June Openings + Closings...Mostly Openings

[el_caballero]

The month is about to start so I figured to get this thread going...here's a glimpse

- Yakitori Zai (South End)-- opening imminent?

- Back Deck (DTX)-- waiting on permits, looking at mid-month

- Tip Tap Room (Beacon Hill)-- mid-June

- Kitchen (South End)-- opening in the old Pop's location, I'm hearing rumors about June 1 opening but can't confirm...anybody?

- Tavern + Tea Room @ Tea Party Museum-- set for 6/25

- Sip Wine Bar-- ?

also possibly Emerald Lounge at the Revere Hotel

[nightsky]

Granary Tavern opened last week. Anyone been? Seems like a cool space but the owners' other places (eg Jose McIntyre's, Clery's) do not inspire confidence.

[allthebest]

Quebrada Bakery is coming to Belmont Center this fall. They're in the midst of gutting (literally) the former Frankies Catch of the Day. Ahhh...the scent of freshly baked croissants wafting down Leonard Street!

[L2k]

Skipjacks in Newton (on Needham Street) closed on Monday.

Went to Jonathan's last night (also Newton, Needham Street) and was pleasantly surprised. Good crowd for a Thursday (they are on Open Table, no trouble booking a 4 top at 10AM), maybe one or two empty tables while we were there from 6:30 to 7:45PM. Varied menu. Wife got lobster added to her salad -- for $9 you get at least 4 ounces of tasty crustacean. All claw and knuckle meat, but did not taste frozen. My pizza was pretty good, as was the cod special.

[Chris VR]

Bread and Bits of Ireland in Melrose closes tomorrow. The owners are retiring. I am really going to miss their scones, brown bread and lemon squares.

[mangorita]

Cupcake Mojo opened on Washington St in Weymouth (near the Landing) a couple of weeks ago.

http://cupcakemojo.com/

[Berheenia]

Taberna De Haro is being gutted and will reopen in July with double the space. I just walked by.

[bear]

Donelan's Supermarket reopened in Lincoln on May 25. They had been closed since a roof collapse during the devastasting stores of Feb. 2011. The store appears pretty much the same as before the damage, except that they are now selling beer and wine.

[Gordough]

Not a June opening but the Herald is reporting that Bobby Flay is opening one of his burger places in the Burlington Mall in the fall. Anyone ever tried the burgers? I think they have a location in Moheegan.

[mats77]

Better than I anticipated but nothing earth shattering. If I rememeber correctly I had a monthly special that had pimento cheese on it.

[hiddenboston]

47 Pizza + Pasta (formerly Cafe 47) in the Back Bay has shut down.

[total13]

Super Fusion by the Monument in JP is reopening as a healthy wrap place. Too close to JP Seafood maybe for the sushi and Japanese to survive?

[jphound]

Yeah, its called "wrap mi" and seems to serve seaweed wrapped wraps. Looks like its still owned by the super fusion people. Has anyone been?

[hiddenboston]

Is Wrap Mi open already?

[Berheenia]

Anyone heard anything about OAK Long Bar + Kitchen said to be opening in early summer? They have a website offering reservations but it is 'currently offline- check back soon"
We need to have our birthday martini .....

[mats77]

Hot Tomatoes in Downtown Crossing has closed.

[MC Slim JB]

Per Eater, Pairings at the Park Plaza is done. Never got there, myself; maybe it was the lingering stink of Bonfire.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[CocoDan]

Ed Kane readying to open Empire Asian restaurant on Marina Dr. Seaport area, as reported in today's Patriot Ledger.
CocoDan

[HubFlyer]

Gerard's Farm in Framingham is open again. Looks like the website (http://gerardsfarm.com/index.html) is not yet updated. The sign out front says "Grand reopening" without the "soon" part that was on it last month and the parking lot was full of cars.

[tammyh]

Georgetown Cupcakes opened today on Newbury. One free cupcake per person today. Needless to say, there's a massive line outside.

