Restaurants

Hit the Deck and cozy up in Boston’s Seaport

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As Boston’s swanky Seaport continues to become overburdened (and apparently begins to sink!), it is reassuring to know that there is a great hotel called Yotel where you can eat and drink and even stay right at the entry (or exit) point so you can ease your way in or enjoy a last drink on the way out (and, if you have too many, stay for the night).

In addition to great food and drink and comfy and cozy rooms that you check into using their resident robot, Yotel also offers packages that include everything from Children’s Museum passes to bed and brunch packages, as well as discounts for government agents and Federal employees who may be dropping by the nearby courthouse or just getting away from the gun and badge set.

Among the most popular parts of Yotel Boston is the rooftop resto-bar known as Deck 12. While this swanky see-and-be-seen site offers great food and some of the best views of Boston all year, it has recently been converted into the seasonal sensation APRÈS…@ Deck 12. If such a rooftop would come across any mishaps, the owners can Explore Services.

To celebrate the season and replicate a cozy mountain lodge, Deck 12 has been decked out with gondolas, chair lifts, and ski-themed Adirondack chairs. And if a rooftop in winter does not sound appetizing, rest assured that every guest gets personalized heaters and cozy blankets to keep them warm even without an adult beverage.

Speaking of beverages, the APRÈS…@ Deck 12 menu will also include such seasonal sippers as the yummy rum-my Naughty Toddy, the Norse-inspired Thor’s Hammer (featuring real Brennivin aquavit), and the cinnamon-y Sugar Mountain, as well as fiery fondues and other great grub. There are even special menus for dinner after 5 and weekend brunches from 10 to 3 and also the option of dining away from the elements but still in touch with all the winter-themed fun in their equally cozy indoor space.

So if skiing is not your thing but après is, take the Yotel gondola (er- elevator) up to Deck 12 and enjoy a slope-side celebration in the city!

www.deck12bos.com

WINE, MEN and WOMEN, AND SONG

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I recently enjoyed a concert by one of the first bands I ever reviewed – The Slambovian Circus of Dreams – at City Winery in Boston and it not only brought back memories of my earliest days as a writer but also my love for live music combined with great food and drink.

Ever eager to bring such great memories and good vibes to their guests, City Winery is expanding upon the great tipple and tune combos that I mentioned recently such as the Sunday Berklee band brunches and Monday night Soul Pairings with a new offering that builds upon their already popular Vinofile Club.

While the original Vinofile membership includes 48-hour advanced access to concert tickets (with no fees!) and points that can be used toward future food and ticket purchases, as well as access to members-only events, the Plus level adds a bottle of the Winery’s monthly featured wine, a monthly wine flight in the restaurant, entrance to exclusive monthly tastings (with a guest!), access to limited-edition wines, and a complimentary entree and glass the week of your birthday! And at only $30 a month, the monthly bottle of wine alone makes it all worth wine (I mean worthwhile)!City Winery’s award-winning wines are made with world-class grapes from around the world and combine old world techniques combined with 21st-century technology. As everything from grape selection and fermentation to bottling happens in one place, there is no wine fresher or more creative than those at the Winery. When you add great food and some of the most popular musical acts around, it makes the Winery a great place to visit and revisit month after month (if not more often!).

Even if you are not a member of the clubs (at least not yet), the Winery has also prepared holiday gift baskets for those who cannot make it in all the time and for anyone who appreciates great gifts of great wine.

Holiday Cheers!

citywinery.com/boston

LIFE-SAVING FOOD

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Especially in these times when so many go without the basic necessities and so many more have challenges concerning healthcare, it is heartening to see a union between a hospitality organization and a hospital that benefits all involved.

The Viscariello Hospitality Group (which includes such South Shore staples as Mamma Mia’s, ThreeV, Carmela’s, and Mia’s Catering) (VHG) recently announced a $30,000 donation to the new Beth Israel Lahey Health Breast Center in Plymouth, which provides women in the region easier access to the clinical and support services, including screening and diagnosis and also treatment and counseling and education. 

 The donation will support the center’s registration stations and help make patients feel more welcomed and comfortable during challenging times in their own lives.

