Not an opening or closure but I just saw that Buttonwood isn’t any longer part of the Sycamore “empire” as they sold it to a former employee. It’s always hard to predict how such an ownership change will effect the quality or menu
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While I have some sympathy for your explanation, there’s a more mundane one here:
Yes, I saw that thread 61 minutes (approximately 
) after posting and was unable to edit. I like my explanation better…
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+1
With all those extra "S"es They really missed the opportunity just to pluralize their name to “Caramels” in the true Bostonian fashion (and maybe sneak an “irre-gahdless” in there for good measure).
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ridiculously excited for Tatte.
I’ve been to Laughing Monk 3x - twice for lunch and once for takeout. Takeout was fine, not great, and my family prefers Little Spoon. Lunch was good, but pretty $$$ for lunch.
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Not sure this is new, but it is new to me. And looks very good, has anyone been
(sorry for the length, its a paywall otherwise)
QUICK BITE
Thai marketplace and takeout shop Boon Noon Market is a boon to East Arlington at any hour
By Kara Baskin Globe Correspondent,Updated June 16, 2022, 1 hour ago
Spicy satay noodles at Boon Noon Market in Arlington.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
Where to Boon Noon in East Arlington.
Why For lovingly prepared Thai food, plus crispy anchovies, tapioca coconut cookies, and bags of black garlic from Boon Noon’s marketplace. Many of their products are imported from Phetchaburi, “the most well-known region for desserts and pure palm sugar,” says owner Nutthachai “Jeep” Chaojaroenpong, who calls Boon Noon a “grocerant.”
Nutthachai Chaojaroenpong at Boon Noon Market in Arlington. LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
The backstory Chaojaroenpong comes from Pak Chong, part of Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province. He studied for a time at Johnson & Wales. He earned a graduate degree in marketing from Boston College and lent his knack for recipe development and business planning to restaurants such as DakZen in Davis Square and The Nu Do Society in Central Square.
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This is a more casual affair, close to his Arlington home. He runs the small, seatless storefront with his wife, Phatcharawin “Patchar” Watthanagithiphat, as well as Sawitree “Aoi” Suksakul and Pilaiphon Wongpunth. They longed for an authentic taste of home, eschewing sugary, Americanized Thai. The focus is on kub kao: “food served with rice that you eat with family,” he explains.
Kao soi at Boon Noon Market in Arlington. LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
What to eat You heard it here first: “The secret is that there is quite many restaurants in and around Boston area buy Khao Soi paste from us,” Chaojaroenpong says. And so that deeply fragrant, coconut-scented curry noodle soup is a staple here, fired up with house-made toasted chili.
He also recommended the spicy satay noodles — draped with peanut sauce, chili oil, scallion, cilantro. I ordered it veggie-style, with fresh, healthy chunks of carrot and broccoli. When I ask him why the flavor is so deep and mellow, he doesn’t hold back.
“I question why peanut sauce here is so pale and doesn’t have much flavor. In Thailand, the peanut sauce is much darker. The cooking process makes coconut milk break down to oil, but many people here are afraid of oil on the top of the food. But coconut milk is a healthy fat, like olive oil,” he says. “And we don’t hold back on the spices: galangal, scallion, lemongrass. And the thing that boosts the flavor is the chili oil we make in-house.”
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There are also offbeat menu finds, like the absolutely magical lox Rangoons, made with salmon, real cream cheese, and dill — it’s as though the very essence of Sunday brunch has been captured in a little crispy pouch. The other big hit are shrimp cakes folded into a donut shape, battered and served with a creamy lemon and sweet chili sauce. Soon he’ll add desserts, such as Sweet Potato with Salted Palm Sugar Caramel, and coconut cream. Nothing on the menu is over $15.
Lox Rangoons at Boon Noon Market in Arlington.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
While you wait, browse the market. It has a charming homeyness, like popping into someone’s pantry: a plastic container of baked clams here; imported red lime paste there; a bag or two of black garlic. (“Good for diabetes control,” Chaojaroenpong tells me as I shop.)
Market confections come from Phetchaburi, “the most well-known region for desserts and pure palm sugar, with the help of Patchar’s parents,” he says.
Kao niao ma muang mango dessert.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
What to drink Creamy Thai iced tea or hibiscus tea, mixed while you wait; sodas; and water.
Hibiscus tea with herbs and mint at Boon Noon Market in Arlington. LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
The takeaway In Thai, Boon means “good karma,” Chaojaroenpong says. This friendly little place just over the Cambridge line oozes it.
161 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, 781-316-0059, www.boonnoonmarket.com
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I visited at lunchtime on a Saturday at lunch. Walked in, and three staff was around, were completely ignored, and left. Done.
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Re Laughing Monk and $$$ - that’s why I’m not likely to prioritize it. Amarin, Lemon Thai, and Krua Thai are all really good, and less expensive, and the first two are super close. I haven’t been to Little Spoon but will put it on the list!