[Gabatta]

Great news, we really need some more cupcakes around here.

[hckybg]

Even better if they are famous TV cupcakes!

[BostonZest]

Universal Hub just posted that H Mart will replace the Harvest Coop's current location in Central Square.

http://www.universalhub.com/2012/supermarket-replace-central-square-supermarket

They'll take an additional space for a 18,000 sf. store.

Penny
http://www.bostonzest.com/

[coolaugustmoon]

Game changer for the area. Very exciting news. Cheaper the Whole Foods, better then Shaws(over simplified I know, but true). Central Sq rents are probably going up. But ripple effect on Reliable, Courthouse fish etc.. may be quite serious.

[hckybg]

Wow, that is really jaw-dropping news. I don't think it will affect Courthouse Seafood, and may not affect Reliable (they will continue to draw from the growing Union Square crowd), but the Asian market down Mass Ave. isn't likely to be too happy. With that much square feet, it seems safe to assume they will have a food court of some sort too.

[coolaugustmoon]

I was just debating with someone what percentage of Reliable customers are walk/bike distance? If it is more the 40% coming from a distance, H Mart will probably steal half. Same #s with Courthouse was our thinking.

[hckybg]

I always assumed mostly walkers (like me) or bikers went to Reliable, but people with cars went to C-Mart or H-Mart where there is a larger selection and an easier parking situation. I would be more likely go to to H-Mart than Reliable because I live in between both, but those who live north of Union would likely not walk all the way to Central. But that could definitely be wrong. Courthouse likely serves a different crowd, and is one of a number of fish markets in that area (New Deal, Fernandes) which all have coexisted for a long time.

[coolaugustmoon]

Courthouse does serve a different crowd I agree. But I would guess a small but significant % of its customers will end up shopping at H mart and may end up buying their fish there. Trying to picture what 18000 square feet of H mart will look like and what sections will be smaller then the Burlington shop.

[deglazer]

Wow, this is huge. I've supported Lotte and Reliable and worry for them with this development. But for my life? To leave the T stop after work and have a good and biggish Asian market directly in the path of my 5 minute walk home? That's a dream come true and I'll probably be there 5 days a week spending money. Food court please and please have it include Vietnamese. A person can dream.

[okra]

According to the banners, O-Sha will be taking over the former Tantawan spot on Arsenal in Watertown. A little digging reveals that the new restaurant will focus on Thai and Japanese fare, and that the manager of the spot comes from Oishii.

356 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472

http://oshaweb.com/

[Stride]

I noticed this yesterday as I was driving by. The signs are up, but I couldn't see more than that.

[Aromatherapy]

Coming Soon signs in windows on Ferry St. in Malden for Eben-Ezer Restaurant. Googling turned up only: organic food;locally sourced products;seasonal offerings;unpackaged food.
Might be interesting.

[peregrine]

Thanks, everyone.

[peregrine]

Went looking for dinner at Bhindi Bazaar and found the whole building vacant and papered over.

Does anyone know
1) if B.B. plans to relocate
2) what's happening to that building - corner of Mass. Ave & Newbury by the turnpike ramp, also previously housed Island Hopper (less of a loss imho).

[MC Slim JB]

Originally, a MN-based furniture chain was supposed to take over the building, but that deal has purportedly fallen through. Same deal led to the closing of the Other Side and Island Hopper, too.

Don't know about Bhindi. Same owner closed Rangoli without relocating it; Tanjore is the only one of his I know is still open. (He also once owned Bombay Bistro, now Rani.)

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[BostonZest]

The building is being renovated and will have a 5 story (IIRC) addition to the area where the Otherside was and the rest will be prepared for offices and retail.

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2008/06/bra_approves_pr.html

No plans for restaurants in the initial conversations. The developer is targeting one large retailer and the rest offices. Has anyone seen any signs of Island Hopper reopening anywhere. They sold their liquor license so I don't see them in Boston. Karen said they were targeting Cambridge when I talked to her before they closed.