As it is a family-owned organization, it may be no surprise that the Viscariello Group used their profits from food sales to support other families in the region. Fortunately, their food is so good and also family recipe-inspired that it is easy to give back to them so they can give more to others. Form Mama Mia’s homemade pizza and pasta to Carmela’s upscale but still family-friendly Italian fare to the more eclectic but still comfortable Three V (which, as the name suggests, is run by the Viscariello family’s third generation), the Group has a wide range of venues all over the South Shore, making it easy for anyone to come find new favorites every time they drop by. And if they cannot visit when they want, Mia’s catering can help bring the Viscariello family’s flavors to wherever they are! 

Talk about providing care for the neighborhood!

www.viscariellohg.com

LAY DOWN, SALLY

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As I am not only blessed with a wonderful and brilliant wife from CT but also with her pizza-loving family, I am well versed in the ways of New Haven-style pizza.

That is why I was so excited to hear that CT’s famed Sally’s APizza was coming to Woburn!  

(Speaking of hearing, it is pronounced “A-pizza”!)

With nearly 100 years of saucy experience, Sally’s has long been legendary around the Nutmeg State but has never crossed the northern border until now. And even for people who have welcomed the invasion of Frank Pepe, Sally’s is still a treat to be tried!

Combining their original recipes and custom-made coal-fired ovens, Sally’s consistently produces thin crust pizza that is chewy, crispy, and oh so satisfying!

Though they may be most famous for their original mozzarella and special tomato sauce pie, Sally’s menu also has such tempting toppings as the Garden Special (with onion, zucchini, and basil), CT”s famed clam pizza, the Calabrian Chile chicken pizza with oven-roasted chicken and an extra spicy sauce, a pie with fresh tomatoes instead of sauce and even a white pizza that goes without no sign of tomatoes at all! For those in the know, there is also The Insider which features diced onion and parmesan on Sally’s signature sauce, and once you try any of Sally’s Apizza-s, you will surely want to become an insider soon!

If you are not a pie fan (as if) or want something to go along with your pies (ah!), Sally’s also has fresh Caesar and Caprese salads and wings that come with the same Calabrian Chile sauce as the pizza. 

No matter what you order, be sure to save rom for some cannoli pie, complete with chocolate chips and powdered sugar. 

If you cannot get to CT or MA, Sally’s also ships anywhere in the country. Even so, it is surely worth the trip!

www.sallysapizza.com

MEET ME AT THE CLUB CLUB

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Though I firmly believe that most golf courses should be used for low-income housing, I am a fan of the miniature edition.

Unfortunately, around New England, the “putt-putt” season is relatively short.

That is why I was psyched to find a place where I can play regardless of the weather and even enjoy an adult beverage while enjoying what some may say is a child’s edition of a pastime that otherwise takes up far too much space, time, and money.

Combining great food and even greater beverages with some of the most creative and electrifying (or at least electrified) miniature golf holes around, Puttshack in the Boston Seaport is a great place to combine the 19th hole with the rest of the front nine!

Using country club technology that keeps track of your game for you and offers bonus points for especially chic shots, Puttshack not only allows you to drink while you play and not have to worry about keeping score but encourages it with such swing-saving swillers as the porn star martini (with passion fruit liquer and a smoke-filled side of Sofia Coppola’s sparkling rosé), the umami bomb bloody Mary (with umami ice, pecan wood bacon, and pepperoni), and the peach tea on a peachtree (featuring Tennessee whiskey from our old friends at Ole Smoky).

If you need something to absorb the liquid fun, Puttshack has such savory stroke savers as wood-fired Thai octopus, Korean BBQ bao buns, Puttshack poutine with red wine bacon gravy, and lobster mac n’ cheese rolls known as Boston tailpipes, proceeds from which are donated to Wonderfund to bring joy to the thousands of Commonwealth kids who are involved with the Department of Children and Families.

No matter what you eat or drink (and drink…and drink), the soul of the Shack are the holes, some of which replicate such other party-themed faves as beer pong and others of which involve trivia questions about Boston (though you might want to tackle that one early before your beverages bogey your bid).

And did I mention the TVs and DJs all around? Well, there’s that too!
So grab a club and head to the club that lets even duffers have a ball!

www.puttshack.com

PINK SAUCE

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From the days of Anthony Martignetti and for generations before, Boston’s North End has been known for amazing handmade Italian food that is at least as good as your parents made it.

