Boston for a day, what to do?

[playoutside]

Personally, I think Fire & Ice is over rated. Probably not an opinion shared by most.

x10
And it's kind of gross IMO. Lots of people touching my food before I get to it. People aren't careful with the utensils when they select the meat for their plate. They toss the tongs back into the raw meat and then you come along and grab the tongs. GROSS. You also smell like the food when you leave there since the cooking station is right in the middle of the restaurant.

I second the vote for a visit to Ana's Tacqueria. By far the best cheap eats in the Boston area. I love their carnitas burrrito.

Agree with DHS about Butcher Shop and Hammersley being great choices if $ is no object. I'd give a slight edge to Hammersley.

 

[ctenidae]

Downtown: Lobby for dinner (absolute best fires in town. Awesome food. Truly a little-known gem), then cross the street and go to The Littlest Bar (redux, adn not so little, but still) for a pint or six of whatever Unibroue beer they have on tap. Umbria is really good, too, but more upscale.

Coolidge Corner: Mr Sushi for the best sushi in town (combo quality/quantity/price), then hike up the street to the Publik House for a great beer selection

South End: Butchershop is great, Nightengale is pretty good (if a little fruity), Delux Cafe is a neighborhood standout (cash only, slow service, could be a wait, but food is great and the decor is fun - Christmas lights up all year round, nothing but Cartoon Network on the TV. Ever)

North End: Have a large pie at Il Panino Express, then cross the street and wander down Richmond Street to Salumeria Italiana for the best meats and cheeses and olives and deli. Modern Pastry is better than Mikes, but both are, in my opinion, oversold. See who is at teh Improv Asylum. Good stuff there.

Second on the Maparium- really cool. Walk the Esplanade, Trinity Church is neat, if you like taking risks walk over the Longfellow Bridge on your way to the MIT museum. Make fun of skate rats in Harvard Square. Boston Public Library is pretty cool to wander around in. Xino Dollar Sushi (Xino Express, now, I think) on Newbury is good quick sushi.

Avoid: Fanueil Hall, Duck Tours, Trolley Tours, Newbury Street.

 

[ctenidae]

Avoid Tremont 647, although if you've watched this season of hell's kitchen you already know.

That, and the food sucks.

Third on the dislike of Fire & Ice

 

[abc]

Wow! Thanks guys.

That's good enough for the next 10 trips! I might have to go up there even when there's no work!

 

[dmc]

Go to NYC.....

 

[snowmonster]

Concur on Modern over Mike's. Bova's is good too. If it's a Saturday and want to have a cannoli and feel like an Italian sports guy, go to Caffe de lo Sporto. Watch Serie A soccer and yell at the TV like the locals.

Just to expand on the ethnic food theme:

Persian: Lala Rokh on Beacon Hill

Korean: Koreana on Prospect St.

Thai: Rod Dee on Beacon St. (takeout but very good), Brown Sugar on Comm Ave (more upscale but also very good)

Chinese (real stuff but not in Chinatown): Victoria Seafood Restaurant on Comm Ave

Chinese/Polynesian (fake Chinese food): Kowloon in Saugus (Saugus wings)

Malaysian/Singaporean: Penang (Chinatown)

Indian: My Indian friends say that there is no good Indian restaurant in Boston. But, I think Tamarind Bay (Harvard Sq.) and India Quality (Kenmore) are good.

If you're eating on the company tab and just want to blow your budget, go to Locke Ober and order the Lobster Savannah. They may never send you on another business trip out of envy.

 

[midd]

That, and the food sucks.

Third on the dislike of Fire & Ice

I agree, I've found tremont 647 to max out at "meh" on the cuisine meter. this was before the magic of television portrayed the owner as a bumbling idiot.

 

[ctenidae]

I agree, I've found tremont 647 to max out at "meh" on the cuisine meter. this was before the magic of television portrayed the owner as a bumbling idiot.

There are a lot of places that end up getting a solid "meh" from me. Hammersley's, Aquitaine, Stephanie's, Houston's. Not a fan of hype over substance. Most are good, but not great, or, generally, worth another visit.

Add another "good one" to the list- The BeeHive, near Hammersley's. Funky, cool, can get crowded and loud.

 

[wa-loaf]

Or a good off-road loop that's worth 2-3 hours?

Have Austin take you for a tour of Lynn Woods!

 

[wa-loaf]

Have Austin take you for a tour of Lynn Woods!

For reference: http://forums.alpinezone.com/60365-lynn-woods-8-2-09-a.html

 

[deadheadskier]

There are a lot of places that end up getting a solid "meh" from me. Hammersley's, Aquitaine, Stephanie's, Houston's. Not a fan of hype over substance. Most are good, but not great, or, generally, worth another visit.

Add another "good one" to the list- The BeeHive, near Hammersley's. Funky, cool, can get crowded and loud.