Penny
http://www.bostonzest.com/

[coolaugustmoon]

No proof of this, but I think Bon Chon in Allston got that liquor license.

[NE_Wombat]

Jimmy's Jimmies, an ice cream place replacing The Black Cow (a very good ice cream place) in West Natick is scheduled to open June 18th. I saw the owner discussing the place while at the Selectmen's Meeting getting the common victualler license. He said the ice cream wasn't being made on-site, but was a well known brand (he declined to say which brand when asked).

Jimmy's Jimmies
251 West Central Street (Rt. 135)
Natick

[MC Slim JB]

Per the Somerville Scout, the Rosebud Diner is closing after 70+ years in business. Rumors of a Tasty Burger moving into the space are untrue, says the Tasty owner: http://www.somervillescout.com/2012/06/rosebud-diner-to-close/

Update: no it's not, says the owner in Wicked Local: http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/somerville/2012/06/12/no-somerville-diner-rosebud-is-not-closing/ I guess the owner's son is not a reliable source.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[deglazer]

Bo-Jo's hot dogs, a cart by the side of the road in Everett. Couldn't find any mention of it so I'm posting this here, though they appear to have opened in April.

It's at 168 Beacham St., not far from the old location of Restaurant Depot (and close to King Arthur's). If you're driving from Sullivan Square you turn right at Mike's Roast Beef.

So they're doing Chicago dogs. Vienna franks, all the real deal stuff (poppy seed roll, sport peppers etc.). Dogs and Polish seems to be the extent of it. I had a Polish with grilled onions, sweet peppers, sport peppers and mustard. It was pretty damn tasty. More or less hot dog sized.

http://bojodogs.com/ is the website but there isn't much there yet. More on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bo-Jos-...

[itaunas]

Definitely will check this out given that I don't have any layovers in ORD in the near future. If that address is right they are on the same side as RD used to be? (Sounds like its not in the trailer which was most recently "Back Way Falafel" and had once served tacos and Salvadoran food.)

[deglazer]

Yes, same side as the old RD. From there, you drive past the Dunkin and King Arthurs, the road turns right more or less, and it's a little ways up on the right.

Never did get to try the trailer you speak of. There's also at least one early morning diner-y sort of place over there too. Seen signs for it. Have you ever tried it?

[mats77]

When did Restaurant Depot close?

[itaunas]

It moved to a location off Route 16 (Vine St) in Everett, roughly 5 minutes away. Near Pep Boys and the former Gold's Gym. Its larger -- particularly the walk-in, with easier parking, and since moving they started carrying seafood items.

As far as the when, I would estimate December 2010 as they were open in the current location in January of 2011.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7567...

[mats77]

Thanks for clearing that up. I only know of the current location and enjoy a good Chicago dog so I wanted to be clear on all of this.

[mkfisher]

The Cambridge Center Chipotle looks like it'll open any day now.

[mangorita]

It's open... And walking by there, I saw that there are VERY long lines.

[peregrine]

I heard that Symphony 8 is under new management (desperately needed). Does anyone know what the new plan may be?

[coolaugustmoon]

I have a friend who was in the neighborhood meeting with new owner. Supposedly the local residents and Symphony goers will be the focus and not the Northeastern drinking crowd. New store front and interior planned. Apparently it is the guy who owns the Corner Tavern and Harry's Bar and Grill (these menus and yelp reviews were shown in meeting). Both of which are pretty cool neighborhood joints. Good prices, casual "everybody knows your name" vibe at both. Harry's is nothing crazy fancy, good burgers, pork belly, solid apps and soups. Corner is great space with no fryer or grill, yet they have an almost full menu. ... Can't be any worse then now.

[peregrine]

Thanks for the info.
I agree - nowhere to go but up.

[kimfair1]

Stopped in for dinner at Soulfire last night prior to seeing Rhett MIller at Brighton Music Hall, and they will be opening a second restaurant ion Mission Hill (probably where the Brigham Circle Diner was) since recently a sign was seen there directing potential employees to the the Allston Soulfire for interviews.