That is why I was so surprised (and pleasantly so!) to find a new eatery in the historic area called Pink Carrot that offered alternatives to pasta and pizza (as delicious as they may be!).

Basing their healthful and delicious offerings on the medically-sound EquiLife products that were created by Dr. Stephen Cabral (which have apparently not only helped customers deal with health issues but the venue’s Miami-based and -inspired owners as well!), Pink Carrot ‘s menu brings a range of protein and produce-based products to the land of Carbonaro and carbs.

The drink menu pours from freshly-crafted coffees and drinks that includes nutrient-packed golden milk and golden coffee as well as brain-benefitting ‘shroom coffee to a produce section’s worth of freshly-pressed juices and both regular and enhanced “super” smoothies. If you want something to wash down with those, the food menu includes creative bowls with chicken, fish, and veggies, as well sandwiches and wraps inspired by international flavors that reach beyond Italy, and a menu of baked potatoes with sweet or savory toppings! Though all of the food is prepared and served fresh and fast, the menu also offers even quicker bites like a set of toasts that goes way beyond avocado and salads that combine fresh veggies in ways that release all their flavor and nutrition and that can be enhanced with a wide range of proteins and sauces to customize to your taste.

For those who do not want to brave the busy streets of this popular and populated neighborhood, Pink Carrot also has a special app that offers with specials and incentives, including delivery to anyone within the borders of Boston.

Que bella!

www.pinkcarrotboston.com

EIGHT NIGHTS OF NOSH

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It’s Chanukah again and that can mean only one thing on Matt’s Meals- a mention of our favorite shmearing shamash- Steve Peljovich!

I know that we talk about Steve a ton, but when your food is so good and you do so much good for the community, you deserve all the support you can get (especially when your food is so good- did I mention that?).

As with all Jewish holidays Steve has pulled out all the stops and upped his creative level to new heights with his famed (and well-named) mishigas knishes. This year’s selection includes latke and apple knishes, holiday brisket knishes featuring his famous family recipe, and even a sufganiyot knish that will have even the most devoted Dunkin’ denizens converting.

If you want ein bissel to eat before the sweet treats, Steve has appetizer-sized latkes, blintzes, chopped liver, and the ever-popular dynamic duo of Auntie Bev’s noodle kugel and Auntie Gayle’s matzo ball soup. And no Peljovich family meal would be complete without brisket and fixin’s as composed by Steve’s culinarily adept wife!

Chanukah is a time to recall the strength and perseverance of the Jewish people and to share delicious traditions with friends of all faiths. Especially in these times of anti-everything, it is more important than ever to come together around the communal table. When that table is topped with tastes from Michael’s Deli, you’d have to be some kind of shmendrik to miss it!

If you ARE too busy lighting candles and spinning dreidels to make a holiday order, have no fear! The true miracle of Michael’s is that, no matter when you visit, there are sure to be lots of fun and fabulous choices, including Steve’s ever-growing menu of themed knishes, special offerings that raise funds for community organizations and, of course, the best corned beef around.

Give Michael’s a spin. You are sure to win!

www.michaelsdelibrookline.com

COLORING COPLEY

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Though it is one of the nation’s oldest and most storied hotels, the Copley Square Hotel continues to innovate to engage and enchant new generations of guests.

Among the most profound parts of the most recent renovation of the former home of the legendary Storyville Jazz Club and Café Budapest is the opening of HuE.

Named for the Hotel’s historic intersection of Huntington and Exeter, the two-floored HuE brings former Ming Tsai sideman Executive Chef Barnett Harper to a Back Bay venue that was crafted by such hospitality heavyweights as George Aboujaoude (who, as we mentioned, recently renamed his famed Cafeteria restaurant Eva in honor of his food-minded family’s next generations) former W Hotel food and beverage manager Maurice Rodriguez, Silk R&B Party curator Robert Eugene, and tech expert Nick Saber, making HuE a certain new favorite in Boston and beyond!

HuE ‘s upstairs dining room will feature a Pan-American menu that combines American comfort foods with Asian accents and that tops out at $30 a plate. Among HuE‘s sharable servings will be kofta meatballs, tofu with chili garlic sauce, a vegetarian burger with spicy Thai tomato jam, and slow-roasted pork ribs in a Tamarind glaze. There will also be a bar that is open until 1:30 AM that will make for the perfect meeting place before or after a day of shopping or a night of music and theater.

