The tacos here are great in theory, but not so great in execution.
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.
 The pescado taco at El Pelon. (Photo by Katie Barszcz.)
After being decimated by a fire in 2009, the Fenway’s popular El Pelon Taqueria finally reopened the doors of its rebuilt Peterborough Street location in November. It’s a small space, with walls filled with pictures of satisfied and loyal customers from all over the world. On a recent lunchtime visit, the crowd was a bustling cross section of hungry students, young professionals, and locals crammed into the mostly take-out operation.
A fairly traditional Mexican menu is available here, with a ubiquitous variety of burritos, tacos and enchiladas. Catching my eye were the pescado tacos — cornmeal-crusted cod tacos topped with chile mayo, limed onions, pickled cabbage, and cucumbers. READ MORE
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Find pricey steak frites, upscale tater tots at the forthcoming Euro-themed dining spot.
 That'll be EIGHT for tater tots, please. (Photo courtesy of Brand X Pictures/ThinkStock) Late last month, Stuff alerted us to the opening of GEM, the latest eatery/lounge hybrid from Big Night Entertainment Group, the group behind high-end party palaces like Shrine at the MGM in Foxwoods, The Estate downtown, and most recently Red Lantern in Back Bay.
In the latest issue of The Improper, a few more details emerged: the space, located in the former Kennedy’s Midtown on Province Street, will seat a mere 35 diners (small by BNEG standards) and sport a 1940s European vibe complete with textures like dark leather and mohair (fuzzy walls, again?).
I recently got a hold of a copy of the opening menu, which you can check out ahead. READ MORE
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The logos that didn't make the cut for these Oat clients.
Welcome to Behind the Design, a series where local blogger Charlotte Wilder explores the thought behind the design of restaurants. Because, after all, the visuals are just as important as the food in the dining experience.
Last week, I wrote about the inspiration boards that Oat Creative Director Jennifer Lucey-Brzoza put together for Island Creek Oyster Bar and Saloon. This week, check out some unused logo prototypes Lucey-Brzoza came up for clients Bondir and Trina’s Starlight Lounge. “There’s all this work we do that never gets seen — the final product is all that makes it out,” says Lucey-Brzoza. Ahead, learn about the thought process behind these logos, and why the ones that didn’t get picked, well, didn’t get picked.
Bondir:
When chef/owner Jason Bond came to Lucey-Brzoza for branding and design, he already knew the restaurant would be called Bondir, the verb for “to jump” in French. “I started thinking of jumping, and then a rabbit, which fit perfectly into French cuisine,” says Lucey-Brzoza. READ MORE
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The Fenway eatery just extended its popular whole pig roasts to Sunday brunch.
 There's nothing like chasing a hangover with some pig parts. (Photo courtesy of Citizen Pub/Facebook) It’s been a great time for brunchers in Boston lately. First Area Four debuted brunch this past weekend, and now The Citizen Pub in Fenway is extending its popular whole suckling pig roasts to Sunday brunch for diners with a massive appetite—or dire hangover. READ MORE
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Owner Michael Wang shares details his new New Year-inspired sandwich at Foumami and his favorite Chinese New Year eats.
 The new spicy La Long pork sandwich and Longan melon soda will be available at Foumami for the next 15 days. (Photo courtesy of Foumami.) Today marks the official start of the Chinese New Year, a 15-day celebration that’s the most important holiday of the year for those of Chinese descent. This year is the “Year of the Dragon,” and in honor of the occasion, Asian-inspired downtown sandwich shop Foumami will debut a Chinese New Year-themed sandwich today called the La Long, which is Chinese for “spicy dragon.”
I recently chatted with Michael Wang, Foumami’s owner, in order to get more details on the new spicy sandwich, and find out how he celebrates the New Year on his own time. READ MORE
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Richard Chudy tackles the food of his homeland.
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.
 Café Polonia pierogi porn. Photo by Katie Barszcz.
As the son of a Polish immigrant, my expectations when it comes to quality pierogi, half-moon shaped stuffed dumplings, are exceptionally high. It doesn’t hurt that my girlfriend, who also has Polish roots, makes one hell of a pierogi herself. In order to see if anyone else could perfect this traditional Polish dish, I ventured into Café Polonia in Southie with my father and girlfriend in tow. READ MORE
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Get a look at the still-under-construction space.
The blueprint for Moksa, slated to open mid-next month. All photos by Leah Mennies.
Earlier this month, I showed you a preview of Patricia Yeo’s menu for Moksa, her highly anticipated izakaya in Central Square. Though the concept was originally slated to open in December, it’s now been pushed back to the middle of next month.
“This has been the longest gestation ever,” Yeo told me yesterday, when I visited her in the still-rough space for a preview of the massive 8,500 square ft (!!) space. So while you may not be able to sample Yeo’s small plates and skewers for a few more weeks, you can learn about Moksa’s separate night club, “restaurant within the restaurant,” and bristled walls ahead. READ MORE
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What resident beer geek Anne Vickman has been tippling in the past week.
 Image courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery. The snow may not be falling, but it’s winter all the same, which means it’s perfect weather for sipping porters, stouts, IPAs, and more. Ahead, find a few I’ve quaffed recently.
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
ABV: 10 percent
According to Garrett Oliver’s Oxford Companion to Beer, the U.S. produces more imperial stout than any other country. Little surprise, then, that Oliver’s Brooklyn Brewery makes this standout version every season. The Black Chocolate Stout is low in carbonation with a smooth, lightly hopped dark chocolate bitterness and a hint of light, roasted malts. If my fireplace wasn’t broken, I’d be spending all my free time drinking this beer in front of a crackling pyre with a pint of Batch‘s salted caramel ice cream. READ MORE
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Now you can spend weekend mornings with biscuits, gravy, and booze.
 Starting Saturday, find cinnamon buns, breakfast sammies and muffins at Area Four. Photos courtesy of Marlo
Starting this Saturday, Cambridge hangout Area Four will start serving weekend brunch from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. The idea of brunch is a great fit for the coffee shop/restaurant hybrid, as the new menu promises a mix of wood oven-fired savory fare (baked eggs, oven-roasted pancakes, egg-topped pizzas) and sweet pastries (pecan rolls, doughnut muffins, house-made everything bagels).
And as for that cult-fave breakfast sandwich? Fear not, it’s on the menu too—and since it’s brunch, this means that you get to have it with a side of booze, thanks to new cocktails like a spicy clam juice-spiked Bloody Mary called the Red Tide. Get a look at the whole thing ahead. READ MORE
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The designer behind some of Boston's hottest restaurants lets us into her studio.
 Jennifer Lucey-Brzoza, Oat’s Creative Director, at work at her Somerville office — on her computer are unused logos for pizza haven Posto, one of her clients. All photos by Charlotte Wilder.
The offices of Oat, the design firm that Jennifer Lucey-Brzoza and Rory Keohane own together, resembles a fine piece of unused stationary: the space, which was once a barber shop, is mostly white, and the only furniture is a window seat and evenly placed desks. It’s the blank slate in which Lucey-Brzoza and her team brand many of the top restaurants in Boston. READ MORE
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