[mats77]

Way off topic...how was the show?

[kimfair1]

Excellent. I'm a big fan of Rhett's and of the Old 97's, and he never disappoints. Especially with a belly full of BBQ!

[BroadwayBound]

Passed by the Upper Crust Pizza shop across from BU. It's totally gone! Must admit it was a bit of a shock. However, I'm glad that they didn't cause the mom and pop pizza shop a little further up to close.

[Jenny Ondioline]

It's a start...mediocre pizza is one thing, institutionalized mistreatment of its employees is something very different. Can't wait until Otto shuts down the Coolidge Corner location as well.

[Boston_Otter]

Grub Street reports that M3, a southern "meat & three apps" restaurant, will be soft-opening next week in the old Alfresco spot near Davis Square.

[mats77]

Read on FB that they soft-opened last night.

[camberville]

I'm not sure when it's opening, but Potbelly sandwich shop lists 275 Washington Street on their Coming Soon page: http://www.potbelly.com/Shops/ComingS...

I was a huge Potbelly fan in my college days in Chicago and my excitement after learning they opened a Boston location in March was only matched by my disappointment that it was located in Logan's Terminal C. Sounds like the new spot (near the State T stop) should be a lot easier to access.

[Gabatta]

I'm not sure how long ago your college days were, but the chain Potbelly stores are unfortunately not very similar in quality to the original Lincoln Park location I don't know the specifics, but they must have been bought out and the typical chain fastfood cycle of lower quality and more highly processed ingredients has ensued. I grabbed a sandwich from a location in Minneapolis recently and the quality wasn't even up to Subway standards, yet it was less healthy. Bummer as I enjoyed the original as well.

[camberville]

Aw, that makes me sad. I used to frequent the Evanston location around 2001-2005, so maybe I was enjoying the lower quality chain version anyways? When I was in college I thought Miller Lite was good beer so what did I know.

[Gabatta]

Miller Lite would have been a luxury for me in college!

[MC Slim JB]

Memories of Meister Bräu are gurgling in my gut. I think a case of it was, like, $6?

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[meeps2002]

Was walking up Washington St in SE - noticed a place is opening called "BoMa" - anyone have information on this?

[MC Slim JB]

I think BoMa was mentioned in the May "Openings" thread. It's the old Pho Republique space. The owner operates a couple of Italian-American places in the remote suburbs. The concept is American, possibly with an emphasis on seafood. He is redoing the space significantly from its most recent incarnation, Bombay Cafe. Lots of reclaimed wood, I believe.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[galangatron]

a new place called "wild cherry" will be opening in the old lu's sandwich shop location on the corner of beach street and knapp street in chinatown

[hckybg]

I didn't think I'd ever be writing these words, but Bon Chon in Harvard Square is open. I saw a sign up on the Galleria about a month ago but assumed it was just "coming soon" still or had been there all along and I hadn't noticed it. I walked by again today and walked in, and there were more signs. There was enough random stuff around (including the Bull signs against the wall) that I assumed it was still not there, but as I walked down the stairs I was surprised to find a finished restaurant full of customers. The menu looks very much like the one in Allston, with Korean dishes as well as the amazing chicken. I didn't go today but will look forward to visiting.

[MC Slim JB]

Eater Boston reports that KO Pub and Pies in Eastie, in the home of the late lamented Scup's in the Harbor, is planning to open June 19.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[Jenny Ondioline]

Now *that* I'm willing to make the trek for! A meat pie on a bench in Piers Park on a sunny summer day sounds like heaven.

[okra]

Hmmm - just how far are you willing to trek for a meat pie? :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7422037@...

[Boston_Otter]

Or just go to Thwaites Market in Methuen NH for authentic, awesome meat pies.

[BostonZest]

I grew up on those and really, really miss them. Now I have to make some this weekend!