Speaking of music, HuE’s downstairs lounge will host more great food (including escargot with XO butter, braised short ribs with coconut polenta, and extra-large portions of twice-cooked noodles with beef and whole-fried fish) along with an ever-evolving menu of live and DJ-delivered musical offerings. There will even be a lower-level “speakeasy”-style wine and Champagne bar for those who want their evenings a bit more intimate and intriguing and all three bars will also offer international wines, creative cocktails, and full bottle service.

 HuE better go check it out!
https://www.hueboston.com / www.copleysquarehotel.com

BLISSFULLY MISNAMED

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A few months ago, I thanked the gods of food that the Donut Villa Diner had doubled in size from its original location in Malden to a new spot in Cambridge.

Apparently, the gods heard me because the donut-forward eatery recently added a third Villa in Newton!

And while the donuts are among the best I have ever had (which is saying something!) and come in such amazing flavors as double-chocolate toasted almond and white Belgian chocolate and Oreo (not to mention their ridiculously fresh apple fritters!) and variations as donut pizza, donut cheeseburger, donut breakfast sandwich (of course!), donut French toast, and a maple donut bread pudding that is worth another trip on its own, the restaurants seem to be greatly misnamed.

Though it started as the Donut Villa Diner over 50 years ago and is now called (at least around Newton) the Donut Villa Brunch Club and Bar, the fact that the diner-like menu is so lacked with so many amazing items that have no donuts in them. Among my favorites (which is admittedly a difficult decision) are and an Ahi tuna burger that is so good it should be il-Legal (especially when paired with the pickle fries, as every meal should be!). For those who need more choices (as they will surely come back again and again), there are also such creative offerings as lobster-packed and waffle-based Benedicts, corned beef hash-burger, a chicken parm sub, crab cakes, tofu scrambles, a banana split waffle, and what is appropriately named the Bonkers Breakfast, as well as healthy sets of gluten-free and vegan options as well.

Oh and did I mention that, as the new name implies, the latest Villa has a both a full coffee bar and a full bar bar that features tons of taps of local and international beers and customizable creative cocktails? Well yes and yes!

It has been said that you can’t judge a book by its cover and asked what’s in a name. In that spirit, I urge you to go for the donuts but stay for everything else!

www.donutvilladiner.com

HOLDAYS AT HAYMARKET

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Now that we are (hopefully) visiting others for the holidays it is time once again to get gifts for them all!

As usual, our friends at Boston Public Market have everything we (and everyone we know) could ask for…and more!

From gifts to groceries and treats to trimming, BPM makes holiday prep easy. And not only will you be helping the Market’s marvelous makers, you will also be supporting area entrepreneurs through the “Market on a Mission” non-profit program as well.

As part of its December Happenings series, the Market is hosting such special events as Pine Bar tap takeover featuring Shelburne, VT’s Fiddlehead Beer on December 22, a visit from Frosty the Snowman December 18, and a Holiday CrEATor Market (with an emphasis on the “E A T”) every weekend right up until Christmas Eve! There will also be a sleigh-full of tours, tastings, and classes, including pasta ornament making with Seven Hills Pasta December 17, ornament decorating with Laurel Greenfield Art December 20, and a coffee tasting with George Howell on the 23rd that will help you power through the final shopping days and get ready for what is sure to be a great holiday (or at least better than last year)!

No matter when you visit, there are always plenty of pretty and practical pieces from the enviro-conscious crafters of Peterman’s Board and Bowls, American Stonecraft, and the ever-able artists at HOPe Unlimited. If you have already finished your holiday shopping (as if!), you can still enjoy local legends like Beantown Pastrami, Crescent Ridge ice cream, Red’s Best seafood, and the ever-popular gift-makers at Q’s Nuts (as well as bagels from Bagel Guild for those who prefer to shmear through the snow).

Whether you need gifts for others or a well-deserved treat for yourself, Boston Public Market is always ready to deliver. And as we prepare to give to others we love, a visit to the Market is a great opportunity to also give to some of our most creative our friends and neighbors as well!

www.bostonpublicmarket.org