With its combination of high-end quality and neighborhood comfort, Michael Schlow’s Alta Strada (www.altastrada-wellesley.com) is the perfect spot for the high-end neighborhood of Wellesley Center.
Restaurants
Eat. Shop. Love.: Come “sea” the world at Mario and Lidia’s place (Originally posted 12/31)
While Boston may be late to the dance (surprise!), the Hub of the universe became the hub of the food world for a moment when uber-chefs Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich came to town with their international retinue to open the latest Eataly restaurant/marketplace (www.eataly.com/us_en/stores/boston) in what used to be the entire Prudential Center food court.
Coming Back Home: Jacky Robert’s “Ma Maison” offers all his expertise in a comfy corner (Originally posted 12/16)
Before there was Todd and Lidia and Michael and Ken, and the rest of Boston’s “name” chefs, there was Jacky Robert.
Having moved from France to Boston to help his uncle open the world famous Maison Robert, the do-founder of the charitable organization On Board for Kids (www.onboardforkids.org) served everyone from Julia Child to the Kennedys with his signature combination of French class and Boston charm. After a stint in San Francisco, where he helped revive that city’s food scene, the 2010 “Chef the Year” of the Maitres Cuisine de France (one of only 200 of the group’s members in the world) returned to his adopted home to take Maison Robert to new heights before heading over the equally legendary Locke Ober where he served as Chef de Cuisine and then spreading throughout the Hub with his popular group of Petit Robert Bistros.
Do Drop Inn…Again and Again: Cozy Sherborn eatery/food store/inn worth the tripS (Originally posted 9/16)
As anyone who has eaten in the Greater Boston area knows, restaurants come and restaurants go.
That is why a place like La Morra in Brookline is such a wonder. After all, how many husband-and-wife teams can run an authentic Italian urban eatery for almost 15 years, survive a fire and come back to win regional and national awards, and still take the time to take their devoted fans on wine and food tours of Italy?
The answer is Jen and Josh Ziskin.
And while their many devoted fans in the Boston area love them dearly and consider the Ziskins family (as the Ziskins do their guests), they were thrilled to hear that the Ziskins had bought an historic inn in rural Sherborn with the idea of doubling their family-friendly family empire.
The result is the warm and welcoming Heritage of Sherborn (www.heritageofsherborn.com), a combination pub/dining room/event space/inn that also offers its own provision shop and other attractive amenities that make it a worthy destination for repeated visits from near or far.
Classic and Classy: Casey’s Diner in Natick keeps it real good (Originally posted 10/16)
As the Boston market continues to expand, hip eateries continue to pop up in the burbs (see recent issues). And while this can be fun for a foodie (or food writer), sometimes, you just want to go where the menu is simple, the food is real, and the people are just your kind.
Thank goodness for the historic Natick eatery that is Casey’s Diner (www.caseysdiner.com)!
Different Stripes. Same GREAT Vibe: Zebra’s becomes Nosh & Grog…and somehow gets better! (Originally posted 8/16)
What do you do when your restaurant is one of the most popular in the area for years?
Close it up after its most successful year ever and open it again weeks later with an entirely new concept, of course!
Such is the story of the new Nosh & Grog in Medfield (www.noshandgrog.com), which was until recently the already amazing Zebra’s Bistro and Wine Bar in Medfield.
Loco for Local: Los Amigos is (or SHOULD be) your friendly neighborhood taco place (Originally posted 8/16)
While Boston may not be known for its authentic Mexican (Jose’s and Sol Azteca being the notable exceptions), we got it in spades when it comes to tacos and burritos. However, Chiplotle is still a toxic trap and even the BOston LOcal COmpanIes may not have the freshest ingredients or most personal service.
Enter Babson entrepreneur Dan Ustayev and his growing empire of Los Amigos Taquerias (www.amigosbutrritos.com).
Good Things Come… : Little Big Diner worth the wait (Originally posted 8/16)
I had seen the signs for months, but the paper covering the walls made it impossible to see what was really coming.
At last, I had the chance to try Little Big Diner in Newton Center (www.littlebigdiner.com).
Burton’s Brings the Heat: Red Heat Tavern gets favored chain smokin’ (Originally posted 7/16)
While Burton’s Grill continues to heat things up all up and down the East Coast, many customers have apparently been asking them to turn up the heat a bit more.
The result is the two-venue trial balloon of Red Heat Tavern (http://redheattavern.com).
Truly the Best : Wellesley yogurt shop is family and community staple (Originally posted 7/16)
It seems that everywhere you go these days, there is some store that combines a color and fruit for a name and offers machine-made, high-fructose frozen yogurt with a salad bar’s worth of toppings that are intended to cover up the main product visually and olfactoriialy.
Fortunately, the folks in Wellesley and its neighboring towns have had a better alternative for nearly a quarter of a century. The family-owned and operated shop known appropriately as Truly Yogurt (http://trulyyogurt.com) has been delivering just that for 24 years. No wonder proprietor Gary Goldman has become somewhat of a local celeb and the place wins awards regionally and statewide!