Need help choosing where to go for Restaurant Week? Look no further.
 Market's ice cream sundae with salted caramel ice cream and popcorn. (Photo courtesy of Market)
Restaurant Week is around the corner, meaning that for two whole weeks (March 18-23 and 25-30), you can try out some of Boston’s best (and priciest) restaurants at a discounted price: lunches go for $20.12, while dinners are priced at $33.12. We scoured the list of participating restaurants to find spots with the most appealing menus; as of press time, the restaurants below still have reservations — albeit some at off-peak times — available. —Jon Cheng
Clink: Chef Joseph Margate may have lost out to Will Kovel in the regional Food & Wine’s “People’s Best New Chef” contest, but he’s still bringing the goods with his RW menu, which features dishes like a salad of sweet Maine shrimp with aji panca and grapefruit and pork chops with red lentils, black kale, and tamarind. End the meal on a sweet and salty note with a pineapple tarte tatin with caramelized bacon ice-cream. 215 Charles St., Boston. 617-224-4004, libertyhotel.com. Continue reading “Where to Eat for Restaurant Week” »
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Your guide to everything from pop-up whiskey tastings to an underground supper club.
 Chef Marc Sheehan plates a dish at a recent Brasstacks event, which you can read about below. (Photo by Rob Strong) When it comes to dining out in Boston, there’s no shortage of fantastic restaurants to visit. Those looking to mix it up a bit more, however, can seek out opportunities for clandestine, under-the-radar eats. From whiskey tastings to vegan Cuban fare, here’s where to seek out local limited-edition dining experiences.
Barrio:
Wheeler de Toro, a noted pop-up restauranteur and vegan ice cream maker, is at it again; according to Eater Boston, Barrio, a pop-up event featuring Afro-Cuban street food, is scheduled for an event on Thursday, March 8th at 8:30 p.m. Some details remain in the dark (like the location), but don’t miss the chance to try some Cuban food — especially since this event also will showcase the talents of Neptune Oyster chef Michael Serpa. Purchase tickets by emailing rayna.verbeck@gmail.com, Thu Mar 8, 8:30 p.m., location to be announced. Continue reading “Find Pop-Ups and Limited-Edition Dining in Boston” »
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Wine-tasting dinner at Beacon Hill Bistro, a burrito-rolling competition, and more.
From wine tastings to BBQ, here’s what to add to your food agenda for the upcoming week. —Jon Cheng
Wine-Tasting Dinner Mondays at Beacon Hill Bistro. Explore exotic wine regions without having to leave the city limits at the Beacon Hill eatery, which will host four-course dinners paired with wines on select Mondays beginning on Feb 27. First up? “South by Southwest,” a tour of South France’s Languedoc/Roussillon region, Rhone Valley, and the Spanish Border, followed by an overview of Burgundy’s Pinot Noir on March 12. $60, plus tax and tip, reservations required. 25 Charles St., Boston, 617-723-7575, beaconhillhotel.com/bistro.
Six-year anniversary at Lineage restaurant. The Brookline restaurant, known for its farm-to-table New American fare, will celebrate its sixth anniversary on February 28. For this festive event, owner Jeremy Sewall (who also runs the kitchens at Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar) will bring in a star-studded team of chef pals to prepare some hors d’oeuvres. Expect to see and mingle with familiar faces such as Jody Adams (Rialto), Chris Schlesinger (East Coast Grill) and Michael Schlow (Radius). There will also be complimentary beer, wine, and freshly-shucked oysters, courtesy of Island Creek Oysters. $65, 242 Harvard St., Brookline, RSVP at 617-232-0065, lineagerestaurant.com Continue reading “Edible Events: February 27-March 5” »
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This year's event promises major talent including Barbara Lynch and Tim Cushman.
 Last year's winner, Matt Jennings (left) plates chicharrons with chorizo pop rocks. March 25 marks the fourth annual porkfest known as Cochon 555, a roving national event that pits five local chefs against one another in breaking down and preparing an entire heritage breed pig (the winner moves on to a national event).
