Chow-worthy near Paradise Theatre

[Food4Thought]

Hello Hounds,

I'll be going to an upcoming show at the Paradise, but I'm really not familiar with that area. As far as types of food or cuisine goes, I'm open to anything. A minor requirement would be that they do have some healthy alternatives for my wife (I'd suck down a grease trap if you told me it tasted good).

Thanks in advance.

[Food4Thought]

Sorry for the tardy follow up. We were running late for the show so the Super 88 seemed like the best option, given that we didn't know what to expect (from a timing perspective) from many of the great suggestions which we have never been to.

I was psyched to finally try the Beef Chow Foon from Kantin which so many Hounds are fond of. Much to my chagrin they were out of Chow Foon noodles for the evening, but the young lady behind the counter recommended the Udon. I went with the Udon w/ Duck. Great noodle texture, slightly resistant to the bite in a kind of rubbery way, not in an al dente fashion. Scallions, bean sprouts and onion were there to provide different textures and the duck was great, especially the crispy skin.

As most of you know, a portion at Kantin could easily be substituted for a supply drop to an undeveloped nation, so there were leftovers. Reheating the noodles, as expected, were not quite as good as hot out of the wok, but certainly passable.

I have to agree with Eatin in Woostah- chowing at the Dise would have put the evening in perfect harmony given the atmosphere. I wasn't aware there was a lounge area serving food/ drinks either, but I only get to the Paradise a few times a year.

The show itself did not disappoint. Upstairs (a safe distance from the far younger and more exuberant fans) they had one of those new-fangled Guinness "Surgers" where a Guinness is poured out of a can, into a glass and placed on this device that creates ultrasonic pulses, with the goal of more closely approximating a draft Stout. In this case, Liz's show called for hard alcohol so I'll have to try the Surger at another time.

I did want to thank everyone for their suggestions, I now have a formidable list of places to visit when in that neighborhood.

[Bob Dobalina]

All of the places mentioned above are fine, but other than T Anthony's and Saray, they are a little bit of a walk from the Dise. Immediately adjacent is Brown Sugar for Thai - ask for the real menu and check the threads here for more details - someone recently indicated that BS does not serve ONLY standard Americo-Thai. There is also the chinese place which name escapes me at the moment, but has the twin lobster special. Victoria Seafood I think? These are the closest places, but not generally acknowledged as the best places.

You would honestly do better to grab dinner in Coolidge Corner at Dok Bua or any other number of places - or Brighton Ave. - then drive over to the Dise. Or going in the other direction, start off at Eastern Standard in Kenmore and then grab an outbound T and head over.

Who are you going to see?

[Allstonian]

Usually I am on the opposite side of this kind of discussion, whipping out the trusty Google Maps Pedometer to demonstrate that Garden at the Cellar is too far a walk for a poster who has clearly stated that they are looking for a place to take their elderly parents to dinner, are taking the T, and that their mother uses a walker and an oxygen tank. BUT:

Super 88 food court is only two blocks from Brown Sugar and Victoria Seafood, and offers many choices far better than either of those. I will second all of Luther's recommendations for Super 88 highlights except for Lollicup. I'll also vouch for Saray, which is probably the nicest restaurant really close to the Paradise.

Continue down Brighton Avenue to Harvard, and there are many more great choices - the intersection of Brighton & Harvard is under 2/3 of a mile from the Paradise, and before you get there you will have passed two different shabu-shabu restaurants, two Indian restaurants, the fabulous Jo Jo Taipei, and Buk Kyung 2 (Korean). One more block and you have S. Kiri (Cambodoan & Thai), Gitlo's dim sum, the Brazilian creperie, Reef Cafe (Lebanese), and I think S&I Thai is on that block with Gitlo's.

As Aromatherapy said, those are all less than 15 minutes walk each way (unless you're mobility-impaired). And if you or your wife are mobility-impaired, the evening at the Paradise is likely to give you more trouble than getting to and from dinner will.

[Bob Dobalina]

lol...thanks for the input - two blocks is not far - maybe it just seems really far because I am always frantically trying to find parking in that neighborhood before the show.

[Allstonian]

Well, there's your problem right there. You should definitely be taking the T.
8-)

(And, yes, I do know exactly how horrible the student-packed - or post-'Dise-crowd-packed - B Line is, thankyouverymuch.)

[Janeinma]

For those of us who HAVE to drive in, seeing Boston doesn't provide any public transport to the suburbs when concerts finish, there is parking in the area. Generalization and being patronizing really doesn't help. There is parking either on comm ave or on side streets.
The Paradise area is a goldmine for good restaurants within walking distance. I would also give Aneka Rasa on Harvard Ave a chance, though not as good as they were they are still decent. and the list of restaurants eh Allstonian suggests I would reccomend as well.

[Allstonian]

My comment was intended in jest, and was meant as neither patronizing nor generalizing - hence the use of the dreaded emoticon. I am well aware that folks come to the Paradise who can't get home on the T. It's hard enough to see a club show all the way to the end and get home by public transit if you live in Boston/Cambridge/Brookline/Somerville, and I've had to walk out of plenty of shows at TT's to get the last bus back to Allston, or budget cab fare into the eveing's costs.

Soprry to have offended with what was meant as a light comment.

eh Allstonian

[Bob Dobalina]

What goldmine of good restaurants are you referring to? Anything else that was not already mentioned?

And if you can find parking on Comm. Ave., your parking karma is mightier than mine.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Well, you don't have to park on Comm Ave. There's several side streets' worth of metered parking spots (metering ends at 6 p.m.) on Malvern, Ashford, Gardner, Alcorn and Babcock -- just behind the Star Market, basically -- an area which is less than five minutes' walk from the Paradise.

