Haha will consider 
From the Boston Globe. Some interesting options.
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Got take out from Fresh Pond Seafood for dinner last night. Easy curbside pickup. We split a quart of fish chowder, lobster roll, whole belly clams, huge portion of chicken tenders for spring onion (B said they were really good). Everything was good as usual. The chowder needed a tiny bit of salt and pepper - we used our precious Penzeys roasted Szechuan salt and pepper which we’re rationing since the shop is closed and to protect our delivery guys, we’re trying to minimize online orders. Isn’t Penzeys an essential/food biz? WTF! Anyway, we left a healthy tip. The joint was hopping at 6 pm-ish. So glad they’re doing ok.
We’ll enjoy the leftovers today (chowder, maybe 2 clams, chicken, and leftover bread from the lobster roll which we’ll dip in the chowder).
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Penzy’s is probably closed by choice. The spice cabinet has come in handy with all the home cooking.
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Curio is shipping spices. They’re worth supporting.
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As is Claremont (NH) Spice and Dry Goods, also shipping. Claremontspice.com
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Penzey’s is closed by choice, presumably to protect their workers, much like you are trying to protect delivery workers (who are probably exposed to much less risk than retail employees.) The other branch of the family runs The Spice House, which is still open for mail-order with most items in flat packaging shipping for free. I’ve had good luck with them, and while Penzeys might have convenience and variety, I think The Spice House wins on quality, especially for blends. The Vulcan’s Fire salt is outstanding.
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We did the 3 Little Figs pop up weekend breakfast pre-order today. Their only breakfast sandwich option is the black pepper biscuit with egg and cheese +/- bacon. There were a couple of pastry options and I can vouch the rhubarb danish was amazing. Sandwiches are assigned a time slot and we lined up at our appropriate time slot to have our bagged order handed off. It all went smoothly and judging by the multitude of people in line, I suspect it’s worth their while to keep offering this and wonder if they will consider it for weekdays as well.
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We mostly replayed the hits last few weeks. One new spot was take out from the original Pizzeria Regina on Thatcher Street. I called the order in directly as there were a few custom options that I wanted to be sure they had correct. Ordering over the phone was not a problem. They don’t do order ahead for a specific time via telephone. I told them I wanted to pick up at 6p and they suggested I call back at 5:30p… I did so and the pizzas were ready and hot at 6. They have a security guard outside the front door (other places take note). The guard took my name and how many pies and relayed the information inside. If your pizza is ready, 2 people at a time are allowed inside. If not you are instructed to wait down the sidewalk. This really helped to cut down on people clustering around the door. Once inside you are directed to one of 2 ends at the bar for pickup. Call in orders are still cash only (I assume ordering online will accommodate prepaid credit card. Cash wasn’t an issue as I just rounded up, dropped the cash and didn’t bother with change. The usual crew was all there working, just hidden a bit behind their masks. The pizza really scratched an itch for us.
I was not as happy with the pickup experience at Craigie this time around. They appear to be doing a huge volume via Caviar. While I’m very happy for them, the scene out front was a bit close for my taste. There is a note on a table blocking the door saying they will come out and call your name when the order is ready. Unfortunately, the note was taped on a flat table and not visible from a distance. Therefore people were crowded the table. It seemed that the walk up and regular customers were being courteous and distancing. However, the delivery drivers were crowding closer to the door and walking close among other waiting, some of them with no masks and smoking.
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I’m not really sure where to put this but since this thread is about restaurants it’s as good a place as any. I read in the Globe (yes, paywall but sometimes the articles show up on boston.com a day or two later) that Irene Li of Mei Mei Restaurant is running a GoFundMe for “unsung restaurants” where you can donate funds earmarked for your chosen restaurant. I plan to use it, I am terrified of all the restaurants we are going to lose.
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Same, same, same.
Our approach has been to patronize 2 neighborhood independent places for takeout. We buy as much as we can reasonably use and put the leftovers to use for later meals.
If we don’t at least try, then there’s no chance for sure.
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Maybe it’s time to start a Boston is opening up for the summer thread … just heard (haven’t been) that both Dairy Joy (Westin) and Pizzi’s (Waltham) are open. Can’t believe I hadn’t heard. Seems early to me but maybe I could use a good ice cream cone anyway!
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Although it’s great to hear about openings, it seems early for that, and dangerous. What are we, Georgians?
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No way. We prefer our April with snow and daffodils, the way Mother Nature intended.
That said, the Kimball’s ice cream location in Westford only is open with a limited ice cream menu and superb social distancing in place. You follow signs to queue up in your car, get directed to a parking space when your turn comes, and emerge to go to an assigned window only when the staff directs you.
Then it’s immediately back in your car. Away you go. You cannot remain on the premises to eat.
Props to the crew for running the operation in the safest way possible.
I’m glad to have a taste of better times in our freezer. Because, ice cream.
Menu and details:
https://kimballfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-IC-Modified-Menu.pdf
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Benson’s ice cream is doing something similar. Pints and quarts only, order and pay ahead of pick up.
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Another shout-out for Goldilox. This morning, I picked up 1/2 dozen everything and 1/2 rosemary salt. The latter was new-to-us and fantastic, especially paired with their garlic cream cheese. Man, @bear I know some of your family members found their bagels under-salted, but I highly recommend this flavor combo. I wasn’t sure if the rosemary would be overpowering, but it’s not at all. Same seamless/painless ordering and pick-up process (I’ve done walk-up both times rather than curbside pickup).
There was a small snafu with our cream cheese order last time and co-owner Lindsey went over-the-top to rectify that on this order. I was glad to be able to thank her in person at pick-up today. I am a customer for life.
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Oh, actually, I bet there would be enough going on in both flavors to make them happy. I still have various bagels stashed in the freezer (amazing how well good bagels freeze if you catch them the day of baking), but will make that my first bagel indulgence when my freezer stock is low. It sounds like the purchase set-up is safe and well-thought-out.
I had a tasty Bagelsaurus sesame bagel last weekend and enjoyed it. Can’t wait to have another Goldilox and have have my husband and son try them again. And, we all loved the plain Goldi cream cheese. It reminded us of our first tastes of real cream cheese in the mid-seventies when we were o-so-sophisticated going into the Newbury St. area for bagels, salad and beer at Ken’s deli.
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Kara Baskin in the Globe has a run-down of some interesting takeout options. I will take the liberty of copying and pasting a couple items that I know are local to several folks active on this thread:
Arlington’s Breadboard Bakery (203A Broadway at Warren Street) — run by Daisy Chow, formerly of Brookline’s Clear Flour — offers a preorder menu (walk-ups not allowed). Call ahead for seeded sourdough, cookies, muffins, cakes, pizza dough, and even sourdough starters for those who want to take matters into their own hands.
Union Square’s Hot Box (1 Bow Market Way, Somerville) now offers a Family Survival Kit for $50, a small price to pay for three life-affirming pizzas, two roast beef sandwiches, and four drinks.
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All this bagel talk made me start making bagels. I’ve done it 3 weekends in a row, will start the dough again soon. I was craving bagels!!!
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Here’s another list https://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/takeout-delivery-coronavirus/
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