I can’t tell what restaurant you’re talking about?
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I can’t understand which restaurant Ferrari328 is talking about, either. I would like to know!
Boon Noon Market in Arlington. Thought I replied to that post.
I was afraid that was what you meant, as I’m anticipating this restaurant eagerly after reading the Globe piece. Your reply was actually to the June openings/closings thread, so we couldn’t tell. Thanks for clarifying.
Has anyone successfully eaten at Boon Noon yet? We may bike over and give it a try for Father’s Day.
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I had a smashing first visit here. Super-cool little Thai market with a crazy selection of concentrated curry pastes from unfamiliar-to-me corners of Thailand, like one with fermented crab. I imagine my whole place being stunk up in a good way just by cooking with a thumbnail-sized smear from one of those little tubs. Longer on shelf-stable than fresh ingredients at the moment, but lots of items I don’t see in the tiny Thai sections of my Chinese and Korean supermarkets.
A very promising first lunch: ua lao, a Northern sausage (chef is from Changmai or thereabouts) that reminded me a bit of sai ua, fermented and porky, described as an Andouille, nice chili fire by itself. A sweetly funky flavor I don’t see much in the States. The set included skin-on roasted peanuts, dried chilies, fresh cilantro and pickled ginger slices.
Kui chai, chive pancakes cut into triangles, had a fine fry job and the expected sweet brown dipping sauce. Good of its kind, but not so hard to find elsewhere locally.
Spicy basil eggplant with vegetables was delicious, fresh, solid – served with excellent purple jasmine rice, I’m guessing that Riceberry hybrid. The kitchen is already leading with modest spice levels after shocking some locals with traditional Thai heat. A condiment caddy with dried, fresh and pickled chilis, nam pla prik, sugar, etc. would be welcome.
Overall, impressed with the amount of earnest, traditional excellence concentrated into this small storefront: the operators seem like lovely people, too. I’m going back soon and bringing friends to work through the menu. An exciting first look!
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Thank you for the review, we are hoping to try for lunch next week.
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Gourmet Dumpling House announces it will close its doors in Chinatown after 15 years
By Brittany Bowker Globe Staff,Updated June 22, 2022, 1 hour ago
Mini juicy pork dumplings at Gourmet Dumpling House in Boston. The eatery, located at 52 Beach St., has made regular appearances in online travel guides and best-of lists, and in 2013 it was included in Travel & Leisure’s list of the best Chinese restaurants in the US.THE BOSTON GLOBE/GLOBE FREELANCE
Beloved Chinatown eatery Gourmet Dumpling House has announced that it will close its doors after 15 years.
In a post shared through Google, the celebrated restaurant said it would be shuttering its Boston location on July 1 “due to the lease term.” The announcement noted that the restaurant’s Cambridge location will remain open.
“Dear Beloved Customers,” the post reads. “After 15 years in business, due to the lease term, we are so sorry to inform you Gourmet Dumpling House will be closing its operations July 1, 2022. Thanks to all those who have supported Gourmet Dumpling House over the years, we are extremely proud of all that we have accomplished in these glorious years and [we are] more thankful to those who have believed in us.”
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Owner Ed Chen opened Gourmet Dumpling House in 2007, and over the years, the restaurant often had a line out the door. The eatery, located at 52 Beach St., has made regular appearances in online travel guides and best-of lists, and in 2013 it was included in Travel & Leisure’s list of the best Chinese restaurants in the US.
“We got so emotional when we see so many touching comments online, you are our families! We will miss you!” the Google post continues.
Gourmet Dumpling House’s last day will be June 30. The Cambridge location, called Dumpling House, is located at 950 Massachusetts Ave.
The restaurant could not immediately be reached for comment.
Brittany Bowker can be reached at brittany.bowker@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittbowker and on Instagram @brittbowker.
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That’s too bad, although to be honest, once the Cambridge outpost opened we stopped going there. Still, the closing of a good place is always cause for gloom.
About 3 weeks before the announcement, we were sitting at the bar at Sycamore, and bartender Scott told us (but asked us to not mention it on social media until it was announced). I believe many of the staff are staying (as the new owner is an ex-David Punch employee), and it will be interesting to see what things are kept and what new things arrive. Apparently Dave likes being able to walk between Sycamore, Jinny’s and Little Big and hated having to drive to Buttonwood. Plus Buttonwood didn’t seem to recover from the pandemic quite as well as the other places.
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oh interesting - we LOVE all 4 restaurants. The new co-owner is the chef at Buttonwood and seems to have partnered with a finance guy. I’ll be super curious to see if the menu changes. Buttonwood is probably my favorite of all 4 restaurants, but I would LOVE if they would get a better dessert menu - it’s very one-dimensional.
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I had a great meal at Buttonwood a couple of months ago. Wishing them luck as an indie venture!
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