Penny
http://www.bostonzest.com/

[FussyEater]

Open today with expanded menu- stunning pics!

http://www.thrillist.com/food/boston/...

[MC Slim JB]

Karl's Sausage Kitchen announced on their Facebook page that they're moving to 1 Bourbon St in Peabody, appox. 4 miles north of their current location. Larger retail space, plus an eat-in cafe serving grilled sausages, sandwiches, soup, and other traditional German fare, plus beer and wine Moving their usual July vacation break to August, probably moving locations late August.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[emannths]

I trust they'll have an andouille-fest to celebrate their new address?

[hiddenboston]

Yeah, we drove by it yesterday and saw that it was closed. Nice to see they will still be around.

[Mariehans]

we are still open our normal hours until the move in late summer. The lease sign makes it looks like we are closed- but have not fear.
Hours: M-Th 9 am to 6pm, F 9 to 7pm, sat 9 to 6, sun 11 to 6pm.
Enjoy life... eat more sausages,
Bob and Anita Gokey
Karl's Sausage Kitchen

[hiddenboston]

Sorry about that! It looked closed from the highway and when I called, the phone call dropped and kicked me out. I did fix the article I wrote on your place and will send a correction to everyone. Best of luck with your upcoming move! Looking forward to the cafe in the new space.

[Ralphie_in_Boston]

THanks for posting this, I meant to start a thread a couple days ago but didn't get the chance. I am on their email list and when I got word of the move I thought at first "aw crap I have to drive further" but given the prepared food space PLUS beer---it'll be worth the extra few miles for me to drive!

[Boston_Otter]

Oh man, that's the best news. A few minutes extra drive for actual German food in Boston? I'm eager to hear more about the menu. Congrats, Karl's!

[ipsofatso]

Tryst Bistro in Beverly is now CLOSED. Chef is said to now be cooking at Wenham Tea House.

[MC Slim JB]

Per Urban Daddy, Yakitori Zai soft-opens next Friday. They've been practicing every night!

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[jomo9501]

Also per Urban Daddy, their menu

http://www.urbandaddy.com/uploads/ass...

[gourmaniac]

Holy crap. that looks great!

[barleywino]

will they have sake?

[MC Slim JB]

I believe and expect they will serve beer, wine and sake.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[trufflehound]

Never saw 'tender meat around diaphragm' before.

[9lives]

Maybe skirt or hanger?

[drtechno]

Well it sure ain't flank steak :P Just another way for restaurant clowns to make ordinary ingredients sound exotic - My fav "Fresh farm egg of hen"

[RoyRon]

If they can everything or even most of the things on this menu it will be fantstic. I cannot wait to give it a try. This is the most authentic yakitori menu I have seen outside of NYC and CA.

[barleywino]

do you know whether they are open yet? tried calling but no reply

[barleywino]

stopped by there but they said it would not be open for another week or two.

[MC Slim JB]

I walked by what looked like a soft-opening type of dinner service going on at Yakitori Zai last night.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[tatsu]

If you look at their website, they are doing reservation only omakase for now. It says 6 courses for $120 a person. It does not say whether a skewer is a course, or what a course consists of at all. Tax, drink, tip not included, of course. And there are rigid seatings for now, which I guess is understandable, they are more or less training themselves on the job.

I think this is very very expensive. My favorite place in Manhattan is $50 for 10 skewers, 3 are veggie, but still top-notch grilling. I've never spent more than $85 not including drinks, tips, tax, and that was almost the entire a la carte menu.

So I am a bit disappointed. Just like O Ya is more expensive than it's Manhattan contemporaries, so is Zai. I am not really all that price sensitive but there has to be some relativity. I mean who knows, Zai might blow me away, but I've looked at the menu, and while it is interesting, it's not the complete repertoire.

[barleywino]

that is very disappointing. Sounds like a recipe for going out of business. Is there only one chef, so unable to handle multiple orders? I can't see myself spending that kind of money for yakitori, even if it's kobe beef with white truffles.