My take on Hammersley's is that it's consistent classic preparations. It's nothing that will blow you way, but if you're looking for the best simply roasted chicken you'll ever have, Gordon delivers.

Beehive is pretty cool. Only been for Brunch and had great poutine there. I have not been to Aquitaine in the South End, but I hear the one in Chestnut Hill is better. Gaslight and Union I'm told are pretty good from that restaurant group as well.

 

[ctenidae]

My take on Hammersley's is that it's consistent classic preparations. It's nothing that will blow you way, but if you're looking for the best simply roasted chicken you'll ever have, Gordon delivers.

Beehive is pretty cool. Only been for Brunch and had great poutine there. I have not been to Aquitaine in the South End, but I hear the one in Chestnut Hill is better. Gaslight and Union I'm told are pretty good from that restaurant group as well.

I did have good chicken at Hammersley's, which is something I normally don't order because it's so often boring or overcooked.

My wife has been to Gaslight, adn gave it a "meh". Or, in her rating system, a C+

 

[abc]

If you're eating on the company tab and just want to blow your budget, go to Locke Ober and order the Lobster Savannah. They may never send you on another business trip out of envy.

Or out of budget.

Good food don't always scale with price. Though a generous budget allowes more choices. Not interested in blowing the client's budget. Just enough to slurge a little that I otherwise couldn't justify.

For reference: Lynn Woods 8-2-09

This is sounding even better! Good food, work it off with a bit of riding (or walking if the weather so dictates)!

 

[billski]

This is sounding even better! Good food, work it off with a bit of riding (or walking if the weather so dictates)!

with all the good secrets now disclosed, a
trip report is mandatory!!! 8)

 

[abc]

with all the good secrets now disclosed, a
trip report is mandatory!!! 8)

It'll be a bit of a wait. I'm not due to go till mid-October!

 

[4aprice]

I'm going to be in Boston the first weekend of October for a wedding so this has been an interesting thread to me. Some of our time up there will be spent looking at the campuses of BC, BU and Northeastern. If my daughter likes what she sees we will arrange for more in depth tours and interviews in the spring.

The other thing I want to do if its nice Sunday would be to walk the Freedom Trail. Do they still have the trail marked and approximately how long would it take? I did it as a kid but my wife and kids have not. Also anyone know where I can get good information on it?

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[snowmonster]

^ Let me know when you're at BU. Ask them to show you StuVi2.

Freedom Trail is still a top drawer here. You can probably do the Boston Common to Copp's Hill leg in half a day. If you decide to cross the river into Charlestown (USS Constitution and Bunker Hill), that's another half-day.

 

[playoutside]

I'm going to be in Boston the first weekend of October for a wedding so this has been an interesting thread to me. Some of our time up there will be spent looking at the campuses of BC, BU and Northeastern. If my daughter likes what she sees we will arrange for more in depth tours and interviews in the spring.

I'd recommend doing a real tour if you can fit it in. I did the Boston colleges tour 2 yrs ago with a friend and her daughter. Started with a formal tour of BU. I'm an alum of BU and I was truly impressed by the tour. The new athletic complex is amazing! They hadn't scheduled tours of BC/Brandeis/Bentley/Harvard, so we did drive throughs and walked around. While the daughter liked the looks of them, she wasn't hooked like she was at BU. Wasn't a level playing field to compare what she had learned about each school from this limited tour. I'd also expect most kids to be unimpressed with the city looks of BU and Northeastern...both have a lot to offer, but the campuses are urban and not what most people expect.


RE the Freedom Trail...still there and still interesting, but bring your best walking shoes. If you try to do the whole thing it's a full day of a lot of walking.

 

[billski]

He stated that he has done all the traditional tourist stuff.

 

[HD333]

If it is nice weather walk down Newbury Street between 12-3 if you can. Nice sights.

Grab lunch at Deluca's Market (nothing fancy) and sit outside watch the sights walk by.

Watch a Sox game at or near Fenway, Good places to watch if not in the park are the Baseball Tavern, or the Cask, even Beerworks. Hit Buikowski's after up by Mass Ave, very eclectic and great Mirco selection.

Real Eating -

North End. Assagio on Prince Street. or Gacimo's (sp) on Hanover, cash only however. Skips Mike's Pastery and go to Modern.

If in Fanual Hall have some Oysters at the Union Oyster House, downstairs. And for beers hit the Green Dragon.

Chinatown - East Ocean City.

German - Jacob Wirths in the Theatre District.

Steak - Hands down Grill 23 in Back Bay

Seafood - The No Name on Northern Ave or maybe it is Fish Peir I forget the street- Try to hit up the Harpoon Brewery while down that way, they do tours in the afternoon early PM. If in that area find Lucky's Lounge.

Oh and the Duck Tours are not really that bad, we did one this summer for a function and I enjoyed it even being a local.

Have Fun.

HD