Expect classic Chinese fare plus more modern creations at the Tyler Street restaurant.
 Shojo will open in Boston by July 1 at 11 Tyler Street. (Photo courtesy of Shojo) As soon as July 1, Chinatown will gain a newcomer in Shojo, an Asian tapas spot from the team behind China Pearl. Located at 11 Tyler Street (just below China Pearl), the restaurant won’t offer your standard Chinatown fare—while co-owner Brian Moy says to expect dim sum appetizers, peking duck and whole suckling pigs, there will also more modernized fare like kimchi butter and champagne-poached lobster, and sea conch ceviche with sesame oil. “The concept is taking traditional Asian dishes, deconstructing them, and then sourcing different ingredients from what typically goes into an Asian dish,” Moy says. Continue reading “Shojo to Bring “Pan-Asian Tapas” to Chinatown” »
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The chef couple shows off their stocked Fresh Pond kitchen—and serious booze setup.
 A look at Carolyn Johnson and Bill Flumerfelt’s sunny Fresh Pond kitchen. All photos by Chelsea Kyle.
When longtime chef-couple Carolyn Johnson (80 Thoreau) and Bill Flumerfelt (Nubar) moved into their Fresh Pond home, the kitchen didn’t fully suit their culinary needs. “It was definitely tricky, because there was no cabinetry or counter space inherently in the space,” Johnson says. “So we bought the butcher block table specifically for the space as a prep area. We repurposed these old CD racks as spice racks, to give us some shelf space. Billy installed shelves over the window.” Thanks to the additions, there’s now lots of space for the professional gourmands’ stuff: obscure spices, mementos, and quality booze aplenty. Before diving into some homemade linguica, Comte, and egg breakfast sandwiches, the couple gave us a tour of their digs.
 Continue reading “The Kitchen Spy: 80 Thoreau’s Carolyn Johnson and Nubar’s Bill Flumerfelt” »
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Michael Schlow's massive meatball is a showstopper visually, but kind of boring to eat.
 Photo by Katie Barszcz
Chef Michael Schlow’s latest venture is Fenway’s Happy’s Bar + Kitchen, a casual cafeteria- meets post-Sox game hangout-meets hipster haven. It’s got an odd combination of graffiti walls and polished tin ceiling tiles. The menu reads a bit silly, with phrases such as “ridiculously delicious,” “the greatest,” and “super creamy” sprinkled throughout the breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings. It’s all tongue-and-cheek I’m sure, even if it is a series of over-promises. The hostesses (all four of them) stared blankly as I walked in, a cold gesture that felt ironic in a place called Happy’s. I got the same treatment on my way out, despite great service from my server during dinner. Continue reading “Man Food: Attack of the Killer 1lb Meatball at Happy’s Bar + Kitchen” »
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Located on L Street, the new outpost will be slinging burgers and soft-serve to neighborhood locals and beach-goers.
 Soon enough, the bright Tasty logo will be visible in Southie. Photo courtesy of Facebook/TastyBurgerUSA
Yesterday, the blog Caught in Southie shared the rumor that Tasty Burger may be opening a quick-service outpost in South Boston—something we can confirm after speaking with owner David DuBois last night. “We are trying to do that old fashioned burger stand,” DuBois says of the new takeout window-only spot, which will be located at 69 L Street. Continue reading “Tasty Burger to Open a Takeout-Only Location in Southie” »
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We headed to the nanobrewery's new space to check out the tour and sample some new brews.
 Night Shift’s tasting room is small, but tastefully done. See what I did there?! (Photograph by Anne Vickman.)
Night Shift, one of Boston’s newest nanobreweries, opened for tours and tastings at the beginning of April. While the 2,000 square foot space in an industrial park in Everett is by no means gargantuan, the old World War II-era parts factory houses plenty of room for the 3.5-barrel system, a five-fermenter room, a walk-in cooler, a sour room with two fermenters, and a bar for tastings, where both flagship and experimental beers are served.
And since Night Shift has recently released a few new brews, a visit was in order—and we weren’t disappointed. Continue reading “What’s Brewing: Tours and New Beers at Night Shift” »
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The restaurant, from two Aquitaine alums, will be offering a mix of small plates and large-format dishes at One Kendall Square.
 Calamari “tonnerelli” (read: the “pasta” is made from squid) with whelks, cockles, and “sweet 100″ tomatoes ($12). All photos courtesy of West Bridge.
Back in January, we told you about West Bridge, a collaboration from Aquitaine alums Matthew Gaudet and Alexis Gelburd-Kimler. At long last, the Kendall Square restaurant is all staffed up (including the addition of bar manager Josh Taylor, formerly of Eastern Standard), and ready to open tomorrow. Ahead, get a look at some of the dishes (including crispy chicken skin with malt vinegar aioli and a fried pig’s head cake with pickled pumpkin) from the opening menu. Continue reading “Preview the Dishes at West Bridge, Opening to the Public Tomorrow” »
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In time for Sunday, the Somerville-based chocolate company is making holiday-appropriate confections.
