With the seemingly endless construction and congestion and noise in the Seaport, it can be difficult to remember your own name, let alone find others who make the effort.

Leave it to legendary restaurateur Tom Kershaw to provide not one, but TWO places in the neighborhood where you are always welcome and where you can feel like you belong.

Building upon the success of his 75 on Liberty Wharf, the man behind the real Cheers has recently duplicated the classy but friendly vibe and delicious food of that venue (and his others in Back Bay and Beacon Hill) at 75 on Courthouse Square (http://75oncourthousesquare.com).

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While most people in Boston look north when they seek amazing and authentic pizza and pasta, there is now reason to look in a new direction.

Just off Route 9 in Framingham (and also further west in Worcester) is Volturno (http://volturnopizza.com).

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Though the view from the tall windows is of the parking lot and, beyond that, the traffic disaster that is Needham Street, District 118 is a pelasant place to pull over and also very much worth a trip (especially compared to many of the faster-food places nearby). And once inside, it is easy to forget the mess that lies just beyond Gardner Mattress.

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All-Natural Aquaponic Lawns, Gardens & Vertical Gardens

Logan Lyons and Caleb Warnock

Familius

As more and more consumers become more and more concerned with what they put into their bodies (as well they should be!), more and more of them are trying to grow more and more of what they put into their bodies on their own. And while lack of knowledge and lack of space can be valid reasons to go gently into this hyper-locally sourced venture, there is more and more advice out there for the would-be self-producing consumer.

As part of Familius’ Backyard Renaissance collection self-sufficiency experts Logan Lyons and Caleb Warnock have put together a handy and unitimidatingly slim guide to growing a lot of food in not a lot of space by allowing and encouraging various species of plant and animal (in this case, fish) to yield maximal benefit for both and also for the farmers.

From setting up your space and irrigation system to choosing everything from soil and seeds to fish and filters, Lyons and Warnock use their own stories and experience to reassure new farmers every step of the way.

(www.familuas.com)

Though he was raised in Philadelphia, two-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Alon Shaya made much of his name in New Orleans as the head of Pomegranate Hospitality. According t his latest book, however, he traces much of his culinary and cultural roots back to The Jewish State.

In this new book, Shaya not only shares his recipes, bur also his moving personal story of survival and discovery. Much like his people, Shaya has had to face many challenges (and not just running out of charoset on Pesach!) and has emerged even stronger. His story inspires and enriches inside and out, as do the creations and gorgeous food-tography that enhance it.

As he is aware of life’s ups and downs and lack of consistency, Shaya’s book is not organized in the traditional appetizer-mains-dessert way, Instead, the delicious and satisfying tale follows its own path, from place to place and flavor to flavor. In this way, the book serves not only as a culinary inspiration but as a philosophical and geographical guidebook that rewards continued and repeated investigation.

www.pomhospitality.com

Central Square is known for its cultural diversity and this has long been reflected in the food scene. From Chinese and Irish to Indian and Tibetan, if you long or a taste of home, this is the square to get it.

Recently, a new home has been established by the husband and wife team of Chris and Pam Willis and it brings all of their combined culinary and hospitality experience in way that will make your family feel right at home too!

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Though I try to be on top of the scene and have apparently inspired other writers and reviewers in town to check out many of the places and products that we have been loving for some time, it appears that I may have made a few moves prematurely.

Thanks to my growing twins, I had to leave Southie just as the food boom was settling in. And while I do not get back as often as I like, I am loving what has developed there.

My latest discovery is Fat Baby, which is in the Dorchester Street spot that used to be Salsa’s Mexican and that is now run by Loco Taqueria’s Mike Shaw.

With its dark woods and dim lighting (and, I am happy to say, NO flatscreens), Fat Baby is a great place to focus on good friends and good food. Centered around a copper-topped rectangular bar that dispenses delicious Mai Tais and Singapore Slings and more original creations like the 8PM Taco (as well as customizable mocktails like a tasty tea and ginger beer creation I enjoyed on my first visit), the dinner-only restaurant allows floor to ceiling windows on Southie’s growing bustle and a peek into Chef Danielle Dorcil’s wonderful workshop, from which emerges sweet and melty Korean fried chicken, richly satisfying crispy rice cakes with tuna and ponzu, a shaved brussel sprout salad that brings the healthy with almonds and ginger, and a sushi list that can be ordered from the menu or on a handy a la carte sushi card that encourages experimentation and offers 15- and 30-piece chef’s choice combos as well. No matter what you order for apps and mains, be sure to ask about the off-menu desserts and do not be shy about overordering as the helpful staff is happy to box stuff up while you eat so you can try more (which I highly recommend).

So while I miss Southie, I am happy to say that there are many reasons to go back, including one scale-tipping toddler that makes everyone smile.

www.fatbabysouthboston.com

Central Square is known for its cultural diversity and this has long been reflected in the food scene. From Chinese and Irish to Indian and Tibetan, if you long or a taste of home, this is the square to get it.

Recently, a new home has been established by the husband and wife team of Chris and Pam Willis and it brings all of their combined culinary and hospitality experience in way that will make your family feel right at home too!

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Though Lanes & Games and Sacco’s in Davis Square may be memories, bowling seems to be making a resurgence in the land of the candlepin. For proof, look no further than the burgeoning development Boston Landing, home of WGBH, New Balance, the Bruins, Celtics, and the biggest hockey stick this side of Paul Bunyan, which is now also the home of the latest Flatbread Company. pizzeria (www.flatbreadcompany.com), an organic eatery with many locations that also features bowing in the Brighton base.

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Every day, thousands of people pass under the two lone buildings that tunnel the Mass Turnpike. One is a supermarket; the other a hotel. And while the former may have more options, the latter is surely a more pleasant place to dine, especially now that Chef Justin Rexroad has come to town!

A finalist in the recent Culinary Fight Club event that took place at another deservedly popular hotel restaurant (i.e., Bokx 109 a the Hotel Indigo), Chef Rexroad is now commuting from Portsmouth, NH (home of the locally legendary Clipper Tavern) to Newton to bring a new flavor and vibe to Social Restaurant and Bar (www.socialrestaurantandbar.com), the dining establishment that is tucked into the Crown Plaza Hotel in Newton. In so doing, he has transformed the room service kitchen into a place worth driving too, even if it means enduring the backup on Exit 17!

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