[tatsu]

Maybe I should retract a bit. I'm not "disappointed", it's just that as a consumer, I've been put on notice. None of us have tried Zai yet, so we can't really say if it's a good value or not.

I'm very hopeful, but yes, I'm going to have to save this for a special occasion!

[barleywino]

question is, at those prices, who's willing to take one for the team?

[Bob Dobalina]

I have been following the threads here detailing all the training going on for this place, and I have to ask: Is grilling really that complicated? Why all the fits and starts?

[tatsu]

The uber-serious place I frequent in Manhattan has a head chef and several lieutenants, it is not unlike sushi chef hierarchies. Yakitori isn't all that serious in Japan, it can be found in any izakaya really, but then again conveyer-belt sushi abounds as well. Just all kinds of price points and skill levels.

I guess Zai is just going for the top rung off the bat. There is a fair bit of knowledge and skill, and sure,the materials can be expensive, notably the charcoal. It's a very even solid fuel, but a bit lower in temperature. It's completely different than American charcoal, or even fancy hardwood charcoal you get at say Whole Foods. The grill cannot be lowered or raised, so it's a constant process of moving the charcoal around and adding more when needed. It's pretty labor-intensive and detail-oriented.

I think some people can "figure it out" but going beyond grilling, such as prepping chicken meatballs, rice dish accompaniments, and creative things like chicken mousse from the kitchen, that's what Zai has to deliver at this price point, and I'll believe it when I see it.

It's a really bold move by the owner of Snappy Sushi, who is Japanese, but I wonder if they can really pull it off. We'll see.

[Bob Dobalina]

Got it - thanks for the explanation - I was just thinking that you fire up the grill and go. The sushi analogy is particularly apt, 'cause that's just slicing fish otherwise.

Did not know that Snappy was behind this place - too bad he did not open a simple izakaya in Davis - would think that place would kill there, even if it meant just a couple of guys hocking chicken parts cooked out back on a Weber.

[coolaugustmoon]

Also, some issues with roof top venting slowing down full roll out. 2nd hand info, but reliable source.

[MC Slim JB]

Yikes! That is shocking news. I hope this is not an indication of what they intend to do on an everyday basis.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[Gabatta]

Whoa, that's certainly not what I hoped for / expected! I assume this will change after they shake things out, but a tough first impression to say the least.

O Ya is more expensive than it's Manhattan contemporaries, while having inferior food. Let's hope the same is not true with Zai.

[MC Slim JB]

Which Manhattan restaurants would you compare O Ya to, tatsu?

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[Mike5966]

Pretty sure he's talking about Tori Shin.

[tatsu]

To be honest, O Ya is an category by itself. There's nothing quite like it. Some of the more creative sushi places, are Sushi of Gari (there are several), Nobu 57, Sushi Seki, and even the Sushi Samba chain on the low-end. But they adhere to certain sushi standards, whereas Tim Cushman leaves no convention untouched. I think they all have owe a little debt to Nobu, who really started the whole fusion thing in Sushi and maybe Japanese fusion in general. In parallel, and completely unrelated, is Aki on 4th, which is a unique restaurant by the ex-personal chef to the Japanese ambassador to, get this, Jamaica. He has some really stand-out dishes that compare favorably to O Ya. They are not all gems, and in fact some are largely constructed pieces, but then you won't be hungry either. Aki is a very unassuming not talked about place, consider that very much a "hidden gem" if there is a such a thing in NYC.

I am certainly talking about Tori Shin, which is a must-try place in my book. Completely out-classes anything else in Manhattan, whether it be the small, medium or large formats of Japanese grilling.

So back to Yakitori Zai, again, I'm not disappointed, just feel like I've been put "on notice" for the time being. Honestly, I just can't bring myself to take one for the team now. A $300 dinner for two just invites too much expectation right now. But ya'll can pass the virtual donation box around, send me there, and I'll write you up some review you'll never forget! Just kidding.