 Elaine Hseih, left, and Catherine Sweeney, right, with their signature chocolates. All photos by Jennifer Rompre.
While everyone thinks of Taza when it comes to local chocolates, there’s another, newer, local company that deserves some attention, too: EHChocolatier, a Cambridge-based joint project from former Harvard admissions counselor Catharine Sweeney and physician Elaine Hseih. After working at their respective jobs for years, the two were both craving something else from their lives, and when they were introduced in 1999 to co-create a mutual friend’s wedding cake, they realized they had both been craving something sweet (“It was the edible luster dust” that bonded the two women, Sweeney jokes.)
In the fall of 2009, the two left their jobs and started a trial monthly chocolate shop exclusively available for their family and friends, and they honed their skills at the Cambridge Culinary School. EHChocolatier launched in November of last year—and almost a year later, their chocolates are being snapped up at Formaggio Kitchen, at farmers’ markets throughout New England, at gourmet shops spanning from Maine to North Carolina, and online.
Hseih and Sweeney are both mothers, and in honor of Sunday’s impending holiday, the duo decided to launch a new line of flavors: lemon curd, strawberry balsamic, lavender/vanilla, varietal milk, ceylon cinnamon, and earl grey. We stopped by their Cambridge workshop (which they rent from Taza) to watch the duo create their signature sweets. Continue reading “Watch the Creation of EHChocolatier’s New Mother’s Day Chocolates” »
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The windows are papered over, the phone has been disconnected, and there's rumblings of a replacement.
 Is Alfresco's becoming a new restaurant? (Photo courtesy of Yelp/Ligaya T.) Alfresco, a Davis Square Italian spot with a wildly popular brunch, may be closing and re-concepting, it seems. Per a post on a Davis Square Livejournal forum (yes, it appears that one does indeed exist): “Alfresco restaurant, at the corner of Highland and Cutter avenues, has all of its doors and windows papered over. A sign on the front door says ‘Closed for Minor Improvements. Sorry for any Inconvenience…’” The phone has been temporarily disconnected as well.
But wait, there’s more. Continue reading “Is Alfresco in Davis Square Turning Into a New Restaurant?” »
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Get to know the team behind your pizza and pasta at the bustling South End enoteca.
In Rush Hour, food blogger/photographer Brian Samuels hangs out at local eateries while they’re at their busiest — and finds out how they perform under pressure.
 All photos by Brian Samuels.
When walking around Boston’s South End, it is easy to pass by the small restaurants tucked into its side streets. The area is known for their classy neighborhood concept restaurants and Coppa, the brainchild of chefs/owners Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette (who was recently nominated for a Best Chef: Northeast James Beard award for his work at the restaurant), is no exception. Their menu features Italian small plates that range from charcuterie to pastas and wood-fired pizzas.
The evening I stopped by Coppa, there were three individuals working the kitchen (apparently, this is always the case, as the facility simply isn’t large enough to fit additional people). J.T. DeBrie, the chef de cuisine, was at the front, reading off tickets, rolling meatballs, and finishing off dishes with oils, herbs, and cheese before they made their way out to diners. Running the wood-fire oven was Nevin Taylor, who moved efficiently through the cramped space, flinging pizza dough which was then molded and topped with everything from ramps to sausage. In the back, running the pasta station, was Brian Limoges, who remained quiet throughout my stay. He maintained focus as each order came in and, despite being tucked away, had just as much to do as his counterparts to execute Coppa’s pasta dishes.
It’s an amazing feat when people can work shoulder to shoulder and not lose their cool. But that’s exactly what the staff at Coppa manages to do. “Yes, there are challenges to working in this kitchen. It is so small that often times there is a literal case of ’too many cooks in the kitchen,’ as they are jockeying for prep space and burners on the stove,” says GM Mary Edes. “The key is a lot of teamwork and common sense, along with being okay with losing your personal space bubble.” Watch the team in action ahead.
Continue reading “Rush Hour: Manning the Kitchen at Coppa” »
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Tucked away within a Mission Hill convenience store, Al's Deli produces subs that are the real deal.
Welcome to Man Food, where burger pro Richard Chudy steps away from his usual beat to explore food challenges, street eats, and other gut-busting delights. Ladies are welcome, of course.
 A peek inside Wan Convenience store, a secret sandwich haven located in Mission Hill. All photos by Katie Barszcz.
Mission Hill’s Wan Convenience store is an odd little creature; sure, you can pick up a selection of Goya products, potato chips and bottles of paprika that have probably sat on the dusty shelves for years, but you can also come in for a fine variety of sandwiches and subs, which come out of Al’s Deli, which is located inside. It’s a little chaotic as owner Al mans the griddle and chats up a diverse blend of regulars, students, and overwhelmed newbies who think they might be in the wrong place. But look beyond the graffiti walls and cigarette signs, and allow the aroma of crispy caramelized meats to distract you while you eagerly await the sandwich to come. Continue reading “Man Food: The Deathwich at Al’s Deli/Wan Convenience Store” »
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