It was flattering…at first. Absolut chose Boston as the third city in its Absolut Cities campaign (following New Orleans and L.A.), using it as the inspiration for a new flavored vodka. But then it was unveiled in August, its label paying homage to Fenway’s Green Monster (yawn) and its black tea and elderflower flavor summoning memories of a party thrown in 1773. The reviews of the Boston-inspired booze weren’t great, either. (Said Grub Street‘s Leila Cohan: “It’s very strange, and frankly, as we found out when we got our hands on a sample bottle and had a little taste test with some folks around the office, so is the vodka’s flavor.”
But what do the drinkers think? READ MORE
For a chef coming on board at an existing restaurant, injecting one’s personal style into a restaurant while still keeping the heart of the operation can be a tricky business. But by maintaining the South American-French fusion concept while adding a few twists (like a raw bar) to J.P. favorite Bon Savor, it seems that Marco Suarez, formerly executive chef at Eastern Standard, might have done the near impossible.
When we’re in the Back Bay and looking for a place to chow down, the Boston Public Library doesn’t really jump to mind. This past spring, however, The Catered Affair took over culinary operations for the library’s two restaurants. The more-casual MapRoom Cafe offers quick breakfasts and sandwiches to-go from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and its formal restaurant, The Courtyard, offers lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and tea service ($20 per person) Wednesday through Friday from 2-4 p.m.
We consulted our apple-loving sources to bring you some of our favorite places for pick-your-own. Do you have a favorite place to go? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Not too long ago, Chowder had a hamburger. Not just any hamburger, mind you. This one had been put through a deep-fryer, the thick batter on the outside puffy and crisp, the meat inside thin and tough as leather. Our arteries—and our taste buds—were thankful we left some on the plate.
Kids have it easy. Do they worry about the recession? Global warming? Baseball players running for office? Nope. It’s no wonder, then, that the foods we used to see in our school lunch boxes are popping up on area menus—a throwback to the days when dodgeball and recess were our two biggest concerns. 
Even though it’s September, it’s still summer. This week is all about making the most of the short time left by being outdoors as much as possible, eating as much as possible. Here are some ways to satisfy what’s left of the season.
Dining out as frequently as we do—for me, it’s three to five nights a week—it’s inevitable that my fellow staffers and I eat our share of 