[barleywino]

maybe it's time for Coppa to start doing yakitori...how about yakitori Fridays? grilled pied de cochon, anybody? they could undercut Zai by 50% and still make a profit

[MC Slim JB]

Maybe we can use Kickstarter: "Please fund my extravagant meal so other Chowhounds don't have to take a big gamble. Think of the children! (And by 'children', I mean 'carefully char-grilled hunks of various chicken parts'.)"

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[Bob Dobalina]

You laugh but I just might kick in a couple bucks for someone's review I trust.

[cambridgedoctpr]

then how about either MC or Striper?

[hiddenboston]

Or maybe we could cloudfund a meal for all of us at Zai and o ya. I know a few VC folks.

[barleywino]

i think Zai should open a food truck at lunchtime to sell a la carte...although I"m not sure they allow charcoal grills in those trucks

[tatsu]

Or we could found our own site:

"Chowstarter."
"World's Least Known Platform for Funding Expensive Dinners."

[barleywino]

i emailed them but didn't get a response. not sure how they will get any business if they don't respond to emails (their only contact for reservations at this point), do'nt answer their phone, and don't take walk-ins

[hiddenboston]

Between the initial price point, not returning email messages, and not allowing contact any other way, perhaps they are trying to be "The Producers" of Boston restaurants?

[tatsu]

I emailed as well yesterday, about 24 hours ago. No response. We're going to have to open a Kickstarter so we can hire MC to run over and knock on the windows during service hours. I'm all in for one positive comment on his blog! Who's next?

[barleywino]

here is their response to my menu question:

6 course dinner we are currently serving consists of the following items:

Amuse-Buche (3 petite size starters)

Jyako Salad (heirloom tomato, deep fried baby sardines, shiso vinaigrette)

Tori-Jyaga (stewed chicken thigh, baby potatoes, carrots, ito konnyaku)

Sumibi Grill (5 to 6 meat skewers as well as 3 to 4 vegetable skewers)

Tokusen Soboro-Don (ground chicken simmered in sweet soy sauce, scrambled egg, over multi-grain rice)

Annin Tofu (almond panna cotta with fresh berries)

-- from the general manager of the restaurant: [e-mail] 617-785-9906

[gourmaniac]

Shojo, a pan Asian place on the first floor of China Pearl in Ctown looks almost ready. The interior is a little kitschy in a Bubor cha cha way. I will miss the Chinese BBQ from China Pearl Cafe, which was my local favorite.

[granolagurl]

It looks like something is gearing up to open in the old Zing Pizza space (?). There are signs pasted all over the windows but they are written in Japanese and I am unable to read them!

[Dea]

I just noticed that last night, but was driving and it was dark so couldn't really focus. I was holding out hope (just a tiny bit) that Zing! might come back. Oh well. Best of luck to the new business there!

[Boston_Otter]

I don't know the name of the new business, but based on the look of the photos stuck on the window (and scans of Japanese magazine articles, all in Japanese), it certainly looks like this report from Eater was correct:
http://boston.eater.com/archives/2012...

[granolagurl]

Nice investigative work! I am (crossing my fingers) that they will have vegetarian ramen.

[B squared]

I know the old Pop's location was supposed to completely remodeled with the focus on - wait for it - The Kitchen. I believe same owner as Marlieve so food will be good.

[MC Slim JB]

Kitchen (not The Kitchen) opens tonight or tomorrow to the public for dinner; lunch starts sometime next week.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[ipsofatso]

Coming soon to Essex in the old 'Conomo Cafe' which was briefly 'The Riverside': A new 'pan-Asian' place; now undergoing fast-track renovations and a 'We're Hiring!' banner out front. Stay tuned.

[jpcat]

Coming to Newton Centre in early summer: Farmstead Table. Billed as a comfort food restaurant using local sources. It's on Union Street in the space previously occupied by India Paradise.

[hckybg]

Let me guess: craft cocktails too?