Boston’s competition has been dominated over the past three years by Providence toque Matt Jennings of Farmstead and La Laiterie, but this year he will be leading a wine tasting at the event instead, which is good news for this year’s lineup of bigwigs Continue reading “Meet the Contenders for the Fourth Annual Cochon 555” »
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Haven't booked a dinner ressie? A round-up of options that still have availability.
 Play your cards right, and this could be you. (Photo via ThinkStock.) As Valentine’s Day is fast approaching (note: it’s tomorrow, for all of you slackers out there), it’s time to book a dinner reservation if you haven’t already. Whatever your mood, we’ve got you covered with options that still have availability (as of post time). — Jon Cheng
Spiced-up French at Market. Diners can look forward to a five-course menu (with two selections for each course), that makes use of local and exotic ingredients. A prelude of black pepper crab fritter is paired with sweet pear and endive, while the following course’s tuna tartare with avocado comes topped with crisp spicy radish and a broth of ginger, yuzu, and sriracha chili oil. Slowly cooked salmon, a more traditional option, is paired with sugar snap peas, mashed potatoes, and truffle vinaigrette. Round off the meal with with a house-made rose macaroon, decorated with raspberries and rose petals. $55 ($45 extra for wine-pairing), 100 Stuart St. (W Hotel), Boston, 617-261-872, marketbyjgboston.com. Continue reading “Edible Events: Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Edition” »
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The Travel Channel star will serve as an entrepreneur-in-residence for students.
 Andrew Zimmern spoke to a crowd of students on Monday afternoon. (Photo by Justin Knight.)
While Travel Channel personality Andrew Zimmern is known for dining on roasted raccoon and insects aplenty, the Bizarre Foods host also has an agenda when it comes to raising social awareness about food. The most recent example of this is his new collaboration with Wellesley-based Babson College, a school known for its entrepreneurial prowess. Zimmern will serve as entrepreneur-in-residence and work directly with the school’s Lewis Institute Social Innovation Lab plus the Lab’s ‘Food Sol,’ an ‘action tank’ that’s focused on food-related innovation.
To kick off the collaboration, Zimmern visited the college on Monday afternoon to give a talk in front of several hundred students and faculty. Per The Herald, he used the talk as an opportunity to encourage students to interact more with faculty, and also take the time to travel.
Prior to the lecture, I chatted with Zimmern on the phone to learn about his new responsibilities as entrepreneur-in-residence at the business school, and I was encouraged to learn that he’ll be serving as more than a mere famous figurehead. Continue reading “Andrew Zimmern Dishes on His New Collaboration with Babson College” »
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Learn more about the roasty brown lager, and find out where to try it tonight.
 Behold the new label for Lovely Saint Winefride, which debuts today. (All art courtesy of Pretty Things)
Somerville’s omnipresent gypsy brewers Pretty Things are adding a new beer to their roster today: St. Winifrede. The roasty brown lager (which owners Dann and Martha Paquette suspect is the only brown lager on the market) was named after a Welsh lass whose spurned suitor chopped her head off back in the 7th century. Legend has it that after Winifrede’s uncle managed to put her dome piece back onto her body, she came back to life. Huzzah! Continue reading “What’s Brewing: Pretty Things Launches St. Winifrede” »
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Where to find a dozen takeout hot dogs, one-pound burgers, and triple-sized burritos for the big day.
 The one-pound "Giant Killer" burger at Russell House Tavern. (Photo courtesy of RHT.) On Sunday, the New England Patriots will face off against the New York Giants — use our handy guide to ensure that you celebrate (or stress eat) alongside a stack of gourmet chili dogs or a one-pound burger. Continue reading “Edible Events: Super Bowl Sunday Edition” »
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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. Continue reading “Foumami Debuts a Chinese New Year Sandwich” »
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 Louis DiBiccari goes to town on a hunk of porchetta. (Photo courtesy of Chef Louie Night) Chef Louis DiBiccari, currently at the helm of Storyville in Back Bay (and formerly in charge of the kitchen at Sel de la Terre), just announced the latest installment in his recurring pop-up Iron Chef-meets-Kitchen Impossible dinner event Chef Louie Night, to take place on January 7 at the Boston Center for Adult Education. Continue reading “At the Next Chef Louie Night, Get a Lesson in Anatomy” »
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