good value, whatever the price-range. Give me the roaches of the (fmr) Chinese Eatery over the hordes in Cheesecake Factory, any day. I just HATE Sysco Product! (Disclosure: I've never eaten at Cheesecake Factory. And never will.) Pizzaria Regina - its basic, old school pizza so what? Yes, the place has charm - but why on earth should I schlep across town for "basic" greasy pizza? I've gone many times, always to humor a co-worker whom I adore. Karma? Carberry's - I used to go there often, too. Remember movie nights?? Now it's bland, the bread dry, I cannot even remember the sandwich (probably turkey.) Wed Apr 02 12:11:39 -0700 2008 3550782 177137 beacon_hill_boy 2 3553945 wow! someone agrees about Regina's. I'm surprised, given the worship it receives here. I was kidding about CheeseCake Factory. I just assumed it was a given. Wed Apr 02 12:49:57 -0700 2008 3553735 161777 gorditwo 3 3554155 Co-worker and I had two FIGHTS about Regina's, actually. After the last, she bought tix to "Death Cab for Cutie," suing for peace - her idea & druthers, again! Dinner was Peking Tom's, due to time constraints. (That was one of the "better" places my co-workers would visit, believe it or not. At least it was something beyond Vinalia's!) Regina's inspires FIERCE loyalty in Boston, and I'll agree it's perfectly suitable for tourists in the nabe - hey, life is all about compromise. In the summer, I always drag the Regina's party past Polcari's afterwards, for a quick self-serve old-school shaved ice from the bucket. It's a tart, non-sweet lemon ice, reminds me of San Pellegrino's Limonata, just one flavor offerred. Allegedly, it's a "40 year old" recipe, but I'm a fan regardless!! Wed Apr 02 13:29:05 -0700 2008 3553945 177137 beacon_hill_boy 1 3554154 Daily Catch - Fan Pier location - consistently awful food and very slow, sometimes rude service Boloco (all locations) - no better now than when it was The Wrap - these are NOT burritos and they are far from inspired - where's the flavor? Jane's lunch buffet - downtown - bad rice on top of more bad rice that sort of looks like but doesn't taste like sushi Asgard, Cambridge - pub food can be a LOT better than this Grendel's, Harvard Square Tryst, Arlington (dining room - the bar seems like it MIGHT be tolerable) Carberry's - agreed - it started out great with fresh, flavorful pastries and decent, strong coffee - it has morphed into something worse than an airport concession now (and even has a bad name in Arlington Ctr - Jam'n Java???...) Wed Apr 02 13:29:00 -0700 2008 3550782 10399 rlh 1 3554523 Anna's - purely college student food Koreana - my fault for ordering what I did, but too late now... Myers & Chang - I really wanted to love it, maybe too much Blue Ginger - wasabi cream and soy syrup, c'mon Back Bay Restaurant Group Via Matta - it's fine, but it should be better Melrose, mostly Wed Apr 02 14:55:19 -0700 2008 3550782 102066 almansa 2 3554757 Oh Al, you Melrose hater ;-) There's plenty of good food here. For example, brown bread and scones at Bread & Bits, raw bar at Turner's, cinnamon apple pancakes at Cappa's Trackside, Blueberry muffins at Bohemian Coffeehouse, premium margaritas at Mexico Lindo. Sure, you have to dig a bit harder but you can't write the whole town off. Besides anyplace that plays home to so many great hounds can't be all bad. Anyway... The only thing I've permanently put on my freezeout list is Finale and the Dockside mini-chain. Wed Apr 02 15:55:13 -0700 2008 3554523 10027 Chris VR 3 3554973 Don't get me wrong - I, too, call Melrose home, and I love it. I'm in the minority in that I haven't been to Cappa's. Nor have I tried the brown bread or scones at BnBoI.. I tried to like Turner's about six times, but came up short. I actually defend Mexico Lindo on this site all the time, but with the caveat that you have to order the right things, and premium margaritas are seldom the wrong thing. I tried to go to AbFab, but they were closed the one day of my attempt. I can't get past the menu at Stearn's & Hill to actually go inside. If I wanted my hair or nails done, or an average pizza, I'd have no problem here. But the best cooking in Melrose goes on in people's backyards on sunny days. Wed Apr 02 16:57:49 -0700 2008 3554757 102066 almansa 4 3555070 Oh I was just razzing ya, a bit of neighborly fun :-) I hear you on Stearns and Hill- give it a pass, from what I've seen of your posts, you'll absolutely hate it. I'm not quite at freezeout status yet (back to the topic of this thread) but the one visit I made there after the rehab left me pretty reluctant to go back. Lowlights were poorly shucked oysters (complete with shell shards) and a pasta dish topped with an ooky barely melted slice of provolone. Coupled with high prices, it's a big miss. I haven't made it to AbFab yet either. Sounds like I'll have to scout out your yard on the next sunny day - or you'll have to find mine- just follow the smell of the heavenly burgers I'm looking forward to making with my home-delivered Houde CSA meat ;-) Wed Apr 02 17:29:22 -0700 2008 3554973 10027 Chris VR