[Allstonian]

Goldmine of good restaurants? Lessee - I had been trying to keep my original suggestions confined to a straight shot up Brighton Avenue as far as Harvard, which is indeed about 15 minutes walk or less.

But besides those already mentioned there's Shanghai Gate, on Harvard at Commonwealth, Cafe Brazil on Cambridge Street about a block past Harvard, Grain & Salt, also on Cambridge on the same block as Cafe Brazil, Cafe Belo for Brazilian buffet by the pound, India Dhaba and Mount Everest Kitchen (Nepali) about a block beyond Gitlo's/creperie/S&I Thai, and Taqueria el Carrizal, El Cafetal (Colombian), YoMa (Burmese), and TJ Scallywaggles (vegan pizza) in Union Square. Plus probably some others I'm not thinking of at the moment.

[Bob Dobalina]

Sorry, Allstonian - a little posting confusion - the goldmine was in response to Janeinma's post and use of the term, which I thought meant a reference to a goldmine close by to Paradise.

As you point out, no doubt lots of great chow all up and down Brighton Ave.

But there is not a heck of a lot that springs to mind in the stretch from Kenmore to Packard's corner, which is where the Paradise resides about midpoint.

[Janeinma]

As you point out, no doubt lots of great chow all up and down Brighton Ave.

But there is not a heck of a lot that springs to mind in the stretch from Kenmore to Packard's corner, which is where the Paradise resides about midpoint.

Those points I actually agree with, I have no issue walking 15 minutes or so and hence this opens the harvard ave places.
my issue about public transport is more with Menino and his lack of support than teh Allstonian really, I would LOVE to use public transport but manage to park any time I do go to the Paradise, Great Scott or Harpers Ferry which I assure you has been FAR too many this year.
BTW on sunday the Aneka Rasa was closed and looked pretty finally closed in my eyes, has nayone heard any rumors about this.
In that area we have eaten at multiple places in the super 88, brown sugar (surprisingly good), the cambodian place noone can pronounce, hammaru(sp) color, S&I thai, Gitlo's, Aneka Rasa, Jo Jo Taipai amongst others. Seems a pretty good range to me and good enough to be called a goldmine in my book compared to areas around Central square (middle east and tt's)

[Food4Thought]

Going to see Liz Phair. I've seen her at the Dise before, always a great show.

Some great suggestions folks, I've been dying to try JoJo Taipei.

Thanks

[Bob Dobalina]

Ah...and isn't she specifically playing her Exile in Guyville tunes?

In that case, you should dine pre-show at the Sunset, White Horse, the Kells or other such institution. ;)

[Food4Thought]

You're right, the show content does call for an overall "gritty" evening, but I'm not so sure my beloved wife would understand. We will probably have a more White Chocolate Space Egg dinner, most likely at Super 88.

[Eatin in Woostah]

Have to chime in. Hubby and I were also at the Liz Phair show last night, and opted for the ultimate in gritty dining - sandwiches at the bar at the Paradise. I'm glad we did, as we met some interesting old Boston music scene guys. My chicken quesedilla was pretty lack luster, but my husband's grilled panini sandwich was actually pretty good. Lots of proscuitto. And it was a great show.

[Allstonian]

They're serving sandwiches at the bar now? The last time I was there we couldn't even buy a bag of peanuts to go with our drinks.

[digga]

(First post didn't go through)

Uh, hasn't the lounge next door been serving pre-show food and showing local art for a few years now? Nothing spectacular, but an easy way to kill some time and fill your belly before a show and the onslaught of a large volume of beer.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Is the lounge still open at all? They stopped doing shows there a while back, and I assumed it was just closed down entirely.

The last time we were at the Paradise, they didn't even have draft lines in the main room. Sad decline of a once-fine room.

[PaulB]

I am all for removal of draft beer lines in a club unless it books acts every night; nasty stale beer does not make a club and beer tastes just fine from bottles and cans. I enjoyed some bottled Guinness Extra Stout my last visit to the Paradise.

[Eatin in Woostah]

They had a small menu - from my poor memory - chicken quesedilla, tomato salad, prosciuto/mozz/basil panini, ham and cheese sandwich, chicken salad. There were a few others that I don't recall. As I mentioned, the food we had was pretty mediocre, but not any worse than a typical Chili's.

On draft I know they had Stella Artois, Guinness, Bass. Probably Bud - I don't recall exactly. The Stella was pretty fresh.

All in all, convenient and serviceable. Certainly not destination dining, but helpful if you've gotten a late start and don't want to be late for the show and need to eat so you don't get too drunk.

[Science Chick]

I would definitely steer clear of Victoria Seafood.....sickeningly filthy! Dok Bua best bet for Thai. Jo Jo Taipei also terrific, just down Brighton Avenue a few blocks past the Comm Ave. split. See other outstanding reviews on the board for them!

[Luther]

T Anthony for pizza (if the old guy is working, otherwise the quality varies)
Super 88 Food court (highlights: Pho Viet's, Kantin (HK), Wisteria (Taiwanese), Lollicup)
Ken's Ramen (attached to the 88 food court)
Saray (Turkish)

If you're interested in going further up Brighton Av there's a whole slew of other places.

[Aromatherapy]

Madina Market (Pakistani) is a bit further up Brighton. (Haven't been lately.) But Allston is about a 15-minute walk. Spoiled for choice, really. JoJo Taipei?